Ramblermania

Friday, November 30, 2016 7:00 p.m.
Gentile Arena, Chicago, Ill.

Norfolk State is an HBCU school that plays in the MEAC conference and has an interesting history in hoops. For many years, they made regular trips to the Division II tournament (15 appearances between 1965 and 1995), where they made 3 trips to the Elite Eight and one Final Four. A little over four years ago, Norfolk State made waves as a 15 seed in the Division I NCAA Tournament by knocking off #2 seed Missouri, 86-84. The 2011-12 Spartans were led by 6’10” forward/center Kyle O’Quinn, who has made a good living in the NBA as a backup forward/center for the Magic and Knicks.

Since NSU’s big splash in their only Division I NCAA Tournament appearance, they have been slowly drifting toward the bottom reaches of the RPI. The team won their conference in 2013, which earned them a trip to the NIT, and they’ve had three one-and-done appearances in the CIT from 2014 through 2016. They finished 2015-16 at 17-17, with an RPI of 218 and their best win coming at UTEP.

This season the Spartans are picked for 5th place in the 13-team MEAC. They’ve started the season 2-5, with the two wins coming at home against non-Division I teams at home. Three losses came on the road against Mississippi State, Vanderbilt, and Butler, and two losses were in Las Vegas for the Continental Tires Las Vegas Invitational against Bucknell and Sacred Heart.

The Spartans are still looking for their regular starting lineup. They currently have three regular starters and two spots where they’ve been plugging in spot starters. Six-foot-six junior forward Jordan Butler was expected to be the star for the Spartans. He was named to the all-conference preseason third team, but missed the first three games of the season and has been struggling to find himself, averaging 8.5 points and 4.5 boards per game. He’s had one game where he led all scorers with 21 points and then was held to two points on three field goal attempts in the next game.

NSU’s leading scorer is 6’4” senior guard Jonathan Wade, who has emerged like an epiphany for Coach averaging 20.1 points and 6.1 rebounds. Wade is a fantastic outside shooter (46.2% from behind the arc), and gets to the line a lot (52 trips in 7 games) where he connects on 75% of his freebies. On the downside, Wade is a shaky ball handler, coughing up 20 turnovers against 11 assists. Zaynah Robinson, a 5’11” junior point guard, is NSU’s third starter and averages 10.7 points while leading the team in assists (21), steals (12), and free throw percentage (90.9%).

The other two starters are likely to be 7-foot junior center Dan Robinson and 6’4” junior guard Kyle Williams. Dan Robinson plays only 15 minutes per game and doesn’t score much (2.3 ppg), but he averages 2.7 rebounds and leads the team in blocks with 10. Williams entered the starting lineup for the first time in NSU’s 2-point loss to Sacred Heart on Nov. 25, and had a great game with 14 points and four rebounds. Williams hits 44.4% on three pointers and shoots primarily from behind the arc, where more than three quarters of his field goal attempts are launched.

Coming off the bench and/or making occasional starts are 6’8” forward Alex Long, 6’2” guard Carrington Ward, 6’11” center Bryan Gellineau, and 6’3” guard Alex Brown—all of whom play less than 20 minutes and average between 2.3 and 6.3 points. Early season starter Micah Goss, a 6’2” guard who averages 6.4 points, hasn’t played at all since the Nov. 21 game against Butler.

In short, the Spartans have three players worthy of starting (Wade, Zaynah Robinson, and Butler), a three point specialist (Kyle Williams) and two part time rim protectors (Dan Robinson and Alex Long). They shoot the three very well (39.3%) and they are getting better at reducing second-chance points. But they have lost every game where they’ve been out-shot and/or out-rebounded.

Links

Ramblermania message board discussion

Loyola game notes: http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/loy … 129aaa.pdf

Norfolk State game notes: http://www.nsuspartans.com/news/2016/11 … espn3.aspx

TV/Streaming video: ESPN3 (http://www.espn.com/watchespn/index/_/i … olachicago)

Vegas odds: Pending

Saturday, November 26, 2016 3:00 p.m.
PNC Arena, Raleigh, N.C.

When it comes to North Carolina basketball, the NC State Wolfpack are often overlooked with the attention that’s always given to UNC and Duke. Just about anywhere else, if you make 26 NCAA Tournament appearances (including four of the past five years), 11 trips to the Sweet 16, three visits to the Final Four, win two National Championships, and play in an arena that seats 20k, you’re going to be constantly thought of first in the state in college hoops.

Imagine how frustrating it would be to always be thought of as a far distant third place in spite of success that would make you a legendary and dominant force just about anywhere else. Imagine living an upper class lifestyle in the shadows of two obscenely prosperous neighbors, or being a merely successful child in a hyper-competitive family dynasty. Imagine being mentioned in the same conversation as two giants, but most often as a condescending courtesy or an afterthought. Where I live in Central Illinois, the Cubs and Cardinals always get the attention and it’s got to be pretty awkward for the smattering of White Sox fans.

The phenomenon has to produce a little bit of a chip on one’s shoulder. For the NC State Wolfpack, that chip is usually dumped on the floor at the ACC Tournament, where the Pack often over-performs to earn a trip to the dance.

This season, NC State is struggling with having lost ACC 1st teamer Anthony “Cat” Barber, who skipped out on his senior season only to go undrafted by the NBA. Barber averaged 23.5 points, 4.5 assists, and 4.6 rebounds per game for a team that finished 16-17 overall last season and brought up the rear in the ACC. To make things worse, twin brothers Caleb and Cody Martin, who combined for 17.5 ppg decided to transfer. But the new recruits coming in, including two 5-star recruits at point guard and center, may make the Wolfpack much more competitive. NC State was picked for a 6th place finish in the ACC preseason poll, and 7th place by Bleacher Report, who called this year’s ACC “absurdly loaded” and suggested that as many as 10 of the 13 teams would be tournament worthy.

Starting at point guard 6’3” freshman Dennis Smith, Jr., a 5-star prospect from nearby Fayetteville, who is leading the team averaging 17.8 ppg and 5.2 assists per game. So far, the youngster has shown no timidity in hoisting up ill-advised shots. He leads the team in field goal attempts, but is only making 41.4% of his twos and 29.2% of his threes. He also gets to the line more often than any other Wolfpack player, and leads the team with a deadly 87.2% free throw percentage.

Also starting at guard are 6’5” sophomore Torin Dorn (16.8 ppg) and 6’5” senior Terry Henderson (17.0 ppg). They both shoot the three well, with Henderson leading the team in attempts and taking more than half his shots from behind the arc. Dorn plays a little more like a very quick wing forward and collects an average of 6.6 rebounds in addition to connecting on 68.4% of his two-point shots.

There is some question as to who will be starting in the frontcourt. Freshman Maverick Rowan, a 6’7” four-star recruit started the first game of the season and scored 17 points to go with nine rebounds, but took a hit above his eye and missed the entire Paradise Jam. Beejay Anya, a 6’9” senior forward weighing in at 344 pounds has been starting in his place and averaging 4.6 points and 3.2 rebounds. If Rowan is cleared to play, he will probably start. Six-foot-eight junior forward Abdul-Malik Abu also starts and averages 15.4 points and 8.8 boards. He’s active in the paint on both offense and defense, leading the team with 18 offensive boards, and nine blocks. He also ranks second on the team in getting to the free throw stripe, where he converts on 74.2% of his freebies.

If Rowan is not available to play, the Wolfpack will be mighty shorthanded. Seven-foot-one freshman center Omer Yurtseven, a five-star recruit coveted by the NBA, was suspended for the first nine games of the season for receiving money for playing in Turkey. Only two other players beyond the five likely starters have appeared in all of NC State’s games this season: skinny 6’1” freshman guard Markell Johnson (4.6 points, 3.4 assists, 1.4 steals in an average of 23 minutes per game) and 6’7” freshman forward Darius Hicks (2.2 rebounds in 10.8 minutes per game, only one point scored on the season). NC State’s three starting guards each average more than 33.6 minutes, and Abu plays an average of 28.6. The Wolfpack plays a lot of time with four-guard lineups with Dorn guarding the opposing forwards.

NC State is still trying to figure out where all the pieces fit this season. With three freshmen playing significant minutes, an injury and a key recruit on suspension until Dec. 15, NC State is feeling their way through the early going with stopgap measures at some key spots on the floor. Defense has been a weakness, with opponents holding a rebounding edge and a sizeable advantage on field goal attempts. The Wolfpack have been very strong on getting to the line (44 attempts more than their opponents) and shot-blocking. NC State’s best win on the season has been against St. Joseph’s, where they held high-scoring guard Lamarr Kimble (career high 26 points against Loyola last week) to only three points on 1 of 15 shooting.

Loyola is likely to start its regular five: Milton Doyle, Clayton Custer, Ben Richardson, Donte Ingram, and Maurice Kirby. Against NC State, the key players who will have their hands full on defense are likely to be Clayton Custer covering Dennis Smith, Jr. and whoever is assigned to guard Abdul-Malik Abu. The Ramblers will probably have to double team Abu, as long as they don’t leave Dorn and Henderson open to go wild.

With NC State being shorthanded and playing a lot of inexperienced players, Loyola might be wise to go at players like Smith, Dorn, and Abu to lure them into foul trouble. In the two-point home win against Georgia Southern, Dorn, Abu and Anya were hampered by four fouls each. In the loss to Creighton, Anya fouled out, and Smith, Henderson, and Abu accumulated four fouls, and NC State was forced to bring in seldom-used Shaun Kirk, who also piled up four fouls– in only 11 minutes.

Links

Ramblermania message board discussion

Loyola game notes: http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/loy … 125aaa.pdf

NC State game notes: http://sidearm.sites.s3.amazonaws.com/g … f?id=13313

TV/Streaming video: http://www.espn.com/watchespn/index/_/i … basketball

Radio: http://gopack.com/watch/?Live=587

Vegas odds: NC State by 13

Monday, November 21, 2016 2:00 p.m.
Sports and Fitness Center, St. Thomas
U.S. Virgin Islands

The Ramblers play for 4th place in the 2016 Paradise Jam vs. Washington State on Monday. Loyola defeated Oral Roberts 78-53 and Washington State beat Montana 87-63 on Saturday to set up the showdown.

The Washington State Cougars are coached by Ernie Kent, who is in his third year at WSU after stints at Oregon and St. Mary’s. Kent is a native of Rockford, and was once a finalist for the head job with the Ramblers. Saturday’s win was Kent’s 350th as a head coach. He has reached the NCAA Tournament 6 times, including two runs to the Elite Eight.

The Cougars start two guards, two forwards and a center. The big man in the middle who tends to get the attention is 7-foot senior Conor Clifford, who has been becoming a more integral part of WSU’s offense lately. Clifford scored 29 points on 12 for 16 shooting in a losing effort on Friday against Creighton, and has played more than 26 minutes the past two games after playing no more than 15 in Washington State’s first two games. He is a rim protector on defense (6 blocks in 4 games), but not a prolific rebounder (3.7 rpg).

While Clifford gets a lot of attention, WSU’s key player on offense and defense is 6’10” senior forward Josh Hawkinson, who averages 18.3 points, 11.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.0 blocks per game. He also plays a lot of minutes (averaging 35 mpg thus far through the season, including 40 against non-D1 Central Washington last week), and has a tendency to shoot from all over the floor (2.7 three point attempts per game this year). Let him shoot those threes—he’s averaging 18.1% this year and 28% for his career.

Rounding out the starters are 6’1” freshman guard Malachi Flynn (a deceptively good rebounder with his quickness, but turnover prone), 6’2” senior guard Ike Iroegbu (9.8 points and 3.8 assists per game), and 6’6” junior forward Derrien King (very streaky shooter averaging 7.8 points and 4.3 boards per game). Their top bench players are 6’7” sophomore forward Robert Franks (4.0 ppg), 6’0” senior guard Charles Callison (10.5 ppg through two games in the Islands), and 6’2” sophomore guard Vionte Daniels (4.5 ppg).

Loyola will likely start Milton Doyle, Ben Richardson, Clayton Custer, Donte Ingram, and Maurice Kirby. The Ramblers won convincingly against Oral Robert with a diversified attack (four players scoring between 12 and 14 points), a 180-degree turnaround in three point shooting from Friday (47.8% on Saturday after shooting 22.2% on 27 tries the day before), and taking very good care of the ball (11 turnovers to ORU’s 18).

The Ramblers can beat Washington State by exploiting the turnover margin, limiting interior passes to Hawkinson or Clifford, dictating the tempo, and keeping WSU off the free throw line. WSU is turnover prone, and Loyola has won every game in which they’ve had an advantage in turnovers. Loyola has also won every game in which they’ve had more trips to the free throw line than their opponents, while WSU has lost every game where they’ve received fewer than 20 trips to the line.

Finally, one of WSU’s weaknesses is three point shooting defense. After Friday’s game, they ranked 273rd in the NCAA at defending against the three (they did a slightly better job against Montana on Saturday), and their opponents averaged 29.5 three point attempts per game. (For comparison, Loyola ranked 94th of 351 teams in three point defense through Friday, and has allowed an average of only 20.6 attempts per game). Establishing some type of offense in the paint against the 7-foot Clifford and 6’10” Hawkinson is not easy to do, but should open up the three point line for better shots. If Donte Ingram and Aundre Jackson can start to connect on mid-range jumpers, that would help open more opportunities inside the arc.

Links

Ramblermania message board discussion

Paradise Jam Bracket: http://paradisejam.com/wp-content/uploa … unday1.pdf

Loyola game notes: http://www.loyolaramblers.com/sports/m- … 16aaa.html

Washington State game notes: http://www.wsucougars.com/news/2016/11/ … inale.aspx

TV/Streaming video: (pay) http://www.flohoops.com/event/253702-u- … sion-i-men

Radio: http://tunein.com/radio/New-Country-1043-s33042/

Vegas odds: Cougars by 1.5