“We like to push the tempo,” assistant
coach Jay Harris said. Ok now you know all you need to about LIU, well basically. This team is fast, very fast.
The Blackbirds average 79.5 points/game, good enough for fifth best in the country. JMU has only scored 80+ five times this season while the Blackbirds have done that 16 times.
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| Jack Perri |
“Our perfect game would be in the
eighties,” Harris added.
They also make most of the shots they throw up. LIU shoots 48% from the floor, which ranks tenth in the nation. Set offenses are something of foreign territory to the Blackbirds. I'm actually very interested to see if coach Jack Perri even uses a clipboard on the sidelines to sketch. I'm convinced he just gives out water bottles and oxygen masks during timeouts.
“Halfcourt set means we got an
offensive rebound,” Harris joked while talking with Mr. JMU, Curt Dudley.
LIU comes out of the Northeastern Conference. Their road to the First Four entailed the program's third straight conference tournament title. This year they beat Mt. St. Mary's. They're use to this environment. In their last two trips to the dance, they were sent home early by Michigan St. and UNC, both elite teams.
“It’ll be a benefit up until the tip
and then all that goes out the window," Harris said of their experience.
"Of course we'll have nerves our first time here, but coach is telling us to be humble and just play within ourselves like we've been doing all year," A.J. Davis said. "So we should be good."
"Of course we'll have nerves our first time here, but coach is telling us to be humble and just play within ourselves like we've been doing all year," A.J. Davis said. "So we should be good."
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| Jason Brickman |
The Long Island roster features a healthy amount of talent. Three players, Jamal Olasewere (18.9), Julian Boyd (18.5), and C.J. Garner (16.1) all average in double figures. Perri also fields the nations best quarterback per say. Jason Brickman, the Blackbird point guard averages 8.5 assists/game, best in the nation.
This game will be fast pace to say the least. Harris joked he hopes his team leaves viewers with whiplash Wednesday night.
“I think we’ve got a good idea of what they’re going to do," Brady said Monday.
COMMON GROUND
Their is one common opponent between the two squads. Early in the season, LIU beat CAA member Hofstra 88-84. JMU routed the Pride 62-41 in Harrisonburg during conference play. Also, a lot of people compare LIU to Douquesne in terms of play style. Duquesne (the only other NCAA school named 'The Dukes') beat JMU 90-88 in overtime back in November.
“I think we’ve got a good idea of what they’re going to do," Brady said Monday.
COMMON GROUND
Their is one common opponent between the two squads. Early in the season, LIU beat CAA member Hofstra 88-84. JMU routed the Pride 62-41 in Harrisonburg during conference play. Also, a lot of people compare LIU to Douquesne in terms of play style. Duquesne (the only other NCAA school named 'The Dukes') beat JMU 90-88 in overtime back in November.
JMU KEYS TO THE GAME
On paper, this game is pretty even. The Blackbirds (168) and Dukes (186) are very close in the RPI rankings.
I think there are two ways Coach Brady and JMU can approach this matchup. First they can attempt to match the pace that LIU is going to try and set or they can use their lethal defense to set a controlling JMU pace that they can succeed in.
Brady told the media Tuesday pace "is the single biggest factor in this game."
"This is very similar to me as Northeastern, I think figuring out what the pace is and making sure you make really good decisions. Obviously, LIU is one of the leanest scoring teams in the country, and they would prefer to have this game in the high 80s. We're not equipped to do that just yet. My young guys are not as good of shooters as they will be a year from now, when they'll be able to get in the gym in the off‑season. So we're playing against a team that's really fast with really good athletes that can shoot," Brady said. "We think it's really important that our defense makes this game go deeper into possessions than maybe they might be comfortable with."
"This is very similar to me as Northeastern, I think figuring out what the pace is and making sure you make really good decisions. Obviously, LIU is one of the leanest scoring teams in the country, and they would prefer to have this game in the high 80s. We're not equipped to do that just yet. My young guys are not as good of shooters as they will be a year from now, when they'll be able to get in the gym in the off‑season. So we're playing against a team that's really fast with really good athletes that can shoot," Brady said. "We think it's really important that our defense makes this game go deeper into possessions than maybe they might be comfortable with."
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| Nation averages 1.7 steals/game |
If the Dukes can play some of their best defense of the season, they'll win this game "fairly comfortably" as ESPN's Joe Lunardi predicted of the outcome. Lunardi also said he felt like JMU had more talent, "particularly on the offensive end."The defense will need to be ignited by freshman standout, Andre Nation. His 'Zip Em' Up' defense has earned Nation some national attention on the defensive end. When the team causes turnovers, they are able to get out in transition and rack up points quickly. The Dukes rank 61st in the nation at 7.9 steals/game.
As you know by now, JMU will be without their big man and leading scorer, Rayshawn Goins for the first half Wednesday night. He was suspended Monday evening by coach Matt Brady for his Sunday night arrest in Harrisonburg. The Dukes have used 14 different lineups in their 34 games this season. In 33 games accounting for 13 of the lineups, Goins was featured as one of the forwards. Will this affect the Dukes' game plan?
"Quite frankly, not a lot,” Brady said. “We are conditioned to play without Ray. If you paid attention to our team then you’ve seen us play a lot of minutes without him.”
Brady called the situation just "a blip on the radar." While that may seem true with all the adversity he's faced over the years, it's hard to deny any repercussions by these events. It was a true 'party foul.'
“It’s not going to necessarily be the best team to have him on the bench,” he added.
"Quite frankly, not a lot,” Brady said. “We are conditioned to play without Ray. If you paid attention to our team then you’ve seen us play a lot of minutes without him.”
Brady called the situation just "a blip on the radar." While that may seem true with all the adversity he's faced over the years, it's hard to deny any repercussions by these events. It was a true 'party foul.'
“It’s not going to necessarily be the best team to have him on the bench,” he added.
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| Goins has played in 33 games this season |
Brady will have to do some thinking. In the CAA tournament, Brady used the five of: Devon Moore, Andre Nation, A.J. Davis, Alioune Diouf, and Goins. He told me he doesn't want to mess with this. Why would he, it brought him three wins in three days. Because this game will be played at such a fast pace, expect the Dukes to go small. I would expect Taylor Bessick to fill Goins' first half absence in the starting five. If this begins to go south, then Brady will most likely implement Charles Cooke and Ron Curry for basically a four guard set.
“We’re prepared to go with the small lineup," Brady said.
As mentioned earlier, tomorrow night's game is somewhat of a homecoming for Moore, Davis, Goins, who are all Ohio natives.
“It’s going to be a nice feeling playing in front of our friends and family again,” Moore said.
In the end, JMU can win this way if they are able to set the tempo and enforce their defensive pressure. The Dukes are 61st in the Nation with 7.9 steals/game. Forcing Blackbird turnovers will be crucial tomorrow night. If they're able to disrupt LIU's video game speed, they will control the outcome.
I'm also in full belief that a Moore to Davis alley-oop is necessary in a JMU victory. It gets the team rollin' and in an NCAA tournament game, you need momentum and confidence like this. Nation and the Dukes will attempt to 'Zip em' up' tomorrow night and stay in Dayton a few more days.
Tomorrow night's winner will take on #1 Indiana Friday afternoon at 4:10 p.m. inside Dayton Arena.
“Our guys will be fired up to play their best basketball," Brady concluded.
It will be the largest crowd JMU has played in front of this season. Previously the largest was 7,554 on opening night at UCLA. The Dukes lost 100-70. The games in Dayton have already brought in over 12,000 in the first night of games.
"I couldn't be prouder of the group that we have that really faced a number of opportunities worth of adversity, and we had a great weekend last weekend in Richmond, won the CAA title, and now here we are in Dayton and glad to be here," Brady said.
“Our guys will be fired up to play their best basketball," Brady concluded.
It will be the largest crowd JMU has played in front of this season. Previously the largest was 7,554 on opening night at UCLA. The Dukes lost 100-70. The games in Dayton have already brought in over 12,000 in the first night of games.
"I couldn't be prouder of the group that we have that really faced a number of opportunities worth of adversity, and we had a great weekend last weekend in Richmond, won the CAA title, and now here we are in Dayton and glad to be here," Brady said.
**Fun fact: JMU radio commentator, Mike Schikman learned how to do play-by-play commentary at LIU-Brooklyn. Him and Curt Dudley will be on the call tomorrow night for MadiZone. Check it out, they're fantastic at it.
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