Elon Rematch and this week's Disa & Data
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PLAYERS OF THE WEEK:
Tramaine Isabell • Drexel
Jr., G, 6-1, 180 - Seattle, Wash./Garfield
Isabell averaged 30.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.5 steals in Drexel’s 2-0 week. The junior guard poured in a career-high 40 points in an 83-79 victory over Elon, which was the first 40-point effort by a DU player since 1988. For the week, Isabell shot 51.1% from the floor, including 8-of-16 from 3-point range.
Zane Martin • Towson
So., G, 6-4, 205 - Philadelphia, Pa./Ss. Neumann-Goretti
Martin averaged 33.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists as Towson split a pair of games last week. The sophomore guard set a career-high and tied a SECU Arena record with 35 points in a 96-82 overtime victory over William & Mary, including 10 in the extra session. For the week, Martin shot 55.8% from the floor and 8-of-15 from three. Isn't it amazing how often one of the Tribe's past week opponents wins the POW award. It's happened for years.
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK:
Matt Lewis • James Madison
Fr., G, 6-5, 180 - Woodbridge, Va./Bishop O’Connell
Lewis averaged 17.0 points and 5.0 rebounds in JMU’s two road games last week. Lewis, winner of Rookie of the Week for the third straight week, has tallied double figures in nine straight games.
CONFERENCE NOTES:
CLOSEST CAA RACE IN 21 YEARS: For the first time since the 1996-97 season, every CAA team has at least three conference losses after the first 10 games. Charleston, Northeastern and The Tribe enter the week tied for first place at 7-3, and there are six teams within two games of the league lead. The CAA is one of only two conferences nationally (along with the Big South) that has a three-way tie for first through games of Jan. 28.
RECORD-SETTING WEEK: This was a heck of a week for outstanding individual performances around the CAA. Drexel’s Tramaine Isabell scored 40 points against Elon last Thursday, which was the most points by a Dragon since Michael Anderson tallied 42 in 1988. Towson’s Zane Martin became the first Tiger since Gary Neal in 2007 to post consecutive 30-point games, including a career-high 35 points vs. W&M, which tied a SECU Arena record. UNCW’s Devontae Cacok scored 26 points and tied his career-high with 24 rebounds in a win over JMU last Thursday. The 24 caroms are the most by any player in the nation this season (topping the previous mark of 23 by Hofstra’s Rokas Gustys). Northeastern had three different players (Vasa Pusica, Anthony Green and Bolden Brace) record double-doubles in the same game for the first time since 2008 at Hofstra last Thursday. The Tribe’s Justin Pierce averaged 25.0 ppg and 11.5 rpg last week, highlighted by a career-high 27 points and 14 rebounds at Towson. Hofstra’s Justin Wright-Foreman averaged 26.0 ppg last week, including a 32-point performance at Delaware that was his sixth 30-point outing of the year.
CLOSE GAMES: CAA Conference play has seen plenty of down-to-the-wire finishes. Nine of the league’s 10 teams have had at least one conference game go into overtime, with James Madison and UNCW each having three. Of the 50 CAA games played thus far, eight have gone to overtime and 16 others have been decided by six points or less. All five games last Saturday had margins of seven points or less.
RPI Top 100: Three CAA teams are ranked in the Top 96 of the latest NCAA RPI through games of Jan. 28. Northeastern leads the way at #77, William & Mary follows at #87, and Hofstra is ranked #96. The CAA is, again, ranked 12th out of the nation’s 32 Division I conferences.
ELON Notes:
• The Phoenix split two road games last week, losing 83-79 at Drexel but winning 83-76 at Towson. Elon’s last six games have been decided by 7 points or less or in overtime. They are tied for 5th place at 5-5, 13-10 overall.
• 6'9" Jr. Forward Tyler Seibring averaged 18.0 ppg and 6.0 rpg last week and has reached double digits in 11 straight games. He’s averaging 17.4 ppg and 7.3 rpg while shooting 53.3% from the floor and 46.8% from 3 in CAA play.
• 6'4" Sr. Guard Dmitri Thompson scored a team-high 20 points at Towson, which was his 10th double-digit outing in the last 11 games. He is averaging 11.7 ppg and 5.5 rpg.
• 6'8" Sr. Forward Brian Dawkins also tallied 20 points at TU on 8-of-11 FG shooting. It was his 3rd 20-point outing of the season. He's scoring at a 12.3 clip and also pulls down 5.5 boards per game.
• 6'5" Jr. Guard Sheldon Eberhardt contributed 13 points and 4 assists off the bench at DU, which was his first double-digit game since Dec. 7.
• 6'0" Jr. Guard Dainan Swoope averages a team second best 13.0 ppg., while passing out 3.7 assists per game. He has 21 steals on the season.
• Elon leads the CAA in FG% defense (42.8%) in conference play. They are 5th in scoring at 74.7 ppg.
• The Phoenix are averaging 10.8 made treys per game, 2nd behind the Tribe's 11.2 per game.
Tribe Disa & Data:
• The Tribe is now 5-1 in CAA road games.
• Justin Pierce averaged 25.0 ppg and 11.5 rpg while shooting 60% from the floor last week. He had a career-high 27 points and 14 boards at TU and followed with a team-best 23 points at 9 rebounds at UNCW.
• Connor Burchfield averaged 20.0 ppg last week, including a team-best 23 points at UNCW. He was 10-of-17 from three and tops the CAA in 3-pt FG% and 3’s per game.
• David Cohn became W&M’s career assists leader (417) after averaging 15.0 ppg and 7.5 apg last week. He’s scored double figures in 9 of the last 10 games and leads the CAA in assists (6.4 apg). He is also the top FT shooter in the league at 88.7%.
• Nathan Knight scored 11 points at UNCW and has tallied double digits in 21 of the last 22 games. He’s among the top 6 in the CAA in scoring, rebounding, FG% and blocks.
• W&M shot 55.8% at UNCW and is 12-1 when shooting 50% or better from the floor.
• The Tribe leads the CAA in scoring, FG%, FT%, 3-point FG% and 3-pointers per game.
• W&M hit 10 threes at UNCW. That is the third-straight game with double-digit triples. W&M is 9-2 this season when hitting 10 or more 3-pointers.
Random Thoughts:
The Tribe will have to do a better job of keeping the Phoenix out of the paint, where they scored 32 of their points in last meeting, while, again, playing good perimeter defense. The team needs to get Matt and Nathan going early. Matt is 8 for 33 since the last Elon game, 4 for 22 from three. We need his offense AND his confidence rolling again.
Winnable game.
Go Tribe!!
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