Blog Central

CCSU men vs. Monmouth wrap up

2012-01-27T06:51:00.000-05:00

Wow. Pick a negative word and it applies. Awful. Embarrasing. Terrible. They all work.
Too often this year CCSU has played down to its competition. Usually, the Blue Devils have gotten away with it. Tonight they did not.
A bad, bad, bad, bad loss that could have big repurcussions. Howie Dickenman, who took some shots at himself tonight I will write about for Saturday's paper, needs to find a way to get this team motivated for the not so big games.
I was talking to someone tonight, and I suggested that the two-seed is still possible because I think, having watched this team this year, that CCSU will actually play better when its schedule gets harder.
That said, it's hard not to point out that the Devils should be 7-2 at worst in the league, and probably 8-1.
Let's play a quick game of man-to-man. Note the only encouraging sign from tonight: I'm going to say nice things about the bench guys.

Ken Horton: Raised his game down the stretch, but struggled mightily early. Not sure why he hasn't taken the last shot in either of the last 2 losses. Not saying he'd have hit either one, but if I'm Central, I want the game in the hands of the best player in the league.

Terrell Allen: Got after the offensive glass, but didn't do much else.

Kyle Vinales: Was asked to play some point guard late in the game as CCSU searched for offense. Had a rough night, but his effort was there. He was one of the few who didn't seem half asleep at times.

Malcolm McMillan: Plays defense, made a couple of nice plays on offense. He's a glue guy.

Robby Ptacek: Seemed on the verge of putting it together a couple of times, never quite could.

Adonis Burbage: His numbers don't tell the story of how well he played. A key part of the run that I thought was going to win the game. He's not as good, but he kind of reminds me of Shane Battier.

De'Angelo Speech: I think he needs to play more to shake the rust off.

Joe Efese: I actually thought he did some nice things. He just needs to do more of them.

David Simmons: As long as he's in his comfort zone, the guy doesn't miss. It's almost to the point where they should run stuff for him. Not a lot, but some.

CCSU men vs. Sacred Heart wrap up

2012-01-22T05:26:00.000-05:00

The season is not lost, but this was a tough one to swallow for the Blue Devils. It was close all the way, but Central had seemed to take control until the last three minutes, when it picked a terrible time for a drought.
Ken Horton had an amazing game, but didn't take over down the stretch.
As for the last play, I always liked calling a timeout once you get to half court, then setting up a quick-hitter shot for the win. I totally understand the argument of avoiding letting the defense set up, but I'd rather be organized on offense.
Central won't win the NEC unless it either gets consistently strong play from its entire big 3 or enough help from other people to make up for a bad night for one of them. Tonight, it got neither, and still nearly won on the road.
Let's look at how it went down by playing man-to-man.

Ken Horton: 25 and 14 is an amazing night, but I'd still love to see him take the game over more often in the final moments. Still, without his efforts, CCSU loses this one by 20.

Terrell Allen: More fouls than rebounds is never good from a big.

Kyle Vinales: Has gone back to being more than just a shooter, dishing the ball well at times. He's a player, no doubt.

Malcolm McMillan: Not a stellar night, but the kid battles and plays the whole game on bad shins. The two blocks were a pleasant surprise.

Robby Ptacek: Tried to shoot his way out of it, but just couldn't get on track. Part of me wishes he'd stop shooting when he's that cold, but Central hasn't had enough other players show they can be offensive threats to make that possible. As for the last shot, he did what he could with it.

Adonis Burbage: Not much statistically, but provided some rest for the starters.

De'Angelo Speech: Still trying to get going again. But being healthy helps.

Joe Efese: Followed up a strong game Thursday with a bit of a stinker Saturday. So goes the enigma that is Joe Efese.

David Simmons: CCSU's centers combined for four points and eight rebounds. Simmons, however, was the best of the bunch tonight.

CCSU men vs. BRYANT RECAP

2012-01-20T04:15:00.000-05:00

First off, I'll go back and patch up the Wagner post soon for record keeping purposes and to serve as reminders before the rematch next month.
For now, however, let's take a brief look at tonight's win, a game that was over 10 minutes in. Here's a very quick version of man-to-man.

Ken Horton: His streak of 20 misses form three is over. Tonight's thought? My word, how many points would have be putting up if he hadn't gone cold from outside? A double-double and a crazy dunk. Well, more like a crazy catch. The ball was behind him, and he managed to corral it and get it down.

Terrell Allen: A big part of the emerging 3-headed monster in the middle.

Kyle Vinales: Yes, he shoots alot. But he also had seven assists with no turnovers.

Malcolm McMillan: 10 assists, no turnovers.

Robby Ptacek: A quiet night, but he wasn't needed. Bryant just couldn't do anything about it.

Adonis Burbage: Hit a pair of threes, had a pair of blocks, and ate up some minutes. A nice effort.

Shelton Mickell: At least he's healthy.

De'Angelo Speech: Ditto.

Mark Laporte: His miss probably was the only disappointment of the night for CCSU.

Joe Efese; Played really well. Seems to be taking to the bench role. His spurt late in the first half iced the game.

David Simmons: A big hoop and some energy.

Checking in

2012-01-15T01:40:00.002-05:00

Had an exceptionally long night so I'm not going to to a breakdown of the game until Sunday.
For now I'll just say this: Robby Ptacek was great. Kyle Vinales was due for a night like this and Ken Horton deserves a mulligan every once in a while, especially on this night.

CCSU MEN at THE MOUNT WRAP UP

2012-01-13T02:48:00.000-05:00

I haven't decided yet if I want to give Central a ton of credit for pulling out a tough game on the road or rip the Blue Devils for letting what should have been an easy night become a nail-biter.
My sense is that the truth is somewhere in between. Up double-digits in the second half, the game never should have gotten close again. That said, Central did what it had to do and got a big road win, making the Devils 5-0 heading into the Saturday Showdown with Wagner.

Let's look at this win, which has CCSU 5-0 in the league.

Ken Horton: 3 to tie 4 to break the record if my late-night math is right. As for the game itself, it was a typical Horton night. Shoot better than 50 percent, score 23-plus and grab nine boards. Four turnovers are a bit high and he hasn't made a three in about two weeks, but we're really nitpicking here. Saturday, by the way, would be a nice time to get hot from there.

Terrell Allen: Interesting choice to start. Did some nice things as usual, but I think I like him as an energy guy off the bench.

Kyle Vinales: His hot streak at the end of the first half changed the game and paved the way for the big lead in the second half.

Malcolm McMillan: Tough as nails, smart, but Central needs to get him some rest and soon.

Robby Ptacek: A man who never seems to need rest, he didn't shoot well. He got himself good shots though, which is more than half the battle. Those will fall.

Adonis Burbage: A cup of coffee.

Shelton Mickell: One of two men who need to step up and help ease McMillan's burden, he needs to give Howie Dickenman more reasons to play him.

De'Angelo Speech: Here's the other. With three steals in 11 minutes, it's clear he's close to being a contributor again. My sense is he comes off the bench the rest of the year (and starts next to Malcolm next year), but he will play a big part in the next 13 NEC games. Actually, CCSU hopes it's 16 more.

Joe Efese: If only he could stay out of foul trouble. He's showing huge flashes, he just needs to put it together for 2 consecutive halves, and do it without fouling.

David Simmons: He busts his tail, and Central seems to feed off his energy.

CCSU vs. RMU WRAP UP

2012-01-08T05:47:00.001-05:00

When Central plays defense to match its fantastic offensive potential, watch out.
The best defensive effort of the year gave CCSU a resounding victory over Robert Morris. A great effort by Malcolm McMillan on defense and Robby Ptacek on offense.
Let's play man-to-man.

Joe Efese: 4 rebounds in just 12 minutes of work, but he fits in nicely in the mix of big men Central has.

Ken Horton: 27 to go to the record. I can't remember ever seeing a more efficient scorer. I was talking to Bob Ryan (yeah, I know, I'm sorry, I had to name drop there) about Horton's game and I said, "what's he got, 15?" I looked at the monitor and he had 21 on 11 shots. He gets to the line but steps up when he needs to, and he manages to get it all done while grabbing boards and making sure he doesn't take shots away from Kyle Vinales or Robby Ptacek. He's really fun to watch. My only concern is that they HAVE to find him some rest. Whether it's De'Angelo Speech coming back or Adonis Burbage getting more minutes, Horton has to sit at some point.

Kyle Vinales: He gets out of bed, stands up and he's in scoring range. Underrated stat: Five assists and one turnover.

Malcolm McMillan: The real glue guy. A defensive whiz, a steadying force who had one turnover with five assists himself, he had a fantastic game. He will be a leader someday. The concern is that his shins are bothering him. Something to watch.

Robby Ptacek: He runs hot and cold, and right now he's hot.

Adonis Burbage: Central will need more from him going forward.

Shelton Mickell: Expect his minutes to go up as he continues to look more comfortable.

De'Angelo Speech: You're seeing flashes. Once he gets his legs (or feet more accurately) back under him, this team will look different. You saw some flashes Saturday.

David Simmons: He's all grown up. A more mature person and player. And he's starting to believe he can score.

Terrell Allen: A nice piece to have in the mix, even if he gave nothing but minutes Saturday.

ON TO THE NEXT ONE

2012-01-07T13:28:00.000-05:00

A huge opportunity for Central today vs. RMU. Preview is up. In this gym, I give CCSU a chance, but only if they're willing to fight like the Devils were over the last eight minutes Thursday night.

I will tell you this. They look enthused right now watching the women's game. Ken Horton has jumped up and cheered a couple of times, and the guys seem genuinely into the game.

CCSU vs. SFPA RECAP

2012-01-07T13:26:00.000-05:00

Between illness and work we'/re behind on this, so let's bang out a man-to-man for record keeping purposes as much as anything.
It was an ugly win, and CCSU will have to be much more consistent today, but a win is a win, and this team needed one. So let's play man-to-man.

Joe Efese: His lack of rebounds and Dave Simmons' fantastic play led to him only getting 10 minutes. But I still think he's improving.

Ken Horton: He put the Superman cape on down the stretch, making up for a subpar effort before that. He was strong on the glass, however. He's 48 from the record.

Kyle Vinales: 27 on the night, and 20 early when Central desperately needed someone to keep the Devils in the game. Sometimes you can have a big first half and have it matter.

Malcolm McMillan: 4 steals and only 2 turnovers. Tough as nails, too. Becoming a quiet leader on a team that needs one.

Robby Ptacek: Coach Dickenman's speech worked wonders. Great second half.

Adonis Burbage: Some filler minutes again.

Shelton Mickell: Looks like he's getting his feet under him after a rough start, then an injury.

De'Angelo Speech: This will be a different team, especially defensively, when he's healthy.

David Simmons: Just a great effort. If Central follows his lead in terms of energy and passion, it will be fine.

Terrell Allen: Same thing. Big minutes before the half that helped keep CCSU alive.

CCSU vs. UMASS wrap

2011-12-31T02:02:00.000-05:00

Wow, was I wrong. I went up to UMass because I actually thought CCSU was going to have another good game against a big-name opponent. The Blue Devils are getting healthy and coming off a solid effort against Michigan State and a near upset of Northwestern.
Then came tonight. An uninspired, flat, ugly beating that was more troubling because of the acceptance of that beating in the second half.
The Blue Devils cut into the UMass lead a number of times early, and were a couple of very long jumpers by the Minutemen froml being in the game at halftime.
Then the second half happened. Terrible.
So let's go man-to-man, something the Blue Devils didn't do well.

Joe Efese: Much like this team, he's maddening because he can be so good and then disappear.

Ken Horton: 16 and 12 vs. an A-10 team. He's legit. The problem is, because he missed the La Salle game, he will need two really big games next week to break the record at home.

Kyle Vinales: Couldn't shoot tonight but had two steals to just one turnover. I was surprised, this was his pace.

Malcolm McMillan: Freshmen go back and forth. No need to panic about him. That said, this was not a good night.

Robby Ptacek: Tom O'Brien gave me this great stat that is in my other bag, but it boils down to this: When Robby Ptacek shoots well and takes some pressure off of Horton, CCSU usually wins. When he doesn't, they don't. Tonight was the exception to the rule, but it was still nice to see Ptacek have a big night.

Adonis Burbage: He kept CCSU's 3-pointer streak, which dates back to 1996, alive.

Shelton Mickell: Some solid numbers that perhaps he can build off of as he works on getting back in the groove. The fact that he nicked his shoulder again is a concern, however.

Mark LaPorte: Didn't get a shot up. That could be the upset of the night.

David Simmons: I didn't make a big deal out of it in my story because it didn't matter in the grand scheme of things, but someone should be in a lot of trouble for Simmons dunking the ball and picking up a technical. for dunking in pregame warmups. Either he didn't know the rule and should have been coached that at some point in the last four-plus years, or he knew the rule and ignored it, or he knew and forgot.
Regardless of how it happened, there's no way CCSU, or any other team in America, should be down 1-0 before the game starts. That's embarrassing.
By the way, I know I come from a family of refs, but I knew that rule. I didn't see the offending dunk, but I knew something was up when I saw the refs conferring, then chatting with the coaches.

Side note: Big thanks to referee Jeff Anderson for coming over at my request and explaining the situation to me. If you look him up online you'll find a story from Rochester about him giving back to kids. Really nice guy.

Terrell Allen: Hardly got in, which I found surprising.

CCSU MEN CALLED FOR T BEFORE GAME STARTS

2011-12-30T18:52:00.000-05:00

David Simmons dunked during pregame warmups. That's a 2-shot technical. UMass will start the game by picking who shoots the 2 T's. No time comes off, and it is not a personal foul.
Game starts as normal with jump ball after that.
Not as weird as the UConn start the other night, but pretty darn crazy.

CCSU MEN BACK TO WORK

2011-12-30T17:41:00.000-05:00

Hope everyone had a great holiday.
I'm courtside tonight at UMass, so I'll have a more detailed breakdown after the game.
Some news while the players come out to warm up.
Shelton Mickell is expected to play, as is this kid named Ken Horton.
Still no De'Angelo Speech.

CCSU Men vs. La Salle Wrap up

2011-12-23T00:58:00.000-05:00

Well, that went poorly.
There are better players in the country than Ken Horton, but tonight we learned that there are few who are more valuable.
Before we go any further, Howie Dickenman said he'd be shocked if Horton missed the UMass game. So don't fret CCSU fans.

Still, even without Horton, tonight's game was putrid in the first half. Yes, Central came out with new vigor and showed pride in the second half, but if it had done that early, this might have been a game, even without Horton.
La Salle is very good, but Central looked, as I said in my story, lost. I think it was in part because of how close to the game the Horton injury became official. Still, defense was non-existent, rebounding was lax and the offense seemed disheveled.
Let's break it down by playing man-to-man, then move on to a happy holiday season.

Adonis Burbage: Other than a couple of turnovers, there wasn't much to dislike about his night, especially since he found out he was starting 40 minutes before the game. He's never going to be flashy, but I like the kid for some reason.

Joe Efese: He tried, but was just outsized inside. Still, if he can get 8 rebounds a night, all will be right with the world for Central.

Kyle Vinales: The defense was a little tighter on him without Horton around. Central will have to surround him with offense in the future to ensure he has the space to fire off those jumpers. I do like that he relies more and more on that little teardrop in the lane. Just showing he can drive will free up some outside shots for him because defenders will have to respect it.

Malcolm McMillan: For the second time this season, he showed toughness coming back in the game after taking a shot. Dickenman encouraged him to shoot more tonight, and he did. He didn't make them, but again, showing the willingness to forces the defense to play up a bit.

Robby Ptacek: I think Howie Dickenman was right, Ptacek was trying too hard. That said, there will be times this year where, especially as a senior, he is asked to take over. He didn't do it tonight.

David Simmons: His field goal percentage is skyrocketing. If he can figure out how to combine that with the games where he has big rebounding nights, suddenly he'd become a force. He's like a pitcher who has one pitch going on a given night.

Terrell Allen: Nothing wrong with his effort, just didn't do a ton.

Mark LaPorte: Missed an open jumper that would have given the fans something to cheer about on the way home.

CCSU's men's basketball at Northwestern recap

2011-12-19T05:39:00.000-05:00

Finally have a cpu and a few minutes to write.
If moral victories exist, this was one for the Blue Devils on Saturday. Central played at a Big Ten team, played two halves, and was one stop from a chance to win it.
Most importantly, the Blue Devils are healthy again, which bodes well as January and the "real" season approaches.
The one thing I'd say is CCSU has to close halves better. That's twice where a Big Ten team got momentum with a big play at the end of the half. But all in all, Central should feel good about itself after this one.
Let's see who is feeling the best by playing man-to-man.

Joe Efese: Very strong on the glass, but couldn't finish his shots. It was a theme for the day.

Ken Horton: 3-of-5 from 3-point range, 3-for-9 from two. He said it after the game, the Blue Devils left points on the table. That said, everything else was spectacular. 11 rebounds, five assists and five steals against the Big Ten's leading scorer. Active and aggressive, this is exactly how he needs to play if CCSU is around in March. Heck, even before that. If he even goes 6-for-9 from two we're talking about a 21, 11, 5 and 5 night.

Kyle Vinales: Yes he shoots a lot, but he doesn't take many bad shots at all, and he makes a high percentage of them. And he's going to get better. Horton, assuming continued good health, is going to break the scoring record next month, but you almost wonder if he'll have it four years from now.

Malcolm McMillan: I'm fine with a point guard who doesn't score, but he has to do other things if he doesn't. McMillan has done those things this year, but didn't Saturday.

Robby Ptacek: Couldn't get much going offensively. Stayed out there for 38 minutes, showed toughness, but couldn't get much on the board.

Adonis Burbage: It's funny, as soon as CCSU gets healthy, the Blue Devils shorten the bench. Hard to make an impact in three minutes, so we'll give him a pass.

De'Angelo Speech: The important thing is he's on two feet and getting closer to making a big impact again. CCSU could use the defensive help and the athleticism.

David Simmons: Came in, committed a foul, sat down, watched Efese play. A different game than the last time he played a Big Ten team.

Terrell Allen: Two blocks and some work on the boards in 13 minutes that likely would have gone to Simmons otherwise.

IT'S BEEN A WHILE

2011-12-17T04:40:00.000-05:00

No, I'm not going to sing. My apologies for my absence, been working on a TON of stuff at work.
But a preview for the Northwestern game is up.
I was thinking of going back and doing a wrap on the Brown game, but it seems silly now. So I'll just say this: I think we can agree that CCSU wins that game with a full team.
Speaking of which, I'm told everyone other than Shelton Mickell is a go for this afternoon. We'll see how much, if at all, De'Angelo Speech can go.

CCSU MEN vs. MICHIGAN STATE WRAP

2011-12-08T05:05:00.000-05:00

Paul Manwaring is a really nice guy. I truly enjoy chatting with him.
But there isn't a person associated with CCSU athletics that Blue Devils fans want to see any less than Central's trainer. Unfortunately for those fans, and even more unfortunately for the players he was working on, Manwaring was the star of the game for Central Wednesday night at Michigan State.
On the surface, it looks like a blowout victory for the Spartans. But Central actually played incredibly well for long stretches, and showed an exceptional amount of guile and toughness.
Even Tom Izzo said after the game that he was more impressed with CCSU than he was with his own team's play. No one is saying CCSU is better than MSU, but the Blue Devils made their mark on East Lansing.
The Blue Devils were up big early and managed to hang around when MSU took the lead, avoiding a blowout until the final few minutes. But in the end, the Blue Devils were done in by what is the big difference between a Big 10 school and an NEC school. Depth.
While Central's injuries mounted and Manwaring made more and more trips onto the floor, Tom Izzo spent the night rotating one impressive athlete for another. The Spartans literally caused injuries with their picks (which were clean by the way), reached over CCSU players to get tip ins like the Blue Devils weren't even there, and used speed and athleticism that Central could only match before getting fatigued.
5 on 5, Central could have run with the Spartans all night. But the Spartans seemed to have waves of players, and the Blue Devils found themselves in physical and foul trouble.
Give Central a healthy Joe Efese, Shelton Mickell and David Simmons for 40 minutes, and this one might have been interesting. But staying healthy against a team that big and strong is a task in and of itself.

Let's break down a gutty effort for Central that fell short when the Blue Devils ran out of steam by doing something CCSU didn't do as much of as normal, playing man to man.

David Simmons: With Joe Efese out with a concussion, Simmons had to handle the vast majority of the interior work. And until he cramped up, he was doing a splendid job of it. He had nine rebounds in the first half, and when he came back in in the second half, he kept trying to draw charges. Tough effort. He has definitely earned more minutes.

Ken Horton: We said this after the Niagara game. Ken Horton can't get in foul trouble. He just can't. He's in the top 20 in the country in scoring and is one of his team's best rebounders. He can't be on the bench.
That said, the rest of his night was a mixed bag. When he was hot early, CCSU took off. When he struggled, MSU went on its first run. He had a couple of nice drives and a couple dunks, but also rushed a couple of quick threes. Where he did stand out was on defense, getting in lanes and grabbing 5 steals. A good game, Central just could have used about 5 more minutes out of him. The good news is that his ankle appeared ok after he left with an injury early.

Kyle Vinales: Speaking of needing to stay out of foul trouble. He was probably too hyped up playing close to home and against a big name opponent. But he didn't commit a single turnover. That's a great sign of his growth.

Malcolm McMillan: Nothing exciting, but a solid performance on offense. Couldn't do as much defensively has he has done in earlier games, however. By the way, I wanted to mention to the commenter from yesterday that when I compared his ability to avoid turnovers to Tim Tebow, it was intended as a compliment. Tebow is very good at taking contact without fumbling. That's what I was saying about McMillan.

Robby Ptacek: I can't complain about too many of his shots. He rushed a couple, but had a bunch where he dribbled his way to a closer, more open, shot. He just couldn't make any. Great at the line at least.

Adonis Burbage: Got some shots up without fear, tipped some balls, generally active. But if he's going to take extra shots, he has to make some.

Shelton Mickell: He was starting to play well before he was introduced to Draymond Green's upper body. We'll have to see how bad his shoulder injury is. And before I even check my inbox, let me clear this up now. MSU plays very physically, but in a very clean way. Green's pick was totally legal, as were many of the hits the Spartans delivered. Sacred Heart took a lot more in the way of liberties.

Terrell Allen: He has a knack for offensive rebounding. A strong showing, though he must, must, must be better at the foul line.

MSU PREVIEW

2011-12-07T15:23:00.002-05:00

It's up, but if you can, check out the print version. Brad did a fantastic job laying it out. It looks really good and I'd like to think there's some good info in there.

CCSU vs. Sacred Heart wrapup

2011-12-04T17:14:00.000-05:00

Well it wasn't UNC-Kentucky, but it was pretty darn good. As entertaining a game as you will see at this level was full of debatable decisions, big runs, clutch shots and physical, emotional play. One of my favorite games to watch in person in a while. Some days I really love my job. Good rivalry game. Both teams showed some toughness and skill. Can't wait for the rematch.
So let's take a look at who played well in leading Central to one of the wildest victories it has had in some time.
Time to go man-to-man

Joe Efese: One of his best games as a Blue Devil. He's really been on an upswing of late, ever since that benching. He seems to have taken it to heart. He was making shots in the lane, grabbed some boards, played good defense and stayed out of foul trouble.

Ken Horton: Remember how I've been asking for the dominant Horton and not just the really good Horton? Well the best player in the league showed up Saturday afternoon. He became more than just a jump shooter again, even driving to the basket a few times. He was an aggressive rebounder. Probably a little too excited at times, leading to some turnovers, but an involved, aggressive effort. If he can have this kind of versatility on offense all year, he will be really tough to stop. Outside shots are nice, but a little bit of everything is even better.

Kyle Vinales: Couldn't make shots like he usually does, but served as a spark plug. My favorite part about his game is that, unlike shooters in the past for Central, Vinales finds ways to help when he can't find the basket. He got some boards, a few assists, and was a pest on defense. I'd like to see a few less shots when he's struggling, but it wasn't overkill by any means.

Malcolm McMillan: Not spectacular like Thursday, but solid. He managed five rebounds and played his usual fine defense. He, like Tim Tebow, is always useful because at the very least he avoids turnovers.

Robby Ptacek: Coach Howie Dickenman called him motivated after the Bryant game, and he showed it again Saturday. He seems intent on making the most of his senior season. Some unforced turnovers, including a travel, but for the most part there's nothing to complain about about his day. Huge shot at the end and an even better pass to help seal it. And when he's at the line, especially late, I usually just write down two free throws in my notes before he even finishes taking them.

Adonis Burbage: I really like this kid. His stats are never impressive, but good things just seem to happen when he's out there. He played really well late with McMillan out. Six boards and a steal in 19 minutes works every time.

Shelton Mickell: I just feel like he needs a breakout game to get his confidence up. He doesn't appear confident, which is a problem. But as soon as good things start happening, he'll get some confidence. He just needs to avoid stressing.

David Simmons: Five rebounds and he made his only shot. Will never be a scorer, but gave CCSU some toughness, which was needed in the kind of battle CCSU had last night.

CCSU men's basketball vs. Bryant wrap

2011-12-02T04:56:00.000-05:00

Usually I spend the first half looking for trends and strategy points to keep an eye on late. I'll write down a few plays, maybe a couple of good stats or a big run.
Tonight, I started writing my actual story with 15:57 left. In the first half.
There are times when a team gets out to an early lead and you know it just got hot, and that the game was far from over. And then there are times when a team gets out to an early lead because it is simply dominant compared to its opponent.
There was no way, at least on this night, that CCSU was losing that game. It was over four minutes in and really over when Central answered Bryant's first response with a big run of its own to break it open again. By the 5-minute mark, there was no hope for the Bulldogs.

And so, in a game that was over quickly, here's a quick version of man-to-man

Joe Efese: One half of the tag team that is the CCSU big man. He was energetic, tipping balls and being active on both ends. His stats didn't indicate it because he got a couple of quick hooks and a couple of fouls, but he was back to looking like he is capable of.

Ken Horton: I lose my right to whine that he takes too many outside shots when he goes 21 for 28 in two games. That's right, he is shooting 75 percent in the last five days. Scary stuff. Nine boards and three steals helped too.

Malcolm McMillan: 13 assists. The most by a Blue Devil since 2002. And he's a freshman. He is a non-factor in terms of scoring, but he can get everyone else involved.

Robby Ptacek: 20 points, 7-for-13 and 4-of-7 from three. Sometimes I don't need to say anything other than the stat line.

Kyle Vinales: Didn't make a lot of shots, but made big shots as CCSU was pulling away. Also has greatly cut down on the turnovers. I'm not ready to call him the next Tristan Blackwood yet, but he gets more impressive by the day.

David Simmons: Efese's tag team partner had nine points and nine boards, two steals and three fouls in 19 minutes. He certainly made the most of his time on the floor. Another energetic effort, something that can't be overstated on the road.

Adonis Burbage: Seems to be hitting his first bump in the road. He didn't do anything with the time he got, meaning he didn't get any more time.

Mark LaPorte: He got his shot up. Nice to see a kid who works hard earn a couple of minutes.

Terrell Allen: Somebody had to make free throws. I'd like to see him get to the line more. It's going to be interesting to see how the bigs have the minutes divided.

Shelton Mickell: Don't give up on this kid. He has talent. It will show. All he has to do is have the strength to wait it out.

WELCOME BACK

2011-11-30T16:01:00.000-05:00

Hope all of you had a wonderful holiday. Getting ready to go to the women's game tonight. It's pack the house night as the Blue Devils try and break their attendance record as part of an NCAA promotion to raise attendance for women's basketball.
Also will have a men's preview in the paper in the morning, then plenty of stuff after the game.
I can't believe it's conference season already. Next thing you know it will be January.

CCSU MEN'S BASKETBALL vs. HARTFORD WRAPUP

2011-11-27T03:46:00.000-05:00

Wow. On offense, CCSU had a 10-0 run, another 10-0 run, and a 17-0 run. All before halftime.
Amazing stuff. Robby Ptacek continues to be confident, looking like a much more aggressive player who suddenly can't miss.
Ken Horton has settled into his 20 and 9 type nights. Consistent and very good, but I haven't seen him take over much. The end of the UMBC game he did, but not often. Though you could easily argue he hasn't had to.
Also, I wouldn't get too worked up over this one if I'm a Blue Devils' fan. Central played very well, but Hartford is one of the poorer teams in the country, at least right now. The Hawks are young, but they have a long way to go.
Central has work left to do as well, but let's look at the work they did today by going man-to-man.

Ken Horton: You know, now that I look at his stat line again, I have to retract some of my earlier statement. While he's yet to really dominate, he was 8-of-9 today, stopped taking as many threes, had three steals and two blocks in one of his best defensive games, and didn't commit a turnover. I'm not sure what exactly it is I want him to do.

Terrell Allen: Started in place of Joe Efese and did ok. Two steals and a block, but only one board and three fouls. Not his best night by any stretch.

Kyle Vinales: He gets marked off a little for doing almost all of his damage after the game was well out of hand, but his shooting display in the second half was impressive. His four-point play came on a three that reminded me of Larry Bird in New Orleans against the Hawks when I was a kid. When he gets hot, he's unstoppable. By the way, four assists to only three TOs. Huge improvement. And I'll give him those points back for playing with emotion and being just as happy when someone else scores as when he does.

Malcolm McMillan: Six assists, five boards and better defense. Good to see him back on track. And after that shot he took Tuesday, good to see him up and about at all.

Adonis Burbage: Added a bit of scoring to his usual versatility. Turns out he can score. Who knew? Seriously, if he can make a few shots and take some heat off, he really becomes a good energy guy. He's flirting with a spot in the starting lineup according to coach Howie Dickenman, but I kind of like him in his current role. Still, CCSU NEEDS a fourth scorer eventually.

Shelton Mickell: A second straight game where he made a helpful contribution off the bench.

David Simmons: His numbers always seem to be lower than what he brings. Perhaps the energy he provides makes him seem more productive, but he just always seems to be doing something out there so far this year.

Joe Efese: Didn't have a good start to the day (see previous post) and didn't make matters any better by turning the ball over and committing two fouls in his two minutes.

Mark LaPorte: Always nice to see him get in the box. He got everyone fired up by drilling a 3-pointer in the final seconds.

QUICK NOTE

2011-11-26T18:47:00.000-05:00

Full recap going to be up later tonight, as my home cpu works!
For now wanted to pass along the answer to a question I know is coming: Joe Efese played two minutes in part because he missed a video session this morning.

CCSU MEN'S BASKETALL VS. UMBC RECAP

2011-11-23T23:58:00.000-05:00

The good news is I think I have an answer to what's killing my home computer. The bad news is it might be a few days before I get it fixed.

So in the meantime, I'll be blogging from work when my schedule allows. I'm hoping to do the UHart game from CCSU after the game so that we can get this up as quick as possible.

So for now, let's talk UMBC, an ugly win that goes in the books as a win, which is what matters.

Central has three kids who can score in bunches. But the other players are going to have to learn to get some of their own if the Blue Devils are going to have a big year. Three kids are better than one, but you don't like seeing the same kids have to be the answer night after night. Eventually defense will catch on.

The assist totals were way down, but the turnovers were as well, a great sign. Central didn't rebound well, but got big ones when it mattered mot. That's the kind of game this was, you had to sift through the bad stuff to find the good.

Let me do that for you as we go man-to-man.

Joe Efese: Not the dominant effort of last week, but three blocks are nothing to sneeze at. Still, if he doesn't rebound better he will lose playing time quickly. Way too many fouls, too.

Ken Horton: I'm starting to think he's going to average exactly 21 and 9. Far from his best effort, but he was huge down the stretch when it mattered most.

Kyle Vinales: He shoots a lot, but not too much, if that makes sense. He's a volume shooter without being a ball hog. The key here is how much he cut his turnovers down.

Malcolm McMillan: Played poorly, but showed some toughness by getting up after taking a shot to the head.

Robby Ptacek: Another hot and cold kind of night, but another clutch effort when CCSU needed him. Eight of nine at the line is another big number.

Adonis Burbage: Made a three, giving CCSU another shooting threat. Didn't have a lot of numbers, but continues to fill minutes.

Shelton Mickell: Didn't hurt the Blue Devils with turnovers. Had a steal. Not a big night, but a steady effort. The fewer mistakes the freshmen make, the more Central can win.

David Simmons: The player who stands to gain the most if Efese's minutes were to go down. Three rebounds in five minutes is a nice ratio.

Terrell Allen: Three huge rebounds late, two offensive rebounds off missed free throws. Those are the little things that win games.

CCSU MEN'S BASKETBALL LINEUP CHANGE

2011-11-22T18:39:00.002-05:00

De'Angelo Speech will either miss tonight's game with that shin problem we spoke about or he plans on playing in a sweatshirt and jeans.

CCSU vs. ARMY WRAPUP

2011-11-20T23:42:00.000-05:00

So my home computer wouldn't let me do this last night, so I had to wait until I was done with work tonight to get to this, since it takes me a little longer to do these than quick posts.
So we'll do this tonight and do football final thoughts on Monday.
The offense looks good, and for the first time so did the defense. There's still too much fouling going on, but there were enough positives to make me forgive that for a day. Love the way the ball is getting moved and the personality of this team not caring about who scores the points. Wrote a little about that tonight.
Have a few things to mention about specifics, but I'll do that in the individuals.
So without further adieu, let's go man-to-man.

Joe Efese: Got "mean" as coach Howie Dickenman put it, and became the beast inside we've known he can be for a while. 2 things: 1) Can he ever do it consistently? 2) Can he ever start making the little jump hook he has with any regularity? If yes on both, he's a 10 and 10 guy.

Ken Horton: Has yet to be the leading scorer, is still getting 20 a game. I love that he is so unselfish, but I don't want to see him become strictly a jump shooter, either. Mix in some other offense and he goes back to being the unstoppable Ken Horton. But I'm nitpicking about a kid averaging 10 a night. He didn't rebound as well Saturday, likely because Efese was doing so well at it.

Kyle Vinales: Two things come to mind immediately, one easy to spot and one you might have missed that I caught because it happeend right in front of me.
First, is that Vinales found a way to contribute when other guys were shooting well. We learned that not only can he be a distributor, but he doesn't mind doing so. That's big. He didn't sulk about only taking six shots. He had seven assists (though the TOs remain high). As for that subtle thing? He threw a pass to Robby Ptacek who made a jumper right in front of me. Vinales then pumped his fist and celebrated as though he had hit the shot. And this is a compliment. He was just as excited that Ptacek had made a big shot as he would have been had he hit it. Great to see.

Malcolm McMillan: Only took three shots, but picked his spots well and hit two. He had seven assists to one turnover. And he had five steals. A really strong performance, and more than enough numbers to make up for not scoring much.

Robby Ptacek: Remember when I complained he was being too quiet? 31 points shut me up for a day. I still wish he was a little less streaky, but he added five boards to his day and played well on defense. He couldn't have been much better.

Adonis Burbage: Didn't play a big role on this day, but I still like him. He's going to be a good utility guy at the very least.

Shelton Mickell: We haven't seen too much of him yet. He hasn't shown what I'm told he's capable of, but he's three games into his CCSU career. No reason to panic.

David Simmons: Efese took a lot of his minutes, but he gives CCSU the depth it very much needs up front.

Terrell Allen: The other player who took minutes from Simmons. Two blocks and a steal to go with five boards. He was a presence inside and an energetic one at that.

De'Angelo Speech: Shin splints kept him out of this one. Don't think it's a long term thing, but not sure he'll play Tuesday or Saturday. Better to rest him now than have it become a longer-term thing.

CCSU MEN'S BASKETBALL UP AT THE HALF

2011-11-19T15:01:00.000-05:00

Robby Ptacek might have gotten sick of being left out of the stories of late. He's up to 6-for-9 from the field.
Ken Horton is 5 of 7, including 3-for-5 from 3.
Kyle Vinales today has all of his usual turnovers (5) and none of the points (ok 3 points).
I'm not knocking him, he's been great, but turnovers without pointswill find him sitting next to the coaching staff soon.

CHECKING IN FROM THE CCSU MEN'S BASKETBALL GAME

2011-11-19T14:42:00.000-05:00

Sitting courtside at the men's game, will post some halftime thoughts. So later tonight we'll go man-to-man here and then do some football breakdown as well.

CCSU MEN'S BASKETBALL SPECIAL SECTION IS OUT

2011-11-18T16:14:00.002-05:00

Hope you'll pick it up. Big thanks as always to my boss, editor and friend Brad Carroll for his work making it look good.

CCSU MEN'S SPECIAL SECTION IN THE WORKS

2011-11-16T21:18:00.000-05:00

I just got done with many hours of writing. Brad Carroll is going to do his magic and make it look good. Hopefully you'll enjoy my picks and breakdowns. I'll let you know when it's coming out.

CCSU MEN'S BASKETBALL NIAGRA WRAP UP

2011-11-15T06:00:00.001-05:00

Well, the water was really pretty.
The freshmen learned about Niagra Falls and what it's like to play on the road.
Some of what we've seen from the frosh has been spectacular. Some of it was frustrating. Such is life for a team that wheels young players in an out of the game so often.
You'd like to see the older kids step up, and one did, but you also have to let the freshmen learn. This team is going to be much better in March than it is right now. But the trip there will be wild.
In bursts, Central was amazing Monday night. For other bursts, the Blue Devils were maddening. It's hard to even point to the 19-point lead because of how early it was and how quickly it was gone, but those are hard to come by and should be treated with better care.
Again, a brilliant and maddening effort all in 3 hours.

Let's see who was what when by going man-to-man.

Joe Efese: Seven boards and five fouls shows he was throwing himself around. The offense might be starting to come back a bit as well.

Ken Horton: Another 20 and 9 night. He also demonstrated he can take a backseat when another player is on fire, as Kyle Vinales was tonight. Few stars are willing to turn into Robin when someone else is wearing Batman's cape. Horton should be commended for that. However, with Vinales having fouled out and Central in a dogfight, Horton can't foul out with a minute left. I don't want to hear good call or bad call there. He has to be there when his team needs him. Everything else about his night, however, you'll take.

Kyle Vinales: His 39 were a freshman record at CCSU, the fourth-highest point total ever, and the most since Tristan Blackwood scored 40 on RMU in 2007. Vinales was 11-for-16 for 29 points.
At halftime.
At one point, if my notes here are correct, he led Niagra 23-16.
The kid makes free throws, and obviously is oblivious to the pressure of DI basketball.
The turnovers might cost coach Howie Dickenman his hair this year, and I've only seen a player commit three fouls in four minutes unintentionally maybe two other times in my life. But if he's going to keep scoring like this, you just hope the bad goes away with experience. I won't be as hard on him about the fouls because he's so young, but he should want to stay on the floor while he's shooting like that. Dickenman went back to him earlier than I thought he would with four fouls as well.

Malcolm Mcmillian: Played most of De'Angelo Speech's minutes, and with six boards, five assists and two steals, you'd think he might again Saturday. But 4 points and 5 turnovers make me doubt it. But again, good signs.

Robby Ptacek: The only starter not to foul out, I was expecting him to go off in overtime. But it wasn't to be. Still, 16 points and 7 boards and much more involved in the game tonight. Much better.

Adonis Burbage: Not many numbers to show for his 20 minutes (save for four fouls). But he does some good things out there. Perhaps he becomes an energy/glue guy type in the future.

Shelton Mickell: There's the freshman I heard so much about. It was only one spurt, but you started to see some of the promise from him tonight.

De'Angelo Speech: Got quite a wakeup call tonight. Defense can only earn you so many minutes. Ask Devan Bailey.

Mark LaPorte: Good to see him in the box. He works hard and deserves mention on occasion.

David Simmons: He wasn't bad, but if Efese is going to be tough and grab rebounds to go with some points, it will become harder for him to see the floor. At the very least I like him as a backup.

Terrell Allen: In the same boat as Simmons, though I wouldn't read too much into any one night's minutes. If you haven't noticed, they tend to change.

CCSU MEN UNDERWAY

2011-11-14T19:14:00.000-05:00

I'll have a full recap tonight. Preview is up, game underway. If Kyle Vinales can avoid turnovers..... watch out.

CCSU MEN'S BASKETBALL YALE WRAPUP

2011-11-12T05:41:00.000-05:00

Ok folks, loyal followers should remember how this works. Some quick thoughts, then my favorite feature of the entire blog.

The first thing to keep in mind when looking at the first game of the year, especially with a young team, is that you can't read too much into it. The Blue Devils will be a much better team in March than they were Friday night, and Friday night's team wasn't bad. The trapping defense was excellent for the most part and the Blue Devils did well on the glass against a significantly bigger team. Some of the freshmen showed great promise, and David Simmons looked to be a much improved player.

There were also some bad things. The offense was stagnant at times, and the shot selection was surprisingly poor at others. I know Howie Dickenman says this is a good 3-point shooting team, but taking good ones is the key to making that shoot-at-will approach work. 3-for-14 from three doesn't cut it.

Also, during the key stretch of the game, Yale's 20-5 run early in the second half, Central missed some easy shots. Robby Ptacek's 10-footer and a hook in the lane by Joe Efese come to mind. I'm not blaming those two players for the loss, but using those shots as examples.

With that said, let's go man-to-man.

Joe Efese: Five boards in 20 minutes. It was a tougher performance, but he must get better offensively. He's not a young guy anymore, it's time to put it together.

Ken Horton: Dickenman said that anytime Horton fails to shoot when open from three, Horton is hurting the team. Tonight, he couldn't help from long range, going 1-for-8 from three. I'm not a jump shooter, but his form appeared off tonght. It wasn't the usual smooth motion, it looked like his timing was off. Perhaps that's why his shots were short. I'd still like to see him get some more mid-range jumpers as well, maybe one or two steps in from that open three for an open 17-footer.
But, here's how good Ken Horton is: His bad game was 21 points, 9 rebounds, 4 blocks.

Kyle Vinales: The main reason I began my post by talking about keeping an even keel. Vinales is going to do some amazing things this year, But he's also going to do some incredibly frustrating things. Vinales showed the explosiveness to be able to turn the corner in the weave, made some outside shots, and showed the type of moxie one has to have to be a floor general. And he makes free throws.
He was also a defensive standout, flying all over the place for five steals. Loved the energy he provided.
The seven turnovers, however, are a problem. Those will come down, especially since a couple were on dropped passes and the like.
My main point here is don't expect this every night. He's going to have bad games as well.

De'Angelo Speech: I love his defense and his energy, but he remains a man without a true position. I still see him as more of a spark plug than a point guard. But since I just told you not to overreact to one game, I can't.

Robby Ptacek: Just didn't quite seem into the game. Didn't do much else besides shoot, and didn't take very many shots. Also, only 1-for-2 at the line.

Adonis Burbage: 4 points and 4 boards in 10 minutes. I really believe you'll see more and more of this kid as the year goes. I like his presence. Good things just seem to happen when he's out there.

Shelton Mickell: He was active, putting a few numbers in every column of the stat sheet. Didn't quite seem comfortable. Not saying he was nervous or scared, but he didn't seem comfortable. That will come. His skill is obviously there.

Malcolm McMillan: This year's innings eater. If he can make some shots, he can be more than that.

David Simmons: Welcome back Mr. Simmons. Some rebounds, a new jump shot we haven't seen out of him much, and a block. Also, he made two fantastic long passes, including one from his stomach that traveled some 30-40 feet and hit Vinales in the hands for what turned into a big 3-point play. I'll be interested to see if he gets more minutes as the year goes.

My proposed starting lineup for the Niagra game: Vinales, Ptacek, Speech, Horton, Simmons.

CCSU MEN'S SOCCER FALLS IN PKs

2011-11-11T16:13:00.000-05:00

Monmouth wins the Pks 4-2, ending Central's best season since 2007. More on this and a busy weekend throughout.
I'll have a full breakdown of the men's hoops game later tonight.

CCSU SOCCER GOING TO PKs

2011-11-11T16:01:00.000-05:00

Now time for the most unfair, even if most exciting, tiebreaker in all of sports.

CCSU SOCCER STILL GOING

2011-11-11T15:48:00.000-05:00

Heading to double overtime in Fairfield. 1-1.

CCSU MEN'S GAME ON TV TONIGHT

2011-11-11T15:26:00.000-05:00

By the way, the game is on CPTV Sports, which used to be CSTV All three games will be shown live and again tommorow on tape. (And knowing this channel, on a loop for the rest of time).
But it's on live now, so if you're home you can watch Hartford vs. SHU, which, b the way, has fancy new unis.

CCSU MEN'S SOCCER

2011-11-11T15:12:00.003-05:00

The Blue Devils just tied the game in the second half. It's 1-1.
Sacred Heart lost the first semi to FDU.
About 15 minutes left in regulation for CCSU.

CCSU SPORTS QUICK MAILBAG

2011-11-11T14:52:00.001-05:00

I have a bunch of questions regarding all the conference shifting that I'll get to soon, but for now let's get a couple timely ones out of the way.

1) Dave Simmons is a Blue Devil. Chris Baskerville is not.
2) CCSU will not be playing FBS football. I can all but guarantee it.

CCSU ATHLETICS HAS A BUSY FRIDAY

2011-11-11T14:44:00.000-05:00

First off, here's the link to the men's soccer team in the NEC semis. They're down 1-0 nearing the half. You can watch the game for free here.
http://www.northeastconference.tv/msoccer/msoccer111111B/index.html

Second, basketball season is finally upon us. Accuscore thinks CCSU has an 87 pct. chance of winning tonight at Mohegan, but remember that is based mostly off last year. CCSU has the best player on the floor, which makes them the favorite, but I don't think it's nearly that big.

As for the women, I think you have to give it time. They won't be at full strength tonight, and even if they were, you have to let such an inexperienced team gel a bit.

Turning the page to hoops.

2011-11-10T03:11:00.000-05:00

I'm going to have a game preview in some form or another, but we're going to hold off on the basketball preview section until the home opener. The storm changing the high school tourneys has made a mess of a lot of things.

For now, some random thoughts, and if you'd like hit my email at mstraubblog@hotmail.com and I'll do a mailbag. Already have some in there to take care of from football season.

I'm going to pick CCSU in the top 3 in the preview section (where? You'll have to read!)
Ken Horton looks phenomenal, but will have the defenses going after him like never before. Several coaches at the CT 6 breakfast the other morning lauded about Horton, which means the defenses will be all over him.

There are two big keys to the season as I see it. One is getting the freshmen to gain their footing. Howie Dickenman plans on playing a few of them, and birdies keep telling me Shelton Mickell is the real deal. Dickenman is trying to rein him in a little, but he gives CCSU some explosiveness, particularly useful if he can be a driving option in the weave. The other two freshmen will compete for time at the point. It sounds more and more like De'Angelo Speech is going to be the PG, so we'll see how that goes. Love it on defense, need to see it work on offense.

The freshman I really like is Adonis Burbage. He's big enough for the wing and while he doesn't do one thing incredibly well, he does a lot of things well. Someone I trust compared him to Javier Mojica. That is obviously WAY, WAY premature, but in a body/game comparison I can see it.

The other key to the season: Robby Ptacek's feet. If his lower body allows him to have a big year, The Blue Devils can be very good offensively. If not, a somewhat deep team gets not so deep.

Overall I think you're going to see substitutions in waves, especially early in the year. The freshmen will be in and out and the bigs I'm guessing will be used interchangeably in the post.

So in short, here it is: If CCSU finds a point guard, gets one freshman to contribute and 2 more to chip in, and makes its outside shots, this is going to be a big year.

Central wants to run and pressure, so expect high-scoring games this year.

CCSU FOOTBALL THE DAY AFTER

2011-11-07T02:56:00.000-05:00

A much-needed win by the Blue Devils Saturday, who got big performances from the older guys when they were needed most.
The concern it leaves me is this: Other than kind of changing the mentality of the younger guys heading into the offseason, which I think is a big deal, the fact that much of the talent we saw have big games Saturday will be gone next year is scary.
Chris Tolbert will have a new line in front of him, but he has shown flashes of being the next big time CCSU running back. But a rebuilt line and a still unnamed quarterback
Coach Jeff McInerney has admitted he doesn't have an answer for next year behind center. But as scary as the future might be, it was nice to honor this year's seniors at Central with a big win.

CCSU FOOTBALL LIVE BLOG: Streak over

2011-11-05T15:05:00.002-04:00

CCSU wins for the first time since Sept. 17, 31-24. More later.

CCSU FOOTBALL LIVE BLOG: Hang on

2011-11-05T14:56:00.000-04:00

CCSU recovers the onside kick with 2:06 left.

CCSU FOOTBALL LIVE BLOG: Layman responds

2011-11-05T14:54:00.000-04:00

The RMU backup goes 67 yards on three passes, the last a 27-yard strike to TE Paul Evans cuts it to 31-24 with 2:07 left. the drive took 33 seconds.

CCSU FOOTBALL LIVE BLOG: One more score

2011-11-05T14:52:00.000-04:00

Juan Duque's 31-yard FG with 2:46 left has CCSU up 31-14.
But RMU just hit two quick passes vs. the prevent defense.

CCSU FOOTBALL LIVE BLOG: CCSU makes a stand

2011-11-05T14:39:00.000-04:00

Bristol's Eastern's Tyrell Holmes just picked off Layman in the end zone, returning the favor from the first half when the Colonials did it to CCSU, Central has it back and is in very good shape, up 28-17 with the clock now heading for 8 minutes.

CCSU FOOTBALL LIVE BLOG: Central breaks it open

2011-11-05T14:29:00.000-04:00

A 14-yard score by Brian Fowler has Central up 28-17 just 36 seconds into the fourth quarter.

CCSU FOOTBALL LIVE BLOG: 15 to go

2011-11-05T14:24:00.002-04:00

CCSU has the lead adn is at the RMU 25 as the third quarter ends. The Blue Devils are threatening to end the streak.

CCSU FOOTBALL LIVE BLOG: battle for position

2011-11-05T14:21:00.002-04:00

A great punt knocks CCSU back to its own 25, but the Blue Devils have the ball and the lead.

CCSU FOOTBALL LIVE BLOG: Blue Devils driving

2011-11-05T14:16:00.001-04:00

A Chris Tolbert 16-yard rush, then a 22-yard catch by Deven Baker sets up Raul DeBenendittis from 5 yards out to give CCSU a 21-17 lead with 3:47 left in the third.

CCSU FOOTBALL LIVE BLOG: 3 and out for RMU

2011-11-05T14:10:00.000-04:00

CCSU avoids a huge momentum swing, holding the Colonials to a 3-and-out.
6 minutes on the button left in the third. 17-14 RMU

CCSU FOOTBALL LIVE BLOG: Oops

2011-11-05T14:07:00.000-04:00

Gunnar Jespersen was just picked off in the end zone by RMU's Antwan Smith with just under eight minutes left in the third. RMU ball at its own 20, still 17-14 RMU

CCSU FOOTBALL LIVE BLOG: Rmu's drive stalls

2011-11-05T13:56:00.002-04:00

The Colonials don't get anything from their first drive. CCSU takes over and is already at midfield.

CCSU FOOTBALL LIVE BLOG: Injury update

2011-11-05T13:50:00.001-04:00

RMU QB Jeff Sinclair done for the day (knee). Of course, Matt Layman looked amazing at backup.

CCSU FOOTBALL LIVE BLOG: Cobb is a beast

2011-11-05T13:34:00.000-04:00

He just made a huge defensive play, crushing a CCSU receiver on the last play of the half.
17-14 RMU at the break.
Gunnar Jespersen is 9-of-13 for 112 and a score in the first half. Chris Tolbert has 55 rushing yards on 12 carries.
Deontae Howard is 10-for-67 for RMU. Matt Layman had that great drive for the Colonials, who lead 17-14 at the break.

CCSU FOOTBALL LIVE BLOG: RMU Driving

2011-11-05T13:22:00.000-04:00

RMU backup Matt Layman looks like he should be a starter. He's 2-for-2 for 42 yards on RMU's return drive. RMu is to the CCSU..... well they're in now. Jamie Cobb makes another circus catch for a 14-yard TD catch with 39 ticks left in the half. Layman was 4-for-4 for 61 yards on the drive.
17-14 RMU

CCSU FOOTBALL LIVE BLOG: A new name

2011-11-05T13:19:00.001-04:00

Dave Sabilia, an OL and TE makes a 5-yard TD catch to put CCSU up 14-10. It's his first catch of the year.

CCSU FOOTBALL LIVE BLOG: Sinclair hurt

2011-11-05T13:06:00.000-04:00

RMU hits a 33-yard FG (Gary Langer) to make it 10-7 with 4:47 left in the half, but the bigger news is that RMU QB Jeff Sinclair left the game with an injury on the previous play. Looked like his ribs or chest from up here. We'll see if he comes back.

CCSU FOOTBALL LIVE BLOG: RMU threatening again

2011-11-05T12:58:00.000-04:00

Central missed a couple of deep shots, and now the Colonials have it back and are driving thanks to a 19-yard run by Howard that has them set up. Sinclair jut picked up about 25 more (yes, the QB ran for 25 up the middle) as RMU pulls it to the CCSU 16 or so. 5 minutes and change left in the half.

CCSU FOOTBALL LIVE BLOG: RMU on the board

2011-11-05T12:49:00.000-04:00

RMU goes 80 yards on 8 plays with Jamie Cobb making a pair of nice catches for a total of 35 yards after Howard's run. QB Jeff Sinclair scores from 7 yards out to make it 7-7 with 10:51 left in the half.

CCSU FOOTBALL LIVE BLOG: Back on D

2011-11-05T12:43:00.000-04:00

CCSU punts early in the 2nd. Still 7-0. As I was writing, Deontae Howard just ruan it 23 yards, RMU 1st down at its own 43 early 2nd.

CCSU FOOTBALL LIVE BLOG: Do or do not there is no try

2011-11-05T12:33:00.002-04:00

RMU doesn't make a 4th down in CCSU territory. CCSU ball at its own 31.

CCSU FOOTBALL LIVE BLOG: Stat of the day

2011-11-05T12:27:00.002-04:00

If my quick research is correct, Central's last lead was the first quarter of the UMass game on Oct. 8.

CCSU FOOTBALL LIVE BLOG: 1 play later

2011-11-05T12:22:00.002-04:00

One play later, Brian Fowler scores from 9 yards out. CCSU leads 7-0 with 8:41 left in the first

CCSU FOOTBALL LIVE BLOG: Right back at it

2011-11-05T12:21:00.000-04:00

RMU goes 3 and out..... then fumbles the punt! CCSU ball as I was writing this!
It was a bad snap on the ground that the punter couldn't handle. CCSU ball at the 9

CCSU FOOTBALL LIVE BLOG: Bad finish to the good start

2011-11-05T12:18:00.002-04:00

CCSU doesn't make a 4th and 6 from about the 25 and RMU takes over.

CCSU FOOTBALL LIVE BLOG LIVE BLOG: Good start

2011-11-05T12:15:00.002-04:00

The Blue Devils have already hit a 26-yard pass and converted a 4th and 5 on the opening drive. They have it at the RMU 28 just over 3 minutes in.

CCSU FOOTBALL LIVE BLOG

2011-11-05T11:56:00.000-04:00

Touching moment to start senior day as the Blue Devils honored Rich Royster.
Now the rest of the seniors are being introduced. It's likely that the kick is a few minutes late.It's a TV game and this is going on for a while.

CCSU FOOTBALL LIVE BLOG

2011-11-05T05:03:00.002-04:00

we'll have it up and running during the game Saturday. Then I'll try and sit down Sunday if I get some time on my off day to catch up on a bunch of notes and thoughts.

CCSU MEN'S BASKETBALL NOTES

2011-11-02T11:37:00.000-04:00

Just wrapping up the call, and the thing that jumps out at me is that coach Howie Dickenman is raving about his freshman class.

Usually I would say "what is [coach X] going to say," but with Howie, you get the truth as he sees it. If he wasn't happy with the freshmen, you'd know it.

Want proof? He's very unhappy with his big men, saying they were weak compared to the perimeter players (meaning in production I assume, not in actual strength). He implored Joe Efese to step up. We'll see.

More to say in a bit.

CCSU MEN'S BASKETBALL PICKED 3rd

2011-11-02T11:18:00.000-04:00

I'm on the conference call now, will have a story later, but here's the top 4 in the NEC coaches preseason poll:

LIU
RMU
CCSU
Wagner

Preseason ALL NEC

Julian Boyd LIU F
Kenny Horton CCSU F
James Johnson Quinnipiac G
Wagner G Tyler Murray
Jamal Olaseweer LIU

No surprises so far.

Snow 2, Matt 0

2011-10-31T01:02:00.000-04:00

Yes, it ran up the score on me. I will update this as possible, but I had to help the paper through a really bad weekend. If you can buy Monday's paper, just because we worked our butts off to get it out.

I'll be hitting CCSU hoops ASAP as well.

FAMILY FIRST

2011-10-29T13:22:00.002-04:00

Sorry for my absence the last few days, had some family stuff I had to take care of. Will update after the game tonight.

CCSU FOOTBALL FINAL THOUGHTS: Assigning blame

2011-10-23T03:15:00.000-04:00

This week's wrap up is easy.
The offense scored 35 points and had more than 400 yards. Gunnar Jespersen was a beast.

The defense gave up 56 points (I won't count the pick six). Albany punted once in the entire game. The Danes failed to score on three possessions: the punt, an interception, and when they took a knee in the final seconds.

The special teams were fine. Jake White filled in at punter and was ok.

I'm left with two thoughts after this debacle, which is the 2nd worst CCSU football game I've ever covered (the 2007 de facto NEC title game was worse because of the stakes). The first is in the short term. Coach Jeff McInerney, to his credit, takes blame for every loss before anyone can even ask a question. In some ways he is just trying to protect his kids, but he also doesn't want to appear to be anything but the leader of the ship. He is taking ownership of the situation as opposed to throwing people under the bus, and I commend him for it. But I've seen him walk, and I don' think he can run anymore. He can't go out there and get a stop.

Gunnar Jespersen has talked each week about being a leader, promising to fix the team's attitude early in the year and the offense's execution a couple of weeks later. He has done both, all while fighting through a broken finger/hand. The once inept offense is no longer the problem. The sense of overconfidence or whatever caused the early-season malaise is long gone, in part because of Jespersen and in part because it's hard to be confident after five straight losses.

But here's the thing: the coach and the leader can only do so much. I've questioned McInerney a few times this year (I still wouldn't have gone for the pooch punt a few weeks back with Gunnar's bad hand), but I think he has done a good job of keeping the team's spirit intact. His senior class has helped with that. But a football team can have all the leadership in the world, it still needs to execute.

The time for talking about making things better is over. It's time to do it. It doesn't matter who's coaching what (McInerney had some comments you'll read about Monday in that regard). It's time for someone to make a play.This team has three games left to start making inroads towards next year. Even if it doesn't do that, the Blue Devils have to play those last three games anyway. 2-6 will be 2-9 if the actual play on the field doesn't change. It's time to show some pride. The offense raised its game. Now the defense has to. Or the special teams. Or the offense just has to make more plays. Somehow, somebody has to get something done to help CCSU win a game.

Leaders are wonderful. Execution is better. No more talking about fixing things. It's time to make a play on the field on a Saturday afternoon. It's clear I overrated this team before the year. I wasn't alone. But I know it's better than what it showed Saturday. This is the same team that played with JMU and UMass.

My other thought is long term: I understand McInerney trying out some different QBs, even if I wouldn't have thrown Andrew Clements into the fire in his first week at the position against the best team in the league. But with the number of people who have taken snaps continuing to climb, the reasoning behind it has become clear. McInerney doesn't know who his QB is next year. That's not a shot at him or any of the kids, one of whom could develop into the next QB. But it has to be a concern going forward. As I said during the live blog, I'm no longer certain the next QB is on this roster, if only because one hasn't been given any kind of consistent chance at the backup spot. Perhaps experimenting during a lost season is good and I'm overreacting. After all, next August is a long way off. But the pecking order doesn't seem settled, and that can't be a good thing.

CCSU FOOTBALL LIVE BLOG

2011-10-22T14:44:00.002-04:00

63-35 is your final. I'll survey the damage tonight.

CCSU FOOTBALL LIVE BLOG: Bookeeping

2011-10-22T14:37:00.000-04:00

UA has the most points allowed by Central at home since 1993, when C.W. Post put 72 on the Blue Devils.
Nick Bacarella scored again for Central, and the game is now 63-35
This is the most points CCSU has allowed in NEC play.

CCSU FOOTBALL LIVE BLOG: It gets worse

2011-10-22T14:13:00.000-04:00

CCSU's latest backup QB, Andrew Clements throws a pick and it's 56-21 with 13:20 left in the game.
Perhaps the most important thing Central has to do over the last three games is find next week's quarterback. The question is, is he here?

CCSU FOOTBALL LIVE BLOG: Now it's over

2011-10-22T14:00:00.000-04:00

CCSU goes for it on 4th down near midfield and doesn't make it. Not sure I liked the run up the middle call, but it's academic at this point.

CCSU FOOTBALL LIVE BLOG: a little different anyway

2011-10-22T13:54:00.000-04:00

Di Lella ran in that one, and UA is now up 49-21. The best the Blue Devils can do now is hope this one doesn't get ugly.

CCSU FOOTBALL LIVE BLOG: UA pulling away

2011-10-22T13:42:00.000-04:00

Paul Booker catches a short TD pass two plays later to make it 42-21 with 9:20 left in the half. That's the UA record for Di Lella

CCSU FOOTBALL LIVE BLOG: Almost over

2011-10-22T13:41:00.002-04:00

UA RB Drew Smith just went 57 yards on a screen pass to the CCSU 12 or so with 9:36 left in the third.

CCSU FOOTBALL LIVE BLOG: Rough start

2011-10-22T13:35:00.002-04:00

Central punts from near midfield on its first drive of the second half.

FIRST HALF STATS

2011-10-22T13:31:00.000-04:00

Albany QB Dan Di Lella has tied the school records for touchdowns in a game with 4. And it's halftime.
He is 10-for-16 for 185 yards and four scores. He does have a pick.

Gunnar Jespersen is 7-for-10 for 144 yards and 2 scores. And he's down 14 points. Crazy.

CCSU is running the ball well, 85 yards on 28 attempts, but UA has 111 yards on 24 carries.

CCSU FOOTBALL LIVE BLOG: No defense

2011-10-22T13:10:00.002-04:00

CCSU just can't get a stop. Di Lella converts a couple of big passes down the middle of the field in the final seconds, and Albany takes a 35-21 lead into halftime. I'll post some stats and an amazing record in a second.

CCSU FOOTBALL LIVE BLOG: CCSU Answers again

2011-10-22T13:02:00.000-04:00

A gorgeous leaping catch just inside the left side of the endzone by Devan Baker from 18 yards out cuts it to 28-21 with 3:28 left in the half. Now if Central can only get a stop..... 15-yard penalty they just picked up won't help that.
UA already to the CCSU 43 with 2:45 left

CCSU FOOTBALL LIVE BLOG: CCSU hanging around

2011-10-22T12:56:00.000-04:00

The Blue Devils did nothing in their next drive, but sophomore Antwione Reese came up with a big pick, and now Central is driving with 6 minutes left in the half.

CCSU FOOTBALL LIVE BLOG: Midway through 2nd

2011-10-22T12:51:00.000-04:00

UA scores again, this time a short shovel pass. The big play came on 3rd and 8 at the CCSU 24, ahwn Albany QB Dan Di Lella pulled it down and scampered into open space up the middle for a 15-yard run to set up 1st and goal.
It's 28-14 with now just over 8 minutes left in the half as CCSU is up to its own 35.

CCSU FOOTBALL LIVE BLOG, Not over yet

2011-10-22T12:40:00.000-04:00

Gunnar Jespersen finishes a 12-play, 71-yard drive with a 1-yard dive to make it 21-14 UA with 12:26 left in the half. Give Central this: The offense keeps responding.

CCSU FOOTBALL LIVE BLOG

2011-10-22T12:37:00.000-04:00

Well it hasn't been boring. A 36-yard pass from Jespersen to Devan Baker puts CCSU at the Albany 4 early in the second.

CCSU FOOTBALL LIVE BLOG

2011-10-22T12:29:00.000-04:00

A 34-yard TD pass to Nick Hutcherson has UA up 21-7 with just under 3 minutes left in the quarter. Dan Di Lella has more than 140 yards passing. In 13 minutes.

CCSU FOOTBALL LIVE BLOG

2011-10-22T12:25:00.000-04:00

CCSU can't convert on a 4th down near midfield. Not sure if Jespersen was going to quick kick or they intended to go for it, but a bad snap made that moot.

CCSU FOOTBALL LIVE BLOG

2011-10-22T12:18:00.000-04:00

Brian Parker, a tight end/right tackle who even the Albany people up here in the booth had to look up, catches his first ball of the year, and it's a long touchdown 2 plays after CCSU's score to make it 14-7 UA.

CCSU FOOTBALL LIVE BLOG

2011-10-22T12:13:00.000-04:00

After a bad snap CCSU faced 3rd and a mile from the Albany 47, and Jespersen hits Nick Bacarella up the right sideline to tie the game at 7 with 9:48 left in the quarter.

CCSU FOOTBALL LIVE BLOG

2011-10-22T12:10:00.000-04:00

Rough start for the Blue Devils, who five up a 41-yard pass as part of a 61-yard, 7-play drive as Albany goes up 7-0 less than 3 minutes in.

CCSU driving the other way though, and Clements is doing some QB runs as expected.

CCSU FOOTBALL LIVE BLOG

2011-10-22T11:55:00.000-04:00

Up and running with the live blog today from high above Arute Field. Well, actually not that high, one of the reasons I like this place.
Should see more of Andrew Clements and less of Gunnar Jespersen today, but not that much less.
We'll see what happens today. I don't have a good feeling about this one, but I've been wrong before.
Four minutes to kick, I'll be checking in throughout the day.

CCSU MEN'S SOCCER GETS BIG WIN

2011-10-21T03:40:00.000-04:00

It wasn't pretty, but the men got a big win to move into first place for the first time in as long as coach Green and I can remember. I'm going to write something on the team this weekend. Very impressive turnaround, kind of reminds me of 2007 in how they came out of nowhere.

I didn't forget you

2011-10-20T05:16:00.000-04:00

As seems to always happen this time of year, I've been tied up with other stuff at work this week and haven't gotten to sit down here. For now, lemme mention that I'm going to hit the men's soccer game Thursday and write some stuff on here ASAP.

CCSU FOOTBALL FINAL THOUGHTS

2011-10-15T15:07:00.000-04:00

Wow, CCSU's year has turned so ugly that it commits turnovers even when it doesn't commit a turnover.
It sounds like Central's last turnover wasn't one, but they add up in the end. The problems trying to punt continue (though it wasn't Gunnar and his cast this time) and Central no longer seems to get that big stop it was getting early in the year.
Fumbles and a lack of clutch plays have killed this team this year. The running game is back on track, but it's too late now.
Now, we'll see if Central can play for pride.
More to come, and remember a big women's soccer game Sunday afternoon, when the Devils will celebrate the seniors.

CCSU FOOTBALL: FIRST HALF THOUGHTS

2011-10-15T13:29:00.000-04:00

Since the game's on 1410 you don't need me to give you PBP, so I thought I'd just give some thoughts.

First, obviously, that was a key score at the end of the half there. Great momentum boost and a nice long drive to kind of assert their will a bit by the Blue Devils.

Second, really important for CCSU to get its identity back. Something like 31 rushes for 140 yards in the first half is a great sign. Gunnar Jespersen being 6-for-8 in the half shows how efficient he can be as well as how a strong running game can help free up the passing. I know it's windy which helps make the need to run go up, but I think CCSU got away from what made it so good the last few years.

2a: Really nice to see Brian Fowler back.

3. I don't know how you teach ball security, I'm not a football coach. But this rash of fumbles is shocking. It hasn't hurt CCSU yet today. Yet.
But even if it doesn't, it HAS to stop.

I'm BACK!

2011-10-14T18:33:00.000-04:00

Vacation was much-needed, but it is over. There is MUCH CCSU stuff to talk about, and I'll be doing that throughout the weekend.
There will be a football preview up in the morning, then we'll start cranking stuff out as I can over the next week. As I said, LOTS of stuff to talk about.
I had a great trip, but I'm THRILLED to be home and back working for all of you.

CCSU FOOTBALL INJURY UPDATE

2011-10-06T16:46:00.002-04:00

After a long, fascinating conversation with Jeff McInerney, some of which I'll talk about in the next 2 days, I have one injury update for you. Darius Lee hurt his ankle and won't play Saturday.