Gooooooood evening AUHoops fans! Hope you're all getting your beauty sleep tonight so that you'll be ready to shout yourselves hoarse in Bender tomorrow afternoon. What your personal aesthetics have to do with your ability to belt out AU-related chants is beyond me, but just come rested and ready. Matchups between Holy Cross and our beloved Eagles have been notoriously fierce over the years, but the Eagles have found a way to beat the Crusaders in the last four meetings between the two in Bender Arena.
Last month's game between these two teams was unbelievably close and ended with AU squeezing out a win in Worcester, 60-57. When I tell you this match-up was close, consider:
- 36 to 35 rebounding advantage to AU
- 13 to 14 foul advantage to AU
- Both teams with 11 assists
- AU with a 6 to 8 turnover advantage
- AU with a 2 to 1 advantage in blocks
- Holy Cross with a 6 to 5 advantage in steals
- Each team with only two players in double digits
- AU 5-18 from 3, Holy Cross 4-17.
Ultimately that game came down to free throws. Both teams shot under 60% from the line, and had AU missed a few more, or Holy Cross made a few more, we would've had a reversal of fortunes.
AU is coming off of a yeoman effort against the Army Black Knights. Led by Lumpkins' 13 and 15, this was just a solid team game where they went in and did what they had to do to get out with a win. Hopefully a Bender crowd that is sure to be fired up will put some energy into the team and get them pumped up to play.
Things to look out for tomorrow:
- Will Vlad have a big game? The Impaler hasn't been very uh, impaleful, recently. He hasn't scored 20+ points in a month. Troy has been picking up some of his slack, but if AU is going to make a sustained run into the PL tournament, we're going to need him to revert back to his high octane ways.
- Which Andrew Beinert shows up? Holy Cross's senior point guard runs hot and cold. In the past 5 games, he has just one double-digit performance. Which is fine, they don't necessarily need him to be the main scorer with Devin Brown and Andrew Keister out there, but the problem is that he's been scoring few points while taking a lot of shots. If he's having to take a lot of shots, it means they're having trouble getting the ball to their playmakers. It'll be a long day for Coach Milan Brown if AU can hold leading scorer Devin Brown under 20 points again.
- The matchup between Andrew Keister and Stephen Lumpkins is always epic. In Worcester last month, Lump got the better of Keister and put up a double-double (20 and 10). Have to hope the crowd revs up the Unstumpable One and he lays down the slammajamma all over the Gallivanting Gallowayan.
AU is running out of real estate to get into high gear here. With three games left, they need to come together and focus on doing all the little things right in preparation for the Patriot League tourney. We need to see Troy and Lump continue their great efforts and we need to see Vlad move it into the higher level we know he's capable of achieving at. Offensive consistency and excellence from those three, paired with the tenacious team defense this team has shown all year, and we'll be in a good place. Next step: Holy Cross, TOMORROW.
BE THERE. BE BLUE. BE AU.
Oh, and as if the prospect of playing Holy Cross wasn't enough, the first 1,000 fans in the door tomorrow will receive a CLAWED THE EAGLE bobblehead courtesy of GEICO.
I know I want one. Or six.
See you there!
Pro deo et patria and GO EAGLES!
Showing posts with label beat holy cross. Show all posts
Showing posts with label beat holy cross. Show all posts
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Friday, January 21, 2011
Can the Eagles Upend Milan Brown's Crusaders of the Round Table?
Programming note: Assume no liveblog tomorrow, if that changes, we'll tweet it and/or update this post and/or put up a liveblog post. Sorry folks, been a long week for me, I need to play catch-up tomorrow with my non-blog life.
As much seething hate as I inexplicably and unwarrantedly have for the Holy Cross Crusaders, I do have to say I've found room in my Grinch-esque heart for a little bit of pity for the Little Knights That Could(?). I mean, they went 1-13 in non-conference play. If AU had done that, I would've turned this blog into a commentary on the state of tea cakes in Middlesex County, NJ. Still, though, despite the abysmal record coming out of a very challenging non-conference schedule, the fans at CROSSPORTS, most of whom I rather admire for their ferocity, basketball knowledge, and commitment to their program, have stayed loyal to their team (if not 100% enthusiastic about Coach Milan Brown). Anyway, the point of all this is that I felt bad for Holy Cross. Genuinely bad. I find no enjoyable schadenfreude in their dismal record. I want everyone in the Patriot League to do well so that the profile of the league overall rises from the gutter in which it currently languishes.
Anyway. Holy Cross is 3-1 in conference play. So I'm increasingly feeling less pity and more fear about the Little Knights That Now Apparently Can. Point guard Andrew Beinert is now coming on in a big way (15 points and 4 assists per game in conference play). Forward Andrew Keister (AK34 to the pro 2nd Amendment Crossers out there) is back from his injury and playing at a high level. Junior guard Devin Brown is once again one of the team's top scorers, but his three point percentage is 13 points off of what it was last year. Holy Cross has only two players averaging double figures, but they have a bunch of weapons. They're kind of like Bucknell in that way, and we all know how well our matchup with the slow-moving land mammals went earlier this month.
Defensively, Holy Cross is prone to lapses in intensity. Unfortunately for the Eagles, the Crusaders match up pretty well with us. Keister and Lumpkins will be an epic battle. The Crusaders have a few options for covering Vlad. Eric Obeysekere, Josh Jones, or even Mike Cavataio are quick, long defenders who could disrupt Vlad's game. Josh Jones would be Vlad's best bet because he's a little bigger, a little less longer, and not quite as good on defending the perimeter. Assuming two of those three are on the court at all times, whoever isn't on Vlad will probably be on Troy.
We'll really need our guards to step up here. Limiting turnovers, making smart passes, and maximizing every single possession. Holy Cross runs the same slow kind of offense, so every possession will count. Be on the lookout for who gets time at the point. Munoz got all of four minutes last game, while Wayne Simon II made his debut and got six. Hendra also ran the point some. This is a position that is in flux for the Eagles. It will be a dangerous game for Jeff Jones to try to sort out who he wants at the 1 against a re-energized team playing on their home court in front of a probably loud audience. Make no bones about it, Eagles fans, this will be a tough, tough game for our team. Everyone will have to step up big, play with passion, and minimize mental mistakes for us to sneak out of Worcester with a win.
Here's to hoping they do so, because I can assure you what remaining pity I have for Holy Cross will dissipate rapidly if they deal us a loss tomorrow.
Pro deo et patria and GO EAGLES!
As much seething hate as I inexplicably and unwarrantedly have for the Holy Cross Crusaders, I do have to say I've found room in my Grinch-esque heart for a little bit of pity for the Little Knights That Could(?). I mean, they went 1-13 in non-conference play. If AU had done that, I would've turned this blog into a commentary on the state of tea cakes in Middlesex County, NJ. Still, though, despite the abysmal record coming out of a very challenging non-conference schedule, the fans at CROSSPORTS, most of whom I rather admire for their ferocity, basketball knowledge, and commitment to their program, have stayed loyal to their team (if not 100% enthusiastic about Coach Milan Brown). Anyway, the point of all this is that I felt bad for Holy Cross. Genuinely bad. I find no enjoyable schadenfreude in their dismal record. I want everyone in the Patriot League to do well so that the profile of the league overall rises from the gutter in which it currently languishes.
Anyway. Holy Cross is 3-1 in conference play. So I'm increasingly feeling less pity and more fear about the Little Knights That Now Apparently Can. Point guard Andrew Beinert is now coming on in a big way (15 points and 4 assists per game in conference play). Forward Andrew Keister (AK34 to the pro 2nd Amendment Crossers out there) is back from his injury and playing at a high level. Junior guard Devin Brown is once again one of the team's top scorers, but his three point percentage is 13 points off of what it was last year. Holy Cross has only two players averaging double figures, but they have a bunch of weapons. They're kind of like Bucknell in that way, and we all know how well our matchup with the slow-moving land mammals went earlier this month.
Defensively, Holy Cross is prone to lapses in intensity. Unfortunately for the Eagles, the Crusaders match up pretty well with us. Keister and Lumpkins will be an epic battle. The Crusaders have a few options for covering Vlad. Eric Obeysekere, Josh Jones, or even Mike Cavataio are quick, long defenders who could disrupt Vlad's game. Josh Jones would be Vlad's best bet because he's a little bigger, a little less longer, and not quite as good on defending the perimeter. Assuming two of those three are on the court at all times, whoever isn't on Vlad will probably be on Troy.
We'll really need our guards to step up here. Limiting turnovers, making smart passes, and maximizing every single possession. Holy Cross runs the same slow kind of offense, so every possession will count. Be on the lookout for who gets time at the point. Munoz got all of four minutes last game, while Wayne Simon II made his debut and got six. Hendra also ran the point some. This is a position that is in flux for the Eagles. It will be a dangerous game for Jeff Jones to try to sort out who he wants at the 1 against a re-energized team playing on their home court in front of a probably loud audience. Make no bones about it, Eagles fans, this will be a tough, tough game for our team. Everyone will have to step up big, play with passion, and minimize mental mistakes for us to sneak out of Worcester with a win.
Here's to hoping they do so, because I can assure you what remaining pity I have for Holy Cross will dissipate rapidly if they deal us a loss tomorrow.
Pro deo et patria and GO EAGLES!
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Milan Brown Throws Down the Gauntlet...We Need AUJeffJones.com
As much as it pains me to send you there, check out MilanBrown.com, which is the home of Holy Cross's first year head coach Milan Brown. Let's be honest folks, this site is simple and sleek. Recall my recent lament about there needing to be a stronger two-way connection between the team and the fans. What you're looking at here is that connection, bringing fans closer to the guy stalking their favorite team's bench.
I've already done some research for Athletics, and unfortunately, JeffJones.com is already occupied by a Marketing Anthropologist (a Marketing Anthropology Wonk?). However, there is a perfectly fine option left: www.AUJeffJones.com. Additionally, www.freeMikeBersch.com is also available. Just saying.
Now, of course, I wouldn't trade Coach Jones for Milan Brown for all of the blue body paint on the east coast. Having a Twitter account and a sleek website doesn't have any correlation to being a better X's and O's coach. I think it does have something to do with building the connection I'm always talking (read: ranting) about. Tweet at me soon, Jeff Jones! I'll be sure to retweet you to all my friends.
Actually, on second thought, maybe Matt Wolff, who is younger and arguably more likely to be savvy with navigating the series of tubes (rest in peace, Senator Stevens) that is the Internet, can pick up a Twitter and connect with the multitudes of AUHoops fans on Twitter. This will give Coach more time to pick amongst the 12 point guards on the team and see who is going to get play time.
Just a thought.
Stay tuned, I should have some info on THE BLUE CREW 2 coming up before you know it!
Pro deo et patria and GO EAGLES!
I've already done some research for Athletics, and unfortunately, JeffJones.com is already occupied by a Marketing Anthropologist (a Marketing Anthropology Wonk?). However, there is a perfectly fine option left: www.AUJeffJones.com. Additionally, www.freeMikeBersch.com is also available. Just saying.
Now, of course, I wouldn't trade Coach Jones for Milan Brown for all of the blue body paint on the east coast. Having a Twitter account and a sleek website doesn't have any correlation to being a better X's and O's coach. I think it does have something to do with building the connection I'm always talking (read: ranting) about. Tweet at me soon, Jeff Jones! I'll be sure to retweet you to all my friends.
Actually, on second thought, maybe Matt Wolff, who is younger and arguably more likely to be savvy with navigating the series of tubes (rest in peace, Senator Stevens) that is the Internet, can pick up a Twitter and connect with the multitudes of AUHoops fans on Twitter. This will give Coach more time to pick amongst the 12 point guards on the team and see who is going to get play time.
Just a thought.
Stay tuned, I should have some info on THE BLUE CREW 2 coming up before you know it!
Pro deo et patria and GO EAGLES!
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Smarter than the Average Crusader
As the record-breaking summer heat wears on (at least here in DC), AU Hoops news is starting to pick up a little as well. A few choice pieces for today to help everyone through these barren basketball months.First on tap is the June 23rd announcement that a Patriot League-high seven men's basketball players were named to the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll. This includes Riley Grafft's magna cum laude-range 3.75 GPA and sharpshooter Joe Hill's 3.5 GPA. This tops last year's six Academic Honor Roll selections, which also lead the League, and adds to our grand total of 41 selections since joining the Patriot League in the 2001-2002 season...another League-leading total.
While the fact that roughly half of our team has a GPA that most Division 1 basketball players can only dream about is commendable, and each should be congratulated for representing our school so well both on the court and in the classroom, this is an ample opportunity to yet again...beat Holy Cross. If you take a gander at the comments from my February 17th post, a few unruly Holy Cross fans tried to...uh...downplay...the academic achievements of our players using some woefully outdated data. Well, I hope a quick gander at the League's Academic Honor Roll sets them straight.
As that cool, refreshing news sinks in, check out what recently showed up on the BB&T Classic website:
If my eyes serve me correctly, it looks like the BB&T is going back up to six teams this year in a triple-header (four schools participated in 2008 and 2009). As has been pointed out on this blog before by our excellent readers, we're matched up against the Florida Gators as they creatively fulfill their home-and-home agreement with us, while GW faces Navy and Maryland takes on the Owls of Temple University. Ideally, I'd love to see us knock off a Florida squad that should, by all means, be ranked in the Top 25 before the season even begins. While I stop daydreaming, it's realistic that Navy could pull off an upset over the Colonials (I'll take a GW loss to a Patriot League squad any day), and if Temple maintains even some of the magic from last season, Vasquez-less Maryland might be in for a real fight.
That's all for now. Keep following us this summer as we begin to roll out some of the great new features for AUHoops.com Season 2.
Pro Deo Et Patria,
Josh
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