MBB at UNCW 2/25 - HUGE GAME!

[Flying Dutchmen]

I wish the movie "Click" was real life this week, I'd be hitting that fast forward button to Thursday night!

Redemption is needed for the game at the Mack, we had it in the bag, and we thought we could coast to the easy win, but credit to UNCW, they felt differently and got the job done. It was an impressive win on their part.

We should be able to make some adjustments to our game plan the second time around to accommodate UNCW's funky style of play.

UNCW really emphasizes pressuring the ball handler all 94 feet, and they like taking the three point shot away from teams. It's clearly worked for them this year, despite being in chronic foul trouble. Offensively, they play with a quick pace, try to get out into transition, and try to make things happen in the paint. They attacked the hoop hard in the second half of our game.

I think the key for us will be secondary scoring. We NEED Bernardi to hit his shots. UNCW will almost definitely be in foul trouble, Juan'ya will get to the line, Rokas will get his points in the paint, but if we have Bernardi, DK, and Tank hitting their shots, UNCW will have a hard time staying in the game. William and Mary buried UNCW with a crazy shooting display. Despite the defensive pressure, UNCW gives up a lot of good looks once the ball is in the half-court, and we have the shooters to capitalize.

Also, can we please see more Desure Buie on the court. He was such an X-factor yesterday against Northeastern, in some ways, he's been better than Malik at the top of our zone, he's certainly a superior defender to Bernardi. We have to force UNCW into more turnovers to win this game.

UNCW is not a juggernaut team like some of the VCU and ODU teams of the past, we're not going into this game with a physical disadvantage. UNCW is a very disciplined team, which is why they have been so successful this year in my opinion, but I think it's our year to get it done, and it starts Thursday.

[EvanJ]

http://gohofstra.com/news/2016/2/21/MBB ... ath=mbball is Hofstra's preview titled "MBB: Huge Late-Season Clash As Hofstra, UNCW Battle For CAA Crown." http://gohofstra.com/documents/2016/2/2 ... game29.pdf is the Game Notes. UNCW hasn't written their preview yet.

[Polito]

No doubt, this is a monster one, for BOTH

Neither will be caught sleeping here, UNCW can win the CAA outright with a W, and HU can keep themselves alive for it, and truly prove they can beat anyone in the CAAT with a W (even though we already know that, this would be the proof)

Biggest game in the regular season of the CAA this yr - place will be rocking - nothing would please me more than to silence them with a big time road W - let's get that 20 point lead and KEEP it this time - I'll take any kind of win, I don't care how, but a beat down on their floor would be oh so sweet

[Hofstra]

26 hours from tip.. I can't effin wait for this..

Sucks that it is not on television, but the live stream will do..

[ProudofPride]

As of about an hour ago, the team still hadn't left yet. According to Amern Tanksley on twitter, the flight has been delayed all day.

[joeg1]

Did they arrive?

[HUSID80]

That really sucks, adding travel woes to the biggest game of the season. For what it's worth ESPN has us as four point dogs which is about right and of course, Long Island's paper has nothing on the game. Just remember a few weeks back how they hyped the SBU-Albany game...that is downright inexcusable.

[Polito]

Here we go folks... game day - we all best put our big boy pants on, this is going to be a BATTLE - sorry to hear the team had some trouble getting in at a decent hour, hopefully they get some decent rest

UNCW is confident, on a roll, playing at home, and fans will be loud - one of HU's toughest tests to date

BUT HU has something to lose, and that makes them very dangerous - they are battle-tested, hungry, have gelled, and want revenge

Let the games begin #PAYBACKTIME

[Wags]

Here we go folks... game day - we all best put our big boy pants on, this is going to be a BATTLE - sorry to hear the team had some trouble getting in at a decent hour, hopefully they get some decent rest

UNCW is confident, on a roll, playing at home, and fans will be loud - one of HU's toughest tests to date

BUT HU has something to lose, and that makes them very dangerous - they are battle-tested, hungry, have gelled, and want revenge

Let the games begin #PAYBACKTIME

Actually, I think it's HU that's on the roll and playing well at the right now, with 4 straight wins, and UNCW, though still in first place, has fallen off a bit with their play from where they were earlier, to their past 2-3 games. And I'm not sure they can get it back so soon, to play how they were playing earlier I think the 'Hawks are ripe to be beaten by HU tonight if HU's shots are falling.

Remember, although UNCW won the first meeting, HU was up 38-18 in that game and simply went ice cold after halftime (4/22) in a way that was an aberration (even for as streaky as HU can be at times). UNCW also scored the last 8 of the half to get within 12. So there were some "perfect storm" things that happened for UNCW last time -- just to let them still barely get by with a 3-point win in the final seconds -- that I don't think will happen again.

And I think Rok will have a monster game. He only had 9 pts against them the first time, but 21 boards, 4 blocks and even 4 assists. Tonight, he'll add the scoring against them too.

[Cards]

Agree Wags - I watched the last UNCW game on CAATV. They played terribly and were lucky to force the game to OT. The game before that, they lost. So I agree, HU has the momentum and I think it will be enough to win on the road.

This has got to be the game where our stars really come out to play. looking for JG and RG to really play well!!

[ProudofPride]

And I think Rok will have a monster game. He only had 9 pts against them the first time, but 21 boards, 4 blocks and even 4 assists. Tonight, he'll add the scoring against them too.

And to add to that, he only had 9 points because JAM essentially forgot he was on the court, and didn't draw up plays to get the ball to him. He even mentioned that it was his fault in the post-game press conference. UNCW didn't do anything stop him, his 9 points were pretty much scored at will. If JG and RG remember to "Rok and Roll" tonight, RG will have his way in the paint.

[daHUPride]

That really sucks, adding travel woes to the biggest game of the season. For what it's worth ESPN has us as four point dogs which is about right and of course, Long Island's paper has nothing on the game. Just remember a few weeks back how they hyped the SBU-Albany game...that is downright inexcusable.

Newsday Sucks - Local Team, Local Paper you'd think they'd need each other - is it because we don't advertise with them? and this is Newsdays payback?

[dutchalum01]

Buie, Walker and JWF we're all seeing less minutes as well - (barring the travel delay) I think our starters will be fresher this time around.

[richs]

I know this is a bit off topic but I thought it was interesting. I was watching the UNCW "coaches report" today and their coach was asking fans to come to the game tonight. I know their attendance numbers are much better than HU but it was nice to see another coach having to ask people to come to a game and support their home team.

[EvanJ]

http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcas ... 1&vislive= will have statistics, but it doesn't have the starters yet. http://portal.stretchinternet.com/caa/p ... Type=video will have video. http://caasports.com/custompages/stats/ ... m#team.ind has UNC Wilmington's statistics.

[ProudofPride]

Not much offense or defense from the team to start, down 13-24 about halfway through the first. We're shooting 27% from the field, UNCW 56%. Hopefully we have a better game plan than just letting UNCW foul.

[Wags]

HU lacking aggression and intensity each each end. Starting like the game is too big for them. If they have this approach in games this big, forget about Baltimore.

I would have already taken a time out. JAM rarely does, let's them play through it, and yet he'll take them later, after made baskets, at curious times, and then they're left short a timeout or two at the ends of close games, when they really need them.

Coaching staff has to light a fire under them and get them going, to play with the urgency a game for first place deserves.

[Wags]

HU lacking aggression and intensity each each end. Starting like the game is too big for them. If they have this approach in games this big, forget about Baltimore.

I would have already taken a time out. JAM rarely does, let's them play through it, and yet he'll take them later, after made baskets, at curious times, and then they're left short a timeout or two at the ends of close games, when they really need them.

Coaching staff has to light a fire under them and get them going, to play with the urgency a game for first place deserves.

Finally he calls one... after it's already 32-18. Where was that earlier?

[Flying Dutchmen]

Complete choke job, zero intensity.

[ProudofPride]

Has this team ever played a game together before? Sure doesn't look like it.