Game 3, 2020-21: at La Salle (12/16)

[MikeUMA]

Let's get ready for Game 3...

This is the earliest we've had a conference game since 1993-94, when we played Bonaventure on December 4.

La Salle currently stands at 2-3, but 1-3 if you include D1 teams only. They went across town to play at Drexel on Saturday, and won 58-48. The D2 win was 80-62 over Lincoln Univ, from Lincoln PA, near Pittsburgh.

La Salle has lost to:
82-65 at St. John's
62-51 vs St. Peter's (at SJU)
63-59 at Army

On the whole, they're scoring 62.6 ppg, but if you take out that D2 game, they're only at 58.3. Their opponents (D2 included) score 63.4.

The Explorers currently have no one who averages in double figures.

• Jack Clark (6'8 200 RS-So G) 9.4 ppg, 8.0 rpg, leads the team in both categories. He shoots the most 3s, but only hits at .292. He took a medical redshirt last season after having an injury-plaged freshman season, only playing 9 games. He scored 9 on us on 1/5/19.
• Jhamir Brickus (great hoop name if you're an opposing fan, 5'11 205 Fr G) gives 8.8 ppg, and is their assist leader at 3.0, and steals 2.2 per game. He has a hot hand at .692 overall and .600 from 3.
• Anwar Gill (6'4 205 Fr G) scores 8.7 ppg and snares 5.3 rebounds. Looks to be a role player with no starts and 3 games played, with 18.7 mpg.
• David Beatty (6'2 200 Sr G) does 7.6 / 2.8. Last year in our games, he scored 14 and 20 (season high).
• Clifton Moore (6'10 240 RS-Jr F/C) does 7.3 / 3.8, and swats 2.75 per game. He's also hitting .632 from the floor. For a big man, those aren't great rebounding numbers, but he's only playing 19.0 minutes per game. This is first year on the floor with La Salle after playing his first two at Indiana.
• Scott Spencer (6'6 210 Sr G) does 7.0 / 1.8. He's a threat from 3, as he co-led the league last year at .438, and is at .400 so far this year. Last year vs us he scored 9 in the first game but DNP in the second.

Last year, we won both:
77-69 at home on Jan 8. Pierre 20, Tre 19.
75-64 at Gola on Mar 4. Tre 24, East 18.

No traditional TV for this one. Stream on ESPN+

[69MG]

^ Moore did not play against Drexel on 12/12 and I could not find an explanation. He's their biggest player and by far their best interior defender.

[Old Cage]

Tip at noon on Wednesday!

[TheInsider]

Lasalle is 2-3 with a couple bad losses but a win vs a pretty good Drexel team (who shot 3-20 from 3 so that might have had something to do with it). They have more games under their belt but we have to show up for this one. If we want to be relevant in the A10 this year they have to have this one.

[69MG]

Cam Sibert
@cameron_sibert
· 1h
Coach McCall has mentioned getting Cairo McCrory more minutes twice on this call.

OK, more minutes for TJ and Cairo. I would also like to see Dibaji get more minutes. Anyone want to hazard a guess as how many minutes for each player (all 11) in this game? The extra minutes have to come from somewhere.

[Roadtrip]

Realistically both would take minutes from Pierre. TJ has shown that he needs to be on the floor.

[inthescoop]

UMass -2.5 point favorites.

[TruBluMaroon]

Realistically both would take minutes from Pierre. TJ has shown that he needs to be on the floor.

Interesting that you want to take minutes from the player with the highest +/- in the Northeastern loss.....1 of only 3 with a positive +/-. ...And the highest +/- in the Northeastern win........which, no matter how you look at it means he has the best for the season....stuff like this is what makes this board so entertaining!

[Roadtrip]

What makes this board interesting is the lack of comprehesion of some readers. My response to the question,"where would more minutes for Weeks and McCrory come?" As neither is a PG, a PF, or a C, that kind of leaves Carl by default.

[NilesGold]

Realistically both would take minutes from Pierre. TJ has shown that he needs to be on the floor.

Interesting that you want to take minutes from the player with the highest +/- in the Northeastern loss.....1 of only 3 with a positive +/-. ...And the highest +/- in the Northeastern win........which, no matter how you look at it means he has the best for the season....stuff like this is what makes this board so entertaining!

Highest +/- what?

Carl's stats/metrics are bad over the first two games this season.
https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/sc ... /2021.html

[airlaguerre12]

The line has moved to -4 UMass.

The early money is on UMass. La Salle’s roster is young and those early season results are not very impressive. We’re gonna need to win this one.

I agree TJ should be on the floor. I really thought that was obvious going into the season based on the early non-con games from last year. We’ve needed perimeter shooting for years and TJ is more than capable.

This Garcia kid is D1 ready too. You gotta love UMass finally getting a skilled guard from Brewster Academy. Does their playing time come at the expense of Carl Pierre? I guess it has to, But I do like Carl because he’s a senior and a streaky shooter. McCall should light a fire under his a** this year and we may end up needing Carl to be that senior who can produce for us. I think Carl’s good, but he has to get pissed off or something.

Kolton Mitchell does not appear to be the answer. I think his playing time should go down. He’s a role player who can provide energy and some semblance of offensive facilitation. Not a scoring threat until proven otherwise.

McCall has recently said about the upcoming season we need to do more of that WINNING thing, so I’m glad he’s at least showing his passion and a sense of urgency. As for his coaching ability, the jury’s still out. He still has much to prove to the UMass fan base.

...aaand Only read this next paragraph if you want to read about why I love UMass hoops. This is your warning haha. I, too, have plenty of time on my hands in a pandemic.

I’m a die-hard fan who started by loving the Rashaun Freeman/Stephane Lasme teams and then the Chris Lowe/Ricky Harris/Gary Forbes squads, and onward through the Chaz era. UMass has given me heartbreak (does anyone remember the 2004 A-10 tourney QF in Atlantic City vs. UNC Charlotte? I’ll never forget) This is my basketball team fandom ever since I remember starting to play sports growing up in Central Mass. I like when we get rowdy students and alumni/season ticket holders to make the Mullins a good home environment. students will come when we win, and they won’t come when we lose. That’s just how it works on a college campus. They have other things to do but most kids 18-22 would love to fit a good college basketball game into their partying plans. I mean, they love hockey cause we’re good. And I love when UMass fans travel and make a presence at a neutral/road site like the A-10 tourney or Harvard’s tiny Lavietes Pavilion where it can get loud with UMass alumni surrounded by Harvard elites. It’s gonna suck having no fans for a whole season but we’ll be back someday. This is a great university, it can have a great basketball tradition and success. I am all-in with McCall and this roster. Today, I’ll be watching ESPN+ on my phone while I’m at my desk pretending to work. GO, GO U... Go U-Mass...

[Berkman]

i am a die hard fan also. Started going to the gamed when Dr. J was a freshman.

[bobolink]

good post arila.. One factor overlooked is Kolton's D. I get concerned about Noah's fouling so far, although the season is very young.

Don't know much about La Salle, but watched a bit of them vs Army 10 days ago. They came out on fire, hitting something like 8 of their first 9 shots, and the really impressive part was all 5 starters hit 3s. Then they started missing, and missing everything, and fouling a lot and Army (looked better conditioned or perhaps that was my expectation) eventually caught them and won. La Salle folded late game and couldn't come through in the clutch. But they've played a lot more than us and are at home. Expect a tough one.

[chlaur1]

will this game be on NESN ?

[DoctorJ]

will this game be on NESN ?

Yes!