jimsumner
12-24-2007, 01:21 PM
Had a chance to watch State up close and personal last night v. Cincinnati. I get the feeling they are beginning to round into form. Solid eight-man roation, used rationally and effectively. Two PGs, 3 bigs, 3 wings.
If you watched the game on Fox, you know that it was a weird game, with absolutely no flow. Cincy used 12 players in the first half. It was like a hockey game. Every dead ball, 2 or 3 players in, 2 or 3 out. Then, in the second half, Cincinnati evidently thought every State player was Shaq and there were two minutes left in the game. Call it Hack-a-Pack. 24 fouls in just the second half. And they got their money's worth, including one that sent Degand out with a sprained knee. Game took forever.
Degand is the key, IMO. I'm assuming he's not out long. He seems to be figuring it out. He's a long way from being an elite PG but if he's solid, then State's solid. He was solid last night.
Cincy pressed most of the game, with platoons of strong, athletic defenders, and State kept the turnovers at a manageable number. State's ball movement and spacing were better than they were earlier in the season. Costner got off to a great start, slowed down but made some plays down the stretch. He's beginning to look like an All-ACC player. Grant is a tough matchup for anyone at the 3. Hickson was in foul trouble much of the game and only got a few rebounds. But I can see what the fuss is about. He's tough down low, real tough. If I were an NBA GM, I'd take him before I'd take Blair. And note that State made 74% from the line. Anyone take 74% last Thursday?
There are some chinks. After all, Cincy came into the game 4-6 and trailed by 3 late. State didn't rebound well at all. Down the stretch their defense developed some real holes. Good, quick ball movement gave them trouble.
Of course, good, quick ball movement gives most team's trouble. Still, Cincy had an awful lot of good looks down the stretch.
I'm still not convinced State is good enough to give the other two Triangle schools a run for the top spot. But I do think the post-ECU obits are premature. Remember Virginia Tech lost to Western Michigan and Marshall early last season, Virginia lost to App State, and Boston College lost to Vermont. All endedd up ahead of Duke in the ACC standings and all ended up in the NCAAs.
And of course, Duke plays State twice this year in the regular season for the first time in awhile.
If you watched the game on Fox, you know that it was a weird game, with absolutely no flow. Cincy used 12 players in the first half. It was like a hockey game. Every dead ball, 2 or 3 players in, 2 or 3 out. Then, in the second half, Cincinnati evidently thought every State player was Shaq and there were two minutes left in the game. Call it Hack-a-Pack. 24 fouls in just the second half. And they got their money's worth, including one that sent Degand out with a sprained knee. Game took forever.
Degand is the key, IMO. I'm assuming he's not out long. He seems to be figuring it out. He's a long way from being an elite PG but if he's solid, then State's solid. He was solid last night.
Cincy pressed most of the game, with platoons of strong, athletic defenders, and State kept the turnovers at a manageable number. State's ball movement and spacing were better than they were earlier in the season. Costner got off to a great start, slowed down but made some plays down the stretch. He's beginning to look like an All-ACC player. Grant is a tough matchup for anyone at the 3. Hickson was in foul trouble much of the game and only got a few rebounds. But I can see what the fuss is about. He's tough down low, real tough. If I were an NBA GM, I'd take him before I'd take Blair. And note that State made 74% from the line. Anyone take 74% last Thursday?
There are some chinks. After all, Cincy came into the game 4-6 and trailed by 3 late. State didn't rebound well at all. Down the stretch their defense developed some real holes. Good, quick ball movement gave them trouble.
Of course, good, quick ball movement gives most team's trouble. Still, Cincy had an awful lot of good looks down the stretch.
I'm still not convinced State is good enough to give the other two Triangle schools a run for the top spot. But I do think the post-ECU obits are premature. Remember Virginia Tech lost to Western Michigan and Marshall early last season, Virginia lost to App State, and Boston College lost to Vermont. All endedd up ahead of Duke in the ACC standings and all ended up in the NCAAs.
And of course, Duke plays State twice this year in the regular season for the first time in awhile.