Bison137
Professor
Posts: 16147
Reg: 01-23-06
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01-02-21 02:33 AM - Post#318420
At last. The season opener at Navy. Followed the next day by the home opener, also vs Navy.
In the opener, Navy is favored by 4.5 points in the betting line and by 6 points on Pomeroy's site. Navy thus far is 3-1 - with wins over George Washington, Mt. St. Mary's, and Georgetown. The Georgetown win was impressive, even if Georgetown is not the powerhouse of old. Their lone loss was a blowout at the hands of Maryland.
Navy is a very experienced team that takes very good care of the ball. They are led by senior guard Cam Davis, who is averaging about 20 ppg and is one of the PL's top players.
Game Notes: https://s3.amazonaws.com/bucknellbison.com/documen...
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Bison137
Professor
Posts: 16147
Reg: 01-23-06
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01-02-21 02:44 AM - Post#318421
In response to Bison137
A few keys:
1. Xander Rice needs to show an improved outside shot. The offense can't afford for opponents to just ignore him out near the arc.
2. Team needs to create space in the lane for Meeks, who should be a dynamic scorer this year. Would like him to get 15 shots every game.
3. Need van der Heijden or Rhodes to develop as a competent backup at the four.
4. Need both Screen and Turner to provide good backup minutes.
5. Team needs to find a reliable backup PG. It could be Turner, but my guess is that he will mostly play the two with Funk handling backup PG duties.
6. Need Ellis to show a lot more willingness and effectiveness putting the ball to the floor and creating offense.
7. It would be a big help if Latimer gains his eligibility. I don't know what is holding it up since the NCAA two weeks ago gave a blanket waiver for transfers to immediately play. In any event, he would give the team a reliable backup win, behind Funk and Ellis, something they don't have know. (At some point, he could challenge for a starting job.)
8. And finally, the team can't afford another year of the disastrous automatic switching approach on defense.
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Bison137
Professor
Posts: 16147
Reg: 01-23-06
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01-02-21 12:07 PM - Post#318426
In response to Bison137
One more comment on the depth issue with Latimer not cleared to play. Without him, the Bison have only six scholarship subs. Positionally the lineup of backups looks like this:
Centers - Screen, Timmerman
PF's . - . Rhodes, van der Heijden
SF's . - . None
SG's . - . Turner, Andoh
PG's . - . None
So this likely causes a few things to happen in subbing:
- Possibly Meeks and/or VDH playing the three. Both can do it offensively. I doubt either can do it defensively, unless BU plays a zone for the first time in over three years (which I don't expect to see).
- A lot of minutes for both Funk and Ellis since they are among a small group of players who are truly wings.
- A few minutes for Andoh, who was very lightly recruited.
- Some minutes for Funk at PG.
- Maybe even a couple of minutes for Sechan at PG.
Note that the first three of these items will all change when/if Latimer gets the OK to play.
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MrPhillie
Postdoc
Posts: 2757
Loc: NE PA
Reg: 07-14-08
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01-02-21 12:14 PM - Post#318427
In response to Bison137
So it is Bucknell holding up Latimer?
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Bison137
Professor
Posts: 16147
Reg: 01-23-06
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01-02-21 12:24 PM - Post#318428
In response to MrPhillie
So it is Bucknell holding up Latimer?
Don't know - but it apparently isn't the PL or the NCAA. Might have something to do with whether Bucknell will allow him to play five seasons if he wants to do that. As you know, playing this year doesn't count towards a player's normal four years, per the NCAA. But it is unlikely Bucknell is going to allow players to play five - even if most PL teams do.
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MrPhillie
Postdoc
Posts: 2757
Loc: NE PA
Reg: 07-14-08
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01-02-21 12:51 PM - Post#318430
In response to Bison137
I can’t understand why Bucknell wouldn’t allow him to play this year if NCAA allows it...even if Bucknell doesn’t want a player to play five years. Seems Latimer would help more this year than next.
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KenZ
Postdoc
Posts: 2777
Reg: 01-23-06
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01-02-21 01:59 PM - Post#318433
In response to MrPhillie
i think Adoh could play the wing spot, but not sure he is ready.
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KenZ
Postdoc
Posts: 2777
Reg: 01-23-06
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01-02-21 02:42 PM - Post#318434
In response to KenZ
Meeks, Sechan and Adoh out with injuries this weekend
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BisonRoadWarrior
Professor
Posts: 5203
Loc: Where the Bison Roam
Reg: 08-16-06
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01-02-21 02:54 PM - Post#318435
In response to KenZ
Meeks, Sechan and Adoh out with injuries this weekend
All with "upper body injuries"
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BisonRoadWarrior
Professor
Posts: 5203
Loc: Where the Bison Roam
Reg: 08-16-06
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01-02-21 02:55 PM - Post#318436
In response to BisonRoadWarrior
Also in pregame show, Doug just said Latimer won't be playing "this season."
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MrPhillie
Postdoc
Posts: 2757
Loc: NE PA
Reg: 07-14-08
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Navy Games
01-02-21 03:14 PM - Post#318437
In response to BisonRoadWarrior
Ahhh...that’s why JVH got the start. I just turned it on 30 seconds in. And Screen starting over Newman.
Too bad for Miles and the team that Bucknell refused to allow Miles to play.
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Bison89
Professor
Posts: 5370
Loc: Philadelphia
Reg: 11-14-07
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01-02-21 03:28 PM - Post#318438
In response to MrPhillie
Screen is more mobile than I expected. Is he a true 7 footer?
| New season, new team, new dream . . . |
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bison63
Postdoc
Posts: 3857
Reg: 01-23-06
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01-02-21 03:34 PM - Post#318439
In response to Bison89
137 gets a mention!
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MrPhillie
Postdoc
Posts: 2757
Loc: NE PA
Reg: 07-14-08
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01-02-21 03:53 PM - Post#318440
In response to bison63
Screen looks pretty good overall, a little tentative defensively. Turner looks like he is already our best ball handler and most athletic...he missed some shots but he is going to be very good. Ellis needs more shots. Rice and Funk each took some questionable shots and some of the careless type of turnovers hurt. But overall. Not a bad half for their first game.
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KenZ
Postdoc
Posts: 2777
Reg: 01-23-06
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01-02-21 03:58 PM - Post#318441
In response to MrPhillie
Navy announcer made a comment about Newman also battling injuries which explains his limited action
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Bison89
Professor
Posts: 5370
Loc: Philadelphia
Reg: 11-14-07
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01-02-21 04:13 PM - Post#318442
In response to KenZ
Turner is quick! I love the Breakin Bison look.
| New season, new team, new dream . . . |
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Bison137
Professor
Posts: 16147
Reg: 01-23-06
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01-02-21 04:14 PM - Post#318443
In response to Bison89
Screen is more mobile than I expected. Is he a true 7 footer?
Yes, a true 7-footer with shoes on, which is the way all college teams measure their players.
He has reportedly looked in their team scrimmages.
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Bison89
Professor
Posts: 5370
Loc: Philadelphia
Reg: 11-14-07
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01-02-21 04:23 PM - Post#318444
In response to Bison137
After losing 30 lbs, Timmerman is looking much better.
| New season, new team, new dream . . . |
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Bison137
Professor
Posts: 16147
Reg: 01-23-06
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01-02-21 04:29 PM - Post#318445
In response to Bison89
After losing 30 lbs, Timmerman is looking much better.
One published report had him losing 50 pounds, another 35. Putting together a few different items, last year he weighed somewhere between 294 lbs and 302. I'd guess he is around 260 now.
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bison63
Postdoc
Posts: 3857
Reg: 01-23-06
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01-02-21 04:38 PM - Post#318446
In response to Bison137
Blowing it
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