Cal u vulcans mbb '19-'20

[CALUPA69]

When you get beat 56-35 on the boards you're usually going to get into foul trouble. That must have been a rough game to watch with 76 combined FTs.

From a WCU POV how do you out RB 56-35 and out FT 34-16 and still come within a long 3 of losing??

[IUPbigINDIANS]

From a WCU POV how do you out RB 56-35 and out FT 34-16 and still come within a long 3 of losing??

Danny did that final 80 second thing to IUP last year and made the score appear much closer than it was the whole game. He's really good at that clock management and timeout bender. It can really frazzle the team playing with the lead.

Of course it also makes the final two minutes of clock take 25 minutes of real time.

Every once in awhile it actually works (as it almost did in this case) and a team comes back to win after being down 12 in the final minute.

Cal hit a few circus treys in that final minute ... those won't fall very often.

[Ship69]

From a WCU POV how do you out RB 56-35 and out FT 34-16 and still come within a long 3 of losing??

How? Well, you shoot 33 percent from the field, 24 percent from the three-point line, and miss 15 free throws. You need something like a big rebounding edge to overcome that.

[CALUPA69]

Not a lot to say about the UPJ game except they came back from the holidays flat and played that way throughout. Maybe they were resting on the laurels of the M'VILLE OT win, but they are nowhere close to a team that can go down that path. Especially with @SRU on Monday. Possibly PEGRAM'S worst game with abysmal shooting and 5 TO. Nothing easy on the way.

[CALUPA69]

Win against SRU was the second turnaround W along with the game at GSC. The team seems to be gelling on both offense and defense. Against SHEP they ran out to a big lead and were able sustain when the RAMS outside game threatened in the final 10 minutes. As usual in both games the scoring started with PEGRAM, COLLINS and HOUSE who are contributing a consistent 50-60 pts per game as well as solid RB and ASSIST numbers. Next seven games for VULCANS MBB should result in 4-5 wins and a leg up on their first .500 or better season since 14-15.

[CALUPA69]

Best offensive game this season for VULCANS MBB against BORO. After falling behind 0-13 in the first three minutes, they outscored a weak SCOTS team 108-58 in the remaining 37 minutes. BORO eventually stopped trying at the 10 minute mark of the second half. PEGRAM with 30 pts led 5 players in double figures and although HOUSE wasn't one of them, he did lead the team with 8 assists some of which really showed his true value to the team. After a visit to GREENSBURG on Wednesday, real chance to evaluate progress on Saturday in the KCAC. Can't realistically expect a W but a hard fought L would be acceptable.

[CALUPA69]

The visit to G'BURG went pretty much as expected. Led by 27 from HOUSE, the VULCANS jumped out to a 56-32 halftime lead and the slipped into cruise control, which I don't like, and rolled to an easy 88-74 win. First half numbers, 62% FG/58% 3s/87%FT, were not sustainable but the second half was sloppy and not nearly as smoothly efficient as the first. Half a game will not work vs IUP so DS has a couple days to work out the kinks. Some mention was made of playing just seven but my guess is he wants the team to get used to winning before he breaks in other players. ALEXANDER and ALSTON are both still sitting with injuries and that affects the rotation. Hope the team brings their A game on Saturday.
Just a side note about SHU. They are very young but could be trouble in the next few years. Several skilled players looking for a couple of catalysts. Unlike BORO, this team kept fighting even after getting stomped on in the first half.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

The visit to G'BURG went pretty much as expected. Led by 27 from HOUSE, the VULCANS jumped out to a 56-32 halftime lead and the slipped into cruise control, which I don't like, and rolled to an easy 88-74 win. First half numbers, 62% FG/58% 3s/87%FT, were not sustainable but the second half was sloppy and not nearly as smoothly efficient as the first. Half a game will not work vs IUP so DS has a couple days to work out the kinks. Some mention was made of playing just seven but my guess is he wants the team to get used to winning before he breaks in other players. ALEXANDER and ALSTON are both still sitting with injuries and that affects the rotation. Hope the team brings their A game on Saturday.
Just a side note about SHU. They are very young but could be trouble in the next few years. Several skilled players looking for a couple of catalysts. Unlike BORO, this team kept fighting even after getting stomped on in the first half.

We said that last year then many players bailed and transfereed. We'll see. I do feel for Nathan Davis. He's legit and would thrive on a good team.

[CALUPA69]

We said that last year then many players bailed and transfereed. We'll see. I do feel for Nathan Davis. He's legit and would thrive on a good team.

Competing in a league as deep with solid MBB programs as the PSAC is always going to be an issue for a small private school that looks on athletics as nice adjunct to the University but nothing more. As opposed to the other privates, SHU doesn't seem to place a great deal of value on winning in any sport. That said, TABE, MOON and EZEKWESILI all looked like players who, if they hang around, could help the program grow.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Competing in a league as deep with solid MBB programs as the PSAC is always going to be an issue for a small private school that looks on athletics as nice adjunct to the University but nothing more. As opposed to the other privates, SHU doesn't seem to place a great deal of value on winning in any sport. That said, TABE, MOON and EZEKWESILI all looked like players who, if they hang around, could help the program grow.

They were real close to having a pretty strong team in a couple of Tark the Sharks years at Seton Hill. He probably had at least 3 teams that were just one player away.

They are very strong in baseball. Women's basketball is pretty solid. I don't know much about the other sports.

[PSACwatcher]

Seton Hill administration uses sports solely for enrollment purposes and doesn't care about athletics. The AD is a do nothing failed ex-football coach who is just biding his time.

Current men's bball coach Saunders was a career Director of OPS admin guy and a pretty "out of the blue" selection. Saunders' recruiting of 9 freshmen matches Seton Hill's philosophy of using sports solely for enrollment purposes. The problem is he doesn't have the athletic money to bring in the talent that the prior staff brought in like Max Kenyi (transfer from Harvard), Chris Giles (played professionally overseas), Malichi Leonard (played professionally overseas), Kameron Taylor (playing overseas - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O273HHsQwBQ), Trevor Blondin (first team all-PSAC), Nate Davis and others. None of this year's 9 freshmen are anywhere near the level of the talent recruited by prior staff and its highly unlikely the roster will have 9 sophomores next year after Seton Hill ends the current season with the worst win-loss record in school history. Next year minus Davis may be even worse.

It's tough to compete in the PSAC if you are unwilling to take transfers. Saunders will realize that soon enough.

[CALUPA69]

Pretty much as expected against IUP. The VULCANS fought hard for 30 minutes but in the end superior talent overcame effort which it usually does. Having your two point guards foul out was the in-game killer but the performance of LUKE HOUSE still continues to be very encouraging. This team seems to be not too far below competitive with the best in the PSAC and thankfully, barring unforeseen transfers, everyone will be back next year. If CAL can hold onto the #4 spot in the WEST, or maybe jump MC for #3, they get a first round home game and a chance to take on either IUP or UPJ in the second round. First, a tough game @HAMMERMILL that they have a reasonable chance to win.

[CALUPA69]

It's nice to win 50/50 games on the road. Slow starts in both halves made the game more difficult than it should have been, but it felt like the VULCANS had enough to overcome. Nearly perfect FT (19-20) shooting was the difference against GU FT (11-13). Sloppy ball handling, 20 TO, was offset by KNIGHTS big edge in PF, 22-13. Four in double figures once again led by HOUSE with 17 followed by COLLINS and HALL,JR with 15 and PEGRAM with 13.
Next three at home versus MC, CLARION and SRU are winnable and would give CAL their first +.500 season since '11-'12.

[CALUPA69]

Best two half game of the year against a decent team. Don't know why but the LAKERS, a national Top 10 3PT shooting team, had a nightmare this Saturday afternoon. They averaged 39%+ coming in and shot 1-24 today. That will not happen again soon. Only two down stats for the VULCANS were another double digit TO game and less than stellar FT shooting. PEGRAM lead the way with 23 pts and 10 sets. COLLINS had 18 and 7 Rbds just ahead of SMITH with 12 pts and 2Blks.
Wednesday, CLARION shows up and hopefully DS will take the opportunity to rest some starters, if the game goes as it should. Then back to the grinder with SRU, @UPJ and IUP. Currently 3rd in the West, but that will be a battle to retain.

[CALUPA69]

This game seems to show that the VULCANS have, perhaps, moved into the top tier of the PSAC. They totally dominated THE ROCK using some amazing athleticism against the brute force of SRU. Aside from an awful FT shooting day, 52.1% FG, 48.1% 3Pt, 43-37 Rbds and 15-3 edge in assists gave DS his signature win since coming to CAL U. HALL 23, PEGRAM 21 and HOUSE 15 led the scoring while everyone took turns getting on the boards.
Now the real test against two very pissed off teams, UPJ and IUP. I don't really expect to win either but certainly believe that this team has the players and coaching to give both teams a better fight than they did last time around. Fans cannot be anything but pleased with this season so far.