BOOZINB85
03-16-2007, 10:16 AM
This is from a guy I work with who was at the game yesterday. Well I thought he was at the game, turns out this Aggie was just sending me stuff that I thought was his but it turns out was some sportswriter, and man do I look like a re re.
I will hit the boards later tonight to answer questions from the last
couple of days, but I'm in Lexington and just returned from the game. Here
are some quick thoughts:
-Tough game tonight for the Aggies. They looked very much like a team that
had played just one game in the past two weeks for much of the game,
eventually pulling away for a 68-52 victory. It was scary at times, but
they survived and advanced. This game was going to be tougher than most
people thought, if only because Penn plays a style of basketball that tends
to keep the score close and has a pair of very good seniors, including the
Ivy League Player of the Year and also the conference's leading scorer.
During the game when Penn took their brief second half lead following a
21-6 run, I couldn't help but remember last year's NCAA game in Dallas when
the Quakers had Texas in about an even game with four minutes left. It's
that time of year.
-Had the Aggies finished plays and not committed some bad turnovers early,
they would have run the Quakers out of the building. Josh Carter missed
some wide open threes early (from his favorite spot on the floor, no less)
that could have buried Penn long before halftime. That 13-point lead would
have been about 25 were it not for missed open shots and some careless
turnovers.
-Fortunately for the Aggies, they regrouped after the furious Penn rally
and put the defensive clamps on the Quakers in the game's final 12 minutes.
With 13:06 remaining, Penn took a 39-37 lead. From there, the Ags outscored
the Quakers 31-13 the rest of the way.
-Joe Jones played very well on offense and was a monster on defense. In
fact, Coach Gillispie called him the defensive player of the game for the
Aggies. Jones finished with 14 points and 11 boards, but it wsa his help
defense down low that kept Penn from converting any back-door
cuts--something that was a major concern for A&M heading into the game
(remember the Ags' problems earlier this season against Winthrop). Joe's
two monster dunks after Penn grabbed the lead (both off Law misses) really
changed the momentum of the game. I was sitting right behind the Penn bench
and you could feel the momentum shift right then and there.
-For as well as Jones played, Dominique Kirk had to be the Aggies' MVP.
'Nique got the Aggies off on the right foot, scoring 8 of A&M's first 10
points and helping A&M build an early lead that held up until midway into
the second half. Kirk finished with 16 points, but the timing of his
buckets was as important as anything else. Two early threes helped loosen
things up inside in the opening minutes, but Kirk really turned the tide of
the game in the final five minutes. With 5:00 left on the clock and A&M
holding onto a 50-45 lead, Kirk drove to the basket with less than 5
seconds on the shot clock and hit a running baseline floater, pushing the
lead to seven. Had Penn managed to cut the lead to 3, the underdog-loving
Rupp Arena crowd would have really started to sense an upset. Kirk put that
possibility to rest on A&M's next possession. After a key defensive stop,
Jones found Kirk (again with less than five seconds on the shot clock) wide
open on the perimeter. Kirk calmly sank a three-point dagger that pushed
A&M's lead to ten and really deflated the Quakers.
-Marlon Pompey is usually the least heralded guy on the court, but he came
up huge on the defensive end against Penn. Pompey switched over to guard
Penn's outstanding point guard Ibrahim Jabeer. Jabeer shot 6-of-16 and
scored 16 points, but Pompey really kept the senior point from getting
comfortable and controlling the pace of the game.
-Unfortunately for the Aggies, they are about to run into a team playing
GREAT basketball in what amounts to a road game for A&M. If the Ags don't
turn things around in the next two days, a great season will be over.
-It starts and ends with finishing plays (hitting open shots and converting
on looks near the basket) and making free throws. A&M was just 15-of-27
from the line and was around 50% when the game was still in doubt. Had the
Aggies done either today, the game would have been over very early and
probably would have never been in doubt.
-Louisville has now won 8 of their last nine games and, after watching them
in person, the team was a lot longer and more athletic than I had thought
after seeing a few Cardinals' games on television. After hearing all of the
locals here in Lexington since Tuesday, I was shocked to see what kind of
home-court edge the Cardinals had today. The place will be at least 75% UL
fans on and it was LOUD in Rupp Arena. The crowd helped team with a
Louisville team that looked very focused to run Stanford right out of the
building.
-Speaking of Stanford, they didn't even look like they wanted to be in this
tournament. The Lopez twins were very disappointing and looked very
unathletic. For the most part, they were non-factors. Stanford's point
guard was BRUTALLY bad, which leads me to my next point...
-...IF the Aggies play their game, the key to A&M's success on Saturday
will be their ability to handle UL's full-court pressure. Stanford could
not. Having Acie Law and a veteran team means that the Ags are
well-equipped to handle what Louisville will throw at them. Also, the
Cardinals will probably run a lot of 2-3 matchup zone at A&M, which means
that Acie Law should be able to penetrate and either take it to the rack or
kick the ball out for open shots for Josh Carter and Dominique Kirk. Also,
keep an eye on Donald Sloan. If he gets a chance and plays well enough on
the defensive end to stay on the floor, he could have an offensive night
similar to the one that he had at Oklahoma State a couple of weeks ago.
-Watching the Caracter kid and Padgett play inside, I can tell you that AK
will need to snap out of his two-game funk and give Joe Jones plenty of
help down low for the Ags to have a chance to win.
-Neither Josh nor Antanas were much of a factor tonight, but both players
have shown the ability to go from combining for 35 points to 10 and back
again from game to game. The play of these two will determine Saturday's
outcome, IMO.
-Against Louisville, I fully expect A&M to play with the kind of fire that
we have grown used to seeing. I know I shouldn't say this, but I really
believe that Louisville and Rick Pitino will be the first team that has
truly gotten the Ags' attention since they played Texas in Austin. The
Aggies may or may not be favored on Saturday, but they will take on the
underdog mentality, IMO, playing "us against the world" basketball. One A&M
insider compared UL to Kansas recently ("not quite as good, but close and
just as athletic"). Hopefully, Saturday's game turns out the same way, with
the Ags beating a traditional power in a historic arena.
-For the past two weeks, I've been telling anyone who would listen that the
Aggies would struggle at times in Round 1 and draw a very tough 6 or 7 seed
in round two. I also said that I think the second-round game would be
decided in the closing minutes (4-5 minutes of play). IF the Ags win
Saturday, my thinking (and I've felt this way since Texas) is that they
will finally have regained their "edge"--you know what I'm talking
about...it's what carried them through the KU and Texas games last month.
Acie Law is the guy that can get it back for them. We've all known that, in
order for A&M to have an extended run, Law would have to put the team on
his back at some point during the tournament. I have a feeling that game
will be Saturday. Acie had a quiet 20 points tonight (with 6 rebounds) but
hit some big buckets to squash a Penn runs in each half. Law is arguably
(and it's probably not much of an argument) the greatest player in A&M
history, not to mention the best clutch performer. I don't think he's ready
to let his team lose or watch his A&M career come to an end, which is why I
think he's got a special performance or two left up his sleeve. Acie knows
that the spotlight on him on Saturday and I expect nothing less than to see
him embrace the moment. If so, the Ags will roll into San Antonio looking
like a completely different basketball team.
-Finally, Louisville's fans are VERY overconfident...one just laughed off
A&M's chances to win at the computer next to me and started a little
back-and-forth here in the computer room. They aren't taking the Aggies
seriously AT ALL. Let's hope the UL players feel the same way after
watching the Aggies play tonight and rolling over Stanford without being tested
I will hit the boards later tonight to answer questions from the last
couple of days, but I'm in Lexington and just returned from the game. Here
are some quick thoughts:
-Tough game tonight for the Aggies. They looked very much like a team that
had played just one game in the past two weeks for much of the game,
eventually pulling away for a 68-52 victory. It was scary at times, but
they survived and advanced. This game was going to be tougher than most
people thought, if only because Penn plays a style of basketball that tends
to keep the score close and has a pair of very good seniors, including the
Ivy League Player of the Year and also the conference's leading scorer.
During the game when Penn took their brief second half lead following a
21-6 run, I couldn't help but remember last year's NCAA game in Dallas when
the Quakers had Texas in about an even game with four minutes left. It's
that time of year.
-Had the Aggies finished plays and not committed some bad turnovers early,
they would have run the Quakers out of the building. Josh Carter missed
some wide open threes early (from his favorite spot on the floor, no less)
that could have buried Penn long before halftime. That 13-point lead would
have been about 25 were it not for missed open shots and some careless
turnovers.
-Fortunately for the Aggies, they regrouped after the furious Penn rally
and put the defensive clamps on the Quakers in the game's final 12 minutes.
With 13:06 remaining, Penn took a 39-37 lead. From there, the Ags outscored
the Quakers 31-13 the rest of the way.
-Joe Jones played very well on offense and was a monster on defense. In
fact, Coach Gillispie called him the defensive player of the game for the
Aggies. Jones finished with 14 points and 11 boards, but it wsa his help
defense down low that kept Penn from converting any back-door
cuts--something that was a major concern for A&M heading into the game
(remember the Ags' problems earlier this season against Winthrop). Joe's
two monster dunks after Penn grabbed the lead (both off Law misses) really
changed the momentum of the game. I was sitting right behind the Penn bench
and you could feel the momentum shift right then and there.
-For as well as Jones played, Dominique Kirk had to be the Aggies' MVP.
'Nique got the Aggies off on the right foot, scoring 8 of A&M's first 10
points and helping A&M build an early lead that held up until midway into
the second half. Kirk finished with 16 points, but the timing of his
buckets was as important as anything else. Two early threes helped loosen
things up inside in the opening minutes, but Kirk really turned the tide of
the game in the final five minutes. With 5:00 left on the clock and A&M
holding onto a 50-45 lead, Kirk drove to the basket with less than 5
seconds on the shot clock and hit a running baseline floater, pushing the
lead to seven. Had Penn managed to cut the lead to 3, the underdog-loving
Rupp Arena crowd would have really started to sense an upset. Kirk put that
possibility to rest on A&M's next possession. After a key defensive stop,
Jones found Kirk (again with less than five seconds on the shot clock) wide
open on the perimeter. Kirk calmly sank a three-point dagger that pushed
A&M's lead to ten and really deflated the Quakers.
-Marlon Pompey is usually the least heralded guy on the court, but he came
up huge on the defensive end against Penn. Pompey switched over to guard
Penn's outstanding point guard Ibrahim Jabeer. Jabeer shot 6-of-16 and
scored 16 points, but Pompey really kept the senior point from getting
comfortable and controlling the pace of the game.
-Unfortunately for the Aggies, they are about to run into a team playing
GREAT basketball in what amounts to a road game for A&M. If the Ags don't
turn things around in the next two days, a great season will be over.
-It starts and ends with finishing plays (hitting open shots and converting
on looks near the basket) and making free throws. A&M was just 15-of-27
from the line and was around 50% when the game was still in doubt. Had the
Aggies done either today, the game would have been over very early and
probably would have never been in doubt.
-Louisville has now won 8 of their last nine games and, after watching them
in person, the team was a lot longer and more athletic than I had thought
after seeing a few Cardinals' games on television. After hearing all of the
locals here in Lexington since Tuesday, I was shocked to see what kind of
home-court edge the Cardinals had today. The place will be at least 75% UL
fans on and it was LOUD in Rupp Arena. The crowd helped team with a
Louisville team that looked very focused to run Stanford right out of the
building.
-Speaking of Stanford, they didn't even look like they wanted to be in this
tournament. The Lopez twins were very disappointing and looked very
unathletic. For the most part, they were non-factors. Stanford's point
guard was BRUTALLY bad, which leads me to my next point...
-...IF the Aggies play their game, the key to A&M's success on Saturday
will be their ability to handle UL's full-court pressure. Stanford could
not. Having Acie Law and a veteran team means that the Ags are
well-equipped to handle what Louisville will throw at them. Also, the
Cardinals will probably run a lot of 2-3 matchup zone at A&M, which means
that Acie Law should be able to penetrate and either take it to the rack or
kick the ball out for open shots for Josh Carter and Dominique Kirk. Also,
keep an eye on Donald Sloan. If he gets a chance and plays well enough on
the defensive end to stay on the floor, he could have an offensive night
similar to the one that he had at Oklahoma State a couple of weeks ago.
-Watching the Caracter kid and Padgett play inside, I can tell you that AK
will need to snap out of his two-game funk and give Joe Jones plenty of
help down low for the Ags to have a chance to win.
-Neither Josh nor Antanas were much of a factor tonight, but both players
have shown the ability to go from combining for 35 points to 10 and back
again from game to game. The play of these two will determine Saturday's
outcome, IMO.
-Against Louisville, I fully expect A&M to play with the kind of fire that
we have grown used to seeing. I know I shouldn't say this, but I really
believe that Louisville and Rick Pitino will be the first team that has
truly gotten the Ags' attention since they played Texas in Austin. The
Aggies may or may not be favored on Saturday, but they will take on the
underdog mentality, IMO, playing "us against the world" basketball. One A&M
insider compared UL to Kansas recently ("not quite as good, but close and
just as athletic"). Hopefully, Saturday's game turns out the same way, with
the Ags beating a traditional power in a historic arena.
-For the past two weeks, I've been telling anyone who would listen that the
Aggies would struggle at times in Round 1 and draw a very tough 6 or 7 seed
in round two. I also said that I think the second-round game would be
decided in the closing minutes (4-5 minutes of play). IF the Ags win
Saturday, my thinking (and I've felt this way since Texas) is that they
will finally have regained their "edge"--you know what I'm talking
about...it's what carried them through the KU and Texas games last month.
Acie Law is the guy that can get it back for them. We've all known that, in
order for A&M to have an extended run, Law would have to put the team on
his back at some point during the tournament. I have a feeling that game
will be Saturday. Acie had a quiet 20 points tonight (with 6 rebounds) but
hit some big buckets to squash a Penn runs in each half. Law is arguably
(and it's probably not much of an argument) the greatest player in A&M
history, not to mention the best clutch performer. I don't think he's ready
to let his team lose or watch his A&M career come to an end, which is why I
think he's got a special performance or two left up his sleeve. Acie knows
that the spotlight on him on Saturday and I expect nothing less than to see
him embrace the moment. If so, the Ags will roll into San Antonio looking
like a completely different basketball team.
-Finally, Louisville's fans are VERY overconfident...one just laughed off
A&M's chances to win at the computer next to me and started a little
back-and-forth here in the computer room. They aren't taking the Aggies
seriously AT ALL. Let's hope the UL players feel the same way after
watching the Aggies play tonight and rolling over Stanford without being tested