Holy Cross hopes end to losing streak is the start of something better

WORCESTER, Mass. – Holy Cross needed a win, simply put.  They came into Tuesday night having lost five in a row.  But more than that, they could have used a good, convincing win, especially since they at one point looked like they might have a chance at just that.  They’ll be content with their 66-57 win over Navy, but not content with how they had to hang on at the end.

“You definitely would rather win ugly than lose pretty,” said sophomore guard Justin Burrell.  “We’re definitely not content with the way we played in the second half.  We talked about some of the mistakes that we made.  We’re not satisfied with our play, so we’re going to continue to build off of that with these couple of days that we have in practice, and hopefully we can get better.”

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Lehigh continues to overcome adversity

WORCESTER, Mass. – A blizzard that hit much of New England was an added challenge for Lehigh as they came to play Holy Cross. But for this team, it wasn’t as much to overcome as some of what they have faced this year, or in what became a back-and-forth game in which they pulled out a 68-61 win.

The biggest impact the storm had on the team was that they had to leave Bethlehem a little earlier than they planned. Instead of leaving early in the afternoon on Friday, they left first thing in the morning and headed straight to Holy Cross to practice. With a statewide travel ban in effect in Massachusetts, they couldn’t go anywhere for about 24 hours and weren’t sure for a while when the game would be played.

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Bucknell rebounds from a tough loss the way a contender should

WORCESTER, Mass. – A few days earlier, Lehigh scored a big win at Bucknell minus one of the nation’s best players. It’s easy to come away from that feeling like the Mountain Hawks are the Patriot League favorite at this point, as winning at Bucknell is tough enough with a full squad. It’s still early, however, and the early signs are that Bucknell is responding the way they need to, including Saturday’s hard-fought 65-58 win at Holy Cross.

“I think they responded the way you would want a championship-caliber team to respond,” said head coach Dave Paulsen.

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Holy Cross could use some production on the wing

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – For much of the first half on Saturday, Holy Cross stayed with Boston College and led at times. The Crusaders had something to do with Boston College’s offense not looking good for most of the first ten minutes, although BC also looked like a team that had not played in a week and had a few days off from practice. But in the second half, Boston College was the more aggressive team and also shut down the Crusader offense for a big stretch, and in the 70-60 loss to the Eagles, some of Holy Cross’ offensive issues were there to see along with some hope.

Holy Cross isn’t without room for improvement defensively, and that was where Milan Brown got started after the game. In particular, the Crusader mentor noted that they knew how Boston College plays but didn’t defend quite according to the game plan, which was to make sure that BC would shoot more than drive to the basket and create. The Eagles were able to do that, however, and it was a key component of the win.

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How the conferences shake out as 2013 approaches

Non-conference play is almost over, and it has been quite a stretch. We’ve learned a good deal about a lot of teams, while some are still a mystery for various reasons – injuries, suspensions, ineligibility and a light schedule are all possible reasons. In addition, a few conferences have already seen a game or two mixed in with the non-conference schedule.

Conference play is right around the corner, and while a non-conference resume doesn’t tell the whole story, it does shed some light on teams and conferences. In conference play, there is more familiarity since teams play each other every year, although the changing landscape is starting to diminish that factor a bit. That’s one reason why we see some teams put forth a very good non-conference showing, including some good wins, then go on to have a mediocre showing in conference play.

With that in mind, here’s a look at how every conference in America shapes up.

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NJIT edges Army with a wild finish

NEWARK, N.J. – The university is nationally, if not internationally, known and respected for its academics and research. Mention NJIT and you are conversing about one of academia’s “heavy hitters”. Regardless, even the brightest minds or intelligence would not be able to explain what happened in the Highlanders’ win over Army.

NJIT scored 16 first half points, followed by 53 following intermission to post a 69-67 victory over Army. It was a game coach Jim Engles’ club trailed most of by double figures. It was a turnaround even Engles admits, “I just have no explanation for.”

One thing NJIT did in the final half was extend pressure and push the ball on offense. Army, interestingly enough, is an uptempo team, averaging 72  possessions entering the game. Wouldn’t the faster pace be better suited to the visitors?

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Exhibition loss could be a blessing in disguise for Holy Cross

WORCESTER, Mass. – Sunday’s 71-63 loss to neighboring Assumption College was certainly not what Milan Brown wanted. But regardless of the result, the Holy Cross mentor, now in his third season at the school, was surely going to come away knowing his team had a good deal of work ahead.

“We knew there were some holes that we needed to fill,” said Brown after Sunday’s game. “I’m hoping that this is a blessing in disguise for us.”

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How much will BU’s departure hurt America East?

Boston University’s departure from America East to the Patriot League is at the very least a glancing blow to the future of America East. The move came out of nowhere, at a time where it seemed that conference maneuvers for this year’s cycle were complete. But few moves may have the affect this one has.

America East survived a round of conference maneuvers over a decade ago, when three of its premier programs were among four who bolted to the Colonial Athletic Association. After that, Vermont became a powerhouse after steadily rising for several years, Boston University went on a big run and Northeastern became relevant again and then a postseason team before they, too, bolted for the CAA in 2005. But this one might be tougher to overcome.

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Colgate-NJIT: Courtside in Newark

NEWARK, N.J. – On an evening with the mercury flirting with the sixties and students taking to outdoor games as soccer and lacrosse, the Highlanders of NJIT entertained non-conference opposition Colgate on Wednesday. The Red Raiders, of the Patriot League, are struggling with a 6-15 overall mark and 1-6 slate in conference play. NJIT entered 9-11 with a 2-2 record in Great west play. The pre-game efficiencies saw both teams similar in pace. Colgate averaged 68 possessions, NJIT 69- a moderate to brisk tempo.

Efficiency-wise, Jim Engles’ NJIT club is performing at a much better rate. They are at the break even mark of efficiency (offense minus defense) with a 98.3 on offense and 97.5 defensively. Colgate, to little surprise, fills the bill of a team in the midst of a long campaign. Their efficiency margin is a -16 with 94 on offense, 110 on defense. Both marks are sub-par, to put it politely.

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Quick Hitters – January 21, 2012

Quick hitters as we head into a busy Saturday:

• If there was any doubt as to the value of a point guard, look no further than Boston University and floor leader D.J. Irving. There are a few reasons the Terriers have now won five games in a row and is tied with Stony Brook (who they beat last Saturday) atop the America East Conference, but Irving’s return to health following a concussion last month is chief among them. That was readily apparent to one opposing coach, who thinks he’s the Terriers’ best player.

  “I think they’re at their best when the ball is in his hands and getting guys shots,” said Albany head coach Will Brown.

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