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Post by jimflamesfan on Jan 17, 2005 21:23:31 GMT -5
 Another road win at Charleston Southern. Let's keep rollin'
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Post by SCAR on Jan 17, 2005 23:00:08 GMT -5
Big win. Dees stepped up with 26 but it was defense and rebounding that got it done tonight. 42-21 rebounding margin. I was at the Vines watching the women win by 40! They have a 48 game win streak in Big South play. Woodson did a good job scoring and running the team. They took care of the ball in the second half. I can't wait for the Asheville game this Saturday night in the Vines.
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Post by eddantes on Jan 17, 2005 23:02:26 GMT -5
So Scar, do you think this is because we're gelling now that we have a guy able to run the point (Woodson) or are we just simply playing lousy competition?
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Post by Sly Fox on Jan 17, 2005 23:26:51 GMT -5
The Big South has tremendous ability to build confidence in just about every Liberty team. Coincidence? I think not.
There were times earlier this year when winning three games all season looked tough ... 3-in-a-row actually has me rather jazzed. Too bad we don't have anymore games scheduled in the state of SC. The OT loss at Winthrop seemed to help turn the corner for us.
Let's build on this momentum this weekend.
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Post by WinthropEagleFan on Jan 18, 2005 8:08:34 GMT -5
I live about 10 minutes from the CSU campus, so I made my way to the game last night and the Flames looked pretty good...If LU cut out the stupid turnovers they had (they passed the ball to an empty spot on the court or straight out-of-bounds like 6 times), it would've been a blowout. Rebounding was the complete story of the game...LU was all of the boards and the Bucs looked flat. Woodson shot the ball well and Dees did a good job at the line, though CSU did do a good job of handling Blair for the most part (though he did have nine boards)...LU's defense also did a good job of denying the ball to CSU's leading scorer Kurtis Rice...
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Post by SCAR on Jan 18, 2005 8:10:30 GMT -5
Eddantes to answer your question I think Woodson is a huge difference maker. Evan Risher is a good player but is just a freshman that was asked to lead a team early on and was sound but not really ready for prime time just yet. He will be fine but Woodson is a big time player. Liberty is fortunate that he came here. He committed to Notre Dame verbally before Matt Doherty got fired so he went to Youngstown. He was recruited by 4 big east schools out of Juco but he was a question mark academically and he basically showed up unanounced at Liberty's doorstep last year. He could end up being the most significant walkon in LU history since, well, yours truly.
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Post by SCAR on Jan 18, 2005 8:22:00 GMT -5
Sly Fox,
the Big South is the "Great Elixer" in terms of when you are sick, playing these teams will get you better awefully quick. That being said, it is not easy to beat teams in your conference no matter what conference you play in. I think playing the tough pre-conference schedule helps, I think getting Woodson and Turner back helps and I think just playing this far into the season helps. I know I always played better in Jan and Feb than I did in Nov and Dec. You just get into a groove and right now Liberty is in great shape because they have a ton of home games coming up in conference.
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Post by gest2b on Jan 18, 2005 10:54:38 GMT -5
Agreed Scar, and its starting to look like that game at HPU was the perfect game to have 1st on the schedule. No matter who we played in the 1st conference game, it would have been tough to win, and now we have the 2 toughest games behind us (@hpu, @wu...well maybe in dedmon also).
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Post by LUconn on Jan 18, 2005 11:31:02 GMT -5
Yeah, I'd say @ RU is the toughest. When was the last time we won there? Not since I've been following this team. There's just something about that balloon roof that is like kryptonite to every LU team that ventures in there. I was not a big Woodson fan last year. I don't like his attitude, he was a TO machine, and his shooting was suspect. I wasn't too disappointed when I first found out he was ineligable. But I have completely flipflopped on my opinion of him. I guess he's just not playing the most glorious position. But the fact is he knows where everybody is at all times without looking, and he makes this team run on offense. The first half of this season, the team basically passed around the perimeter until there was 10 left on the shot clock and somebody drove inside or shot a 3. With Woodson aboard we run plays it looks like. His shooting is much improved this year, and he cut down on his turnover, although he does do his passes to nobody as WEF mentioned above. His attitude still sucks most of the time but I think he's the single most important player on this team. Well, maybe he's tied with Blair.
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Post by SCAR on Jan 20, 2005 11:38:09 GMT -5
LUConn,
I agree with you about Radford being the toughest place for Liberty to play. The last time we won there I was a coach on the bench in 97 and Larry Jackson absolutely went off with 3 pointers. Boy he was a great player. We had a pair of Texas guards, Jackson and Marcus White. They were great together too. We also had Peter Aluma so that helped. We went 23-9 that year too but lost to Charleston So in the finals. Also LUConn, you do realize that Gabe Martin missed that dunk in the picture you show right? It was one of the best missed dunks I have ever seen but a miss none the less....As far as Woodson is concerned, I agree with you that he needed an attitude adjustment but I think he has cleaned a lot of that up this season. The faces he makes and the gestures he uses sometimes are mis-interpreted as bad attitude but really he is just competing hard and sometimes his competitive nature manifests itself in the wrong way. He is a great kid though and a real leader that just might do what no other guard in the history of the school has done and that is get back to back Championships at Liberty!
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Post by LUconn on Jan 20, 2005 13:07:29 GMT -5
alright alright. You're the second person to say something about that picture. I thought maybe the ball was gonna sneak in behind is hand. But due to popular demand, the picture has been changed.
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Post by SCAR on Jan 20, 2005 14:01:36 GMT -5
I hate to tell you but Larry dunked that after the wistle. Just Kidding.
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Post by V88 on Jan 20, 2005 15:29:44 GMT -5
Has anyone seen Birmingham Southern? This is the team that is supposed to win the conference???I saw them play LU and they were not impressive. Now 1-4 and they will have to fight the rest of the season just to get back to 500. I think Liberty's schedule the rest of the way out gives them a great chance at the top spot. 7 remaining home games, and 4 on the road. LU is tough to beat in the furnace.
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Post by LUconn on Jan 20, 2005 16:04:50 GMT -5
That's true about our remaining schedule. I just wish we could have played @ RU already before they get back on track. Whit Holcomb-Faye and Olympia Popoola had been playing terrible but they did well against VMI. Hopefully their strife will continue after this past game for them and maybe we could sneak out a win in the circus tent (dedmon center). Also, BSC will get their act together. They'll be real tough to beat at home by the time we get back around to them. Other than that, we're in really good shape. We just can't afford a loss at home.
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Post by SCAR on Jan 20, 2005 19:29:08 GMT -5
Seeing Birmingham So in person did not impress me either V88 (I know who you are  ). If you watched our telecast it seemed like Liberty could score on their zone fairly easily. They lost at home by 20 to Asheville and this is a team that has won 91% of their home games in the past 17 years. They just don't lose there. Obviously they are beatable this year. Charlston So is the big surprise of the year. They played and won their 1st 3 Conference games on the road. That is unfair scheduling for them but they made the most of it. They played Liberty tough in the Vines twice last year. You should remember that they were up by 9 on us in the Quarterfinal game before Dees knocked down 3 straight 3 pointers. They figured out how to win those close games that they were losing last year. Radford always plays us tough and for some reason VMI is tough on us in their place. We are in great shape right now in terms of playing at home. Only 1 loss in conference at home since Dunton has been back. 2 if you count the Semifinals against Radford in 2003. |
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Post by Realist on Jan 27, 2005 10:54:17 GMT -5
Temper the enthusiasm boys, Winthrop isn't injured this year, and they're going to win it even with an all freshmen and sophomore squad.
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Post by LUconn on Jan 27, 2005 11:13:54 GMT -5
You're right, that's a real possibility. Then again, Torrell could sleep through the championship game. Keep him away from that medicine!  |
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Post by LUconn on Jan 27, 2005 11:24:06 GMT -5
I was staring at WU's schedule and they aren't out of the woods by a long shot. They've only played 3 road games so far. They still have to play @hpu, @ru and @lu. The loss @ CCU is what hurts for you guys. @unca is a good win though. It's still wide open for LU or HPU to grab the top seed.
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Post by Sly Fox on Jan 27, 2005 11:40:17 GMT -5
At the time, I didn't see it but that nailbiting OT loss at Winthrop has turned out to be very consequential. There is still a ton of time left in the league. This Saturday could be a golden opportunity for us to make our bid for the title.
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Post by SCAR on Jan 27, 2005 12:27:40 GMT -5
Sly Fox,
that Winthrop game was big but it is not necessarily a deal breaker in terms of getting the #1 seed. We get to play Winthrop at Liberty and a win will put them in a Tie if LU and WU win the rest of their games. The tie breaker I think is record against other conference opponents which can get complicated but lets just say that it is better to lose to High Point (LU) than 6th or 7th seed Coastal (WU). Plus I think High Point might get them on Saturday.
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Post by Realist on Jan 27, 2005 13:15:35 GMT -5
HP will be a tough game on saturday. But there is no way LU is going to win out. LU has no post game to speak of, and WU will most likely win fairly easy @lu with Shuler not sitting out like he did in the first game.
And don't say Leo Lightbourne, he may cut it against teams like CCU, but he's still a below average post player.
The conference winner will most likely have 4 losses, maybe 3.
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Post by LUconn on Jan 27, 2005 13:39:39 GMT -5
And don't say Leo Lightbourne, he may cut it against teams like CCU, but he's still a below average post player. I'm sorry, my memory is a bit foggy. Who did WU lose to again? They will NOT win fairly easily @lu. They may very well win as you seem to be the better team right now but we're not a fairly easy victory at home. In my opinion ODU is a much better team than WU and we held our own quite nicely with them. |
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Post by SCAR on Jan 27, 2005 14:13:06 GMT -5
LUConn you are right. ODU is 23 in the nation rpi so comparing them to Winthrop is not even close. We will beat Winthrop at home I don't know if Liberty will win out or not but I do think Lightbourne has given them a back to the basket presence in the Big South. Winthrop is good and it will probably come down to whomever gets home court advantage. This is what makes every game important in the Big South. I kind of like the Tournament at 1 site but I have to admit having it at the higher seed has made the regular season that much more meaningful. Realist, don't forget about High Point and Asheville and Chas So. They may all figure in this thing before it is all over. The Big South is not a 2 team race in my opinion.
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Post by Realist on Jan 27, 2005 14:28:31 GMT -5
I don't agree with the assesment of Lightbourne. Again, he may have decent games against bad post teams, but he will do nothing against WU or HP with good interior games. Dees and Blair are phenomenal players (well, most the time Dees is), but without that post presence LU will struggle to stay with WU and HPU in the standings. I think WU, HP, and LU are a good head and shoulders above the rest of the league---UNCA and CSU are better than the rest but not on par with the top three. Then, LU is slight step down frow WU and HP with no post presence.
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Post by SCAR on Jan 27, 2005 14:50:16 GMT -5
I think there are 2 tiers in the Big South. Lib, WU, HP but the middle teams like Radford, Asheville and Charlston So can beat anybody too. I think you are underestimating Lightbourne but it is ok. No need to debate it here because he will have to keep doing it all season for you to believe. Ask Coach Marshall if he will be preparing to stop Leo. I bet he has a healthy respect for him. It should be fun though. This weekend is important. WU/HP and Lib/Radford are crucial. Can't wait til Sat.
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Post by Sly Fox on Jan 27, 2005 16:34:58 GMT -5
I sincerely hope the rest of the conference is taking (forgive the pun) lightly. I can't believe that anyone is thinking they "will most likely win fairly easy @lu". The gap between the top teams in the league is ridiculously narrow. And winning on the road is generally a beast. But here's hoping we buck that trend on Saturday.
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Post by SCAR on Jan 27, 2005 16:47:20 GMT -5
Sly Fox,
considering Liberty has only lost 2 Big South games in the Vines since Dunton's return, it would seem like Realist would live up to his name and keep it real. I am not saying the Flames are unbeatable at home beacause Winthrop and Radford are the 2 teams that have won there, but to say it is automatic is not reasonable. The crowd will be there for that one and it is not going to be easy for the Withrop Eagles.
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Post by WinthropEagleFan on Jan 27, 2005 17:12:47 GMT -5
Sly Fox, that Winthrop game was big but it is not necessarily a deal breaker in terms of getting the #1 seed. We get to play Winthrop at Liberty and a win will put them in a Tie if LU and WU win the rest of their games. The tie breaker I think is record against other conference opponents which can get complicated but lets just say that it is better to lose to High Point (LU) than 6th or 7th seed Coastal (WU). Plus I think High Point might get them on Saturday. Actually, if LU beats WU and they both win out from there, WU would win the tiebreaker (assuming High Point stays ahead of Coastal in the standings)...After head-to-head, they start at the top of the standings and compare each team's record with that team...so let's say WU and LU are tied for first in our scenario and HPU is third...then WU would be 2-0 against them and LU would be 1-1, so WU would win the tiebreaker...In a sense the league (and i believe all other leagues work along the same lines) rewards a 'good' win more than it punishes for a 'bad' loss. Like last year, if BSC was eligible for the tourney, LU would've won the tiebreaker because you two split the regular season, and both lost to Radford and Coastal, but BSC lost to High Point (third place) while you guys lost to VMI (8th place)...so you guys would've won the tiebreaker if needed. Because you start at the top and move down. |
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Post by SCAR on Jan 27, 2005 17:17:59 GMT -5
WinthropEaglesfan,
you guys must get a good education at Winthrop. That was well said. That being said though, I don't think anyone is going to win the rest of their games. I agree with Realist that the winner will have 3 or even 4 losses. Home court is going to be crucial though. It will be tough for anyone to go to Winthrop or Liberty to win.
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Post by Sly Fox on Jan 27, 2005 17:22:58 GMT -5
WinthropEagleFan is one of the classy posters on not only this site, but also the Big South board. Every school has its knucklehead and intelligent posters including LU.
I actually find this homecourt advantage in the tourney a rather cool distinction for the Big South as opposed to most conferences who sell their tourney to the highest bidder.
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). If you watched our telecast it seemed like Liberty could score on their zone fairly easily. They lost at home by 20 to Asheville and this is a team that has won 91% of their home games in the past 17 years. They just don't lose there. Obviously they are beatable this year. Charlston So is the big surprise of the year. They played and won their 1st 3 Conference games on the road. That is unfair scheduling for them but they made the most of it. They played Liberty tough in the Vines twice last year. You should remember that they were up by 9 on us in the Quarterfinal game before Dees knocked down 3 straight 3 pointers. They figured out how to win those close games that they were losing last year. Radford always plays us tough and for some reason VMI is tough on us in their place. We are in great shape right now in terms of playing at home. Only 1 loss in conference at home since Dunton has been back. 2 if you count the Semifinals against Radford in 2003.