Well, it wasn't pretty but it got done. St. Francis tried to ugly it up a little bit, but Central overcame that. The Blue Devils weren't able to turn their pressure into easy points, and the concern becomes what happens when they are forced to play a half court game. 20 turnovers wasn't a good sign, but they got it done by preventing SFNY from scoring and then having Robby Ptacek shoot them out of trouble.
LIU came into tonight in the top 10 in the country in points, so Saturday's game should be a better pace for Central: a track meet.
But let's get through tonight first. Unlike the Blue Devils, we'll play man to man.
De'Angelo Speech: Still bothered by the wrist, and still turning the ball over too much. But also still trying to turn the energy up, which is his job.
Joe Efese: Really looks like he's back. Three blocks and eight points to go with five boards. Impressive showing. He'll be especially important if Markeys Deans is out for a length of time.
Devan Bailey: Another terrific defensive effort. Combine his ability to shut down the other team's best scorer with his knack of avoiding turnovers and you have a solid point guard. I think we've discovered who will take the term "The General" from Shemik Thompson someday.
Robby Ptacek: If he shoots like this, Central doesn't lose. He's just in a zone right now. It will be interesting to see if he keeps this confidence next week, starting with the trip to Fairfield.
Ken Horton: Didn't shoot well, but was aggressive and active, as evidenced by 14 rebounds and a block and a steal. If he had made a few of the bunnies he missed, it easily could have been a 20 and 10 night. By the way, something that's flying under the radar a bit: He's on pace to make a real run at CCSU's scoring record.
Vince Rosario: Grabbed four rebounds in 11 minutes. He continues to try and develop into more than just a shooter, but making some outside shots is the key to him succeeding.
Shemik Thompson: A quiet night for the current General, but that says a lot about his maturity. He knew his job tonight was to get out of Ptacek's way and he did so.
Mark Laporte: One of these days, he's going to drill a shot. If it comes at home, watch out. Classy move dribbling out the clock at the end and not chucking up a shot to get on the scoreboard.
Chris Baskerville: One of the more intriguing lines of the year. His 11 minutes sure were eventful. 4 points, 5 boards, 5 fouls.
Terrell Allen: Not much to speak of statistically, but any time a bench player can give you 9 or 10 minutes, it helps the big guns get some rest.
Justin Alexander: Well, we know the big fella can make free throws.
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