For the first half of yesterday's game against BU, it looked like GW had gotten into a time warp to the low points of previous seasons -- the team played listlessly, passing it around and not really doing much until the shot clock came close to expiring. The team wasn't shooting particularly well (around 30% from the floor and less than 50% from the line in the half) and BU was hitting shots and forcing turnovers. Then, to end the half, BU hit a three giving them an 8 point lead. It didn't look good.
But then as so often happens with this team, they came out a little warmer in the second half, gradually heating up -- more of a radiator than a Gilbert Arenas-style Hibachi, in that it starts cold but then gets too hot to be in the same room. GW reduced the turnovers and got steals, and first Joe McDonald, then Macho Man Kethan Savage and Mo Creek willed the team back into the game. Savage finished with 22 points 8 boards and 2 steals, while Joe finished with 20. Joe and Mo made a lot of big shots in a game where the post offense was struggling. The good guys eventually won by 10 and the Smith Center fans went away happy.
Some notes:
As mentioned, the post offense didn't click. Isaiah Armwood got in foul trouble early (on questionable calls) but didn't shoot very well, though Kevin Larsen scored 11 with some nice shots off the glass.
We saw a rare handoff penalty -- you can't hand off the ball to a teammate, you must pass it, but usually the players just kind of pretend to do a little one inch pass. In this case the refs (more on them shortly) called it.
The refs were bad. They didn't call a bodycheck during a scramble, but did call a bizarre one. Creek had a fast break but lost the ball. He dove for the ball, as did a BU player, and somehow Creek was called for a foul while the BU player tripped over the ball. It was crazy and came after two other questionable calls, and the crowd let the refs have it. There was an official timeout, and the crowd started booing again after it ended.
The student turnout was decent, but the other side was again pretty bad. It gradually got a little more full as the game went on, but come on folks, this team is 9-1. And the game starts at 7.
And unfortunately, my bid to make my hot dog the #raisehigh fan of the game did not come to fruition.
But then as so often happens with this team, they came out a little warmer in the second half, gradually heating up -- more of a radiator than a Gilbert Arenas-style Hibachi, in that it starts cold but then gets too hot to be in the same room. GW reduced the turnovers and got steals, and first Joe McDonald, then Macho Man Kethan Savage and Mo Creek willed the team back into the game. Savage finished with 22 points 8 boards and 2 steals, while Joe finished with 20. Joe and Mo made a lot of big shots in a game where the post offense was struggling. The good guys eventually won by 10 and the Smith Center fans went away happy.
Some notes:
As mentioned, the post offense didn't click. Isaiah Armwood got in foul trouble early (on questionable calls) but didn't shoot very well, though Kevin Larsen scored 11 with some nice shots off the glass.
We saw a rare handoff penalty -- you can't hand off the ball to a teammate, you must pass it, but usually the players just kind of pretend to do a little one inch pass. In this case the refs (more on them shortly) called it.
The refs were bad. They didn't call a bodycheck during a scramble, but did call a bizarre one. Creek had a fast break but lost the ball. He dove for the ball, as did a BU player, and somehow Creek was called for a foul while the BU player tripped over the ball. It was crazy and came after two other questionable calls, and the crowd let the refs have it. There was an official timeout, and the crowd started booing again after it ended.
The student turnout was decent, but the other side was again pretty bad. It gradually got a little more full as the game went on, but come on folks, this team is 9-1. And the game starts at 7.
And unfortunately, my bid to make my hot dog the #raisehigh fan of the game did not come to fruition.
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