Week 16: 2.20-26.84
Maryland stayed atop the poll, despite a loss at home to Clemson. Their schedule is brutal...in February, this is their schedule:
@ #17 Wake Forest (20-6) (W, 93-87)
@ #4 Duke (21-4) (W, 76-69)
vs #21 Virginia (19-6) (W, 95-86)
vs #20 Clemson (18-8) (L, 76-67)
vs #4 Duke (21-4)
vs #17 Wake Forest (20-6)
@ North Carolina State (17-10)
@ #15 North Carolina (21-6)
My goodness. It's no wonder that, despite losses, they remain atop the list.
Rice stayed at #2, while BYU leapfrogged back to #3. Duke moved up to #4, while Missouri and UTEP both dropped to fifth and six. George Washington, based on their narrow win at Marshall, dropped one spot to #11.
Code:
Top 25
# Team FPV Record Points Prv Conference test test test test
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Maryland (68) 22-5 1795 1 Atlantic Coast Conference
2. Rice (4) 21-3 1722 2 Southwest Conference
3. Brigham Young 24-3 1593 6 Western Athletic Conference
4. Duke 21-4 1593 5 Atlantic Coast Conference
5. Missouri 22-5 1533 3 Big Eight Conference
6. UTEP 21-4 1426 4 Western Athletic Conference
7. Baylor 19-5 1369 9 Southwest Conference
8. Texas A&M 21-4 1319 7 Southwest Conference
9. Princeton 21-4 1190 11 Ivy League
10. Texas Christian 22-3 1112 8 Southwest Conference
11. George Washington 28-1 1100 10 Independent
12. Kansas 20-6 987 14 Big Eight Conference
13. Southern California 20-6 916 12 Pacific-8 Conference
14. Washington 23-3 853 16 Pacific-8 Conference
15. North Carolina 21-6 832 15 Atlantic Coast Conference
16. Yale 19-4 807 13 Ivy League
17. Wake Forest 20-6 625 17 Atlantic Coast Conference
18. Cornell 19-6 539 18 Ivy League
19. Columbia 19-5 461 22 Ivy League
20. Clemson 18-8 423 NR Atlantic Coast Conference
21. Virginia 19-6 336 21 Atlantic Coast Conference
22. Pennsylvania 17-7 278 24 Ivy League
23. Indiana 20-5 227 23 Big Ten Conference
24. Nebraska 18-7 212 20 Big Eight Conference
25. California 20-6 102 25 Pacific-8 Conference
Others Receiving Votes:
Southern Methodist 18-7 46 Southwest Conference
South Carolina State 21-5 4 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
2.20.84: at Seton Hall (16-9)
The regular season ends really early (how does a season end on February 20th?) with a trip to the Big East leaders, Seton Hall. This is the kind of prep Hall needs for the final Big East stretch, and kind of a mixed bag for the Colonials. On one hand, they have the best record in the country. On the other hand, they haven't played a terrifically difficult schedule. On the third hand, a win over a potential Big East champion is a feather in the cap. On the fourth hand, it is the Big East, and they aren't any good. On the fifth hand, they have a potential #2 seed wrapped up right now. On the sixth hand, they could somehow wrangle at #1 seed if Seton Hall makes its way into the tournament, due to their RPI rising.
So many hands. So little high fives to give.
Seton Halls SOS is 196th. Says a lot right there. The Pirates do have a lot of talent, though, and are probably the future of this conference. At least, they go six-deep. Sophomores Roddy Liang Henry Ogburn, as well as junior guard Hubert Clarke, are the future. This year, though, belongs to Frank Barns. He's averaging 21.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 3.8 assists. He is your likely Big East POTY, and he'll create headaches for the defense. Then again, the kid from Detroit was supposed to, too.
The Pirates play very, very solid defense. They are 13th in the nation in points allowed, and 18th in oFG%. How much of that is blurred from the Big East, I'm not sure. But they do appear to be a more solid unit. GW will have to play better than last game to achieve victory.
Jack sets up Armbruster for the first poitns of the game. Jewel Quach, conventional son of hippies, hits SH's first points. Jack gets a tip-in of his own miss...Sandy is in early again. Interest. Davis was'bnt even in foul trouble. Jack has an early 2-4-1 line, and with thirteen to go, it's 10-9, GW.
Seton Hall appears to force ugly out of you. Armbruster scores off a Jack pass. Jack hits a three, making it 15-11. He has 5-7-2 so far. Sandy gets a lot of time because Jack can play the post. He's like a sixth starter for that reason. Just figured it out. Nothing is happening in Jersey...Stephen Paschall hits, and Pascaul Calvo ties it. Paschall gets a steal and a breakaway to give SH a 19-17 lead, but two Davis freebies tie it up. Herbert Doser scores for SH, but Davis hits a three. GW will miss his spurtability.
Woods gets a steal and a layup. Jack looks on from the bench as Grayson comes in. Doser hits a three to tie it with 4:44 left. Grayson hits his first shot. Woods gets a steal, but nothing comes of it. Hector now gets a steal...again, another empty turnover. Jack comes into the SG spot. SH is controlling the rebounds so far. This is absurd. The bigs return, and Woods gets two free throws to make it 28-24. Jack gets an and-one, and completes it. 8-8-2 for Jack, and it's 31-24. Hulett gets two free throws. GW's ability to draw constistent fouls has been fantastic lately. Jack gets two more free throws before the half, and GW ends on an 11-0 run to lead 35-24. Jack has 10-8-2 at the break...SH had 11 turnovers to five for GW.
Quach hits a three to start. Jack finds Armbruster for GW's first points. Barns, who only has three points, had a shot blocked by Jack. Jack drills a three, and the lead is 40-27. Barns hits a three, but Hulett responds from a Jack pass. Jack then finds Armbruster. His line is up to 13-10-6 after he finds Hulett. Quach scores. With 15:20 to go, it's 47-34.
Armbruster has eight points, but no rebounds. Big reason why SH is winning the board battle. Jack has eleven boards, but has it stolen from him after an offensive board. Armbruster is fouled, hits one of two. Sandy is back as GW goes small. Davis hits a three. They seem to thrive in this small lineup. Jack spends a lot more time at the four. Barns hitsa nother three, but Davis responds with one of his own. Barns hits again. I shouldn't have called out his three points. Davis hits again, but Ogburn responds. It's 57-44 with ten to go.
Quach hits, but Jack finds Davis for three. He has 18. Jack has 13-11-7. Barns hits two free throws. Jack is not hitting his shots...he's missed three in a row. Now he hits. Boom. Quach responds, and the lead stays at 12. GW is about to be in the bonus. Grayson heads to the line and gets both. It's 64-50 and Jack is out for now. Barns hits another three. He has 15 this half. Davis responds with a three. He has 21. Jack comes back and GW forces a shot clock violation. Roddy hits a three, then another. Down to 67-59. 2:53 left. Hmmm.
Barns with a steal...Liang hits another three. 67-62, 1:45 left. Hulett sinks both free throws. SH goes empty, and Quach fouls out. Woods hits both, and it's back to nine. Jack slides to the point opposite Barns. He doesn't even touch it. Clarke hits a three at the buzzer, but it's meaningless. GW wins, 71-65. Jack has 15-11-7, very pedestrian numbers for him.
No matter, though. The big stat is the standings. And GW finishes the year with the nation's top record.
Code:
George Washington 71, Seton Hall 65
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
George Washington (29-1, 0-0):
Player Pos Min Fgm-a Ftm-a Off Reb Ast PF Pts
Bruce Woods C 23 1-5 6-6 1 5 1 2 8
Brian Armbruster PF 35 4-5 2-4 0 2 0 2 10
Jack Dawkins PF 35 5-11 3-3 4 11 7 0 15
Dwight Davis SG 34 6-14 4-4 0 0 0 1 21
Richie Hulett PG 35 2-10 4-4 1 1 2 1 9
John Sandy SF 23 0-1 2-2 1 1 1 4 2
Hector Patterson PG 5 1-3 0-0 1 1 0 0 2
Porter Ali SF 4 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0
Glenn Grayson PF 5 1-2 2-2 1 1 0 1 4
Turnovers: 8 (B.Woods 1, B.Armbruster 1, J.Dawkins 2,
D.Davis 2, J.Sandy 2)
Blocked Shots: 3 (J.Dawkins 3)
Steals: 6 (B.Woods 2, B.Armbruster 1, J.Dawkins 1,
R.Hulett 1, H.Patterson 1)
3P FGs: 8-18 (B.Armbruster 0-1, J.Dawkins 2-3, D.Davis
5-7, R.Hulett 1-5, J.Sandy 0-1, H.Patterson 0-1)
Seton Hall (16-10, 9-4):
Player Pos Min Fgm-a Ftm-a Off Reb Ast PF Pts
Don Sullivan PF 38 1-7 0-0 0 9 0 2 2
Jewel Quach PF 34 6-8 0-0 1 3 1 5 13
Roderick Liang SF 29 6-8 0-0 4 10 2 4 15
Hubert Clarke SG 26 1-2 0-0 0 1 3 3 3
Frank Barns PG 35 5-12 2-2 2 3 4 3 17
Henry Ogburn PG 17 1-1 0-0 0 0 5 4 2
Pascual Calvo SG 12 1-3 0-0 0 0 0 0 2
Herbert Doser SF 6 2-3 0-0 0 2 1 0 5
Stephen Paschall PF 3 3-3 0-0 1 2 0 0 6
Turnovers: 21 (D.Sullivan 3, J.Quach 2, R.Liang 2,
H.Clarke 5, F.Barns 3, H.Ogburn 3, P.Calvo 1, H.Doser
2)
Blocked Shots: 3 (D.Sullivan 1, J.Quach 1, R.Liang 1)
Steals: 3 (F.Barns 1, P.Calvo 1, S.Paschall 1)
3P FGs: 11-21 (D.Sullivan 0-1, J.Quach 1-1, R.Liang
3-5, H.Clarke 1-1, F.Barns 5-10, P.Calvo 0-1, H.Doser
1-2)
Player of Game: PF Jack Dawkins (GW)