La Salle

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MikeUMA
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La Salle

Post by MikeUMA » Fri Feb 18, 2005 9:53 am

Next up: our yearly meeting with La Salle.

The Explorers were a promising young team at the end of last season, but their rape scandal dealt the program a big setback. Their coach resigned and they lost a couple players. Consequently, they were picked to finish last in the West. Former Maine coach Dr. John Giannini now runs the ship.

They're at 4-8 in the West, one game up in the win column on the Duqies, and 8-15 overall.

Steven Smith (Jr, F, 6'8") is their main weapon. He has been A-10 Player o' the Week 3 times so far this season. He leads the league at 21 PPG. (Freeman is our best at 6th in the league, 15 PPG.) Smith also averages 8.7 RPG, good for 2nd in the league behind the Hawks' Dwayne Jones. Smith was pre-season A-10 first team, along with Freeman.

Darnell Harris (Fr, G, 6'1") has been Rookie o t Week once. He's 3rd on the team at 11.3 PPG.

Jermaine Thomas (Jr, G, 6'2") rounds out their top threats at 12 PPG.

As a team they're 11th in offense (PPG), last in rebounding (good for us).

On the schedule, their best non-conf win was against USC in Philly. (Probably one of the reasons Henry Bibby got the early-season axe.) They beat the Bonnies in Olean for their A-10 opener, and have won 3 of their last 4 (wins vs Fordham, at Richmond, at Rhody, loss vs Dayton).

In beating Rhody by 10 on Tuesday, La Salle helped their case with only 7 turnovers, and shooting 52%. Smith had a double-double (21 & 11), Thomas had 18 points though playing with a torn ligament in his left ring finger. Apparently the reports of being out for the season were exaggerated.
<a href="http://umasshoops.com/board/viewtopic.p ... ?t=3753</a>

Game time is 2pm. Was pushed up from the original 4pm start.

UMass game notes
http://umassathletics.collegesports.com ... 05aab.html

La Salle's fan site has this today:
Up next is UMass and what should be Steve Lappas' last visit to the Gola on Saturday.
http://lasalle-explorers.com/

They're a little misguided over there though, they endorse George W :lol:

km109
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Post by km109 » Fri Feb 18, 2005 10:10 am

I believe that the guy who runs the board posts elsewhere as CoachD. A bit surprising that he endorsed W, as George the Younger would seem to be waaaay far to the left for his taste.

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Kosty
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Post by Kosty » Fri Feb 18, 2005 10:12 am

This is the last time we only see LaSalle once in a season. Starting next season, we get them home and home every year.

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Re: La Salle

Post by LS71 » Fri Feb 18, 2005 10:14 am

MikeUMA wrote: Game time is 2pm. Was pushed up from the original 4pm start.
Too bad the time change wasn't so it could be broadcast on TV.

The Springfield paper had it all messed up yesterday, giving 3 diffferent times for the game on the same page, 12:05, pm, 2 pm and 4 pm. :?
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Post by gui98 » Fri Feb 18, 2005 11:54 am

I saw LaSalle plat at Rhody on Tuesday night. The minutemen have to be in control of this game (ie stay up by 8-10 points all game). if they let LaSalle stick around, that kid smith is a real difference maker and will be tough to stop in like, the last 3 minutes or so.
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Post by shovelhd » Fri Feb 18, 2005 12:03 pm

gui,

Is it mainly Smith that drives the scoring runs? UM has been pretty successful defensively this year in containing a single threat. We have fallen down at times when faced with teams with multiple strengths.

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Post by LS71 » Fri Feb 18, 2005 12:18 pm

Nice article in yesterday's Springfield paper about Sean Neal:
At Cathedral High, Neal averaged 25 points and eight assists as a senior, and won the 2001 Lahovich Award as the best player in Western Massachusetts. Then he went to Salisbury, a prep school in Connecticut, where his teammates included current UMass forward Lawrence Carrier.

"I respect him," said Carrier, who will oppose Neal Saturday. "He's a heck of a player.

"When we needed a bucket, he'd get it," Carrier said. "But more than anything, he was a leader."
"Win without boasting, lose without crying." -- Julius Erving

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Post by gui98 » Fri Feb 18, 2005 12:28 pm

mysteriously - they spread the offense pretty well and there were many times that they didnt even look to get the ball to smith as much as they should (similar to when umass doesnt get ray the touches he needs). He had a quiet 21 and 11 against uri. Giannini is a solid coach. There was an article in the urinal talking about lasalle's 7 scholarship players and giannini's quote was something like - we have the personell to go to uri and win, period (yea yea I know uri sucks, but would lappas say that?). He has a lot of confidence and I think that translates on the court, imho
"I guess your right, a hangover is better than a madhouse".
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Post by FRDreams II » Fri Feb 18, 2005 12:37 pm

Lap prepares us for failure going into games.
I used to bench 225 for sets. Now all I do is Ralph Cross!

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Post by philosopher » Fri Feb 18, 2005 12:39 pm

Which team will play to the level of the other?

UMass 64
LSalle 59

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Post by UmassFanatic » Fri Feb 18, 2005 6:44 pm

Hopefully we will come out early a build a nice lead before halftime. Maybe a 6 or 10 point lead would be very nice. Their gonna have to step the D up and play tight when guarding Smith. Fast breaks I think will be important in the game easy baskets will be key.We have to capitalize on free throw opportunitys.Huge game, gotta get the W :!:
Go Umass!!!

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Post by Floyd » Fri Feb 18, 2005 6:57 pm

They better be ready for this game, cause if they're not, they'll lose

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Post by Rocks22 » Fri Feb 18, 2005 11:16 pm

Springfield GOP reporting that AA didn't even make the trip to Philly.

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Post by VoxPop » Sat Feb 19, 2005 12:04 am

I saw that, he must be really banged up not to make the trip. Damn. The guys just have to go in there and get a W. Smith vs. Ray. If they can keep Smith under 18 they should be able to win. I'm really liking MoMax improving he has emerged as a go to player. The issue seems to be getting our 4/3 into the scoring - when we do that we win. Lasme/Viggiano need to get it going early and often - when they score it allows our inside-outside game to open up and the offense just seems to work better - more passes and more movement.
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Post by UmAstudent » Sat Feb 19, 2005 1:00 am

Rocks22 wrote:Springfield GOP reporting that AA didn't even make the trip to Philly.
So that means we will win!

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