Toledo Tough: Week in Review & Preview

Weds, Feb. 26th @ Nothern Ill 66-74

Losses are never fun, but sometimes occur towards the end of a great season. What is best about this loss is that the player's were able to turn it around later in the week!

• Toledo leads the all-time series vs. Northern Illinois by a 41-24 margin. The Rockets are 5-7 at NIU’s Convocation Center with five losses in their last six visits to DeKalb
• Toledo was held under a 45.0 FG% for just the ninth time this season and is 6-3 in those contests.
•  UT lost for the first time in 17 games when leading at halftime.
• Toledo’s 12 steals marked a season high against an NCAA Division I opponent.
•  Pearson grabbed a season-high six offensive boards to give him a team-best nine in the contest. He has also led the Rockets in scoring nine times this season to rank second on the team.
• Junior guard Julius Brown tallied four assists to move into third place on UT’s all-time helper list with 520.

Notes courtesy of the University of Toledo Athletic Department

Sat, Mar 1 vs Western MI 96-85 (OT)

If you were not at Savage arena or if you were one of the many fans that left early, welp, you missed the BEST GAME of the season, hands down! Oh, and if you wanted to observe any of the behaviors that I discussed in my post about taking over the reigns for Coach Kemp, well they were all on display plus much more! Wow! And the video highlight:

• Toledo now leads its all-time series vs. Western Michigan by a 79-58, including a 52-14 mark vs. the Broncos in Toledo.
• Toledo’s 96 points were its most in Savage Arena vs. an NCAA Division I team since a 103-66 win over Wright State on Dec. 22, 2003.
• Junior guard Justin Drummond scored a career-high 28 points and grabbed eight rebounds. He also notched career bests in free throws made (12) and free throws attempted (15) and a season-high eight field goals.
• Junior guard Julius Brown registered his eighth career double-double and his fourth of the season with 18 points and 10 assists. He also sank 9-of-10 free throws to raise his team-best percentage to 87.8 percent.
• Freshman guard Jonathan Williams scored nine points and was perfect on his five free throw attempts. He is now shooting 83.6 percent from the charity stripe.
• Sophomore center Nathan Boothe scored 13 points and tied for the team lead with eight rebounds. He also hit his second three-point field goal of the season and fourth of his career.

Notes courtesy of the University of Toledo Athletic Department

This Week

Tues, Mar 4 @ Central MI

Sat, Mar 8 vs. Eastern MI

Question of the Day: Are you excited about March Madness?

Mayhem in Minneapolis

A huge storm hit the Midwest late Saturday night/early Sunday morning and seemed to bring a haze over the Minneapolis area... This is my excuse for the set-back experienced by the Bison men on Tuesday night.

First Half Recap:
Short and simple, the guys played them even up until the last 3 minutes of the half. And then.... the Gophers went on an electric run in which they scored 8 unanswered points! Yikes, the Gophers ended the first half to lead by 11 points.

Second Half Recap:
The Bison started out the half cutting the lead to 8 and battled all the way to the end. But, they were out rebounded which proved to be too much to overcome. However in this half the Bison played the Gophers to a 2-point deficit. Their were plenty of positives to take away from this game as the Gophers are a Top 15 team in the nation, but I know the boys were not satisfied!

Check out this ESPN article about the game.

Next up the Bison travel to Maryland to play Towson!

Congrats to the Bison Football team for winning last night. They will head to the NCAA FCS National Championship once again in Texas. Yeehaa!

I have been slacking in my bi-weekly nail updates. I had to run out of the salon to meet a group of ladies for Ladies Night so I forgot to write down the Shellac blue color. It is one of the new shades, if that helps! On my left hand we glitterfied my ring finger instead of my index finger. BBB loves some glitz and glamour!

Michelyn

UND vs NDSU: MBB Gold Uniform Unveiling

Greetings Bison and BBB Fans. I am a very happy basketball wife as are the football wives!

Congratulations to the football team for beating Wofford College in a defense-packed game. The Bison team fought well and beat the Wofford Terries 14-7. Go Bison! Make sure you cheer on the football team as they host Georgia Southern in the NCAA FCS Semifinal on Friday. I wonder how many people will call out sick on Friday?!?!

Sunday was a busy day at the FargoDome as the MBB hosted the UND game and the football team held individual meetings and walk throughs. Well, all the commotion did not interfere with guys focus! The team also unveiled their new Nike yellow jerseys!

What do you think of their new jerseys?!

In the spirit of Golding out, Jason wore a yellow tie. Below, is a picture of us after the game!

I got the idea to tie my scarf in the "muffler" style from scarves.net. I must admit that it looked way cuter when I left the house. Please understand that this is after cheering on the team. Here is the video I watched!

Oh, and the team won :) 72-52!

Tomorrow the MBB play the Minnesota Gophers!!!!!

Michelyn

Basketball's Hidden Gems

The USA Today-ESPN Top 25 men's college basketball poll was released earlier today. The poll is decided by one member of each of the 33 NCAA Division I basketball conferences. Here are the results:

1. Indiana (21)
2. Louisville (5)
3. Kentucky (5)
4. Ohio State
5. Michigan
6. N.C. State
7. Kansas
8. Duke
9. Syracuse
10. Florida
11. Arizona
12. North Carolina
13. UCLA
14. Michigan State
15. Creighton
16. Memphis
17. Missouri
18. Baylor
19. UNLV
20. San Diego State
21. Wisconsin
22. Gonzaga
23. Notre Dame
24. Florida State
24. Texas

SOURCE

For many of the schools/programs it is no surprise that they will/did make the Top 25 list. What really excites me are those Cinderella programs and "hidden gems" that rise through the rankings from unexpected defeats or those programs that merely did not receive enough respect at the beginning of the college basketball season. 

Now that I have been married to a college basketball coach for 2 months, I can consider myself an expert at analyzing and choosing these "hidden gems."  I have chosen five that I am certain will rise through the rubbles and surprise some during March Madness. In no particular order....

Murray State: For starters, Murray State will be returning one of the best guards in the nation, Isaiah Canaan. Additionally, they have rightfully partaken in the March Madness festivities the last three years as the Ohio Valley Conference champion. From my understanding, there is a new team in the OVC that may stir up the pot but my prediction stays firm with Murray State!

Tennessee: I do have a slight affinity for SEC teams and am delighted to see my alma mater, UF, in the #10 place. I do believe that TN will move up the ranking as the season progresses. This is Cuonzo Martin's second year as head coach which has allowed him to settle into his position and I believe they are once again 'on the rise.' Fans should be on the look-out for Jeronne Maymon whose birthplace is Madison, WI. (As an aside, great people were born in Madison!). 

Stanford: Coached by Johnny Dawkins. Its hard to pin-point a single, individual player that shines on this team HOWEVER they return a group of student-athletes that have played together for 3-4 years which typically equals success! They have a tough road ahead as Arizona, Washington, UCLA, and Oregon will be major factors on the West Coast. Another tid-bit is that the 2011-12 basketball team won the NIT Championship.




Colorado State: So, many people are thinking that I have no idea what I am talking about since Tim Miles is no longer the Rams head coach. Well, you must also consider that the team of players from last year, whom qualified for the NCAA tournament all return. I wish new head coach, Larry Eustachy all the best with his Rams team. Also, good luck to Coach Miles at Nebraska!

Miami (FL): In addition to being partial to SEC teams, I am also partial to teams in the state of Florida. Ok, now that we got that out of the way I can share my technical justifications for including Miami. All kidding aside, Miami returns many of their key players from last year and their head coach, Jim Larrannaga made the Final Four while coaching at George Mason. 

What are your predictions for the 2012-13 men's basketball season?

The Countdown Until....

Those that truly know me, know that I have a personal affinity for countdowns. I love looking down to life events. On many occasions I have caught myself saying: "In xx days we will be..." Well, this afternoon after going grocery shopping and while eating lunch Coach Kemp announced: "41 days until the season begins!" I believe my tendencies are beginning to rub off on him. Would't you say?!?

Well, the next 41 days will be fun-filled so I am looking forward to them all. But, the previous weeks were wonderful as well- we got married, honeymooned in the Grand Caymans, and I began my new job!  The last three weeks have been a whirlwind! So if the next 41 days and the basketball season are anything similar, whoa I won't be able to hold onto my seat.

Yesterday I tailgated Bison style before their game opener! Coach Kemp and the men's basketball team had 8+ recruits and their families in tow so I met up with one of my new co-workers, Jamie. Well, I can certainly attest that I already love Jamie and believe she will be my new "partner in crime!"  The game itself was amazing!!!! The Bison football team won 52-0 which was a nice show/production for the high school recruits. Also during the opening of the game, they rose the official 2011 FCS National Championship banner. The football opening act is really grand, I can honestly state that is it on the professional level. Here is a youtube video to prove.

I will be honest that tailgating is nowhere near the level of a SEC team (Go Gators!) or even Big Ten (On Wisconsin!), but I still had a blast!

Michelyn

Coaches Corner

Welcome to 'Coaches Corner' where one can learn some insider perspectives about those 'living' the sport of basketball.

I felt it was fitting to start off this inaugural series with an interview with my beloved fiancee, a Division I college assistant basketball coach. Let's see what he has to say about his profession:

What is the formal description for a Division I assistant basketball coach?

The role of an assistant coach is very diverse and includes a number of responsibilities.  The first and most time-consuming task is the recruitment of quality student-athletes.  Another aspect of the job would be coaching and player development on the court.  The most important responsibility as an assistant, in my opinion, would be the development of a trustworthy relationship with the student-athletes.  One of the cornerstones to the success of any program is the ability to create a healthy environment for the players you have recruited to your school.  The assistant coach plays a large role in making that happen.

Ok, so what do you actually do?

Simply put?  We recruit, coach in practice, then we recruit, do scouting reports, recruit, attend booster functions, recruit…oh and then we recruit some more!

What is the best part of being a college basketball coach?

I would say working with young people is the most rewarding aspect of coaching.  Also, as a competitor, the rush you get from coaching games is amazing.

What is the most difficult aspect of being a college basketball coach?

There are a lot of difficult aspects of being a college coach when it comes to recruiting and the pressure of winning games, however, I couldn’t think of a better profession.  I can go to my job every day feeling as if I am not working.  It’s the best!

What is your most memorable basketball experience to date?

My most memorable experience was winning the Summit League Regular Season Championship in 2009 at Oral Roberts.  Going into the game, we were in a situation where if we win, we would attain the outright title.  A loss would end in a tie for the conference championship.  We got down by 11 points in the first half and came back right at the end of the game to win 77-74.  A week and a half later we qualified for the NCAA Tournament, again in dramatic fashion. 

Thank you Coach Kemp for providing us with an inside perspective into your field. It always amazes me with the number of individuals surprised that he does not also teach courses or hold some other job on the university campus. I think so much of what the assistant coaches (and even head coach) do occurs behind closed doors. Little discussions surround the many hours spent analyzing film and developing players. Even less is discussed on the more important role the coaches have on developing the student (hence student-athlete). 

Sweet 16!

Disclaimer: I am probably the MOST unqualified individual to write a post about sports, in general, and particularly basketball; but, I decided that this is my blog and dating a basketball coach does give me some credibility. So, continue reading if you would like some mid-day amusement over my predictions for this weekends' games. Plus, my analysis of teams is way more entertaining and succinct than those you can find on ESPN!

Thursday Night Games

UConn vs. San Diego State: This is the only game that I will not be watching as I have no preference or interest in who wins, but I predict that Connecticut will take this game. Why? The Connecticut mascot seems a little more fierce and I have never heard of San Diego State until last week!
Winner: UConn


BYU vs. UF: Uhm, is this even a question? My FLORIDA boys got this in the bag! Do not let the sports broadcasters fool you with their discussions of Kenny Boynton's sprained ankle. His absence at a practice or two will not jeopardize his performance; rather, it is allowing him more time to "rest!" Shoot, I have an unidentified ankle "issue" and I ran 8 miles post accident. He will bring his A game. (Yes, I am going to the doctor tomorrow).
Winner: UF

Arizona vs. Duke: #1 seed Duke takes on #5 seed Arizona. Although Arizona had a miraculous and well deserved win verse Texas, we are talking about Duke.
Winner: Duke


Butler vs. WI: This is a tough call... and I am anxiously waiting for 9pm (CT) to watch these two teams duke it out. It is apparent to me that WI has not gotten the respect they deserve in this year's tournament. I am sure you all have heard (or read) about the remarks and questioning per "Wisconsin Basketball." Although to some, WI plays "safe" basketball it appears to work for them. They work as a team, play defense and score! Aren't those essentials for winning? So, I am certain everyone thinks I am going for WI on this one, but I am on the fence. Butler has 11 players returning from last year's team and they have much to prove to the world. This will be decided at the buzzer but because I am acting like a sports broadcaster, I must give a final decision....
Winner: Butler


Friday Night Games


Marquette vs. UNC: This is the Friday night game that I do not have much preference or analysis for... I am hoping Marquette wins!
Winner: Marquette

OSU vs. Kentucky: This is going to be a great game! Thank goodness it will proceed VCU vs FSU. Because I have a fondness for SEC basketball, I am inclined to believe that Kentucky will take this due to their speed and agility. This too will be a close game!
Winner: Kentucky

VCU vs. FSU: Have you watched VCU? If I did not know any better I wold have thought I was watching an ACC or SEC team. Although FSU did beat Notre Dame, killing many hopes of winning their office's bracket competition, FSU is... FSU (Go Gators!). But on a serious note, VCU has the tenacity, coaching staff, and talent to beat "that other school!"
Winner: VCU

Kansas vs. Richmond: Rock, Chalk Jayhawks! Simply put, Kansas has more experience thus they will win!
Winner: Kansas


Who do you think will win on Thursday and Friday?

<3
Michelyn