MBB Game 06 High Point, Nov 22 (Wed), 7:30 PM

[Jojogunne]

So the Gulf Coast Showcase final will be Hofstra vs. High Point.

A big question will be stamina. After playing our starters for most of the game vs. Wright State, will we have what it takes to win our third game in three days?

[Wags]

So the Gulf Coast Showcase final will be Hofstra vs. High Point.

A big question will be stamina. After playing our starters for most of the game vs. Wright State, will we have what it takes to win our third game in three days?

No High Point starter played more than 29 minutes in its 74-72 win over Illinois State today, Three High Point bench players played 20, 22, and 28 minutes, and a fourth logged 12 minutes in that game, so the Panthers may be a bit more fresh tomorrow night.

[triplec2195]

It looks like we're a 7 point favorite in this game with a 74% chance of winning this game per ESPN.

[HUSID80]

ESPN now has us as -6.5 point favs with same chance of winning as per triplec.

[triplec2195]

Good stuff HUSID this is a very winnable game. Tonight we play a solid 40 minutes and bring home the trophy. Lets Go Pride!

[ZMAN3]

"Playable" numbers 5 1/2 - 153

[EvanJ]

I wonder when the last time we played for three consecutive days at the same time was.

http://defiantlydutch.blogspot.com/2023 ... point.html is Jerry Beach's "I'll Be Quirky: Hofstra vs. High Point." Yesterday's win was our biggest comeback win and biggest halftime deficit in a way since November 17, 2022 at San Jose State, and those two games are our only 85-76 wins ever. The previous two games were the second time from 1989-1990 to now that we had different players score at least 30 points in consecutive games. Antoine Agudio scored 30 in a 68-65 win hosting UNCW on February 22, 2007, and Carlos Rivera scored 37 in a 98-78 win at James Madison on February 24, 2007. I remember that day because it was a night game after I went with one of my professors to an Economics conference in Manhattan. We are trying to win an early season tournament for the first time since a trip to Florida in 2019, which only had four teams and two games per team. The Final was a win over Canisius, who had Jacco Fritz scored 5 points. The Big South is the only conference we never played, so after tonight we will have faced every conference. The only current Big South team we played is Longwood, who was an Independent when we played them. We are 2-1 against High Point in other sports, which are 1-0 in Volleyball, and 1-1 in Women's Lacrosse. KenPom predicts us to win 81-74.

https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=494653 will have statistics.

Edit: High Point has 17 players on their roster, 13 have played, and 9 have played every game. Here are the statistics with us and then High Point:

Points, 83.0, 86.2
Field goal percentage: .494, .474
Three-point field goal percentage: .387, .396
Free throw percentage: .780, .769
Rebounds: 36.6, 45.4 (hopefully we don't get outrebounded by a lot)
Offesnive rebounds: 9.6, 13.6
Blocks: 3.6, 4.2
Steals: 7.6, 4.4
Assists: 18.2, 12.6
Turnovers: 12.2, 12.8
Assists/turnovers: 1.49, 0.98

[Polito]

Tonight I’m banking on the cohesiveness and experience of the HU staff and the core returning players to pull this W out. I think HPU could give them a game and make this tough - but if HU plays to their ability this can be an impactful victory and tourney champ.

That’s good info Z, that was a nice win for the team. I do not see High Point finishing that low in a weak big south, but I can certainly understand why they were picked there having a first year staff, and a roster of new players.

I want to see HU put together a full game tonight whistle to whistle - do that and the team/staff will have achieved the goals of this business trip.

ROLL PRIDE

[EvanJ]

We are starting Dubar, Washington, Carlos, Thomas, and Fritz. High Point is starting Trae Benham (guard), Abdoulaye Thiam (guard), Duke Miles (guard), Kimani Hamilton (forward), and Juslin Bodo Bodo (forward). That is not a typo. His name has Bodo twice.

Thomas is second in Division I with 4.2 threes made per game.

Wright State defeated Illinois State 74-49 in the third place game, so that makes our offense yesterday look great.

[Jojogunne]

With Bodo out, we went to Sunday three plays in a row. He made two soft layups, but should slam those ball through the net.

[Wags]

With Bodo out, we went to Sunday three plays in a row. He made two soft layups, but should slam those ball through the net.

You shorted Juslin Bodo Bodo one Bodo.

Like last night, a slow start (down 7-2) followed by immediate resilience (went up 13-9). Now 14-14 at the second MTO.

[Wags]

22-9 run after trailing 7-2. Impressed with their early resilience the last two nights. That's a good sign.

[Jojogunne]

Somebody has to work with Sunday on rebounding. He gets to a lot of balls, but doesn't secure them and turns them over.

[Cards]

Wow, if Silas had better hands, he'd have 5-6 rebounds and 6-8 pts already. As time goes on, I can only see improvement!

[Wags]

Somebody has to work with Sunday on rebounding. He gets to a lot of balls, but doesn't secure them and turns them over.

True, but keep in mind, we've said similar things about other bigs in November and very different things about them in January and February in past years. I trust they will be looking at that film with him and working on this.

[Wags]

High Point started the half up 7-2 and closed it 5-0. HU otherwise dominant (33-15) in between.

High Point held to just 34% shooting including only 1/12 from 3.

Good to see Plotnikov back in the mix (5 pts, 2/2 fg, 3 reb in 12 valuable minutes).

Thomas back to the 3s (not hitting) with no FTA... 3/10 fg, 1/6 from 3. Better when he gets to the line like last night, with his 8/8 there helping to put the game away and taking him from 22 pts to 30 pts.

[EvanJ]

It was 14-14 when I started watching, went up to 24-14, got closer, Carlos made a three with 1:44 left to go up 33-22, and High Point scored to go down 33-27 at halftime. We shot free throws 1-2, and High Point shot them 4-11. Before today, I wonder when was the last time we played a first half after which nobody on either team made more than half of his free throws? Sunday committed 3 fouls. Dubar (8 minutes), Fritz (5 minutes), and Tomasco (3 minutes) committed 2 fouls to combine for 6 fouls in 16 minutes. Thomas scored 7, but shot 3-10 including threes 1-6. He did miss off the back rim that allowed for an offensive rebound and Carlos's three with 1:44 left. We called timeout with 2 seconds left on the shot clock. I wanted us to save our timeout for a full possession, but the miss and second chance points helped. Thomas tied for our lead with 4 rebounds, and had 3 assists. Carlos scored 6. He made 2 of 3 threes, and missed all 5 twos. He tied Thomas with 4 rebounds, and led all players with 4 assists. Sunday shot 3-4 to score 6, but did not have a rebounds. Plotnikov scored 5 without missing, and had 3 rebounds. Washington scored 4, Fritz scored 3, Dubar scored 2, and Tomasco and Robinson did not shoot. We had 3 turnovers, High Point had 4, and nobody on either team had more than 1. Duke Miles led all scorers with 10, and he was the only High Point player to score more than 5. Trae Benham had 8 rebounds without scoring. His only shots were 3 missed threes. Since forwards and centers get more rebounds, and guards shoot more threes, I would expect it to be rare for a player to have at least 8 rebounds and at least 3 threes attempted in a half without attempting a two. Thomas and Carlos played 18 minutes, Washington and Miles played 18, and Benham played 17.

[triplec2195]

Looking forward to seeing our starters in the second half. Hopefully Dubar can get going

[EvanJ]

High Point went down 2, and Hofstra went up 57-50 with 11:58 left when Carlos scored and will shoot a free throw after the timeout. The announcer said Carlos swung his elbow and should have been called for an offensive foul. We have 8 fouls in the half, and High Point has 6. Sunday scored 6 in 15 minutes, and fouled out with 15:26 left. Fritz is on the bench with 4 fouls in 8 minutes.

Edit: High Point went down 1, and missed two open threes while down 3, including one that went in and out. We lead 74-69 with 3:47 left. Carlos committed is fourth foul. Fritz re-entered with 4 fouls. Bodo Bodo shot free throws 0-3 with 2 air balls, and the announcer said we should intentionally foul him.

[Wags]

Thomas back to the 3s (not hitting) with no FTA... 3/10 fg, 1/6 from 3. Better when he gets to the line like last night, with his 8/8 there helping to put the game away and taking him from 22 pts to 30 pts.

29 of Thomas' 36 pts in the second half tonight. No coincidence, he's 8/8 from the line and 5/7 from 3 in the second half. Getting to the line opens up his whole game even more.

19 of his 30 in the second half last night (0/0 FT in the first half, 8/8 FT in the second half).