Today on the tube

January 26, 2008

Drew Champlin

6 p.m. edit - Looks like Leodis McKelvin didn’t play because of a hamstring injury. So much for the post I had below, but you can still read up about him.
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Anyone got NFL network? I sure don’t

If you do, the Senior Bowl at 3 p.m. features Troy’s own Leodis McKelvin. I used to love watching that game, but unfortunately I don’t have the NFL network. According to a lot of draft experts, McKelvin has done very well in practice this week and has positioned himself for a first-round spot.

Here’s some links

Fort Worth Star-Telegram: Cowboys analyze prospects
Philadelphia Daily News: Eagles could find draft day gems (it leads with Leodis)
Bucsblitz.com: Compares McKelvin to Devin Hester
ProFootballWeekly: McKelvin may not be household name, but could be atop cornerback class
Columbus Ledger-Enquirer: McKelvin out to prove point

Quarterback Omar Haugabook is playing in the Texas vs. the Nation all-star game on Feb. 2 (my birthday). It’s at 5 p.m. on CSTV, another channel I don’t have.

Friday links

January 25, 2008

Drew Champlin

Got a few of them here for you. First off, read about former Troy kicker Lawrence Tynes. I talked to him Wednesday. From the Troy-UALR game, I’ve got my game story and Jon Johnson was there to write a column.
The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette was there, too, and they’ve got a game story.

Next up for the Troy men? An unusual 1 p.m. Sunday at home against UL-Lafayette. I’m cool with that, but I’m also cool with Thursday and Friday football games. Fans aren’t, though, and that’s the important thing, but this is the way the Sun Belt laid the schedule out.

Troy-UALR thoughts

Drew Champlin

***It’s surprising that Troy had a chance to win it or send it to overtime at the end, as UALR dominated the game because they were so physical with Troy. That’s really the only team in the league that is that is so physical with Troy that it’s hard for the Trojans to match up, for some reason.

O’Darien Bassett missed one clutch free throw but he hit a lot of clutch shots late. Unfortunately for Troy, a defensive mistake when someone let UALR’s Steven Moore get by him allowed him to go the length of the floor for the game-winning layup. It’s like in football when a cornerback gets beat deep because of a misstep. One misstep here and Moore was gone. He just had to convert the shot.

Trojans shot too many jumpers that weren’t falling. If Troy had attemped to draw more contact with drives to the bucket, the refs would have whistled more fouls on UALR. Remember Pat Adams from the North Texas game? He was back. That’s not the reason Troy lost - it lost because it’s not as physical as UALR and couldn’t play well enough offensively to get around it.

This team still has fight. Most of the losses have been one-possession games. Problem is, while they’re good enough to stay in the game night in and night out, it seems like they’re not good enough to win most of them. But in this league, it’s all about getting hot over a 4-game stretch. South Alabama and Western Kentucky are a step ahead of everyone else. Everyone else, including Troy, is really all about the same talent-wise.

Troy-Arkansas Little Rock hoops

January 24, 2008

Drew Champlin

Can’t say Trojans, because they’re both the Trojans. Good thing Arkansas-Little Rock can be shortened to UALR. Kinda like TAMUCC or IUPUI.

An injury note, reserve shooting guard Brandon Hazzard will not play because of a bum ankle. He originally hurt it against North Texas but came back. He said he re-tweaked it before last week’s game against Arkansas State, where he didn’t play, but said he’d be back next week.

Of course, O’Darien Bassett gets 35 minutes a game at that position too, but Hazzard is a sharpshooter. Look for a little more of Josh Williams as Bassett’s backup.

Anyone remember Joe Kleine. The 7-footer used to be a center for the Phoenix Suns and probably a few other teams. Don’t know why I remember the odd 7-footers who played in the NBA in the 90s, but he’s one of them. Anywho, Kleine is an assistant coach at UALR.

I won’t update as much this game, but will have postgame thoughts.

HALFTIME - That’s some bad basketball right there. UALR isn’t very good offensively, but they’re outhustling Troy and getting after it. They’ve got the “play 12 guys and grab” strategy where the officials can’t call everything and Troy simply isn’t responding to it. If I’m Troy, I take it to the hole every time instead of settling for long jumpers. UALR 31-18.

Hoops look: UALR at Troy

Drew Champlin

GAMEDAY LINKS

Dothan Eagle: Jonus back on track for Trojans
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette: Troy will shoot fast and often

What: Arkansas-Little Rock (12-6, 4-3) at Troy (9-9, 2-5)
When: 7:30 p.m. CST Jan. 24
Where: Trojan Arena
Last time out: Troy won at Arkansas State 89-80. UALR fell to South Alabama 72-65

Probable starting lineups
TROY
G-Jerome Odem (6’1, 160, Sr.) - 6.7 ppg
G-O’Darien Bassett (6’2, 190, Sr.) - 19.4 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 2.4 apg
F-Justin Jonus (6’6, 220, Sr.) - 13.3 ppg, 3.5 rpg
F-Trayce Macon (6’8, 191, Soph.) - 8.6 ppg, 5.1 rpg
C-Tom Jervis (7’0, 230, Jr.) - 6.3 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 1.6 bpg

ARKANSAS-LITTLE ROCK
G-Steven Moore (6’0, 167, So.) 7.9 ppg
G-Terrance Akins (6’1, 181, Sr.) 9.3 ppg
G-Brandon Patterson(6’6, 192, Jr.) 8.0 ppg
F-Lekheythan Malone(6’6, 201, Jr.) 4.5 ppg
F-Mike Smith (6’7, 286, So.) 8.2 ppg, 5.4 rpg

What to watch for: Who can control the tempo? UALR doesn’t have a single player scoring in double digits, but play 11 guys and have 8 of them scoring 5 ppg or more. Sounds like Troy, except the Trojans have two big-time scorers in O’Darien Bassett and Justin Jonus (sans back spasms). UALR doesn’t have anyone who can create their own shot, but those Trojans can pass the ball around and hit the open shot if left open. It’s a guard-oriented team that last year had the nation’s leading rebounder in Rashad Jones-Jennings. This year’s version, big Mike Smith, isn’t nearly as effective down low though he’s bigger than any Trojan and that alone causes problems.

In my opinion, it’s a game UALR could win 59-54 or Troy could win by 15-20, especially at home. Troy needs to win its next three games, all at home.

Player to watch, Troy: Trayce Macon. The 6-foot-8 sophomore is Troy’s third-leading scorer and when he plays well offensively, Troy usually wins. He scored 16 with 7 rebounds, going 4-of-8 from 3-point land in the recent win at Arkansas State.

Player to watch, UALR: Lekheythan Malone. This guy was the league’s Freshman of the Year two years ago but his production has sagged since then.

Troy will win if: it forces the tempo and doesn’t give up the open shots.

UALR will win if: it hits all its open shots and gets a monster game from Mike Smith down low

Drew’s prediction: Troy 81-68