What does Vermont's win at Boston University Tuesday night mean for the Black Bears?
It means that UMaine needs to knock off Stony Brook Wednesday and complete a season sweep of the Seawolves to retain realistic hopes of a regular-season title and the No. 1 seed for the America East tournament.
Top of the AE:
Stony Brook ... 8-2
Vermont ......... 9-3
Maine .............. 8-3
By virtue of its season sweep, Vermont wins any tie-breaker with UMaine. That's why BU's failure to hold a four-point lead with a minute left stung a bit in the Black Bears' camp. If BU holds on, Vermont is saddled with a fourth loss with upcoming games against Binghamton and Stony Brook. Now, Vermont is in prime position to make a run at the title ... barring a major slipup. I don't see that happening.
That makes tomorrow night's game on Long Island huge. Win and the Black Bears are likely in the hunt to the end.
Remaining schedules of the AE leaders:
Stony Brook
Maine
Binghamton
at UMBC
at Albany
Vermont
atUNH
Vermont
UNH
at Hartford
at Stony Brook
Binghamton
Maine
at Stony Brook
at UNH
Hartford
Albany
at Boston U.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Bob Knight brain cramp
Did Bob Knight forget who votes in the ESPN/USA Today college basketball poll? Last night, during the Texas/Kansas game, play-by-play man Brent Musburger asked Knight what he thought of North Carolina and how far they've fallen since being ranked No. 4 in the pre-season.
Knight's answer (paraphrased): "You've got to remember that the people who vote in these things don't know what they're talking about. They don't know who's good and who's not good."
Knight works for ESPN and the ESPN/USA Today poll is voted on by college coaches across the country.
Musburger didn't respond. But I thought I heard Dick Vitale screaming from Orlando, "He's the general, Robert Montgomery Knight, he's a legend, oooooooh, college hoops bay-bee, he's a legend, did you hear what he said. Ooooooh, I wonder what Coach K thinks?"
Knight's answer (paraphrased): "You've got to remember that the people who vote in these things don't know what they're talking about. They don't know who's good and who's not good."
Knight works for ESPN and the ESPN/USA Today poll is voted on by college coaches across the country.
Musburger didn't respond. But I thought I heard Dick Vitale screaming from Orlando, "He's the general, Robert Montgomery Knight, he's a legend, oooooooh, college hoops bay-bee, he's a legend, did you hear what he said. Ooooooh, I wonder what Coach K thinks?"
Recruiting trail
Black Bears have reportedly offered to Latif Rivers of Avon Old Farms (Conn.).Rivers, a 6-0 guard, earned New England Recruiting Report accolades last week for his performance. He scored 24 points with seven assists and three steals vs. Westminster and followed it up with 36 points, four assists and five steals against Kent.
His season averages: 20.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.5 steals.
ESPN's Insider on Rivers: "Rivers is a power guard with all the tools. He shoots it well from behind the arc, has a powerful frame, and goes hard to the rim. He plays with a super high motor and has the ball skills to play some point, but can dominate the ball ..."
Rivers also lists St. Peters, Long Island, Stony Brook, New Hampshire, Eastern Kentucky, Lehigh and Central Connecticut as suitors.
Looking back
When UMBC upset the Black Bears on Jan. 30 at Alfond Arena, it was natural to reflect on the game two years earlier, when UMaine -- on its way to a 7-23 season -- toppled eventual America East champ UMBC on its home floor.
Of course, a big difference in the two upsets was the fact Maine's win took place a month earlier in the league schedule and nobody knew how badly UMaine would stumble the rest of the year. The Retrievers were a good team and everybody knew it. Last week's UMBC upset was authored by a team that already had nine- and 11-game losing streaks on its resume.
Just for kicks, let's look at the results of the "payback" games from those two seasons. In 2008, UMBC traveled to Orono and pasted the Black Bears by 17 (85-68). Yesterday, the Black Bears led by as many as 38 before settling for a 21-point verdict (84-63).
What does it all mean? Not sure ... yet.
Of course, a big difference in the two upsets was the fact Maine's win took place a month earlier in the league schedule and nobody knew how badly UMaine would stumble the rest of the year. The Retrievers were a good team and everybody knew it. Last week's UMBC upset was authored by a team that already had nine- and 11-game losing streaks on its resume.
Just for kicks, let's look at the results of the "payback" games from those two seasons. In 2008, UMBC traveled to Orono and pasted the Black Bears by 17 (85-68). Yesterday, the Black Bears led by as many as 38 before settling for a 21-point verdict (84-63).
What does it all mean? Not sure ... yet.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Black Bears 84, UMBC 63
UMaine will play for at least a piece of first place Wednesday night at Stony Brook after Monday's thrashing of UMBC.
Gerald McLemore poured in 8 of 12 shots (7 of 10 from range) for 25 points as the Black Bears gained revenge for the last-second loss to the Retrievers just nine days ago.
The Black Bears (16-8, 8-3 America East) pulled to within a half-game of first-place Stony Brook (8-2 America East). Vermont is 8-3 in the league and plays Boston University Tuesday night.
Gerald McLemore poured in 8 of 12 shots (7 of 10 from range) for 25 points as the Black Bears gained revenge for the last-second loss to the Retrievers just nine days ago.
The Black Bears (16-8, 8-3 America East) pulled to within a half-game of first-place Stony Brook (8-2 America East). Vermont is 8-3 in the league and plays Boston University Tuesday night.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Black Bears (15-8, 7-3) at UMBC (2-21, 1-9)
Monday, Feb. 8, 7 p.m.
The RAC, Baltimore
Fresh in the Black Bears' minds will be the stinging loss to Maryland-Baltimore County less than two weeks ago at Alfond Arena. At least, it should provide some motivation. The loss knocked UMaine out of first place and snapped a six-game winning streak.
On the line Monday for the Black Bears will be an opportunity to play for first place. Should UMaine knock off the Retrievers, they'd move within a half game of Stony Brook. They head to Long Island with a chance to reclaim a piece of first place Wednesday.
Look for UMaine to build on the Binghamton performance. The offense was spotty (efficient at times and a bit stale at others), but the defense was consistent and did a great job frustrating the Bearcats' top threats.
If the Black Bears can continue to produce points both inside and out, like they did in spurts against Binghamton, they have a chance to extract some revenge.
UMBC seems to be leaning more and more on freshman guard Chris De La Rosa. Look for UMaine to try and cut him off of bit. Stay in front of him and make someone else make plays. Look for Sean McNally, Troy Barnies, Murphy Burnatowski and Mike Allison to have solid games on the interior. If Malachi Peay can find his game, it would provide a big lift down the stretch.
The Retrievers are coming off a 79-60 home loss to Vermont Friday. UMaine topped Binghamton Saturday, 61-49.
The RAC, Baltimore
Fresh in the Black Bears' minds will be the stinging loss to Maryland-Baltimore County less than two weeks ago at Alfond Arena. At least, it should provide some motivation. The loss knocked UMaine out of first place and snapped a six-game winning streak.
On the line Monday for the Black Bears will be an opportunity to play for first place. Should UMaine knock off the Retrievers, they'd move within a half game of Stony Brook. They head to Long Island with a chance to reclaim a piece of first place Wednesday.
Look for UMaine to build on the Binghamton performance. The offense was spotty (efficient at times and a bit stale at others), but the defense was consistent and did a great job frustrating the Bearcats' top threats.
If the Black Bears can continue to produce points both inside and out, like they did in spurts against Binghamton, they have a chance to extract some revenge.
UMBC seems to be leaning more and more on freshman guard Chris De La Rosa. Look for UMaine to try and cut him off of bit. Stay in front of him and make someone else make plays. Look for Sean McNally, Troy Barnies, Murphy Burnatowski and Mike Allison to have solid games on the interior. If Malachi Peay can find his game, it would provide a big lift down the stretch.
The Retrievers are coming off a 79-60 home loss to Vermont Friday. UMaine topped Binghamton Saturday, 61-49.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Black Bears 61, Binghamton 49
Black Bears needed this one. Black Bears came out of the halftime locker room and took it.
After visiting Binghamton cut the Black Bear lead to 50-49 with a shade more than 2 minutes to go, UMaine closed with an 11-0 run for an important America East victory.
With the win, UMaine moves into sole possession of third-place, a half-game behind Vermont. The Black Bears and Vermont are even in the loss column. The Black Bears will board a plane for Baltimore Sunday en route to Monday's game at UMBC. It will be the first of three straight road games for UMaine.
Binghamton (11-14, 6-4 Amercia East) had come to Maine (15-8, 7-3) on a four-game win streak.
Sean McNally (15 points, 13 rebounds, 2 blocks) and Terrance Mitchell (15 points, 4 rebounds) sparked UMaine. Mitchell scored 14 of his points in the first half as the Black Bears struggled to a 25-22 lead.
Gerald McLemore contributed nine points and five rebounds and Murphy Burnatowski added seven points, five rebounds and two blocks.
The Black Bears' defense was consistent throughout, holding Binghamton's top scorer, Greer Wright to 11 points, all in the second half. Wright entered the game averaging 23 a game during the Bearcats' four-game winning streak. UMaine held a 6- to 10-point lead for much of the second half.
So frustrated were the Bearcats with their offensive sets that they resorted to spreading the floor and just giving the ball to Wright and asking him to go one-on-one. It didn't work as the Black Bears pulled away after the lead was cut to one. McLemore hit a huge 3-pointer from the left corner late in the contest.
After visiting Binghamton cut the Black Bear lead to 50-49 with a shade more than 2 minutes to go, UMaine closed with an 11-0 run for an important America East victory.
With the win, UMaine moves into sole possession of third-place, a half-game behind Vermont. The Black Bears and Vermont are even in the loss column. The Black Bears will board a plane for Baltimore Sunday en route to Monday's game at UMBC. It will be the first of three straight road games for UMaine.
Binghamton (11-14, 6-4 Amercia East) had come to Maine (15-8, 7-3) on a four-game win streak.
Sean McNally (15 points, 13 rebounds, 2 blocks) and Terrance Mitchell (15 points, 4 rebounds) sparked UMaine. Mitchell scored 14 of his points in the first half as the Black Bears struggled to a 25-22 lead.
Gerald McLemore contributed nine points and five rebounds and Murphy Burnatowski added seven points, five rebounds and two blocks.
The Black Bears' defense was consistent throughout, holding Binghamton's top scorer, Greer Wright to 11 points, all in the second half. Wright entered the game averaging 23 a game during the Bearcats' four-game winning streak. UMaine held a 6- to 10-point lead for much of the second half.
So frustrated were the Bearcats with their offensive sets that they resorted to spreading the floor and just giving the ball to Wright and asking him to go one-on-one. It didn't work as the Black Bears pulled away after the lead was cut to one. McLemore hit a huge 3-pointer from the left corner late in the contest.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
