An Interrogatory With: Duquense University

So Dayton lost to Rhode Island...again. Blackburn's recent post of "Five in Five" showed that while last Saturday's loss hurt, it didn't hurt as much as some. Some might not agree with the list, including myself. My #1 would be the Xavier away game the NIT Championship year. That was the year when I finally said, "We never are going to win down there, are we?" I would put Saturday's game into the "Five in Five Most Embarrassing Losses" article. Again, as Blackburn stated, this team could still make the NCAA Tournament. How they are going to do that is beyond my knowledge, but it still could happen if they win the games that they should and pull out a couple of shockers. I'm looking at you, Saint Louis and Xavier away games. Steve and I chatted about TJ McConnell being awesome, Ron Everhart being a quiet assassin, Pittsburgh being the Hollywood of the east, and why people from Pittsburgh talk funny. Enjoy.

First up in the "should win category" are the Duquesne Dukes. To help us add onto the preview that Rosceaux wrote up is Steve DiMiceli from Duquesne Sports Blog, the blogspot, not the UDPride-like message board attached to it. Steve and Co. have helped us out on several occasions and we are all pretty much best friends. If you can recall a post from last year, these guys do extensive research so we don't have to. That and what else is there to do in the brutal winters of Pittsburgh, PA?

(Snapping fingers)...Andre! Over here.Don Donoher: The Dukes come into the game with a 12-9 (3-4) record after losing their last two games. The Dukes were not predicted to have a great year, since Damian Saunders and Bill Clark graduated. How do you think this season has been there in Pittsburgh?

Steve DiMiceli: I think this is right around where most Duquesne fans would have put us coming into the season. Obviously there were some concerns about our size and the amount of playing time our still very raw 6'7'' center Andre Marhold would get, but I think a lot of us close to the program realized there was talent in the waiting. Most of us were confident that our guard play would carry us at least to respectability in the league and many Duquesne fans think TJ McConnell is just about as good as it gets as far as A-10 PGs are concerned. Really, he's proving us correct. Overall, the Dukes have lost a couple I think they should have won, but they've won a couple difficult match ups on the road to make up for it. Really, they could just as easily be 15-6 (5-2) right now.

I'm actually more surprised by where Dayton is. I honestly thought you would struggle mightily before the season, but you seem to be playing at the level you are accustomed to. I underestimated Kevin Dillard's ability to come in and replace Juwan Staten and I thought losing Paul Williams (editor's note, PW is clearly and unfortunately still here), Chris Wright, and Devon Searcy would hurt more than it has.

DD: As stated above, Saunders and Clark are gone which left a huge void in the scoring compartment. Junior Sean Johnson has been a pleasant surprise so far and BJ Monteiro is having a successful season. Throw in TJ McConnell improving on virtually every statistical category and this team seems to be just as good, if not better than last year (albeit last year's team struggled to be consistent too). Am I misreading something here?

SD: I think last year's team was a lot more top heavy in terms of talent but this year, we're deeper. I think that's why you saw us blow a lot of teams out last year where this year the games are closer. I expected Sean to to take steps forward this season, but I didn't expect him to come this far. I don't think it's out of the question that he'll get some votes for A-10 most improved player. BJ was really turning it up before he got cut on his left hand by shrapnel in a South Side bar fight. Eric Evans is healthy and though his scoring and 3 point shooting is not where I'd like it to be, the rest of his game is strong. Mike Talley's been relegated to the bench after starting last year. I'd argue that any of Duquesne's 3 point guards would be an upgrade for about a quarter to a third of the league. Jerry Jones has stepped forward to become a valuable bench player and likely replacement for Monteiro next year. They've also gotten some good minutes from freshmen Kadeem Pathophlet and Mamadou Datt. For the first time in a long time, we've got some talented players who simply can't break into the rotation.

DD: Defense is not a strong suit of this Dayton Flyers team and it appears the same goes with Duquesne. Has Everhart commented on his team’s lackluster defensive efforts? If so, what sort of things has he tried to do to fix the problem?

SD: Ron doesn't speak in detail about flaws publicly so I haven't heard him comment much on the problem. If someone asked why the team is playing bad defense, he'd respond by talking about what the team does well on defense. That being said I'm sure he understands there is something wrong, and is trying to address it in practice, but he answers questions publicly like he's on a job interview or trying to sell you a mattress.

My take, the Dukes have been tremendously inconsistent on defense. They force a ton of turnovers but when they gamble for a steal, sometimes they end up paying by conceding an easy basket. They've had some brilliant performances like Marhold shutting down Andrew Nicholson for the last 15 minutes of the Bona game and the job they did on Chaz Williams. They've been soft inside, in part due to their overall lack of height and bulk but also because of how often they switch in man coverage. Ron runs a defense like Dutch soccer played in the 1970's where any man on the court can play any position.  Basketball isn't soccer and when 5'11 Mike Talley has to play post defense against Kenny Frease, guess who wins that battle? For the most part the Dukes do play decent defense on the first shot.  If anyone grabs on offensive board, a shot is blocked or a steal is missed, Duquesne defenders look like they've been giving a serum that causes paralysis and confusion until a basket is scored.  Good ball movement can break them down too.

Good movieDD: I want to piggy back on a question that Blackburn asked last year with you guys in regards to movies. Since I am the resident movie buff of the BR, I wanted to run by my list of "Best and Worst Pittsburgh Movie List" to you. Like you mentioned last year, it feels as if Pittsburgh and it's surrounding areas are always featured in random movies. Feel free to add or dispute.

1.) Wonder Boys...Perfect writing, perfect casting, perfect soundtrack. It makes me almost like Tobey Maguire…almost.

2.) Sudden Death...Pure cheese. Not Van Damme at his finest but damn (pun) close.

3.) The Fish that Saved Pittsburgh...Also very cheesy but has it’s moments. Dr. J and Meadowlark Lemon to go along with Stockard Channing? Sign me up!

4.) She's Out of My League...Surprisingly funny (a Hall and Oates cover band?) to go along with Adam's big time crush, Alice Eve.

5.) All The Right Moves...Not really Pittsburgh, but they mention it several times in the movie. Plus, it is a preview of Craig T. Nelson's calling as a football coach.

And the bad...

Bad movie1.) Zack and Miri Make a Porno...I have always been a Kevin Smith apologist and have tried to stick up for him to Blackburn, who is the resident anti-Kevin Smith of the BR, on several occasions but it's very hard to do after this piece of shit.

2.) Rockstar...Mark Wahlberg is bad. Epic bad. Jennifer Aniston not looking hot? Even worse. And to call this movie "based on real life" is a joke. Judas Priest fans will kill Wahlberg if they get the chance.

3.) Stigmata...Good premise with horrible acting and horrible directing. What else do you expect from the guy that gave us The Fog and Blank Check?

SD: One of the things that people outside of Pittsburgh don't realize is how many movies film here. A few years ago it was generally big news when one would come to town. Now it's gotten to the point where it's pretty mundane with a few exceptions. I've had at least 4 films shoot within a few blocks of my house and The Next Three Days filmed a scene at Duquesne, IIRC. I'd say there are 5-10 movies made in Pittsburgh every year, now. The next Batman installment was produced here last summer instead of Chicago and that was pretty cool. They shot a winter scene in July, covering Pitt in fake snow and you could here random explosions pretty late into the night from downtown. Everyday, someone on my friend feed on Facebook posted a picture of the Batmobile street parked somewhere. And if you were really quiet, you could hear Christian Bale throwing temper tantrums. 

Kevin Smith is no stranger to filming in Pittsburgh. Mooby Corp was headquartered in the Steel Building in Dogma. Most people around here really took to Zack and Miri because Smith makes a lot of subtle jokes I feel were intended just for us locals, like the mascot of "Monroeville High School" being the Rovers.

Still, most movies filmed here are somewhere between crappy and semi-watchable. Nothing I would consider a masterpiece. Silence of the Lambs doesn't count since that was filmed an hour north of town. Below are my top 5:

1. Wonder Boys

2. Smart People

3. Zack And Miri

4. Love and Other Drugs

5. The Dark Knight Rises (Trailer alone is better than everything else)

DD: Ok, back to basketball. What is the best thing that the Dukes do which leads to them winning games? What is one thing that crushes them? I would imagine it is rebounding?

SD: Up until the last couple of games, the Dukes were elite in two areas, Assists to Turnovers and Turnover Ratio. They take very good care of the ball and have the ability to make opposing point guards look JV at times. Check out the box score for the UMass game. Don't get me wrong, the Minutemen helped us out considerably, but Duquesne was responsible for a lot of it. Clearly, this is not the level they normally play at, but it does illustrate what they can do if they are consistent and if they execute the way they are capable of executing. Another thing they've done well is fight back after being defeated. Until the Lasalle game, they were 7-0 following losses.

Rebounding has been killer but overall inconsistent effort and finishing has been the biggest problem. They've done a great job creating open looks but simply blow too many easy baskets that great teams wouldn't.

A translator for you all to useDD: Time to wrap it up. The Dukes haven't beaten the Flyers in Dayton in 4 years. Please give us a prediction for the game, speaking in Pittsburghese please.

SD: "Let me say somethin abat Dayton first. Yinz ain't nothin. Yinz didn't even fly the first plane. They did that dahn North Carolina near that beach haas where I  fall sleep on beach an get sunburnt every summer on the outer bahnks.

Everytime we go dahn Dayton we give yinz Flyers a game. Yinz dohn act like it but yinz were gettin lucky. What abat that jag off Jason Duty missin three free throws at the end of the game, an last year we couldn't score for the last 5 minutes. Dohn try an tell me Bri'n Gregory had something do with that. Everybody at Georgia Tech must be stupid or something. I'm gonna say Duquesne 115 Dayton 9." 

I'm sorry. The spirit of Pittsburgh really took hold of me there. Honestly, I think it's going to be very difficult for the Dukes to hand you two defeats in a row at UD Arena. Don't get me wrong, I think the Dukes are capable of winning, but I think the Flyers show up hungry and ready to play. I predict a loss on Wednesday probably by about 4 points but I think the series will split again this year with the Dukes taking the return trip to Pittsburgh.

There you have it, Steve agrees with Rosceaux. I see the Flyers coming out strong and leading from start to finish. If the Flyers lose this game, I would imagine that an at large bid would almost be impossible. The Flyers cannot afford anymore losses at home. So be loud. Wear red. Go Flyers!

An Interrogatory with: Wake Forest

It's that time of year where we sit down together as families and friends and reveal what we are thankful for during this holiday season. Flyer fans, I am sure, are thankful for a 2-1 record as a new coach and young/unproven players assure that this season is going to be a crapshoot. Wake Forest fans are no doubt happy with a 3-0 record, as they were absolutely putrid last year, only racking up 8 wins on the season. The days of Chris Paul and Tim Duncan are long gone and who knows if the Demon Deacons can return to the success they had in the mid-90's. Blackburn did a great job, per usual, discussing this turkey day matchup.

While his story of jerking off to Randolph Childress was a good one, we thought we'd bring in an expert to help us scout WFU. Riley Johnston is a senior at Wake Forest and while taking a break from crushing ACC snatch, he writes (along with some other WFU students) for Blogger So Dear, which is part of the SBNation empire. I remember one time we were invited to join that fraternity. Somehow the e-vite must have been lost in cyber space. Anyway, Riley and I talked about Wake's issues last season, a coaching search that clearly involved a dartboard with photographs on it, discipline issues that would make The U blush, and what is best to eat on Thanksgiving. Also, head on over to their site to not only boost their hit count but to see my stupid answers to their smart questions.

Don Donoher: I am going to start out by saying I am an idiot. Maybe it is because I am so focused on football (Who Dey Bengals?) or I just don't really pay attention (that's probably it), but when I saw that Dayton was playing Wake Forest this year, I got really excited. Then I did my research for this Q&A and saw that Wake was 8-24 last year! Just one question about last year…what the fuck happened???

Riley Johnston: Well...as I'm sure you saw in doing your research on the game, but there have been an astronomically high amount of things that have gone wrong/just happened to the team in the past two years. We had coaches getting fired, players getting DUI's, players (supposedly) stealing televisions from dorm rooms, players transferring all over the country, and several arrests in all that. Needless to say, I believe the Athletic Director Ron Wellman, either saw this all coming and wanted to go a different direction, or fired Dino Gaudio for another reason, and then this mess ensued with his recruits.

Now that we are a year removed from an 8-24 year (one of the worst BCS teams I have ever seen), it is easy to look back on the year and laugh at it, but when we were in the middle of it, there was anger coming from everywhere. It's hard to watch a proud team with a pretty good history (at least in the regular season) go through what we went through last year. There are people that I know to be very sane people that hold an irrational hate for Jeff Bzdelik (our head coach now). I am of the "wait-and-see" group on Coach Bzdelik, because I think he is getting his type of player in here, and hopefully that will lead to a 3-4 year plan that gets us back to the NCAA Tournament. That needs to start this year with a good improvement over the 8 wins from last year.

DD: Again, I hate to sound like a complete dick (we let Blackburn take the reins on that here), but what the FUCK is going on down there in terms of coaching? Skip Prosser passing away from a heart attack was sad news, even if it was probably because he still had Xavier blood pumping through his veins. Dino Gaudio, in my mind, was a really good coach. Two NCAA Tournament appearances in three years is nothing to sneeze at, even at Wake Forest. I guess when you start off 16-0 and plummet to a 20-11 record, that doesn’t sit too well with the natives. So they go and hire Jeff Bzdelik, who conned Colorado into giving him a job after two mirage-like seasons at Air Force. Why on earth did Wake Forest hire a guy who was 36-58 at Colorado?

RJ: Obviously Skip Prosser was a fantastic head coach, and his death was a big shock to the entire coaching community, and especially at Wake Forest. We could have had a huge national coaching search, but Ron Wellman believed that the best thing to do would be to hire within the current staff with Dino Gaudio. Gaudio did a fantastic job recruiting, but he just never made the team on the court any better. Honestly, I think we could have been just as good in those three years if we hadn't had a coach at all. I don't mean that as a huge slight to Coach Gaudio, but it was clear watching the team that no strides were made throughout the year. That is why we got upset by Maryland and Miami in back to back years in the ACC Tournament, and then had that embarrassing loss to Cleveland State as well. That is unacceptable.

Bzdelik: has more money than youAnyway, from there we made the decision to fire Dino and bring in Jeff Bzdelik. You have seen the record, and there is no defending that, but our AD stressed the point that it was about a culture change, and getting a coach that can win in the post-season. I guess he figured he could do this by bringing in a coach that has never been to an NCAA Tournament. He sure can hang his hat on that NIT Final Four though....those are really difficult to come by! The coaching move was a shock to us in terms of who we got because a lot of Wake fans thought that we could land somebody big to come in and take our highly rated recruiting class of last year to places we had never been before. Obviously now that that class has been weeded out, it is up to Coach Bzdelik to turn this thing around with his recruits. He has a big class coming in next year, so only time will tell as to whether or not he is the guy for the job.

DD: Melvin Tabb and Ty Walker…what the fuck dude? That's all I got on that one. Are they done for good? Any possibility they come back? Does it really matter?

RJ: No idea...words do not express how infuriating it is to continue to hear about stuff like this. Melvin Tabb is gone for good and I believe has enrolled at a junior college/community college somewhere else. He'll probably end up with JT Terrell and Ari Stewart in Southern Cali. Ty Walker is ineligible for the fall semester, but from what I've heard, it is a surprise that he is back at all given his transgressions while here. Honestly, it doesn't really matter to me. Ty is a senior who will graduate on time in the spring. Even if he comes back and is a great player for us, it only raises us from being a below average team to a team that could make the NIT. I just hope he doesn't mess up the chemistry that seems to be building when he gets back on the court...other than that, not a lot to say about either one of them.

DD: Onto brighter news, the Demon Deacons are off to a quick 3-0 start, which is still not enough to say, "We are going to be great" or "We are going to struggle." What have you seen so far that has impressed you the most and what are some things that worry you?

RJ: This year has been a welcome surprise so far. Yes, it is clear that we are a bit outmatched when it comes to playing teams that aren't in the bottom 100 in the country, and that is disheartening when you play in the ACC, but we are much, much better than last year. The team is playing cohesively, and actually running a motion offense that will only get better as the year goes on. It is easy to see where teams are going to jump all over us (see rebounding), but if we can shoot the 3-ball well (THE GREAT EQUALIZER!!!) and play some better defense, I think we could surprise some teams.

Wake's Chase FischerI love the freshmen on the team so far, and especially Chase Fischer (Parade AA out of West Virginia). I expect big things from him, and he can really help out McKie and Harris in the scoring category as the year goes along.

DD: Travis McKie (last year’s leading scorer) is continuing that trend by averaging just a little over 22 points a game. CJ Harris is not far behind, averaging just under 21 points a game. Is it safe to say that these are the two guys that the Flyers need to key on? Who else can step up if one of those guys is having an off night?

RJ: The scariest thing about these guys is that they are a sophomore and a junior respectively. Travis is a man-child who will shock you with numbers after the game. I can't believe how many times I have left a game thinking he got 15 and 6, and that was actually 24 and 11. Just crazy how quietly he goes about his business to get the job done. The funny thing about CJ is that he has struggled mightily shooting the ball at the FT line this year. I think he was around 80% last year, and he is shooting 60% now at the stripe.

Those two guys will likely be in the top 5 in scoring in the ACC at the end of the year out of necessity. I said before the year that Travis could average 19 and 9 and people laughed at me. While I am willing to back off the 9 rebound claim, I still think he will get around 19 and 7. These guys are going to have to continue to be "THE GUY(S)" for the team because of the lack of offensive firepower right now. I do think Chase Fischer can step up and hit some big threes for us this year, but other than that I don't see where the offense is going to come from if not from Travis and CJ.

DD: I have always been fascinated with the State of North Carolina in terms of basketball. Growing up in Ohio, I had Ohio State for football and they have no in-state rival. In terms of basketball, I had Dayton who claims Xavier as their rival even though Xavier really doesn’t return the favor. Just how intense is the hatred between Wake/UNC/NC State/Duke? I wish I had that growing up. And no, Miami (Oh.) vs. Ohio does not count.

RJ: Well...for Wake Forest it is kind of like being the little brother to all the other schools. The other three schools all have an intense hatred for each other, and Wake Forest fans hate the other three, but for some reason Duke/State/UNC don't dislike Wake. They just think of us as another team they have to play. I would say that we are probably everybody's second favorite team in NC. UNC and Duke get all the bandwagon fans from the state and across the country, and State gets all the future Farmers of America. Academically Wake Forest is on par with Duke and UNC, so there is mutual respect there for the school-side of things. UNC and Duke really hate each other, and State hates UNC a lot because of their inferiority complex. Wake is in the rivalry, but the hatred isn't as strong because most view us as a team that they will beat and move on home.

DD: OK, shooting 50% from the field and scoring 83 points a game is good. Only averaging 32 rebounds a game is not so good. Would you say that this is the weakness of this team?

Desrosiers = lovable goofballRJ: Rebounding is without a doubt the biggest problem with this team. We have a 7-footer in Carson Desrosiers that just hasn't been rebounding very well at all in his year (and 3 games) here. A lot of that is the scheme with Coach Bzdelik (check out KenPom and you'll see how bad he has been at rebounding, especially offensive), but some of it is just lack of talent from our guys inside. I hate to say that, but when you are 7 feet tall, are in the right spot (and they are in the right spot most of the time), and you still can't get rebounds, then there isn't a lot to say.

DD: Prediction time, so don’t screw it up. Who will win this game? Keep in mind that Wake Forest holds an insurmountable 2-1 lead in the all-time series. Second, what is your prediction for Wake Forest as a whole this season? And lastly, you are at a Thanksgiving table ready to eat and are told that you are only allowed just three things on your plate...choose wisely.

RJ: I believe that Dayton is a slightly better team than the Deacs, especially at this juncture in the year. I would peg y'all as 5-7 point favorites, and will say that Dayton evens up the all-time series with a 72-66 win over Wake tomorrow night. I am concerned about our ability to step out and guard the three ball, especially if Paul Williams is shooting the ball the way he has in the first three games of the year. Y'all also are pretty good at hitting the boards, and that will cause issues for us if we can't shoot the ball well.

Overall, I think the Deacs will wind up somewhere around 12 wins, with 3-4 in the conference (so that would put us at 12-16, 3-13 in the conference). At this point though, as bad as the ACC has been, I just don't know what to expect. If we continue to get better as we seemingly have over the off-season then I think we can surprise some people and maybe challenge for a .500 record. We have a lot of things to work on before I am ready to say that though.

Hmmm...this is pretty clear to me in terms of the food....turkey, twice-baked potatoes (ALL OF THEM!!!!), and stuffing. Who the hell would choose anything different?

I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving over at the Blackburn Review, and it has been a pleasure reading your website and exchanging Q and A's. I will no doubt continue to check in over the year and pull for Dayton aside from tomorrow night of course. Best of luck, and may there be absolutely no injuries. Oh also, my family is from Raleigh, and are huge State fans, so I have always liked Archie Miller. Kudos to that guy!

Look at that, Riley wrapped everything up for me. Hopefully he is right in terms of his prediction and Blackburn (that bastard!) is wrong. Either way, Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.

An Interrogatory with: Ole Miss

The Flyer Faithful have had this game circled on their calendars ever since it was announced over the summer. This is Dayton's first true road game of the season, and with apologies to Mount St. Mary's and Akron, the first true test the Flyers will face this season. It should not come as a surprise that Dayton is 2-0 going into this game ,but the play of Devin Searcy is having Blackburn flashing back to the good old days of a young Shaq at LSU mixed with an even younger Wilt Chamberlain at Kansas. We here at the BR forgive you if you don't know much about Ole Miss, except that their football team lost to a I-AA team (I refuse to call it whatever it goes by now) this season. To assist us in learning more about the Rebel Black Bears...err...Rebels is "One Man to Beat," a writer at the Ole Miss blog, Red Cup Rebellion. We put on our Sunday's best and chit-chatted about Chris Warren's beastly attributes, how Andy Kennedy pays for cab fare, how UD females are hotter than Ole Miss girls and much, much more. Be sure to go over to Red Cup Rebellion and check out my answers to his questions about the Flyers. Oh the horror.

Don Donoher: Out with the old, in with the new. Last season was quite the up-and-down year for the Rebels. Starting out with a scorching 16-4 record in its first 20 games, it had to of been disappointing to finish the season with a 24-11 record. I'm no mathematician, but an 8-7 finish was probably not in the cards. What did Andy Kennedy do this summer to prepare this team for avoiding another epic collapse? By the way, don't feel bad, Dayton collapsed mightily too.

One Man to Beat: Ole Miss generally has a fast start out of the gate every year. Put us in the category of Miami last year or Clemson just about every year. We get out to a great start, maybe even post some upsets, but the SEC road schedule usually breaks down the team's record by March. One thing the Rebels have going for themselves is a more experienced set of players than in years past. Senior PG Chris Warren leads the way, and as he goes, most likely this team will go as well.

Stud Muffin Deluxe of epic proportionsDD: I can't go through this interview without asking a WTF about Ole Miss' new mascot, The Rebel Black Bear. True story, I am not actually a UD graduate. I only grew up in Dayton but managed to go to college outside of the city limits to Miami of Ohio, where they were also immersed in a racial mascot brouhaha back in the day. In hindsight, was Colonel Reb really all that racist?

OMTB: He depicted a colonel from the War of Northern Aggression. You be the judge. Do they still breach that topic in history classes above the Mason-Dixon?  Really this was a move that has been in the making for several years, and we're behind it. Honestly, a mascot doesn't cause Ole Miss to win or lose more games, but it could cause us a few recruits if he's considered offensive or at least is depicted that way by coaches from other schools.

DD: Time to toot our own horn. Looking at the non-conference schedule that lies ahead for your Rebels, I can't help but think that this game versus the Flyers will be the toughest non-conference game you play this year. It looks as if Ole Miss took a page from the UD Basketball Handbook and racked up cupcakes up and down the schedule to get some early W's. How will this prepare the Rebs for the upcoming bloodbath that is SEC conference play?

OMTB: I would say the road trip to Miami could very well be one of the toughest assignments as well for Ole Miss. Not to knock Dayton at all, but Miami is quite a trip from Oxford. Plus, it is our first road test against a team picked to be fourth in the ACC this year. Our non-conference schedule does us no favors in terms of RPI. The SEC Western division is down this year, however, so it is likely that Ole Miss could break the 20-win barrier without much fanfare.

DD: True facts: Chris Warren loves to score baskets as much as the gentlemen of Oxford love to wear those goofy looking bow ties to football games. I guess that means he loves scoring baskets a lot? Anyway, it's obvious he is the best player on the team. Who else should Dayton be keeping an eye on in terms of point production?

OMTB: Outside of Warren, you will want to keep an eye on Trevor Gaskins and Zach Graham to have the potential to score points. Gaskins is streaky from deep, but he's been known to drain 5 or more three-pointers in a game. Graham can do a little bit of everything, so he quietly fills up stat sheets with points by hustling for 50/50 balls, getting open on offensive sets and making plays on defense. It's not likely though that either Graham or Gaskins will score over 20 or even 15 for that matter.

Andy Kennedy's cab reenactmentDD: Where does the name Red Cup Rebellion come from? If it is something to do with flip cup, I'll allow it. If not, why couldn't you come up with something like "Kennedy's Kabbies" or "Mississippi's Mohamed Moctar Ould Jiddou Boxing Club." All at dot com, of course. You gotta shell out those extra bucks for the extra bandwidth.

OMTB: Well, basketball is about the third...maybe fourth...most popular sport among our fans. More than half of the fanbase wouldn't get those above jokes, because they just don't follow the team at all. We also like drinking (a lot), which isn't at all sport specific.

DD: What are the strengths and weaknesses of this team? With only two games in the bag, it's a little tough for us outsiders to know what type of team we are facing on Saturday.

OMTB: Ole Miss has an athletic, lengthy team. Kennedy recruits players who can shoot the ball well or at least enjoy shooting the ball often, and he likes for his teams to get up and down the court in transition as much as possible. Kennedy's offensive mindset is for Ole Miss to lead the SEC in shots taken and shots made. Weaknesses come from a general lack of a vocal leader. Warren lets his game speak for him. Newcomer Nick Williams is supposed to be a vocal guy, but we just don't know much about him yet.

DD: Fuck it, I'll toot my horn again. The girls of Miami of Ohio are incredible. But nothing compares to the Southern Belles down in the "other Oxford." As much as I love UD basketball, the female population that hangs out in "the Ghetto" are well...not that good. Just how awesome are the females down there at Ole Miss?

OMTB: We redshirt Miss Americas. I think one writer put it this way when visiting an Ole Miss football game, "The announced attendance for the game was 61,508, which roughly one quarter was women you'd cut off a finger to have sex with."  So yeah, if you were knocked unconscious and carried into the Grove and woke up on a Saturday for a football game, you could very well believe you had died and gone to heaven.

DD: What are your thoughts on Terrico White going pro last year after averaging a scintillating 15 and 5? The reason I ask is because Dayton's best player, Chris Wright, averaged just about those same numbers and some people (albeit laughably) thought he was a lottery pick. I'll take the 15 and 5 in the SEC over the A-10 any day. And White was drafted what, 35th?

OMTB: Terrico White was a very hot and cold player. He had two great games in the NIT against Memphis and Texas Tech, but generally, most fans were fairly disappointed with what he produced. Coming out of Memphis and fairly heavily recruited, White was tabbed as somewhat of a savior, but he never took to that role at all. White was drafted 33rd or 34th by the Pistons and made their roster  – only to break his foot. It didn't make sense to me for Terrico to leave. Guards can play forever in the NBA, and he could've built his resume greatly by getting Ole Miss to the NCAAs this year.

Ole Miss #1 and everyone else, a distant secondDD: Last one, good sir. It's still early in the season so I can still ask you a prediction question. Just how good will the Rebels be this year? Is it NCAA or bust? Also, let's hear a prediction for the game vs. the Flyers.

OMTB: We're predicting at least a 20-win season for Ole Miss. Much of our success really rests on Chris Warren's slight frame. Kennedy has captured two SEC Western Division titles, so I don't think there is too much heat on him to make the NCAA tournament this year or face firing. We have a lot of tough SEC teams (see: Georgia, Tennessee and Kentucky) coming to Oxford this year and then have to travel to Vandy, Florida and South Carolina. The road trips will define our season, and it is likely we finish around 22-9 with a 9-7 SEC record.

Dayton gives us a few match-up problems down low. We aren't typically a great rebounding team, and we don't have beefy guys down low. They are long and athletic, but they weigh a combined 445 lbs. Ole Miss will have to rely on its guard play to win, plus the crowd most likely will not be a factor as we have a game with LSU in Baton Rouge that same day, so attendance will not be greater than 5,000. I'm going to pick Dayton by 4.

Thanks to One Man to Beat for taking the time to answer these lame ass questions. It should be a good win for either Ole Miss or Dayton, hopefully Dayton. As One Man to Beat said, there will not be a big crowd at the game so I am not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing. Let's just hope for the best and hope Dayton can continue letting the Big Dog eat.

An Interrogatory with: Temple University

This blog is like your average marriage, it will last beyond its usefulness and will continue until someone gets killed or goes missing. I rallied the troops Sunday night and told them that we must finish the drill, it’s imperative that we wrap up the season with the type of class and conviction this site is known for. With that being said, we are going to push forward and act as if this team can reclaim the promise they entered the season with, however irrational that sentiment may be.  We are not going to give up on this program until the clock hits triple zeros in a second round loss to Cincinnati in the NIT.

Juan can put the final nail in the coffinEnter "Owlified" to provide us with some insight on tomorrow night’s contest. He operates the Owl’s Nest, the premier blog for all things Temple.  We had a virtual sit down where we discussed Temple’s surprising season, Fran Dunphy’s sense of style, America’s number one ski bunny, and whether or the Atlantic Ten has reached its tipping point. It’s an enriching journey, a quick trip to the other side.

Lastly, you can check out the enlightening insight I provided at Owlified's site, as I return his serve with my own take on Wednesday’s clash of the titans.

TB: Coming into this season, most observers thought Temple would slide a little and finish anywhere from fifth to seventh in the conference. Obviously, the loss of Dionte Christmas led many to wonder where the scoring would come from.  At the same time, with players like Ryan Brooks, Lavoy Allen and Juan Fernandez coming back, one would have to think that the Owls would be more competitive than people were given them credit for. From a personal standpoint, what’s been the biggest surprise/disappointment of the season thus far?

O: The biggest surprise in my opinion is the way that several players have stepped up and filled in the gaps left by the guys we lost. Juan Fernandez has enhanced his game by becoming not only a great passer, but also a deadly shooter. In the last few games we've seen the production of Ramone Moore greatly increase as well. Ryan Brooks and Lavoy Allen for the majority of the season ahve also been players the team can count on for efficient production day in and day out.

TB: As a follow up question, it’s clear that Temple is going dancing come March (what does that feel like?). What are the expectations going forward?  How far can this Owl squad realistically advance?

O: It's always a great feeling when your team is somewhat ahead of the game, and doesn't have to earn its way in or bust. The expectations this year are higher than the last two years because this team is arguably better than the past two. Being predicted as a 4-seed or 5-seed sets this team up for a matchup which would probably favor the Owls, unlike the previous years. I would at least like to see this team get through the first round, and make a push for the Sweet 16.

TB: Other than the fact that this Flyer team has absolutely nothing to lose, and could possibly injure one of your key cogs with their thoughtless play, is there anything that scares you about this UD team coming into Philly on Wednesday night? Anything at all?

O: Dayton is one of those teams in my opinion whose record in certain aspects is deceiving. Several of this team's losses have come against some of the top teams in the country. The Flyers have been challenged throughout this season by some of the best teams, and now have the experience of playing a nationally ranked team on the road. This is definitely a game that Temple fans cannot look past one bit.

Eric = 10% man, 90% flailing armsTB: A social conundrum: you are sitting on a plane in a few weeks headed to Indianapolis for the Final Four. It’s clear that the older lady next to you has unfortunately soiled herself while she was catching a few winks. Although the smell, and oddly the heat, is overpowering, you are torn. Do you inform the stewardess, thereby embarrassing the woman in front of the entire cabin, or do you sit there and take it, saving the elderly lady from a potentially scaring social interaction?

O: I'd embarrass her, and alert the stewardess. Her incapability to refrain from controlling her bowels has disrupted my deep thoughts regarding Temple in the Final Four-- this cannot possibly be.

TB: I was watching the Temple/Rhode Island game a few weeks back and was impressed with the play of the Naughty Nigerian, Michael Eric. Question, who the fuck is Michael Eric and why hadn’t I heard of him until the Rhody game? Additionally, it’s clear that a name like “Michael Eric” is completely made up – it sounds like the type of alias a Jewish comic adopts so people in Middle America will find him funny without thinking about the fact that his people killed their messiah.  So, you have to ask yourself this, what horrible crime did “Mr. Eric” commit back in his homeland that caused him to abscond to our country? Any thoughts, rumors, or wild accusations?

O: Micheal Eric finally broke his personal ice and played to his potential. Reason you probably have not heard of him is because his teammate has constantly taken the headlines with his dominating production (Lavoy Allen). For the most part, M.E. sees the majority of his playing time during the first half. Coach Dunphy usually makes the decision as to whether he'd rather go with a four guard offense with more scoring power, or a 3-guard/2-big offense with a better ability to rebound. I have absolutely no idea what landed Michael in this country besides the fact that he is a talented basketball player with a lot of upside.

TB: I appreciate Fran Dunphy due to the fact that he is what a college coach, in my mind, should look like. He is frumpy, mustachioed and bald. I’m sick and tired of the Pitinos, Jay Wrights, and Caliparis of the college coaching world.  Manicures, coffee colonics and Brioni suits are not representative of what I desire in a head basketball coach.  After all, these guys are in the business of exploiting young, undereducated black men for their athletic talents, not managers of hedge funds. Considering that the Owls had the original bagman of the sidelines, John Chaney, can I assume that you agree with my take – that college coaches should look like they just rolled off a sidewalk heating grate and walked into the gym?

O: I absolutely despise Jay Wright and John Calipari, so I have no problem agreeing with you on that. Those two are looking pretty for the cameras. The game is not a fashion statement.

Mancuso >> VonnTB: Solve the most pressing issue currently facing our country: Lindsey Vonn or Julia Mancuso? Please show your work.

O: I'd go with Julia Mancuso. Using my graphing calculator, several functions, and common denominators, i was able to come up with this equation: (2x+3y=4y+3x*5z). As it began graphing Ms. Mancuso, I received a "SYNTAX ERROR," and my calculator began to spark. The answer was clear.

TB: Richmond’s backcourt vs. Temple’s.  Who’s the best unit in the Atlantic Ten? I’m a huge proponent of Anderson and GonzalVez, but am willing to listen to any reasonable argument.

O: This is too hard to answer. Kevin Anderson and Gonzalvez are both great scorers, and we've actually already seen this matchup (with an injured Fernandez). Temple's backcorut basically consists of four players: Fernandez, Moore, Brooks and Guzman. I'll give the edge to UR's backcourt, merely because the two have come up extremely big when called upon. They've won the big games, and this is exactly the reason they are in the top 25 and will be dancing in March.

TB: This is something we have been discussing on the Review for a few weeks now, let’s get your take. Does the fact that the Atlantic Ten is likely to get at least 3-4 bids mean that college basketball is in a bad place right now, or does it indicate that the league is capable of playing with the big boys if given the chance?

O: The league this year has proved that it is capable of competing -- even beating -- some of the best and most talented teams in the country. The Atlantic 10 conference does not get the respect it truly deserves, so to the outsiders this is a "bad thing." For us A10 fans, it's finally time to show that this conference can compete with many of the elite teams.

TB: Prediction time. Usually I’d ask you what team would win, the margin of victory, and who would shine for your team. Given the current state of affairs on the Flyers, I just require the margin of victory and which Temple player will lead the way for the Owls.

O: Temple wins by 7. Ramone Moore once again will have a spectacular game and lead the Owls to victory.

An Interrogatory with: Duquesne

With a fun three weeks ahead for this Flyers team, the focus turns to Sunday's tilt with the Dukes from Duquesne University.  Did you all know that the Winter Olympics are going on right now?  Don't feel bad.  Homer Simpson did not either.  I put down my curling manual and spoke with the great Thorton Mellon of the uber-sexy, albeit sometimes dormant, Bluff Divers blog.  Thorton and I Triple Lindyed our way down memory lane, bringing up Jason Duty's lackluster free throw shooting skills, the cross-eyed sloth freshman of the Dukes bball team, the Steelers shitting the bed, and whether it is possible to be a man and carry Damian Saunders' baby.  Kurt Vonnegut would blush at this interview because of it's greatness.

Don Donoher: A lot of people (myself included) thought that Duquesne would play off their NIT qualifying season of last year and vie for a top 4 spot in the Atlantic 14.  At 14-12 so far, it has definitely been an up and down season for the Dukes.  In your mind, what are the reasons for such a mediocre season (even for Duquesne standards)?

Underrated blog and underrated movieThorton Mellon: What went wrong?  Boy, I don’t know if the Internet has enough room for me to comment on this one.  But I will try to make it as short and sweet as possible.  In no particular order: The injury to Melquan Bolding, Bill Clark’s shooting slump, Ron Everhart consistently being outcoached, foul shooting (see Dayton game #1), and zero output from their frontcourt (i.e.  Kentucky transfer “Mookalooka” Williams).  What makes this year even more frustrating and confusing is that they have had second half leads in 9 of their 12 losses. Some of these leads were sizeable, as in the case of the Pitt and UMass games.  If you hypothetically take those two games, and the absolute hose job they got at home against St. Louis (the 6-pt swing “charge” called against Sean Johnson in double OT was the worst call I have seen in nearly 30 years of watching basketball), and it’s a very different season.  Add the Jason Duty choke at the end of the Dayton game, and you’re looking at a solid bubble team at 18-8 with four wins against a top 50 RPI, two tough conference road wins (the-would-be Dayton victory and Charlotte),  and a win against a ranked Big East team on a neutral site.  Bolding’s long absence is probably worth two wins alone. But the bottom line is when you lose that many close games, coaching has to be a major factor.  In the Pitt game alone, four second half timeouts lead to four turnovers.  

The Dukes may be the worst team in the A-14 coming out of the second half and nearly every lead they have had at half is squandered before the first media timeout (Everhart refuses to call a timeout beforehand).  That being said, I still think the Dukes are a team that no one will want to face in the first or second round of the tourney, as they are capable of beating any team in the league.

DD: Women throughout Pittsburgh are trading in their Trans-Am's for a chance to be artificially inseminated by Damian Saunders. 15 points and 12 rebounds a game is studly and will surely get him a spot on the A-14 first-team.  We know he is good and will give Dayton fits (as witnessed by his 24/11 in the first game vs. the Flyers). How do the Flyers, and every other team in the A-14, stop this guy?

Fathered more children than Charles LittleTM: While Saunders is a definite man-boy (top ten nationally in double-doubles, rebounding, steals, and blocks), and if possible I would allow him to impregnate any one of my family members, including myself, he has seen a lot of minutes and seems to be slowing down a bit (only 3 boards against UNCC).  He tends to match-up well against more athletic forwards like himself but has problems with the big boys. 

Your best bet to stop him is to try to keep him out of the paint and make him shoot jump shots. He has about an equal chance of hitting jump shots and free throws as he does impregnating my mangina.  He is ultra-effective when the Dukes move to their 3-2 zone defense and put him at the top of the key, so it is best to try to tire him out down low when you have the chance. He should be a favorite for A-14 player of the year next year and I still find it shocking he was pretty much snubbed by the A-14 coaches in the preseason voting. If I were them I would watch my daughters, or would I?

DD: Jason Duty went from hero (getting fouled shooting a 3) to goat (missing 2-of-3 FT's) in the first game vs. the Flyers.  Fans are quick to remember his name because of that, but fail to remember that the Dukes have four guys (almost 5) in double figures.  If Saunders is tied up and cannot take the last shot to win the game, who takes it?  It is kind of hard to pick when the Dukes are shooting a horrid 26% from behind the arc.

TM: Arghhhh!  I don’t want to think about that game. Every time I think about it it's like someone repeatedly keeps stepping on my grapes.  The Dukes struggles from the 3-pt line are well noted, as at one point they were dead last in D1 among teams with five or more attempts per game.  But they have vastly improved in this area the past 3 games and Bill Clark has finally found his stroke (34 against La Salle and 18 against UNCC).  Bolding hit the game winner against the Bonnies and Clark hit a huge 3 to send the St. Louis game into overtime, so one of those guys is the likely candidate. Although the Dukes typically like to turn the ball over with a chance so to win the game, so the chances of the shot actually getting off are pretty slim.

Trans-Am not included, but nasty highlights are present.DD: Random question, how demoralizing was it that the Steelers did not make the playoffs this year?  Is the city still in mourning?

TM: I should refuse to answer that question following the Duty question. But this town is retarded. People walk around for months on end like their dog just got hit by a bus when the Steelers miss the playoffs, despite the Pens’ best effort to keep spirits up. Hey, at least we have Pirate baseball to look forward to!

DD: Saunders, Clark, Bolding, Monteiro, and Evans all have a year or two of eligibility left.  Again, that is five double-digit scorers and yet this team is treading water at .500.  Since the season is a lost cause, unless they win the A-14 tournament (which is not out of the question considering last year's A-14 Finals appearance), do you feel that this team will actually come together next year?

TM: They do seem to have a solid nucleus coming back and have a couple of solid recruits coming in at the point guard position. The only player they lose is Duty and that position, especially defensively, will be improved with their incoming recruiting class (TJ McConnell and Mike Talley are both highly regarded, and freshman Sean Johnson has looked very good at times). Considering the close losses they have had, I don’t think they are that far off from being a top five A-14 team.

They need some frontcourt improvement at the center position, but it can’t get much worse than it has been this year. Mookalooka Williams and Rodrigo Peggau do still have some upside and are technically freshman -- albeit with a combined age of 87. I think anything less than a 20 win season next year will be considered a massive disappointment. Everhart gets a deserved free pass this year for restoring the program to respectability and for dealing with some key injuries, but he will bring back a veteran team with talent and will be expected to win in '10-'11.

DD: In our conversation back in August for the season preview, you mentioned Andre Marhold being the cream of the recruiting class.  I am assuming he has not played to your hopeful standards?  Don't feel bad, Dayton has a current freshman (names will not be given out) that fans were overly optimistic about. That being said, any hope for Andre putting it all together and being a serviceable player for the next 3 years?

TM: Please, please, please do yourself a favor and look up the Dukes media guide online and look at Andre Marhold’s picture. After you clean your soiled pants from peeing yourself laughing, this cross-eyed, slothesque photo will shed some light on the potential of this highly rated recruit. I hate to say it because he is young and has to have some physical skills to be rated so high, but he looks like an absolute bust. He started to get some minutes recently as Everhart has been pressing more, and he typically likes to make freshman earn their stripes, but he looks absolutely lost out there -- quite possibly he is seeing double because of his down-syndromish eyes. How Clemson offered this kid a scholarship is beyond me. How Kentucky offered Mookalooka a scholarship is also beyond me. But what do I know? I am just a bartender and part-time blogger, not a college scout.

Dayton has no fear here.DD: Last one, let's hear a prediction for the game.  Keep in mind that Dayton has actually had some success at Duquesne in recent years (shocking, I know).

TM: This game is on national TV and the Dayton fans will be out at the Palumbo in full force as they always are.  Both teams are playing some of their best hoops of the season.  I think they match up pretty well to a man, but Dayton will win.  

The Dukes will keep it close for about 30 minutes with the Flyers pulling away at the end.  I think the Dukes go on to beat St. Louis, lose to St. Bonaventure, and win against Fordham. That will likely put them at an #8 or #9 seed in the A-14 tourney where they will probably win a game or two, possibly meeting up with the Flyers again.

An Interrogatory with: UNC-Charlotte

The Xavier game is behind us and while the 25 point ass whipping was fantastic, we need to move along.  Up next for the Flyers are the 49ers of the University of North Carolina-Charlotte.  I like saying it that way because I am pretty sure it pisses off their fan base.  According to those Tobacco Road wannabes, it is just plain "Charlotte."  Your anger is duly noted here.  Here to help us preview this epic Atlantic-14 throw down is none other than Jim Utter, the Swiss Army knife blogger of all things Charlotte sports.  Jim is the original FOTB (friend of the blog) and runs his own UNC-Charlotte blog called The Gold Mine.  Jim also gets paid straight cash for covering EVERYTHING for the Charlotte Observer.  Despite being super busy covering the Danica Patrick show at the Daytona 500, Jim took the time to answer my highly researched questions.  The Utter insanity is below.

SHAKE AND BAKE!!!DD: I think we have to start out by talking about Charlotte's fantastic season so far.  In my preview chat with you back in August you stated, "Spears' attitude and determination is unmatched on the team, and it pained him to sit and watch last year's losses from the bench.  Charlotte should have its best inside-outside game in years."  Clearly you weren't talking outside of your element, Jim.  How does this team rank with the Charlotte teams of year's past?

Jim: All of Charlotte's best teams have had a solid inside-outside game, but I think this team is more inside focused, perhaps more so than any other recent 49ers squad. Spears was expected to be a solid force in the A-10 coming from Boston College, but the quick development of freshman Chris Braswell, as well as the improvement in 6-10 center Phil Jones, has made Charlotte more of a look-inside first, then-outside team. Don't get me wrong, Derrio Green can still knock down the 3 (from anywhere) but its not generally the focal point of the offense.

DD: More on Shamari Spears.  Many feel the Player of the Year honor is Jordan Crawford's to lose.  In my opinion, Spears is sort of being forgotten in this conference.  I think I have an answer for that.  Many "fans" still don't even know that Charlotte is in the Atlantic-14!  Regardless, Spears is averaging 17 and 6 while shooting around 50%.  What does Dayton have to do to stop this freight train?

Jim: I suspect Dayton will do what most other teams will - double-team Spears at times and try to force him away from the basket. One of his strengths is his jumper, particularly his fadeaway jumper - and I promise you WILL see it a few times. Also, with the development of Braswell, Spears has found some more working room around the rim and does a good job making teams' pay.

DD: Again, there are six newcomers on this team.  Some might say that Charlotte is playing out of their asses.  I tend to think they are too young to realize just how good they truly are.  What, in your opinion, is the main strength of this team and what is something that they can work on?

Jim: There are LOTS of ways for the 49ers to score, which is the biggest strength, and a senior point guard in DiJuan Harris who has an uncanny ability to find which one is hot on a regular basis and at the right time. Charlotte's biggest problem this season has been first-half turnovers - which against good teams inevitably puts them in an early hole. Against teams like Duke and Tennessee it was just too much to overcome.

How much would you pay to see her naked?DD: Is Jimmy Johnson an athlete?  Sorry, had to throw that one in there since you are covering the Daytona 500.

Jim: A couple years ago, I did eight laps by myself in a Cup car at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte. I was done. Anyone who thinks drivers aren't athletes please visit the Richard Petty Driving School and test the theory yourself.

DD: Looking at the schedule, I see games against Duke, Louisville, Old Dominion, Tennessee, Xavier, and Richmond, all on the road.  The 49ers went 2-4 in those games.  Needless to say, they are not a good road team.  However, you have to think that this team will be prepared for the hostile Dayton crowd.  Dayton's fan base has been bickering back and forth for years about the Flyers' road schedule.  Do you find it favorable to play such a tough road schedule that will inevitably bring some losses and ass kickings (like @ Duke), or do you think it has helped this team succeed when it plays the lowly A-14 teams on the road?  My theory is that if a team can play well on the road versus the big boys (again, ass kicking at Duke aside), they will have no problem playing in the "gyms" of Fordham, St. Bonaventure, and LaSalle.

Jim: Lutz has always told me, "Good teams win at home; great teams win on the road." So far this season Charlotte has been exceptional on the road in league play, outside of its loss at Xavier. That's not to say they haven't had any tough games, but the bottom line is they've gotten W's. I definitely think the tough atmosphere the 49ers faced at Duke, Louisville, Tennessee, etc. early in the season showed them where they needed to be -- as those would likely be some of the stiffest competition they would face all season.

DD: Bobby Lutz has, quoting you, "shown solid gains."  Baring an epic collapse, Lutz should be roaming the sidelines in Charlotte for a few more years, no?

Jim: Absolutely, and I never believed his job was in jeopardy. For one, state schools aren't going to fork over lots of money in this economy to buy out contracts when they're cutting budgets on the education end.

DD: This team not only gets to the line, they get to the line a lot and make their FT's at an impressive 73% clip.  Can you give some tips to the Flyers on how to make free throws?  All joking aside, in the Atlantic-14, there are not many centers/big men that can stop a team from pounding it inside.  Are we safe to assume that Spears and Co. will take it to Huelsman, Searcy, and Wright early and often, hoping to get them into foul trouble?

BEWARE: Do not feed! Known to hit fadeaway jumpersJim: Charlotte's record turnaround from last season is remarkable; it's free throw shooting turnaround is uncanny. But here's the key: Charlotte's top three scorers - Spears, Braswell and Green - are also three of the team's best free throw shooters. Now, that's a correlation any team would love. I definitely think Charlotte will pound the ball inside and would be more than happy living off the line.

DD: Last one, let's hear a prediction.  Looking quickly at the last 7 matchups, Charlotte holds a slim 4-3 lead.  Dayton has won 3 of the 4 games at UD Arena (Charlotte won at UD in '06).  Charlotte is always the white whale for Dayton, who can never win in NC.  So again, let's hear what the outcome will be.

Jim: This is tough. But because Charlotte has played much better when it has had time to prepare (the 49ers last played Saturday), I'm going to go with Charlotte wins 82-79 in OT.

Well there you have it.  Straight from the source's mouth.  While we can all disagree whether or not NASCAR drivers are athletes, we all can agree that the game tomorrow is going to separate the men from the boys.  While a loss won't hurt Charlotte, as they only have one loss, it will severely impact Dayton's post-season aspirations as they will find themselves further away from the leaders.  Buckle up, kiddos!  It is going to be a fun 2.5 weeks!

An Interrogation with: Xavier University

I remember my first Xavier game like it was 7 years ago, and it was. It was January 31st, 2004 (fuck you, Adam) and I was awoken in my 5th Floor Sheehy cell at around 8 am. Alone, of course. I got laid once freshman year because I was a pretty awkward kid, hard to believe I know. Anyway, the Beast was flowing and my fellow 5th Floor Mafia members had a large amount of tequila for one reason or another. Not a woman in sight, you can tell we were really cool. Once again, I digress. I remember the bus ride over to the Fieldhouse, even remember accidentally drunk calling my friend's parents. The game is a bit of a blur, but according to the box score, Ramod Marshall went off for 21 points and Dayton actually won! Why do you care? You don't. If you don't want to read this, go start your own blog.

The point of this, if there is one, is that I remember it being the first moment I really embraced Dayton basketball. After that game, watching the Flyers became appointment TV and I started forming opinions on the players beyond what I was told by the Flyer News. I'll always be thankful to Xavier for that, but the nostalgia for X stops there.I'd do horrible, horrible things to go back to 2003 with the knowledge of women I have today.

As we head into Round Two of the yearly rivalry against Xavier, it should be clear to all of you that no matter what Blackburn and Donoher say, this game isn't "MUST WIN." Must win would mean that if we don't win this game, we're done, and this isn't true. Though, it does make every game in Atlantic City a must win, and in our history there (checks history there), oh fuck -- this Xavier game is a must win.

Well, as Sun Tzu said, "To defeat thy enemy, you must know thy enemy." I just made that up, but it's still something I think we should all live by. Joining us today to discuss our sexually repressed, homophobic brothers to the south is a man whom, I assure you, is about to become a Blackburn Review favorite. For the second time, I present to you the Masked Musky Blogger, X.U. Today we'll discuss how a ball hog isn't a ball hog if he doesn't miss, whether he would trade Brian Gregory for Chris Mack, and how to be an alcoholic and avoid the wrath of loved ones.

O'Brien: On the last podcast, Donoher brought up the fact that he heard grumblings from some that Jordan Crawford was a ball hog who shoots too much. According to KenPom.com he's currently 10th in the nation, taking 35% of Xavier shots. I'm curious as to your thoughts on this, especially considering he's hitting 45% from the field and 40% from three point range. Isn't this exactly the kind of guy you want hogging the ball?

X.U.: Yes.  Despite his relative inexperience, Crawford is the best shooting guard I've seen in the 20 years I've been following XU basketball. He's had a couple of stinkers, but has also single-handedly kept XU in a few games this season.  I think it's worth noting that he did have a year off, so he's just now rounding into form and his stats in A-10 play (2nd in scoring, 7th in FG%, 5th in FT%, 7th in 3PG%) reflect that. 

He's also gained more confidence in his teammates--he carved up URI's press a couple weeks ago for 24, 12, and 6 assists.  The biggest dimension he adds to this year's team over the last few is that he's absolutely fearless in the end game.  He's hit huge shots in the last minute of at least three games this year (Dayton, Wake, and Butler) that either put XU ahead or iced the game.  And shortly before I typed this, he hit two onionballs to beat UMass and avoid a really embarrassing debacle.

O'Brien: Whats worse, a 19 year old kid stealing a cell phone from a mall, or a group of adults conspiring to give a 17 year old kid $30,000?

X.U.: So I guess this is how the story went:  at some point during the academic year he was sitting out after transferring from Indiana, Jordan Crawford was caught trying to shoplift a cell phone at Kenwood Towne Center.  As a first time offender, he ended up in some sort of diversion/community service program.  I consider myself a pretty close observer of the Xavier basketball program -- I subscribe to Rivals for the recruiting info in the summer, I read all the reports in the paper on offseason progress, etc.  Yet the first I (or apparently anyone outside the athletic department) heard about this incident was a passing mention in an article by Shannon Russell of the Cincinnati Enquirer earlier this season.  In a day and age where you hear "Greg Oden's dong is on the Internet" and don't even think twice, that's incredible.

Was going to show the picture of Oden's dong, went with this instead. Putting aside how insanely stupid it is for the brother of an NBA player to filch a $100 phone, my biggest complaint is the complete banality of the crime.  Where's the former Soviet Republic BAC? Where's the hijacked elephant?  Where's the jar of peanut butter and blanket (he kidnapped himself, man)?  Couldn't he at least have reacted like Drew Lavender and given us an iconic catchphrase ("Fuck this white club")?  Just proof positive XU will always lag behind UC in certain areas.

Given that the incident occurred at least a year ago and appears to have been handled to everyone's satisfaction, I'm not inclined to give a shit.   I'm sure the UD fans will give him just a little grief on Saturday.

O'Brien: At this point in the season, I'm sure most X fans are feeling very comfortable (read: smug) about their NCAA Tournament chances, and rightfully so. Looking back to your expectations for the season, are you surprised by success of this team? Is there a specific weakness you'd like to see the team improve on in the coming weeks?

X.U.: XU is right where I thought they'd be. I probably underestimated the settling in process and the difficulty of the non-conference schedule, but I think I also underestimated the team's talent level and potential ceiling. I need to see more toughness on the glass and at least one road win against quality opposition before I pronounce them dangerous in the post-season.  They get three chances this month to do just that.

O'Brien: As for Saturday, how scared are you to come to the Flyer Fieldhouse? I don't know if you've heard, but until a few weeks ago, Dayton had won 30 games (all basketball) in a row at home. Is "mortified" a strong enough word? Do you think Chris Mack will have to drink during the game in order to keep his composure? As for the physical safety of the Musketeers, has the school added security measures, such as fire-proofing the bus, or maybe putting protective covering over the bench area?

X.U.: I've been to a few XU-UD games at the Arena, the 2003 A-10 Tournament, and the NCAA Tournament subregional up there last March.  No question the place can get loud and hostile.  This is theoretically where the experience of playing at Bramlage Coliseum, Hinkle Fieldhouse, and Lawrence Joel Coliseum earlier in the season helps a team.  We'll see.

I think it's the UD facilities people that ought to be worried -- didn't you get the memo after the Butler game that the XU team are a rampaging horde of Visigoths demolishing all they survey? Why, the Butler players were so dehydrated after the Muskies demolished their beloved water fountain that they immediately took a shit down their leg at UAB.

O'Brien: If you could have traded Chris Mack for Brian Gregory at the beginning of the season would you have done it? What about now?

X.U.: I would have preferred a more experienced candidate than Mack when Miller bolted for Arizona.  In retrospect that was short-sighted. Mack is only a couple years younger than Miller, Gregory, and Matta. He's had eight years of apprenticeship, not only at XU but also on Skip Prosser's staff at Wake Forest.  He definitely can recruit, the only question was his game coaching ability.  It wasn't until the end of Miller's second year that XU started playing with confidence down the stretch.  It's taken Mack 20 games (of course having Jordan Crawford helps).

Brian Gregory is an enigma to me.  He seems to be a strong recruiter with good connections.  He's good enough to take a BCS scalp or two every year.  He wins 20-25 games regularly.  Still, it's puzzling that so many highly touted players stagnate, it's also puzzling that he chooses to persist with 10- and 11-man rotations that include guys with limited skill sets.  He's a good enough coach to keep Dayton at the level they are on, but I don't know if he's the guy to take the next step.  And if he was, he probably wouldn't still be at UD.  So I don't know.

Even though I'm sure Chris Mack's wife (a former UD basketball star) probably wouldn't mind a swap, your red sweaters would have a collective infarction if "that bastard from Evansville" was patrolling the sidelines.  I think Mack's inbounds pass off the UD player's face back in the early 90s is a lasting memory for them, along with that god-damned hippie Bill Walton and the sinking of the Maine by the perfidious Spaniards.

O'Brien: Will weather be a factor in the game on Saturday?

X.U.: I'm actually hearing we're going to get four inches of snow on Friday.  If you've spent any time in Cincinnati that translates to PANIC WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE.  I've already bought huge quantities of plywood for no apparent reason.

O'Brien: Finish this sentence: If Dayton wants to beat X on Saturday they need to ________.

X.U.: Follow the blueprint from last year when they housed a slightly better XU team.  Feed off the intensity of the crowd early, play physical, and crash the boards incessantly.  XU won't shoot as well at UD Arena as they did at home, nor are they likely to get to the line as frequently, so I suspect UD wins if they can repeat the massive rebounding advantage they had in the first game.

OBrien: How excited are you to think that you might be able to slam the door on UD's tournament chances on Saturday? Its gotta be a wet dream come true, right? How do you plan on celebrating if you defeat our Gem City Cage Fighters?

X.U.: Probably going to a 30th birthday party, for what seems like the 36th straight weekend.  I get it, assholes.  You're old.  It's hilarious and zany.Artists Rendering of X.U.

O'Brien: Are you insulted when Dayton fans tell you they have just as good of a program as Xavier, or that Chris Wright is the best player in the state of Ohio?

X.U.: There was a dude on the A-10 message board who used to constantly assert that UD had passed Xavier as a program.  He had charts and graphs and recruiting rankings and all this other stuff.  And since then X has won like 9 NCAA Tournament games.  Maybe the gap isn't as big as XU fans would like to think, but it's a little silly to argue UD is on the same level right now.

There are actually people who think Chris Wright is the best player in Ohio?  Are they aware that (the) Ohio State University is located in Ohio or do they think it's a Kansas City, Missouri thing?

O'Brien: If your life depended on designing a game plan to beat the Musketeers, what would you do?

X.U.: If I was Brian Gregory, and I had a bunch of freakish athletes, I'd employ the K-State plan.  Aggressive, fronting defense all over the court.  Try to hurry XU up.  Force Holloway and Lyons into drive-and-dish situations, force some turnovers.  On offense run like crazy and get to the rim before they can set up the packline.  Contest every offensive rebound.  Shoot Crawford with a tranquilizer gun.

One thing I would not do is try to turn this into a walk-it-up Big Ten game and let said freakish athletes attempt 25 three point goals.

O'Brien: Would you rather win the Dayton game on Saturday or the Florida game next weekend?

X.U.: Dayton.  UD has a better RPI than the Gators, it's a rivalry game, the league title is still in play, and I don't want Tim Tebow to travel back in time and order my mom to abort me.

O'Brien: Prediction time. How does Saturday's contest turn out, what will it take for one of us to triumph? More importantly, what kind of beer are you drinking for the Super Bowl and what's your favorite game time snack?

X.U.: I'm channeling my inner Swampy and taking XU to win in a one-possession affair.  66-63 or something.  I haven't determined my Super Bowl strategy, but it will probably include a lot of random beers chugged on the sly in the garage or bathroom so I don't get the "Why did you drink 13 beers?" speech from my girlfriend on the way home.

You the man X.U.

An Interrogation: George Washington Has Found His Hatchet

I don't want to talk about the game on Saturday anymore. I don't even want to have to think about X for another... (check calendar)...TWO AND A HALF WEEKS! Damn it I want of piece of those smug Jesuits now. Ok, anyway. Since I got some time to kill before our real rivalry (well real for us anyway) starts again, how about a personal rivalry? The George Washington Colonials come to the Fieldhouse with an 11-5 record and $180,000 of my girlfriends' father's money. I also am pulling recon duties for the game tomorrow, so in an effort to not reuse material (I don't have that much), I'll save my thoughts for the morning. Instead, I got a guy whom this blog owes a debt of gratitude to answer some questions for us.

Andrew Wiseman is a dear friend of the blog and proprietor of the Colonial Hoops Blog. He's been on before to help bring us up to speed with his squad and has answered the call once again. Today we talk about the successful start of the season for HC Karl Hobbs, his very talented freshman class, and how jokes about international players are getting old. I told Ollie to stop making jokes about that. 

O'Brien: When we last spoke, you said the best case scenario for this team was in the 17-15 area and if it was much worse you’d want Hobbs gone. The Colonials enter tomorrow night’s game at 11-5 (1-2) and in a position to make some noise in conference. I’m sure you’re not surprised by the quick start, but do you think GW has the potential to finish with a winning record in conference? Have Hobbs done enough to keep his job or will it take a post season ticket?

Karl is as surprised as I am that he might have a job next season. Good for him. AW: I am pretty surprised actually -- I was expecting more of the same pass it around the perimeter and wait, then do something bone-headed offense, like in previous years. That's reared up a bit, and the team has lacked an ability to finish in the last two games (up 12 to Xavier then losing, up 5 to Lasalle then losing). This year's group really seems to have gelled and there doesn't seem to be any conflict or issues like before. I think Hobbs definitely will keep his job, unless the team goes winless from here out, and I don't expect that. There's a lot of excitement back about the program. I think GW can finish around .500 in conference.

O'Brien: You told me you expect good things from Damian Hollis and he has delivered (15 ppg, 5 rpg), but what surprised me is the Colonials have 11 players averaging 10 minutes or more. If the Flyers are able to limit Hollis, is there one other guy Dayton fans should be watching or will it take a team effort from the Colonials to take us out?

AW: Multiple guys averaging a lot of time is Hobbs' game plan. One of the good things about GW's style is that someone will probably pick it up, and it's hard to guess who that will be -- other than Hollis, high scorers in recent games include Lasan Kromah, Aaron Ware, and Bryan Bynes. Often a bunch of players will get around 8 points each. Then again, if everybody else is having an off day, it can be rough. The point guards can be a good way to stop GW: Tony Taylor, Tim Johnson, Travis King, Bynes to some extent -- they've struggled in recent losses.

O'Brien: Have the jokes about International players gotten old yet? Cause if so, then maybe we have to rethink the welding certification jokes we tell about the Bonnies too.

AW: Yes. GW is no more international than most other A-10 schools these days. But I think welding jokes never get old.

O'Brien: Talk to me about Lasan Kromah. The freshman guard is averaging 10 points a night and 2 steals, all while draining 40% from three point range. Where the heck did this guy come from (other than Maryland)? Do you expect him to be the centerpiece for the future and what other freshman have you been impressed by?Lasan Kromah: Get used to him averaging 20 points a game against us for the next 4 years

AW: He's a big surprise. He was supposedly one of the better players in Maryland, but he was less heralded than a lot of the other GW freshmen this year. His first home game he scored 20 or so over an 8 minute stretch and had 7 three pointers total, driving the Smith Center crowd crazy. GW relies on quick big men more than guards, so I wouldn't say he'll be the centerpiece, but he'll definitely be an important part. Kind of like JR Pinnock's role a few years back -- quick, slashing SG/SF who can steal it but also shoots well.

The other freshmen have been impressive at times -- Tim Johnson is an energy guy at PG and can get runs started and get the team fired up. Guard Bryan Bynes sometimes plays well, sometimes disappears. David Pellom is occasionally good, though he gets less time since Hermann Opoku, Joseph Katuka, and Jabari Edwards rotate down low -- folks have started to call those three the Three Headed Monster, though sometimes that monster doesn't play defense. I've liked what little I've seen of Dwayne Smith, who's more of a wing forward and can hit threes. Center Daymon Warren has been hurt all year and I think may redshirt if he hasn't already.

As for returnees, Opoku and Katuka have both improved as big men, though they have some issues like handling rebounds, and Edwards has become a defensive force in limited time. Travis King is a bit of a disappointment, and sophomore Tony Taylor is sometimes a solid PG and good leader, but occasionally makes  mistakes late. Aaron Ware has been great too, taking up the scoring slack when it's needed and driving the lane when nobody else does. Lots of folks are really pleased about his improvements.

Courtney Cox: GW Alumni. More importantly, hot or not? O'Brien: Prediction time. How does this season end for GW? Who wins the game tomorrow, how do they do it, and what kind of strain will this have on my relationship with my girlfriend who, regretfully, is a George Washington alum.

AW: Tough one. GW usually goes through a losing streak every year (maybe they're in it now) but I feel like there's more pride and cohesion than previous years, when the long streaks seemed to sink the team. Let's hope at least. I'm going to say 16-11 (plus maybe a game or two in Atlantic City), which means GW goes 7-9 in the A-10. I think most people would be happy with that, especially with the potential of the freshmen.

O'Brien: And tomorrow?

AW: Got to give you guys the edge -- home game for you, Wright and Johnson playing well inside and judging by the Xavier game, big guys can eat us up inside. You're  pretty deep so our usual tire-them-out approach probably won't work. Hopefully we can keep it close.

Smart move Andrew, steering clear of the girlfriend comment. Don't worry, she'll defend herself tomorrow.

An Interrogatory with: Xavier University

The guarantees in life are death, taxes, and Xavier beating Dayton in Cincinnati.  It's science.  There have been years when Dayton is the better team and then shits the bed.  There have been years where players like David West have had monster games that give me nightmares for the rest of my life.  This "rivalry" is so one-sided that it makes the Washington Generals blush.  Before the season started, the gang at the BR agreed that if there was ever a year that Dayton could end the curse, it would be this year.  Well, call me crazy, but I think we will have to wait until next year.  

Don't call me a Negative Nancy.  Call me a realist.  Seriously, fuck Xavier. I hate everything about them. Which makes writing this post so difficult.  I actually found a nice XU fan that was shockingly informative, funny, and GASP...nice!  Joining us today is X.U., a blogger from A Fan's Note (on Xavier Basketball). He wanted to remain anonymous because like Blackburn and O'Brien, he has a budding law degree that he does not want to jeopardize.  Enjoy!

Yes!!! Xavier fans pretty much feel sorry for us!BR: First and foremost, do you or any Xavier alums consider UD to be their #1 rival? Most of the opinions I’ve heard would probably place Cincinnati in the top spot.

XU: I think that's the consensus view.  In the 1990's and the early 2000's, the Xavier-UC game was not only the most anticipated game of the year, but also the most important for XU from an RPI/NCAA perspective.  XU at the time had a hard time convincing name-brand teams to play them (sound familiar?) and UC was a Top 10 team every year.  I think the UC game will always be the more heated and intense of the two rivalries because of the city bragging rights, the public vs. private aspect, etc.  The XU-UD games seem more like a sibling rivalry.  With that said, I think in recent years the UD games have become more important to XU's postseason destiny than the Shootout owing to UC's slide into mediocrity and UD's improvement.

BR: What were the expectations for this Xavier team coming into this season?

XU: If you asked me ten minutes after the Pitt game, assuming Miller on the bench, Derrick Brown in the lineup and several recruits providing depth, I'd have said Elite Eight with a chance for something truly special.  But (as you are aware), we've had kind of an emo offseason which threw everything off kilter.*  I had no clue whether they'd be good or not.  And to a certain extent, I still don't.

* I can joke about this now but at the time I actually said things like "the dream season is turning into a nightmare."  Someone should have stabbed me with a lawn dart.

BR: How would you grade Chris Mack's coaching performance thus far?

XU: It took Sean Miller two seasons to "get it."  I think Mack is on a more rapid learning curve and I think he's eventually going to enjoy similar success.  Just as an illustration, against La Salle last Thursday X was up 3 or 4 points with about 90 seconds left and the ball.  Dante Jackson, for reasons known only to himself, dribbled wildly into the lane and threw up a horrible shot with 20 seconds on the shot clock.  Against GW three days later, in the same situation, the Muskies ran 30 seconds off the clock on each possession under 2 minutes, shortening the game and frustrating the Colonials.  It's a minor, elementary tactical issue but it's good to see the coaching staff address a problem and get tangible results.

BR: XU only has 5 losses this year and some could point out that they are all against good teams (even if the Butler loss was complete bullshit).  Yet, despite these 5 losses, people are saying this is a down year for the Muskies. You have to laugh at this assertion, no?

XU: If there is a consensus that this is a down year for XU, it's a tribute to the program's achievements in past seasons.  I'm glad that expectations are high.

BR: Let's quickly talk about Kenny Frease.  I for one thought that this would be a major break out year for him.  What are your thoughts on his year and a half in Cincinnati so far?  Too early to tell, a bust, simply overrated?  What are your predictions of him over the next two and half years?

XU: I think he's shown flashes of the potential that made him such a highly touted recruit.  He's not the second coming of David West, but there's nothing wrong with the Jason Love development arc.  I expect Frease to be a consistent double-double threat starting next year.

Not going to slow down J CrawBR: Did you know Jordan Crawford dunked over Lebron James?  In all seriousness though, Crawford is having a monster year (19.2 ppg, 43.9% from three).  What, if any, are his weaknesses and what does Dayton need to do to slow down this guy?  Sneak him an extra helping of Skyline Chili with his Wheaties?

XU: LeBron's posse turning into the Nixon Administration was one of the more bizarre plot twists of the summer.  By the time the tape leaked, I think everyone expected some sort of Dominique Wilkins tomahawk with Crawford hanging from the rim bellowing like Hacksaw Jim Dugan while LeBron wet his pants in fear.  As it turns out, it was basically the Erin Andrews tape all over again -- grainy, disappointing, yet sensual.

As with any talented scorer, Crawford has a tendency to force the issue and overextend himself.  You can't do anything about his fallaway jumpers and 3-point shots, if they are falling he's impossible to stop.  The place I would focus on were I an opposing coach is limiting dribble penetration, because that opens up Redford and Jackson on the wings.

BR: Talk briefly about the play of Terrell Holloway. After an inauspicious freshman year, he seems much improved. Is it simply a case of more playing time, or has Holloway made significant strides in his game?

XU: Three observations.  First, Holloway played most of last season with a stress fracture in his foot.  Before I started treating Bud Lite as a food group, I was a long-distance runner.  I developed stress fractures in my shins and it made every movement painful.  Second, according to media reports and Mack's interviews, Holloway worked tirelessly this summer to improve his ballhandling, fitness, and shooting.  Third (and we're venturing into message board conjecture now), Sean Miller--himself a former standout PG--was very hard on Holloway during his freshman year.  I think Miller leaving was a weight off Terrell's shoulders and has allowed him to play with more freedom and confidence.

Recognize mother fuckers!BR: What concerns you most about this year’s UD team?

XU: Aggressive team defense and Chris Johnson.  As to the latter, he appears to be some sort of hybrid basketball monster created by Brian Gregory and a team of crack biologists after extracting DNA from Chris Wright and Marcus Johnson.*  Johnson's ability to clean the boards and step out behind the arc creates matchup problems for any team.

*Hypothesis:  Wright and Marcus Johnson have failed to regenerate this critical genetic data, explaining their disappointing seasons.  More research needed.

BR: How much of an impact does Mark Lyons’ absence have on the team, how was this changed the team’s chemistry?

XU: Last I heard, Lyons practiced Thursday and hopes to feature against Dayton, but we'll see how things go.  Lyons' quickness makes him a weapon at both ends of the floor.  His absence makes Holloway the only true PG on the roster, shortens the bench, and deprives XU of a key cog.  That said, I'm not going to complain about an injury like this, having watched a deathly ill Brian Roberts stagger around the Cintas Center like Gary Busey a few years back.  It's a setback if Lyons can't go, but not insurmountable.

BR: It seems like it’s a typical Xavier season. They suffered a couple of tough losses to quality opponents, got some decent wins and appear like they are already rolling in conference play. The Musketeers are about to go through the toughest part of their schedule this week: vs. Dayton, at Temple, and back home to face Rhode Island. Go 2-1 and the Muskies are looking at a 5-1 conference record with little challenges ahead. I think if XU gets two wins they are a lock for a tournament bid. Your take?

XU: Well, there is one dirty secret as of right now, and I'm afraid it affects both our teams.  Neither Xavier or Dayton really has a marquee non-conference win.  Cincinnati and Georgia Tech are frauds.  Creighton sucks.  Both UD and XU need to rack up a lot of wins in the A-10 this season to make up for those early missed opportunities.  I think 2-1 in this stretch keeps XU on pace for a tournament bid.  I don't think it makes them a lock.  Xavier has to eat the FordhaSure to be a familiar sight on Saturdaym Computer Ranking Shitbomb twice this season.  If XU finishes the regular season 21-9 they are probably in.  20-10 or worse and they'll need to perform well in AC.

BR: Admit it, you sneak a glance at Arizona every once and a while.

XU: I look to see how some of the former XU recruits (Kevin Parrom, Kyryl Natyazhko) are getting on, but I'm pretty much over it.  

(By the way, there's no effing way that shot should have counted against Lipscomb).

BR:  Prediction time.  We're not going to ask you who wins, just tell us what Xavier’s margin of victory will be.

XU: Xavier by 9.  I'd like to finish by saying thanks to the BR staff for inviting me to speak to your vast readership, I expect that my participation in this Q & A will increase my site traffic exponentially (i.e., 2 views per day to 4).  I apologize for being long winded.

An Interrogation: New Mexico Wolves

Happy New Years Eve dear friends. Goodbye 2009 and my dependence on whiskey, and hello to 2010, in which my new poison will be Gin! This new, classier form of my addiction is ready for a coming out party tonight, and don't worry I have Blackburn on retainer. He'll spend tomorrow morning arguing that I'm not a flight risk, and let me tell you, I AM. I'll be in County Kerry Ireland before the Judge gets home. If not Ireland, I might find my way to Albuquerque, New Mexico, where I just made a new friend who may be my soul mate.

Ladies and Gentlemen, let me introduce to you, my new boy Bloo. Bloo is a major part of The Lobo Lair blog (#1 UNM Blog on the interwebs), specifically moderating their vast message board and was nice enough to help us all out by answering some questions about the game tomorrow night. It should be a fun game, but I might not be able to watch it on the run. I know everyone's got drinking to do tonight, especially me, so lets get right to it.

O'Brien: The Lobo's will begin the new decade ranked 19th in the country with a record of 13-1, with 3 wins over ranked opponents, most notably a comfortable victory over Texas Tech just a few nights ago. Coming into this season what kind of expectations did you have this years squad knowing that they were returning only a single senior? Now with their early success, what do you think their potential is?Miss New Mexico 2009; DWI charges pending.

Bloo: Leading up to November, the talk around the water cooler in The Duke City was largely centered around who would replace a talented group of departing seniors from the ’08-’09 season: post Daniel Faris, sharpshooter Chad Toppert, and high-flyer and NCAA dunk champion Tony Danridge combined for 51% of their points and 40% of their rebounds last season. There was talk that a local skateboard apparel shop was working in tandem with a wig outfitter to create a new persona for Danridge- perhaps get four new years of eligibility, but somehow that went awry.

No one, short of Nostradamus (of whom I am a direct descendant), foresaw Roman Martinez taking the evolution of his game from a somewhat more of a role player (albeit one whose 3pt% was a bit higher than Toppert’s) to the team’s marksman, and no one outside of Las Vegas foresaw Darington Hobson being a ready-made 2009 version of Penny Hardaway. Even those revered hacks of the respective Mountain West cities’ newspapers figured the Lobos for fifth- dead center in the Mountain West. In fact, none of them saw to it to even place a Lobo on either the first- or second-team preseason All Conference teams. Perhaps that is where the chips on the collective shoulders of this team began.

With this start, the most intelligent of our brethren are off gallivanting around opposing teams’ message boards proclaiming preordained Sweet 16 (we’ve been to one of those- back when there were 32 teams to begin with) and Final Four appearances (we’ve never even been to one of those). The more cynical amongst us foresee tough challenges in the upcoming conference wars, such as from UNLV (unranked but probably worthy of such a ranking, as your school arguably is), BYU, and San Diego State. Utah graduated another of their seemingly endless line of big men, so the educated guess is they will be down this year, but who knows. At any rate, these are the four teams who they told us would finish ahead of us this year.

I would expect that the Lobos would continue to surprise and play well enough at home to warrant a top three finish in conference. This is an extremely difficult league in which to run the table- no one in Albuquerque is under the illusion that we are going to come out of league play unscathed. Honestly I would rather get past the first round of our conference tournament for the first time since Danny Granger’s senior season in 2005 than finish with another share of a regular season conference title and a day-one trip home from Las Vegas in March. A top three finish and at least one win in the conference qualifier tournament ought to put this team dancing in March; again, something that hasn’t happened here since 2005.

You want to go to the NBA Wright? Stop this man. O'Brien: Darington Hobson (16 points, 4 assists, 8 boards...A GAME) is a force of nature. According to your message boards he was in fact raised half wolf, half kangaroo. What can we expect from Mr. Hobson Friday, and what can Dayton do defensively to slow down his production?

Bloo: And half magician’s rabbit. And half jackalope (yes- they’re real. I have one in my backyard), and half scorpion. Oh, and yes- I realize that this adds up to two and one half- but he’s THAT special!

Albuquerque’s newest adopted favorite son is, quite simply, the straw that stirs the Lobo’s drink. Stopping him probably requires intercepting his ride to The Pit before pre-game and diverting it to Truth or Consequences, NM- a two and a half hour ride down I-40 to the south. However, all bets are off if he makes it back to the arena before the 10-minute mark of the second half.

Expect Darington to be the “1”- his number, by the way- in the 1-2-2 zone and token three-quarter court pressure, as his length and long wingspan disrupts and causes opposing teams to have to begin their offense in a deliberate fashion. Expect him to have a knack for being in great rebounding position, and to be able to bring the ball up coast to coast, or find someone downcourt with a pinpoint pass to lead our break.

On offense sets, he will spot up and shoot the three over you, or take you off the dribble. He’s not yet a polished finisher, and fouling him at the rim has been a preferred tactic of opponents of late. He shoots in the mid-sixties from the charity stripe, although against Texas Tech he shot 80%.

O'Brien: The Pit is legendary. It is known far and wide as a place where visitor's hopes and dreams go to die amid screams of the liberal sexual nature of their mothers. How important has the home court advantage been for the Lobos in past years and what makes The Pit such a daunting locale? Currently The Pit is under renovations, what kinds of changes are being make to make it even more intimidating? Spikes in the visitor’s locker room?

Bloo: The Pit is a pit- that’s what helps make it formidable. Really. Literally a pit, having been dug 37 feet below ground level, a fan of your school walking in for the first time will walk down to his/her seat from the concourse level, no matter where that seat is located. The roof was set before that digging, and the seats virtually descend down from there until they end mere steps from the court.

To paraphrase one Texas Tech Red Raider, who has played here twice now: “They [our fans] are loud and they get on you. They know everything about you, even your mother’s name.” That’s the other part of this formula- us fans. We typically are in the top 10 or 20 in the nation for attendance- heck, our women’s team averages around 7 or 8 thousand fans per! (MWC opposing fans chalk that up to the lack of other things to do in Albuquerque- it’s not true- but we’ve been pretty passionate about our team(s) for quite some time.

An intimidating place, decibel levels can and have reached 118- as late as last Tuesday- and that is pretty close to what those guys who hold up the orange-coned flashlights and who mimic the Village People on the tarmacs of airstrips all over world guard against when part of their uniform includes a mandatory set of ear plugs- the noise from a jet engine (and thanks to your community for their assist in giving those guys jobs!) It was voted one of the top 20 venues of the 20th century by Sports Illustrated. We’re just looking for the right season to provide the impetus to make that distinction extend into this century as well."Playing at New Mexico is the pits" - Foul Mouthed Texas Tech Player

The $60M renovation that you referred to includes modern amenities- toilets and indoor lighting is being added. It’s really scary to play in front of 18,000 people who are screaming at you in the first place. The lack of lights is a decided home court advantage the NCAA will no longer allow us to continue. Seriously, though, there is no indoor plumbing yet during this remodel, so snack bars and porta-potties are lined up outside this year. In the end, The Pit will boast several luxury suites, and indoor restaurant, and two state of the art replay screens, and at the expense of roughly 1,000+ seats. And, as an extra bonus- indoor restrooms! Just in time for the 2010-2011 season- don’t you want to renew this home-and-home?

O'Brien: Other than Mr. Hobson, whom should Dayton fans be watching to make an impact on Friday's game? What are going to be some of the keys to success for New Mexico? If you could pick one stat and say that will determine the game, what would it be (rebound differential, field goal percentage, etc)?

Bloo: The obvious Lobo your coaches are already paying attention to is Roman Martinez, lone senior and leader in three pointers, hustle, and floor burns. One way or another, he finds ways to fill up stat lines, but what he does goes far beyond the stat sheet, so even if his shot is not falling (and until the second half of the Tech game, it wasn’t- since about the start of the Creighton game) he is someone Dayton will need to contend with.

The under the radar guys- this team is loaded with guys who continue to step up and surprise. From our undersized posts- both sophomores- one of whom has improved his free throw shooting from sub 50% (9-28) to solid 70s so far this year (6’8” AJ Hardeman) and the other of whom just had his career high in points (6’9” Will Brown- 11) to our deep stable of guards (redshirt freshman Curtis Dennis just went off for 14 points in 14 minutes against Tech), there is no shortage of potential would-be heroes. The Lobos go 10 deep, and literally everyone has contributed at some point over the course of the year so far.

One guy that I look to see step up and have a big game is probably the starter most overlooked in the last 10 games or so- sophomore Phillip McDonald. The worry in Albuquerque lately is what-if a team shuts down our 1-2 guys (Hobson and Martinez)- who steps up as the 3rd scorer for this team? What people quickly forget is that, in games 2-4, McDonald scored 61 points, including a team high 27 in Las Cruces against New Mexico State. Since that time, he’s been dealing with nagging injuries (knee, dislocated finger) and has struggled, but he’s starting to shoot with more confidence, and in Tulsa he hit 4 of his 5 shots- including 3 of 4 three pointers- and finished with 13 points. This is a guy who decided to come to Albuquerque and cancelled a visit to Lawrence, KS when he committed. We think he’s going to be a good one. Friday night would be a nice time for another coming out party from Mr. McDonald. I think he’s ripe for it.

And if I could pick one stat that decides this game- it won’t be an official stat (yes, I’m THAT difficult)- this game will be decided by transition defense, IMO. Whichever of these two teams can limit the other’s transition offense will put a major crimp in what makes both of these teams tick, and I think the loser scores in the 60s. OK, if I’m forced to stick to a more conventional stat, then I’ll say offensive rebounds. The team with more shot opportunities because of an edge in O rebounds will win this game.

O'Brien: Prediction time. Who will win this game, why, and what time do you think I'll wake up tomorrow? More importantly, where will I wake up tomorrow?

Thanks again Bloo, and again, lay off the NickelodeonI’m worried about this game; Dayton will be our stiffest test to date, IMO. I see a game similar to the one we played earlier in the year against Cal. Both teams played very well in that one, and Cal actually led 66-60 late in the second half before the home folks rallied for an 86-78 win. I look for Dayton to weather a couple of early runs, work their way back into things for the most part, but in the end I think the Lobos will find a way to win the boards battle and gut out a hard fought game on New Year’s Day, 766-9.
(Oops. Misplaced Dayton’s ten’s digit again. Apologies. 76-69, Lobos.)

More importantly, O’Brien will miss the entire Tournament of Roses Parade, awakening along the shore of Lake Erie to the sound of a metal detector discovering a few of the more than four dollars worth of quarters escaping one of his pants pockets, and with a crumpled up 800 number and a pack of wet matches in his other pants pocket. Also, he will be wearing a designer T in which he did not begin the evening and smelling wildly of lavender.