BracketBusters

[soup]

Re: BracketBusters

Here are photos of Times Union Center - Siena's home court. These photos are from their game with local D-I team University at Albany. This was the year for Siena to wear the road unis in the matchup - but it is Siena's homecourt. Games are generally kept at 8,000 capacity - I think this game drew close to 14,000. I'd expect the BracketBuster game will sellout the limited-capacity seating of 8,000.

http://sienasaints.cstv.com/view.gal?id=40631

[TravelingPanther]

Re: BracketBusters

These photos are from their game with local D-I team University at Albany.

We know Albany is D-I. They have football. The Great Danes. Play in the NEC.

[SaintsFan]

Re: BracketBusters

How many leading scorers has UNI basically shut down so far this year?

any of these players are capable of 20+

14.4 ppg Jr Ubiles (This year: 20+ 7 games, 17 games in double figures)
14.2 ppg Sr Hasbrouck (This year: 30+ 1 game, 20+ 5 games, 18 games in double figures)
13.3 ppg Jr Franklin (had a 30 pt game last season, this year: 20+ 3 games, 16 games in double figures)
8.0 ppg So Jackson (6th man 14.5 mpg, had 28 against st josephs, 17 against Kansas, 12 against Pittsburgh and 6 games in double figures)
8.6 ppg Jr Moore (20+ 1 game, 8 games in double figures and a number of other 8 or 9 point games)
9.2 ppg So Rossiter (20+ 1 game, 9 games in double figures)

(ubiles hasbrouck franklin jackson are all capable of 30)

any of these are capable of double digits on any night
Downey
Wignot
Duell

this wont be stopping a "leading scorer".

[Khan4Cats]

Re: BracketBusters

Siena is a balanced team. The player that worries me is Ubiles. He is an athletic 6-6 swingman that we will have to guard with one of our guards. My guess is Kwadzo will draw the initial assignment on him, with Travis and Kerwin helping off the bench. Johnny will have the task of dealing with Hasbrouck, though Kwadzo will probably rotate on him if Travis or Kerwin is in the game. Koch will be fine on their 6-5 forward Franklin and Jordan and Lucas will be more than a handful for Rossiter in the middle. Ali will match up on the point on defense.

A bigger question will be how they handle us on defense, particularly in the post where Jordan has a huge size advantage and I doubt they see as physical a player as O'Rear in the MAAC.

[jman2004]

Re: BracketBusters

To Drew's point, the above speaks in absolutes, and is subjective. They don't have to be excited. So be it if they aren't. It's up to us, and them, to keep winning so the winner of the game is in a better position going into March. Nothing more, nothing less.

How does it speak in absolutes exactly? More publications than not have their top mid-major schools as Butler, Davidson, St. Mary's, Utah State, Siena, UNI. Doesn't it only make sense to pair them up as such?

[SaintsFan]

Re: BracketBusters

yeah your front court size is a concern. The lines that bother siena the most are athletic big front lines.. not just big... siena seems to handle the big but not so athletic front lines pretty easily.

Rossiter has held his own at 6'9 230lbs
If we have Duell back at 6'7" 255 that will also help.
Harris, a walk-on has played from time to time at 6'9" 225

Jr Corey Magee was a solid physical defender (6'7" 230). Our team misses him since he suffered a concussion just as the season began.

Siena faced
Chism from Tennessee
Blair from Pittsburgh
Aldrich from Kansas
Nivens from St Josephs

Those guys are pretty good.

regarding o'rear and anyone else playing the 4... can any of them handle a SG? Franklin is powerful at 6'5" 230 but is also capable of putting the ball on the floor and taking guards off the dribble and just as capable of drop stepping and dunking over his defender.

in the maac:

Kamau Gordon - 6'7" 260 Niagara
Benson Egemonye - 6'10" 245
Josh Duell - 6'7" 255 Siena
Herve Banogle - 6'8" 250 Manhattan
Gary Springer - 6'9" 247 Iona
Chris Gadley - 6'9" 320 Canisius
Rishawn Johnson - 6'6" 275 Canisius

are all big physical players that Siena faces in conference. There are other big players but not quite that beefy. 6'8" 230 is pretty normal. A big who is slow afoot will wind up in foul trouble fast against Franklin. Ubiles is just a freak at almost all levels.

[UNI Fight]

Re: BracketBusters

Saints fan: are you guys just the Saints or is that short for Saint Bernards? I only ask because your logo has a picture of a big Saint Bernard, were you ever the Saint Bernards?

[SaintsFan]

Re: BracketBusters

Saints fan: are you guys just the Saints or is that short for Saint Bernards? I only ask because your logo has a picture of a big Saint Bernard, were you ever the Saint Bernards?

thats a good question... the Saints use to be the Siena Indians... but that wasnt politically correct and fixed in '89 prior to the NCAA tournament when Siena was a 13 seed and beat #4 Stanford.

Everyone refers to them as Saints but yes the logo has a Saint Bernard. The mascot is a Saint Bernard.

[DWadle1983]

Re: BracketBusters

Interestingly there is a common opponent, Wichita State, which beat Siena on a neutral court in November.

Wichita State badly outrebounded Siena, and had as many turnovers against Siena as they did in the loss to UNI.

I haven't watched Wichita State this year against UNI or anyone, but does Wichita State have the big athletic front line that SaintsFan was referencing as giving Siena a lot of problems?

[SaintsFan]

Re: BracketBusters

Interestingly there is a common opponent, Wichita State, which beat Siena on a neutral court in November.

Wichita State badly outrebounded Siena, and had as many turnovers against Siena as they did in the loss to UNI.

I haven't watched Wichita State this year against UNI or anyone, but does Wichita State have the big athletic front line that SaintsFan was referencing as giving Siena a lot of problems?

I find it interesting that your early season woes can be written off due to injury, legal suspensions etc. Yet Siena lost last years starter Sr 6'7" 255 Duell and Jr reserve 6'7 230 Cory Magee who would both have played major minutes. Siena lost these guys RIGHT before the season started. Duell made his way back and played injured for a bit but in limited action and actually got injured again at Kansas. Duell and Magee are both leaders for this team and the saints looked a bit lost in Florida trying to find new leaders.

regarding the Wichita State matchup... It was the fourth game of the season. Siena was winning by 12 and Wichita just started nailing everything they threw up and Siena couldnt hit a thing. Wichita didnt miss much after the 8 minute mark in the second half (including 4 threes). Wichita won it in november ... I HIGHLY doubt they win now in Feb. Siena just took their foot off the peddle and thought they had it won. Lesson learned. This team is playing with much more confidence and defined roles... things they didnt have in November. I think its easier to explain away a 2 point loss like that than it is to explain away a 30 point beatdown from Marquette... who coincidentally is probably the closest resembling team to Siena that youve played. Siena is NOT as good as Marquette but the styles are similar.

At least you got your injured, eligible, suspended players back. Siena is still without two upperclassmen front court players in Duell and Magee. Duell MAY be back in time for the BB... Magee is done for the year.

excuses aside... both teams are playing well now... and that has the makings of a tough matchup and definite contrast in styles.

[soup]

Re: BracketBusters

I find it interesting that your early season woes can be written off due to injury, legal suspensions etc. Yet Siena lost last years starter Sr 6'7" 255 Duell and Jr reserve 6'7 230 Cory Magee who would both have played major minutes. Siena lost these guys RIGHT before the season started. Duell made his way back and played injured for a bit but in limited action and actually got injured again at Kansas. Duell and Magee are both leaders for this team and the saints looked a bit lost in Florida trying to find new leaders.

regarding the Wichita State matchup... It was the fourth game of the season. Siena was winning by 12 and Wichita just started nailing everything they threw up and Siena couldnt hit a thing. Wichita didnt miss much after the 8 minute mark in the second half (including 4 threes). Wichita won it in november ... I HIGHLY doubt they win now in Feb. Siena just took their foot off the peddle and thought they had it won. Lesson learned. This team is playing with much more confidence and defined roles... things they didnt have in November. I think its easier to explain away a 2 point loss like that than it is to explain away a 30 point beatdown from Marquette... who coincidentally is probably the closest resembling team to Siena that youve played. Siena is NOT as good as Marquette but the styles are similar.

At least you got your injured, eligible, suspended players back. Siena is still without two upperclassmen front court players in Duell and Magee. Duell MAY be back in time for the BB... Magee is done for the year.

excuses aside... both teams are playing well now... and that has the makings of a tough matchup and definite contrast in styles.

Are you high? As a Siena fan, please don't pay attention to this clown.

Did you really just call Duell AND Magee "leaders"? Is "leader" no a synonym for "role player".....or is "leader" the new phrase for "Cory "I pick up fouls faster than a fat kid picks up fries off the floor and I have yet to make a layup in 2 years of play though I'm 6'9" Magee?

Seriously - step away from the keyboard.

[Gboom23]

Re: BracketBusters

Siena faced
Chism from Tennessee
Blair from Pittsburgh
Aldrich from Kansas
Nivens from St Josephs

Those guys are pretty good.

Siena's record against these "pretty good" big guys:
Nivins: 15 pts. 2 reb. Win (respectable defensive effort - below his season avg.)
Chism: 15 pts. 6 reb. Loss
Blair: 21 pts. 16 reb. Loss
Aldrich: 24 pts. 13 reb. Loss

Avg. : 18.75 pts. 9.25 reb. 1-3 record

Doesn't sound like much to brag about. I would take anything close to those numbers from Big Jordan in a heartbeat.

[SienaMike]

Re: BracketBusters

Siena's record against these "pretty good" big guys:
Nivins: 15 pts. 2 reb. Win (respectable defensive effort - below his season avg.)
Chism: 15 pts. 6 reb. Loss
Blair: 21 pts. 16 reb. Loss
Aldrich: 24 pts. 13 reb. Loss

Avg. : 18.75 pts. 9.25 reb. 1-3 record

Doesn't sound like much to brag about. I would take anything close to those numbers from Big Jordan in a heartbeat.

So, you are saying Big Jordan is equal to or better than those Big Guys? Is UNI as good as Kansas? Pitt? Tennessee?

[Gboom23]

Re: BracketBusters

So, you are saying Big Jordan is equal to or better than those Big Guys? Is UNI as good as Kansas? Pitt? Tennessee?

of course not (even though I would like to think that is the case sometimes). I was just stating the fact that when Siena has faced a decent big man outside the MAAC, they haven't faired so well.

[SienaMike]

Re: BracketBusters

of course not (even though I would like to think that is the case sometimes). I was just stating the fact that when Siena has faced a decent big man outside the MAAC, they haven't faired so well.

So.......what you are saying is that Big Jordan and UNI is as good as Pitt (and Blair), Kansas (and Aldrich) and Tennesse (and Chism)? I am curious as to how good you think Big Jordan is? Is he as good as the Big Men Siena has lost to earlier this year?