Post by BleedingOrange on Feb 23, 2012 20:02:47 GMT -5
Wow. Just.... wow.
That Southern Miss game last night was just about everything you could ask for in a college basketball game. Loud crowd (should have been larger than 9,000), halfway decent officiating (they got some calls, we got some calls), and most importantly, two talented teams throwing haymakers at each other for 50 minutes until someone finally dropped.
What impressed me the most was the chess match between the two great coaches and friends. Eustachy and Floyd know each other so well that there was virtually no tactical advantage for either side, and it just came down to execution. To the Miners' awesome credit, they were making up for a struggling offense with stifling defense, and the only reason Southern ever got out to that 16 point lead was because of our 18 turnovers. You take those away, and we would have won the game in regulation quite easily.
Can't give enough credit to the entire team (with the possible exception of Mike Perez, who was a train wreck most of the night but did hit some free throws down the stretch that were huge) for the amazing heart and effort every one of them put into the win. The standouts had to be Julian Washburn, who hit some clutch shots and more importantly, took Southern's PG and floor general out of the game with his stifling D; the big men (Ced, Bo, and Gabe) for dominating the paint, and CJ Cooper, the FRESHMAN, who hit huge shot after huge shot as if he was in a high school gym playing with his buddies.
It was amazing to see this young team go toe-to-toe with the two top teams in the league and get down by double digits, and instead of folding or giving up, battle back and actually pull out two very impressive wins. One thing's for damn sure... we are officially the team nobody is gonna want to face in the tournament!
Two huge games down, three more to go.... let's kick some UCF ass this weekend, crush Rice and SMU, and roll into the post-season like a freakin' runaway semi on fire!!!
FYI: UCF game will be on CBS College Sports at 6 PM Saturday.
That Southern Miss game last night was just about everything you could ask for in a college basketball game. Loud crowd (should have been larger than 9,000), halfway decent officiating (they got some calls, we got some calls), and most importantly, two talented teams throwing haymakers at each other for 50 minutes until someone finally dropped.
What impressed me the most was the chess match between the two great coaches and friends. Eustachy and Floyd know each other so well that there was virtually no tactical advantage for either side, and it just came down to execution. To the Miners' awesome credit, they were making up for a struggling offense with stifling defense, and the only reason Southern ever got out to that 16 point lead was because of our 18 turnovers. You take those away, and we would have won the game in regulation quite easily.
Can't give enough credit to the entire team (with the possible exception of Mike Perez, who was a train wreck most of the night but did hit some free throws down the stretch that were huge) for the amazing heart and effort every one of them put into the win. The standouts had to be Julian Washburn, who hit some clutch shots and more importantly, took Southern's PG and floor general out of the game with his stifling D; the big men (Ced, Bo, and Gabe) for dominating the paint, and CJ Cooper, the FRESHMAN, who hit huge shot after huge shot as if he was in a high school gym playing with his buddies.
It was amazing to see this young team go toe-to-toe with the two top teams in the league and get down by double digits, and instead of folding or giving up, battle back and actually pull out two very impressive wins. One thing's for damn sure... we are officially the team nobody is gonna want to face in the tournament!
Two huge games down, three more to go.... let's kick some UCF ass this weekend, crush Rice and SMU, and roll into the post-season like a freakin' runaway semi on fire!!!
FYI: UCF game will be on CBS College Sports at 6 PM Saturday.
