Blog # 15

My Beloved 31 GHB Bloggees:

 

 

After re-reading my last blog, I saw that I indicated that Jacksonville University would give the Gators fits and they did with an overtime upset last Monday. I only saw the last 7 minutes of the game on the Sun Sports replay this morning and the Dolphins played just like  they did when I saw them play Samford here in Birmingham.....pesky, disruptive and full of heart.

 

Look for Jacksonville along with their other Atlantic Sun Conference members, Belmont (who should have beaten Tennessee on Thursday), Campbell and East Tennesse State to make some noise during the college basketball season. The A-Sun might get more than one bid to the Dance this year. NEXT

 

 

The Furman Paladins scored an impressive victory for the Southern Conference defeating in-state foe South Carolina by 16 on Wednesday night http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/recap?gid=201012220220 . The Gamecock fans are getting used to success with their athletic programs after the baseball World Series win and the football SEC East title, but it looks like Darrin Horn's hoops crew has a long way to go before matching those lofty championship levels. Gator fans (and SEC fans) are loving not having to face Devan Downey this year. That guy wouldn't miss during crunch time. NEXT

 

 

On New Year's Eve Day the Gators will play at Xavier. Look out for 6 foot guard Tu Holloway. In Xavier's 10-point loss at Gonzaga on Wednesday night, he scored nearly half of the Musketeers' 54 points with his 26-point effort along with 5 steals. http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/boxscore?gid=201012220233 He did have 7 turnovers, however. For the year he averages 21.8 points playing 39.7 minutes. Oh how I wish the Gators had a shutdown defender...Corey Brewer do you have any younger brothers?  NEXT

 

 

Do you think Trent Johnson regrets leaving Stanford? His LSU team lost at home by 20 to the Mean Green of North Texas State on Wednesday night. http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/recap?gid=201012220319  I hope he doesn't have a 30-year mortgage on his home because those notoriously impatient Cajuns won't put up with much "meaux" of those embarrassing defeats. Don't forget his Tigers also lost to Nichols State in Novermber by 9. NEXT

 

 

Washington State is having a great year (10 - 2) so far even though they lost to Butler by 16 on Christmas night in the championship game of the Diamond Head Classic http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/recap?gid=201012250632 .  In that game, 6 ' 6 guard Klay Thompson led Washington State with 31 points. For the year he averages 22.8 points. Why do I bring him up? He is the son of Miami, Florida high school legend, Mychal Thompson, who went on to the University of Minnesota and then was the overall first pick of the 1978 NBA draft by the Portland Trailblazers, finishing up with the Los Angeles Lakers 12 years later.  THAT'S IT

 

 

After their lethargic win over Radford on Wednesday, the Gators play on Tuesday at 6:00 pm Central Time against the Fairfield Stags on ESPNU. They should have no problem with Fairfield who only starts one player over 6 ' 5 (Ryan Olander, 6 ' 11).

 

 

Enjoy,

 

 

 

Barry