Mid Major Bragging Rights Up For Grabs: CofC vs George Mason

Ryan Pearson may have cost GMU a win in 2009, but now he's the Patriots best player

College of Charleston (10-2, 2-0)

George Mason University (8-4, 2-0)

TD Arena

Tipoff at 7pm on ESPN3

Hope everyone had a merry holiday season and is ready to take on the new year, but the Cougars have one more tough test before 2012 begins. On December 30th the College of Charleston gets one more chance to knock off a quality OOC opponent when the George Mason Patriots return to TD Arena (having played in the 2010 Charleston Classic). Both teams are among the best non-BCS teams in the country and a win over the other will look good on the ol' March resume. 

This game holds particular meaning to me because I grew up in northern Virginia and have a number of close friends who are George Mason alumni. Another win by the Cougs over the Patriots would further justify CofC's place in mid-major hoops in their eyes. Fans of both teams should remember how, two years ago, this matchup went down to the wire before a charging foul was called on Ryan Pearson's game-tying layup*. The Cougars held on for a great Bracketbuster road victory at the Patriot Center.  

All five starters from that CofC team are now gone and the Patriots are a vastly different team as well. Under new coach Paul Hewitt, the Patriots squeaked out an OT victory over Rhode Island before dropping two of their next three games to Florida International and Florida Atlantic (both in OT as well). Since then, Mason has only lost to a strong UVA team on the road and Duquesne at home.

This game is going to depend on which team takes better advantage of their mismatch. The Cougar backcourt has the edge over Mason's guard play. One of the reasons why the Patriots have really been struggling is their 15.6 turnovers per game. Their guards are largely inexperienced and succumb to defensive pressure. GMU has gotten a boost from senior guard Andre Cornelius (who missed the first 10 games via suspension) but he is slowly being integrated into Hewitt's game plan. I know, the Cougars turn it over a lot too (14 per game) but our guards have been good at not giving the ball away with the exception of the Louisville game. 

The Cougars hold the disadvantage inside the paint. Although the physicality and size of Mason's forwards is nothing compared to the BCS teams we've faced, both Pearson and Mike Morrison are seniors who play effectively and clean the glass pretty well (15 rpg between them). Wiedeman and Baru will have to play smart and resist the temptation to foul because Sundberg is...well, Sundberg. Trent has got to be relieved that he finally gets to pick on kids his own size and Adjehi seems to be maturing every week. 


On paper, this should be a Cougar victory. Mason is a great team but we're playing at home and have held our own against a number of quality opponents. Unfortunately the game is not played on paper and the Cougars will certainly have their hands full with a motivated GMU squad. If we start off flat, aren't hitting threes and look like we haven't played in a week; the Patriots will take this one. Same scenario occurs if we cough the ball up too many times. I think we'll have enough offensive firepower between Wiggins, Lawrence and Sundberg to outscore the second-chance points GMU will likely get. Coming off winter vacation, the boys have to look sharp before getting into Socon play. Go Cougars!

*you'll also notice in that video how Pearson tries to take off Tony White's head with a hard elbow

Seven Free Points the Difference vs Coastal

Final Score: College of Charleston 77, Coastal Carolina 70

Top Performers: Matt Sundberg 17 points (5-7 3pt)

                              Andrew Lawrence 18 points, 7 assists

In a game that could have gone either way, seven unexpected points for the Cougars ended up being the difference last night in Conway. 

Before the game even began, the Cougars were ahead 4-0. Unbeknownst to me and apparently two Chanticleers, one is not allowed to dunk in pregame warmups once the refs walk onto the floor. The two players were charged a Class B technical foul which resulted in four free throw attempts for the Cougars. Andrew Lawrence sank all of them and then the opening tip took place. Very strange series of events.

Building off their premature lead, the Cougars expanded upon their score by getting the ball to a still hot Matt Sundberg. Sunny D matched his career high in points (15) in the first half, draining 5 shots from outside. Listening to the game on radio (right after FDR addressed the nation and Orson Welles scared the hell out of me), the strategy seemed to be: Andrew Lawrence drives, CCU defense collapses, outlet to Matt, score. Notice how many assists Lawrence had. Trent and Adjehi put in their second solid performances as they both performed admirably against 6'11 Jon Pack and 6'8 Sam McLaurin. Baru had 8 points and 7 rebounds while Wiedeman had 9 and 6. 

The play of the game came as time expired on the first half. The Cougars were ahead 38-29, had the ball and were looking to get the last shot. Wiggins had it stolen as he dribbled around the perimeter (surprise?). Coastal bailed us out by missing the layup and Wiggins quickly inbounded the ball to Matt with 3 seconds to go. Matt heaved it from half court and got his 5th three pointer of the night. Also, Everett German called it in the air like a boss. The only video I can find of the shot is from WCIV-TV.

In the second half, the Cougars built the lead to as many as 17 before lethargic play got the Chants back into it on one or two runs. I know holding onto leads late has been an issue for this team, but the guys get a pass based on the circumstances. They easily could have come into this game playing slow and sloppy after the Louisville loss and travel. 

As Cremins stated after the game, this was a great win heading into Christmas break. Not that it necessarily should've been a loss, but I know many Cougar fans thought it easily could have been our third defeat. Now the Cougars get to take some time off before returning to the comfortable confines of TD Arena for a game against George Mason. 

Thanks, ESPN

Up Next: Chanticleers in Conway

Coastal Carolina (9-2, 2-0)

College of Charleston (9-2, 2-0)

Myrtle Beach High School Gymnasium 

Tipoff at 7pm

With heavy legs and body-length bruises, the Cougars make their way to Dirty Myrtle just 2 days after taking #4 Louisville down to the wire. This game has letdown written all over it. If Bobby can just get them up for one game, the Cougs can go home and relax over Christmas break. Can't drop this one though. The Chanticleers have three BIG men including a 6'11 senior named Jon Pack. Guard Anthony Raffa can also really score. Just rebound and don't drop this one please, CofC.  

Late Turnovers, Missed Shots Doom Cougars vs Louisville

Final Score: Louisville 69, College of Charleston 62

Top Performers: Antwaine Wiggins 23 points, 7 rebounds

                             Matt Sundberg 9 points, 9 rebounds

Moral victories and learning experiences are sometimes hard to swallow. I know it hurts now for Wiedeman, Lawrence and company but there are a lot of positives to be taken from this game. To outplay the #4 team in the country for 37 minutes on their home court is very impressive. To do it with a team from the Southern Conference that plays one senior is even more satisfying. We've come down to the wire in three of our games this year (UNCA, UTC and CSU) and been fortunate enough to come away with a victory in each. Sooner or later we were gonna drop one and I would rather it be against a team like Louisville. Pitino and his staff had nothing but praise for this young Cougars team and Cremins needs to remind the kids of how well they played before heading to Coastal. 

Wiggins is going to be front and center on many of the highlight reels, but the Cougars got contributions from other places to stay in this one. Matt Sundberg probably played the best all-aroung game of his career, flirting with a double-double. He hit some big threes (and threw up a baller Jamario Moon three-goggle) and collected rebounds like I have never seen before. Adjehi Baru showed tremendous maturity by attacking the basket and going a perfect 6-6 from the line. He also added eight strong rebounds. 

We knew the Cardinal's defense was their strength going in and they absolutely neutralized Wiedeman and frustrated Lawrence and Scott down the stretch. Once Louisville started hitting shots in the final minutes, the crowd came alive and gave the Cards a boost. By this point Stitt and Lawrence were running on empty and the full court pressure forced them into some bad turnovers. 

"Poor Wiedeman." That was the text I received from several of my friends as time expired. The kid battled against bigger and stronger opponents all night on defense. When crunch time finally arrived, Trent missed a pair of easy lay-ups that could have changed the series of events in the final two minutes. He needs to not beat himself up because that kind of performance in the Socon will get you Player of the Week status.

There is little time for sulking as the Cougars have two more games against great competition. Next up is Coastal on the road tomorrow and then George Mason at home on the 30th. The Chanticleers should be shaking in their sneakers at the potential of these Cougars. I really hope we have something left in the tank to take them down. Go Cougars!

Davidson Defeats #11 Kansas in KC

Read all about it here. Getting revenge from their 2008 last second loss in the Elite 8, Davidson played a sloppy first half but hit big shots in the 2nd to put the Jayhawks away with ease. Kansas looked flat and out of rhythm all night but I was really impressed with Davidson's big men. De'mon Brooks continues to look very impressive. Great win for the Socon and for the Wildcats. Now we gotta one-up them and knock off the Cardinals.

The Biggest Test So Far

Louisville (10-0, 0-0)

College of Charleston (9-1, 2-0)

KFC Yum! Center, Louisville, Kentucky 

Tipoff at 9pm on ESPNU

Tomorrow night the Cougars face the toughest team, the winningest coach and loudest home court they will see all season. The game against Louisville on national TV December 20th was a game I had circled on the schedule since the summer. So far we have played far above expectations for stretches at a time. When we're in the zone (both menatlly, and on defense) we're tough for any team to beat. However, we have struggled to dominate teams like CSU and UTC and gotten our marquee wins against the SEC and ACC bottom feeders. Our record is fantastic and something to be proud of, but this game is a real measuring stick for the Cougars.

Louisville is about as solid a team as there is this year. Unlike the last top-10 team we defeated, the Cardinals are not a team of McDonalds All-Americans with lots of upside. They are an upperclassmen-led group who play together, love to pass and play fundamental defense. They rebound extremely well (with six players on the team above 6'7) at about 43 boards a game. Like most Big East teams, the Cardinals are loaded with athleticism and strength. However, they use this talent on defense more so than on offense. Just watching highlights of them, you can see how their speed pays dividends. The team is nearly unstoppable in transition and even when you get an open look, many of the players are fast enough and long enough to disrupt the shot.

Of course no team is unbeatable and I think the Cougars will turn a few heads in "The Bucket". The key for me with this game is going to be the front line of Trent, Adjehi and Wiggins. Three things need to happen with those guys:

1) Rebound, Rebound and Rebound. 

2) Stay out of foul trouble. If I see Sundberg and Carlton playing extended minutes in the paint, you can find me sobbing into my couch cushion.

3) Stay aggressive. You ever notice how we always feed the post to start our games? I think Baru has scored our first basket in like six of our games. Let's keep doing that, even when we have a comfortable lead.

3a) Adjehi needs to establish position DEEP in the post, Wiedeman needs to go up strong with his shots and Wiggins needs to keep slashing.

This is the first of a very tough three game stretch for the Cougars and could set the tone for the mini road trip they are about to embark on. If we keep it within single digits I will be thrilled. If we play hard, see some player development and stay injury free I'll be very happy. It's going to take a near-perfect performance from everyone to win this one. Go Cougars!

*One more important thing. Please address the turnovers and foul shooting, coaching staff. If we have those problems tomorrow it'll be a very humiliating nationally televised performance.

Cougs Edge Bucs in Another Sloppy One

Trent's BIG rebound and Wiggins' dunk sealed this game late

Final Score: College of Charleston 70, Charleston Southern 68
Top Performers: Antwaine Wiggins 18 points, 11 rebounds
                              Trent Wiedeman 4 points, 10 rebounds in 22 minutes

Another nail-biter finish for CofC fans and another squandered double digit lead by the Cougars but once again, a win is a win. Charleston Southern committed just five turnovers, made some great hustle plays and shot lights out from three. The Cougars didn't really seem to get up for this game and looked sloppy for most of the contest. This was a one basket victory for two reasons: turnovers and poor free throw shooting.

Andrew Lawrence and Anthony Stitt played very uncharacteristically and combined to cough up the ball a total of ten times. And that was only half of the teams total for the evening. Charleston Southern is a great defensive team (including Kelvin Martin, who is a beast) and they were able to put enough man-to-man pressure on our point guards to get the type of easy fast break buckets we saw against Tennessee.

The Cougars as a team were pathetic from the charity stripe. Shooting 50% when you're given 26 opportunities is the type of performance that will come back to bite you in the ass one day. Adjehi Baru struggled the most (2-8) and his freshman teammate Anthony Stitt didn't fare too great either (5-8). Sometimes with these young players it seems to be a mental thing. You miss the first few and you let it get into your head and it causes you to get out of rhythm. Our conference opponents are sure to hack Baru a lot and judging by the way Stitt drives to the basket with reckless abandon; he'll need to take advantage of the free points opportunity.

This game was firmly in hand before our play got really sloppy in the final ten minutes. I would say from Baru's goal tending call on was probably the worst of it. Turnovers, the lid over the basket whenever we shot free throws and giving up those second chance shots under the basket for CSU.

We were lucky to win this game without any mental focus. The sad reality is that the Big South is the superior conference and the fact that CSU will be a top team helps our RPI and SOS. We all know about what awaits us in Louisville on Tuesday. Cougars need to bring their A game for a full 40 minutes if we want to have a shot.

More random tidbits and thoughts:

• It may have been just a sliver of daylight, but we actually had a brief Jordan Scott sighting. He was more aggressive than he has been lately and even though his shots weren't falling (the fouled dunk, the open jumper from 5 feet out) he had good looks. He thrives off his own confidence. When we get him going early he adds another weapon to our team.
• The officiating was once again rather questionable. Not that it was at all biased, but when players are rolling over each other on the ground, catching elbows in a pack of bodies under the basket and I can hear the hand slaps on TV, something's gotta change.
• Sundberg and the defensive rotations. It looks like he knows where he needs to be, he's just so slow and doesn't anticipate the switch
• Wiggins did more slashing and a little less dribbling. That play where he went through 4 defenders, got fouled and sunk the finger roll is what I want to see from him every game. Great rebounding too by the senior.

CofC vs CSU

"Charleston" my ass

College of Charleston (8-1, 2-0)

Charleston Southern University (6-3, 2-0)

TD Arena

Tipoff at 6 pm on ESPN3

Coming off the big psychological win over an SEC opponent, the Cougars have got a quick turnaround and will face off against intercity (make that inter-county) opponent Charleston Southern tonight at 6 on ESPN3. This game I guess has the potential to be a letdown; but I don't see it happening, regardless of how well CSU is playing so far. 

For one, our bigs have always had a field day when they play the Buccaneers.  I can remember the last couple years watching Jeremy, Antwaine and Willis have near career best performances against the much smaller CSU forwards. This should once again be the case as we have a significant size advantage over the Bucs front line. This might be the day we finally see that formidable Baru-Wiedeman combination do some damage inside. 

CSU is coming off a 88-69 whooping of Citadel and will likely be pumped to take on the Cougars. If either of these teams faced some travel, or CSU had more time to rest, I would be more worried about this game. The only reason why this contest could be a loss is if we're looking ahead (still my theory on what happened against UCF) to the Louisville game. Thats why I politely ask our players to keep the momentum going and take care of CSU before we do anything further. Go Cougars!

Wiggins Comes Through as Cougars Defeat Vols

Ten quick thoughts on this one:

1) There were two predictions I gave in the preview post as to why the Cougs should win this game. The first was home court advantage and the second was Wiggins playing up to his potential whenever he goes against the University of Tennessee. Call me Nostradamus because Wiggins was huge (24 points on 10-12 shooting) and the home crowd really put the final nail in the coffin by helping spurt the second half run.

2) When our offense is clicking (the middle part of the second half), we are hard to stop. Difficult for any team to go up against that kind of balanced scoring with the Cougar faithful behind us.

3) The 11 day layoff in play might have had its effect on the Cougars, but the level of penetration that the Vols were getting on the Sundberg-Wiedeman frontcourt was unacceptable. We ended up getting out-rebounded for the game by 6, but that number would have been much higher had it not been for Tennessee collecting just 4 rebounds in the first 8 minutes of the second half.

4) One more thing that needs to get fixed this week: the unforced turnovers by the perimeter players. Way too much east-west dribbling by Wiggins and the turnover off Jordan's foot had me pulling my hair out. Those type of fast break dunks by opponents will kill you on the road.

5) The Stitt to Baru pick-and-roll game is going to be a play to watch over the next four years. The pass Anthony had to a rolling Adjehi for the jam was a thing of beauty.

6) The seven man rotation (with Nori coming in occasionally for Wiggins) seems to be pretty set by this point and James Carlton looks to be the odd one out. So much potential there, gotta get the IQ part down.

7) FREE THROWS! 53% for the team on the night?! Never really expect Wiggins to hit them but Lawrence and Wiedeman combined to be 8-15. Caused the game to be closer than it should've been down the stretch.

8) Tennessee will be a better team in February.

9) Refs let the play get a little too chippy for my liking in the first half. The calls went both ways but I think the physicality got to Baru. He had it going offensively for a bit but Dwight Miller took it to him in the first half.

10) Students rushing the court. Come on man. We were favored to win, those students who actually follow basketball expected us to win and the game wasn't much of a nail-biter. Props to the majority of students who kept their cool and stayed in the stands. Rush the court when we finally win the Socon Tournament.  

Tennessee Highlights

Some things need to be fixed before we go to Louisville, but overall a nice win. Recap is going to be a little late but I'll try to get it up before this weekend. Go Cougs.

Tennessee Rematch at TD Arena Tomorrow

College of Charleston (7-1, 2-0)

Tennessee (3-5, 0-0)

TD Arena

Tipoff at 9pm on ESPN2

With the end of final exams in sight, the Cougars can finally get back to basketball tomorrow night as they get a chance to knock off an SEC opponent on the TD Arena floor. The last time the Vols and Cougs faced off, the senior-laden visitors opened up a 91-78 can on Bruce Pearl's squad.

Much like when these two teams played in December of last year, the Volunteers are being their usual inconsistent selves. They've shown up and played close in their losses to Duke, Memphis and Pitt but lost to both Oakland and most recently Austin Peay. Their three wins on the season have come against UNCG, ULM and Chaminade. 

The Cougars are looking to rid themselves of the bad play and poor shot selection that allowed Chatty to hang in there for 50 minutes. Cremins and company have had 10 days to prepare the team for what will probably be the marquee home game of the season and I expect both teams to come out firing. I've already seen in person how the young Cougs respond to the TD crowd. Tennessee will be looking to avenge last years loss and prove they're a legitimate, middle-of-the-road, fairly okay team in the SEC.

CofC will probably be favored in this game and they should be for two reasons.

1) It's hard for us to lose on our home court. I believe 41-6 is the official record at the new arena and you can ask USC, UNC and Dayton about the Cougars' home court advantage (dont ask Clemson or Citadel). Point is that alone will work in our favor. 

2) As has been stated in previous posts, this team goes as far as Antwaine Wiggins takes them. When his offense is clicking, the Cougars are rolling and everything sort of falls into place. When he struggles, the team looks sloppy and starts taking 48 three-pointers. But if there's one time of the year where Antwaine really gets after it, it's when he's playing the Vols. Wiggins is from Tennessee and last year he dazzled his family and friends with one of his best games. Now he gets his last chance to show the Volunteers what they're missing out on. When motivated, Antwaine can be a beast and I expect him to play his best. If he can do that, the pressure is off the rest of the team and they can do their thing. 

Like their record indicates, many of the Vols players struggle with inconsistency. From the limited highlights I've seen, they have few players who are capable of creating their own shot. The Vols regularly clog the paint and get a lot of buckets off tip ins and other types of hustle plays. When the defense eventually leaves the perimeter, the Vols have a shooter or two who can knock down the open three. Cuonzo Martin really does preach defense (especially on the road) but I don't think his team has embraced it to his liking.

Like most BCS schools, the Cougar front line will have their hands full with the bigger and stronger Tennessee forwards. However, I think the guard matchup strongly favors the Cougars. For better or worse I think the strategy for most of our OOC opponents will be to double Wiedeman and Baru (Adjehi's reputation seems to precede him). This will open up space for Stitt and Lawrence to drive and/or kick out to the perimeter.  

It's gonna be a fun game to watch on TV tomorrow night. Could be close, could be a blowout depending on what teams show up. Always good to get a quality win over an SEC school, no matter their record. Go Cougars!

   

Drew Signs with Lakers

It's official. According to the Lakers organization, both Andrew Goudelock and fellow draft pick Darius Morris have signed two-year rookie contracts. 

What's frustrating is that with all the talk and LA drama going on around El Segundo, few fans are even aware of the fact that these two guys signed. Every news story you hear about the Lakers this time of year deals with trade rumors, championship expectations, Kobe's knees, Lamar Odom and the Kardashians and Metta World Peace.

As for the potential Chris Paul and Dwight Howard rumors, one would work very well for Drew and one would not be so great. If CP3 does come to LA (which at this time seems to be where he'll end up), that makes Drew at least the fourth point guard behind Paul, Fisher, Steve Blake and possibly Darius Morris. The Lakers told Drew they wanted him to run the point, but his shooting ability and unproven point guard skills make it difficult to judge where he'll be used. Not to mention the Lakers have a rookie head coach incorporating a new system.

On the other hand, if the Lakers pull a Miami Heat and complete their own trifecta by signing Dwight Howard, it's best that LA keep Drew around. Howard requires so much attention in the paint that he frees up a ton of space for three point shooters. That was the system the Magic used (with Reddick, Lewis etc) when they made it to the NBA Finals. The Lakers already signed free agent Jason Kapono (one of the best three point shooters of all time), which gives me the idea that the Dwight trade could still happen.

Despite all these rumors and speculation, the real story here is that Drew's childhood dream became a reality as he finally signed that long-awaited deal. Now he just needs to go out there and do his thing at Lakers training camp. Play your game, ignore the rest. 

Cougars Survive Mocs in 2OT

Final Score: College of Charleston 87, Chattanooga 85

Top Performers: Keegan Bell 12 points, 10 assists, 10 rebounds

                             Andrew Lawrence 25 points (career high), 5 assists, 4 steals

So much to digest from this game. Sitting in the front row of the student section I was in a proverbial glass case of emotion as the Cougars seesawed between frustratingly incompetent and heroically gutty. It wore me out. After flying back to Baltimore this morning, I watched the replay of the final ten minutes plus the overtimes. I would have to echo the statements of some older CofC fans by saying that this team had absolutely no business winning that game. We were outplayed, out-coached and so lethargic at times that it took 50 minutes and some late-game misses by Drazen Zlovaric to seal this one.

For how terrible UTC has been so far this year, Shulman and company deserve some credit. They came into TD Arena with something to prove and they wanted this one so much more than the Cougs did. As the Mocs bench players sat cross-armed with their team up two with 8 seconds to play I thought to myself, "Wow they're way more excited about winning this game than our players would be". Shulman was coaching for his job and the players were playing for their pride. They let it slip away, but based on press conference quotes, the Mocs seemed to taken a moral victory away. However much that may or may not sting.

That all being said, what matters at the end of the day is that the Cougars left their home court Saturday evening with a record of 7-1. No matter how ugly or how close that game was, the record stands that the Cougars are undefeated in the conference and have a lone loss to a competitive UCF team. The reason why it stays that way was because the young Cougs stepped up in crunch time and made shots when it really counted. A look at those who impressed me the most:

Andrew Lawrence: Career high in points, none more important than his last seven in the game. First he makes the off-balance floater with 20 seconds to play, then he drills the three after barely even setting his feet, then he takes the inbounds pass and goes coast to coast for the layup with less than two seconds in regulation. Put the team on his back like Greg Jennings with a broken leg.

Anthony Stitt: Provided what was probably the definitive spark for the Cougars in the final minutes of regulation with two huge threes in a row just inside the 10 minute mark. Then he guards a 5th year senior closing in on a triple double and holds him to almost nothing in the two overtimes. 

Trent Wiedeman: The most frustrating aspect of yesterdays game was Cremins' refusal to throw the ball inside to Wiedeman and let him go to work. Not only did this cause the 3-point stinkfest that cost us a ton of points, but the long rebounds from said missed threes kept giving the ball back to the Mocs. Trent said in the postgame that the limited touches between him and Baru was because of the tough defensive rotations by Chatty that closed off entry passes to our big men in the paint. This negated any good positioning made by Trent or Adjehi. Lucky for us, Hulk did the best with what he was given and bull rushed Zlovaric a couple times to draw some fouls and finish through contact. He finished with 15 points and 12 rebounds.

Matt Sundberg: Didn't think I'd throw Sunny D in here did you? For all the hair-pulling missed three pointers he gives us, Matt came up big a couple times with long rebounds and made free throws down the stretch in the overtimes. 

Jordan Scott: Boom! Two surprise performers in a row! With Lawrence out with cramps in the second OT and Stitt running the point because he's a badass, Cremins gritted his teeth and put Jordan in with the game on the line. He did have one dumb foul in the final period, but he also had a nice post pass to Wiedeman, nailed a dagger three and didn't foul on the final shot by Chattanooga. I really hope that shot gave him some confidence because lord knows we need some outside shooting.

That was the good. Here's the bad and the ugly.

• Antwaine Wiggins being a black hole on offense:Wiggins was consistently destroying CofC possessions whenever he got the ball. He would get the ball on the perimeter, dribble around and settle for a three. Brick. Get back to driving and slashing 'Twan.
• The rebounding: Numbers a bit deceiving. Gave up too many offensive rebounds in the first half and in overtime. On offense, we all too often see 3-4 Cougars running back on D once an outside shot is missed.

And finally the most bizarre stat of all. On 68 shots by the Cougars, 48 of them were three-balls. What is that? How do you win when you shoot 70% of your shots from outside? Especially when you average 34% from downtown. Shooting open looks because the defense is in a sagging zone is one thing, but refusing to go into the post that much is just ridiculous.

Who shoots 48 threes on 68 shots and expects to win?!

Like I said earlier, a win is a win. There are still many things to work on but few people expected this young team to be where they are right now. The schedule doesn't get any easier and the Cougars will need to work on the mistakes and miscues before Tennessee comes to town on the 14th. Go Cougars!

 

   

Chattanooga Preview

College of Charleston (6-1, 1-0)
Chattanutsack (2-5, 0-1)
TD Arena
Tipoff at 4pm on ESPN3

I would love to write a more extensive preview of this game but I'm going to soak in this beautiful Charleston weather and get some food in me before the game. I'll narrow it down to three things:

1) Rebound: Create more opportunities for our offense to score and limit second chance opportunities for the Mocs

2) Play smart: This means no dumb fouls and not letting the atmosphere of TD Arena or a run by the Mocs force us to play out of control.

3) Rise to the occassion: UTC may be struggling this season, but they were still picked to be one of the top teams in the Socon. They have the talent to back it up and right now their backs are against the wall. They'll come out swinging. The Cougars need to play their best and not let the Mocs' record fool them. Losing this game would not be good.

Cougars Start Flat, Win Sloppy Game Against Citadel

Final Score: College of Charleston 83, Citadel 64

Top Performers: Trent Wiedeman 22 points (career high), 10 rebounds

                             Mike Groselle 20 points, 19 rebounds (10 offensive)

In the first game I've been able to attend all season, the Cougars began by bricking three consecutive three pointers that missed the net, the rim and the backboard. Nothing but air.

This was a bit of a forewarning for the overall pace and excitement level of a CofC-Citadel rivalry matchup at TD Arena that fell short of expectations. I cant imagine the 5,000+ spectators left downtown that evening feeling exhilarated by the flat basketball display they witnessed for nearly two hours. Both teams struggled to get going and the final quarter of the game was a near silent, noncompetitive contest of two teams who showed they still have a ways to go. A win is a win, especially in conference play, but the Cougars need to step up their play if they hope to make a statement this season.

The poor early shooting may be attributed to brushing off the rust of having not played since the Bahamas. It wasn't until some outside shooting from Sunshine and Lawrence got us some breathing room and a series of steals and layups helped us boost up the atrocious field goal percentage of the first 10 minutes. 

The biggest issue I saw last night was the rebounding. For a team that might have the best front line in the conference, the Cougars were being decimated on the boards (mostly by one opposing player). Mike Groselle tore us a new one for 37 minutes last night. He finished with a near 20 and 20 game and abused everyone not named Trent. I said it in the preview and I'll say it again, he's got some Noah Dahlman in his game. The way he establishes position so early in the play, he's never far from the basket and gets his layups to go completely uncontested (although the dunks were a bit more challenging). Groselle added a cherry on top of his performance by going 6 of 6 from the free throw line and getting 10 offensive boards. 

But back to our own rebounding incompetence. Here's how bad it was, Matt Sundberg finished with more rebounds than Adjehi Baru and James Carlton COMBINED. Sunshine finished with four rebounds, all the while being a huge defensive liability and being out of position; compared to TWO total rebounds from Baru and a lone rebound in garbage time from Carlton. How such a piss poor stat like that occurs is beyond me. The two tallest and most athletic players on the team were outperformed on the glass by a guy who stands around the perimeter and shoots threes. Baru needs to learn to play aggressively without fouling and Carlton needs to stand under the basket and grab the freaking ball with two hands when a shot is missed.

Luckily for the Cougars, the Bulldogs are still figuring things out and have to lean on one player to get them through the early season. Wiedeman came up huge when he was given the opportunity to go one-on-one against Groselle in the paint. He used a full arsenal of shots and moves to once again show why he is one of the best post players in the conference. Lawrence and Stitt also performed well and were able to chip in 14 and 10 points respectively. Andrew Lawrence also contributed 5 steals and 7 assists. 

The next test for the Cougars is at home tomorrow against Chatty. A bunch of people (including their own fans) have written off the Mocs but I'm not ready to put a win in the books. UTC will probably try to run with the Cougs like UMass did, in which I feel good about our chances. But losing at TD Arena to an awful Mocs team is just the type of head scratching loss we're waiting for with this young team. If we play like we did for stretches of last night, a motivated and frustrated Mocs squad might have a chance.