UNF Osprey Mens BB 2016-2017

[spuwho]

Tied 80-80 with 42 seconds left.

FGCU comes down and scores a 3 pointer. 80-83.

UNF brings it down and Chris Davenport is open and goes for the three, but misses. Garrett Sams tips it back and here is where confusion reigns.

The shot clock had closed as it was now less than 30 sec in the game.The Ospreys had time to setup for another play again,.

Davenport got the ball back after the tip by Sams, but insisted on getting the ball to Dallas Moore. I mean I get it, Dallas is your guy, 3rd leading scorer in the nation. Problem was FGCU was guarding him close and the trapping forward was moving up to force the ball away. Davenport had a hard time getting a clean pass to him and the ball got tipped twice, Dallas couldnt recover it, FGCU stole it and took it down for a layup and foul for another 3 point play. Now 80-86.

With 3.8 seconds left Dallas makes a closing uncontested layup to end the game.

FGCU 86. - UNF 82

There were 25 team fouls in the second half, and many were non-sensical. 

UNF Coach Driscoll got a bench warning in the first half when he asked about a foul call. It was kind of hilarious because when the ref blew his whistle at him and went to the table to announce it, coach looked at his feet to see if he was on the court or past the line (he wasnt). When it was announced, he just looked at his staff and shrugged his shoulders.

But in the second half, things got really weird.  This time Coach Dooley of FGCU started asking the refs about some calls and he too got a bench warning.

By the way, I am volunteer BB referee, so I dont usually spend a lot of time critiquing them, but this crew really missed the mark in several areas.

I had a feeling it might be a weird night when both baseline refs called 3 seconds on each team in the first 3 minutes of the game. While it still happens, with todays coaching, todays ball movement and the 30 second clock, its getting very rare to see players camping in the lane, at least long enough to provoke a whistle by a ref.

I dont like games being driven by the quality of the zebras, but this crew just wasnt with it.

Also a new thing I am seeing this year that I havent before.  Seniors Chris Davenport and Dallas Moore yelling at Freshmen Wajid Aminu and Garrett Sams. Not the encouraging kind, more of the chew the ass out kind.

One thing I have noticed in the Matt Driscoll era, UNF players dont chew out teammates on the game court. 

I noticed it at the Lipscomb game as well, but way more in this one.

The makeup of this team is different and a little disjointed at times. I hope they can find a rhythm that suits their makeup.

[remc86007]

Sad loss. I hate to watch games like this where literally any contact is called as a foul; it takes the fun out of the game when both teams are in foul trouble for a large part of the game and you spend half the game watching free-throws. I'm not blaming the refs for the loss, because at least the overly zealous foul calling was evenly distributed.

You know the refs are looking for calls when Dallas Moore gets called for 4. He never fouls. I've seen games where he drives to the rim just like tonight and end the game with no fouls. And can someone explain to me why Aaron Bodager gets as much playtime as he gets? Zero points and 4 fouls tonight.

I totally agree on Bodager. I've wondered this since the third game of the season. If he isn't performing well, take him out. Is there some weird sense of entitlement since he is a senior?

[remc86007]

One thing I have noticed in the Matt Driscoll era, UNF players dont chew out teammates on the game court. 

I think that one thing that might be contributing to this is that when Moore and Davenport were younger, they were, even then, the stars. The past five years has seen a massive ramp-up in the quality of player that UNF can recruit. Now, we have top level players that are in their senior year and perhaps they feel some obligation to mentor/discipline the younger players in a way that didn't happen when Moore and Davenport were freshman.

I agree that this team doesn't seem to have a rhythm like they did in prior years, but I think a lot of that comes down to the younger players not being consistent. With Mackey and Beech, it was almost certain that someone was going to be hot and could provide some rhythm. I, despite not understanding much about the technical side of basketball, am pleased with this team's ability to play zone defense. FGCU struggled to penetrate effectively and got much of their scoring done on free-throws due to the sensitive reffing crew.

Hopefully the young guys will continue to improve and we will find a way to win the A-Sun.

[spuwho]

Great points raised by all!

The team this year is a unique mix of experience and skill.

While Davenport and Moore are longtime starters, Aminu and Sams are only Freshman. Romelo Banks, while he had played 2 years, he had a medical redshirt last year and is back after a 1 year layoff.


I agree that the team defense is actually better overall. UNF was plagued by these lapses in the last two years where opposing teams would go on these 18-2 runs in the 2nd half and the Ospreys were playing from behind.

They are rebounding better this year, probably because they have Banks back into the post again.

Last year they would get scorched on the boards because they had 2 forwards (Davenport and Daniels) trading off in the post. It finally caught up with them late last season and in the ASun Qfinal against FGCU.

Garrett Sams has had some defensive lapses this season and that is not surprising, being a freshman, where he makes positional errors and it costs the team uncontested 3 pointers.

But the one thing about this year that has changed the most is how Dallas Moore now has full control of the ball. Because he is dribbling and positioning so much, the other players become screen setters or attempt to be the uncontested basket if Dallas has to bail.

Before, there was significant ball passing and plays run into the play clock before a shot was taken. Now it just looks like everyone is waiting for Dallas to get trapped and either pass it, or do his escape before making a looping basket.

This has impacted 2 players (IMHO) specifically. Aaron Bodager and Nick Malonga.

Bodager and Mackey were rated nationally in 3 pt shots previously. Mackey is gone, Bodager is a non shooter (or very rare) in the new offensive style.  Nick Malonga barely gets into the game now.

So having 2 freshman on the court, and 1 guy generating most of the offense, leaves some guys as role players. I am sure Aaron doesnt care as long as they win.

[Westside Guy]

Aminu and Sams are only Freshman.

And this is super exciting to me.  I've been telling all of my friends for the past few seasons that we had better win now because as soon as Beech, Mackey, and Moore were gone, I had no confidence that this team would be anywhere near as good.  However, the play of these two freshmen is good enough that they can be built around going forward.  I really like Garrett Sams, I think he is our next Beau Beech, and Aminu plays with such intensity, he drives to the basket like a madman sometimes (which is a good thing for this team) and I personally think he is one of the best rebounders on the team. Add those two to the other guys I have noticed like C.J. Fisher and Aaron Horne, AND Romelo Banks and Osborn Blount coming back, and I think this team can be really good next year even without Dallas.

[spuwho]

Aminu and Sams are only Freshman.

And this is super exciting to me.  I've been telling all of my friends for the past few seasons that we had better win now because as soon as Beech, Mackey, and Moore were gone, I had no confidence that this team would be anywhere near as good.  However, the play of these two freshmen is good enough that they can be built around going forward.  I really like Garrett Sams, I think he is our next Beau Beech, and Aminu plays with such intensity, he drives to the basket like a madman sometimes (which is a good thing for this team) and I personally think he is one of the best rebounders on the team. Add those two to the other guys I have noticed like C.J. Fisher and Aaron Horne, AND Romelo Banks and Osborn Blount coming back, and I think this team can be really good next year even without Dallas.

I share your excitement.  UNF did lose some commits, last year redshirt freshman (and Canadian phenom) D'Andre Bernard just "disappeared" off the roster. I finally found him playing at a JC in Georgia.

Next year we will see Ole Miss transfer JT Escobar. I think incoming guard Brian Coffey is going to surprise some people.  Wes Morgan from Audrey Kell in Charlotte has a better chance to be the next Beech than Sams, as he plays that stretch foward well. The deal with Wes is he is underweight for Div 1 play. He will need to beef up a little.

I liked the aggressive play from Odum, Blount when the fouls took several players to the bench.

But something has got to give next year. While Bodager, Moore and Davenport will all be graduating, one of the new recruits will have to redshirt his first year or someone will lose their roster spot.

[spuwho]

The Ospreys continue to perplex folks as they traveled down to Deland to take on last place Stetson and lost, 88-74.

Baffling as they were unable to hold a 9 point lead they had at halftime.  They went on a streak where they didn't score for 3 minutes in the second half punctuated by 5 missed 3 pointers. 2 by Sams, 2 by Moore, and 1 by Bodager.  I was unable to drive down or see the game on ESPN3 this afternoon, so I can't say with any authority what made them go so cold suddenly.

Why the sudden rush for the three's I am not clear, especially since Chris Davenport and Romelo Banks were doing so well in the paint. Davenport was the Ospreys high scorer with 26 points.  But the Ospreys shot a horrendous 39% from the field and had 15 turnovers.  Turnovers have plagued the team this year.

Since FGCU beat JU easily, Upstate beat Kennesaw, & Lipscomb beat NJIT, this puts the Ospreys in a very challenging 2 games behind FGCU in the ASun with half the conference schedule completed.

UNF now has to go on the road against FGCU on Monday night, before getting a 3 game homestand against Upstate, Stetson and NJIT.

FGCU schedule rolls down hill from here on out as they go through the bottom of the ASun, with most at home. Only their game at Upstate on 2/18 appears to be a big one and the game will probably determine the #1 seed in the ASun tourney.

Unless the Ospreys can score some upsets, their play will probably land them at 7-7 for ASun play and 12-19 for the regular season.

Also Dallas Moore is .2 points behind #2 Alec Peters of Valpo in NCAA Division 1 scoring averages. FWIW: Little 5 foot 9 inch Junior, Marcus Keene of Central Michigan is currently leading the NCAA with a 29 ppg average. I don't think Dallas will catch him.

[remc86007]

Glad I forgot to watch. I can't stand when they go on those long scoring droughts...

[spuwho]

Well, if what the coach sez is true.....it will be a long night season.

"This league has good teams that make it hard to win on the road. Give all the credit to Stetson because they came out in the second half and punched us in the mouth and we just didn't respond. I'm not sure why and I don't understand it. I should have done a better job making defensive changes or playing different guys so that's on me. However, Stetson just seem to want it more and played with more energy and their guys made plays and shots especially in the second half. We have to take a hard look at ourselves and  figure some things out and get ready to play again on Monday night." -- Head coach Matthew Driscoll

[Westside Guy]

Well, if what the coach sez is true.....it will be a long night season.

"This league has good teams that make it hard to win on the road. Give all the credit to Stetson because they came out in the second half and punched us in the mouth and we just didn't respond. I'm not sure why and I don't understand it. I should have done a better job making defensive changes or playing different guys so that's on me. However, Stetson just seem to want it more and played with more energy and their guys made plays and shots especially in the second half. We have to take a hard look at ourselves and  figure some things out and get ready to play again on Monday night." -- Head coach Matthew Driscoll

That doesn't sound good going down the stretch. Where's the fight that we saw as they went to Syracuse, Arkansas, and LSU. They were way out classed in those games and kept it close. There was a point this season where UNF was the team that wanted it more. Also, while this quote form Driscoll doesn't sound very negative just by reading it, I've never heard him question his team's heart before.

[spuwho]

Well, if what the coach sez is true.....it will be a long night season.

"This league has good teams that make it hard to win on the road. Give all the credit to Stetson because they came out in the second half and punched us in the mouth and we just didn't respond. I'm not sure why and I don't understand it. I should have done a better job making defensive changes or playing different guys so that's on me. However, Stetson just seem to want it more and played with more energy and their guys made plays and shots especially in the second half. We have to take a hard look at ourselves and  figure some things out and get ready to play again on Monday night." -- Head coach Matthew Driscoll

That doesn't sound good going down the stretch. Where's the fight that we saw as they went to Syracuse, Arkansas, and LSU. They were way out classed in those games and kept it close. There was a point this season where UNF was the team that wanted it more. Also, while this quote form Driscoll doesn't sound very negative just by reading it, I've never heard him question his team's heart before.

That loss to FGCU at home I think took some of the wind out of their sails. If they had won, they would have been more motivated to stay at the top.  With 3 losses in the ASun now, they will not repeat as regular season champs. In other words, they play to their level of competition. Losses to talent deficient NJIT and Stetson is the proof.

I really believe this is a transition team from the recruiting class of 2012/2013 to the class of 2016/2017.

Dallas Moore is getting his just rewards to enhance his chances to go pro.  And like it or not, when kids see that yet another Osprey has gone pro or is in the mix to do so, it does wonders for recruiting.

I have been surprised how many high school kids in the midwest know who Beau Beech is.  Not at the same level as a LBJ, but kids in AAU know.

[spuwho]

Yet another loss tonight to FGCU down in Ft Myers. 74-59.

The Ospreys stayed neck and neck with them until the usual dry spell. This one started at around 9 minutes left.

Brandon Goodwin on FGCU was getting hot and for reasons I cannot explain, one of two things would occur, UNF would either have Dallas try to force it, or watch Chris Davenport stand at the 3 point circle wondering what the heck he was going to do. No movement, just standing around. Meanwhile the shot clock runs down. It was like the rest of the team ceased to exist and he was going to score off the dribble.  So UNF would end up with these end of ahot clock low percentage shots. The Ospreys didnt score one point in the last 2 minutes of the game.

Coach Driscoll tried to mix it up. He had Davenport come off the bench. He had Osborn Blount and Dallas Moore in the backcourt, mostly to try and cool off Goodwin. The Ospreys crashed the boards like never before and drew alot of fouls. But when Dallas Moore missed 2 free throws, then the front end of a 1 and 1, you knew the tanks were running empty. 

This team most definitely needs a 3rd scoring option and they need to run plays that allow that scoring option to be successful. While Romelo Banks could be that option, they dont post him up much and his FT percentage isnt good. You can foul him with moderate success.

Right now any team can see Davenport and Moore are it, and after that is nothing. That makes it a lot easier for the opposing defenses to prepare.

Even Nick Malonga played (1 min) so you knew coach was looking for answers.

Lipscomb upset Upstate @ Upstate tonight, so that puts FGCU on top by a game over Lipscomb.  JU beat Stetson at Stetson. Kennesaw beat NJIT @ NJIT.

UNF is in the middle of the pack now at 4-4.

[Westside Guy]

Swooping on down the ASUN rankings.

[copperfiend]

Both JU and UNF are having disappointing seasons.

[Dapperdan]

JU always has disappointing seasons. UNF usually has the best chance for NCAA post game appearances but doesn't look like either will make it this year.