BasketJackets...NO...SLEEP...TILL...BROOKLYN!

[GTJT622]

I'm looking forward to some Thanksgiving afternoon Jackets hoops on TV.

Thursday, 2pm ESPN-U, vs Arkansas
Friday, 12:30pm ESPN-U vs loser of Villanova-Stanford if we lose Thursday or 3pm ESPN-2 vs winner of VU-SU if we win (let's hope so)

With an unexpected home ball dropper two days ago, the BasketJackets absolutely must avoid going winless in Brooklyn on this trip. A 1-1 trip would be OK. A 2-0 trip would erase the upset loss to ETSU in terms of where I thought we'd be coming home from Brooklyn.

We have a decent shot at a W in Game 1 against the Hogs, who lost a lot of production off last year's team. Arkansas is 2-1 on the season with wins over Southern U. and Charleston Southern with a home loss to Akron sandwiched in between. Over their first 3 games, they have 3 guys averaging scoring 16 or more pts.

Villanova is 4-0 and ranked #8 in the nation. They defeated the same ETSU gang who beat us by 35 pts as well as the same Akron bunch who beat the Hogs by 19.

Stanford is 2-2. They opened with an OT win over the Packers and followed up with a W over Charleston Southern at home by 34. Since then, they have lost to #25 SMU at home by 15 and at 3-0 St. Mary's by 17.

So, the chances are decent that we can get at least 1 win up north this week. Let's hope so. Coming home 3-3 on the season would be a terrible start to what once looked like a promising ray of sunshine for this season. I'd really like to (obviously) see us get the W in Game 1 so we can (likely) measure ourselves up against a top 10 type team in Nova on Friday...something we likely won't see again until Game 1 of the ACC schedule (at UNC, Jan. 2).

 

[BornAJacket]

I have had more to cheer about so far than anticipated. Is that a good omen?

 

[Buzzforlife]

Yeah, and you're better off putting that last game out of your memory.

 

[GTJT622]

At this point, I guess I'm just thankful we came back and won that close one over the Vols. How the team responds to the upset loss will tell a lot. I figure the arena Thursday afternoon will be half-full and rather quiet. That should remind our guys of home I guess.

 

[BornAJacket]

Last year, the team could not come back against TN, nor could the keep the lead once they had it, sort of like the last game ended.

I expect to win a few of the close games that were lost last season.

 

[Buzzforlife]

Preview:
http://www.myajc.com/news/sports/college/in-brooklyn-trip-not-too-early-for-tech-to-build-p/npWyL/

...and interview with CBG:
http://www.ramblinwreck.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/112515aab.html

 

[Texwood]

The Good Guys are favored by 6 over Arkansas today.

 

[GTJT622]

Mitchell with another big game today. Smith and MGH as well. Too many turnovers in 2nd half has kept us from blowing this open. Hopefully we can finish off this win here.

 

[GTJT622]

Nice win Jackets. Woohoo

 

[Texwood]

Domination on the glass (50 vs 26) and hot three point shooting (8-16) is a difficult combination to beat. Kudos to Mitchell & Lammers who owned the offensive glass today. Shout out to Adam Smith & MGH for some accurate long range bombing as well!

 

[Buzzforlife]

If Jacobs can stay out of foul trouble...
If Mitchell could be three inches taller, for those ACC games...

If your Uncle Guido was your Aunt Daisy, he would have turned out sweeter.
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' Nova ranked 8th didn't shoot particularly well yesterday, neither did Stanford.

Tough NIT final for GT definitely being the underdog on Friday.

 

[Buzzforlife]

Villanova favored by 10.5....GT keeps it close...then goes 8 minutes without scoring(with 8 turnovers in the half)...scores the last two baskets to pull to within 7 at halftime.

 

[Buzzforlife]

Out classed today....
however the weather is so beautiful, it reminds me that GT Baseball is only a little over two months away.

 

[Texwood]

Yeah, we were outclassed. Great effort by Mitchell - not much beyond his performance to be positive about. We were strong on the offensive glass again, but there were a lot of rebounding opportunities on that end. It looks like whenever Adam Smith is cold, it will be tough sledding for this team on offense.

Going forward we are going to have to learn how to make the post entry when our bigs are being fronted. Villanova did a great job of getting us out of our offensive rhythm by preventing the entry pass.

Head scratching call of the day was a set designed to get Tadric a look at a three ball coming out of a timeout in the 2nd half. I guess CBG is trying to build his confidence or something, but I don't think confidence is what he lacks.

 

[Buzzforlife]

No excuse when the offense is clogged not to go four corners spreading them out, allowing Marcus to flash the center and isolate him one on one. If they cheat or sag down/in, a shot would be open in a corner.

 

[GTJT622]

We are one game behind where I thought we'd be at this point in the season. The hope for me is that I projected us to lose 3 of these next 4 prior to the season and be 6-4 after 10 games. I feel a little better about us going more like 2-2 over these next 4 and getting back to that 6-4 where I thought we'd be.

Villanova is a top 10 ranked team for a reason. Just completely outclassed us, though storming back to start the 2nd half and tie the game (at 37 I think it was) was fun while it lasted. We got 1 win as hoped and expected.

Wofford is off to a rough start to their season (1-3). Hopefully our guys get back home and mend some mistakes they've made and take care of business. Read: bury the Terriers and don't allow them to hang around ala ETSU.