Both PC Freshmen Suspended

[TheHall]

If we are really having this debate, then we both know the 2 years you are referring to were two of the most epic runs in history and only 2 words are necessary to explain both....Melo & Kemba. I think it's not fair to compare pc to those squads. In general freshman don't contribute greatly especially early in the season, except against weak competition.

Hall there was absolutely NO way (zero, zilch, nada) that either Melo or Kemba win NC's without Gerry McNamara (I think he went 5 for 5 from three in the Championship game) or Napier & Lamb (who both were flat out studs their freshmen year). Uconn doesn't even make the tourney without those guys. No one is saying that the freshmen are the best players on the team. I certainly would be more concerned if I were a PC fan if Cotton was the one out. But the argument is not if Freshmen can step in and be the best on their team (especially if it is a tourney or bubble team to begin with), it is can freshmen step in and contribute considerably from Day 1.

That's all I'm saying. But remember my "definitive statement" is saying early in the season I don't expect much from freshman...by the end of the season those dudes aren't freshman any more, like lamb, napier, roscoe, mcnamara, warrick etc. in the NCAAT.

[TheHall]

I'd call Dunn's 2nd game last year- the 5 pt 5 reb 6 ast game against BC- as being a factor against pretty good competition.

I think what you are saying is the frosh wouldn't have gone 20 and 10 against BC. That's fine. But, I think it's ok to say they may have gone 9 and 5 each. That's being a factor. When you combine with Dunn maybe being out, thats a lot they're losing. Especially with how the fouls will be called..

The hoyas lost Whit who mihgt have been a 17 & 7 player last year and they kept it moving. And when they lost him it wasn't clear yet how good Otto Porter was going to be. All I'm saying is good teams has to be able to handle a decent mix of injuries, suspensions, transfers and I think prov is a really good team.

A lot different program in Georgetown than in Providence. When you've had a pattern of sucess, things just feed off of it. Same thing happens in reverse.

Man Stever you're like a swiss-army knife with "well...but's" My point is you can either say the season's shot or other guys can step up and as long as Cotton, Batts, & Henton (veteran leadership) are out there too pc is a NCAAT team to me.

[billyjack]

I'd call Dunn's 2nd game last year- the 5 pt 5 reb 6 ast game against BC- as being a factor against pretty good competition.

I think what you are saying is the frosh wouldn't have gone 20 and 10 against BC. That's fine. But, I think it's ok to say they may have gone 9 and 5 each. That's being a factor. When you combine with Dunn maybe being out, thats a lot they're losing. Especially with how the fouls will be called..

Some general thoughts:

PC in OOC play last year was in a jam, because of injuries and ineligibility. Because of this, the Friars played games extremely short-handed. For example, PC took Penn State to overtime while using only 6 players..! Of those 6 players, one was a walk-on who played PG, another was freshman Josh Fortune who played SG, and two others were Lee Goldsbrough (of Newcastle, UK) and Brice Kofane. Goldsbrough and Kofane this year are the 11th and 12th guys on the bench.

Anyway, it took Dunn several games to get into a rhythm. In his first 2 games, he HAD to play around 30 minutes (vs Colgate; at BC). Those minutes allowed him to accumulate some nice stats with low turnovers, which is amazing. ---> You're pointing to KD's nice 5p-5r-6a line (which I think you looked up around 45 minutes ago), but you haven't mentioned his 3-for-13 and 2-for-7 and 2-for-7 again (at Brown) shooting. He was an obvious great talent, filled out the stat sheet in a great way, but it took him some games to get in a rhythm.

Of the 2 freshman this year, Bullock is talented and is expected to be a grinder, lunchpail, workhorse "seeker" type, but he isn't expected to carry a big load. Austin has amazing talent, but once again, he was expected to have to contribute in a big way right off the bat. Their suspensions blow, the game will be a grind, but it's not something that can't be overcome.

KEY POINT BY HALL ABOVE, WHICH I AGREE WITH:
"My point is you can either say the season's shot or other guys can step up and as long as Cotton, Batts, & Henton (veteran leadership) are out there too pc is a NCAAT team to me."

FYI:
Active Roster vs Penn State: OT loss last November:
PG - Bancroft (walk-on), 45 minutes.
SG - Fortune (freshman), 45 min.
SF - Henton, 40 min.
PF - Batts, 38 min.
C - Goldsbrough (currently 11th man), 32 min.
BENCH - C - Kofane (currently 12th man), 25 min.

Active Roster vs Boston College: 3 pt loss at Chestnut Hill:
28+ minutes each for Cotton, Fortune, Henton, Batts, and Dunn.

[stever20]

I'd call Dunn's 2nd game last year- the 5 pt 5 reb 6 ast game against BC- as being a factor against pretty good competition.

I think what you are saying is the frosh wouldn't have gone 20 and 10 against BC. That's fine. But, I think it's ok to say they may have gone 9 and 5 each. That's being a factor. When you combine with Dunn maybe being out, thats a lot they're losing. Especially with how the fouls will be called..

Some general thoughts:

PC in OOC play last year was in a jam, because of injuries and ineligibility. Because of this, the Friars played games extremely short-handed. For example, PC took Penn State to overtime while using only 6 players..! Of those 6 players, one was a walk-on who played PG, another was freshman Josh Fortune who played SG, and two others were Lee Goldsbrough (of Newcastle, UK) and Brice Kofane. Goldsbrough and Kofane this year are the 11th and 12th guys on the bench.

Anyway, it took Dunn several games to get into a rhythm. In his first 2 games, he HAD to play around 30 minutes (vs Colgate; at BC). Those minutes allowed him to accumulate some nice stats with low turnovers, which is amazing. ---> You're pointing to KD's nice 5p-5r-6a line (which I think you looked up around 45 minutes ago), but you haven't mentioned his 3-for-13 and 2-for-7 and 2-for-7 again (at Brown) shooting. He was an obvious great talent, filled out the stat sheet in a great way, but it took him some games to get in a rhythm.

Of the 2 freshman this year, Bullock is talented and is expected to be a grinder, lunchpail, workhorse "seeker" type, but he isn't expected to carry a big load. Austin has amazing talent, but once again, he was expected to have to contribute in a big way right off the bat. Their suspensions blow, the game will be a grind, but it's not something that can't be overcome.

KEY POINT BY HALL ABOVE, WHICH I AGREE WITH:
"My point is you can either say the season's shot or other guys can step up and as long as Cotton, Batts, & Henton (veteran leadership) are out there too pc is a NCAAT team to me."

FYI:
Active Roster vs Penn State: OT loss last November:
PG - Bancroft (walk-on), 45 minutes.
SG - Fortune (freshman), 45 min.
SF - Henton, 40 min.
PF - Batts, 38 min.
C - Goldsbrough (currently 11th man), 32 min.
BENCH - C - Kofane (currently 12th man), 25 min.

Active Roster vs Boston College: 3 pt loss at Chestnut Hill:
28+ minutes each for Cotton, Fortune, Henton, Batts, and Dunn.

I agree with you to a large degree.. I think one point though now- with the rules, I don't think you can play a game this year with 6 guys. Looked at the Penn St box score. had 3 guys with 4 fouls and 2 with 3 fouls. Those guys are probably all fouled out this year. Teams are going to be forced to go much deeper on the bench. I think in some ways, it's not going to be the same game as it was last year. I mean, PSU game you had 19 fouls as a team. In the BC games, 22 fouls- with 1 guy fouling out and 2 with 4 fouls.

Just looking at the stats from the scrimmage on Saturday...
Austin had 13 pts 5 reb in 27 minutes(most on the team)
Bullock had 6 pts and 5 reb in 15 minutes
Dunn had 4 pts 1 reb in 8 minutes(with 2 steals)
So, just from that game, 21 pts and 11 rebounds in 50 minutes(as a team you play 200 minutes). 1 plus- only 16 fouls as a team- granted BC will be a lot more likely to draw fouls than Rhode Island College....

[Bill Marsh]

The best thing about freshmen is that they become sophomores . . . except for Ricky Ledo and a few others. U

[stever20]

the Providence/BC game might be something...

Just saw this-
http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketb ... dence-game

Lonnie Jackson from BC will be out with a bad hammie

by the end of the game, we may be seeing walkons for both schools if it's a foul fest!

[78 friar]

Bottom line is if Dunn can go normal minutes at 85% and Cotton can go normal minutes at 90% (knee) then the Friars should win.