Blackmon, Dudley and Coleman

Big day for Will Blackmon Sunday. He returned a punt for a TD and recovered a fumble for another touchdown. Will has battled injuries in the NFL, so it is nice to see him have his moment in the sun.

Kelly Z. sent along these pics of Jared Dudley during the Pistons-Bobcats game.

Remember Dan Coleman? He's the guy who bailed on Skinner after summer school a few years ago. His scholarship was used on some kid named Dudley. He's no Jared, but he is putting up decent career numbers for Minnesota.

No fear of the Turtles

After letting a similar lead slip away against Providence, this team held it together for a tough ACC road win. I am starting to feel better about the season. Here are my quick thoughts on the game.

Likes
-- Raji off the bench. If he keeps playing like this, he'll be starting soon. For now, his versatility and spark are proving to be a great asset in the second half.
-- Al's juggling of the lineup. We don't have a good rotation yet, but Al did a good job going big when Maryland kept getting easy baskets. Blair responded in with his blocks and Oates even gave us some solid minutes.
-- Two guards against the press. Paris had trouble on the inbounds (I'll get to that in a minute), but we will not be pressed too often this year. Rice and Paris did a good job getting up court.
-- Mike Gminski. This is unrelated to BC, but I really do think the Gman is one of the better colormen in college hoops. Smart analysis throughout.


Dislikes
-- Paris inbounding. I am glad we have his presence to handle the ball but he made some bad decisions on the inbounds play. He'll learn...and he also needs to learn not to force shots in against shot blockers.
-- Running the flex against aggressive man D. The team struggled in the first half establishing the offense and getting good shots. There were numerous possessions towards the end of the first half when the shot clock became an issue. The team also needs to be more careful with the bounce passes.
-- The defense when Maryland was climbing back. It felt a bit like the Providence game. We need to be a little more disciplined. Maryland got off too many open 3s from their best perimeter players when the game was on the line. We'll get burned in ACC play if that keeps happening.

I am sure the Terp fans will say the refs handed us the game. That would be a disservice to this team. Vasquez was mouthing off the entire game and deserved the T. Also, many of the fouls came when the Terps resorted to sending us to line late in the game.

No rest for the weary as they face a tough UMass team this week.

Season highlights

Thanks to Vinny for his great videos all season. Hopefully he can tack on a Champs Bowl win to this 2007 year in review.

Special offer for BC fans in Florida

Quick note for any BC fans who live Florida or will be down there during the holidays -- the school is making special arrangements for the bowl game. See this note below:

Charters for the Champs Bowl

The Boston College Alumni Association has joined together with BC Athletics and the BC Fund to offer discounted travel packages for our alumni and friends in the state of Florida. Packages will include a game ticket, access to the pre-game tailgate, and roundtrip bus transportation to and from four Florida locations. This package, a $150 value, is being offered to you at a price of $75 per person. Please see below for pick-up times and locations. All buses will return to the pick-up locations immediately following the game.

To take advantage of this amazing opportunity, please contact Jen Breer at 617-552-2471 or breerj@bc.edu.

Our Eagles need your support, so act now!


Florida Pick-up Locations:

East Coast

Miami
JW Marriott
1109 Brickell Avenue
Miami , FL 33131
Departure time: 8:00 a.m.

Fort Lauderdale
Broward County Courthouse
201 SE 6th Street
Fort Lauderdale , FL 33301
Departure time: 9:00 a.m.


West Coast

Naples
Sam's Club
2550 Immokalee Road
Naples , FL 34110
Departure time: 8:00 a.m.

Tampa
International Plaza - Dillard's
2223 N. Westshore Boulevard
Tampa , FL 33607
Departure time: 10:30 a.m.

I'll be coming down from North Florida. These trips are a good deal and this is a great chance to see this group of seniors one last time. If you're in the state, don't miss this game.

Band: "We're going to DisneyWorld"

Mini-controversy averted as the full band will now be at the Champs Bowl. Makes things a little more expensive for BC but those kids deserve a nice trip, too. In honor of the Orlando vacation maybe they should do a little Disney medley during the game -- "It's a Small World," "Pirates Life for Me," etc. -- instead of "Sweet Caroline."

Weekend links

Here are a few links that I didn't get to this week...

The people who did travel to Jacksonville spent more money and time than last year. I would guess that most of it is attributed to the Hokies.

Former BC AD and current Navy AD Chet Gladchuk has to find a new coach. One of the candidates for the job is Steve Logan.

College Basketball reference is building out their BC page. Not sure I agree with their starting five. It doesn't give enough credit to the guys from the '60s and '70 and put Danya ahead of Dudley!

Here is an article on future Eagle Dallas Elmore. (Thanks to Scott W. for the link.)

ACC opener this weekend

In one of those quirks that has never been explained to me, the men's basketball team opens their ACC schedule against Maryland again this Sunday. In addition to starting conference play against Maryland every year, we also play the Terps a month before we play any other ACC team.


Maryland comes in a misleading 6-3. They dropped three games but all to quality opponents. They also have a good win over Illinois and a tight win over a scrappy Northeastern. BC fans will recognize the familiar names of James Gist and
Greivis Vasquez. Maryland's scores enough with their version of the flex. Their real strength this season is their defense. They block a good amount of shots and challenge everything.

For BC to win, we need to do the follow:

1. Get to the line. For a team that blocks as many shots as Maryland, the Terps don't commit a ton of fouls.
2. Defensive rebounds. We need to limit their possessions.
3. Pick up the pace. We matchup fairly well with the Terps. I think the key will be pushing the ball and the tempo. We need our small guys to score in bunches.

This will be a good test for the team. They have surprised so far. Let's hope they continue this weekend.

Coaching carousel's impact on BC

The coaching carousel keeps turning. We are not involved this season, but there is still impact on our program. As I said at the Fanhouse, it seems like Arkansas went after every coach in the ACC. Here are my thoughts on how the ACC changes will impact BC.

Bowden staying at Clemson. Good news for the most part. Bowden staying means that Clemson will continue to be a tough game for BC. But I also believe he has a ceiling and will not dominate the division or the conference. I do believe that Clemson is a sleeping giant. If they had hired the right coach, the Tigers could have locked up the Atlantic Division for a decade. Instead, we get more Tommy. We still have a chance.

Florida State announced a succession plan. Good news for BC. This keeps the conferences biggest program in limbo for another season or two. Is Bobby calling the shots? Is Jimbo? If Florida State struggles does Fisher still take over? I know the goal was stability. I think the Seminoles will find this creates more confusion.

Jim Grobe is staying at Wake Forest. Bad, bad news for BC. As long as Grobe is at Wake they will remain a tough game for BC. I had hoped he would move on and the Deacons would sink to Duke like levels in football.

Georgia Tech still looking. Doesn't really affect BC. I think Georgia Tech will be a solid program with the right hire. However, since they are in the other division, we don't have to deal with them too often.

Duke still looking. Bad news for BC. I want them to hire someone quickly and I want Gene to give Logan a nice raise.

More advice to students from old man Atleagle

"In my day, there was only Disneyland and the Rose Bowl. We didn't have new fandangled things like DisneyWorld or the Champs Bowl!"

My last lecture to students was well received by alumni, but didn’t seem to spike attendance among current students. For shame, you youngsters! In my day, we weren’t in the ACC. We didn’t compete for championships. We lost to teams like Temple! You sat through a thunderstorm as we lost to Florida State. Big deal! I sat through a thunderstorm as we lost to Army.

I told you to go to Jacksonville. We lost, but we had a good time. Now I am telling you to go to Orlando. BC is behind this too. They are giving students **FREE TICKETS**. Come on! When I was at BC we paid for everything! The only free thing I got in four years was a bunch of bus rides, but that required freezing at the bus stop for hours each day.

You cannot use exams as an excuse this time. You cannot use time as an excuse. What is there to do at home during Christmas week? Hang out with a bunch of your high school friends? Get in the car and road trip it with a bunch of SuperFans. You get to see Matty Ryan for one last time. You can hit the amusement parks. Heck, they even give away free beer at SeaWorld. If you cannot have fun in Orlando with a bunch of college friends, you’ve got problems.

Go to the Champs Bowl. Next season will probably be a step back. We’ll be fighting for the bowls in San Francisco or Boise. This is the one to go to. BC fans need to shake our travel rep and it starts with you.

**Free tickets**. Florida. Christmas time. We wish we had it this good back in the day.


[**HOW TO GET FREE TICKETS: Beginning Monday, December 12, 2007, students may come down to the Ticket Office during normal business hours (Monday - Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) and pick up their ticket to the bowl game. Students will need to show their BC ID in order to receive their ticket and there is a limit of one ticket per BC student. Additional tickets may be purchased for $60 each. This offer will end on Wednesday, December 19, 2007.]

What's real and what's spin in ESPN's Peach article

Many of you have sent the ESPN article on the Peach Bowl's selection. It is an interesting look at how the teams are selected. However, some of it needs to be taken with a grain of salt. There are some sad truths about BC in here but you also have to realize that in exchange for the access the Chick-fil-A Bowl granted the writer, they used the article as an outlet for their spin too. The Chick-Fil-A Bowl wants it to appear that they struggle over the teams. The reality is they want the best event possible. The game is secondary.

Here are some key quotes:

It was another bad weekend for the Chick-fil-A Bowl. Nerves seem to be on edge and not just because the committee's food -- Chick-fil-A nuggets, what else? -- has yet to arrive.



"Too many teams lost, we canceled the food," Robinson joked.



Last week's preferred flavor -- Alabama vs. Clemson -- won't happen. Boston College beat the Tigers 20-17 at Death Valley to win the ACC's Atlantic Division. The Eagles have now beaten Virginia Tech and Clemson, two of the more attractive teams for the Chick-fil-A Bowl. Worse, the Crimson Tide lost to Louisiana-Monroe 21-14 in Tuscaloosa, Ala., dropping their record to 6-5 overall.

My take: even when things were going good, they were thinking of other teams.

"We haven't made a decision," Stokan said. "I can't remember it ever being like this. You've got so many situations where it's going down to the last game."



Boston College and Virginia Tech will play in the ACC championship game in Jacksonville, Fla., the following Saturday. If the Eagles win, the Hokies will return to Atlanta for the second season in a row. If the Hokies win, things get more complicated. Stokan has had positive discussions with Boston College athletics director Gene DeFilippo, but Chick-fil-A Bowl officials remain concerned about the Eagles' traveling fan base.



Stokan changes his weekend plans to attend both the ACC and SEC championship game. He wants to see how many Boston College fans make the trip to Jacksonville.



"I'm going to watch them play and see how they do," Stokan said. "I'm going to see what the injuries are. I want to talk to people and see if I can get a feel for how many people they'd bring to Atlanta. We do know we'll take Virginia Tech if they lose."

Before the meeting is adjourned, the committee gives Stokan authority to ultimately decide which teams will be invited to play in the Chick-fil-A Bowl.

The guy left the game while the score was tied. He wasn't concerned about how we played. He was concerned about ticket sales. This is how our poor showing in Jacksonville is going to stay with us for a long time.

The ACC choice still hasn't officially been made. Since the Chick-fil-A Bowl selected Miami in consecutive years in 2004 and 2005, Stokan feels he can't afford to select a school that might not sell its required ticket allotment of 17,500. The Hurricanes sold fewer than 10,000 tickets in each of those years, making the Chick-fil-A Bowl a soft ticket. After discussing the situation with Robinson and Chuck Fruit, the Chick-fil-A Bowl's chairman of the board, he decides to select Clemson over Boston College.

What they fail to mention is that those Miami games sold out. BC would have sold out, especially with Auburn there. But it is more than selling out. They want fans to show up and spend. They want it to be a destination. And they want a sure thing. A game between BC and Auburn probably would have sold out. A game between Clemson and Auburn did sell out.

In the end, Stokan's decision proved to be the right one for the Chick-fil-A Bowl. Clemson sold its allotment of 17,500 tickets in less than 24 hours. Auburn's pool of 15,700 tickets was gone by Tuesday morning.

I don't think we were ever as wanted as the article portrays. Stokan needs to give lip service to the process and merit. But if we want to be part of this process we need to change our behavior. We need to start traveling.

One year ago

It was a year ago today that TOB officially left BC for NC State. I think time has proven that it was a good move for all those involved. For those of you who weren't reading this blog last year, here are a few posts of note from the time.


-- Stuck in a rut. I wrote this after the Miami loss and TOB's flippant "we're up, aren't we?" comment to Erin Andrews. I feared no one would want him and we would never fire him. NC State made things easier. It gave BC a fresh start and avoided a bitter firing.

-- TOB to NC State rumors. NC State's courting of TOB was interesting for me as a blogger. Running this blog I hear a lot of things. Much of it is rumor that I don't feel comfortable posting. However, I knew the NC State stuff was real based on who was visiting this blog and what terms they were searching. In the five days leading up to the TOB to NC State announcement I kept getting curious searches related to TOB -- all from the Raleigh area and many with NCSU.edu as their ISP. Funny how that stuff works.

-- Thank you Tom O'Brien. He's done and said things since this post that have rubbed me the wrong way, but I still stand by what I wrote.

-- For Gene's consideration, Part I: The TOB Tree. This is the first mention of Jags anywhere and it came 30 minutes after TOB's departure. Like I said earlier, I don't break news. I hope I provide analysis and information that others don't. That is why I am proud of listing Jags the first night.

-- Anyone else as excited as I am?. My post right after Jags' first press conference.


If you want to look back at everything you can always read the December 2006 archives.

BC vs The Big Ten

One of the benefits of bowl season is seeing various matchups that don't occur during the regular season. Michigan State-BC is one of those matchups. We've only played the Spartans five times, most recently in 1995. BC has never faced a Big Ten team in a bowl game. In fact, I was surprised by how rarely we play Big Ten teams. Considering we were independent for much of our history, you would think we would have served as a schedule filler with these midwest powers. This just shows that these schools have been lightening their load for decades. Of the current Big Ten schools, we have never played Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Purdue nor Wisconsin in football. The following is our record against the Big Ten schools we have faced.

-- Indiana 1-0

-- Michigan 0-4

-- Michigan State 3-1-1

-- Northwestern 1-2

-- Ohio State 0-3

-- Penn State 4-19 (BC has only played Penn State twice since the Lions joined the Big 10)

Boxscore breakdown: St. Louis

I didn't see the basketball game last night so I am left to look at the boxscore. I know the game was on ACC Select. Did anyone use it? I would love to hear feedback on the service. Saint Louis is not a good team, but a win is a win. These are my

Good Things
-- Defensive rebounding. With Blair blocking shots and the guards creating turnovers, this team has a chance to be one of Skinner's better defensive units. The determining factor will be defensive rebounds. They did a good job last night.
-- Raji's continued productivity. I wondered if the Providence game would be a single blip. Doesn't look like it. He had another very productive night coming off the bench.

Concerns
-- Southern's sloppy outing. I wondered why he wasn't seeing the floor. Maybe he's not ready. Reports were that he looked a little lost out there. My bigger concern is that if he doesn't get more time this year, he might be a lost cause. With Skinner it is sink or swim.
-- Shooting percentage. This is nitpicking, but we should really be getting and making better baskets against a team like this.

A higher state of consciousness, more fun in Jax, Champs trip facebook

One thing is clear from everyone who went -- Jacksonville was a good time. Two Atlanta BC guys BC Mike and Mod6a sent along these pics.

For those of you heading to Orlando, current BC student Huelsebu has set up a facebook page for the trip.

Big plans and other links

BC announced its plan for the St. Johns land as part of a massive expansion of the campus. This is great news. Hopefully the locals won't slow the process down in court.

Here's a look at how the coaches voted. TOB liked BC. Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio didn't.

Incoming BC football player Dominick Le Grande was named Player of the Year by the New York Daily News.

Michigan State is excited about playing BC. I know our guys are going down early and will go to all the parks. Not a New Year's Day Bowl, but these guys earned the trip.

This is a little old, but Matt Ryan won the Unitas award.

Second viewing thoughts and grade report: ACC Championship Game

This was a tough one to watch back. This was truly a game of inches. VT’s second and third TDs were nearly stopped. Brace was a step to slow on Glennon’s scramble on the 3rd and seven. On Glennon’s final TD, Akins got to him right after he got rid of the ball. Heck, even Herzy almost got his hand on the second TD. If he’s get four inches more air on his jump, their kicking a field goal. We had them and the game. Such a shame.

Offense: B-

Watching live, it seemed like Ryan was off or rushed a little. Watching it back I realize he played really well. He hit a ton of guys right in stride. He adjusted to pressure well. He ran when they gave it to him. He carried us all year and almost got us in the Orange Bowl. No complaints. Also, the INTs show how stats don’t tell the whole story. Ryan has thrown plenty of bad picks but his two Saturday were not. The first was a last ditch desperate heave to keep the season alive. The second was just another deflected ball when things had gotten even worse.

AC also had a heck of a game. Doing his usual pass catching and running very hard. I hope he goes out strong because his season was a testament to what maturity and a coaching change can do. LV had a few plays. McLuskey blocked well but we used him much less than we have of late. It will be interesting to see if he gets more carries out of our basic offense next year.

The ABC broadcasting team kept referring to our receivers as possession guys. It is an obvious backhanded compliment. Unfortunately it is also true. The prime example was Challengers late catch. A game breaker sheds that Safety and scores the TD. Robinson had a good game. The other guys made some tough catches. The Tight Ends were pretty quiet.

The offensive line was a mixed bag…again. Tennant and Ramsey played well. Ramsey was pulled for a little stretch but looked good throughout. He really finished the season on a high note. Anevski and Hall did not play all that well. Cherilus played well early but started missing assignments and giving up on plays in the second half. Castonzo played better but also struggled in the second half. The lines failure in short yardage also proved costly for BC.

I think Logan called a pretty good game. VT varied from their usual man coverage and used much more deep zone than they normally do. I would assume they didn’t want anyone to get free like AC did in Blacksburg. That left Ryan and Logan to dink and dunk down the field. I would have liked more run plays, but we had enough success moving the ball. It was the redzone where things got harry – Bud Foster pulled a Spaz on us. Some people quibbled about the pass on 4th and one. It is one of those genius plays if it works. I think it was an okay play (Ryan could have hit Purvis if he got rib of it earlier). I know some of the bloom is off Logan. I really liked the play calling Saturday and throughout the season.

Defense: B

The defensive line as a group played well. They did a good job containing the run, just couldn’t disrupt the pass. Ramella had a really strong game. Brady Smith played well. Brace – as I mentioned in the lead – nearly stopped Glennon on the second TD. He didn’t have many other big plays. Larkin had a quiet day to conclude a quiet season. Giles played well eventhough he was called for a borderline penalty. Willette only got on the field a few times. The second team DTs rarely saw the field. We clearly missed Albright.

Considering they weren’t 100%, Dunbar and Pruitt played well. Akins had a really strong game. For the first half of the season he was in a fog. The second half he was a beast. It makes me feel a lot better about next year. Herzy was his usual strong self – I am amazed by how much ground he covers. Francois looked good. McLaughlin didn’t play nearly as much as he has.

The DBs were good, not great. Silva made some big plays, but got burned in single coverage. Anderson was rarely tested. Rollins looked good. Gause was good in run support and is a good tackler. His coverage skills still need work. Morris was rarely tested. Fox saw a few plays at Safety. Glad to see him on the field after his injury.

Spaz’s D had their usual challenges on third down and in the pass rush, but they were not the problem Saturday. They played really well. They mixed things up. He was ready for both QBs. They stopped the run. It was a good gameplan considering.


Special teams: C

Jags blamed the blocked kicks on the snaps. They weren’t good but Stevie’s line drives were also the problem. He is not a good kicker and it hurt us Saturday. The points and the momentum both played a part in the loss. Jags and Yanowsky need to find a serviceable kicker next year.

The punt and kick coverage was good.

Silva did well with the punt returns.

The kick returns were ok. The big problem was the mix up with Akins at the end of the half. But should he really be back there?


Overall: B-

Xs and Os were good. Special teams were shaky. My observation from being close to the sidelines is that the team was flat after halftime. Jags has been great about pushing buttons all year. For some reason the offense didn’t respond in the second half. But overall he had us driving to tie the game with the best player in the conference late in the fourth. I am disappointed but not going to pin it on coaching.

As I’ve said, it was a bitter end to a great run. These guys did overachieve. Let’s put this game behind us and focus on beating Michigan State.

A glimpse into the future

Jeff Blake -- Logan's star pupil -- could run and throw a beautiful deep ball

Sorry for the delay in the second viewing thoughts. I still haven't gotten around to watching the game back. I'll get it up as soon as I can. However, there is something about Saturday's game that I think will serve as a glimpse into what our offense will look like next year.

It is important to remember that this season was ultimately about maximizing Matt Ryan's strengths and a transition to a more aggressive offense. Ironically, when teams like Virginia Tech made an effort to contain our deep passing we wound up looking a lot like the TOB/Bible offense. But two moments from the ACC Championship Game stand out -- both of Matt Ryan's scrambles. Next season, I doubt the new QB will have the same flexibility as Ryan to change plays at the line. I expect Logan to encourage a different sort of decision tree... one that begins after the snap. Say if deep options are covered and the outlet is not open, I think you'll see the QB run. Think of how many times Ryan had daylight this year and didn't take advantage. Partially because he's slow and partially because he can make plays with his arm. Next year, I think you'll see Davis, Crane or Boek, turning those deep zones into 10-yard scrambles. It is not a true running play, but it keeps the defenses off balance.

For BC fans it will be a change from nearly two decades of pocket passers. But as long as the offense scores points, I really don't care who or how we do it.

A few Monday links

Jared Dudley worked his way into the starting lineup. Amazing month. Before the season, his coach was publically saying he didn't think Dudley would see the floor this year.

BC is now recruiting Pennsylvania prospect Eric Reynolds.

Here is the stats breakdown of the basketball team's next opponent -- St. Louis. They are not very good. As long as we rebound well, we should win.

Quick thoughts on Champs, Bowls vs playoffs, BC's ceiling, Jags, and BC fandom

Still haven't watched the game back. I will have my second viewing thoughts and grades up late Monday night. Until then, here are my quick, somewhat stream of consciousness thoughts on the hot topics of the moment.

Champs
No surprise. It is a disappointing bowl because of the lack of history and the opponent. However, I am more convinced than ever that BC fans really need to stop being snobby about bowls. This isn't Boise. It's Orlando against Michigan State. Fans waiting for a big bowl or some name are missing out. I went to Jacksonville. The ending stunk. But I saw BC in a new place and had a really good time Friday night and before the game. The BC fans I came across in the parking lots and in the seats were having fun too. I've seen BC play in front of about 2,000 people against Temple. I've seen BC play in the freezing cold in random bowls. I could go on and on. You know what each trip all had in common? They were fun. If you have the time and resources -- especially if you don't have kids yet or you're old enough that your kids are on their own -- start traveling to a few BC games. It's worth it. I had plans for Christmas week already but I might make a side trip in and out of Orlando to see this group of guys' last game.

BCS, bowls, playoffs
Others are saying it much better than I am, but this system is a joke. The only championship BC fans should ever worry about is the ACC one. Everything else is as subjective as figure skating. The bowls are not merit based. Never have been and probably never will be.

BC's ceiling
Many fans are saying we'll never be more than we are now. I strongly disagree. I think we'll take a step back for the next couple years, but the past four years showed that if the ball bounces another way here or there, BC does get to that next level. Teams like Mizzou, Kansas, Illinois, and teams like Wake Forest the year before show that any team can put it together for one season. BC should expect to have a winning record every year, compete in the ACC every year and win the ACC occasionally.

Jags
The season is not officially over and I haven't watched back the ACCCG yet, but I can say this definitively now: Jags did a great job this season. He was a breath of fresh air. Had us in every game. Won more regular season games than any BC coach. Won six conference games (something that had never been done). He and his staff (who I have been critical of at times) overachieved. We had serious roster flaws on both lines, in the special teams, and at some of the skill positions. They did a great job. I'll spend the offseason talking about the future but for now Jags deserves our appreciation and thanks.

BC fandom
We have many great fans. We need more. I know there are many reasons why we cannot compare to other schools, like the size of our alumni population, like the pro sports aspect of our location. I know that many of the bowls are far and expensive to travel to. Those are all reasonable, but ultimately excuses. We can do better. I'll spend some of the offseason digging deeper into the issues.

What's left to say?
Jags' to do is easy. Win the Champs Bowl and keep building. Champs may be viewed as a letdown but we need to win.

If you are a BC fan and you are frustrated about our lot in the landscape, then you need to speak up (and probably speak with your money too). Let Gene know we need a playoff. A playoff would kill the bowl system and BC fans would no longer have to worry about Boise and the like. We could just focus on winning the ACC. But you also need to think about traveling to future bowls and ACC championship games. We are never going to shake this repuatation without a big turnout.

Thoughts on the basketball game

I watched the basketball game back today (haven't done so with the football game yet). Tough loss, but it made me feel very good about the season and the guys. They were down big in the second half yet stormed back with a variety of contributors. They let it slip away in the OT, but this team will get better and develop a killer instinct.

Likes
-- Corey Raji. I think he is going to be the perfect Skinner player. He made some big shots from outside. He picked up some cheap points close to the basket. Got to the line. Moves well. Huge day.
-- Ballhandlers. This team has the best group of ballhandlers of the Skinner era. Rice, Parris, Sanders and Raji can all dribble. I don't think you'll see teams press us as much.
-- Blair's help defense. He is great waiting in the paint. He is not so good the farther out he goes or when he is one on one.

Dislikes
-- Roche's play. He was hesitant and got trapped repeatedly in half court.
-- Blair/Oates offensive rebounding. These guys need to pick up more boards.
-- Man defense. We were much better in the straight 2-3. Any matchup zone or man-to-man created to many easy baskets for Providence.

Like I said, I've only seen these guys play twice, but I am very encouraged.