January 14, 1985 Poll
Duke and GW could be on that collision course I hoped for early in the year. The Blue Devils are 15-0, as is GW. Duke stayed atop the polls, where they have been all year, ahead of Rice, Southern Cal, Missouri, BYU, Baylor, TCU, and GW. The Colonials stay at 8, having been leapt by TCU. That will change as the Southwest begins conference play soon.
I jinxed Alabama. They lost for the first time last week, falling to 5-10 Kentucky.
(Note: Polls printed on Saturday, January 19th.)
Code:
Top 25
# Team FPV Record Points Prv Conference test test test test
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1. Duke (71) 16-0 1799 1 Atlantic Coast Conference
2. Rice (1) 15-1 1727 2 Southwest Conference
3. Southern California 16-1 1616 4 Pacific-8 Conference
4. Missouri 14-1 1614 5 Big Eight Conference
5. Brigham Young 14-1 1505 6 Western Athletic Conference
6. Baylor 14-1 1449 3 Southwest Conference
7. Texas Christian 14-1 1301 9 Southwest Conference
8. George Washington 15-0 1285 8 Independent
9. Kansas 13-2 1285 7 Big Eight Conference
10. Virginia 13-3 1137 12 Atlantic Coast Conference
11. Clemson 15-2 1069 10 Atlantic Coast Conference
12. UTEP 13-2 1011 13 Western Athletic Conference
13. Princeton 10-1 860 11 Ivy League
14. Cornell 13-2 858 14 Ivy League
15. Texas Tech 13-2 836 15 Southwest Conference
16. Pennsylvania 13-3 763 16 Ivy League
17. Yale 14-2 661 18 Ivy League
18. Wake Forest 11-3 488 21 Atlantic Coast Conference
19. Maryland 11-3 466 17 Atlantic Coast Conference
20. Bradley 16-1 410 22 Missouri Valley Conference
21. Florida 14-2 382 NR Southeastern Conference
22. California 12-2 361 23 Pacific-8 Conference
23. Alabama 14-1 164 20 Southeastern Conference
24. North Carolina State 12-2 160 19 Atlantic Coast Conference
25. Purdue 12-3 79 NR Big Ten Conference
Others Receiving Votes:
North Carolina 11-4 55 Atlantic Coast Conference
Nebraska 11-4 34 Big Eight Conference
Colorado State 11-3 15 Western Athletic Conference
Arkansas 11-3 6 Southwest Conference
Kansas State 13-4 4 Big Eight Conference
January 19, 1985: at La Salle (7-7)
The Explorers are going through a rebuild, as they have three seniors, one junior, two sophomores, and eight freshmen on their roster. They're also hurting; starting point guard Tony Gholston has been injured for the last eight games, and won't suit up. Starting C, and old friend, Tom Ford is banged up. The Explorers have reached the last three NCAA tournaments, including an Elite Eight appearance two years ago...they don't project to be there for a fourth consecutive time.
Jeff King, who I reminded you last year would become third baseman for the Pittsburgh Pirates in the late 80s, is averaging 18.5 points a game. Canadian tongue twister Thierry Desmillescamp averages 11.5 points a game as a freshman. He was the 63rd overall recruit in last year's class. Randal Burt, a sophomore guard, is putting up 10.7 points a game in increased time over last year. The Explorers have plaeyd a slowed down pace over years past...but they also let teams score on them, and do so effectively.
Hulett gets a steal immediately, and gets it to Kenny for a dunk. Demillescamp hits a three to open things up for La Salle. Tomford has a pretty bad minute or so, getting tied up, and tossing the ball into the stands twice. Jack finds kenny for three. Hulett scores off a Woods pass. Jack finds Woods in the corner for a bucket...Kenny gets a steal and a layup. He has 7, and it's 11-3, GW, with three minutes played.
Tomford scores. Stan Peters gets a dunk and a foul...it's 11-8. Armbruster gets fouled, he misses both. Such a bad free throw shooter. Desmillescamp hits a three to tie it...Kenny breaks the press and gets a layup. Armbruster gets fouled and the bucket. Demillescamp hits another three. He has nine. He gets a a steal and a dunk. It's 18-16 after Kenny responds with a three. Jack has yet to take a shot yet. But he'll go to the line, after Peters gets a T. He hits both, then finds Hulett for three. It's 23-16. Jack has a 2-2-3 line.
Jack finds Hulett again. His ability to find teammates for easy open looks is amazing. Jack misses his first actual shot, taken with 10:47 left. Grayson hits off a Jack pass. 27-16. Hector comes in and hits a three. Chris Smith responds with a layup, but Jack gets fouled...he hits both the other way, and it's 32-18 with 9:29 left.
Smith gets a steal, and gets fouled by Grason. He misses both. Jack finds Perez for a bucket. Tomford gets two freebies the other way, and Hector is fouled. He gets two freebies. It's 36-20. Tyler Daniel gets two free throws...these two teams are being pretty chippy with one another. Jack sits with 7:38 left, and the score 38-22.
He comes back a minute later, as Tomford scores. Then he fouls Woods, who hits one of two. Jack gets fouled by Jonathan Freeman, scores the bucket, but has a rare miss at the line. Hulett gets a steal and a layup at the other end. Jack gets a three. GW has run away with this thing...it's 46-28 with 3:44 left. Jack has a 9-4-6 line.
King hits a three. Jack commits his second foul. King hits two free throws, and the lead is down to eleven. Ali skies for a dunk, but Burt responds for three. Jack gets a steal and a dunk...King responds with a dunk of his own. Jack finds Armbruster, and Hector gets a steal and a layup. Tomford is fouled by Perez, and he scores. He has 8-6-0. Jack is out of the game for the rest of the first half, which ends with GW up, 55-44. The Colonials shot 66%, but let La Salle shoot 50%. The Explorers also outrebounded the Colonials, 19-13. GW does have six steals in the half, something they are incredibly proficient at.
Jack has an 11-4-7 line as the half begins. Kenny has 12, Hulett 11, with three fouls. Burt hits a three, and here comes La Salle, down eight. Jack finds Kenny for a bucket. Jack is blocked by Tomford, and Freeman finds Burt. Hulett rushes up a three...Freeman gets a dunk, and it's 57-51. Ford has 8-13-1 numbers. Jack gets a steal, but Armbruster gets blocked. Hard to believe Armbruster (4-2-0) is the same guy who started the season with 17 points and 17 boards. Hulett hits a three, Jack gets a steal and a layup at the other end. Back to 62-51 with 13:20 left.
Jack finds Woods for an easy dunk. Desmillescamp hits a three. Jack sits for a moment, and Armbruster charges into Freeman. Burt scores, and it's 64-58. Jack gets his third foul. He gets a rebound and scores on the other end. He has a 15-6-9 line at the moment. Jack gets fouled, and makes both. 68-58, 9:46 left.
Jack gets a steal on the next possession, and a layup on the other end. He leads all scorers with 19. Desmillescamp has 16 for La Salle. Armbruster goes 1-2 from the line, making it 71-58, and an Explorers timeout. GW is imposing its defensive will, but Burt hits a three to respond to Hector's three. Jack gets an and-one on Ford...he has 22-8-9. It's 77-61, and the game doesn't feel close now.
Jack scores off an Armbruster pass. Danny Cervantes scores. Hulett responds. Jack comes out with 2:19 left, the only starter not on the floor, which is odd. There's a minute left, and the score is 81-63. La Salle put up a great fight, but ran out of gas and GW's defense tighthed up. The final is 81-63. Desmillescamp did his damage in the first half, and scored only three in the second. GW held La Salle to just 19 points in the second half. Jack went 24-9-9 with four steals and a block.
Code:
George Washington 81, La Salle 63
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George Washington (16-0, 0-0):
Player Pos Min Fgm-a Ftm-a Off Reb Ast PF Pts
Brian Armbruster C 37 2-8 1-5 2 5 1 2 5
Bruce Woods PF 27 2-4 1-2 2 6 2 3 5
Jack Dawkins SF 35 8-14 7-8 1 9 9 3 24
Kenneth Frazier SG 29 6-9 0-0 0 2 1 2 14
Richie Hulett PG 31 7-13 0-0 0 4 2 3 16
Hector Patterson PG 21 3-6 2-2 1 1 0 0 10
Glenn Grayson PF 12 1-1 1-2 0 0 0 2 3
Denny Perez C 4 1-1 0-0 0 1 0 3 2
Porter Ali SF 4 1-2 0-0 0 1 0 1 2
David Echevarria PF 1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0
Turnovers: 9 (B.Armbruster 3, B.Woods 4, H.Patterson 2)
Blocked Shots: 3 (B.Armbruster 1, J.Dawkins 1, R.Hulett
1)
Steals: 9 (J.Dawkins 4, K.Frazier 1, R.Hulett 2,
H.Patterson 2)
3P FGs: 7-17 (B.Armbruster 0-3, J.Dawkins 1-3,
K.Frazier 2-4, R.Hulett 2-4, H.Patterson 2-3)
La Salle (7-8, 0-0):
Player Pos Min Fgm-a Ftm-a Off Reb Ast PF Pts
Jonathan Freeman C 19 1-3 0-0 0 3 1 4 2
Thomas Ford C 34 3-6 2-3 4 15 1 3 8
Jeffrey King SF 27 3-5 2-2 1 3 5 1 9
T. Desmillescamp SG 26 5-13 2-2 0 3 1 2 16
Randal Burt PG 34 5-11 2-2 1 2 1 1 15
Stan Peters SF 16 2-5 1-1 2 3 1 2 5
Chris Smith SG 11 1-3 0-4 0 1 0 1 2
Daniel Cervantes PF 25 1-3 2-2 3 6 0 0 4
Gerald Lemaster SF 5 0-2 0-0 0 0 0 1 0
Tyler Daniel C 2 0-0 2-4 0 0 0 1 2
Turnovers: 19 (T.Ford 2, J.King 3, T.Desmillescamp 5,
R.Burt 5, S.Peters 2, C.Smith 1, D.Cervantes 1)
Blocked Shots: 3 (T.Ford 3)
Steals: 3 (T.Desmillescamp 1, R.Burt 1, C.Smith 1)
3P FGs: 8-21 (J.King 1-2, T.Desmillescamp 4-7, R.Burt
3-7, S.Peters 0-2, C.Smith 0-1, G.Lemaster 0-2)
Player of Game: SF Jack Dawkins (GW)