The unofficial online home for fans of the Old Dominion University Monarchs. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

Gonna be exciting. I can't wait!!! Basketball season is just around the corner!!

Let's welcome Kevin Keatts to campus...finally.

But seriously, I am excited. I think this should be a fun season, and I always enjoy the years that bring a lot of newcomers into the mix.

If this isn't the official game thread in 3 weeks I'll be very disappointed.

Looking at UNC-Dubya, they've only got 1 guy that's taller than any of our guys, C.J. Gettys at 7'. He averaged 2.7 points per game last year as a RS freshman, played in 11 games averaging 8.8 minutes per game, and had a FT% of .286 (2-7). Their other big men, Chuck Ogbodo (6'-9"), Dylan Sherwood (6'-9"), and Tennessee transfer Makanjuola (6'-8") haven't done much better stat wise. Their standout forward Cedrick Williams (6'-9"), played in 32 games last season, averaging 30 minutes and 11.5 points per game. He had 26 assists, 28 steals and 46 blocks in 2013. Other than those 5 the tallest player on their team is 6'-4" freshman guard Nick Powell.

I think if we can keep Williams at bay with Arledge and Taylor, our guards should be able to get the job done.

UNCW was picked to finish 9th in the 10 team CAA. They beat Div. II Catawba 97-68 in exhibition play. UNCW was 9-23 last season.

No Line available yet.

ODU 65
UNCW 54

ODU-67, UNCW-55

Brett Blizzard is long gone.

Ambrose with 16, Freeman and Bacote with 14.

Let's start the year off with a win!

ODU 78-62.

My niece is a UNCW cheerleader. And fortunately for her, the gene pool was much more kind to her, than it was for me......

Family pride on the line here, so hoping we roll over the SeaPigeons.

(10-21-2014 12:50 PM)Blue_Trombone Wrote:  If this isn't the official game thread in 3 weeks I'll be very disappointed.

Looking at UNC-Dubya, they've only got 1 guy that's taller than any of our guys, C.J. Gettys at 7'. He averaged 2.7 points per game last year as a RS freshman, played in 11 games averaging 8.8 minutes per game, and had a FT% of .286 (2-7). Their other big men, Chuck Ogbodo (6'-9"), Dylan Sherwood (6'-9"), and Tennessee transfer Makanjuola (6'-8") haven't done much better stat wise. Their standout forward Cedrick Williams (6'-9"), played in 32 games last season, averaging 30 minutes and 11.5 points per game. He had 26 assists, 28 steals and 46 blocks in 2013. Other than those 5 the tallest player on their team is 6'-4" freshman guard Nick Powell.

I think if we can keep Williams at bay with Arledge and Taylor, our guards should be able to get the job done.

Hey guys! Just want to provide some context to the above.

Gettys weighed in at about 290-295 last year and clearly struggled. However, he's lost 30 pounds and is looking spry. I'm not sure if he can keep up with Coach Keatts' fast-paced style but it appears he's going to get some serious minutes.

Yemi is mostly a mystery but he's been the vocal leader of the team in practice. Sherwood started in the exhibition game so I imagine Yemi will come off the bench along with Ogbodo and Gettys.

Our senior point guard, Craig Ponder played for Coach Keatts at Hargrave Military, but he'll be splitting time with talented freshman Jordan Talley. Another freshman guard, Malik Pugh, was a Buzz Peterson recruit but was kept around. It seems like a good decision; the kid is REALLY fast and seems to have a nose for scoring. Only time will tell to see how he develops.

Good luck on Saturday! I'm looking forward to the matchup.

Going to be a really interesting game from a UNCW fan's perspective. It's hard to tell just where things stand vis-a-vis last year's team, so this will be the first chance to see where things really stand.

For all of the obvious reasons, ODU should be favored. But for me, this game is less about winning and losing than about seeing where the Seahawks stand in the early rebuilding process.

I will say this..every early indicator is that this year's UNCW squad will be improved, and play a different style than during the Benny Moss/Buzz Peterson years. So a good ODU team is a nice barometer of just how far along we start the season on the rebuilding path.

It'll be nice to have a relevant UNCW team around again. Miss the good old days. Good luck after Saturday.

This should be test #1 for this Monarchs squad. Take nothing for granted; down the Seahawks.

(11-13-2014 07:00 PM)70shawk Wrote:  Going to be a really interesting game from a UNCW fan's perspective. It's hard to tell just where things stand vis-a-vis last year's team, so this will be the first chance to see where things really stand.

For all of the obvious reasons, ODU should be favored. But for me, this game is less about winning and losing than about seeing where the Seahawks stand in the early rebuilding process.

I will say this..every early indicator is that this year's UNCW squad will be improved, and play a different style than during the Benny Moss/Buzz Peterson years. So a good ODU team is a nice barometer of just how far along we start the season on the rebuilding path.

We have a habit of making every team look good. If you have fast guards and decent size in the post. We might be in for a long night judging from the game the other night. I don't think you can use this game as a true barometer because we are trying to fit many new pieces into playing together in games. We are very much a work in progress.

(11-14-2014 06:55 AM)Mr.BigBlue Wrote:  We have a habit of making every team look good. If you have fast guards and decent size in the post. We might be in for a long night judging from the game the other night. I don't think you can use this game as a true barometer because we are trying to fit many new pieces into playing together in games. We are very much a work in progress.

In the 8 seasons since our last NCAA tournament appearance, we've had 1 winning season season and never won more than 13 in any of the other 7, compiling an 85-164 (.341) overall record.

I'd say we're a "work in progress" too. lol.

Honestly in 3 years we have not been much better. We have talent and depth this year but playing together with players in new roles will be difficult for us to become a Team. We will struggle early this year. Frankly...I think this will be a competitive game.

It will be competitive. My fear is that our hoops team follows the path of UNCW. We need to get back to the NCAAs soon to remain relevant.

(11-13-2014 10:27 PM)CameramanJ Wrote:  This should be test #1 for this Monarchs squad. Take nothing for granted; down the Seahawks.

This is also test #1 for our 2014-2015 basketball fan base. Saturday evening, opening game, promising team -- I am hoping for >7,000. Anything less than 5,000 would be a disappointment.

We will likely start 3 seniors and 2 red shirt Jr.s.

We have a pretty athletic set of guards in Ponder, Jackson and Spruill who are 6'1" 185lb, 6'5" 185lb and 6'4" 225lb. Jackson will create the most havoc at the front of the press, and he can finish on the break. Spruill is a load at the 3.

Dylan Sherwood at the 4 is one of our best shooters, and at 6'9" he can pull big men outside, allowing preseason 2nd. All CAA player Cedrick Williams some one on one chances to score.

Off the bench, 7'0" 250 lb. CJ Gettys is fairly nimble for a big man. He shed about 30 lbs over the summer, and is able to score around the basket. He played very well against the Tarheels last December.

We have a pair of Freshman guards who will see quite a bit of action. Malik Pugh is small but extremely quick at 6'1" and 165 lbs. He put up 20 points on 7-10 shooting in our exhibition against Catawba.

Jordan Talley is a good on the ball defender and good ball handler.

We WILL press throughout the game, but not to the extent of a VCU. Mostly on made baskets and free throws. But we will pick up the ball full court, and try to make it tough to get into sets. We then drop into a matchup zone.

It's really hard to predict how we will do at this point. The team has only faced two opponents with a new coach and a new system. Last year we looked best when we pressed and the game got a bit out of control. The Keatts system fits these guys well, but it may take a bit of time for them to really perfect this system.

I can't imagine we will be worse than last year, and should at least give you guys a good game

(11-14-2014 07:01 PM)AdoptedMonarch Wrote:  

(11-13-2014 10:27 PM)CameramanJ Wrote:  This should be test #1 for this Monarchs squad. Take nothing for granted; down the Seahawks.

This is also test #1 for our 2014-2015 basketball fan base. Saturday evening, opening game, promising team -- I am hoping for >7,000. Anything less than 5,000 would be a disappointment.

+1 We need to get 7 thou at least to this game. If there's a time for the fans to set the tone for the season, it is now.

(11-14-2014 07:01 PM)AdoptedMonarch Wrote:  

(11-13-2014 10:27 PM)CameramanJ Wrote:  This should be test #1 for this Monarchs squad. Take nothing for granted; down the Seahawks.

This is also test #1 for our 2014-2015 basketball fan base. Saturday evening, opening game, promising team -- I am hoping for >7,000. Anything less than 5,000 would be a disappointment.

I think it'll be more than 5k but I don't know about 7k+. I hope I'm wrong. I'll be there. I'll be singing the national anthem with the fraternity that I'm in.