Troy-MTSU look back

January 16, 2008

Drew Champlin

Still at the arena so I’ll keep it short.

The bad - Troy lost. Losses are never good. Troy didn’t get much out of its forwards except for Jarvis Acker, and the point guard play was less than inspiring. The Trojans couldn’t convert on some easy shots and opportunities.

The good - Troy’s defense got much better in the second half. Justin Jonus has more confidence on that bum knee and he’s able to drive past his man to the basket and draw contact or make a layup, or make a pass to a wide-open O’Darien Bassett who drained a three. The effort was definitely there but the execution wasn’t.

What next - A tough road trip to Arkansas State, and three home games. Troy is 1-5 in Sun Belt play and staring at the cellar, but 2/3 of the season still remains.

Troy-Middle Tennessee hoops

Drew Champlin

It’s about 10 minutes before the geame and there’s a very small crowd here. The rain might have something to do with that, as it’s rained from the minute I woke up in Dothan this morning. I can see how it would have kept fans in Montgomery, Dothan or Ozark away, but right now the crowd’s pretty disappointing. I’m sure it will get a little better and I’ll update this a couple of times during the game if possible.

Justin Jonus is back in the starting lineup at small forward and Tom Jervis remains in the lineup at center. Jarvis Acker will come off the bench.
15:53 left in first half - Not a good start for Troy. The game is being played at MTSU’s pace and Desmond Yates, their 6’7, 220-pounder, is finding space down low. Justin Jonus had a pass stolen and he was called for an intentional foul as he was pulling on the jersey of MTSU guard Kevin Kanaskie. I think it was a good call - the couple hundred here didn’t think so. 8-4 MTSU with the Blue Raiders going to the line and getting the ball back.

12:15 left in first half - Troy calls timeout. Right now, it’s Desmond Yates 12, Troy 11. The rest of MTSU’s team has scored 8. Do the math, and Troy isn’t playing very well.

9:37 left in the first half - You know the NCAA has some new rules about blogging at their tournament events? I think I would have exceeded my blog count per half by now, and I’m not even trying. At a timeout, it’s 25-16, MTSU. Rebounding? MTSU has a 12-5 advantage, and that’s really the main part of the game. Jonus is about to shoot a pair of free throws.

7:56 left in first half - MTSU had to call timeout after the Trojans went on a 10-2 run to cut the lead to 27-26. Jonus has 10 in the game, 8 in the last minute and a half.
7:51 left in first half - Crowd’s gotten bigger, but it’s still pretty quiet (well, they don’t like the refs). Maybe they’re saving their energy. Troy’s Josh Williams, the third string PG, forced a turnover and after the media timeout, Troy’s getting the ball back with a chance to take the lead, something it hasn’t had since going up 4-0.

3:03 left in the first half - MTSU leads 37-30. Every time Troy gets within striking distance, say a couple of points, the Blue Raiders push the lead out. They’ve got some good players - more good ones than Troy. If they played Troy ball and weren’t confined to being in certain spots and making certain passes all the time by their coaching staff, they’d be unbeaten in Sun Belt play. But I’m not sure if any MTSU fans are reading this (or Troy fans for that matter) Trojans need to make some defensive stops because the offense is doing OK.

HALFTIME - Not out of reach for the Trojans, but MTSU leads 39-34. Troy had four shots at the end, as Jonus and Bassett missed threes but two other guys missed on tips (not easy tips, but close-range shots). The refs are really sucking the life out of this game, and I say that because they’ve whistled 20 total fouls (11 for Troy, 9 for MTSU). That’s probably why the crowd is dead - because every 45 seconds, the whistle is blowing.

16:44 left in game - Troy’s now got the game going the way it wants it to and Troy leads 44-41 after a Jarvis Acker rebound dunk. Of note, MTSU’s top two inside players - Desmond Yates and Theryn Hudson, have 3 fouls each. Acker started the half with a 3, then Bassett got a steal, stepped over a MTSU defender on the floor and drained a 3.

14:26 left - A 3 from MTSU’s Kanaskie gives Blue Raiders a 48-47 lead, but Troy’s getting the ball back after the timeout.

Refs blow five fouls in the first four minutes. Haven’t blown one in almost two minutes now. Jarvis Acker has 3 fouls now for Troy.

11:47 left - They’re baaaaccckkk. Meaning, the stripes. Eight total fouls now in just over eight minutes. Positive thing for Troy is that 6 are on MTSU. Home cooking? Dunno. Troy was called for 7 fouls to MTSU’s 2 in the first half early before they decided to even the numbers out. Whatever it is, it’s sucking the life out of the game, that MTSU is sorta controlling.

But Jonus drove to the hoopand got MTSU center Theryn Hudson and his 6-foot-10 frame to get his fourth foul. MTSU 50-47

7:41 left - MTSU leads 54-51 and Jonus is going to the line. Troy’s forwards have not played very well tonight except for Jarvis Acker and the point guard play hasn’t been what it needs to be for Troy to win. Just my two cents. Very sluggish game but I think that’s how MTSU wants it.

3:59 left - MTSU leads 59-58 now. I’d be surprised if Troy can win a game as slow-paced as this. Troy basketball and slow just don’t go together. Might not see me again until later after the game because I better start throwing some thoughts on my quark copydesk document to send in.

3:21 left - Well, maybe you will see me again. Mario Telfair comes off the bench and gets two steals, but dribbles the first one off his foot and Bassett misses a lay-up after the second one. Troy has missed a lot of close-range shots. Still 59-58 MTSU, which is looking for its first win away from home.

0:20 left - Bassett missed the 2nd of 2 free throws, and MTSU leadsa 63-62 with Nigel Johnson about to go to the line for a 1 and 1. Troy would still have a chance to tie with a 3 if he makes both.

As great of a player as Bassett is, he’s not always been there in the clutch. HE’ll get another chance when Troy gets the ball back, that’s for sure.

0:19 left MTSU missed the front end, Bassett got the rebound, and calmly sank two free throws to give Troy a 64-63 lead He got his chance, and he delivered.

Now, it’s up to Troy to get a stop on defense as surely MTSU will hold for the final shot.

CAn Troy win a slow and sluggish game?

0:04 left - MTSU bailed out on a cheap reach-in call on Jonus. Not sure, may have been on Vogler. Kanaskie at the line for 1 and 1, still Troy leading by one but this guy is a pretty good FT shooter, as are most point guards.

FINAL - Kanaskie made both and Bassett barely missed on a 3 at the end of the game. MTSU wins 65-64

Hoops look: Middle Tennessee at Troy

January 15, 2008

Drew Champlin

GAMEDAY LINKS

Dothan Eagle: Feature on guard Mike Vogler
Daily News Journal: MTSU faces tough road test; MTSU’s fate often forged late in year

What: Middle Tennessee (6-9, 3-2) at Troy (8-8, 1-5)
When: 7 p.m., Wednesday
Where: Trojan Arena, Troy
Last time out: Troy lost at FAU last Saturday, 93-88. MTSU beat FAU last Wednesday 61-57

Probable starting lineups
TROY
G-Jerome Odem (6’1, 160, Sr.) - 7.2 ppg
G-O’Darien Bassett (6’2, 190, Sr.) - 18.8 ppg, 3.9 rpg
F-Justin Jonus (6’6, 221, Sr.) - 12.3 ppg
F-Trayce Macon (6’8, 191, Soph.) - 8.4 ppg, 5.1 rpg
C-Jarvis Acker (6’6, 210, Sr.) - 6.3 ppg, 4.1 rpg OR Tom Jervis (7’0, 230, Jr.) 6.8 ppg

MIDDLE TENNESSEE
G-Kevin Kanaskie (6’2, 182, Jr.) 9.9 ppg, 3.9 apg
G-Nigel Johnson (6’2, 185, Jr.) 6.5 ppg
G-Darren Avery(6’4, 200, So.) 3.1 ppg
F-Desmond Yates(6’7, 220, So.) 13.3 ppg, 3.7 rpg
C-Theryn Hudson (6’10, 250, Jr.) 9.6 ppg, 5.8 rpg

What to watch for: Troy has played very well this season at home; not so well on the road. Same for Middle Tennessee, but the Blue Raiders have wins over two teams Troy has lost to in FAU and FIU. MTSU has not won a game away from Murfreesboro. The Trojans need a win to restore confidence and not fall further back in the Sun Belt pack. Last year, Troy swept MTSU in the regular season but fell to the Blue Raiders in the first round of the Sun Belt Tournament in Troy. MTSU features one of the league’s best young players in forward Desmond Yates and a top player off the bench in guard Demetrius Green, but for some reason Troy seems to do well against MTSU in regular-season play. Look for Justin Jonus to re-enter the starting lineup at the 3-spot. Either Jarvis Acker or Tom Jervis will start at center, but both will play.

Player to watch, Troy: Tom Jervis. The 7-footer could find success against MTSU as it’s a team with a little bit of size but without a dominant post presence.

Player to watch, MTSU: Kevin Kanaskie. The 6-foot-2 point guard is a tremendous shooter and could have a good offensive night against Troy’s zone. The problem for MTSU is that he’s not a very good defender in man-to-man defense.

Troy will win if: it forces turnovers and finds that shooting stroke.

MTSU will win if: see the last 60 minutes of basketball it has played against Troy over two games.

Drew’s prediction: MTSU has more basketball players and should win 77-72

Troy spring practice dates

Drew Champlin

Just had these sent to me from Troy sports information. All dates are tentative and all practices are generally open to the public.

Big dates are March 29 with the T-Day scrimmage, and other scrimmages on April 5 and April 8.

March 20       Shorts

        21       Shorts

        22       Shorts

        24       Full gear

        25       Thud

        26       Full gear

        28       Thud

        29       T-Day Scrimmage

        31       Full gear

April   1       Thud

        2       Full gear

        4       Thud

        5       Scrimmage

        7       Full gear

        8       Scrimmage

Monday at Trojan Arena

January 14, 2008

Drew Champlin

Spent some time today talking with head men’s basketball coach Don Maestri and women’s coach Michael Murphy. I don’t cover the women as much, but try to get a good feature or two each year. Next Monday, I’ll have something on senior guard Amy Lewis, who should finish her career among the top 5 all-time at Troy. She was the first of five Australians to arrive way back in 2004 and she’s playing like a first-team all-Sun Belt performer thus far.

I spoke with point guard Mike Vogler for a story in Wednesday’s paper leading into the MTSU game. Vogler’s that gritty, gutty guy who’s got some skills. He said a former teammate at Chipola JC plays at FAU and he spoke with him after FAU’s win Saturday and some of the FAU guys said Vogler reminded them of Phoenix Suns guard (and two-time NBA MVP) Steve Nash. He’s a little bit smaller than Nash, but has great court awareness.

A personnel note, look for senior Justin Jonus to get back in the starting lineup at the 3-spot Wednesday. More of this has to do with Jarvis Acker not feeling as comfortable at the 3 as he does at the 5 (center). Acker hadn’t played that position in two years and while he’s got the body for a 3, his game in this offense suits him better at the 5.

Maestri said he hadn’t decided who will start at the 5 - Acker or Tom Jervis. Jervis, who is six inches taller and 25 pounds heavier but not as experienced as Acker, started against FAU. Coaches feel Acker’s the same player coming off the bench as he would be starting, but maybe starting could help Jervis’ game. Some players do respond better to coming off the bench (or starting).

Troy is 1-4 in Sun Belt play and struggling. MTSU is coming into Troy playing good basketball, winning two straight at home over Denver and FAU. MTSU also beat FIU, giving them wins over two teams that beat Troy. However, MTSU’s wins came at home, while Troy’s losses came on the road.

The Blue Raiders have not won a game outside of Murfreesboro this year, but they’re plenty talented to come into Troy and take a win.