Posts Tagged ‘Delaware’

Monday, January 23

6:45 p.m. – Huskies Basketball Pre-Game
7:00 p.m. – Northeastern Basketball: Huskies at Old Dominion Monarchs
from the Ted Constant Convocation Center in Norfolk, Va.
with Patrick McHugh and Brandon Challener

Wednesday, January 25

6:45 p.m. – Huskies Basketball Pre-Game
7:00 p.m. – Northeastern Basketball: Huskies vs. Delaware Blue Hens
from Matthews Arena
with Andy Towne, Coray Runge, and David Kroopnick

Thursday, January 26

8:00 p.m. – Hockey East This Week

Friday, January 27

3:00 p.m. – Dog Pound Sports Sound
With live reports from Burlington, Vermont

6:45 p.m. – Huskies Hockey Pre-Game
7:00 p.m. – Northeastern Hockey: Huskies at Vermont Catamounts
from Gutterson Fieldhouse in Burlington, Vt.
with Alex Faust and Ben Horner

Saturday, January 28

11:45 a.m. – Huskies Basketball Pre-Game
12:00 p.m. – Northeastern Basketball: Huskies vs. Hofstra Pride
from Matthews Arena
with Andy Towne, Chris Tramontozzi, and TBA

6:45 p.m. – Huskies Hockey Pre-Game
7:00 p.m. – Northeastern Hockey: Huskies at Vermont Catamounts
from Gutterson Fieldhouse in Burlington, Vt.
with Alex Faust and Ben Horner

Sunday, January 29

2:00 p.m. – Northeastern Women’s Basketball: Huskies vs. William & Mary Tribe
from Solomon Court
with Brandon Challener and Coray Runge
Live on WRBB Sports Extra

WRBB Sports Basketball, Hockey, The Dog Pound Delaware, Hofstra, Old Dominion, Vermont, William & Mary, Women's Basketball

We roll on in our series of 2011-12 CAA team previews. Next up, the Delaware Blue Hens.

2010-11 Recap: Coming off a disappointing 7-24 campaign in 2009-10, Delaware doubled its win total last season, going 14-17 and finishing 8-10 in the conference, good for a seventh place finish. The Hens got off to a fast start, opening the season with a 5-2 mark and an impressive victory over league-favorite Old Dominion. As the season wore on UD went through peaks and valleys, at one point dropping six of eight, then winning four of five, then losing five in a row. Despite the second-lowest offensive output in the conference at 62.9 points-per-game, Delaware had an opportunity to finish in the top five in the league standings, but limped to the finish line with a 2-6 record in February. In the opening round of the CAA Tournament in Richmond, Va., Delaware met 10th-seeded Northeastern and recovered from an 11-point deficit to win 60-58, setting up a date with second-seeded Old Dominion the following night. Despite a 35-35 tie with under 10 minutes remaining, the Monarchs pulled away down the stretch to win 59-50.

Against Northeastern: The Blue Hens met the Huskies three times last season and went a perfect 3-0 against their old America East foes. The first contest was Jan. 19 in Newark, Del., with NU still having yet to win a conference game. Defense was the story in this one as Jamelle Hagins, the league’s top shot blocker last season, swatted a career-high eight shots. The visitors led 52-45 with 3:46 remaining but could not muster another point the rest of the way as UD used a 9-0 run to win the game 54-52, sealed by a Hagins dunk with 21 seconds remaining. On Feb. 15 the Hens made a visit to Matthews Arena for a second go-around with the Huskies. Despite receiving zero points from its bench, Delaware’s five starters all reached double figures, led by 22 from Jawan Carter. Once again the score was tight late, but a 7-0 run in the final three minutes pushed the guests to a 72-66 victory. The squads met a third time in the opener of the CAA Tournament, and for a third time the Hens got the better of the Huskies. Northeastern jumped out to an 11-point lead in the opening 20 minutes and once again held a lead with under four minutes remaining. Back-to-back three-pointers gave the Hens the lead right back, though the Huskies still had a chance to win in the final 10 seconds. Unfortunately for NU, senior captain Chaisson Allen airballed a three and turned the ball over at midcourt in the final seconds as Delaware claimed a 60-58 victory, preventing Northeastern from reaching the CAA quarterfinals for the first time since joining the league in 2005.

Key Losses:

• Jawan Carter: After transferring from St. Joseph’s, Carter played three seasons in Newark for the Hens and was one of the most consistent performers in a Delaware uniform. Last season he earned All-CAA second team recognition after leading his team in scoring at 16 points-per-game while also averaging 3.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 0.9 steals-per-game. He led the CAA in three-pointers made per game with a 2.7 average and was third in the league with an 84.7 average from the free throw line. One of the most durable players in school history, Carter started all 94 games of his career for Delaware and as a junior had the highest minutes-per-game average in the nation at 39.2. He is ranked fifth on the school’s all-time scoring list with 1,542 points.
• Alphonso Dawson: At 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds Dawson was one of the bigger guards in the CAA in size, and he used his frame to average 3.1 rebounds-per-game last season. In his first three seasons for UD the Harrisburg, Pa., native averaged over 11 points-per-game, but injuries limited his scoring to 7.6 per contest. Dawson’s college career came to an abrupt end when he was suspended by the university for a violation of team rules and missed the final 11 games of the season. Following his suspension, the Hens finished 3-8 without him.
• Brian Johnson: After two promising seasons with the Hens knee injuries limited the effectiveness of Johnson. The 5-10 guard started the first 94 games of his career, but a torn ACL in his left knee forced him to redshirt in 2009-10. During preseason practice last season, Johnson re-aggrivated the injury and needed arthroscopic surgery, forcing him to miss the first three games. Relegated to a role off the bench, Johnson averaged only 3.8 points-per-game last season, but did have 10 off the bench in the CAA Tournament victory over Northeastern. He leaves Delaware third in minutes-played with 3,978 and is third in school history with 510 assists.
• D.J. Boney: A four-year letter winner for the Hens, Boney finished his career with 532 points but never averaged more than 5.7 points-per-game in any season. His best offensive output last season was the 11 points he dropped on Northeastern on Feb. 15, a game in which he was a perfect 3 for 3 from the field and 3 for 3 from the charity stripe.

Key Returns:

• Devon Saddler: The CAA’s Rookie of the Year last season, Saddler emerged as one of the top scorers in the Colonial by averaging 13.3 points-per-game as a freshman. The Maryland-native scored 12 points or more in 17 of his final 19 games, including four contests in which he went off for over 20 points. The freshman led his team in assists last season with 88 and will be expected to shoulder more of the scoring load as a sophomore this season with Carter graduated.
• Jamelle Hagins: Ranked 15th in the nation with 3.0 blocks-per-game, Hagins is perhaps the biggest game-changer on defense in the CAA. His eight blocks against Northeastern helped UD preserve a 54-52 win on Jan. 19 and helped him in being named to the league’s All-Defensive team after the season. A force in the paint at 6-8 and 220 pounds, Hagins finished third on the Blue Hens with 8.4 points -per-game and was the squad’s leading rebounder with 7.3 boards per contest.
• Josh Brinkley: Though a stress fracture in his left foot limited his freshman season and another foot injury prematurely ended his sophomore year, Brinkley still has plenty of upside if he can stay healthy as a junior this season. The 6-6 forward averaged 7.5 points-per-game off the bench last season and was second on the club with 5.2 rebounds. Brinkley has shown the ability to put up big games, scoring in souble figures in five contests despite playing in only 20 games on the season.

What to Expect: Head coach Monte Ross led a radical turnaround for the Hens, who finished dead last in the CAA in 2009-10 and jumped up to seventh last season. UD proved to be a much better team on the road last season, going 4-5 in CAA road games to break a 23-game league winless streak on the road. Though the graduation of Carter hurts, Saddler appears to be a star in the making and will undoubtedly be the most dangerous threat to opponents this season. Hagins will again be the rock in the center of the defense and should be able to bump up his average into the double-digit territory. If Brinkley can stay healthy, that gives the Hens three top starters to build around an improved recruiting class. A top four league finish may still be a year away for this team, but UD is a squad on the rise and will likely push past the .500 mark and are outside contenders for a postseason tournament.

Patrick McHugh Basketball CAA, Delaware, Fall Preview

After leading in the first half, the Huskies fall to Delaware in the opening round of the CAA Tournament 60-58, ending their season.

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WRBB Sports Basketball, QuickCast CAA, Delaware

Monday, February 14

59th Annual Beanpot – Championship Game
7:00 p.m. – Beanpot Pre-Game
7:30 p.m. – Northeastern Hockey: Huskies vs. Boston College
from the TD Garden in Boston, Mass.
with Alex Faust, Jared Shafran, and Ben Horner
TV:

Tuesday, February 15

6:45 p.m. – Huskies Pre-Game
7:00 p.m. – Northeastern Basketball: Huskies vs. Delaware Blue Hens
from Matthews Arena
with Andy Towne, Brandon Challener, and Kainani Stevens

Wednesday, February 16

9:00 p.m. – Hockey East This Week

Thursday, February 17

Only available on WRBB Sports Extra
7:00 p.m. – Northeastern Women’s Basketball: Huskies vs. Hofstra Pride
from Solomon Court
with Brandon Challener and Coray Runge

Friday, February 19

3:00 p.m. – Dog Pound Sports Sound

6:45 p.m. – Huskies Pre-Game
7:00 p.m. – Northeastern Hockey: Huskies at Boston College
from Conte Forum in Chestnut Hill, Mass.
with Alex Faust and TBA

Saturday, February 20

1:45 p.m. – Huskies Pre-Game
2:00 p.m. – Northeastern Basketball: Huskies at UNC-Ashville Bulldogs
from — in Asheville, N.C.
with Patrick McHugh and Andy Towne

7:15 p.m. – Huskies Pre-Game
7:30 p.m. – Northeastern Hockey: Huskies vs. Boston College Eagles
from Matthews Arena
with Alex Faust, Jared Shafran, and Ben Horner

WRBB Sports Basketball, Hockey BC, Beanpot, Delaware, Hofstra, Women's Basketball

After a close loss to the Delaware Blue Hens, Northeastern coach Bill Coen spoke with WRBB’s Andy Towne.

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WRBB Sports Audio, Basketball, Press Pass Delaware

Entering last night’s contest at Delaware, the men’s basketball team was trying not to let its seven-game losing streak become a mental block. Still win-less in Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) play, the Huskies were hoping to down UD for the 12th-consecutive time.

Instead of mental blocks, it was the thunderous blocks of Fightin’ Blue Hens’ forward Jamelle Hagins that stymied NU. The sophomore swatted a career-high eight shots, including one in the final 10 seconds that would have tied the game, in leading Delaware to a 54-52 win over Northeastern in Newark, Del. The loss drops the Huskies to 4-14 overall and 0-7 in the CAA.

“Obviously it’s very disappointing, we thought it was a winning effort,” head coach Bill Coen said. “I thought the guys played really well, particularly on the defensive end … I thought ultimately the difference in the game was Jamelle Hagins being an eraser around the rim.”

Plagued by poor starts during their losing streak, the Huskies used a 12-0 run in the early in the first half to push NU to a six-point lead at halftime. The strong start translated into the second half, in which the visitors led by as many as 12.

Unfortunately Northeastern could not hold on to the lead as Delaware went on a 9-0 run to close the game. Hagins, who finished with seven points, threw down a dunk with 21 seconds remaining to break the 52-52 tie. Hagins then blocked a shot by NU freshman guard Alex Harris with 10 seconds remaining, and senior captain and guard Chaisson Allen’s shot was off the mark as the final buzzer sounded.

Sophomore guard Joel Smith scored 18 points to lead the Huskies, while Allen had 12 points and 10 rebounds and freshman forward Ryan Pierson chipped in with 10 points.

The Huskies’ three-game road swing concludes Saturday when the team visits Philadelphia for a 2 p.m. tip-off at Drexel. The Dragons defeated NU 63-58 on Dec. 4, 2010, a game which was played inside the TD Garden as part of the inaugural Boston Tip-Off Classic.

Patrick McHugh Basketball Delaware

Northeastern starts strong, but falls apart late in a tough 54-52 loss to the Delaware Blue Hens.

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WRBB Sports Basketball, QuickCast Delaware

Monday, January 17

7:00 p.m. – CAA Full Court Press

Wednesday, January 19

6:45 p.m. – Huskies Pre-Game
7:00 p.m. – Northeastern Basketball: Huskies at Delaware Blue Hens
from the Bob Carpenter Center in Newark, Del.
with Andy Towne and Dan Groob

Only available on WRBB Sports Extra:
6:45 p.m. – Huskies Pre-Game
7:00 p.m. – Northeastern Hockey: Huskies vs. Harvard Crimson
from Matthews Arena
with Alex Faust, Ben Horner, and Mari Waligunda

Only available on WRBB Sports Extra:
9:30 p.m. – Hockey East This Week
live from Matthews Arena

Friday, January 21

3:00 p.m. – Dog Pound Sports Sound

Saturday, January 22

1:45 p.m. – Huskies Pre-Game
2:00 p.m. – Northeastern Basketball: Huskies at Drexel Dragons
from the Daskalakis Athletic Center in Philadelphia, Pa.
with Patrick McHugh, Andy Towne, and TBA

6:45 p.m. – Huskies Pre-Game
7:00 p.m. – Northeastern Hockey: Huskies vs. Maine Black Bears
from Matthews Arena
with Alex Faust, Jared Shafran, and TBA

WRBB Sports Basketball, Hockey, The Dog Pound Delaware, Drexel, Harvard, Maine

We’ve had some time to digest what we heard at media day [read: it's been a busy couple of days, but we're finally getting to post our stuff], so here’s some of the highlights from our interviews in writing, along with the full audio clips. We were able to catch up with 10 of the 12 coaches, missing Towson’s Pat Kennedy and UNC-Wilmington’s Buzz Peterson.

• Monte Ross: Jawan Carter needs to be a leader and make sure that everybody else on the team has the same competitiveness that he has. Brian Johnson, who tore his meniscus on Sunday, will only be out for four weeks. The fact that it’s the same knee he tore last year should not be a factor as the season continues. Devon Saddler and Jamelle Hagins should be impact freshmen. Key quote: “Playing time is determined in practice every single day.”

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• Bruiser Flint: Trip to Turkey was good for chemistry, helped with mental toughness which was a problem last year. Taking some extra precautions to take Chris Fouch healthy, he’s been working on getting his body stronger. Doesn’t expect Bill Coen to give up a home game for special events away from Matthews Arena very often, but Drexel is looking forward to the game at the TD Garden. Key quote: “You can’t worry about what happened in the past. You gotta look forward.”

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• Jim Larranaga: Lots of inexperience and mistakes lead to last-second losses in 2009-10 (five games on last possession) – don’t blame Cam Long. This year, Cam doesn’t have to carry the load – has four other starters back. Trip to Italy was great for team chemistry. Balance is key – in lives and on court. Lots of injuries in the first couple days of practice – only 8 healthy players for third day, though most were minor injuries. Cornelius, Long, Hancock and Allen will play point-guard-by-committee until someone emerges as primary. Very confident in top 6 (Morrison, Pearson, Long, Hancock, Cornelius, Tate), other positions are question marks. Key quote: “If you ask me, VCU and ODU are two of my favorite places to go because the crowds are into it; there seems to be a lot at stake.”

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• Rod Barnes: Different type of a team from last year; more of a team concept this year – Jihad Ali could score 15-16 points, but there will be lots of guys around 8-9. He talked quite a bit about Ali, so expect big things from him this year. Trip to Bahamas was “huge” to gain some experience and develop team chemistry. Key quote: “I think Jihad Ali is gonna have a big year.” - based on how much he said that, it’s worth repeating here.

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• Mo Cassara: Charles Jenkins is “driven, determined, he works as hard as any kid I’ve ever been around.” Is improving pretty much everything (ballhandling, shooting, defense). Greg Washington will be improving his offensive game. Nat Lester’s status is still in question. Loss of football will create a different vibe for basketball on campus. Key quote: “I do embrace [social media]. I love it. I do talk to my team…about how to use that. I think it’s a big part of the society that we live in today.”

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• Matt Brady: Andrey Semenov hasn’t practiced yet (as of Tuesday) after banging his head in practice – not a concussion, but the team is treating it as one. Heightened expectation within team after underachievement last year – both because of injury and lack of ability to finish games. Defense is the only focus. Key quote: “In order to challenge for a league championship at this level, in the CAA, you’ve gotta be one of the better defensive teams in the league.”

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• Bill Coen: Complete confidence in Chase Allen’s ability to lead without Matt Janning, Nkem Ojougboh and Manny Adako. Too early to say who’s the starting center, but the sophomore class is important (perhaps a clue?). “[The sophomore class] can’t play as sophomores. They have to play as juniors and seniors.” Will mix it up between flex and running – feels pretty good with ball in Chase’s hands either fast or slow. Rivalry with Boston University means a lot to both schools. Continuity and connection with players is big with bringing Brian McDonald back – “set the gold standard for work ethic [last year].” Key quote: “I can’t thank the student body enough. They really made Matthews a special venue to see a college basketball game. This year, I think it’s gonna be even better…they’re worth points on the scoreboard…”

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• Blaine Taylor: He likes having more people to talk to at media day now compared to 10 years ago (that’s what he’s talking about at the beginning of the audio clip). He’s a “program director” – losing one top player won’t hurt the team too much. Plenty of other players will be able to fill the void left by Gerald Lee, not just one person. Despite top-ranked defense last year, there’s room for improvement. Old Dominion is at a point where BCS schools like Georgetown, Missouri, etc. will play them because losing to ODU doesn’t hurt and winning really helps. Key quote: “What I tell our guys is if you all are gonna try to be the player of the week, then we ain’t gonna be the team of the week.”

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• Shaka Smart: Jamie Skeen will benefit from departure of Larry Sanders, since he’ll be a focal point for a lot of what VCU does. Toby Veal will make the biggest impact of all newcomers (since he’s a junior college transfer). Bradford Burgess has all-CAA potential (“this list” that Coach Smart refers to is the all-conference team list). Coaches are not at all involved in decision-making process for location of CAA tournament. There are as many as 5-6 teams that could win the conference. Key quote: “In a lot of ways, [Joey Rodriguez] was our most valuable player last year and I think he can be significantly better this year.”

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• Tony Shaver: Returning players are the key, not highly-touted freshman class. Kendrix Brown is ready to go, could surprise people with his efficiency. Guarantee games are a part of the future for budgetary reasons, but Coach Shaver looks forward to having the problem of not being able to schedule BCS schools. Key quote: “The important thing for Quinn McDowell is to be Quinn McDowell and not do more than he’s capable of.”

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Andy Towne Audio, Basketball, Press Pass CAA, Delaware, Drexel, George Mason, Georgia State, Hofstra, James Madison, Old Dominion, VCU, William & Mary