Pretty much un-watchable for me for the most part. I had a few parts here and there where it was working. Lately I have been having pretty good luck with it, which is the frustrating part since I know that it is not me.

I attended last night's game with PGJMU. I don't think that Drexel sucks, first of all. In person, and I was in the third row or so, they've got a big, physical team with some shooters in Lee, Mojica, Wilson and London. After getting demolished by JMU back in Philly, they strung something like six wins together. They're no pushover and I believe they're one of six teams that can win the whole tournament in Baltimore.

JMU was seemingly always in control last night and stretched it out to double digits late. Drexel, however, made an incredible late push to make it close. Not sure I've ever seen a team hit that many threes that quickly on usually only one attempt down court. Dukes weathered the storm and came out with a win, of course.

Joey McLean played a nice game, but came up lame late in the game. His leaving coincided, it seemed, with Drexel's late comeback. Hopefully, it was just cramps. He was the guy guarding Lee in the box and one defense in the second half.

Tom Vodonavich has really improved in season. He went from being a non-factor to being a key guy. He played a real nice game last night.

And of course, this team would be nowhere without one Ron Curry. He's clearly the team leader at this point.

Disappointing performances by Satkus and Kent. Hopefully, Kent can get his mojo back, as he's shown he can be an offensive force at times.

This team has virtually no depth in the backcourt. Team cannot sustain an injury there and compete going down the stretch.

In watching the game, it didn't seem that JMU lit it up in the second half (as it actually did), as everything is usually pretty difficult against the Dragons. They knock you around pretty good on every possession.

JMU has put together some real nice shooting lines in quite a few games this year....that shows the value of ball and player movement and shot selection, of course.

To get to the next level, JMU needs an impact front court player and some help in the backcourt. Hall can help with some of that if he is to return this season, but most of that help won't arrive until next season.

My observation....the team is better without Nation....

(02-19-2015 10:35 AM)hburg Wrote:  My observation....the team is better without Nation....

I think you are right. Addition by subtraction. Hard to believe you lose your best player and get better but that seems to be the case. I thought they played really well last night. There is not much room for error but hopefully they can finish strong and make things interesting in Baltimore. Go Dukes!!

(02-19-2015 10:40 AM)84Breeze Wrote:  

(02-19-2015 10:35 AM)hburg Wrote:  My observation....the team is better without Nation....

I think you are right. Addition by subtraction. Hard to believe you lose your best player and get better but that seems to be the case. I thought they played really well last night. There is not much room for error but hopefully they can finish strong and make things interesting in Baltimore. Go Dukes!!

Agree 100%. I hate it for Nation but the proof is in the product and record with and without speaks for itself.

This team really seems to have fun playing now and lack the mood swings on the court. They are playing for each other and pick each other up.

(02-19-2015 11:02 AM)ShadyP Wrote:  

(02-19-2015 10:40 AM)84Breeze Wrote:  

(02-19-2015 10:35 AM)hburg Wrote:  My observation....the team is better without Nation....

I think you are right. Addition by subtraction. Hard to believe you lose your best player and get better but that seems to be the case. I thought they played really well last night. There is not much room for error but hopefully they can finish strong and make things interesting in Baltimore. Go Dukes!!

Agree 100%. I hate it for Nation but the proof is in the product and record with and without speaks for itself.

This team really seems to have fun playing now and lack the mood swings on the court. They are playing for each other and pick each other up.

The Dukes have also played some truly dreadful teams the last two weeks.

I agree that there has been some noticeable improvement in pace and teamwork, but let's see how the team reacts in the final two games at UNCW and vs. Hofstra. We're almost certainly going into Baltimore as the 4 or 5 seed and will have to win against three of Hofstra, UNCW, William and Mary and Northeastern of which we are 1-5 this season.

(02-19-2015 11:02 AM)ShadyP Wrote:  

(02-19-2015 10:40 AM)84Breeze Wrote:  

(02-19-2015 10:35 AM)hburg Wrote:  My observation....the team is better without Nation....

I think you are right. Addition by subtraction. Hard to believe you lose your best player and get better but that seems to be the case. I thought they played really well last night. There is not much room for error but hopefully they can finish strong and make things interesting in Baltimore. Go Dukes!!

Agree 100%. I hate it for Nation but the proof is in the product and record with and without speaks for itself.

This team really seems to have fun playing now and lack the mood swings on the court. They are playing for each other and pick each other up.

I witnessed some pretty amazing passes last night. There were a handful that didn't hit their mark, but I liked what I saw. As I stated during the game, that it was the best I had seen us play this season, yet at the time of my thoughts, the game was far from being decided.

There was a lot of confidence spread around, not only within the individual, but confidence of one teammate given to another. Though Kent wasn't producing much on offense, the kid has developed a pretty good sense of where the ball was going on defense. As for Cabarkapa, I really hope he can find an academic reason to hang around JMU for at least one more season. I expect, his decision will be based on what happens with MB.

(02-19-2015 11:06 AM)All Dukes_All Day Wrote:  

(02-19-2015 11:02 AM)ShadyP Wrote:  

(02-19-2015 10:40 AM)84Breeze Wrote:  

(02-19-2015 10:35 AM)hburg Wrote:  My observation....the team is better without Nation....

I think you are right. Addition by subtraction. Hard to believe you lose your best player and get better but that seems to be the case. I thought they played really well last night. There is not much room for error but hopefully they can finish strong and make things interesting in Baltimore. Go Dukes!!

Agree 100%. I hate it for Nation but the proof is in the product and record with and without speaks for itself.

This team really seems to have fun playing now and lack the mood swings on the court. They are playing for each other and pick each other up.

The Dukes have also played some truly dreadful teams the last two weeks.

I agree that there has been some noticeable improvement in pace and teamwork, but let's see how the team reacts in the final two games at UNCW and vs. Hofstra. We're almost certainly going into Baltimore as the 4 or 5 seed and will have to win against three of Hofstra, UNCW, William and Mary and Northeastern of which we are 1-5 this season.

I don't believe this to be true, our first game should be against a lesser opponent, I sort of hope its not Drexel. Though, you should be correct with the semi's and final game.

(02-18-2015 10:19 PM)Hart Foundation Wrote:  Good win against a weaker than normal Drexel team. If the Dukes back door into the top 2 places I will be shocked. This team isn't that good, but neither is the league.

I know it is your opinion and one shared by many on this board, but why should anyone really cares if the CAA is down this year? There isn't an asterisk on the Championship banner we raised a couple of years ago.

Clinched the avoidance of the CAA tourney play-in games Friday!

(02-19-2015 11:21 AM)BleedingPurple Wrote:  

(02-19-2015 11:06 AM)All Dukes_All Day Wrote:  

(02-19-2015 11:02 AM)ShadyP Wrote:  

(02-19-2015 10:40 AM)84Breeze Wrote:  

(02-19-2015 10:35 AM)hburg Wrote:  My observation....the team is better without Nation....

I think you are right. Addition by subtraction. Hard to believe you lose your best player and get better but that seems to be the case. I thought they played really well last night. There is not much room for error but hopefully they can finish strong and make things interesting in Baltimore. Go Dukes!!

Agree 100%. I hate it for Nation but the proof is in the product and record with and without speaks for itself.

This team really seems to have fun playing now and lack the mood swings on the court. They are playing for each other and pick each other up.

The Dukes have also played some truly dreadful teams the last two weeks.

I agree that there has been some noticeable improvement in pace and teamwork, but let's see how the team reacts in the final two games at UNCW and vs. Hofstra. We're almost certainly going into Baltimore as the 4 or 5 seed and will have to win against three of Hofstra, UNCW, William and Mary and Northeastern of which we are 1-5 this season.

I don't believe this to be true, our first game should be against a lesser opponent, I sort of hope its not Drexel. Though, you should be correct with the semi's and final game.

As it currently stands:
Play in games: #7 Delaware vs. #10 Charleston
#8 Towson vs. #9 Elon

#1UNC-W vs. (#8 Towson vs. #9 Elon)
#4 JMU vs. #5 Hofstra
#3 W&M vs. #6 Drexel
#2 Northeastern vs (#7 Delware vs. #10 Charleston)

Unless W&M, UNCW, or NE totally collapse down the stretch and JMU wins out (unlikely), the Dukes will fall to the fourth seed b/c of their dreadful performances agains the Top 3 in the conference this season.

Cabarkapa has really added to the team with his offensive skill....he's not shy about shooting the ball and keeps getting better as he gets more comfortable. His defense and rebounding need some work, however. Dukes would have lost the game without him last night.

(02-19-2015 11:36 AM)Dukes84 Wrote:  Cabarkapa has really added to the team with his offensive skill....he's not shy about shooting the ball and keeps getting better as he gets more comfortable. His defense and rebounding need some work, however. Dukes would have lost the game without him last night.

Agree, yet I will add, that without any one of the players who saw the court last night, we would have had odds against a win. Lot of good was going on. To be honest, Dalembert had an off night, especially with a couple of his errant passes.

Last two games we are 52-88 from the field (59%) and 19-33 from 3 point land (58%). Pretty impressive. Kind of surprising the games were relatively close with that kind of shooting. Keep up the good work guys!

(02-19-2015 11:57 AM)olddawg Wrote:  Last two games we are 52-88 from the field (59%) and 19-33 from 3 point land (58%). Pretty impressive. Kind of surprising the games were relatively close with that kind of shooting. Keep up the good work guys!

Especially since it was only about 6 games ago, we were lucky to hit the rim and/or backboard with a jump-shot. I would cringe every time we took a shot outside of three feet. A lot has certainly changed.

This note in the DNR article today on last night's game. Found it to be pretty interesting...in a good way.

"As has been the case at all of Madison’s home games since his dismissal, Nation was once again supporting his former team from the stands Wednesday"

(02-19-2015 12:18 PM)jmu82 Wrote:  This note in the DNR article today on last night's game. Found it to be pretty interesting...in a good way.

"As has been the case at all of Madison’s home games since his dismissal, Nation was once again supporting his former team from the stands Wednesday"

If he was actually there, as is indicated, this is a very positive step for his growth. I really do wish him well. Maybe he could have been watched over like a shepherd watching over his herd, but ultimately, he was his own worst enemy.

(02-19-2015 12:18 PM)jmu82 Wrote:  This note in the DNR article today on last night's game. Found it to be pretty interesting...in a good way.

"As has been the case at all of Madison’s home games since his dismissal, Nation was once again supporting his former team from the stands Wednesday"

That is quite interesting. He was dismissed from the team, but not kicked out of JMU, correct?

I assume this means his scholarship (year to year) is likely good until the end of the spring semester. Hopefully he's still in classes and follows the team closesly still. Maybe Brady essentially put him on a non-Basketball probationary period and will decide whether or not to renew his schollie at the end of the semester.

Surprised you guys seem to think we can't do any better than the 4 seed. I know we're behind on tiebreakers, but Realtimerpi currently projects us to finish tied for first with W&M at 12-6, even with losing to UNCW. Flip that game or have William & Mary drop one of their projected wins, and we're alone in first. We've got the longest odds of the four in contention, but it's really not that crazy.

(02-19-2015 01:09 PM)jmuwyhamhgawd Wrote:  Surprised you guys seem to think we can't do any better than the 4 seed. I know we're behind on tiebreakers, but Realtimerpi currently projects us to finish tied for first with W&M at 12-6, even with losing to UNCW. Flip that game or have William & Mary drop one of their projected wins, and we're alone in first. We've got the longest odds of the four in contention, but it's really not that crazy.

It's highly unlikely we win out (we'll be dogs against both UNC-W and Hofstra) and even if we do, we would lose the tie breaker against everyone. Northeastern also has a cream puff schedule for their final three. I got us winning the regular season title at around 5-10%.
..
Our only hope to finish anything but 4th is one of W&M, NE and UNC-W going into the toilet down the stretch (meaning 0-3 or 1-2).