SB Nation - Georgia St. Panthers

Old Dominion: A Budding Rivalry or Dangerous Trap Game?

Hire Esherick — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 14:28:20 -0000

Gotta be honest, when I first looked at the 2006-07 Hoyas schedule and saw Old Dominion, I thought the team was taking a trip to an amusement park. After forty minutes of watching the Hoyas play like poppycock and listening to horrific chants of C-A-A from the Monarch faithful, I learned that Old Dominion was a lucky team from the Colonial Athletic Conference. And that Georgetown was not worthy of their #8 ranking. John Thompson III had this to say after the loss:

"Our group has along way to go, in spite of what people write about you, what people say about you. I think our group is an honest group. We have questions that need to be answered. We've got a lot that we need to work out, and we're in the process of working through that."

Are there any similarities to this year, when #11 Georgetown plays Old Dominion at McDonough for the first time since that night in 2006 when the Monarchs handed the Hoyas their first on-campus loss in 24 years? You betcha! This game has trap game written all over it. But is it a rivalry? Is there anything more to the game that should entice students to skip studying for finals and fill the 2,500 seats at McDonough?

The below champ certainly thinks so. After the shocking loss, David Jones, an alum from the Old Dominion, had this to say in a letter to The Hoya:

To the Editor:

As an Old Dominion University alumnus and basketball fan, I want to congratulate the Hoyas on their fine effort Sunday. Your team is really coming together nicely. I particularly commend the superior coaching of John Thompson III. To come within 13 points of the Monarchs, even in your poor excuse for a high school gym, is quite a feat. Your kids really "nutted up" under the intense pressure that the Monarchs brought to bear.

The first time ODU played at McDonough Gymnasium in 1977, Georgetown lost 80-58. So, as the student body leaves campus to celebrate Thanksgiving, keep your chins up. You were well represented on Sunday.

Obviously, the gap has narrowed, and the Big East has become a real competitive conference. Heck, that was illustrated last year when Connecticut took George Mason into overtime. It's gotten to the point that I believe the Big East's top teams, on any given night, could defeat the bottom half of the Colonial Athletic Association. This type of parity is good for the game.

Again, thanks for giving ODU your best. Even though the Hoyas would be no more than a "trial horse" in the CAA, they played closely with ODU for 30 minutes. That was just the type of challenge a top conference team needs early in the season to get ready for conference play. If you were in the CAA, you would know what I am talking about.

See you next year in Norfolk.

David Jones

Old Dominion University Class of 1979

Are these fighting words, or a desperate plea for attention? You decide, I personally don't really think of Old Dominion as a rival, I mean any school that boasts 400 acres of ultimate entertainment for the entire family can't be that bad.

via www.kingsdominion.com

As for the 2006-07 Hoyas, Thompson was spot on with that after-game quote. The Hoyas did need a lot more work. They ended up losing two of their next four games and dropped out of the Top 25, with a 4-3 record. And then they won 26 of their next 29 games, resulting in a Big East Regular Season Title, Big East Tournament Title and Final Four appearance. But what Davey Jones said above is right, the Hoyas probably would not have been able to beat the bottom half of the CAA, thankfully we met UNC and not the vaunted Georgia State Panthers in the Elite Eight.

Good talk.

RPI WATCH: 11/23/09

BracketCat — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 01:00:13 -0000

Well, it's officially basketball season here at BOTC, so I'm going to try and get some basketball-related stuff on here on a more consistent basis. Big 12 Outlook will return after New Year's, but in the meantime, I need to resume the Big 12 previews and shift them into overdrive a little in order to make up for lost time.

The other thing I want to do is update you on all of our opponents on a daily basis. I'll look at how they performed in yesterday's games and maybe track the RPIs a little, too. The idea is to get a general picture, on a day-to-day basis, of how strong our non-conference schedule is, because I've seen some concern from various corners of late.

For a more detailed discussion, hit the jump. But here's a short preview: We did ourselves a lot of good in Puerto Rico.

Here's how our opponents have performed to date, in order to provide a baseline comparison and bring everyone up to speed. (After all, not everyone has been paying attention to hoops like I have, given our North-contending football team and what have you.)

Kansas State RPI = 28

Great Wins (RPI 1-50) = Dayton

Good Wins (RPI 51-100) = Loyola

Bad Losses (RPI 100 or greater) = none

Loyola (2-1) | RPI = 64: Loss at Kansas State (92-54), Win over Canisius (89-69), Win at Holy Cross (76-73)
Western Illinois (2-2) | RPI = 112: Loss at Arizona State (87-35), Loss at Kansas State (82-50), Win over Truman State (71-59), Win at Central Arkansas (56-46)
Boston (1-4) | RPI = 141: Loss at Iona (82-73), Loss to George Washington (69-59), Loss to Kansas State (80-70), Win over Indiana (71-67), Loss to No. 21 Georgia Tech (85-67)
Ole Miss (4-1) | RPI = 76: Win over UALR (92-64), Win over Alabama State (90-53), Win over Indiana (89-71), Win over Kansas State (86-74), Loss to No. 5 Villanova (79-67)
No. 18 Dayton (2-2) | RPI = 32: Win over Creighton (90-80), Win over No. 21 Georgia Tech (63-59), Loss to No. 5 Villanova (71-65), Loss to Kansas State (83-75)
IUPUI (4-1) | RPI = 75: Win at Drake (88-82), Win at Eastern Illinois (69-66), Win over Austin Peay (77-63), Loss at Auburn (80-65), Win over Georgia State (67-56)
Fort Hays State (2-0) | RPI = N/A (D-II): Win over Friends (82-46), Win over Central Christian College (85-66)
Washington State (3-0) | RPI = 140: Win over MVSU (94-66), Win over Eastern Washington (67-61), Win over IPFW (89-70)
Xavier (3-0) | RPI = 79: Win over Youngstown State (83-57), Win over Bowling Green (101-57), Win over Sacred Heart (105-65)
UNLV (3-0) | RPI = 1: Win over Pittsburg State (91-52), Win over Nevada (88-75), Win over Southern Illinois (78-69)
Alabama (2-1) | RPI = 186: Loss to Cornell (71-67), Win over Jackson State (86-69), Win over Providence (84-75)
UAPB (0-3) | RPI = 166: Loss at Colorado (88-72), Loss at Denver (75-56), Loss at UTEP (70-52)
Cleveland State (3-1) | RPI = 260: Loss at St. Bonaventure (72-62), Win over Wilmington (99-74), Win over Florida A&M (78-64), Win over Sam Houston State (80-65)
South Dakota (2-2) | RPI = N/A (D-I transition): Loss at Texas Tech (88-49), Loss to Oregon State (62-47), Win over TAMUCC (76-73), Win over Mayville State (99-67)
Missouri (2-0) | RPI = 280: Win over UT Martin (83-68), Win over UTPA (100-64)
Texas A&M (3-0) | RPI = 135: Win over Angelo State (88-69), Win at SMU (80-68), Win over Samford (68-49)
Colorado (3-0) | RPI = 128: Win over UAPB (88-72), Win over Coppin State (82-58), Win over Texas Southern (88-77)
No. 3 Texas (2-0) | RPI = 17: Win over UC Irvine (89-42), Win over Western Carolina (73-41)
Oklahoma State (3-0) | RPI = 21: Win over Seattle (86-64), Win over Southern (93-61), Win over North Texas (82-68)
Baylor (4-0) | RPI = 60: Win over Norfolk State (86-58), Win over Hartford (71-69), Win over Southern (61-45), Win over Hardin-Simmons (106-45)
No. 1 Kansas (3-0) | RPI = 46: Win over Hofstra (101-65), Win over Memphis (57-55), Win over Central Arkansas (94-44)
Nebraska (2-1) | RPI = 134: Win over SCUU (76-49), Loss at Saint Louis (69-55), Win over TCU (90-77)
Iowa State (4-0) | RPI = 188: Win over Idaho State (88-68), Win over Chicago State (72-50), Win at Drake (90-70), Win over MVSU (96-55)
No. 17 Oklahoma (2-1) | RPI = 65: Win over Mount St. Mary's (95-71), Win over UL Monroe (72-61), Loss at VCU (82-69)
Texas Tech (5-0) | RPI = 86: Win over South Dakota (88-49), Win over TAMUCC (66-59), Win over Oregon State (64-60), Win over Northwestern State (94-75), Win over Lamar (77-54)

My plan is to update this daily with the games are played the previous day, and I'll probably start looking at RPIs some time after Thanksgiving (they're pretty meaningless before that point due to the disparity in scheduling).

Update: Got bored and added the RPIs around midnight. I'll save the analysis for tomorrow's edition.

NC State 69, Georgia State 53 (Updated)

Akula Wolf — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 03:53:58 -0000

More photos » by Ethan Hyman - AP

about 1 month ago: North Carolina State's Tracy Smith (23) looks for room as Georgia State's James Fields (4) defends during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Thursday, Nov. 12, 2009, in Raleigh, N.C. (AP Photo/The News & Observer, Ethan Hyman)

Browse more photos »

Four Factors	NC State	Georgia St.
eFG%	43.9	39.8
Turnover Rate	14.4	19.1
Off Reb Rate	34.3	34.1
FT Rate	71.4	20.3

	Pts	Poss	OFF_EFF	DEF_EFF
GSU	53	62.7	84.5	110.0
NCSU	69	62.7	110.0	84.5

Box Score

Tracy Smith picked up his second foul of the first half with 7:40 to go, and for the first couple of minutes the Wolfpack seemed to be proving the could be okay without his presence on the court. Dennis Horner took control of things offensively and Jordan Vandenberg added a couple of free throws to give the Pack it's largest lead with a little over five minutes left in the half. From there, though, the offense lost its direction and the defense suffered along with it, and Georgia State crawled back into the game. There was a moment of panic in the closing stages of the half, that's for sure.

The first eight minutes of the second half were a continued struggle, but the Pack finally started to build some cohesion offensively as Georgia State tired and their numerous fouls began to catch up to them. NC State took care of the basketball down the stretch (zero turnovers in the last 12 minutes), got the rebounding situation back under control, collected some easy transition points, and that was that. Tense in the middle but ultimately nothing to worry about.

-- As he has been throughout his career, Tracy was a point machine while he was on the floor, scoring 18 in 25 minutes. When he got the ball in the post, good things happened--he didn't shy from contact and the eager slap artists from GSU rarely failed to reward him with a trip to the line. A cheap foul or two was the only thing that kept him from a larger impact. (Tracy says Karl Hess and company threw him a fast one; they called the game differently than he anticipated. Regardless, one or two of his fouls were cheap, and they were Tracy's his fault. If the officiating's consistent going forward (ha!), he'll adjust, and this game will end up an exception. At least until conference play.)

-- Josh Davis. I doubt the kid is going to contribute much in terms of points, but the three offensive boards he had in 10 minutes are a testament to his hustle. One of those boards was particularly significant--with the Pack up four with 10 minutes to go in the game, he grabbed a CJ Williams miss and found Javi, who buried a huge three-pointer.

-- Jordan Vandenberg. His lone field goal attempt was a relatively uncontested six-footer that he shot too strongly off the glass and missed. So it was pretty clear how raw he is offensively. But he didn't turn the ball over in 10 minutes of playing time, and he was a definite factor in the paint defensively. The box score credits him with two blocks, but he also forced a couple of jump balls by stuffing GSU players which didn't count as blocks but should've. He justified 10 minutes/game going forward, I thought.

-- Tempo. Despite the slow pace, which was about four possessions under the national average, I thought the guys looked pretty committed to pushing the ball when they could. They would run the ball up the court in transition or after a made basket, though they usually were forced to slow down and run the halfcourt offense. Georgia State discouraged the running game with some well-timed pressure defense after made baskets. I liked what I saw from Javi, who pushed the team harder than Julius Mays. Javi was effective with the dribble drive when he wanted to be, and that's not reflected particularly well by the box score because of some missed shots by open teammates. He could've had double-digit assists easy. Javi just needs to be more consistently assertive.

Previewing Georgia State

Akula Wolf — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:29:35 -0000

2009 Scouting Report / 2009 Game Plan
2009 Stats (pdf)
2010 Roster
2010 Schedule

Georgia State Offense '08-'09

Four Factors	Percent	Nat'l Rank
eFG%	46.8	259
Turnover Rate	19.6	125
Off Reb Rate	31.0	239
FTA/FGA	30.0	314

The Georgia State Panthers are led by head coach Rod Barnes, who you may remember from such tenures as Ole Miss, 1998-2006 but probably don't because no one cares about SEC basketball. I swear every team in the SEC West plays in the same decrepit, poorly-lit multipurpose cave.

We'll get around to that fresh coat of paint for the lockers, coach, right after we complete this unnecessary Segway docking station for the football program.

But all we've ever wanted is your love!

A polar bear replaced Barnes at Ole Miss for all anyone knows.

Anyway. The Panthers finished last season 12-20 overall, 8-10 in the CAA. They managed just one win over a team in the Pomeroy Ratings top 100. Barnes gave decent minutes to a lot of dudes in a desperate attempt to catch mediocrity in a bottle.

They'll be without a pair of forward starters from a year ago, Leonard Mendez and Rashad Chase, neither of whom were significant contributors offensively. Just about everyone else is back, and this is a guard-oriented team led by Wake Forest transfer Joe Dukes and Trae Goldston.

As you can tell from the four factors, offense was a bit of a problem for this group in '09. They couldn't make twos, threes, or free throws; they couldn't generate many second chances; and they rarely got to the line. Those deficiencies made for an offense that ranked 237th in adjusted offensive efficiency.

Projected Starters:

Joe Dukes (6-1, 184) -- Earned pre-season second team All-CAA honors, which is the extent of the accolades on this team. Dukes posted a fine assist rate last season, kept the turnovers under control, and displayed some quick hands at the defensive end. He'll be heavily involved as a passer and a scorer, and you can expect him to see some time at the 2-guard spot as well. But he was a mediocre shooter last season (the workload didn't help) and wasn't able to get to the line very often. He'll shoot from outside but prefers to do his scoring inside the arc.

Trae Goldston (6-0, 180) -- Dukes and Goldston combined to take 53.5% of GSU's shots when they were on the court together, with those shots split evenly between them. Goldston is primarily a three-point bomber, and with 191 3FGAs last year, he isn't shy. You can bet he'll take enough threes to be a potential difference maker in a scary way. Threes are about the extent of his contributions, though.

Jihad Ali (6-5, 195) -- Played sparingly as a freshman in 2008 and redshirted in 2009, so it's hard to figure what to expect. He's got three-point range, and the way Georgia State's athletics website describes him, he's a guy that can do a little bit of everything.

Trey Hampton (6-7, 225) -- Hampton, who followed Rod Barnes from Ole Miss to Georgia State, is described as "a blue collar post player known for rebounding and defense" by the GSU athletics website. At no point in his career, be it at Ole Miss or Georgia State, has he been a good rebounder. He was a turnover machine a year ago, but he hit 50% of his twos--quite the rarity for this team--and he blocked shots at a rate that suggests he's pretty athletic.

Xavier Hansbro (6-10, 230) -- Another Ole Miss refugee, the 6-10 Hansbro was spectacularly awful from the field in 2009, making just 45% of his twos and 22% of his threes. That hurts a team under any circumstances but was particularly damaging to the Panthers because he took a team-high 28.5% of the shots when he was on the court. He's like the dude in every pickup game ever who has no self-awareness whatsoever. Pass the fucking ball a few times, Clankmaster. Perhaps more appalling than his shooting percentage was the fact that he managed only 11 free throw attempts in 475 minutes. I don't understand how that's possible even if he does like to hang around the perimeter.

Bench

Ousman Krubally (6-6, 195), Kevin Lott (6-7, 215), Dante Curry (6-4, 195), James Fields (6-3, 192), and Marques Johnson (6-5, 205), among others.

(Random aside: Wanted to note that GSU has an assistant coach named Scepter Brownlee.)

Georgia State Defense '08-'09

Four Factors	Percent	Nat'l Rank
eFG%	50.0	214
Turnover Rate	20.4	159
Off Reb Rate	33.4	200
FTA/FGA	35.2	146

It's not a very tall team, their 2FG% defense was poor in 2009, and they weren't disruptive in terms of blocking shots. All of that bodes well for the Wolfpack. But they were good at stealing the basketball, and with a couple of experienced guards returning, I'd bet on another rough night turnover-wise for the NC State offense.

BtB 2009-10 Colonial Athletic Association Preview

Chris Dobbertean — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 15:00:24 -0000

Virginia Commonwealth made a nice name for themselves over the past few seasons. Sure, George Mason put the CAA on the map by reaching the Final Four in 2006, but the Rams have brought a new level of consistency to the league over the past few seasons. Over the past three seasons, VCU has been the undisputed regular season league champ, the first team ever to accomplish that feat. They also won the CAA tournament in two of those three seasons--the Patriots won in '08--and proved to be a tough out in the NCAAs, beating Duke before falling to Pitt in OT in 2007 and losing to UCLA on a buzzer beater last season.

But two of the main reasons for VCU's success have moved on. Head coach Anthony Grant took over at Alabama, while starting point guard Eric Maynor, who won two CAA Player of the Year awards during his time in Richmond, is now plying his trade with the Utah Jazz. However, the Rams have four starters back,led by guard Joey Rodriguez and center Larry Sanders, they'll still be a major factor in the race this season for new coach Shaka Smart (a former Florida assistant, like Grant).

But it may be time for Old Dominion, who returns all five starters, led by Finnish forward Gerald Lee, to dethrone the Rams. Mason, Northeastern, and Hofstra will also surely have something to say in the title chase, and it wouldn't be the CAA without someone rising up the standings unexpectedly. More on these favorites and their pursuers after the jump.

Let's first take a look at the 2008-09 Colonial standings.

Colonial Athletic Association Standings

(updated 3.31.2009 at 10:55 PM EDT)

	Conf		Overall
	W	L	W	L
Va. Commonwealth Rams	14	4	24	10
George Mason Patriots	13	5	22	11
Old Dominion Monarchs	12	6	25	10
Northeastern Huskies	12	6	19	13
Hofstra Pride	11	7	21	11
Drexel Dragons	10	8	15	14
James Madison Dukes	9	9	21	15
Georgia St. Panthers	8	10	12	20
Delaware Blue Hens	6	12	13	19
Towson Tigers	5	13	12	22
William & Mary Tribe	5	13	10	20
UNC-Wilmington Seahawks	3	15	7	25

Now, here are my picks for 2009-10, presented in reverse order.

William and Mary (last NCAA: None) The Tribe could be improved this season, if they can find a way to spread the scoring around a bit. Seniors David Schneider (14.1 ppg) and Danny Sumner (13.4 ppg) are going to attract more defensive attention this year, so Bill and Mary could use further offensive options. Sophomore swingman Quinn McDowell averaged over 9 points a game last season, so he is a possibility. 6-9 freshman Andrew Pavloff could be another. Head coach Tony Shaver is expecting him to bolster a thin frontcourt.

Towson (last NCAA: 1991) The Tigers shocked third-seeded Northeastern to reach the CAA semifinals last year, where they attempted to give GMU a game. Pat Kennedy's squad features four returning starters from a year ago, though more will be expected from Robert Nwankwo (4.4 ppg. 4.5 rpg) and Jarrel Smith (9.8 ppg, 4.5 rpg) after the departure of leading scorer and rebounder Junior Hairston (13 ppg. 7.4 rpg). Freshman Isaiah Philmore will also be expected to contribute immediately, though he is a true swingman. Brian Morris (5.1 ppg, 3.8 apg) is back to run the point for the Tigers. who only venture out of the Baltimore-DC area once during their non-conference slate. They visit Dayton.

Drexel (last NCAA: 1996) The Dragons looked to be a serious contender in the CAA race, until they dropped three consecutive one point games to wrap up the CAA season. As the scorelines (49-48, 47-46, and 48-47) indicate, Drexel was an impressive defensive team that couldn't shoot a lick last year. Scoring could again be an issue, as their only double-digit scorer of a year ago, Scott Rodgers (13.1 ppg) is gone. Bruiser Flint will need more production from his three leading returning scorers, G Gerald Colds (9 ppg), PG Jamie Harris (8.1 ppg, 2.9 apg), and F Evan Neisler (7.8 ppg. 6.9 rpg). The Dragons will host one of the "subregionals" of the Legends Classic, featuring Cornell, Toledo, and Vermont. They also face three of the Big Five, St. Joe's, Penn, and Villanova, while working in a trip to Lexington to face Kentucky.

Georgia State (last NCAA: 2001) Rod Barnes' squad features six seniors, including the Panthers' three returning starters, Mississippi transfer 6-7 F Trey Hampton (4.4 ppg, 3.6 rpg), and the team's two leading scorers from last season, PG Joe Dukes (12.8 ppg, 4.2 apg) and G Trae Goldston (10.8 ppg). Hampton and fellow Ole Miss transfer Xavier Hansbro (4.9 ppg, 2.8 rpg) really need to be more effective inside for the Panthers to move up the standings. Freshman James Vincent, a 6-10 F/C, may help push them. If the interior play doesn't improve, it will be another long season in Atlanta. GSU will play in the Glenn Wilkes Classic in November, visiting NC State and taking on Drake, Howard, and IUPUI in Daytona Beach.

Delaware (last NCAA: 1999) The Blue Hens were basically the complete opposite of Drexel last season, plenty of scoring, but not enough stops. Scoring should continue to be a strong suit for Monte Ross' team, as juniors Jawan Carter (15.2 ppg, 2.6 apg) and Alphonso Dawson (14.1 ppg, 5.3 rpg) and senior Brian Johnson (10 ppg, 5 apg) all return. Someone will have to step up to replace the contributions of the graduated Marc Egerson (15.4 ppg, 10.3 rpg), particularly on the glass. UD's non-conference schedule is remarkably local. They get a home game against Temple in the Philly Hoop Group Classic, but travel to Siena and face Virginia Tech in the Palestra in that same event. They do travel to Burlington to face Vermont, however.

UNC Wilmington (last NCAA: 2006) The bright spot of a dismal season for the Seahawks was a 81-72 home win over league champs VCU. They won only six other times in '08-09, but could have had a few more. As four starters, including three double-digit scorers, return for Benny Moss, there should be a lot more happy moments in Wilmington this season. Junior Chad Tomko (15.6 ppg, 4.4 apg) could replace the departed Maynor as the conference's best point guard. He'll team with senior Johnny Wolf (13.9 ppg) to form a formidable backcourt. The biggest issue for the Seahawks is the frontcourt, where 6-7 Dominique Lacy (10.4 ppg, 5.9 rpg) could use some help, particularly on the boards. UNCW will participate in the Charleston Classic, where they'll open with NIT winners Penn State.

James Madison (last NCAA: 1994) Matt Brady did a nice job in his first season at the helm in Harrisonburg. The Dukes won 21 games, including three postseason contests. They qualified for the inaugural CollegeInsider tournament, where they lost to eventual winners and CAA rival Old Dominion in the semifinals. JMU will have to try to improve on last year without two of that team's three leading scorers, forwards Kyle Swanston (11.6 ppg) and Juwann James (14.1 ppg, 4.8 rpg). But Brady has a lot of excellent players still at his disposal. Devon Moore (10.7 ppg) and Pierre Curtis (9.3 ppg) will be an effective backcourt, and reserve forwards Andrey Semenov (8.2 ppg, 4.1 rpg) and Dazzmond Thornton (6 ppg, 3.2 rpg) will join starter Julius Wells (11.6 ppg, 5.5 rpg) to form an intimidating frontcourt unit. The Dukes will visit Ohio State as part of the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic. They also travel to Miami to face Florida International, Murray State, and North Carolina Central in one of that event's subregionals. In December, JMU flies cross country to face Stanford.

Hofstra (last NCAA: 2001) Tom Pecora's side returns four starters, including leading scorers Charles Jenkins (19.7 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 4.3 apg) and Cornelius Vines (10.5 ppg). Like Tomko at UNCW, Jenkins could really attract a lot of attention thanks to Maynor's graduation. But the big question in Hempstead is how well the Pride's five newcomers fit in, as Pecora likes to distribute the minutes. The Pride will take part in the North region of the NIT Season Tip-Off, where they'll likely face UConn if they get by Yale in their opener. Hofstra will also make the short trip into the City to take part in the Holiday Classic. They open with St. John's and will face either Ivy favorite Cornell or Stephen Curry-less Davidson in their second game.

Northeastern (last NCAA: 1991) The Huskies started well, winning at Providence and a rebuilding Indiana, then opening the CAA schedule with 10 wins in their first 11 games. Then, the wheels came off, as the Huskies only won twice more in the league, eventually falling to Towson in the quarterfinals. Still, they earned a CBI invite, where they defeated Wyoming on the road, before their season ended at UTEP. Bill Coen has four starters back off that team, and he can only hope the gas tank stays full this year. Matt Janning (14.3 ppg, 4.7 rpg) will again challenge for all-CAA honors, while Chaisson Allen (10.4 ppg, 5.3 rpg), Manny Adako (11.3 ppg, 4.2 rpg), and Nkem Ojougboh (7.4 ppg, 4.6 rpg) are all valuable pieces of the puzzle. The biggest thing for Coen is to find some bench scoring. Northeastern's schedule gets serious right out of the gate, as they travel to Siena for a noon tip that's part of ESPN's November 17 marathon. They also welcome Providence, Utah State, and Wright State to Boston. December sees them play in two tournaments back-to-back, first the Diamond Head Classic in Honolulu, where they open with Patty Mills-less St. Mary's, then the Cable Car Classic at Santa Clara.

George Mason (last NCAA: 2008) The Patriots attempted to make it back-to-back trips to the Dance, but last year's CAA final was really over before it started. The season ended in further disappointment when GMU dropped a four point overtime decision to champions Penn State in the NIT. Now Jim Larranaga will have to try to stay competitive despite losing three key starters from a season ago, guards Dre Smith and John Vaughan and forward Darryl Monroe. So, with those significant losses, why are the Patriots still contenders? Well, Larranaga still has Cam Long (11.7 ppg, 4.8 rpg) and Louis Birdsong (6.4 ppg, 3.5 rpg) on the roster. Plus, he receives the services of two highly-touted freshmen this year, Capital Classic and Jordan Brand Classic selectee Paris Bennett, a 6-6 F, and 6-4 G Sherrod Wright, who also played in the Jordan game. GMU plays in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off, where they have the unenviable task of opening with Villanova, a team they lost to in the Old Spice Classic semifinals in 2007. They could face Dayton in their second game there, but if they don't, the two meet in Fairfax in December, four days before the Patriots welcome Creighton to town in a BracketBusters rematch.

VCU (last NCAA: 2009) It's up to Shaka Smart to keep what Jeff Capel and Anthony Grant have gotten going in Richmond. Of course, he has to do it without Maynor, the program's heart and soul. However, the cupboard is far from bare. Sanders, a bruising 6-10 forward who averaged more than 11 points, almost 9 boards a game, and nearly 3 blocks a game, is back for his junior year. 6-8 senior Kiril Pishchalnikov (5.2 ppg, 4.6 rpg) will also be a force in the frontcourt. In the backcourt, Joey Rodriguez and Brandon Burgess will have to fill the void left by Maynor, and considering they averaged a combined 16.8 points per contest last year, they're more than capable. Brandon Rozzell, who averaged almost 7 points a game last year, will also see more minutes. If one of these players can step up in the leadership department, fans in Richmond may be able to forget about Maynor. (Nah, that'll never happen.) The Rams schedule features a visit from Oklahoma, coached by Capel, and a home game against Nevada, a return of the 71-70 Wolf Pack triumph in last year's BracketBusters.

Old Dominion (last NCAA: 2007) Blaine Taylor's squad took the inaugural CollegeInsider tournament crown with a 66-62 win over Bradley in Peoria. The Monarchs return all five starters, led by Lee, a 6-10 Finnish-American who averaged almost 16 points and 6 rebounds a contest last season. Taylor preaches defense, and opponents only managed an average of 60 points a game last year. However, the Monarchs could score a bit more, as Lee was the only player to average in double figures last season. 6-5 swingman Ben Finney could improve on his average of 9.9 a game this time around. Point guard Darius James is a pass-first guy who dished out 4.5 assists per contest, so the offense is certainly in good hands. ODU will participate in the South Padre Island Invitational, where they'll open with Missouri. They'll face either Mississippi State or Richmond in their second game. If it's the Spiders, they'll play UR back to back, as ODU is already scheduled to visit the Robins Center on December 2.

So the Monarchs will hold the Colonial's auto bid in my 2009-10 Final Preseason Bracket, which I will release on November 9. I don't anticipate multiple bids for the CAA at the moment, but that could very well change as the season goes on.

To wrap up this preview, here is my preseason All-CAA team, featuring the best returning players from last season.

Preseason All-CAA Team

Player of the Year: Larry Sanders, 6-10 F, Jr. (Virginia Commonwealth)

Remainder of the Team
Matt Janning, 6-4 G/F, Sr. (Northeastern)
Charles Jenkins, 6-3 G, Jr. (Hofstra)
Gerald Lee, 6-10 F, Sr. (Old Dominion)
Chad Tomko, 5-11 G, Jr. (UNC Wilmington)

Poll

Who is your pick to win the CAA this season?

Delaware

0 votes

Drexel

4 votes

George Mason

4 votes

Georgia State

0 votes

Hofstra

1 votes

James Madison

0 votes

Northeastern

1 votes

Old Dominion

1 votes

Towson

1 votes

UNC Wilmington

0 votes

Virginia Commonwealth

6 votes

William and Mary

0 votes

18 votes | Poll has closed

The 2009-10 BtB Preseason All-Transfer Teams

Chris Dobbertean — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 16:00:20 -0000

Just like with average college students, sometimes things don't go right for basketball players at the schools they originally pick. Of course, non-athletes don't have to worry about coaching changes and adjustments in role or playing time, which leads to a high percentage of basketball transfers, but athletes still have to deal with all of the normal stuff, family issues, homesickness, academics (players have transferred for dropped majors). All of these things can lead to a player to seek a new start at a different school.

A talented transfer or two can really boost a team's season. But teams that bring in too many transfers risk chemistry issues and rarely reach the levels coaches employing this tactic anticipate. (For a current example, look at Rod Barnes' Georgia State team, though his transfers have a second year to pull things together.) This post takes a look at only some of the talented players who left one Division I school for another. Since the NCAA doesn't want players hopping around from school to school, transfers generally have to sit out a season before suiting up for their new school. (They can practice with their new teams while they sit.) Most of my choices sat out last season, but there are a couple of players in my list who are eligible immediately.

One notable transfer who won't play for his new team this year is Scott Martin of Notre Dame. The wingman, a transfer from Purdue, is out for a year thanks to a torn ACL.

After the jump, I'll present my three preseason All-Transfer teams, starting with the 3rd team.

3rd Team All-Transfer

Matt Pilgrim, 6-8 F (Oklahoma State from Kentucky): Pilgrim already sat out last season after transferring to Lexington from Hampton. However, he didn't figure into John Calipari's plans and was released from his scholarship. In Stillwater, Pilgrim will play the 3, 4, and 5 spots and bolster the Cowboys' thin frontcourt.

Jeremiah Rivers, 6-5 G (Indiana from Georgetown): Rivers is the son of Doc, head coach of the Boston Celtics. He spent the last year practicing with the Hoosiers, with the hopes of taking over the starting point guard role. Rivers should be a perfect fit for an Indiana team that needs defense and toughness.

Tyrone Shelley, 6-5 G and Malcolm Thomas, 6-9 F (San Diego State from Pepperdine): Shelley led the Waves in scoring as a freshman, contributing an average of 15 points per game. That offense will be necessary for a team that lost four senior starters after an NIT semifinal appearance. He'll be joined on the Aztecs by Thomas, who also was pretty good in Malibu, averaging 12.5 points and almost 9 rebounds per outing. That's not a bad combo.

Alex Stephenson, 6-9 F (USC from North Carolina): Stephenson returned back to the Southland after a disappointing time in Chapel Hill. He simply fell behind more talented players on the depth chart. He should certainly make an impact with a Trojan side that's in need of talent.

2nd Team All-Transfer

Tony Freeman, 6-1 G (Southern Illinois from Iowa): You could just about fill an all-transfer team with the players who've left Iowa City during Todd Lickliter's tenure. Freeman is a senior and the biggest question about him is attitude. He averaged nearly 14 points a game in his last season with the Hawkeyes, but had problems with Lickliter's system. You have to question his decision to go to Carbondale to play under another defense-first coach, Chris Lowery.

Ben Hansbrough, 6-3 G (Notre Dame from Mississippi State): If you thought the Hansbrough era in college basketball was over, you'd be incorrect. Tyler's brother Ben will suit up for the Irish this year after sitting out a year. Hansbrough is a more perimeter-oriented player than his brother and will largely replace the graduated Kyle McAlarney at shooting guard.

Curtis Kelly, 6-8 F (Kansas State from Connecticut): Kelly was a highly touted recruit for Jim Calhoun who just didn't pan out. While his numbers in Storrs weren't great at all (averaging only 2 pts. and 2 boards per game), Kelly will be in a situation where he can be a star alongside Denis Clemente, Jacob Pullen, and fellow newcomer freshman F Wally Judge.

Vernon Macklin, 6-10 F/C (Florida from Georgetown): Macklin will be expected to be a big contributor to a Gator frontcourt that could be without Adam Allen (leg) and Eloy Vargas (academics). Alex Tyus and Dan Werner spent much of last year playing out of position. If Macklin can establish himself as a post presence along with Kenny Kadji, Werner and Tyus can focus more on the 3 and 4 spots.

Elliot Williams, 6-4 G/F (Memphis from Duke): Williams was granted a hardship waiver by the NCAA, as his mother is ill, so he will suit up immediately for his hometown team. Having a Memphis native on the roster should provide a little stability to a roster known for rapid fluctuations, while giving Josh Pastner a boost for his plans to draw more local players to the program. Williams doesn't really have a natural position, so expect to see him at both forward and guard.

1st Team All-Transfer

Derrick Caracter, 6-9 F (UTEP from Louisville): In a year when Memphis is down, Caracter could be a major gamechanger in Conference USA. The question is whether he's learned from all of the off-the-court issues that plagued him when he played for Rick Pitino. If he can, the combination of Caracter and returning C Arnett Moultriegives the Miners the best frontline in the league.

Jordan Crawford, 6-4 G (Xavier from Indiana): This is the guy who dunked on Lebron James. I'm not sure I need to say much more, but I will. Crawford gained good experience during his time in Bloomington, averaging just under 10 points a game with good rebounding (3.4) and assist (2.5) numbers, on a team that won 25 games. He'll be expected to contribute immediately on a team that lost C.J Anderson, Derrick Brown, and B.J. Raymond.

Wesley Johnson, 6-7 F (Syracuse from Iowa State): Johnson will replace Paul Harris at small forward for the Orange. He's a versatile player who can play both inside and outside, and Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim says he can be an all-Big East performer. Greg McDermott has to be wishing Johnson was still in Ames playing alongside Craig Brackens.

Jai Lucas, 5-9 G (Texas from Florida): Lucas, the son of NBA player and coach, John, returned to his home state after losing the starting point guard job in Gainesville to the now departed Nick Calathes. He'll return to the 1 spot in Austin, as he'll provide the passing, scoring, and ball security the Longhorns last had with D.J. Augustin in 2007-08.
Herb Pope, 6-8 F (Seton Hall from New Mexico State): Pope is one of three transfers who'll suit up for the Pirates this year--G Keon Lawrence from Missouri and F Jeff Robinson from Memphis are the others. Pope was the WAC's newcomer of the year in 2008, and he returns East after averaging 11 points and almost 7 points a game during his season in Las Cruces. He'll fill the power forward spot for the Hall, allowing Robert Mitchell to play in his natural position, small forward.

On Monday, I'll talk about some of the more interesting coaching changes made during the offseason. Tuesday, I'll present my Preseason All-America teams.

Poll

Which transfer do you think will have the most impact this season?

Jordan Crawford, G, Xavier

83 votes

Wesley Johnson, F, Syracuse

120 votes

Curtis Kelly, F, Kansas State

6 votes

Jai Lucas, G, Texas

21 votes

Herb Pope, F, Seton Hall

15 votes

Other (list in comments)

23 votes

268 votes | Poll has closed

A Game (or Two) a Night: December 2009

Chris Dobbertean — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 01:05:39 -0000

More photos » by Eric Gay - AP

Michigan State Junior G Kalin Lucas (1) is the only player in this picture who will be present at the rematch of the 2009 National Championship Game on December 1 in Chapel Hill. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Browse more photos »

December as a month features the last few multi-team events of the season and the bulk of conference challenge action. It's also a time when most teams have to wedge games between exams and holidays and fans have to dodge stale holiday specials and on filter through bowl games to find hoops on their TV sets. Believe me, there will be plenty of televised college basketball over the last week of the year--including a return of action, island-style to Christmas Day itself. So, if you find yourself needing a break from football, there will be roundball!

You'll find my December picks after the jump. For information about the other games on the air during the final month of 2009, visit MattSarzSports.com.

Tuesday, December 1
Michigan State at North Carolina (ACC/Big Ten Challenge) (ESPN, 9 ET)
The rematch of last year's National Championship game is exactly why I feel that these conference challenges should be moved to the second half of the season. While this game should be pretty good as is (especially since it's at the Dean Dome), it would be even better if played six or so weeks later, so both teams, particularly the younger Tar Heels, can have more of a chance to gel.

Wednesday, December 2
Pittsburgh at Duquesne (CBS CS, 7 ET)
Now, if the Dukes had been allowed to advance in the CBE Classic, they could've shared the Sprint Center with the Panthers. They'll have to be satisfied with sharing the floor at the Igloo one more time, as this game moves to the Penguins new rink in 2010.

Thursday, December 3
Cleveland State at Wright State (ESPNU, 9 ET)
The Horizon League season starts early, and this matchup features two teams who are serious threats to Butler in the race. The Vikings won the conference's auto bid last season, and then upset Wake Forest. The Raiders were a bid thief in 2007.

Friday, December 4
Akron at Texas A&M (FS Southwest, 8 ET)
Fridays are typically light nights during the season. (Trust me, you'll see what I mean in my next couple of posts.) The Zips have a good chance at repeating in the MAC. (Well, as good of a chance as anyone else who's tried of late.) Meanwhile, the Aggies should be on their way to figuring out how to play without Chinemelu Elonu in the middle.

Saturday, December 5
Wake Forest at Gonzaga (ESPN2, 5:30 ET)
A matchup of two teams who will be very competitive despite significant losses, James Johnson and Jeff Teague in the Deacons' case and Austin Daye, Micah Downs, Josh Heytvelt, and Jeremy Pargo for the Bulldogs.

Sunday, December 6
Arizona at Oklahoma (Big 12/Pac-10 Hardwood Series) (ESPNU, 7 ET)
Sean Miller brings his Wildcats, bolstered by some last-minute recruits, to Norman to take on a Griffin-less, but still potent Sooner squad. Kansas at UCLA earns honorable mention honors. And I'll be at the BB&T Classic to see Villanova take on Maryland.

Monday, December 7
Long Beach State at Texas (ESPNU, 9 ET)
The only nationally televised game of the night (though I will pick regional telecasts later). The 49ers continue their aggressive scheduling (as they're the "host" school at the 76 Classic this year), taking on a Damion James-led Longhorn team who should challenge the Jayhawks at the top of the Big 12.

Tuesday, December 8
Vanderbilt at Illinois (Big Ten, 8:30 ET)
The Illini won by 6 in Nashville last year, but the Commodores could give them an even better game in the return. Honorable mention goes to the Jimmy V Classic, Butler vs. Georgetown and Indiana vs.Pittsburgh. Who would've ever forseen a day where the Bulldogs might be the most highly rated team of that group of four?

Wednesday, December 9
Kentucky vs Connecticut (Big East/SEC Invitational) (ESPN, 9:30 ET) If the undercard of Georgia vs. St. John's puts the crowd at MSG to sleep, I think Calipari vs. Calhoun should wake them up.

Thursday, December 10
Syracuse vs. Florida (Big East/SEC Invitational) (ESPN, 9 ET)
Since these are my two favorite teams, this was the obvious choice for me.

Friday, December 11
Iowa vs. Iowa State (Cyclones TV, 8 ET)
This matchup of two teams with coaches who really need to start winning is the only game on the TV schedule for tonight.

Saturday, December 12
Georgetown vs Washington (John Wooden Classic) (FSN, 2 ET)
The Hoyas do something under JohnThompson III that his father would've never done, travel cross-country for a non-league game. The Huskies sure aren't St. Leo's.
I would have selected the second half of the doubleheader, Mississippi State vs. UCLA, but Renardo Sidney's eligibility issues make this game slightly less attractive.

Sunday, December 13
Cincinnati at Xavier (ESPNU, 7 ET)
The Crosstown Shootout should be a great one this year. The Musketeers have been the best team in the city over the past few seasons. They have wins in the last two in the series. The Bearcats, meanwhile, should be far more competitive in Mick Cronin's fourth year at the helm, especially with Lance Stevenson joining the team.

Monday, December 14
Georgia Tech at Chattanooga (FS South, 7 ET)
The Yellow Jackets visit to the SoCon tourney champions is the only game on the TV schedule on this Monday.

Tuesday, December 15
Georgia State at Florida State (FS Florida, 7 ET)
The transfer-filled Panthers will look to repeat their 62-57 win over the Seminoles in Atlanta last year.

Wednesday, December 16
Wright State at Mississippi State (ESPN2, 7 ET)
Last year, the Bulldogs dropped December home games to Charlotte and San Diego. This year, it's the Raiders turn to try to pull an upset at the Hump.

Thursday, December 17
Auburn at Florida State (FS Florida/NESN, 7 ET)
The NIT quarterfinalist's visit to Tallahassee is the best option on a very light night.

Friday, December 18
As there are no televised games listed for this night, it would be a good time to wrap up your holiday shopping.

Saturday, December 19
UCLA at Notre Dame (CBS, 2 ET)
Saturday makes up for the lackluster slate during exam week, as we also have Michigan at Kansas, North Carolina at Texas, and Duke vs. Gonzaga on the schedule. The Bruins trip to South Bend gets a very slight nod, as these two on-again/off-again hoops rivals last met in 2005.

Sunday, December 20
Florida State at Georgia Tech (FSN, 5:30 ET)
The Seminoles and Yellow Jackets open their ACC seasons in Atlanta.

Monday, December 21
UTEP vs. Oklahoma (Oklahoma City) (ESPN2, 6:30 ET)
The Miners hope to be among the teams to unseat a weakened Memphis in C-USA. A win over the Sooners in their backyard would be a great confidence-builder for them.

Tuesday, December 22
California at Kansas (ESPN2, 9 ET)
While this game isn't technically a part of the Big 12/Pac-10 Hardwood Series, it is a matchup of two teams who each have an excellent chance of winning their respective conference's crown.

Wednesday, December 23
Illinois vs. Missouri (St. Louis) (ESPN2, 8:30 ET)
The Illini actually won this one by 16 last year. The Tigers could have a hard time gaining revenge without the services of DeMarre Caroll, Matt Lawrence, and Leo Lyons.

Thursday, December 24
It's Christmas Eve, so there are no games scheduled.

Friday, December 25
Diamond Head Classic Final (ESPN2, 9:30 ET)
This tournament features some rebuilding squads (St. Mary's, USC, UNLV), a few teams who haven't been relevant for awhile (host Hawai'i, SMU, and Western Michigan) and two mid-majors who could do really well against this particular group of teams (College of Charleston and Northeastern)

Saturday, December 26
West Virginia at Seton Hall (CBS, 3:30 ET)
Oddly enough, this Big East battle is the only game on the Boxing Day schedule.

Sunday, December 27
Austin Peay at Missouri (FS Midwest, 2 ET)
This is one of three games on the schedule. The Governors are perennial contenders in the Ohio Valley, and they'll be looking to pull a seed-boosting upset at Mizzou Arena.

Monday, December 28
American at Florida (FS Florida, 8:30 ET)
The two-time defending Patriot League champs who appear to be destined for a fall take on a two-time National Champion who already has taken one.

Tuesday, December 29
Penn State at Minnesota (ESPN2, 9 ET)
It's the Big Ten opener for the NIT Champion and a Gopher squad that may have just pipped them to an NCAA bid last time around. I would have selected Northern Iowa at Creighton, which should match up the two best teams in the Missouri Valley, but that game is currently only scheduled for local TV

Wednesday, December 30
Northwestern at Illinois (Big Ten, 7 ET)
The Wildcats open up their Big Ten slate with a trip to their in-state rival.

Thursday, December 31
Oklahoma at Gonzaga (ESPN2, 10 ET)
While it won't quite be November 17, it will be a marathon day on ESPN2, starting at noon. Michigan at Indiana, Ohio State at Wisconsin, and Tennessee at Memphis are all featured matchups during the day. However, I'll take the inter-sectional matchup to close the day, month, and year out as my choice. (Watching a million drunk people go crazy over a lighted ball dropping is so 2000.) There's also a good Pac-10 option, Arizona State at UCLA on FSN as part of their New Year's Eve festivities.

That will close out 2009, my games for January will follow tomorrow evening.

Glenn Wilkes Classic Matchups Set

Akula Wolf — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 22:57:57 -0000

Per this release from the athletics department, here's what the Pack's tournament schedule will look like: Georgia State (date TBA), Akron (Friday, 11/20, at 3:30 PM), Austin Peay (Saturday, 11/21, at 8:15 PM), Auburn (Sunday, 11/22, at 8:15 PM). A glance at each:

Georgia State -- How they ranked last season in 3FG%, 2FG%, and FT%: 268th, 238th, 331st, respectively. But their donations did allow for the construction of a new on-campus library. They will return their primary contributors from a year ago--a pair of guards--which is either good or bad depending on how you want to look at it.

Akron -- Some nails-on-chalkboard potential here: the Zips ranked 33rd nationally in eFG% defense and 6th in defensive TO%. Turnovers appear to be one of the bigger keys, since Akron's D is terrible in the other two factors. So a good number of second chance opportunities and FTAs should be available to the Pack if they can keep the mistakes under control. (I forsee 8-10 FTAs for Tracy alone.)

Austin Peay -- They were a defensive disaster last season, and they'll be without the point-producing services of Drake Reed, who was outstanding: he shot 58.2% from the field despite a heavy workload. It was a short team--287th in effective height--and it shows: they ranked 299th in eFG% defense. The biggest guy in their '09 rotation was just 6-7 215. Hope they found some help this off-season.

Auburn -- In SEC play last season, the Tigers had the league's fifth-best offense and second-best D, and the third-best overall efficiency margin. Despite the solid performance and a 10-6 record in conference play, they missed out on the NCAAs. They'll miss a couple of departing seniors but should still present a big challenge for the Wolfpack.

In other news...

-- Welcome to the show, Aaron Bates.

-- Richard Barron has been added to the women's basketball staff, and he looks like a great addition:

Barron spent the last two seasons as the Associate Head coach at Baylor. The Tennessee native was the recruiting coordinator for the Lady Bears that landed the consensus top-ranked player (Brittney Griner) and class of 2009.

Barron replaces Walter Mebane, who left after being on the job for less than two months.

Georgia Diamond Dogs 11, Georgia State Panthers 6

T Kyle King — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 02:22:56 -0000

Despite dropping two out of three games in the opening series of Southeastern Conference play, the Diamond Dogs headed to Atlanta to face Georgia State as a top five team after every S.E.C. East team came up short against a Western Division opponent last weekend. In an outing in which the hometown Panthers continued to fight throughout the night, Georgia prevailed in a tough 11-6 battle.

A Matt Cerione single was all the Red and Black had to show for the top of the first frame, so Alex McRee quickly got his opportunity to take the field for the Classic City Canines following his bout with mononucleosis. In the bottom of the inning, the Georgia starter surrendered a leadoff single to Joey Wood, followed by a base hit to Derek Simmons. After Carl Moniz put down the sacrifice bunt that advanced both baserunners, Marc Mimeault sent a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Wood.

Bulldog miscues kept the inning alive, as a passed ball allowed strikeout victim Bradley Logan to reach first and an error by McRee permitted Matt Van Horn to take second on a single. Although Logan was thrown out, Simmons crossed home plate to notch an unearned run, thus concluding a three-hit, two-run canto for the home team.

The Diamond Dogs answered in the visitors’ half of the second stanza. Rich Poythress got the inning underway with a double down the left field line and, after Bryce Massanari grounded out, Lyle Allen dropped a single into left field to plate the Georgia first baseman. Chase Davidson gave the Red and Black the lead with a two-run homer to center field before the next two Bulldog batters registered outs. The Panthers went three up and three down against Chase Hawkins in the home half of the frame.

The Panthers have a player named Matt Van Horn. Let’s go ahead and get the obligatory "Witches of Eastwick" reference out of the way early, shall we?

After Johnathan Taylor singled but was picked off to start the third stanza, Cerione tripled and Colby May brought him home with a base hit. The next two at-bats ended in outs. Moniz’s two-out single represented the sum total of Georgia State’s achievement in the bottom of the canto and Georgia kept the pressure on in the top of the fourth frame.

Allen led off with a base hit and took second on an error by Chase Childers. Following a Davidson pop-up, Michael Demperio moved the Georgia right fielder over to third with a double. A Panther pitching switch ensued, after which Levi Hyams grounded out to score Allen. The next two Bulldog batters were plunked before May stared at a called third strike.

The host squad showed some signs of life in the bottom of the inning, beginning with a Logan single and a Van Horn R.B.I. double. The Georgia State right fielder advanced to third on a Brandon Williams groundout and scored on a Childers single. This caused Steve Esmonde to be brought in from the bullpen and the Georgia reliever caused Michael McCree to hit into a fielder’s choice and sneaked a called third strike past Wood to close out a three-hit, two-run frame.

With the Diamond Dogs now holding a narrow 5-4 edge, Massanari got things going once more in the top of the fifth canto with a one-out single to right field. An Allen double put two men in scoring position and, after Davidson struck out, Demperio drew the walk that loaded the bases for Hyams, whose double to center field scored a trio of runs. Zach Cone popped up to put the three-hit, three-run inning in the books.

I thought about going here, what with the Bulldogs’ pinch hitter and substitute left fielder having the last name "Cone" and all, but, honestly, I couldn’t bring myself to make any joke that cast a Georgia man in the role of something orange.

Simmons walked to start the home half of the frame and Moniz delivered a base hit in the next at-bat, but Mimeault grounded into a double play and Logan struck out looking to keep the score 8-4. It looked as though that margin would remain unchanged in the visitors’ half of the sixth stanza when Cerione and May each struck out in the inning’s first two at-bats.

However, Poythress drew a base on balls in the ensuing plate appearance and Massanari put one out in right field to drive in a pair of runs. There was some additional excitement, insofar as Allen was hit by a pitch and Davidson knocked a single to third base, but there was no additional scoring before the third out was recorded.

Georgia State attempted to climb back into it against Justin Earls, commencing with Van Horn’s leadoff single in the bottom of the frame. After the next two Panthers generated outs, McCree homered to make it 10-6. Wood’s subsequent single was rendered ineffectual by Simmons’s canto-closing lineout.

The Diamond Dogs had but a trio of strikeouts to show for their efforts in the top of the seventh stanza and the Georgia hurling duties devolved upon Cecil Tanner to start the bottom of the frame. The latest Bulldog pitcher retired the side on a lineout, a pop-up, and a groundout.

Panther closer Asher Theo worked one inning, did not surrender a hit or a walk, and struck out two of the three batters he faced, but I could not for the life of me decide whether to go with an Asher Allen joke or a Theo Huxtable joke.

The eighth inning got underway with May’s leadoff single to center field in the top of the canto. Once the Red and Black third baseman had stolen second and Poythress had grounded out, Joey Lewis singled to put runners at the corners and Peter Verdin walked to load the bases. A Davidson groundout scored May to make it 11-6 but a Demperio strikeout stranded the remaining pair of baserunners.

A leadoff walk by Van Horn in the home half of the stanza was squandered when his teammates offered only outs and the Classic City Canines were set down in sequence in the top of the ninth frame. Jeff Walters took the mound in the bottom of the inning to close out the contest and he coaxed pop-ups from Wood and Simmons before striking out Moniz.

Georgia out-hit Georgia State by a 16-11 margin and gave up just two runs to the hometown Panthers in the final five frames despite a pair of Bulldog errors over the course of the contest. The Diamond Dogs were shut out in the first and last innings but scored in six of the seven stanzas intervening between them.

The Classic City Canines got production from deep in the order, as No. 6 hitter Lyle Allen went three for three, No. 7 hitter Chase Davidson went two for five with three R.B.I., and No. 9 hitter Levi Hyams batted in four runs. It was the kind of midweek game Georgia needed, one that was challenging enough without being overly so, that allowed David Perno to substitute freely, and that perhaps helped to prepare the Red and Black to host Mississippi State this weekend.

Go ‘Dawgs!