UCSB vs. Montana, Progressive Legends Classic
Tuesday, November 21st, 5:00pm
The Gauchos and the Grizzlies face off in the Championship game of the
Pepperdine Region of the Progressive Legends Classic tournament.
Montana by virtue of a 69-64 victory over Oral Roberts and UCSB with
their 92-84 win over the host Waves. We have a shared opponent this
year, both on the road at Pitt with the Grizzlies coming out on top in
OT and the Gauchos losing by 8. Head-to-head UCSB has a 3-2 advantage
including a win in their last match-up which was in 2004 in Santa
Barbara.
The Grizzlies return the bulk of their production from last year’s .500
team plus add a familiar face in Cal State Fullerton transfer J Akoh.
In total, Montana returns the majority of its production in all aspects
of the game, bringing back its top two – and four of its top five –
scorers. On the other end of the floor, Montana had six players with 90
or more rebounds a year ago; five of them are back on the court. In
total, Montana returns 68.1 percent of its rebounds, 67.4 percent of its
steals, 65.9 percent of its blocked shots, 62.1 percent of its points
and 59.9 percent of its assists. They do have a high roster turnover
with 6 new faces. They were picked to finish 3rd in the 12
team Big Sky. Their top-two leading scorers returning are guards Ahmaad
Rorie and Michael Oguine and will be a challenge for Jackson and
Heidegger to stop. Rorie, a 2016-17 Second Team All-Conference honoree,
averaged 17.6 points last year including a 19.4 average in Big Sky
play. Oguine also put up better numbers in league play scoring 13 points
per game compared to an 11-point average on the year.
The Grizzlies are scoring at 70 ppg and giving up 68ppg.
Starting Lineup:
PG: Jr Ahmaad Rorie, a transfer from Oregon, is again leading the team
in pts (18 pg) and assists (4 pg). He is athletic, quick and will be
tough to stop.
SG: Michael Oguine is posting similar numbers with 17 ppg and 3apg
while adding a team leading 6.7 rpg. Neither he nor Rorie shoot lights
out from three but do make many attempts, 50 between them at about a
.300 average clip.
Wing: Junior, 6’7” Bobby Morehead is 3rd in scoring at about 9pg and 2nd in rebounding with 5.5 pg. He leads the team in 3pt % at .375 but has only 16 attempts.
F: 6’8” Senior Fabijan Krslovic out of Australia is contributing 6ppg and 5.5 rpg.
F: 6’8” Junior Jamar Akoh (CSUF) is adding 5.8 ppg and 3.5 rpg but is shooting at only a .333 clip, horrible for a post.
Major Bench Players
6’5” Soph guard Sayeed Pridgett provides some scoring punch, 3rd on the team with 7ppg in 24mpg. He is more of a slasher with only 4 3pt attempts this year, making 1
6’8” Frosh forward Karl Nichols had a bit of a break-out game against Oral Roberts with 11 pts on 5-6 shooting and 4 rebounds
6’2” Frosh guard Timmy Falls is averaging about 10 mpg.
Match-up & Prediction:
I think these teams are evenly matched and the game will be closely contested and entertaining.
With Marcus Jackson back, we have a more well-rounded team than in the
first three games. Canty and King are superior to the Grizzlies Krslovi
and Akoh so we have an advantage in the post. The speed of Rorie is
of concern and we may see Gabe tasked with covering him. Should Jackson
struggle on defense, Terrell may see significant minutes to counter
their guards. Should be a fun one but I see the Gauchos coming out
ahead. UCSB 79 Montana 74.
Montana Official Preview: http://www.gogriz.com/news/2017/11/20/m ... ath=mbball
Hey Guys! http://egriz.com/grizboard/viewforum.ph ... ceaed6fe8a
How to watch: https://watchstadium.com/live/uc-santa-barbara-vs-tbd/
Thursday, November 30, 2017
Wednesday, November 29, 2017
Tuesday, November 28, 2017
Monday, November 27, 2017
UCSB vs. USF Game Preview, by Gaucho Freg
UCSB @ USF
Tuesday, November 28 @ 7:00
Rankings: (RPI, DC2)
UCSB: 41, 101
USF: 335, 222
The San Francisco Dons have only played three games against D1 competition and have yet to leave the cozy confines of War Memorial Gym. In their opener, they surprisingly lost by 12 to Long Beach State despite being favored by 14. They’ve managed low double digit wins against St. Francis and Sac State.
All-in-all, a disappointing start for a team that took the West Coast by surprise last year under then first-year coach Kyle Smith who led the Dons to a 20 win season and 4th place conference finish after being picked last. USF was again picked by most to finish 4th behind St. Mary’s, Gonzaga and BYU in the WCC.
So far this season the Dons are scoring at 73.2 ppg while holding their opponents to 64 and are shooting at a .430 clip including .317 from three.
Coach Smith likes to run a deep roster and the starters are averaging about 20 minutes per game with only Sophomore guard Jordan Ratinho averaging above 30. Very different from UCSB in this respect. Overview of their players that are averaging 15mpg or more:
Starters
The Dons are led by Senior Forward Chase Foster (6’7”, 187lb) who is 2nd in scoring with 13.5ppg and first in rebounds at 5 per game. He can score from outside shooting 8-18 from three.
Sophomore Guard Jordan Rathino (6’5”, 210lb) was an All WCC freshman and shoots over .500 from the field and leads the team in 3ptrs made (9). He is third on the team in scoring at 12.3 ppg.
Junior Forward Nate Renfro (6’7”, 186lb) is the team captain and a glue guy but has been statistically quiet so far.
Freshman Jamaree Bouyea (6’2”, 155lb) has earned the starting pg spot despite his slender frame. He averages 4.8 boards but has only 3 assists so far this year. From the WCC Don’s preview; “Jamaree Bouyea appears to be a nice point guard with a deep three point shot. Excellent handle and displays great body control in traffic. Pretty good defender. Suspect this kid has a superior basketball IQ. Really anticipates well and knows his personnel. This guy isn’t just a good player, he makes everyone else on the floor better.”
The fifth starter has varied.
The Bench
Another skinny Freshman guard is Souley Boum (6’3”, 145lb) who leads the team in scoring with 14.8 ppg on 7-12 from three. He is second on the team in assists with 8. “Average athletism but great first step. Displays a nice three point shot and can get to the basket in a variety of ways. Predominately right handed. Not much of a passer. Looks to score when he has the ball. Appears to know the game well and defends better than most. “
Junior PG Frankie Ferrari (5’11, 179lb) leads the team in assists (11), scores 5.3 ppg and is putting in the same mpg as starter Bouyea.
Sophomore forward Remu Raitanen (6’9, 198 lb) from Finland has not shot the ball well but is playing about 20mpg and pulling down about 5 boards.
Junior Forward Matt McCarthy (6’9”, 232) from Australia adds some size to this smaller roster and has started two games. He has shot 7-12 and is pulling 3 boards per game. He started 27/33 games last year for the Dons.
Junior Forward Nick Loew (6’8”, 220lb) has shot 5-8 and is pulling 4.3 boards per game.
Preseason Overview of the Dons by WCC fan Jon Ralston:
Coach Smith quite frankly put every other new coach in the WCC in the last 5 years to shame by taking a roster that I quite frankly didn’t like that much and winning 20 games with them by playing a style of basketball that maximized their strengths and minimized their weaknesses. I understand that Gonzaga had a historic season, but if coaching is maximizing your squad’s abilities to be the best they can be then Coach Smith was my coach of the year last year. Now the question is can they sustain last year’s success. It seems like many teams have risen to the 4th place spot in the conference but no one has been able to sustain that level consistently. I see the Dons staying at 4th place, but I’m not ready to say they supplant BYU in the 3rd position. It’s definitely possible, but I’m a believe it when I see it kind of guy and until they actually get over the hump I’m going with the Dons 4th and BYU 3rd. The success of the Dons is obvious; spacing, ball movement, solid team defense, and 3 point shooting. In fact Dons put up an amazing 237 more 3’s than opponents last year. In year two teams are going to run the Dons off the 3 point line and force them to put the ball on the floor. Easier said than done, but to a certain extent the cat is out of the bag and I’m not certain how they’ll respond. The Dons need to rebound better. Poulsen should help in that manner, but it will also need to be a team effort. The Dons will need to take better care of the ball if they hope to crack the top 3 and the Dons will need some more athleticism in the 1-3 positions in order to defend more athletic opponents. The Dons weren’t a great free throw shooting team which will hopefully have improved after an off season of workouts. The Dons also didn’t get to the line as much as they needed to with opponents shooting more than 100 more free throws than the Dons. In terms of trends I’m high on the Dons future, but I see them treading water at 4th for a season or two until they can get a couple more recruiting classes into the fold. I think in year 3 and 4 of the Coach Smith era we’ll see the Dons challenge the top 3 and possibly make the NCAA tournament.
Matchups & Prediction:
PG: Marcus Jackson (backed up by Max, Davis) vs. Bouyea/Ferrari
Name advantage-Dons. Experience advantage to UCSB.
SG: Rathino/Boum vs Max H/CT.
Push. Max is probably going to be the best player on the court but such a drop off to CT.
Wing: Foster vs. Gabe
Advantage USF. Gabe is just not quite 100% where he was before the injury and gives up some height.
F: Renfro/multiple vs King/Blackmon & Kupchak
Advantage UCSB
F/C: Multiple vs. Canty/Ami, Hart
Advantage UCSB
Just looking at the stats & individual match-ups it is very tempting to go with the Gauchos on this one, especially after USF was handled easily by LB.
It seems that the Dons are still sorting out how their new pieces will fit. I am going to go with the Dons not hitting their stride just yet and the Gauchos taking this in their fourth consecutive close game. UCSB 79 USF 76
Official Site: http://usfdons.com/index.aspx?path=mbball
WCC Fan Preview: http://wccboards.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=1738
Hey Guys! (and my overview of UCSB for the USF fans): http://donscentral.com/board/2/hilltop-hoops
How to Watch: http://www.wccsports.com/gamecenter/m-b ... -sanf.html
Tuesday, November 28 @ 7:00
Rankings: (RPI, DC2)
UCSB: 41, 101
USF: 335, 222
The San Francisco Dons have only played three games against D1 competition and have yet to leave the cozy confines of War Memorial Gym. In their opener, they surprisingly lost by 12 to Long Beach State despite being favored by 14. They’ve managed low double digit wins against St. Francis and Sac State.
All-in-all, a disappointing start for a team that took the West Coast by surprise last year under then first-year coach Kyle Smith who led the Dons to a 20 win season and 4th place conference finish after being picked last. USF was again picked by most to finish 4th behind St. Mary’s, Gonzaga and BYU in the WCC.
So far this season the Dons are scoring at 73.2 ppg while holding their opponents to 64 and are shooting at a .430 clip including .317 from three.
Coach Smith likes to run a deep roster and the starters are averaging about 20 minutes per game with only Sophomore guard Jordan Ratinho averaging above 30. Very different from UCSB in this respect. Overview of their players that are averaging 15mpg or more:
Starters
The Dons are led by Senior Forward Chase Foster (6’7”, 187lb) who is 2nd in scoring with 13.5ppg and first in rebounds at 5 per game. He can score from outside shooting 8-18 from three.
Sophomore Guard Jordan Rathino (6’5”, 210lb) was an All WCC freshman and shoots over .500 from the field and leads the team in 3ptrs made (9). He is third on the team in scoring at 12.3 ppg.
Junior Forward Nate Renfro (6’7”, 186lb) is the team captain and a glue guy but has been statistically quiet so far.
Freshman Jamaree Bouyea (6’2”, 155lb) has earned the starting pg spot despite his slender frame. He averages 4.8 boards but has only 3 assists so far this year. From the WCC Don’s preview; “Jamaree Bouyea appears to be a nice point guard with a deep three point shot. Excellent handle and displays great body control in traffic. Pretty good defender. Suspect this kid has a superior basketball IQ. Really anticipates well and knows his personnel. This guy isn’t just a good player, he makes everyone else on the floor better.”
The fifth starter has varied.
The Bench
Another skinny Freshman guard is Souley Boum (6’3”, 145lb) who leads the team in scoring with 14.8 ppg on 7-12 from three. He is second on the team in assists with 8. “Average athletism but great first step. Displays a nice three point shot and can get to the basket in a variety of ways. Predominately right handed. Not much of a passer. Looks to score when he has the ball. Appears to know the game well and defends better than most. “
Junior PG Frankie Ferrari (5’11, 179lb) leads the team in assists (11), scores 5.3 ppg and is putting in the same mpg as starter Bouyea.
Sophomore forward Remu Raitanen (6’9, 198 lb) from Finland has not shot the ball well but is playing about 20mpg and pulling down about 5 boards.
Junior Forward Matt McCarthy (6’9”, 232) from Australia adds some size to this smaller roster and has started two games. He has shot 7-12 and is pulling 3 boards per game. He started 27/33 games last year for the Dons.
Junior Forward Nick Loew (6’8”, 220lb) has shot 5-8 and is pulling 4.3 boards per game.
Preseason Overview of the Dons by WCC fan Jon Ralston:
Coach Smith quite frankly put every other new coach in the WCC in the last 5 years to shame by taking a roster that I quite frankly didn’t like that much and winning 20 games with them by playing a style of basketball that maximized their strengths and minimized their weaknesses. I understand that Gonzaga had a historic season, but if coaching is maximizing your squad’s abilities to be the best they can be then Coach Smith was my coach of the year last year. Now the question is can they sustain last year’s success. It seems like many teams have risen to the 4th place spot in the conference but no one has been able to sustain that level consistently. I see the Dons staying at 4th place, but I’m not ready to say they supplant BYU in the 3rd position. It’s definitely possible, but I’m a believe it when I see it kind of guy and until they actually get over the hump I’m going with the Dons 4th and BYU 3rd. The success of the Dons is obvious; spacing, ball movement, solid team defense, and 3 point shooting. In fact Dons put up an amazing 237 more 3’s than opponents last year. In year two teams are going to run the Dons off the 3 point line and force them to put the ball on the floor. Easier said than done, but to a certain extent the cat is out of the bag and I’m not certain how they’ll respond. The Dons need to rebound better. Poulsen should help in that manner, but it will also need to be a team effort. The Dons will need to take better care of the ball if they hope to crack the top 3 and the Dons will need some more athleticism in the 1-3 positions in order to defend more athletic opponents. The Dons weren’t a great free throw shooting team which will hopefully have improved after an off season of workouts. The Dons also didn’t get to the line as much as they needed to with opponents shooting more than 100 more free throws than the Dons. In terms of trends I’m high on the Dons future, but I see them treading water at 4th for a season or two until they can get a couple more recruiting classes into the fold. I think in year 3 and 4 of the Coach Smith era we’ll see the Dons challenge the top 3 and possibly make the NCAA tournament.
Matchups & Prediction:
PG: Marcus Jackson (backed up by Max, Davis) vs. Bouyea/Ferrari
Name advantage-Dons. Experience advantage to UCSB.
SG: Rathino/Boum vs Max H/CT.
Push. Max is probably going to be the best player on the court but such a drop off to CT.
Wing: Foster vs. Gabe
Advantage USF. Gabe is just not quite 100% where he was before the injury and gives up some height.
F: Renfro/multiple vs King/Blackmon & Kupchak
Advantage UCSB
F/C: Multiple vs. Canty/Ami, Hart
Advantage UCSB
Just looking at the stats & individual match-ups it is very tempting to go with the Gauchos on this one, especially after USF was handled easily by LB.
It seems that the Dons are still sorting out how their new pieces will fit. I am going to go with the Dons not hitting their stride just yet and the Gauchos taking this in their fourth consecutive close game. UCSB 79 USF 76
Official Site: http://usfdons.com/index.aspx?path=mbball
WCC Fan Preview: http://wccboards.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=1738
Hey Guys! (and my overview of UCSB for the USF fans): http://donscentral.com/board/2/hilltop-hoops
How to Watch: http://www.wccsports.com/gamecenter/m-b ... -sanf.html
Sunday, November 26, 2017
Friday, November 24, 2017
Tuesday, November 21, 2017
Monday, November 20, 2017
UCSB vs. Pepperdine Game Preview, by Gaucho Freg
UCSB @ Pepperdine Preview:
Progressive Legends Classic
Monday, November 20th, 7:30pm
Coming off a 9 win season last year, the Waves lost a lot and are expected to contend with Portland for the cellar of the WCC this year. Former UCSB assistant under Bob Williams, now Wave HC Marty Wilson is certainly on the hot seat and should another sub 10 win season be the result, he may be following the path of his former boss. They have started three true freshman in two of their three games. The first three games don’t bode so well as the Waves lost both of their D1 games, by 31 on the road to Oklahoma State who was picked last in the Big 12, and by 2 at home to Northern Colorado of the Big Sky who were pasted by Davis in Colorado. They did handily beat Div III Cal Lutheran. They don’t shoot the ball well from beyond the arc, 14-49 for a .286 percentage. They do make their free throws, .709. Senior PG Amadi Udenyi has not played since their opener and was in concussion protocol last week. Not sure about his status. Another player they were looking to rely on, Eric Cooper (yet another transfer out of Nevada) has also been injured and has yet to play. His status for tonight’s game is also unknown.
The Waves have a balanced attack with 8 players averaging between 6.7 and 13 ppg. Could be indicative of a team also still searching for go-to players.
True freshman wing Trae Berhow (6’5”, 195lb) leads with 13 ppg including 5-14 from three while grabbing 6.3 boards pg. He also leads the team in minutes played, 32 pg.
Grad Transfer (UW) Mathew Attewe (6’9”, 255lb) is a F/C and is second on the team in both scoring and rebounding with 10.3 ppg and 6.7 rpg in only 18m of play per game.
RS Sophomore Forward Kameron Edwards sat out last season after an All WCC freshman season. He leads the team with 7 boards per game while adding 10ppg. He has shot 1-5 from three.
Freshman, Colbey Ross, plays pg, leads the team with 15 assists and is adept at getting to the rim & drawing fouls. He is a perfect 15-15 from the stripe. That does not extend to 3 pt shooting where he is only 1-7. Seems he is filling in for Udenyi until he is healthy.
The third freshman, wing Jade Smith (6’4”, 175lb) is adding 8.3ppg and 4 rpg and is only 1-8 from three.
Key reserves:
F Nolan Taylor (6’7”, 260lb) is a sophomore, shoots a high percentage from both the field and the line and is contributing 9.3 ppg and 5.3 rpg.
JC Transfer Forward Darnell Dunn (6’6”, 205lb) can also get to the line where he is 8-11 and is scoring 8.7 ppg.
Sophomore Guard Knox Hellums (6’5”, 195lb) is a three point threat, making 6-13 and scoring 6.7ppg.
Prediction:
The Waves remind me a bit of last year’s Gaucho team which also had misfortune due to unavailable players and had to rely on contributions from true freshmen early. The questionable status of Cooper and Udenyi for the Waves and Jackson for the Gauchos does provide some uncertainty, but I think UCSB wins this regardless. With the assumption that none of the questionable players play, UCSB wins by about a dozen, 79-67.
The WCC message board put together an in-depth analysis of the Waves:
http://wccboards.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=1721
Official Site: http://www.pepperdinewaves.com/sports/m ... -body.html
How to Watch: http://www.wccsports.com/gamecenter/m-b ... -pepp.html
Hey Guys! https://scout.com/college/pepperdine/Bo ... ics-102450
(But don’t bother Chief, board is dead)
Progressive Legends Classic
Monday, November 20th, 7:30pm
Coming off a 9 win season last year, the Waves lost a lot and are expected to contend with Portland for the cellar of the WCC this year. Former UCSB assistant under Bob Williams, now Wave HC Marty Wilson is certainly on the hot seat and should another sub 10 win season be the result, he may be following the path of his former boss. They have started three true freshman in two of their three games. The first three games don’t bode so well as the Waves lost both of their D1 games, by 31 on the road to Oklahoma State who was picked last in the Big 12, and by 2 at home to Northern Colorado of the Big Sky who were pasted by Davis in Colorado. They did handily beat Div III Cal Lutheran. They don’t shoot the ball well from beyond the arc, 14-49 for a .286 percentage. They do make their free throws, .709. Senior PG Amadi Udenyi has not played since their opener and was in concussion protocol last week. Not sure about his status. Another player they were looking to rely on, Eric Cooper (yet another transfer out of Nevada) has also been injured and has yet to play. His status for tonight’s game is also unknown.
The Waves have a balanced attack with 8 players averaging between 6.7 and 13 ppg. Could be indicative of a team also still searching for go-to players.
True freshman wing Trae Berhow (6’5”, 195lb) leads with 13 ppg including 5-14 from three while grabbing 6.3 boards pg. He also leads the team in minutes played, 32 pg.
Grad Transfer (UW) Mathew Attewe (6’9”, 255lb) is a F/C and is second on the team in both scoring and rebounding with 10.3 ppg and 6.7 rpg in only 18m of play per game.
RS Sophomore Forward Kameron Edwards sat out last season after an All WCC freshman season. He leads the team with 7 boards per game while adding 10ppg. He has shot 1-5 from three.
Freshman, Colbey Ross, plays pg, leads the team with 15 assists and is adept at getting to the rim & drawing fouls. He is a perfect 15-15 from the stripe. That does not extend to 3 pt shooting where he is only 1-7. Seems he is filling in for Udenyi until he is healthy.
The third freshman, wing Jade Smith (6’4”, 175lb) is adding 8.3ppg and 4 rpg and is only 1-8 from three.
Key reserves:
F Nolan Taylor (6’7”, 260lb) is a sophomore, shoots a high percentage from both the field and the line and is contributing 9.3 ppg and 5.3 rpg.
JC Transfer Forward Darnell Dunn (6’6”, 205lb) can also get to the line where he is 8-11 and is scoring 8.7 ppg.
Sophomore Guard Knox Hellums (6’5”, 195lb) is a three point threat, making 6-13 and scoring 6.7ppg.
Prediction:
The Waves remind me a bit of last year’s Gaucho team which also had misfortune due to unavailable players and had to rely on contributions from true freshmen early. The questionable status of Cooper and Udenyi for the Waves and Jackson for the Gauchos does provide some uncertainty, but I think UCSB wins this regardless. With the assumption that none of the questionable players play, UCSB wins by about a dozen, 79-67.
The WCC message board put together an in-depth analysis of the Waves:
http://wccboards.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=1721
Official Site: http://www.pepperdinewaves.com/sports/m ... -body.html
How to Watch: http://www.wccsports.com/gamecenter/m-b ... -pepp.html
Hey Guys! https://scout.com/college/pepperdine/Bo ... ics-102450
(But don’t bother Chief, board is dead)
Saturday, November 18, 2017
Friday, November 17, 2017
Thursday, November 16, 2017
UCSB vs. Texas A & M Game Preview, by Gaucho Freg
UCSB @ #16 Texas A&M
Friday, Nov 17 @ 5:00 PM
Already considered a dangerous team for the 2017-8 season, the then #25 Aggies elevated themselves to the status of serious final four contender by walloping preseason #11 West Virginia last week in Germany. This without the services of Sophomore PF Robert Williams who passed on being a likely lottery pick in the NBA draft to return to A&M and their PG JJ Caldwell who are suspended for the first couple games of the season. So they won’t be on the court in the Aggies home opener against the Gauchos but that does not seem to matter given their depth of talent, experience and athleticism.
Like for Pitt, a lot out there on this Power 5 school so here’s a couple links for more in-depth summaries:
Season preview: https://www.teamspeedkills.com/2017/10/ ... rojections
5 take aways from their big win over WVU: https://247sports.com/college/texas-am/ ... -110275478
Their line-up, briefly:
PG: As mentioned, their starter JJ Caldwell is suspended. Senior transfer Duane Wilson (6’3”, 175lb) from Marquette got the start against the Mountaineers, did not shoot the ball well but had 5 assists in 20m of play.
SG: After forced to play PG for much of last season, stud SG Admon Gilder (6’4”, 200lb) is back to his natural position and took it to W.Virginia with 23 pts, 9 boards and 7 assists.
Wing: Freshman Savion (6’7”, 217lb) had a modest start scoring 7 pts, 1-1 from distance but had 4 TOs in 20m of play
F: Junior DJ Hogg (6’9” 215 lb) missed much of last season with an injury and had a fantastic return with 19 pts, 7 boards and 6 assists while going 4-6 from three and getting a couple steals.
F/C: Junior Tyler Davis (6’10”, 266 lbs) had an incredible game, going 10-12 from the field for 23 points and grabbing 13 boards. Like our Jalen Canty, he lost a bunch of weight over the summer and is coming into the season on a mission.
Key reserves:
G: HC Billy Kennedy is high on Freshman TJ Starks (6’2, 195 lb) who has the ability to get to the basket and create opportunities. Didn’t shoot it well the first game but is a future star.
C: Senior Tony Trocha-Morelos (6’10”, 229lbs), a role player who will likely just get spot minutes once Williams returns. Played 24m and grabbed 7 boards against WVU.
Coach Billy Kennedy has been @ A&M since 2011 and took the Aggies to the Sweet 16 in the 2015-6 season. Before that he coached Murray State for 5 years, including to the round of 32 and a 31-5 overall record in 2009-10.
Aggie Hoops History: They’ve made it to the Sweet 16 three times; 1980, 2007 & 2016. UCSB & the Aggies faced off twice in the 1970s with the Gauchos the victor both times.
The Aggies play their games in Reed Arena which opened in 1998 and seats about 13K.
Prediction: Too much athleticism and skill for our squad and the Aggies shouldn’t have too much difficulty with our evolving man defense. I think our guys will battle and keep the score within a reasonable distance for a while but expect a couple dominant runs from the Aggies, especially in the 2nd half to allow them to win comfortably.
Aggies 85 UCSB 67
Official Site: http://12thman.com/index.aspx?path=mbball
Hey Guys!: https://texags.com/forums/7
How to watch: Game will be on the SEC network and the WatchESPN app will allow you to watch online.
Friday, Nov 17 @ 5:00 PM
Already considered a dangerous team for the 2017-8 season, the then #25 Aggies elevated themselves to the status of serious final four contender by walloping preseason #11 West Virginia last week in Germany. This without the services of Sophomore PF Robert Williams who passed on being a likely lottery pick in the NBA draft to return to A&M and their PG JJ Caldwell who are suspended for the first couple games of the season. So they won’t be on the court in the Aggies home opener against the Gauchos but that does not seem to matter given their depth of talent, experience and athleticism.
Like for Pitt, a lot out there on this Power 5 school so here’s a couple links for more in-depth summaries:
Season preview: https://www.teamspeedkills.com/2017/10/ ... rojections
5 take aways from their big win over WVU: https://247sports.com/college/texas-am/ ... -110275478
Their line-up, briefly:
PG: As mentioned, their starter JJ Caldwell is suspended. Senior transfer Duane Wilson (6’3”, 175lb) from Marquette got the start against the Mountaineers, did not shoot the ball well but had 5 assists in 20m of play.
SG: After forced to play PG for much of last season, stud SG Admon Gilder (6’4”, 200lb) is back to his natural position and took it to W.Virginia with 23 pts, 9 boards and 7 assists.
Wing: Freshman Savion (6’7”, 217lb) had a modest start scoring 7 pts, 1-1 from distance but had 4 TOs in 20m of play
F: Junior DJ Hogg (6’9” 215 lb) missed much of last season with an injury and had a fantastic return with 19 pts, 7 boards and 6 assists while going 4-6 from three and getting a couple steals.
F/C: Junior Tyler Davis (6’10”, 266 lbs) had an incredible game, going 10-12 from the field for 23 points and grabbing 13 boards. Like our Jalen Canty, he lost a bunch of weight over the summer and is coming into the season on a mission.
Key reserves:
G: HC Billy Kennedy is high on Freshman TJ Starks (6’2, 195 lb) who has the ability to get to the basket and create opportunities. Didn’t shoot it well the first game but is a future star.
C: Senior Tony Trocha-Morelos (6’10”, 229lbs), a role player who will likely just get spot minutes once Williams returns. Played 24m and grabbed 7 boards against WVU.
Coach Billy Kennedy has been @ A&M since 2011 and took the Aggies to the Sweet 16 in the 2015-6 season. Before that he coached Murray State for 5 years, including to the round of 32 and a 31-5 overall record in 2009-10.
Aggie Hoops History: They’ve made it to the Sweet 16 three times; 1980, 2007 & 2016. UCSB & the Aggies faced off twice in the 1970s with the Gauchos the victor both times.
The Aggies play their games in Reed Arena which opened in 1998 and seats about 13K.
Prediction: Too much athleticism and skill for our squad and the Aggies shouldn’t have too much difficulty with our evolving man defense. I think our guys will battle and keep the score within a reasonable distance for a while but expect a couple dominant runs from the Aggies, especially in the 2nd half to allow them to win comfortably.
Aggies 85 UCSB 67
Official Site: http://12thman.com/index.aspx?path=mbball
Hey Guys!: https://texags.com/forums/7
How to watch: Game will be on the SEC network and the WatchESPN app will allow you to watch online.
Wednesday, November 15, 2017
Tuesday, November 14, 2017
UCSB Men's Basketball Foe Pittsburgh Panthers Preview, by Gaucho Freg
Pittsburgh Preview
UCSB @ Pitt
Wednesday, Nov 15 @ 4:00 PM
The advantage of playing a major conference opponent is there is much more information out there on them. In a nutshell, Pitt just won’t be very good this year. Second year coach Kevin Stallings who took over when Jamie Dixon surprisingly left for TCU, lost most of his team to transfers and graduation last year and wasn’t able to replace them with comparable talent typical to a high level ACC/Big East team that characterized Pitt during the Dixon/Howland era. Dan posted earlier that they only return about 8% of their offense from last season. That being said, the roster still has a few 3 star athletes that UCSB would have been thrilled to land.
As mentioned a lot of good preview info out there on the net but I found this one particularly good:
https://howtheyplay.com/team-sports/201 ... ll-Preview
Pittsburgh Panthers
2016-2017: 16-17, 4-14 in the ACC (tie for 13th)
Preseason Projection: 15th in the ACC
Departures: Michael Young (19.6 ppg., 6.8 rpg.), Jamel Artis (18.2 ppg., 4.9 rpg., 39.2% 3pt.), Sheldon Jeter (8.1 ppg., 7.3 rpg., 36.8% 3pt.), and Chris Jones (7.2 ppg.) graduated; Cameron Johnson (11.9 ppg., 4.5 rpg., 41.5% 3pt.) transferred to North Carolina
Kevin Stallings' first year at Pittsburgh did not go well, as he took over a group of players that didn't really fit into his offensive system and wasn't able to make it work despite strong senior leadership (the Panthers finished 186th in fg%, down from 88th in his last season at Vanderbilt, and 123rd in 3pt%, down from 34th). Stallings also didn't acclimate well to ACC offenses, with the Panthers finishing 266th in fg% defense and 187th in rebounding margin (his final Vanderbilt team finished 157th and 24th respectively) despite playing one of the tallest lineups in the country. There was a mass exodus of remaining players through transfer after the season, and Stallings' efforts to rebuild the roster through graduate transfers fell short, leaving what stands to be an overwhelmed group of mostly young players.
Marcus Carr, a four star combo guard who under ideal circumstances would be a rotation player as a freshman, will get all the minutes he can handle as the starting point guard. Carr's a talented offensive player, but he probably needs to get stronger before he can be effective in the ACC. Carr could be joined in the starting backcourt by three star combo guard Parker Stewart; at 6-5, he has long term potential as a passer and shooter, although like Carr he will be very thin as a freshman. Stallings did land one graduate transfer in Monty Boykins from Lafayette, a medical redshirt last season that averaged 10.7 ppg. on 35.8% shooting behind the arc. Boykins isn't particularly athletic and doesn't provide much beyond spot up shooting. Senior Jonathan Milligan hasn't produced much in his time at Pitt, but he stuck around so he might be about to get his chance. Shamiel Stevenson, a sturdy 6-6 3 star prospect, doesn't offer much offensively at this point but could see time at one of the forward spots.
The only established returning player that Stallings will have is Ryan Luther (5.7 ppg., 3.9 rpg., 40.9% 3pt.), a 6-9 senior that has not been able to stay healthy. If he can as a senior, he'll get all the shots he wants as a capable stretch 4. Jared Wilson-Frame, a 6-5, 230 pound junior college transfer, will be the most interesting new face for the Panthers; he played point guard last season, but will need to split time between the forward spots for Pittsburgh. Wilson-Frame could lead Pitt in rebounding and help facilitate what little offense the team is able to generate. 6-11 Terrell Brown, a three star prospect, will have to play right away; again, he's thin, but beyond Luther he'll be the only size Pitt has to offer. He does have potential as a shot blocker, and his ability to shoot from the perimeter makes him a solid long term candidate for Stallings's system in the mold of Luke Kornet. Pittsburgh struggled to defend even while loaded with size and senior leadership in Stallings' first year in the ACC (228thin fg% defense, 216th in 3pt.% defense, and 192nd in rebounding margin); without them, the outlook is grim.
It would be miraculous if this team won any ACC games. They'll be physically overwhelmed everywhere and particularly in the paint, and it's anyone's guess where scoring might come from. There are at least a few pieces in place that could be helpful in a year or two, but for the most part things are bad, and they could get worse (the Cameron Johnson situation didn't help). Jamie Dixon was good, and Pittsburgh fans, like the fans and administration at Boston College since the firing of Al Skinner, are going to learn the hard way that they should have been nicer.
-----------------------------------
The Panther’s record stands at 0-2 with an opening season loss on the road at Navy, which was the Midshipmen’s first win over an ACC school since 1971!! It was also Pitt’s first opening season loss since 1996. Navy is projected to be a mid-pack in their Patriot League. A fan’s write-up on that game with a good overview of their player’s individual performance: http://pittsburghsportsnow.com/2017/11/ ... r-vs-navy/
Pitt lost their home opener Monday in OT to Montana which is expected to contend for the Big Sky title so it is not necessarily a terrible loss. Still, it is a low point for this once proud program, low-lighted by only 3K fans showing up for the opener. Write-up here: http://pittsburghsportsnow.com/2017/11/ ... s-montana/
The top scorers and rebounders for the Panthers through the first two games are Junior forward Luther, Senior PG converted to Forward Wilson-Frame and freshman guard Stevenson. Freshman Marcus Carr is their PG and has struggled with his shot.
Although the Pitt talent level is substandard by ACC standards it is still filled with multiple 3* recruits so superior to what UCSB will normally see in the BW. HC Kevin Stallings has struggled at Pitt after successful stints at Vanderbilt and Illinois State. Pitt is down, way down this year, but it would be foolish to expect an easy win. I would guess the pundits will favor Pitt but if the Gauchos play like they did against NDSU which gave #10 USC all they could handle until two starters fouled out, then SB should win this. Prediction: UCSB 79 Pitt 75
Official Site: http://pittsburghpanthers.com/
Stinkyfinger’s Domain: https://pittsburgh.forums.rivals.com/fo ... -board.26/
How to watch: ACC Sports Network which is available on the Watch ESPN App.
UCSB @ Pitt
Wednesday, Nov 15 @ 4:00 PM
The advantage of playing a major conference opponent is there is much more information out there on them. In a nutshell, Pitt just won’t be very good this year. Second year coach Kevin Stallings who took over when Jamie Dixon surprisingly left for TCU, lost most of his team to transfers and graduation last year and wasn’t able to replace them with comparable talent typical to a high level ACC/Big East team that characterized Pitt during the Dixon/Howland era. Dan posted earlier that they only return about 8% of their offense from last season. That being said, the roster still has a few 3 star athletes that UCSB would have been thrilled to land.
As mentioned a lot of good preview info out there on the net but I found this one particularly good:
https://howtheyplay.com/team-sports/201 ... ll-Preview
Pittsburgh Panthers
2016-2017: 16-17, 4-14 in the ACC (tie for 13th)
Preseason Projection: 15th in the ACC
Departures: Michael Young (19.6 ppg., 6.8 rpg.), Jamel Artis (18.2 ppg., 4.9 rpg., 39.2% 3pt.), Sheldon Jeter (8.1 ppg., 7.3 rpg., 36.8% 3pt.), and Chris Jones (7.2 ppg.) graduated; Cameron Johnson (11.9 ppg., 4.5 rpg., 41.5% 3pt.) transferred to North Carolina
Kevin Stallings' first year at Pittsburgh did not go well, as he took over a group of players that didn't really fit into his offensive system and wasn't able to make it work despite strong senior leadership (the Panthers finished 186th in fg%, down from 88th in his last season at Vanderbilt, and 123rd in 3pt%, down from 34th). Stallings also didn't acclimate well to ACC offenses, with the Panthers finishing 266th in fg% defense and 187th in rebounding margin (his final Vanderbilt team finished 157th and 24th respectively) despite playing one of the tallest lineups in the country. There was a mass exodus of remaining players through transfer after the season, and Stallings' efforts to rebuild the roster through graduate transfers fell short, leaving what stands to be an overwhelmed group of mostly young players.
Marcus Carr, a four star combo guard who under ideal circumstances would be a rotation player as a freshman, will get all the minutes he can handle as the starting point guard. Carr's a talented offensive player, but he probably needs to get stronger before he can be effective in the ACC. Carr could be joined in the starting backcourt by three star combo guard Parker Stewart; at 6-5, he has long term potential as a passer and shooter, although like Carr he will be very thin as a freshman. Stallings did land one graduate transfer in Monty Boykins from Lafayette, a medical redshirt last season that averaged 10.7 ppg. on 35.8% shooting behind the arc. Boykins isn't particularly athletic and doesn't provide much beyond spot up shooting. Senior Jonathan Milligan hasn't produced much in his time at Pitt, but he stuck around so he might be about to get his chance. Shamiel Stevenson, a sturdy 6-6 3 star prospect, doesn't offer much offensively at this point but could see time at one of the forward spots.
The only established returning player that Stallings will have is Ryan Luther (5.7 ppg., 3.9 rpg., 40.9% 3pt.), a 6-9 senior that has not been able to stay healthy. If he can as a senior, he'll get all the shots he wants as a capable stretch 4. Jared Wilson-Frame, a 6-5, 230 pound junior college transfer, will be the most interesting new face for the Panthers; he played point guard last season, but will need to split time between the forward spots for Pittsburgh. Wilson-Frame could lead Pitt in rebounding and help facilitate what little offense the team is able to generate. 6-11 Terrell Brown, a three star prospect, will have to play right away; again, he's thin, but beyond Luther he'll be the only size Pitt has to offer. He does have potential as a shot blocker, and his ability to shoot from the perimeter makes him a solid long term candidate for Stallings's system in the mold of Luke Kornet. Pittsburgh struggled to defend even while loaded with size and senior leadership in Stallings' first year in the ACC (228thin fg% defense, 216th in 3pt.% defense, and 192nd in rebounding margin); without them, the outlook is grim.
It would be miraculous if this team won any ACC games. They'll be physically overwhelmed everywhere and particularly in the paint, and it's anyone's guess where scoring might come from. There are at least a few pieces in place that could be helpful in a year or two, but for the most part things are bad, and they could get worse (the Cameron Johnson situation didn't help). Jamie Dixon was good, and Pittsburgh fans, like the fans and administration at Boston College since the firing of Al Skinner, are going to learn the hard way that they should have been nicer.
-----------------------------------
The Panther’s record stands at 0-2 with an opening season loss on the road at Navy, which was the Midshipmen’s first win over an ACC school since 1971!! It was also Pitt’s first opening season loss since 1996. Navy is projected to be a mid-pack in their Patriot League. A fan’s write-up on that game with a good overview of their player’s individual performance: http://pittsburghsportsnow.com/2017/11/ ... r-vs-navy/
Pitt lost their home opener Monday in OT to Montana which is expected to contend for the Big Sky title so it is not necessarily a terrible loss. Still, it is a low point for this once proud program, low-lighted by only 3K fans showing up for the opener. Write-up here: http://pittsburghsportsnow.com/2017/11/ ... s-montana/
The top scorers and rebounders for the Panthers through the first two games are Junior forward Luther, Senior PG converted to Forward Wilson-Frame and freshman guard Stevenson. Freshman Marcus Carr is their PG and has struggled with his shot.
Although the Pitt talent level is substandard by ACC standards it is still filled with multiple 3* recruits so superior to what UCSB will normally see in the BW. HC Kevin Stallings has struggled at Pitt after successful stints at Vanderbilt and Illinois State. Pitt is down, way down this year, but it would be foolish to expect an easy win. I would guess the pundits will favor Pitt but if the Gauchos play like they did against NDSU which gave #10 USC all they could handle until two starters fouled out, then SB should win this. Prediction: UCSB 79 Pitt 75
Official Site: http://pittsburghpanthers.com/
Stinkyfinger’s Domain: https://pittsburgh.forums.rivals.com/fo ... -board.26/
How to watch: ACC Sports Network which is available on the Watch ESPN App.
Monday, November 13, 2017
Saturday, November 11, 2017
Toure and Sow Headed to UCSB
Here are four of the @ProlificPrep seniors. @J_mar5 going to Montana State. @JeenathanW11 on his way to Buffalo and @juniortoure11 and @amadou_sow23 heading to UC Santa Barbara. pic.twitter.com/0CS5rJixnm— Daniel Poulter (@DanielJPoulter) November 10, 2017
Friday, November 10, 2017
Coach Joe Pasternack Interview on Filling the Dome
Gaucho Hoops ("GH"): Thanks for taking this interview Coach Pasternack. Can you give us fans an update as we approach the season opener?
Coach Joe Pasternack ("JP"): The whole team really worked hard over the summer on defense. We've been grinding it out and getting better each day, honoring the process.
GH:
1) what did Max Heidegger's summer workout program consist of? What did he work on to become more consistent with his perimeter shot?
Coach Joe Pasternack ("JP"): The whole team really worked hard over the summer on defense. We've been grinding it out and getting better each day, honoring the process.
GH:
1) what did Max Heidegger's summer workout program consist of? What did he work on to become more consistent with his perimeter shot?
- JP: Max trained at P3 to work on his body, and worked very hard on an incredible shooting program every day over the summer. He was very committed to the game of basketball. He had a really good summer.
- GH:
- 2) How does recruiting domestically for UCSB BB compare with what you expected? Do recruits voice views about UCSB that meet and/or surprise your initial expectations?JP: We got very good feedback from high level recruits. We've been very well received. UCSB is a great academic institution. You can't play basketball forever, so a great education can set you up for life. Having five seniors graduating means early playing time is available. There's the beautiful beach environment, and we've coached a lot of NBA players. It's an attractive situation.
- GH:
3) Is international recruiting any more competitive than it was 2, 5 or 8 years ago as more Div. 1 programs seek to tap this resource?JP: Yes, international recruiting has become more competitive, a lot of coaches are utilizing that. All our coaches recruit internationally. I personally recruited internationally at Cal, New Orleans, and Arizona. - GH:4) Are you likely to keep a scholarship in reserve for a transfer that might become available?
- JP: Yes, for this season. We are not done recruiting for 2018.
GH:5) When is the 2017-2018 Men's BB prospectus likely to be posted?- JP: Not sure when that is.GH:6) What are your expectations from the team in terms of progress and accomplishments for this upcoming year?
- JP: We have no expectations. We are so focused on the process of improving defensively and on offense. We're focusing on execution.GH:7) What has you most excited regarding player improvement?
- JP: The team worked really hard over the summer. We're really excited about how Gabe Vincent has recovered from his ACL injury. He's a really good player.
GH:8) The recruiting timeline for the 2018 class started a little late as you joined UCSB in April. Can you talk about the late start and how that has affected recruiting so far? - JP: It's not easy. We had relationships with these kids, but everyone's recruiting these kids all along. But we just jumped in and started recruiting, and we built on these relationships. We utilized the relationships we already had with the players, their families, high school and AAU coaches.
GH:9) During the introductions, you talked about UCSB as the #8 public University in the nation. I expect most recruits envision themselves in the NBA. How much does this actually help with recruits and their guardians? - JP: Academics are a big, big deal. At the end of the day, the players' families and coaches know that they are not going to play basketball forever. To get a degree from such a prestigious academic institution is a big deal. That's a big, big deal for everyone is involved in the process.
- GH:10) We were fortunate to add two fine grad transfer student athletes in Leland King and Marcus Jackson. As UCSB never was able to land a grad transfer previously, was it difficult to add two grad transfers to UCSB?
- JP: It was definitely difficult on a lot of fronts but our administration and the School of Education were really supportive of it and we're grateful of that.
GH:11) Do you anticipate more grad transfers and regular transfers to take up roster spots in the future or do you prefer high school recruits? - JP: You have to have a delicate mix of both transfers and older guys It's hard to win in college basketball without veterans. We also want to teach players the system over the years so high school guys provide that advantage. We need both of those. An appropriate mix is important.
GH:12) How DO you appeal to the athletes that you covet? What seems to resonate? - JP: My strength is building a relationship and being persistent in the pursuit and evaluating and knowing who we want and going after them. We don't recruit a million kids You can't recruit well doing that.
- GH: My questions revolve around the team. Do you have a starting 5?
- JP: No, right now every day in practice we keep stats and we're still in an evolution process of figuring out who will actually start. The starting lineup will change. That's where we are right now.
- We're in a situation where we watch our guys and evaluate them, and our starting lineup for game 1 might be different from game 2.
- GH: What kind of stats do you track?
- JP: We keep stats on everything: 2's, 3's, and they're penalized for missing them. Assists, rebounds, post feeds, post catches, steals, blocks, deflections, which team winning. We compete every day in practice. We have two teams: blue and gold, and if your team wins, you get points for that.
- GH: Regarding marketing, can you expand on it?
- JP: The biggest thing is I'm going to a lot of fraternities and their chapter meetings, getting them excited about our game on November 11. It's a big deal. This would be great if you could publish this and get this going here.
- 1) We're going to have a competition for the fraternities and sororities. Whichever fraternity or sorority brings the most fans will get free pizza from Dominos.
- 3) I spoke to the freshmen at freshmen orientation.
We got sponsors and raised funds for these promotions.
GH: If the students come to their first game and have a great experience, they'll come back, right?
JP: No question. Let's really hype this first game. We're going to fill the Dome.
GH: Thanks Coach!
GH: If the students come to their first game and have a great experience, they'll come back, right?
JP: No question. Let's really hype this first game. We're going to fill the Dome.
GH: Thanks Coach!
Thursday, November 9, 2017
Get Tanked!
Fill the Dome! The first 1,000 students will receive a FREE UCSB Basketball tank and Dominos pizza cinco pass!! #gogauchos pic.twitter.com/QeA9AzlCr7— UCSB Mens Basketball (@UCSBbasketball) November 7, 2017
UCSB Men's Basketball Team Handing Out Tickets
@Joe_Pasternack and some of the guys spent lunch time at the UCen handing out tickets for Saturday’s game! Look out for them tomorrow in IV as well! #gogauchos #fillthedome pic.twitter.com/P9tvsjisZx— UCSB Mens Basketball (@UCSBbasketball) November 8, 2017
https://om/UCSBbasketball/status/928361398324703232
Wednesday, November 8, 2017
Monday, November 6, 2017
Sunday, November 5, 2017
Friday, November 3, 2017
Thursday, November 2, 2017
Ranking every team in college basketball from 1-351
UCSB is ranked 226 in this preseason ESPN men's basketball poll.
http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/21238280/ranking-every-team-college-basketball-1-351
http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/21238280/ranking-every-team-college-basketball-1-351
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