really nice bounce-back victory. Edwards has developed a legit game - he's a handful now that he can drain 3's. it'll be interesting to see how Byington distributes minutes among the guards with Ihenacho back.

(12-02-2022 09:35 PM)Hart Foundation Wrote:  Another convincing win from the Dukes and they just missed getting to triple digits. Probably would have if Byington didn’t start milking clock with 5 minutes left.
EKU’s style played directly into the hands of JMU, but they were sticking to it all game regardless of outcome. Once the Dukes broke the press, EKU was a sieve at the rim. No paint defenders of note and lots of easy finishes for JMU.

In 4 days we’ll see if the Dukes can pull off a second consecutive upset of UVA. It would be even more impressive than last year when UVA was a little down and of course JMU had huge homecourt advantage. I think the Cavs return everyone from last year and they certainly haven’t forgotten the beating. Gotta find a way to attend the 8PM game on Tuesday at undefeated UVA.

UVA up to #3 now, if they beat 1-8 FSU tomorrow and Saint Mary's can pull off the upset of Houston then they should be #2. Too bad Creighton didn't take down Texas last night to make it possible for JMU to face a second #1 in a little over two weeks!

Pulling off the win will be a very tall task, but I'm hopeful the UNC experience will help the guys handle the moment better than they did early on in Chapel Hill. If we just make the easy buckets that would've very much been a game, after going through that one let's hope it doesn't take time to settle in on Tuesday...

(12-02-2022 08:18 PM)JMU85 Wrote:  

(12-02-2022 08:14 PM)Duke Dawg Wrote:  Vado just still takes way too many shots,

Killing the team.

Sent from my Pixel 7 Pro using Tapatalk

Yep, the story hasn’t changed for him. Same ol, same ol. For his career he has a 38% FG percentage. Turrible. He is shooting 38% again this year as a fifth year super senior. Yet he is the leading shot taker like years prior. But Byington has never benched him or reined him in so he is implicitly endorsing it.

It will be interesting if coach has the courage to take minutes from him in his last year. It would be for the betterment of the team and give them the best chance to win the Sun Belt tourney.

As the UVA game approaches I checked out last year’s box score. Morse only took 5 shots in the win over UVA. Is it coincidence that JMU knocked off a big dog when he took far less shots than normal?

(12-02-2022 10:46 PM)Hart Foundation Wrote:  

(12-02-2022 08:18 PM)JMU85 Wrote:  

(12-02-2022 08:14 PM)Duke Dawg Wrote:  Vado just still takes way too many shots,

Killing the team.

Sent from my Pixel 7 Pro using Tapatalk

Yep, the story hasn’t changed for him. Same ol, same ol. For his career he has a 38% FG percentage. Turrible. He is shooting 38% again this year as a fifth year super senior. Yet he is the leading shot taker like years prior. But Byington has never benched him or reined him in so he is implicitly endorsing it.

It will be interesting if coach has the courage to take minutes from him in his last year. It would be for the betterment of the team and give them the best chance to win the Sun Belt tourney.

As the UVA game approaches I checked out last year’s box score. Morse only took 5 shots in the win over UVA. Is it coincidence that JMU knocked off a big dog when he took far less shots than normal?

It seems like Coach, and Vado himself, wanted Vado to step up and fill Matt Lewis' shoes once Matt was done and I love Vado but he's just not that guy imo. We don't have anyone who is that guy right now and that's ok, it only hurts when someone tries too hard to be that guy. Most of the time these guys play great team ball, we don't have to have someone trying to be that kind of star player.

Tak and Edwards are both averaging more points while shooting far less than Vado. He has lots of great moments, just needs to be a little more selective. To be fair he was also just cold tonight though and that happens, 0-7 is certainly far from normal for Vado.

Just got home from the game. I don't know what the crowd noise sounded like on TV, but I thought it was pretty solid live.

(12-02-2022 11:32 PM)jgonz007 Wrote:  Just got home from the game. I don't know what the crowd noise sounded like on TV, but I thought it was pretty solid live.

Early on especially it was excellent. Seemed like it fizzled a bit after the half but the beginning of the game was great. I do still wish we'd get more noise and cheering from non-students though. Lots of season ticket holders sit there like they're at the opera. The AUBC really amplifies crowd noise well though, even just the students cheering makes it very loud.

It was a terrific student crowd tonight. Could it be that last year’s UVA win is paying dividends with student attendance? Always helps to watch a talented team play fast and put up lots of points. And this JMU team provided some highlight scores tonight. Word of mouth may be building interest among students, and come conference play the AUBC could be rocking.

My fav player to watch so far has been Mezie Offurum. He’s such a talented big man…he’s not just a banger, but can run the floor and score. He’s reliable at the FT line too.

And typing AUBC is awkward….and even harder to pronounce/say in regular conversation. Can’t we just agree to call JMU’s arena the “Bank”? As in “JMU deposited another big win in the Bank tonight.”

(12-03-2022 12:03 AM)Longhorn Wrote:  And typing AUBC is awkward….and even harder to pronounce/say in regular conversation. Can’t we just agree to call JMU’s arena the “Bank”? As in “JMU deposited another big win in the Bank tonight.”

I'd like to see this too. They used to call the Washington Wizards arena "the Phone Booth" when it was the MCI Center.

Problem is, sponsors change. The MCI Center is Capital One Arena now and was the Verizon Center for a time in between. Nothing is saying the AUBC won't become Shentel Arena or something. Kline's Dairy Bar Center. "The Dairy Barn."

It was easier name-wise when the venue was "the Convo." Short and sweet.

(12-03-2022 12:12 AM)Dukes94 Wrote:  

(12-03-2022 12:03 AM)Longhorn Wrote:  And typing AUBC is awkward….and even harder to pronounce/say in regular conversation. Can’t we just agree to call JMU’s arena the “Bank”? As in “JMU deposited another big win in the Bank tonight.”

I'd like to see this too. They used to call the Washington Wizards arena "the Phone Booth" when it was the MCI Center.

Problem is, sponsors change. The MCI Center is Capital One Arena now and was the Verizon Center for a time in between. Nothing is saying the AUBC won't become Shentel Arena or something. Kline's Dairy Bar Center. "The Dairy Barn."

It was easier name-wise when the venue was "the Convo." Short and sweet.

I hear you, but the “Convo” was generic. Darn near every school has a “Convo”…and besides, what company would want to attach their name to a dump?

If “The Bank” became popular, wouldn’t that encourage the Atlantic Union Bank company to continue its sponsorship?

I honestly don’t know anything about sponsorships other than that the AUBC name sounds awkward, and I’d like to see something that’s easier to pronounce, and that is at least somewhat unique in its identification of JMU’s basketball venue.

I mean, are current students asking/saying “are you going to the game at the AUBC tonight?” That just sounds weird to me, but I’m just an old Boomer. Okay, rant over.

Molson on a minutes restriction?

(12-02-2022 08:35 PM)purplesanman Wrote:  Im loving the way wooden has played so far this year.

Wooden is a different player this year, much better IMO

(12-02-2022 09:24 PM)Dukes94 Wrote:  

(12-02-2022 09:21 PM)Duke Dawg Wrote:  

(12-02-2022 09:07 PM)Dukes94 Wrote:  

(12-02-2022 08:42 PM)Duke Dawg Wrote:  This team is so deep with quality players. Almost no one I have issues being on the floor. Not like a Clayton Ritter as a freshmen.

BWAHAHAHAHA!

That was 30+ years ago. Clayton turned into a stud, too. But I totally feel you. Great reference!

Beautiful win in the AUBC. My Roanoke guy Wooden was perfect from the floor and Freidel shot the ball a little.

#GoDukes

By far the greatest improvement I’ve ever seen from a duke from freshmen to senior year.

Freshmen, everyone cringing whenever he stepped on the floor.
Senior, dude freaking carried us and we all bowed to him.

It was an amazing transformation. He’ll always be one of my favorite Dukes.

Ritter, dud to stud, loved that player

(12-03-2022 07:52 AM)Purplehazed Wrote:  

(12-02-2022 08:35 PM)purplesanman Wrote:  Im loving the way wooden has played so far this year.

Wooden is a different player this year, much better IMO

^^^^ This. He took it to the rack with authority a few times, made the most of his minutes for sure. I said it last year early on; this team has grit/toughness/ whatever you call it. They are fun to watch. Hope it keeps up. We definitely have some bodies that can at least let opposing big men know we were there too. It is really hard to gauge too much from that game last night; EKU plays frantic, ugly basketball a lot. They shoot from anywhere/anytime, and if they are hot I can see them being trouble for a lot of teams. I thought we handled the press and helter-skelter style of play fairly well for most of the game. Crowd looked and sounded pretty good too.

We should put the EKU coach (AW Hamilton) on our short list for potential coaching replacements too. He recruits well and spent time coaching at Hargrave.

I love what Byington is building and you can see the difference in the development in many players.

The three things that stuck out to me and many of you hit on one for sure:
1. Julian Wooden has really ascended. In high school he went viral for posterizing a kid and saw a glimpse of that playing at Mason in 2018. However, under the Rowe system he never attacked the basket - now it seems like he is playing with the size and athleticism he has
2. Terrence Edwards always had the heart but was a liability many times shooting from three and dribbling as a freshman. He has had a phenomenal year but I noticed that he had some very good dribble moves and was a knockdown shooter in the last 10 minutes!
3. Ball movement has been superb this year. Sometimes the ball is sticking but when this team looks for that extra pass, they really look like they are playing the beautiful game.

Very happy for Byington and everyone around the BBall team! Hopefully we can keep the momentum after the last two seasons having Covid break some of that up.

(12-03-2022 04:32 AM)Bawlmer Duke Wrote:  Molson on a minutes restriction?

Coach said it isn’t a minutes restriction, but Molson had been sick during the Savannah tournament and lost a lot of energy. He has let him play as much as Molson felt he was able to.

Not sure if it was COVID or the flu, but Nacho had it as well and it delayed his return until last night.

(12-03-2022 12:26 AM)Longhorn Wrote:  

(12-03-2022 12:12 AM)Dukes94 Wrote:  

(12-03-2022 12:03 AM)Longhorn Wrote:  And typing AUBC is awkward….and even harder to pronounce/say in regular conversation. Can’t we just agree to call JMU’s arena the “Bank”? As in “JMU deposited another big win in the Bank tonight.”

I'd like to see this too. They used to call the Washington Wizards arena "the Phone Booth" when it was the MCI Center.

Problem is, sponsors change. The MCI Center is Capital One Arena now and was the Verizon Center for a time in between. Nothing is saying the AUBC won't become Shentel Arena or something. Kline's Dairy Bar Center. "The Dairy Barn."

It was easier name-wise when the venue was "the Convo." Short and sweet.

I hear you, but the “Convo” was generic. Darn near every school has a “Convo”…and besides, what company would want to attach their name to a dump?

If “The Bank” became popular, wouldn’t that encourage the Atlantic Union Bank company to continue its sponsorship?

I honestly don’t know anything about sponsorships other than that the AUBC name sounds awkward, and I’d like to see something that’s easier to pronounce, and that is at least somewhat unique in its identification of JMU’s basketball venue.

I mean, are current students asking/saying “are you going to the game at the AUBC tonight?” That just sounds weird to me, but I’m just an old Boomer. Okay, rant over.

I hear you. Don’t have an easy answer. Something will bubble to the surface and catch on. Like “D-Hall.” Maybe “the BC” or “the Bank” like you’ve suggested.

Atlantic Union Bank was Union Bank when JMU struck the deal. The “UBC” would have been easier. Stupid banks…

I really think JMU will win sun belt conference regular season title.

I love this team. Very fun to watch

Up to #40 in the NET Rankings, one spot ahead of Virginia Tech and one spot behind UNC.

https://www.ncaa.com/rankings/basketball...t-rankings