CSNbbs

Big game. 2000 miles of travel ahead for the team. Two teams playing well. What are your thoughts Monarch fans! Can we take this one?

It's the 2nd largest crowd in CUSA. I'm hoping the jet lag and tough environment won't hurt them, but that's usually the case. Typically in this matchup, football and basketball, there is a solid upperhand to the home team just due to travel alone.

Is this game on Bein?

(03-01-2017 06:59 AM)odu09 Wrote: [ -> ]It's the 2nd largest crowd in CUSA. I'm hoping the jet lag and tough environment won't hurt them, but that's usually the case. Typically in this matchup, football and basketball, there is a solid upperhand to the home team just due to travel alone.

Is this game on Bein?

Yes it's on bein.

I think we pretty much agree that 2/11/2017 was indeed a turning point. Tomorrow we find out if that was a full 180 degree turn or if the Monarchs only made it about 135 degrees in the turn around. A road win at UTEP will be the final evidence that this team has made the complete turn and is ready to go into the tournament as a true threat to win it all. My prediction -- ODU wins it, 76-65, hitting free throws down the stretch to widen the winning margin.

I'll just copy what I wrote in the 3,2,1: I really don't like predicting this game. I've made the trip to El Paso. It isn't easy. I watched UTEP early in the year, they were TERRIBLE. I haven't seen them recently, but I can read. Clearly, things are different now. They have enough talent on the roster and they've put some things together. Maybe I'm naive, but I'm not convinced. I think the Monarchs hold on down the stretch to lock up 3rd with BJ sealing it at the line in the last 2 minutes.

I recall back in December a lot of turmoil coming out of El Paso -- at least one player leaving, in-stadium "FIRE FLOYD" signs and a borderline war bubbling up between the UTEP administration and its fans.

Then things seemed to go quiet -- at least from two time zones away. And then next time we check back in, they are knocking off Empty Sue and playing like real contenders.

Something happened. Perhaps they found Popeye's stash of canned spinach? Maybe it's just that the players bought into this "junk defense" approach we've heard a little bit about?

I guess that all we can hope is that our assistant coach with scouting responsibilities has a clue as to what it is that changed.

So what did happen at UTEP? They started the first half of the season as a dumpster fire and the 2nd half have been pretty solid for the good old CUSA. So do any of you "all-in" folks for NCAA b-ball know what caused the big change? I would really appreciate any insight anyone has.

(03-01-2017 10:35 AM)ETSUDB8-79 Wrote: [ -> ]So what did happen at UTEP? They started the first half of the season as a dumpster fire and the 2nd half have been pretty solid for the good old CUSA. So do any of you "all-in" folks for NCAA b-ball know what caused the big change? I would really appreciate any insight anyone has.

Unfortunately that seems to happen a lot in this Conference (and we did the same thing this year). Suck it in OOC play (leading to terrible RPI) and the play well in Conference.

We need multiple teams to play well OOC.

A win wraps up the 3rd seed. Huge implications.

Even if Rice wins out and we lose to UTSA?

Edit: yeah I guess so we have tie breakers. disregard.

(03-01-2017 11:28 AM)ODU Hugh Wrote: [ -> ]A win wraps up the 3rd seed. Huge implications.

That makes this a playoff game. Third place would be a good seed especially if we could avoid UAB in the quarter finals. ODU getting Marshall first and letting La Tech or MTSU deal with UAB would be ideal.

#3 also avoids MTSU, which concerns me much more than UAB

The Monarchs are the better team. On paper, this is a great matchup for them. Baker will guard Harris and Caver will guard Artis. Should be a W but the travel can make things tough. Brandan should have a good game against UTEP. He typically dominates guys that are his size.

(03-01-2017 12:26 PM)757ODU Wrote: [ -> ]The Monarchs are the better team. On paper, this is a great matchup for them. Baker will guard Harris and Caver will guard Artis. Should be a W but the travel can make things tough. Brandan should have a good game against UTEP. He typically dominates guys that are his size.

Wilms for UTEP is over 7' I think. If so then Brandon may be the one having problems inside.

They have a couple of seven-footers, one a freshman off of the bench that looked pretty good against Rice. Brandon and Porter need to stay out of foul trouble.

(A little more Kah wouldn't hurt either.)

ODU -2.5 on the road, 2 time zones away? Hmmmm.

I like everyone's optimism, but I'm not so confident about this game. All I hear about UTEP being hot and the travel involved don't make me very confident. I fear our streak of blowouts are over and we will have to grind this our.

I don't know too much about UTEP other than they are 13-15 including an early 12 game losing streak. The Miners have also won 11 of their last 13 games, including a 3pt. win over MT.

IMO there are several reasons the Monarchs have also seemingly turned a corner. Brandan Stith seems to be making great progress, and looks to be close to recovering his full abilities. The team, which is fairly young, seems to have developed much better chemistry, especially on the offensive end. The backups, especially Carver, Pinkney, and Kah, are getting productive minutes, and perhaps most importantly Caver is developing into a force in CUSA.

As of now, with at least 3 games left Caver has made 62 three pointers; the most for a Monarch since Mark Poag had 80 in '98-'99, and is flirting with 5 ast. per game, which no ODU pg has reached since Dunlop in '97-98 (5.6). Beyond the stats he is becoming a great floor leader, and has a knack for hitting the timely shot, and making the great entry pass.

I will predict the score as ODU 67 - UTEP 63

UTEP is on a roll. In Feb, UTEP was 7-1, losing only to La Tech 61-62. Noted for their defense, UTEP held those opponents to 62.3 pts (.416 FG, .328 3s). But the real difference has been offense. UTEP has scored 70.9 pts/g shooting a scary .504 (.425 3s) with four main contributors: Center Wilms (7-1) avg 12.6 (.606 FG), F Thomas (6-8) 11.1 pts (.544 FG) have been consistently efficient at close range, but the guards have been outstanding- SG Harris (6-3) 15.1 pts (.431 FG) and PG Artis 15.5 pts (.471 FG)...he also avgs 5 assists and 6 RBs in CUSA games.

They're big, but not deep. ODU must resist helping out on defense as UTEP pulls you out, then scores from in close. On offense, Caver must quickly recognize the morphing defenses and keep the offense in sync. If ODU slows down too much and becomes predictable, UTEP will totally disrupt the offense until individual plays are the only option. On defense Caver will get Artis while Stith et al. must defend the basket.

Caver vs Artis, winner of this match-up likely leads his team to victory.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!