The Jags are 10-7 overall and 3-3 in conference. Their best game was probably a 1-point loss at then #22 Auburn. Last time out they beat Ark State by 16 in Mobile.
They probably will start 6-6, 6-6, 6-4 on the front line, so we should have a size advantage, but that did not help us much at Troy.
They have three players averaging double figures, led by 6-6 redshirt senior Josh Ajayi. He shoots 58% from the field and pulls down 7.9 boards per game, so he is a load.
About every third shot is from the arc, but they do not do it very well (32%). However, they are excellent from the FT line (74.4%), and they shoot half again as many FTs as their opponents, so they are aggressive. They are even on the boards.
Sagarin picks us by 4.
RealtimeRPI has us by 12.
This will be a tough game. There is a reason they were picked to finish first. Even with their shaky conference start, a one-point loss to undefeated Auburn provides all the evidence I need to believe they will end up being a force in the league.
I think this is one where having the couple of extra players is going to be a huge plus.
Hopefully Nowell will be back and/or Nikola can start heating up again.
You know maybe it was a good thing we lost to Troy on the road. It was a good, close loss for how they were shooting. Sometimes a loss helps solves issues that haven't been addressed yet. Even Chris Beard's team lost 3 conference games that were close.
But for this game, USA is going to motivated after we swept them last year. I expect a close one and hopefully a decent crowd.
Against asu, USA started
Ajayi, 6-6,
Lott, 6-4
Mitchell, 6-6
McGee, 6-1
Pettway, 6-3
The starters played the majority of the minutes. USA emptied the bench late.
No. 3, Morris, a 6-8 senior played 2 and a half minutes in the first half. Mopped up in the second half picking up 5 fouls in 3 and a half minutes.
USA was only 4-7 on 3FGs. But 25-35 on FTs.
(01-11-2020 11:27 AM)ez272 Wrote: [ -> ]Mopped up in the second half picking up 5 fouls in 3 and a half minutes.
That is pretty impressive. Hard to do even if you tried.
What are the keys to the game?
(01-11-2020 12:41 PM)MICHAELSPAPPY Wrote: [ -> ]What are the keys to the game?
To me the biggest key is simply does Nowell play and is he well enough to be effective.
(01-11-2020 12:41 PM)MICHAELSPAPPY Wrote: [ -> ]What are the keys to the game?
Keep them out of the paint and dont foul?
Lukic a 3-pointer early. Maybe he will be on target. We surely do need it.
9:20 left in the half and we already have 7 turnovers.
(01-11-2020 05:54 PM)MICHAELSPAPPY Wrote: [ -> ]9:20 left in the half and we already have 7 turnovers.
Better crowd today. Best of the season so far.
But we are completely dominating the boards.
Ugly, Ugly half of basketball
I'll take a 5 point lead at halftime.
We are not shooting well, but they are shooting worse.
Leading rebounds 22 to 11. That will cover a lot of sins.
Monyyong well on this way to another double-double.
12 turnovers, though. That is a game's worth, and we get it in a half.
(01-11-2020 06:15 PM)Karl B Wrote: [ -> ]Ugly, Ugly half of basketball
Yeah, when you shoot 38% and you're proud of it because that is 10 percentage points better than the other guy, that sums up ugly.
Lukic is getting it done tonight. 9 pts 3 rebounds, so far.
Monyyong says, "Why mess around. Let's just slam it!"
Third foul on Monyyong. Glad Maric is back.