OFFICIAL CELEBRATION THREAD - TOWSON 56, MANHATTAN 55

[Chris Datres 423]

Sorry Jakejake, you’re not invited to this party. 

BELFAST CHAMPIONS

Only led for about a minute of game time but that’s all that matters.  Gritty effort, incredibly sloppy, but they keep finding ways.  8 in a row and back to the mainland. 

[Moleman 1]

They find a way, you gotta give them credit! And Morsell absolved himself at the end

Keep it goin' Pat McSkerry!!

[mat1992 2,231]

Tough to watch but we found a way. Mike couldn't make a shot but wanted the last one. Zane was named MVP with 20 points. At 8-1, that's the best start in school history in D1. We need a big crowd for Wednesday against Morgan State.

I do have some concerns though and I know that Skerry said at the end of the game, that was a tough team to prepare for. But when we play UNCW and other pressing teams, we need to keep EK on the floor as an extra ballhandler when Starr is out. Also Gorham continues to struggle defensively, which is strange, because he played well on D last season with less weight. Thought Tunstall helped turn the game around because that zone press wasn't really hurting them until he came as the top of the press.

Backup point guard? Still an issue. Shooting? Was pretty good this year until this tournament. I think we made just six threes in two days. Defensive rebounding not great either, esp. when we go small. Bench struggled as well but they are fine.

We shot 2 of 11 from 3pt, 37.7 percent overall. Made 14 of 19 from the line. They made 44.4 percent from 3pt. But we blasted them on the boards, 42-23 and had 19 off rebounds. They also had 19 turnovers.

Great effort by Manhattan. Their leading scorer was back in the states because he forgot his passport.

 

[Chris Datres 423]

Skerry always talks about playing fast but it felt like in watching these 2 games that we were trying to play TOO fast.  There were too many ill-advised shots in transition, especially yesterday when we had grabbed the lead.  The passes today against the zone were all over the place and out of control, which led to all of those turnovers in the first half.  I wish we’d put a shooting threat at the foul line vs zone cuz when Eddie gets it there, he looks a bit indecisive because he’s so open. The defense got much better in the 2nd half and was able to recognize shooters and of course, hitting the boards. 

Still not sure how I feel about Alex Thomas right now.  Just seems like he hasn’t improved much and is pretty weak with the ball.  Gorham being in foul trouble didn’t help that post rotation. 

[TigerNation 49]

15 minutes ago, mat1992 said:

 

Great effort by Manhattan. Their leading scorer was back in the states because he forgot his passport.

 

They have another scorer? They are going to be dangerous in their conference.

[sr16 158]

What a game. Glad Mike could hit it when it counts .. Interesting to see the rest of non conference. 

[Chris Datres 423]

29 minutes ago, sr16 said:

What a game. Glad Mike could hit it when it counts .. Interesting to see the rest of non conference. 

The way we’ve been playing and the different types of games we’ve won, I’d be disappointed if we lost any of them, including the Pitt game. 

[TUTigers 119]

30 minutes ago, Chris Datres said:

The way we’ve been playing and the different types of games we’ve won, I’d be disappointed if we lost any of them, including the Pitt game. 

Pitt has been awful this year.  RPI is 162. 

[TSU88 1,070]

I spent most of the game yelling at the TV. Shoot less than 40% from the field; abysmal ball security (had to have near 25 TO’s); Morsell off all day (except for a certain shot at the end ?); ZM misses a breakaway dunk...and still got the W. I think it does say something when we can play so poorly & still get the W. Don’t know if the outcome would have been different if Manhattan’s leading scorer would have played, but that’s not our problem.

A few observations: If I’m an upcoming opponent of ours, I’m going to try & replicate the D Manhattan played today. It was smothering, especially in the 1st half;

Lack of a backup PG concerns me;

ZM is a scorer, plain & simple. 

Gorham had a bad tournament. I wonder if he’s 100% healthy;

Great to see Morsell hit the game winner-big time redemption after struggling all game;

EK can make me crazy at times, but he seems to come up big at critical times. He had a couple of sweet up & under inside baskets in the tournament;

Morman also drives me crazy on the offensive end, but I love the D;

Thomas will never be a finisher around the rim, but I thought he contributed today with his size presence & rebounding on D.

 

 

 

 

[mat1992 2,231]

13 minutes ago, TSU88 said:

I spent most of the game yelling at the TV. Shoot less than 40% from the field; abysmal ball security (had to have near 25 TO’s); Morsell off all day (except for a certain shot at the end ?); ZM misses a breakaway dunk...and still got the W. I think it does say something when we can play so poorly & still get the W. Don’t know if the outcome would have been different if Manhattan’s leading scorer would have played, but that’s not our problem.

A few observations: If I’m an upcoming opponent of ours, I’m going to try & replicate the D Manhattan played today. It was smothering, especially in the 1st half;

Lack of a backup PG concerns me;

ZM is a scorer, plain & simple. 

Gorham had a bad tournament. I wonder if he’s 100% healthy;

Great to see Morsell hit the game winner-big time redemption after struggling all game;

EK can make me crazy at times, but he seems to come up big at critical times. He had a couple of sweet up & under inside baskets in the tournament;

Morman also drives me crazy on the offensive end, but I love the D;

Thomas will never be a finisher around the rim, but I thought he contributed today with his size presence & rebounding on D.

 

 

 

 

Gorham is not 100% but neither is Starr (heel). I'm concerned over Gorham's post D and well, when Starr struggles, so do we normally. Skerry said postgame that they didn't have enough time to prepare for their pressing, zone, changing defenses, etc. Similar to Louisville because that's where the coach is from. Morman has to be on the floor for his defense, but I  wish he'd be a bit more conservative on when to attack the basket. When you have Zane and Mike, I can't imagine Pat liked that late shot by Morman that we got back.