Sata Clara, January 5/Pepperdine January 7

I'm starting this thread now because there's been a time change: It now starts at 8 pm. If you show up at 7 you'll be early, so no big deal.

The important one is Saturday the 7th: 5 pm start time. Don't spend too long at your pregame spot!

Santa Clara at Portland; Thursday at 8PM with pregame pasta available!!!!!!!

The Pilots (3-11) are rated #253/345 and own the distinction of having the 4th most difficult schedule in D-1 play.

The Broncos (8-5), are rated #179/245, with the 216th most difficult schedule. Since my last update, SCU has beaten #301 Eastern Michigan at home and lost to #76 Wagner at home on a last second, illegal, over the backboard shot that did much to solidify the national reputation of the WCC referees.

It depends upon what criteria you use, but SCU is generally ranked 4th in the WCC behind St. Mary’s, Gonzaga, and BYU.

SCU’s is as young as Portland, I count 8 freshmen on their roster, and their scoring comes from the WCC’s top scorer, Junior Guard Kevin Foster, with an 18.6 ppg average. This will be only the 4th road game of the season for SCU; they’ve lost the previous three (UCSB, WSU, and Houston Baptist)!

I will attempt to get the last minute betting line on this game tomorrow, but at the moment the odds are even, with SCU given a one point edge and a 54% probability of winning.

With a young team, winning these home games against mid WCC teams is going to be critical to not playing on Wednesday in Vegas. It feels like it's been a long time since our last game. Hopefully the team is rested and well prepared for the the first WCC home game.

I assume the students are still gone, so lets make some noise.


PS - DD, with these 1AM posts, it's almost like having Mesa back

UP Men's Basketball's facebook account just posted that the game starts at 7. I hope the teams know what time the game starts.

blacksheep wrote:
PS - DD, with these 1AM posts, it's almost like having Mesa back

Sigh, ALMOST, but with my UP education, at least I throw in punctuation here and there.

PS: Don’t forget to record BYU/LMU on your new, overpriced, BYUtv at 6PM followed by SCU/UP at 8PM on CSN.

blacksheep wrote:UP Men's Basketball's facebook account just posted that the game starts at 7. I hope the teams know what time the game starts.

If they also plan a 7PM start on Saturday's against Pepperdine, it could be a very one-sided affair.

DoubleDipper wrote:ince my last update, SCU has beaten #301 Eastern Michigan at home and lost to #76 Wagner at home on a last second, illegal, over the backboard shot that did much to solidify the national reputation of the WCC referees.

I'm pretty sure they test drive referees in the WCC before sending up a level to officiate middle school games.

Also, since when is Houston Baptist D-I?!?!

Rev goes SMALL!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHUSsnAnZew

RipCityPilot wrote:Also, since when is Houston Baptist D-I?!?!

Since 2008-09 when they began their D-I transition. They're in the Great West Conference.

Houston Baptist must be tied with Charleston Southern for the smallest D-I arena:

VS

RipCityPilot wrote:Houston Baptist must be tied with Charleston Southern for the smallest D-I arena:

Charleston Southern's Fieldhouse holds...get ready for this...881.

The things you learn reading the Mid-Majority during the 800 Games Project.

I was on campus today and I noticed two trucks from that CourtSports company. Are they making changes to the floor in Chiles? I guess we will find out tomorrow.

RipCityPilot wrote:I was on campus today and I noticed two trucks from that CourtSports company. Are they making changes to the floor in Chiles? I guess we will find out tomorrow.

They sell Portland Purple paint as one of their 16 colors if you want to put a logo on the hardwoods in your house...

http://courtsportsinc.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=5&products_id=17

DoubleDipper wrote:
I will attempt to get the last minute betting line on this game tomorrow, but at the moment the odds are even, with SCU given a one point edge and a 54% probability of winning.

Santa Clara is now given anywhere from a 54% to a 64% chance of beating the Pilots tonight according to the experts and the computers. But I’m still not seeing any betting lines. Ken Pomeroy has SCU over the Pilots by 1 point! Meaning, it’s a toss-up.

It is considered to be the most exciting of the four WCC contests tonight, with AP #25 GU favored by 21 over PU; BYU by only 9.5 over LMU; and USD losing to SMC by 18.

For the Pilots, it's an early "must win."

I really look forward to the game tonight, to see how a well-rested Pilots team plays at home.

SCU lost their talented big man, Trasolini, but they have an extremely talented G in Kevin Foster (18.6 ppg). I believe we have been able to keep Foster under control in previous match-ups, but limiting his scoring will be key. Their 2nd leading scorer is 6-3 G Evan Roquemore (14.5 ppg).

We really need another Guard to step up and become a perimeter threat, to ease the pressure on Nem and keep the defenses honest. To date, Rogers, Carr and T. Riley have not done that; It would be great for one of them to have a break-out game tonight.

SCU doesnt seem to have a lot of size down low, so hopefully our bigs can dominate...