Game Thread: Dexel vs. AZ @MSG

[Monte Carlo Wildcat]

Man Duke sure loves to press a lot. They're extending their defense out past the 3 point line against Vermont. This will be a good test for TJ & Nick.

 

[WildcatR.J.MacReady]

Wow, Duke really got bailed out by that last call

 

[johnson]

Duke is often bailed out by the refs. Cats have to be ready to play two teams when they collide.

 

[CatsTopPac]

ASU is looking strong against Marquette right now. It'd be a good win for the Pac if they could knock off #25.

 

[WildcatR.J.MacReady]

Solid evening by the Pac 12 taking down Arkansas, Marquette and Houston. Need another solid display this evening.

 

[The Derski]

uno more day?

 

[WildcatR.J.MacReady]

Drexel has formidable players on the perimeter in PG, Frantz Massenat, SG Chris Fouch and SF Damion Lee. Massenat is averaging 12ppg, 4 rpg and almost 6 apg, standing 6’4 and a SR. Massenat could be a difficult matchup for Arizona. Chris Fouch is the leading scorer for Drexel, another SR., standing at 6’2 and averaging 17 ppg. Early indicators would say Nick Johnson will get the call on Fouch while Miller would prefer having TJ’s on the ball pressure for Massenat. Damion Lee is the 6’6, SG/SF averaging 14ppg, he is also an upperclassmen as a JR. None of these players are killing it from three thus far, with Fouch shooting 36% from downtown and Massenat shooting just under 39%, but both are above 35% through their first four games and therefore should not be taken lightly from beyond the arc.

Drexel rounds out their starting five with one combo forward in Kazembe Abif (6’7, 210) and one PF in Dartaye Ruffin (6’8, 250). Both average over 8 rpg and appear to be the two workhorse’s relied upon by the Dragons to fight for loose balls, set screens and gain an extra possession for their perimeter players. Bad news for Drexel is that these players are not shot Blockers (Drexel averages just 2 bpg). Arizona should be able to drive to the hoop against these players and the Arizona frontcourt should be able to shoot over them. Arizona has a clear advantage in the frontcourt, as it will against almost any NCAA opponent this season, and should look to get these players in foul trouble.

Once you get to the bench Drexel appears to be pretty thin. They bring three young players into there rotation. SG Tavon Allen (So.) standing 6’7 could be trouble though, averaging 13ppg but Freshman SF Rodney Williams and PF Mohamed Bah (6'9, 225) appear to make just minimal contributions, although Bah’s role (10 mpg, 3 rpg, 0.8 bpg) could be expanded in this game considering Arizona’s size advantage.

No doubt the experience factor with their ball handlers and the fact that Drexel is playing close to home, (Drexel is in Philadelphia, in case you didn’t know) should bode well for them in a game that could be potentially pressure packed for Arizona. Pressure could be a factor for Arizona because they are hoping for a Blue Chip matchup with Duke on Friday compounded by the fact that Arizona is playing it’s first major nationally televised game this season in the East Coast Time zone at the MECCA of the Basketball World in Madison Square Garden.

With no player rated higher than 2 Star quality on their entire roster (via ESPN recruiting rankings) Drexel is not raw talented by any means, but their starting 5 is all Upperclassmen (3 Seniors and 2 Juniors). This should be a competitive game considering the atmosphere and the experience that Drexel bodes at key positions, but if Arizona can wear them down and get the starting five in foul trouble they should come out on top and advance to the championship game.

 

[gordontrue]

@R.J.

Hands down the best preview I've read. Good stuff.

 

[GumbySquad]

Word on the street is that Junior Kazembe Abif (7.0PTs, 8.8REBs) will not play tomorrow due to a concussion he suffered last week.

Even with Abif, Drexel is only 6 deep, so... this could get ugly unless Bah and Williams can step in and produce.

 

[Monte Carlo Wildcat]

Cal and Syracuse are doing battle. I love the Maui invitational; my favorite early season tourney

 

[JahiiCarson_SqodGeneral]

Cal and Syracuse are doing battle. I love the Maui invitational; my favorite early season tourney

Bird and Kravish. Cobbs has gotta lead this team hes a senior. Cant be inconsistent like this.

 

[GumbySquad]

Yep, I've been watching that game as well. So far this year Cal looks a lot better than many thought they would be. Tie game right now with 12 minutes to go. A win by the Bears over a top-10 ranked East Coast team would be huge for both RPI and perception.

We need as many top-25 teams and NCAA tourney teams from the conference as possible.

 

[JahiiCarson_SqodGeneral]

Cross Washington out they already shitting the bed. Stanford looks interesting.

 

[GumbySquad]

Hard for the Bears to match up with the thugs from Syracuse without Solomon. There is just something about Jim Boeheim coached teams that is easy to root against (similar to Bob Huggins). His teams play physical to a fault... almost daring the refs to make a call. His style was born in the old-school BigEast days when the conference allowed 6 fouls and Boeheim had to game-plan against Patrick Ewing.

It is always ugly basketball when Syracuse is involved.

 

[JahiiCarson_SqodGeneral]

Bird is only going to get better. Cal should be a good team in the Pac.

 

[WildcatR.J.MacReady]

Not having Solomon for Cal was huge for SU

 

[WildcatR.J.MacReady]

Wow, bad might for the Pac, Cal goes down an Stanford is getting embarrassed

 

[GumbySquad]

Kevin Parrom is playing ball again. He was in Ukraine briefly (hanging with Kyryl), but was let go after only one game. He then came back to Tucson before putting his name in for the D-League draft earlier this month, where he was taken by Rio Grande Valley in the second round.

In the first game of their season he saw limited court time, but in their second game last night he played 23 minutes, and had 17 points and 11 rebounds on 5/7 FGs and 2/4 3pts.

After all that KP has gone through in his life, I would imagine that the vast majority of UofA fans want to see him succeed more than any other alum. Hope that he gets some D-League run and can turn it into a sustained pro-career, be it here, or overseas.

If you are really, really, really bored and jonesing for some basketball... here is the

 

[GumbySquad]

...btw, I am certainly not bored enough to watch a 3 hour NBADL game, but I clicked around a bit to see when KP would be on the court. Turns out he scored 15 of his 17 in the last five minutes of the game, so if you want to reminisce and see Parrom play a bit, fast forward to the end of the game.

 

[Arizona_Sting]

...btw, I am certainly not bored enough to watch a 3 hour NBADL game, but I clicked around a bit to see when KP would be on the court. Turns out he scored 15 of his 17 in the last five minutes of the game, so if you want to reminisce and see Parrom play a bit, fast forward to the end of the game.

Haha I figured you didn't actually watch that whole thing. Glad to see KP playing in the D-League and doing well. I really hope he gets a shot and makes an NBA roster... even if it was just on a 10 day contract. That would be pretty special considering all he's been through. I'll always root for that kid.