NYE Parties Around the GNAC!

[CWU Wildcat Nation]

Pretty cool that NYE this year falls on a day of conference play! Pretty fun way to start the party early by attending a game if you can!

The headliner is the UAA/UAF game in Anchorage. The South Sound crowd gets to watch WWU at SMU. And then there is CWU at SPU, which I will be at! Also the CWU womens team plays SPU before then men's game, starting at 2pm.

[tsull]

Went to the WWU-WOU game tonight, WWU by 2 in OT. Great game, WOU's Cranston got hurt with 10 minutes left, didn't return. Hope he's OK. WOU bricked FT's all game and especially late in regulation and OT (5 of 17 at the stripe, I believe); and tended to get lost on defense, guys open on the baseline much of the night. They play hard on defense, they just have no clue what they're doing, switch or not switch on screens, leave people open, kind of a mess. WOU point guard 6 turnovers and 1 assist, they need to upgrade at that position. WWU is solid, similar to WOU, physically talented, at times clueless in the b-ball I.Q. area. Entertaining game, however.

[northernGNAChoopfan]

Felt the same watching the end and OT of the WOU / WWU game in that there's a lot of athletic talent combined in those two teams, but not a particularly pretty game or execution. Watch out if either team gets it together though...

[CWU Wildcat Nation]

I went to the CWU/SPU game. Among the best shooting performances I have seen from SPU against CWU in that gym. AMONG. I still remember the days of Downs and Simon lighting it up, too. Anderson, Paulsen, and Sze are all really solid. I especially enjoyed watching Sze, the smallest player in the game, really show a ton of energy and hustle all game and he lit it up from 3. For CWU, their PG Brock Gilbert (who looks like a brother or cousin of Sze), also had a lot of hustle and dished out 12 assists. But he also coughed up 7 turnovers which really hurt. I am excited to see Noah Pepper develop. Hector and McNeil are both good new additions who are D1 transfers. And Poquette is having his best season yet.

It was cool to see Freddy Brown III's grandfather "Downtown" Freddie Brown the Sonics great in attendance. Although Brown III didn't play much, I am sure Downtown appreciated that hot SPU shooting.

[Anchorage]

I talked about UAA in the other thread. UAF 30 turnovers last night? Yikes. Despite that they look the part, good length and guards that get at it defensively. They will give teams trouble this year, won’t be an easy W. I don’t foresee them being a contender but I could teams having a rough night up north if they don’t bring their A game. I could see this UAA game being flipped on its head in a few weeks up there. 30 turnovers probably doesn’t happen again to them, this was kind of anomaly. Definitely don’t think UAA got UAFs best punch last night.

[tsull]

Felt the same watching the end and OT of the WOU / WWU game in that there's a lot of athletic talent combined in those two teams, but not a particularly pretty game or execution. Watch out if either team gets it together though...

WOU is fascinated by exciting dunks and showboat plays, fun for the fans, but they sometimes go awry. WWU had 22 turnovers, WOU 23. WOU's point guard had 9 assists the next game, but he also had 4 turnovers. I can watch him and predict when he's going to toss the ball away. He tries hard, but he's very careless with the ball, not a good trait for a point guard. I thought the backup was significantly better. Touted recruit from Zillah, Salinas, barely plays anymore at the point guard spot, I was pretty excited when they got him. I like senior guards Clay and Hughes, both play really hard, especially Hughes, and are more careful with the ball. I'd go with those guys, but I'm just a fan, not the coach.

Cranston didn't play last game, in an ankle brace, hope he's not out too long. They blew a big lead vs. SFU, with Cranston that probably doesn't happen.