Troy-Georgia State basketball game thread/a little football talk
November 25, 2008
FINAL SCORE - Troy beats Georgia State 68-63. Trojans held on to the lead this time, as Regis Huddleston and Mike Vogler hit key free throws at the end to seal the win. I’m not sure how good GSU is, and I’m still not sure how good Troy is, but head coach Don Maestri compared GSU to a Sun Belt team with their physical defense. Troy responded pretty well to that, and only got outrebounded 37-35 though they were in a severe height disadvantage for 27 of 40 minutes of the game (7-footer Tom Jervis played just 13 minutes).
Richard Delk’s the most talented player on this team, but it’s nothing without Vogler. He’s the one that makes it go offensively. There was one possession where the shot clock was winding down, and he hollered out some play, then delivered a beautiful pass over two GSU guys to Antywan Jones, who laid it in at the buzzer. He missed the first two games, losses to UAB and UNC-Wilmington, and I think they might could have beaten UNCW. The game would have run a lot better, because the only other true PG is Josh Williams. Delk and Travis Lee are combo-guys.
My opinion is that Vogler (34 min) and Delk (28) need to play in the 30-plus minute range, while Jervis needs to be in more because of his size. He’s better than he was last year, but they like how scrappy Mario Telfair is. With the other guys, like Lee, Regis Huddleston, Brandon Hazzard and Kenny Ware, it really depends on how hot they are shooting the ball. Hazzard played 25 minutes, Lee 21, Huddleston 17 and Ware 12.
But Vogler and Delk are the two horses. The difference between this year and last is that there are more options around them who can score.
Defense should get a mention too. Not too often that Troy holds Division I-A teams to 63 points. GSU shot just 40 percent. I was told it’s the best defense Troy has played this year.
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At the Troy-Georgia State basketball game, which will tip off at about 7:50 p.m. CST. Troy’s women won 59-56 on the strength of Donnette McNair‘s 17 points and 15 rebounds.
GSU’s top player is Joe Dukes, a 6-foot-1 guard, who is scoring 16 points per game and is also averaging 5.8 assists. He and Troy’s Mike Vogler should be a good matchup at the point position. GSU, coached by former Ole Miss coach Rod Barnes, has something like 5 Division I-A transfers, including Trey Hampton (Ole Miss), Xavier Hansbro (Ole Miss) and Bernard Rimmer (Miss. State). They’re a good-sized bunch, but 2-3 on the season.
HALFTIME - Troy’s up 35-30. Mike Vogler has made some nice passes for dunks. I remember Rod Barnes’ Ole Miss teams in the SEC and they hand-checked you the entire game because they weren’t talented enough to score with you. Well, this team is about the same way, which is surprising that Troy’s been called for double the fouls that GSU has. Troy’s been at its best when Jervis is in the game, because of his size, but he’s got two fouls. Troy should probably be up a little more, but the Trojans haven’t been too careful with the ball. It’s still a game they need to win because it’s at home.
Based on what’s happened so far this year, maybe it’s a good thing the lead isn’t as big.
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One recruiting note, OT Tyler Graves didn’t commit on his visit, neither did OT Jamar Bass. They’ll both take other visits before deciding.
If you want to go to New Orleans, but don’t want to see Troy play a crappy team, pull for SMU to beat Southern Miss, Tulane to beat Memphis and East Carolina to beat UTEP, making all the losing teams 5-7. That would mean (I think) CUSA has just 4 bowl-eligible teams and maybe, just maybe, a 6-6 ACC team could slide in there.
New Orleans is a better destination, but playing Memphis won’t get anyone too excited. Birmingham would be against a better team, even if Connecticut/Rutgers isn’t appealing in name. No, I don’t know where Troy’s going bowling.
