Wednesday links

November 28, 2007

By Drew Champlin

From me, remember when Mykeal Terry had a breakout game vs. FAU last year? This year hasn’t been as productive, but he’s still plugging away.

From the Palm Beach Post, the bowl is the reward for the FAU-Troy winner.

From the Sun-Sentinel, read some about Troy.

Basketball-wise, read from the Clarion-Ledger about the Ole Miss win over Troy last night.

Troy basketball falls

November 27, 2007

By Drew Champlin

Below is a copied and pasted report from AP on basketball loss to Ole Miss. There were some encouraging things - getting Mario Telfair back (I thought he wouldn’t play after surgery on a broken nose - he’s a guy that can score the basketball) and being down just 47-42 at the half to a more talented Ole Miss club. But the 25-0 run was similar to why they lost to Alabama. That can’t happen. This team will win a lot at home, probably even over teams they shouldn’t beat, but it still remains to be seen how it will do on the road. The rebounding thing is an issue, but again, no Sun Belt team has the size that Ole Miss has. Their guys are bigger than Richard Hendrix at Alabama, but not as skilled.

When Troy gets in the 35-40 range from O’Darien Bassett and Justin Jonus, they’ll win a lot of games. Get less than 35 and they’ll lose every time. Tonight, Bassett had 9 and Jonus 12.

OXFORD, Miss. (AP) — Freshman Chris Warren had 23 points and 10 assists and sparked a 25-0 run early in the second half Tuesday to help Mississippi beat Troy 102-76.
  Dwayne Curtis had 17 points and 10 rebounds, Jeremey Parnell scored 12, and Kenny Williams and Trevor Gaskins added 10 apiece for the Rebels.
  Ole Miss improved to 5-0 for the first time since the 2000-01 season, when the Rebels advanced to the third round of the NCAA Tournament.
  Jerome Odem led Troy (1-4) with 17 points. Justin Jonus added 12 and Brandon Hazzard scored 11.
  The Rebels fell behind 8-0 but closed the first half with a 5-0 spurt in the final minute to take 47-42 halftime lead they never surrendered.
  Troy pulled to within 47-44 on an O’ Darien Bassett jumper to open the second half, but missed 10 consecutive shots to allow Ole Miss to pull away.
  The Trojans hit just nine field goals in the second half, shooting 23 percent, and went 8 minutes without a basket.
  The Rebels took advantage by scoring 25 consecutive points to build an insurmountable 72-44 lead with 11:24 left. Curtis had eight points and five rebounds in the run, which was capped by a Williams dunk.
  Ole Miss built its biggest lead, 102-67, on a layup by Parnell with 1:21 left. The Rebels frontcourt dominated the Trojans with a 64-46 rebounding edge.

Tuesday links

By Drew Champlin

From me, Troy understands FAU’s situation, plus I’ve got a basketball update.

From the Palm Beach Post, here’s an FAU extra. Plus, FAU is coming full circle and its bowl hopes hinge on beating Troy.

From the Sun-Sentinel, check out Ted Hutton’s blog examing the history between Troy and FAU.

Hoops look: Troy at Ole Miss

By Drew Champlin

What: Troy (1-3) at Ole Miss (4-0)
When: 7 p.m. CST Nov. 27
Where: Tad Smith Coliseum (8,700), Oxford, MS
Last time out: Troy fell at Georgia State 97-92. Ole Miss beat UL-Monroe of the Sun Belt 94-70.

Probable starting lineups
TROY
G-Jerome Odem (6’1, 160, Sr.) - 7.5 ppg
G-O’Darien Bassett (6’2, 190, Sr.) - 18.8 ppg, 6.5 prg
F-Justin Jonus (6’6, 221, Sr.) - 21 ppg, 4.3 rpg
F-Trayce Macon (6’8, 191, Soph.) - 11 ppg, 7 rpg
C-Tom Jervis (7’0, 230, Jr.) - 7 ppg, 7 rpg

OLE MISS
G-Chris Warren (5’11, 170, Fr.) 12.5 ppg, 6.8 apg
G-Eniel Polynice (6’5, 200, So.) 16.5 ppg, 5.0 rpg
G-David Huertas(6’5, 195, So.) 11.0 ppg
F-Kenny Williams(6’8, 240, Sr.) 11.0 ppg, 8.3 rpg
F-Dwayne Curtis (6’8, 280, Sr.) 11 ppg, 7.5 rpg

What to watch for: Troy’s Jarvis Acker is still out awaiting his eligibility and forward Mario Telfair won’t play after having surgery on his broken nose. Center Tom Jervis and point guard Mike Vogler are also battling leg injuries, but will play. Troy’s defense gave up a bunch of points to a Georgia State team that hadn’t scored 97 points combined in two of its first three games, but the frenetic pace gave the Trojans a chance to win it at the end. The two leaders, Justin Jonus and O’Darien Bassett have struggled with their shot. Ole Miss will press it right back and can score a lot of points. Second-year head coach Andy Kennedy has worked wonders with this program, which could find its way among the SEC’s best before the season is over. Troy has absolutely no match for Ole Miss’ size down low with Dwayne Curtis, Kenny Williams and Jermey Parnell off the bench. It’s a growing process for Troy early, and there’s no doubt the Trojans will take lumps this week, but if the health improves and Acker gets eligible, it could gel into a decent Sun Belt team.

Player to watch, Troy: O’Darien Bassett. The senior all-conference selection is shooting just 32 percent, including just 6-of-23 in the loss to Georgia State. Troy will lose every time with shooting nights like that.

Player to watch, Ole Miss: David Huertas. Pick him or sophomore Eniel Polynice, but people associated with Ole Miss have raved about Huertas’ natural shooting ability. With as many wide-open shots as Troy’s defense allows, Huertas could hit 10 3-pointers in the game.

Troy will win if: The Trojans get near-perfect shooting nights from Jonus and Bassett, get Ole Miss’ big guys in foul trouble, and force numerous turnovers with the press.

Ole Miss will win if: they play even an average game.

Drew’s prediction: Ole Miss 97, Troy 68

Basketball update

November 26, 2007

By Drew Champlin

Senior Jarvis Acker won’t make the trip to Ole Miss, but head coach Don Maestri said he hopes the issue to be resolved Wednesday. Whatever it is, there doesn’t seem to be much of an urgency from the academic people at Troy to get it cleared up, which is frustrating to the coaches because Maestri says he knows he’ll be cleared. Acker’s a guy that will graduate next May without even having to take a full course load. He’s got a great story and I hope he’ll be eligible so I can tell it.

It’s a rough patch this week for Troy, especially since the team is banged up. Point guard Mike Vogler is battling through a muscle injury in his leg. Center Tom Jervis can’t even jump because of a calf injury, but is battling through it. Forward Mario Telfair had surgery on his broken nose and they hope to have him back soon, but it won’t be tomorrow.

Troy didn’t sign anyone in the fall signing period. Maestri said the team is very much looking for a physical presence down low, someone in the 240-250 range even if he’s not a dominant scorer. Mississippi State transfer Richard Delk is sitting out this year and he’ll be a pretty good player for the Trojans next year as a scoring guard.