Gotta Take The Bitter With The Sweet

Censored by Laurie · November 19, 2007

First the sweet:

UNO - 65 #21. NC State - 63 - T.J. Worley banked home a 3 pointer with 1.7 seconds remaining to give the Privateers and the SBC a huge win at N.C. State. Bo McCalebb led the way with 20, Kyndall Dykes added 13, freshman post Jaroslav Tyrna 12 and Worley scored 10 in a balanced UNO attack. Interesting notes: James Parlow, the team's second leading returning scorer went scoreless for the second straight game and post Ben Elias scored 4 points on 2 of 2 shooting and currentoly boasts a 100% FG percentage in the early season after going 6 for 6 in the Privateers opener.

WKU - 87 Murray St. - 63 - WKU won a game it should have, and now prepares for a huge game Thursday as they open the Great Alaska Shootout against Gonzaga. Courtney Lee led the way for the Toppers with 18, but struggled from the field, shooting just 3 of 11. Tyrone Brazelton was more efficiant in his 7 of 8, 17 point performance. Gonzaga has knocked off its first three cupcakes in preparation for Thursday's game...and will be without the services of mushroom loving post Josh Heytveldt who has been sidelined with an injury.

USA - 76 Grambling - 56 - Daon Merritt had his best game of the season, dropping 21 and Demetric Bennett added 19 as the Jags coasted to a 20 point win. USA has a very intriguing match-up on Thursday against Miami (OH)...the Redhawks were a tournament team last year and are coming off a nice win against Xavier.

Now the bitter:

MTSU - 79 Appalachain St. - 84 - MTSU dropped 2 of 3 games in the First Shot Exempt Tournament, played on their home floor in Murfreesboro. Kevin Kanaskie led the way in the finale for the Blue Raiders with 14.

FAU - 66 Cleveland St. - 76 - Holiday Tournaments have not treated the Belt too kindly thus far as the Owls also lost 2 of 3 at the Glenn Wilkes Classic in Daytona Beach. FAU falls to 1-4 on the season and has only found consistant play from Carlos Monroe and Paul Graham...and they're making my preseason prediction of a SBC East title look pretty ridiculous right now...thanks guys!

Denver - 46 No. Colorado - 64 - Three days after the Pioneers and the SBC got a nice win against the MWC and Wyoming...Denver gets double figures from David Kummer's 10 and little else in getting run out by the Big West's Bears.

UL-Lafaytette - 56 La. Tech - 64 - Disappointing loss...especially with a game at Oral Roberts looming for the Cajuns. Elijah Milsap is legit...dropping 15 and pulling down 10 boards for his second consecutive double double. David Dees added 11, but on 1 of 7 shooting...telling the story of the 33% the Cajuns managed from the field; 25% in the second half.

ASU - 59 Tulsa - 75 - ASU continues to disappoint...and it will be a long season for the Indians if Yima Chia-Kur, Isaac Wells supposed replacement at the 4, continues to put up 1-9 shooting, 2 points and 1 total rebound. Ryan Wedel (16) and Adrian Banks (11) won't be able to carry this team with no frontcourt help. Ohhh.. and to improve matters, ASU prepares for its match-up with #3 Memphis on Tuesday...Memphis is fresh off its 11 point win over UCONN...in Storrs, CT.

and the most interesting:

UALR - 58 UTA - 68 - The Mavericks remained perfect as they prepare for UNT on Weds. UALR, fresh off a blow out win at Loyola Marymount, got 12 points each from Terrance Akins and Stevie Moore...but has yet to find a true go to guy. UALR will again play scout team for UNT as they match up with Centenary on Weds.

Green Lantern · November 19, 2007

First the sweet:
UNO - 65 #21. NC State - 63 - T.J. Worley banked home a 3 pointer with 1.7 seconds remaining to give the Privateers and the SBC a huge win at N.C. State. Bo McCalebb led the way with 20, Kyndall Dykes added 13, freshman post Jaroslav Tyrna 12 and Worley scored 10 in a balanced UNO attack. Interesting notes: James Parlow, the team's second leading returning scorer went scoreless for the second straight game and post Ben Elias scored 4 points on 2 of 2 shooting and currentoly boasts a 100% FG percentage in the early season after going 6 for 6 in the Privateers opener.
WKU - 87 Murray St. - 63 - WKU won a game it should have, and now prepares for a huge game Thursday as they open the Great Alaska Shootout against Gonzaga. Courtney Lee led the way for the Toppers with 18, but struggled from the field, shooting just 3 of 11. Tyrone Brazelton was more efficiant in his 7 of 8, 17 point performance. Gonzaga has knocked off its first three cupcakes in preparation for Thursday's game...and will be without the services of mushroom loving post Josh Heytveldt who has been sidelined with an injury.
USA - 76 Grambling - 56 - Daon Merritt had his best game of the season, dropping 21 and Demetric Bennett added 19 as the Jags coasted to a 20 point win. USA has a very intriguing match-up on Thursday against Miami (OH)...the Redhawks were a tournament team last year and are coming off a nice win against Xavier.
Now the bitter:
MTSU - 79 Appalachain St. - 84 - MTSU dropped 2 of 3 games in the First Shot Exempt Tournament, played on their home floor in Murfreesboro. Kevin Kanaskie led the way in the finale for the Blue Raiders with 14.
FAU - 66 Cleveland St. - 76 - Holiday Tournaments have not treated the Belt too kindly thus far as the Owls also lost 2 of 3 at the Glenn Wilkes Classic in Daytona Beach. FAU falls to 1-4 on the season and has only found consistant play from Carlos Monroe and Paul Graham...and they're making my preseason prediction of a SBC East title look pretty ridiculous right now...thanks guys!
Denver - 46 No. Colorado - 64 - Three days after the Pioneers and the SBC got a nice win against the MWC and Wyoming...Denver gets double figures from David Kummer's 10 and little else in getting run out by the Big West's Bears.
UL-Lafaytette - 56 La. Tech - 64 - Disappointing loss...especially with a game at Oral Roberts looming for the Cajuns. Elijah Milsap is legit...dropping 15 and pulling down 10 boards for his second consecutive double double. David Dees added 11, but on 1 of 7 shooting...telling the story of the 33% the Cajuns managed from the field; 25% in the second half.
ASU - 59 Tulsa - 75 - ASU continues to disappoint...and it will be a long season for the Indians if Yima Chia-Kur, Isaac Wells supposed replacement at the 4, continues to put up 1-9 shooting, 2 points and 1 total rebound. Ryan Wedel (16) and Adrian Banks (11) won't be able to carry this team with no frontcourt help. Ohhh.. and to improve matters, ASU prepares for its match-up with #3 Memphis on Tuesday...Memphis is fresh off its 11 point win over UCONN...in Storrs, CT.
and the most interesting:
UALR - 58 UTA - 68 - The Mavericks remained perfect as they prepare for UNT on Weds. UALR, fresh off a blow out win at Loyola Marymount, got 12 points each from Terrance Akins and Stevie Moore...but has yet to find a true go to guy. UALR will again play scout team for UNT as they match up with Centenary on Weds.

Thanks for the wrap up.

Impressive win for NO. The Belt can definitely use some more wins like this. I've been impressed with the "Top of the Belt" teams so far this season.

CBL...What are your thoughts on the WKU - Zags match up?

Also, the FAU thing...I'm not too surprised. They seemed pretty good on paper, but I wanted to actually see something from them first. What has happened to the Cajuns? They used to be perennial Belt favorites along with WKU?

chrisfisher · November 19, 2007

You forgot one important game in the sweet category: UNT vs. ISU

Censored by Laurie · November 19, 2007

Thanks for the wrap up.
Impressive win for NO. The Belt can definitely use some more wins like this. I've been impressed with the "Top of the Belt" teams so far this season.
CBL...What are your thoughts on the WKU - Zags match up?
Also, the FAU thing...I'm not too surprised. They seemed pretty good on paper, but I wanted to actually see something from them first. What has happened to the Cajuns? They used to be perennial Belt favorites along with WKU?

Neither team has played anyone yet...WKU struggled for a half with Kentucky Wesylyan, Gonzaga struggled for a half with Idaho (before holding them to 13 second half points). Gonzaga would clearly be the better team with Josh Heytvelt...w/o him though I think WKU has a shot...but it will take near perfection. The Zags have 3 or 4 players they can play on Courtney Lee, including 6'10" freshman Austin Daye who is leading the team in scoring and 6'8 Micah Downs, a Kansas transfer...their length and athleticism will make it difficult for Lee to get his shot and if he's not scoring WKu does not have enough fire power to hang with Gonzaga.

FAU is just awful in the backcourt...as for UL-L...Jessie Evans happened to them...he violated NCAA recruiting rules in bringing in guys like Orien Greene and the team hasn't had a winning season since he left. Their struggles have hurt the SBC's credibility greatly.

Buford_Julep · November 19, 2007

It is amazing to me that New Orleans could beat #21 NC State on a night that Bo McCalebb shoots 5-19 from the field. So much for the one-man-team theory.

Edited November 19, 2007 by Buford_Julep

Censored by Laurie · November 19, 2007

You forgot one important game in the sweet category: UNT vs. ISU

Good point...thought that one went without saying...definently very sweet.

It is amazing to me that New Orleans could beat #21 NC State on a night that Bo McCalebb shoots 5-19 from the field. So much for the one-man-team theory.

This Kyndall Dykes kid can appearantly play...in UNO's opener he led the team in scoring, last season UNO had only 10 games in which Bo didn't lead the team in scoring. If Parlow can find his shooting touch and they continue to get either Tyrna or Elias to put up points and boards like they have so far and UNO may be a serious contender.

Green Lantern · November 19, 2007

Good point...thought that one went without saying...definently very sweet.
This Kyndall Dykes kid can appearantly play...in UNO's opener he led the team in scoring, last season UNO had only 10 games in which Bo didn't lead the team in scoring. If Parlow can find his shooting touch and they continue to get either Tyrna or Elias to put up points and boards like they have so far and UNO may be a serious contender.

This worries me a bit. It has seemed that NT has been "snake bit" when it comes to NO (and specifically BO) in previous years. Could make for an interesting match up down the line since both teams seem to have added significant firepower to this years squads. Hopefully with our current team, we will buck that trend.

Censored by Laurie · November 19, 2007

This worries me a bit. It has seemed that NT has been "snake bit" when it comes to NO (and specifically BO) in previous years. Could make for an interesting match up down the line since both teams seem to have added significant firepower to this years squads. Hopefully with our current team, we will buck that trend.

Im begining to get the feeling that this season's UNT team isn't going to be the type of team thats going to lose many games that it shouldn't...and UNO games are those games. The past two seasons we've clearly been the more talented team, just couldn't find a way to pull out wins. UTA game is another example last season...JJ has a pretty good record of strong showings against better compition (Indiana, Houston, Memphis, OSU, Western Kentucky) but has a similar case of let fown games. Indiana State could've been that let down game...off a big win for us, with a bit of a rivalry game ahead...and ISU coming off an embarrassing loss...it would've been very easy to overlook them.

mwynn05 · November 19, 2007

Im begining to get the feeling that this season's UNT team isn't going to be the type of team thats going to lose many games that it shouldn't...and UNO games are those games. The past two seasons we've clearly been the more talented team, just couldn't find a way to pull out wins. UTA game is another example last season...JJ has a pretty good record of strong showings against better compition (Indiana, Houston, Memphis, OSU, Western Kentucky) but has a similar case of let fown games. Indiana State could've been that let down game...off a big win for us, with a bit of a rivalry game ahead...and ISU coming off an embarrassing loss...it would've been very easy to overlook them.

I agree if we continue to play solid defense we wont lose many games we shouldnt

Green Lantern · November 19, 2007

I agree if we continue to play solid defense we wont lose many games we shouldnt

Having Josh handle the ball and knock down FT's coming down the stretch of games won't hurt either.

Censored by Laurie · November 19, 2007

Having Josh handle the ball and knock down FT's coming down the stretch of games won't hurt either.

On that topic...and certainly not to rain on the Josh White love fest...but he is currently third in the Sun Belt with 3.7 turnovers per game...and hes averaging just 1.0 assists.

On the plus side...he's 10th in the league in scoring average with 16.7 ppg on 55% shooting.

Quoner · November 19, 2007

On that topic...and certainly not to rain on the Josh White love fest...but he is currently third in the Sun Belt with 3.7 turnovers per game...and hes averaging just 1.0 assists.
On the plus side...he's 10th in the league in scoring average with 16.7 ppg on 55% shooting.

Stats are for queers!