So there was more than one raging bull in the ‘Burg this past week. While it took the Virginia State Police to take the first down on Thursday, Dawn Evans, Lauren Jimenez, and Nikki Newman handled their business on Sunday just fine by finally knocking off Larry Wendy’s, err, Wendy Larry’s team from Nawfuck.
WBB CAA Champs
Defeating ODU kicked a gorilla-sized monkey off the Lady Dukes’ back. First, they locked up the CAA Championship and finally took advantage of hosting the tourney before it’s move next year to the ghettofabulous Showplace Arena in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. Second, and maybe most importantly, they locked up their NCAA berth and can watch Monday’s Selection Show with nothing but joy and expectation of a seed as high as 5 or 6.
But for Lady Dukes past and present, this also had to ease so many tough memories of past collapses, near misses, and general misery against the Monarchs, including the Smokin’ Al Koken in-game documentation of 8 past CAA Title game heartbreaks against Ferdinand Wendy Larry’s long-time CAA juggernaut.
As for the game itself, Dawn was Dawn, turning in a dominant performance and clearly showing herself to be the best player on the court. She faced some tough second-half defense from ODU’s Parker, but as usual when defended tough, she checked her ego and repeatedly set up her teammates in great positions.
But this was an all-around great effort from every Duke on the floor (official JMU Sports wrapup here), with some scrappy first-half play from freshman Nikki Newman setting a great tone. But the real difference from the early-season fast-paced-but-one-dimensional team to what is now going to be one of the toughest outs in the big dance has to be the emergence inside of Lauren Jimenez. ODU had no answer for her on Sunday and she worked the pick and roll with Evans to perfection. If teams load up on Evans in the tourney and Kenny Brooks can get this kind of play from Jimenez again, there’s only one team in the nation (UConn) JMU won’t have a chance against.
Here’s to avoiding the UConn Bracket!
Selection Show is Monday Night at 6:30 so we’ll be back with more info after that.
Also look for a Sweet 16 of Harrisonburg food legends (circa 1998) coming later this week.
I am certainly no CAA basketball historian. With the improved coverage of the league and the increased availability of stats however, it’s been much easier to analyze teams and players from the past. In fact, I recently analyzed (and by “analyzed” I mean looked at) the CAA stats for all seasons since 1996-1997. One thing really jumped out at me. In that time there has never been a single All-CAA first team that didn’t include the league’s leading scorer OR leading rebounder. In fact, in 9 of those seasons BOTH the leading scorer and leading rebounder found themselves on the first team.
So it’s pretty odd that this year the league’s coaches, media, and sports information directors neglected to vote the CAA’s leading scorer and the CAA’s leading rebounder onto the All-CAA team. It’s even more shocking considering that a single player led the league in both categories. That’s right, Denzel Bowles, the CAA’s leading scorer and leading rebounder, got snubbed from the All-CAA first team. Oh, and Bowles also lead the league in FG percentage.
read more…
Todd and I weren’t able to make the trip to Richmond for the CAA tournament this year, but a bunch of our friends were able to. Our buddy Frank was kind enough to file this guest post below capturing his thoughts on the trip.
March Madness has officially begun. After a long, snow-filled winter, a highly anticipated spring is just around the corner. I couldn’t think of a better way to start the season than a road trip to Richmond. The CAA tournament is a great reason to dash up I-95 to catch up with old friends and cheer the Dukes. (ed note. Couldn’t agree more. What Frank is leaving at is that our other buddy Omar met them at the bar late, one beer led to another, and they all missed the game.)
As I planned my recent trip, I noticed stark contrasts to the road trips of my past. Since I was a business major, my comparison will take the form of an Excel table.
| Road Trip 1998 | Road Trip 2010 | |
| Transportation | An old VW Jetta with carpets in serious need of vacuuming and a new clutch | Family Sedan with a recent oil change and tires inflated to manufacture’s specification |
| Approval Required | None | Primary: Wife Secondary: Manager, In-laws (baby sitting) |
| Communication | 1 call | 6 calls, 24 texts, 12 instant messages and 46 emails |
| Music for the Road | Widespread Panic “Space Wrangler”, Agents of Good Roots “Where’d You Get That Vibe?”, Foo Fighters, Pixies “Doolittle” | Spoon “Transference”, Them Crooked Vultures, Pixies “Doolittle” |
| Audio Equipment | Cassette Adapter for CD player, shock resistant personal CD player | Aux cable, iPod |
| Sleeping Arrangements | We’ll know when we get there | A suite at the Holiday Inn Express booked well in advance with AAA discount, an internet coupon and corporate rewards card. (4 free Oeros…yippee!) |
| Directions | Hand written instructions transcribed by my roommate’s mom | Printed copy of Google Maps and GPS |
| Drink of Choice | Milwaukee’s Best Light | Coor’s Light and/or Miller Lite |
| Popular Topics of Conversation | The D-Hall menu, Ayssa Milano, Condoms: Are ribbed really better?, Puck, large breasts | Life Insurance, bagless vacuums: Are they really superior?, Ayssa Milano, healthcare reform, Snookie, large breasts |
| Hangover Cure | Bojangle’s breakfast with sweet tea purchased with coins found in the sofa | A multivitamin, 5 Hour Energy, 3 Advil and a cup of hotel coffee |
So there you have it. We’re officially old. Next year Todd and I are both making the trip though…assuming we get permission.
It's gonna be a long time until football season.
The Dukes gave fans something to cheer about Friday night with the win over Drexel, and for about 30 minutes Saturday night, it looked like JMU was ready to pull off another upset. Unfortunately, David Schneider and his William & Mary teammates stepped up, knocked down three after three after three, and beat JMU in the CAA Tournament Quarterfinals. The final score was 70-65.
JMU clearly outplayed William & Mary in the first half and then built a 14 point lead in the second half. They were getting good looks, knocking them down, and even playing great defense. Then W&M got hot and an inexperience and exhausted JMU team let a win slip it away.
I’m still letting this one sink in. The game left me with lots of questions. Where was this effort for most of the season? Will anyone be able to stop Denzel next year? Why is that dork on the W&M bench jumping up and down like he’s never seen a basketball game before? Will next year really be the year that JMU contends? Lots and lots of questions. One big one hangs out there above all the others though…Now that basketball season is done, what the #@%* are Todd and I going to blog about?
I mean, we knew this day was coming eventually. When we started the blog in December we both knew that we’d have to get creative to fill some gaps in between basketball season and the start of football. We even discussed it. I believe the conversation went something like this:
Todd- “What are we going to write about after basketball ends?”
Me – “Dude, don’t worry about it. We know way more about JMU football than JMU hoops, so we can write a ton about that. Think about the QB controversy, that’s an easy post right there.”
Todd – “Yeah, I guess so.”
Me – “And don’t forget the stadium expansion. See that’s 2 post already and we haven’t even started the blog yet.”
Todd – “We can also sprinkle in posts about sports like baseball, woman’s lax, tennis, and all the rest.”
Me – “Exactly. I understand that now it seems tough, but by the time hoops ends we’ll pretty much be expert bloggers.”
Todd – “Good point. This is gonna be easy.”
Me – “Definitely. Really easy.”
Well, I’ve said a lot of dumb things in my lifetime, but that little exchange ranks up there with some of the dumbest. I’d go into details about some of the other dumb things I’ve said, but I might need to develop an entire series of posts on the topic by June. I guess Todd and I are about to find out what we’re made of as bloggers. So, sit back, grab a drink, relax, and get ready to read more about the stadium expansion than you ever thought possible. How many days until football season starts?
JMU provided the CAA tournament’s only first round upset last night with a 77-65 victory over Drexel. Brady had the boys playing with a ton of energy and for once the Dukes kept the intensity up for 40 minutes. Here are some quick thoughts before we focus our attention on this evening’s game against William & Mary.
Thumbs Up
Coach Brady – His team had every reason in the world to mail it in last night and end the misery of the season. He had them ready to go and kept the team playing hard all night.
Denzel Bowles – Todd, Uncle Ron, Jamie, and I were chatting about the game yesterday and we were expecting the big man to have a huge game as soon as the announcement was made that he was snubbed from the All-CAA first team. Our hunch was correct and Denzel finished with 22 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, and a block.
Pierre Curtis – The senior PG had a huge first half before injuring his ankle. He was definitely hurting, but stepped up big and had a great night.
Julius Wells – Everyone knows that I think Wells is talented, but has serious shot selection issues. The shot selection was still suspect, but Wells was great from the free throw line on a night when it really mattered, hitting 8 of 10.
Thumbs Down
The steaming video – I opted to go with Schikman’s call on Madizone because I was suspicious of the video feed’s quality. Todd confirmed my suspicions just after tip-off. The CAA has to get it together and provide a better option next year.
The officials – With about 7 minutes to go, I seriously started to worry that the game would end with about 8 players on the court. 55 fouls and 73 free throws! Give the whistles a rest and let ’em play.
Denzel Haters – The fact that he ended up on the second team for All-CAA is just ridiculous (Larry Sanders is good, but Denzel outplayed him head-to-head and had a league leading 11 double-doubles). The fact that so many Dukes’ fans continue to dump on Denzel is pure insanity. He’s pretty much unstoppable on offense and last night showed that he can play both ends of the court.
That’s it for now. Time to move on to the rubber match with William & Mary. Tip-off is scheduled for approximately 8:30 and the game is on The Comcast Network. Go Dukes!
It’s that time of year. When Lipscomb and Kennesaw squared off in the first round of the Atlantic Sun tourney today, it kicked off the most consistently exciting month in sports. Days on end of great matchups, late nights, miraculous upsets, white lies to the bossman, and general must-see mayhem.
For some squads, and their fortunate fans, there’s a least a decent chance of a few wonderful nights followed by glorious days in the office filled with reliving great moments, emailing your buddies, and old-fashioned gloating.
And then there’s March for JMU. A month filled with enjoying the greatness that is Dawn Evans, hoping the baseball team can live up to expectations, and watching the stadium cam with dreams of Morehead State, PBR, and cornhole on a bluebird September day. Noticeably absent from this list is anything to do with Men’s Basketball.
Nearly every year since the magic ending in ’95, the Dukes have managed to make the annual trip to Richmond a faster in n’ out than the kid in American Pie. When it comes to a premature exit from the CAA tourney, JMU could teach Metamuecil a thing or two about regularity. (Used that before but couldn’t resist – now didn’t you all miss the old Standard T?)
This year the boys have managed to nestle back into their honey hole: an 11 seed and the late game on Friday. Incredibly, and I’m really showing my JMU boxer-shorts here, they’re not in a terrible spot all things considered.
First round they drew Drexel. A terrible matchup as the team lives up to its coach’s name, Bruiser, and the Dukes play with zippy heart and testicular fortitude most of the time, but at the same time, it’s not like anyone out there’s jumping on the Dragons’ darkhorse bandwagon and they always crap out when they dip below the Mason-Dixon.
And just like in the NCAA’s where 11 seeds are often in the best positions for deep runs (see George Mason, specifically Jai Lewis after a wing buffet), the winner of the 6/11 game gets a sometimes vulnerable 3 seed. This year that’s our favorite punching bag William & Gary. Win those 2 and they’re in the CAA Final Four, plus I’d be able to get down to the old (not venerable) Richmond Mausloeum for Sunday’s action. This does of course require the team actually caring, but Go Dukes!
Lastly, for your Richmond pleasure, here’s a link to a guest post JMUSB Senior Lifestyle Correspondent Uncle Ron did for one of our all-time favorite sites, Wizznutzz, a few years back. It was really for Wiz training camp, so only a few of you will truly appreciate all the references, and sadly, I’m not sure CARRSS has survived the economic downturn, but it’s classic nonetheless. The Daily Bacon
Arthur Moats picked up where Dorian Brooks left off at the combine, running a 4.6 40 yard dash.The time was tied for second fastest amongst the defensive lineman. Moats also placed in the top 10 for vertical leap and the 20 yard shuffle.
Most scouts seem to think that Moats will likely have to convert to linebacker in the NFL, so it’s crucial that he shows some speed. His 4.6 would have still placed in the top 10 for linebackers at the combine. That’s obviously good news for a guy in his position. Tony Pauline listed Moats as one of his “risers” for Day 5 of the combine in this piece on si.com. Pauline had this to say:
Moats did what every small-school prospect at the combine must do — make scouts take notice. His 40 times in the mid-to-low 4.6 range were some of the fastest of the day. Moats looked even faster in practice and was another college defensive end who stood out when put through linebacker drills.
Sounds like Moats is taking advantage of the opportunity. Let’s hope he continues to perform and scouts and GMs take notice. It would be amazing to see Moats suit up on Sundays. As Scout.com’s Dan Leberfield points out, Moats is the “kind of kid you root for”.
The Diamond Dukes opened the season at Baseball at the Beach with a loss against #12 Coastal Carolina and the dropped to 0-3 with losses to UC Irvine and NC State.
JMU hoops falls to Drexel on Senior Night at the Convocation Center. The loss secured an 11th place finish for the Dukes and a rematch with Drexel this Friday in the opening round of the CAA tourney. Drexel has beaten JMU twice this year and one of the oldest cliches in sports has to be that “it’s tough to beat a team three times in one season”. Of course, “the Dukes lost in round one” is becoming quite the cliche in its own right.
Woman’s lacrosse moved to 2-0 with a dominating victory over George Washington. I don’t know how they keep score at GW, but they list it as a 11-2 loss, when everywhere else it’s listed as 13-2. I guess after a certain point, it’s just a bad loss.
The FCS Football Championship Game is moving from Chattanooga, Tennessee to Frisco, Texas. I’m kind of torn about this development. On one hand, I kind of liked the way Chattanooga embraced the game and was relatively close to some traditional FCS powers. On the other hand, now this might give Jace Edwards or Henry Hunter to QB the Dukes to a National Championship in their home state.
The NFL Scouting Combine kicked off with Dorian Brooks and Arthur Moats set to participate. The offensive lineman were among the first up on Saturday and Brooks had a strong showing in the speed workouts. His 5.16 40 time was 8th best for o-lineman and his 4.66 20 yard shuffle was 6th best. Moats is set to take the field on Monday for his workouts.
The Dukes lost to VCU this evening by the score of 76-62. We can always hope for a shocking upset at the CAA tourney, but I think that most folks would admit that the Dukes are done. The regular season wraps up with a game this Saturday against Drexel, a team that stomped the Dukes by 21 up in Philadelphia last month.
There is some good news though. JMU now holds a one-game lead over Delaware in the conference standings with only game remaining. The Dukes also won the head-to-head matchup against the Blue Hens, which gives JMU the tie-breaker should both teams finish with the same record. The bad news is that I just had to create an unnecessarily complicated way to explain that JMU clinched an 11th place finish tonight. Out of 12 teams. Not good.
I don’t think anyone can objectively claim that injuries and a depleted roster didn’t have a big impact on the Dukes this season. I also don’t think that means that the Dukes didn’t fail to play up to their potential anyway. Depleted roster or not, JMU was good enough to finish better than 11th. Plain and simple a team that splits the season series with VCU and William & Mary, shouldn’t be losing to UNCW, Towson, or Georgia State. Although, now that I wrote that I just saw that Towson knocked off William & Mary tonight, so apparently my logic is flawed at best.
Anyway, you can find the AP write-up about tonight’s loss here. Todd and I are going to let this one sink in and then come back next week with a regular season wrap up/tourney preview. In the meantime happy belated birthday to our buddy Priz!
Senior Pierre Curtis had 25 points in the win.
The Dukes put up a whopping 96 points in a 10 point victory over Longwood at the Convocation Center. For any Longwood folks reading this, that means JMU won by the score of 96-86. The victory gave the Dukes a season sweep over Longwood and Radford. I’m pretty sure they don’t give out any trophies for that, but at least is spares us from whatever monosyllabic trash talk fans of either school would hurl at us if the Dukes lost.
All wins are nice, particularly in a season like the one JMU is having. It’s just tough to get too fired up about defeating a team like Longwood, which is only in its third year competing in Division 1. That’s not meant as a knock on the Lancers, who defeated JMU last year. This is just one of the few games on the schedule that the Dukes were expected to win. The pain and disappointment of losing a game like this might have simply outweighed the joy derived from winning it.
The Dukes went into the half down 8, but had a big second half to turn things around and salvage the win. Pierre Curtis paced the Dukes with 25 points and 10 assists. Julius Wells and Denzel Bowles had typically productive games, with 22 and 19 points respectively. Ben Louis had a huge night and chipped in 17 points. The 96 points was the most the Dukes have scored in a game all season, but the victory was just JMU’s second in the past 8 games. They’ll get a chance to face the other team they beat in that stretch, VCU, in a rematch Wednesday night in Richmond.
