USC-Spartanburg @ Furman (Dec. 8)

[PaladinPower]

I may be alone on this, but I struggle to root for other Socon teams during noncon play. While I know it helps the conference’s credibility in the hopes of an at large bid, last year showed that you can have an outstanding season (UNCG and Furman) and still be on the outside looking in. Therefore, I highly enjoy watching all other Socon teams lose games. Go dins.

[DungeonRealm]

I may be alone on this, but I struggle to root for other Socon teams during noncon play. While I know it helps the conference’s credibility in the hopes of an at large bid, last year showed that you can have an outstanding season (UNCG and Furman) and still be on the outside looking in. Therefore, I highly enjoy watching all other Socon teams lose games. Go dins.

I feel ya, but I also like us to be able to play some big fun games once conference play starts

I generally pull for everyone out of league except Woffy, just fine by me if they don't win another game in program history

[apaladin]

Tonight in the SoCon:
VMI, Citadel and Samford pickup easy wins
WCU barely beats UNCA
Wofford barely beats GWU
UNCG barely beats Radford

AND ETSU falls at NDSU

One you missed Mercer fell at home by 12 to Ga. State. WCU game was on channel 62. When UNCA went up by 10 in the whee with 6 left, I turned it off. Surprised by the ETSU loss.

[tya1]

Big game for Western Carolina big man Carlos Dotson with 16 points and 11 rebounds and 7-7 FG shooting. They had a below average game from transfer guard Mason Faulkner but still came from behind to win. They have to be taken seriously this year.

I watched parts of some of the games today.

UNCG probably should have won by more but couldn't close out Radford on the road without some stress. Same as last year for UNCG in some ways. They play great defense but are inconsistent on offense. Their guards are really athletic but not great shooters. Their star guard, Miller, is hitting 41% of his FTs so far this season. Still scored 27 today.

VMI won by a surprising 27 points over Stetson. How often have they defeated a D1 team by that margin? They hit 18 threes.

Samford beat Houston Baptist on the road by 113-90. Samford's first road win. Houston Baptist is winless.

Wofford got a career high 18 points from freshman Messiah Jones. Jones originally signed with Niko Medved at Drake but backed out when Niko went to Colorado State. Gardner-Webb, which shot over 40% from three point range against the Paladins, only hit 20% tonight at Wofford.

I saw some of the second half of the ETSU game. They got almost nothing from their big men, including Jeromey Rodriquez, who is an all SoCon candidate. Most of their scoring came from the five guards they rotate. However, two of those guys were scoreless tonight.

[DungeonRealm]

[CharlieFU]

Anyone need tickets for today?

Text 414 4788. I can leave at Will Call.

[DungeonRealm]

We were favored by about 25, but only up by 5 with 11mins. to play today

[DungeonRealm]

Gurley continues to play well

[DungeonRealm]

[apaladin]

Be a good chance to give the youngsters a good bit of playing time. Pugh, Slawson, Bothwell, Clark and Beeker. Let's see what that line up can do.

I don't guess it really matters, but we proved again today that we are not good enough to take anyone lightly. On a given day we can play with anyone but we can also lose to ANYONE. We came way too close to losing today.

[CharlieFU]

Mounce

16 pts, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 1 blocked shot.

He is doing it all. Today he hit the key shot when USC had cut lead to one. He nailed a 3 from top of the key.

Good to see my former classmate George Singleton in the House.

[PaladinPower]

Gurley and Mounce are playing like first team All-Conference players.

[apaladin]

Mounce has been consistent all year. Gurley seems to be starting to play the way we all expected him too and knock on wood seems to be getting more and more confident. After a promising start JS has disappeared. Clark has also. Need to get them going again. Pugh is producing off the bench which s good to see. Needs more minutes but where are they going to come from?

[apaladin]

In all of their D1 games their best shooting game untill today was 39%. All of their games except the 39% one have been between 27-37%. They shot 56% today. Was the FU defense that bad or was it just one of those games. They didn't look like a team that shoots in the 30's every game. I know they seemed to have a lot of layups today.

[CharlieFU]

In all of their D1 games their best shooting game untill today was 39%. All of their games except the 39% one have been between 27-37%. They shot 56% today. Was the FU defense that bad? I know they seemed to have a lot of layups today.

I thought we had some lapses but it wasn’t bad to me. Always frustrating to see successful drives to the basket. Conversely I thought they played much better defense against us in 2nd half.

At one point we gave up an easy basket in transition. I turned to my wife and said “I bet they hear from Coach Richey on that!” And that’s one of things he mentioned in his post game radio interview.

Not sure what to think about Slawson. As someone said, it looks like he has regressed?

Can you imagine how good Gurley may be his last two years here? The double teaming will get worse. But if he can pass out to the open man effectively, we are so dangerous.

Pugh has scored total of 20 points last two games, after scoring only a handful in the previous 9 games.