'72 Orange
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I have been sick as a dog all week and there was no way I was going to be able to stay up and watch the game live to its conclusion. I especially did not relish the possibility of watching the team play like when I felt the same.
I woke up this morning feeling a little better but pulled a muscle in my stomach coughing up a lung which I took as a bad omen. So with much anticipation/trepidation I fired up the DVR and settled in for the game.
Thankfully fears of a reprise of a Vermont/Richmond debacle were quickly dispelled by the intensity and activity of the zone, our FG accuracy (esp from3) and our crashing the boards against the smaller Grizz. I was stuck by how much it looked like a varsity/JV match-up. Montana was well coached and knew what to do against the zone, but the disparity in height and length made that an exercise in futility. I kept waiting for the Grizz to start ligthing it up from 3 but with each subsequent dry one-and done possession by them made me feel a little bit better.
Our domination of the first half was just the tonic I needed. Loved that the team started hot and kept their foot on the neck of the opponent. Despite that, my SU fan paranoia would not go away. In the back of my mind I had the gnawing fear that the team would realize what they had just accomplished and would "mail it in" in the 2nd half.
Before the start of the 2nd half they showed close-ups of Rak & CJ on the floor. Based on the expression on their faces I knew that fear was going to be baseless. Thankfully we kept the "pedal to the metal" and our intensity on D remained vise-like. Keeping the Grizz below 20 until just 10 mins remained in the game was just startling.
I am convinced that I have zero ability to predict events in the postseason. I had New Mexico going to the final in one of my pools and I would have bet my life that DC2 would never see any game time in March. His 12 pts/6 board line in 15 mins is just a miracle. Granted it was against the "Little Sister's of the Poor" but it couldn't have come at a better time. He now becomes a viable offensive alternative at the 5 and could be our instant offense 6th man off the bench - LOL!
Other good signs were that Jerami & Trevor got their Tourney baptism and had productive stints and that Matt Lyde-Cajuste played just two minutes less than BMK!
This competition level in our bracket is shaping up like a microcosm of our typical season schedule wise. This game was like one of our early twinkies we jack up our stats against. Cal will be like the level of competition we face in the Coaches Vs Cancer tourney. If we advance, Indiana will be like the intensity of the Big East. It is a nice progression thaat should serve us well.
As others have noted, Seth Davis was hilarious donning the orange gear. Let's hope he keeps picking against us a-la Digger Phelps. It's good mojo.
Cal will definitely be a road game environment and that if we dont show up intensity wise, we will be leaving the tourney with a bad taste in our mouths. Despite my SU fan paranoia, I like our chances. Keep up the intensity guys and make us proud.
I woke up this morning feeling a little better but pulled a muscle in my stomach coughing up a lung which I took as a bad omen. So with much anticipation/trepidation I fired up the DVR and settled in for the game.
Thankfully fears of a reprise of a Vermont/Richmond debacle were quickly dispelled by the intensity and activity of the zone, our FG accuracy (esp from3) and our crashing the boards against the smaller Grizz. I was stuck by how much it looked like a varsity/JV match-up. Montana was well coached and knew what to do against the zone, but the disparity in height and length made that an exercise in futility. I kept waiting for the Grizz to start ligthing it up from 3 but with each subsequent dry one-and done possession by them made me feel a little bit better.
Our domination of the first half was just the tonic I needed. Loved that the team started hot and kept their foot on the neck of the opponent. Despite that, my SU fan paranoia would not go away. In the back of my mind I had the gnawing fear that the team would realize what they had just accomplished and would "mail it in" in the 2nd half.
Before the start of the 2nd half they showed close-ups of Rak & CJ on the floor. Based on the expression on their faces I knew that fear was going to be baseless. Thankfully we kept the "pedal to the metal" and our intensity on D remained vise-like. Keeping the Grizz below 20 until just 10 mins remained in the game was just startling.
I am convinced that I have zero ability to predict events in the postseason. I had New Mexico going to the final in one of my pools and I would have bet my life that DC2 would never see any game time in March. His 12 pts/6 board line in 15 mins is just a miracle. Granted it was against the "Little Sister's of the Poor" but it couldn't have come at a better time. He now becomes a viable offensive alternative at the 5 and could be our instant offense 6th man off the bench - LOL!
Other good signs were that Jerami & Trevor got their Tourney baptism and had productive stints and that Matt Lyde-Cajuste played just two minutes less than BMK!
This competition level in our bracket is shaping up like a microcosm of our typical season schedule wise. This game was like one of our early twinkies we jack up our stats against. Cal will be like the level of competition we face in the Coaches Vs Cancer tourney. If we advance, Indiana will be like the intensity of the Big East. It is a nice progression thaat should serve us well.
As others have noted, Seth Davis was hilarious donning the orange gear. Let's hope he keeps picking against us a-la Digger Phelps. It's good mojo.
Cal will definitely be a road game environment and that if we dont show up intensity wise, we will be leaving the tourney with a bad taste in our mouths. Despite my SU fan paranoia, I like our chances. Keep up the intensity guys and make us proud.
