Danes Fever, Baby!
I am keeping my thoughts re: the bracketbuster to myself. I'm not here to rain on anyone's parade. Today is a great day for the University and for Albany hoops. Personally, its great seeing alumni get together in various cities-- Manhattan, Boston, New Hyde Park-- for tonight's festivities. We're still planning on going to the Across the Street Pub.
Since the Danes' last game 6 days ago, I haven't been able to satiate my college basketball fix. I saw Tyler Hansbrough put up for for UNC v. Tech, I watched the UCONNvict-'Nova game, the MSU-Iowa game and I even had the rare opportunity to even watch my Johnnies win a close one at The Rut. Yeah, that's great and all, but I'm dying for tonight's game.
Also glad to read about the recent developments re: Coach Brown's future. However, AD McElroy's comment that"(w)e've been talking about negotiating the extension, so obviously he's going to be (the coach), no question" makes zero sense, especially when the article goes on to quote McElroy later saying that "'it's not in our control' whether Brown pursues other openings after the season."
Its really a shame that the game will not be on regular cable in the Capital Region. A good showing tonight on TV could really help bring people to the Vermont game on Monday and go a way to help build a buzz for the team. I guess TW3 is too busy telling me what olympic events are on what NBC station or showing re-runs of the Tech Valley report or something.
For those not aware of the rule changes, the NIT committee will invite every regular-season conference champion to participate. We have not won anything yet and our ultimate goal is the NCAA's, but we're one step closer to post-season play. The link to the story is on the BPF site.
A thought ran through my head ("a" as in one) while wacthing the UCANT-'Nova game-- if we're fortunate to have our beloved Danes make the NCAA's, get ready because we're going to Philly to play Villanova. I just checked out ESPN's bracketology, and where do they have the Danes? That's right-- playing 'Nova in Philly.
VCU is installed as a 10-point favorite, and its easy to see why. The Rams have an excellent basketball team and they are something ridiculous like 83-16 in their new arena. The Rams have beaten some very good basketball teams such as Houston, Hofstra and Old Dirty University. Although VCU lost three of their last four games, only the Towson loss can be considered a bad one as The Rams possibly could have been looking ahead to this game. The Rams also recently lost to a very good GooMoo squad and to Northeastern, who would most likely be in first place in the AE right now had they stayed put.
VCU is not as big as they appeared to me on TV when I saw them play ODU. The Rams have one starter above 6'6" in Sophomore Sam Faulk (6'8"), who averages about 2 ppg and 4 rpg. Hopefully, Albany will be able to take advantage of his matchup with Zollner, whose recent play has been well-documented.
A big key for Albany tonight is going to be perimeter defense, as VCU shoots close to 40% from downtown. VCU also guards very well on the perimeter, as The rams rank second in the CAA in 3-point defense, holding their opponents to under 30& 3-pt shooting per contest.
A few other points--VCU has an excellent turnover margin at +3.6, they average 8 steals a game, and we all know just how careless Albany can be with the ball at times.
Something else that became apparent to me while watching the VCU-ODU game was how well VCU's players ran the floor. Transistion defense has been an issue for the Danes this season, and limiting their opportunities in transition will be another key for the Danes tonight-- based on all the VCU basketball I watched this year, LOL.
Although I dislike everything Duke(although I had a prof. in college, Dr. Burton, who was pretty cool), Jeff Capel, like Coach Brown, is a young coach whose stock is on the rise. In his 4 seasons with VCU, Capel has complied a very respectable 76-39 record, and with his pedigree, I suspect Mr. Capel will start hearing from bigger programs in the not-too-distant future.
So long as Brent and Levi are able to contain VCU's stud, Nick George, I think we'll be able to hang in there and make a very respectable showing. Ultimately, their home-court advantage does us in. We lose by 12, but some of those points are a result of FT shooting at the end of the game.
Since the Danes' last game 6 days ago, I haven't been able to satiate my college basketball fix. I saw Tyler Hansbrough put up for for UNC v. Tech, I watched the UCONNvict-'Nova game, the MSU-Iowa game and I even had the rare opportunity to even watch my Johnnies win a close one at The Rut. Yeah, that's great and all, but I'm dying for tonight's game.
Also glad to read about the recent developments re: Coach Brown's future. However, AD McElroy's comment that"(w)e've been talking about negotiating the extension, so obviously he's going to be (the coach), no question" makes zero sense, especially when the article goes on to quote McElroy later saying that "'it's not in our control' whether Brown pursues other openings after the season."
Its really a shame that the game will not be on regular cable in the Capital Region. A good showing tonight on TV could really help bring people to the Vermont game on Monday and go a way to help build a buzz for the team. I guess TW3 is too busy telling me what olympic events are on what NBC station or showing re-runs of the Tech Valley report or something.
For those not aware of the rule changes, the NIT committee will invite every regular-season conference champion to participate. We have not won anything yet and our ultimate goal is the NCAA's, but we're one step closer to post-season play. The link to the story is on the BPF site.
A thought ran through my head ("a" as in one) while wacthing the UCANT-'Nova game-- if we're fortunate to have our beloved Danes make the NCAA's, get ready because we're going to Philly to play Villanova. I just checked out ESPN's bracketology, and where do they have the Danes? That's right-- playing 'Nova in Philly.
VCU is installed as a 10-point favorite, and its easy to see why. The Rams have an excellent basketball team and they are something ridiculous like 83-16 in their new arena. The Rams have beaten some very good basketball teams such as Houston, Hofstra and Old Dirty University. Although VCU lost three of their last four games, only the Towson loss can be considered a bad one as The Rams possibly could have been looking ahead to this game. The Rams also recently lost to a very good GooMoo squad and to Northeastern, who would most likely be in first place in the AE right now had they stayed put.
VCU is not as big as they appeared to me on TV when I saw them play ODU. The Rams have one starter above 6'6" in Sophomore Sam Faulk (6'8"), who averages about 2 ppg and 4 rpg. Hopefully, Albany will be able to take advantage of his matchup with Zollner, whose recent play has been well-documented.
A big key for Albany tonight is going to be perimeter defense, as VCU shoots close to 40% from downtown. VCU also guards very well on the perimeter, as The rams rank second in the CAA in 3-point defense, holding their opponents to under 30& 3-pt shooting per contest.
A few other points--VCU has an excellent turnover margin at +3.6, they average 8 steals a game, and we all know just how careless Albany can be with the ball at times.
Something else that became apparent to me while watching the VCU-ODU game was how well VCU's players ran the floor. Transistion defense has been an issue for the Danes this season, and limiting their opportunities in transition will be another key for the Danes tonight-- based on all the VCU basketball I watched this year, LOL.
Although I dislike everything Duke(although I had a prof. in college, Dr. Burton, who was pretty cool), Jeff Capel, like Coach Brown, is a young coach whose stock is on the rise. In his 4 seasons with VCU, Capel has complied a very respectable 76-39 record, and with his pedigree, I suspect Mr. Capel will start hearing from bigger programs in the not-too-distant future.
So long as Brent and Levi are able to contain VCU's stud, Nick George, I think we'll be able to hang in there and make a very respectable showing. Ultimately, their home-court advantage does us in. We lose by 12, but some of those points are a result of FT shooting at the end of the game.
posted by L3K at 6:54 AM
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