The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

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  • waytofailself
    MVP
    • Feb 2011
    • 1522

    #106
    Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)


    Spartans Return Home, Get Coldcocked by Chanticleers

    It all started so well for the Spartans. Although they had only played one game at home so far this season, they had managed to string together three straight wins. This momentum carried them well into the beginning of the game, as the Norfolk State jumped out to a quick 9 point lead.

    But then along came Holloway and Neiman. The sharpshooting Chanticleers could not and would not be denied, as they moved the ball effectively across the court and found open shots within their offense. The skill and grace with which they played was a testament to their skill and time experience together. A packed house did not seem to phase them.

    The same cannot be said for Elton Cowen. He started the game strong enough, but somewhere along the way he lost his shot. But not only did he lose it, but he kept shooting and kept shooting instead of looking for the open man. In fact, Cowen's shooting woes illustrated another problem for the Spartans -- they could not get their inside game going. The Chanticleers played a very strong 2-3 zone that disrupted entry passes and forced the Spartans to make something happen from the outside.

    No one could step up consistently, and the final score leaves the Spartans on the losing end of the game at home, 88-80.

    That is not to say the game was not competitive. The Spartans were able to even the score four different times throughout the game. They even jumped to a five point lead to start the second half. However, Coastal Carolina always had a response, and it was almost always from beyond the arc or from the base line. They even extended their lead as far as 12 points before the game was over in one final impressive scoring push highlighted by 7 straight points from Holloway. In the end, the Spartans put on an impressive offensive display by scoring 80 points. They were just outdone by the more efficient, more spectacular offense of the Chanticleers.

    Dec 1, 2012 - CCU at NORF
    TEAM1ST2NDSCORE
    Coastal Carolina (3-4)454388
    Norfolk State (4-2)453580
    Coastal Carolina
    STARTERSMINFGM-A3PM-AFTM-AREBASTSTLBLKTOPTS
    A. Raffa256-161-74-521420317
    D. Holloway2810-193-51-33410024
    D. Nieman246-143-60-02100115
    S. McLaurin165-90-00-010311010
    I. Gansey234-50-00-0801108
    BENCHMINFGM-A3PM-AFTM-AREBASTSTLBLKTOPTS
    E. Millar132-32-20-0130016
    M. Nash132-30-00-0611004
    L. Northern-- DID NOT PLAY --
    P. Harris82-30-00-0401104
    T. Adingono-- DID NOT PLAY --
    K. Garrett-- DID NOT PLAY --
    T. Lenzly-- DID NOT PLAY --
    TEAM TOTALS37-729-205-8362673588
    Norfolk State
    STARTERSMINFGM-A3PM-AFTM-AREBASTSTLBLKTOPTS
    R. Casey233-61-30-0031017
    E. Cowen215-151-81-12500112
    R. Hancock237-110-03-34000217
    J. Doss248-130-03-316211019
    G. Seymour235-110-00-07201110
    BENCHMINFGM-A3PM-AFTM-AREBASTSTLBLKTOPTS
    T. Schmidt70-20-01-2001001
    D. Mihailovic120-10-10-0160000
    T. Friend93-60-00-0200006
    P. Williams72-50-20-0100024
    M. Johnson-- DID NOT PLAY --
    J. Weathers-- DID NOT PLAY --
    R. Maye22-20-00-0000004
    TEAM TOTALS35-722-148-9331932780


    Coach West: "They were just the better team. We executed well on offense, but could not get it together on defense. This is a game I'd like to have back, because even though they were the better team I think we could have won this game. But we didn't. We let it slip away, and there's no do overs in Division I."
    The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH 2k8 Legacy - Ended)

    Comment

    • waytofailself
      MVP
      • Feb 2011
      • 1522

      #107
      Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

      Norfolk State vs. Utah Valley
      W: 66-48
      Notable: The Spartans avenge last year's surprising non-conference loss by throttling the opposition in the first half. The scoring was well balanced all around, with both Doss and Seymour finishing with double-doubles. Unfortunately, Casey suffered a leg injury during the game and will be out for at least the next two weeks. That is a tough blow, considering the Spartan's lead play maker will be unavailable for their next marquee match up.



      Surging Hokies Battle Surprising Spartans

      In one of the marquee David vs. Goliath match ups of the week, two teams that have soared above expectations meet in Blacksburg. The #23 ranked Hokies come into the game on a strong 6-0 start under new coach Shaka Smart, and they have overachieved in beating the likes of Alabama, Rutgers, and Purdue. Meanwhile, the Spartans, under third year coach Guy West, are playing well beyond their age and experience and are not to be taken lightly.

      Both coaches seemed to be furious with how loose the game was being called, but West was closer to being on the verge of drawing a T. Play after play the Spartans would have a fast break look towards the basket. Time after time, the officials called a blocking foul but said it was before the act of shooting. Meanwhile, Coach Smart was upset with the low elbows Spartan players were throwing to get rebounds, but only two over the back calls were made the whole game.

      Officiating aside, the Spartans were able to stay in the game largely because of Doss picking up the team and carrying it on his shoulders. His stat line stands out for the whole game, 22 points 18 rebounds, and he deserves plenty of credit for leading the Spartans to another power conference upset over the Hokies: 77-65.

      However, it was Coach West preaching defense (the shame!) and making some key halftime adjustments in the second half that turned the game. In the first half Cowen and Mihailovic were getting eaten alive by Virginia Tech's Tyrone Garland and super frosh Michael Barley. The two combined for 25 of the Hokies 43 first half points. But when Coach West subbed in Williams (6'7") and moved Hancock (6'8") to guard Virginia Tech's leading scorers, he managed to shut them down almost entirely. Both Williams and Hancock have the size of power positions but the speed of guards, and the Hokies' wide open baskets became a thing of the past.

      It was on the Spartans to capitalize on their defense, and the surge was led by Doss, Mihailovic, and Friend. The latter two, who had missed all of their field goal attempts in the first half, became very assertive. DM even took one defensive rebound coast to coast and finished with a powerful jam. Friend was active not only on the glass with good put backs, but also defensively swatting at and diving for loose balls.

      In the end both teams put up very good efforts, but the Hokies found themselves unable to counter West's halftime adjustments. As a result, the Spartans get to celebrate for the whole five hour bus ride back to Norfolk.

      Dec 12, 2012 - NORF at VT
      TEAM1ST2NDSCORE
      Norfolk State (5-3)423577
      #23 Virginia Tech (6-0)432265
      Norfolk State
      STARTERSMINFGM-A3PM-AFTM-AREBASTSTLBLKTOPTS
      D. Mihailovic243-80-40-0490016
      E. Cowen194-131-30-0231009
      R. Hancock213-50-02-2310018
      J. Doss2111-160-02-218020124
      G. Seymour187-130-00-18001014
      BENCHMINFGM-A3PM-AFTM-AREBASTSTLBLKTOPTS
      T. Schmidt81-30-00-0100002
      T. Friend133-90-00-0603106
      P. Williams112-40-10-0120014
      M. Johnson10-00-00-0000020
      J. Weathers20-10-00-0001000
      K. Brown51-40-00-0120002
      R. Maye71-30-00-0111002
      TEAM TOTALS36-791-84-5451882677
      Virginia Tech
      STARTERSMINFGM-A3PM-AFTM-AREBASTSTLBLKTOPTS
      T. Garland275-122-42-31110314
      M. Barley247-140-22-21410116
      J. Eddie255-223-30-09302113
      A. Chaney242-30-02-21240106
      M. Werch253-100-01-2720117
      BENCHMINFGM-A3PM-AFTM-AREBASTSTLBLKTOPTS
      C. Raines51-10-00-0210012
      F. Severovas30-00-00-0001000
      K. Ramelli153-51-20-0231027
      M. Atkins20-00-00-0000000
      M. Helms-- DID NOT PLAY --
      C. Dilligard-- DID NOT PLAY --
      E. Green-- DID NOT PLAY --
      TEAM TOTALS26-676-177-9341844965

      Coach West: "Our defense won tonight. There are a few things I could say about certain things, or calls, that were beyond our control -- but our team adjusted well in a hostile environment. Not everyone's performance shows up on the stat line either. Hancock and Williams were both very disruptive on defense in the second half, and Doss did an outstanding job of gobbling up the defensive rebounds. That's why we're walking away today with a victory."
      Last edited by waytofailself; 05-04-2011, 01:19 AM.
      The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH 2k8 Legacy - Ended)

      Comment

      • TDenverFan
        MVP
        • Jan 2011
        • 3457

        #108
        Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

        Nice upsets over Bama and VTech!
        Football: Denver Broncos
        Baseball: Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs
        Hockey: Allentown Phantoms
        NCAA: The College of William and Mary Tribe


        William and Mary Class of 2018!

        Comment

        • waytofailself
          MVP
          • Feb 2011
          • 1522

          #109
          Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

          Originally posted by TDenverFan
          Nice upsets over Bama and VTech!
          Thanks! Interestingly, I could kind of "feel it" from the start instead of it feeling like a fluke victory. I'm liking these sliders -- the games are competitive but I can still win some games I shouldn't and lose games I should.


          2012-2013 Recruiting Update

          With the Spartans making two straight NCAA appearances and coming off two big winning seasons, the recruits are not exactly lining up to travel to Norfolk. This could have a lot to do with the large recruiting classes from the past two years essentially carving out an 8 man rotation for the squad. Still, Coach West has expressed public concern at the number of recruits who have shown a great deal of interest, only to change their mind at the last minute. He would not name names nor schools, but it was enough recruits to bear mentioning in public.

          Norfolk State Incoming Recruit 2012-2013
          #NAMEPOSHTWTCLASSHOMETOWN
          122Jamar Ball ***SF6'7"222HS SRRocky Mount, NC

          The one signee Coach West had to announce was Jamar Ball, a solid small forward prospect who is highly intelligent and athletic. His shooting and defensive skills will need polish, but he's shown a willingness to learn the game at all levels and is really what one could call a "self made" player. Expect him to be good on the boards early.

          Norfolk State at Radford
          W: 70-58
          Notable: After being down by seven at the half, the Spartans made a comeback by cutting down the turnovers (11 in the first half, 1 in the second). Taking care of the ball allowed them to take advantage of their superior size, and Seymour and Friend stepped up their game for 6 second half blocks.

          Norfolk State vs. Louisiana Monroe
          W: 64-62
          Notable: The game should have never been this close, but no one could hit a shot in the second half. Not a single Spartan reached double figures, but in the end they were able to ice the game by making 4 straight free throws. That was fortunate, because ULM's underrated front court had a field day with Norfolk State's usually stalwart group.

          Cougar Classic Game 1
          Norfolk State vs. Old Dominion
          L: 54-63
          Notable: The Spartans scoring woes continue, starting with Cowen .200 shooing percentage in the last three games. The game was not as close as the final score indicated, as Old Dominion broke out to a large first half lead and put the breaks on the game in the second half. Doss did everything he could filling the stat sheet, but the rest of the team could not support him. And once again the Spartan front court was a defensive liability and could not compete for rebounds.

          Cougar Classic Game 2
          Norfolk State vs. Campbell
          W: 73-46
          Notable: Trouncing the 1-13 Fighting Camels may not prove much, but it at least shows the Spartans can play defense against someone by holding them to under 50 points. Cowen was injured early, and Williams and Mihailovic were effective in playing the role of shooting guard by committee. Cown will be out for the next few weeks -- maybe he can recover from his shooting slump while he's out.

          Norfolk State vs. Old Dominion
          W: 78-67
          Notable: How did the Spartans manage to avenge their loss in the Cougar Classic last week? By riding the hot hand. Norfolk State began to get on a roll in the second half with Mihailovic running the point and reserves Williams, Friend, and Johnson in the lineup. The result was building a lead that swelled as high a 15 points.

          So there ends the non-conference schedule. Next post, a MEAC preview (yes, for real this time). The Spartans enter conference play 10-4, easily the best record of the conference -- they it's another MEAC team represented in the Mid-Major top 25. Hmm...
          The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH 2k8 Legacy - Ended)

          Comment

          • waytofailself
            MVP
            • Feb 2011
            • 1522

            #110
            Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

            NCAA Hoops Rankings - AP Top 25 - Updated: Jan 8, 2013
            RKLWTEAM (VOTES)RECORD
            11Florida13-0
            22Connecticut14-1
            33NC State16-0
            48UCLA12-2
            59Syracuse11-3
            67Arizona State15-0
            74Duke10-3
            86Marquette13-2
            914Kansas11-2
            1013LSU13-3
            115South Carolina12-2
            1218Charlotte15-1
            1310Tennessee13-3
            1420Villanova12-3
            1512Clemson13-2
            1624Texas13-2
            1715Dayton13-2
            1822Arkansas14-2
            1925Saint Mary's11-2
            20NRMemphis13-3
            2116Saint Louis12-2
            2211Illinois11-4
            2317Saint Joseph's12-3
            2421Arizona13-3
            2519Oregon State12-3
            The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH 2k8 Legacy - Ended)

            Comment

            • waytofailself
              MVP
              • Feb 2011
              • 1522

              #111
              Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)


              2013 Preview

              Prognosticators tended to tab Morgan State (#12 in the Mid-Major Top 25) as the runaway favorites thie year because of their strong senior nucleus of future NBA first rounders Kevin Thompson and Dewayne Jackson. And as the season starts the pundits are still sticking to their guns. Even though both Howard, led by Senior PF Mike Phillips, and Norfolk State, a team full of talented freshmen and sophomores, look like they could make a run at Morgan State's top spot, the straw poll still shows the Bears as the team to beat.

              Predicted Conference Finish
              #1 Morgan State (80)
              #2 Norfolk State (78)
              #3 Howard (68)
              #4 South Carolina State (70)
              #5 Bethune-Cookman (70)
              #6 Coppin State (68)
              #7 NC A&T (68)
              #8 Delaware State (68)
              #9 MD-Eastern Shore (63)
              #10 Winston-Salem State (67)
              #11 Florida A&M (68)
              #12 Hampton (64)

              So far the MEAC has done a pretty scatter-shot job in non-conference play. Some teams, like Delaware State and Florida A&M, have struggled despite having relatively easy non conference schedules. On the other hand, teams like Howard and MD-Eastern shore have been playing well above expectations so far this year. It will be interesting to see how the records balance out once conference play starts, as it would seem the MEAC has been steadily improving in quality over the past few years.

              MEAC Preseason Accolades

              Best Overall Player
              Dewayne Jackson (83), SR SF Morgan State

              Best Freshman
              Jerrold Doss (76), FR PF Norfolk State

              Best Shooter
              Dewayne Jackson (83) SR SF Morgan State

              Best Playmaker
              Randall Casey (72) FR PG Norfolk State

              Best Pro Prospect
              Dewayne Jackson (First Round) Morgan State

              Best Defender
              Brandon Doughty (75) SR PF Coppin State

              MEAC Conference Standings - Updated: Jan 8, 2013
              TEAMRECPCTCONF
              Norfolk State10-4.7141-0
              Morgan State8-4.6661-0
              Howard8-4.6661-0
              NC A&T5-6.4540-1
              South Carolina State5-7.4162-0
              Bethune-Cookman4-6.4001-1
              MD-Eastern Shore5-10.3331-0
              WSSU3-7.3000-1
              Coppin State3-8.2720-0
              Delaware State2-12.1420-2
              Hampton2-12.1420-1
              Florida A&M0-13.0000-1
              Last edited by waytofailself; 05-05-2011, 10:48 AM.
              The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH 2k8 Legacy - Ended)

              Comment

              • waytofailself
                MVP
                • Feb 2011
                • 1522

                #112
                Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)


                First vs. Worst in the Game of the Year

                With a rebound by Doss, the shot clock went off. The Spartans knew exactly what play they would run, and no one needed to say anything to get ready. Twenty five seconds left, plenty of time to deliberately run down the clock and take the last shot. After an improbable, frantic, back and forth game, Casey brought the ball up court with the score tied 84-84.

                The play itself was simple -- the execution was key. Casey cheated right, then went left, passed the ball to Hancock on the wing. He waited for the defender to come and help, then fed the ball to Seymour waiting in the post. Just a simple isolation play. Seymour dribbled, took his time, and established position. Before the late help finally came, he turned and drained a turnaround shot with 3.4 seconds to go. All 7000 fans in Echols Arena erupted. The Spartans had escaped the most stringent test they have faced all season at the hands of the winless Florida A&M Rattlers.

                Except there was 3.4 seconds on the clock. Miggins passed the ball in, and before the press could collapse on Avery Moore he threw a perfect pass down the court to Taquan Souchu. The freshman had made it behind the defense and was waiting at the three point line. Although not normally a prolific shooter, he had already hit 3 three pointers this game. He launched the ball just before time expired. It sailed forward, looked true, and bounced off the rim.

                No, not bounced. It floated off the rim. It went straight up, high above the shot clock, and stopped. Everything in Echols arena stopped with it.

                "I looked at it and though, 'No way, we won it already," Casey reflected after the game.

                "I didn't think he got the shot off in time," said Seymour after the game.

                "Honestly, that ball was up there long enough for me to reflect on every moment in the game where we could have executed better and avoided this situation entirely," lamented Coach West. "Once it hit the rim I knew it was going in. They had gotten too many good bounces off that rim during the second half already."

                Eventually, the ball did begin its descent. As it sunk through the net, shock sunk into the Spartan faithful. Souchu was mobbed by his teammates and coaches as the Rattlers claimed victory 87-86.

                The loss will leave Coach West plenty to think about, as his team once again found itself playing down to the competition. His players rushed shots, passed into traffic, and could not build a consistent lead. His team got out hustled and out worked in the second half, and the Rattlers' barrage of 3 pointers proved deadly to the Spartans. Even after finally scrapping and fighting to crawl to a six point half time lead, the Spartans allowed the Rattlers to score the first 8 points of the second half. From there the game was back and forth -- and all an underdog needs is to be in the game with just a few minutes left.

                Credit must also go to Florida A&M for their perseverance. Until this game, they had not eclipsed 60 points in any of their games this season. Yet they did not back down from their game plan. They isolated their best shooters on the wings against a Spartan defense that continues to struggle to defend the three point line, and they fired and fired until the shots began to rain in.

                And in the end, it was the unlikeliest of heroes that saved the Rattlers. The freshman from Atlanta did not even flinch when the ball went his way. Souchu found position behind Hancock, and he made the shot of his life.

                Jan 9, 2013 - FAMU at NORF
                TEAM1ST2NDSCORE
                Florida A&M (0-13) (0-1)
                394887
                Norfolk State (10-4) (1-0)454186
                Florida A&M
                STARTERSMINFGM-A3PM-AFTM-AREBASTSTLBLKTOPTS
                A. Moore225-150-20-021010110
                J. Gibson2511-154-60-01420026
                T. Souchu229-194-102-22300124
                A. Stevens111-20-01-2201003
                O. Miggins241-80-01-21121003
                BENCHMINFGM-A3PM-AFTM-AREBASTSTLBLKTOPTS
                I. Brown122-52-40-0340036
                C. Trotter82-51-20-0010015
                K. DeLeon-- DID NOT PLAY --
                T. Umeh-- DID NOT PLAY --
                C. Belser71-30-02-2501104
                E. Padilla112-40-10-0700004
                W. Benjamin71-30-00-0221002
                TEAM TOTALS35-7911-256-8352571687
                Norfolk State
                STARTERSMINFGM-A3PM-AFTM-AREBASTSTLBLKTOPTS
                R. Casey201-30-04-4140036
                D. Mihailovic213-92-30-0362028
                R. Hancock215-80-00-02310010
                J. Doss217-110-05-612100119
                G. Seymour186-130-02-210113014
                BENCHMINFGM-A3PM-AFTM-AREBASTSTLBLKTOPTS
                T. Schmidt90-20-02-2200002
                T. Friend132-40-00-0110304
                P. Williams134-90-32-20110110
                M. Johnson20-00-00-0010000
                K. Brown20-10-00-0020000
                R. Maye65-70-01-11001011
                G. Nwoke31-20-00-0000002
                TEAM TOTALS34-692-616-17322057786

                Coach West: "I guess sometimes you're bound to face a team that's playing perfect basketball. When you're facing perfection, you can't afford to make mistakes. We made a lot of mistakes, and we've got a lot of work to do."
                Last edited by waytofailself; 05-05-2011, 02:43 PM.
                The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH 2k8 Legacy - Ended)

                Comment

                • Knickerbocker91
                  MVP
                  • Jun 2010
                  • 3231

                  #113
                  Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

                  Wow, what a way to lose. You did a great job of portraying it as well, tough loss. Especially against a previously winless team, I can see what you mean by playing down to the level of your opponents. Hope you can fix that.
                  My Dynasties

                  Comment

                  • waytofailself
                    MVP
                    • Feb 2011
                    • 1522

                    #114
                    Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

                    Well, in hopes of progressively updating some games and keeping tabs on things throughout the season I had a nice, friendly back up save mid conference season. Unfortunately, I saved over it -- crap. Oh well. So what I'm going to do now is highlight a few key games from my conference schedule before moving to the conference tournament. Don't worry, my career or file isn't broken or anything.


                    Key Games from Conference Schedule

                    Norfolk State at Bethune-Cookman
                    W: 65-56
                    Notable: Seymour and Friend blew open the game in the second half by fighting for rebounds and attacking the basket. What was a close game ended up turning into a comfortable win for the Spartans once they were able to shut down BC's outside scoring threats of Mallory and Hudson. However, what was probably most significant of this game was how Randall Casey separated himself from Mihailovic to stake his claim as the starting PG. As has been mentioned before, Coach West had been going back and forth between the two guards for the 1 spot -- even starting them alongside each other while Cowen was out. However, Casey filled up the stat sheet in 20 minutes of play (4 points, 2 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, and no turnovers), while Mihailovic struggled with turnovers and created practically nothing on offense. West may not ask his guards to carry the scoring load, but they have to do more than eat up space on the floor.

                    Norfolk State at Morgan State
                    W: 84-60
                    To say the Bears and Spartans have begun to become bitter rivals would probably be an understatement. The teams have met in the MEAC tournament finals in both of Coach West's years, and many pundits have thought that the Spartans are the one stumbling block keeping Morgan State from greatness.

                    Consider them stumbled a little bit further. The Spartans entered the game looking up at the Morgan State Bears, who were unbeated in conference play, both in the standings (2 games behind) and in the mid-major poll (MORG ranked #9, Norfolk State bouncing in and out of the outside of the rankings). But from the start the Bears did not have a chance. Regardless of their game plan, they had the unfortunate luck of losing their anchor in the middle, Ian Childs, to an injury within minutes of the game starting. All Norfolk State had to do was attack the basket, and they embarrassed the Bears on their own home floor. The scoring was widely spread, but the biggest contributor was Greg Seymour with 25 points, 3 boards, 4 assists, two steals, and one blok in 15 minutes of play.

                    Norfolk State vs. Coppin State
                    W: 77-66
                    Notable: The Spartans came back after being down by as many as 8 points in the second half on the shoulders of Tom Friend. Although he has been reduced to a sixth man role this season, he is still putting impressive numbers as part of the three big man rotation for the Spartans. Off the bench he put out 7 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 blocks. All in a day's work for Friend. With his defensive presence in the second half, the Spartans were able to score in transition and take back the game. The Eagles cannot be happy with this result, as the game ended on a 15 point swing in favor of the Spartans.

                    Norfolk State Season Statistics

                    Norfolk State Season Stats - 2012-2013
                    PlayerGPMINPPGRPGAPGSPGBPGTPGFPG
                    G. Seymour (76)
                    3320.812.17.10.71.01.51.32.3
                    J. Doss (76)
                    3321.312.010.61.51.20.51.32.1
                    E. Cowen (69)
                    3019.09.81.92.20.70.21.11.4
                    T. Friend (68)
                    3315.18.95.10.40.31.51.01.7
                    R. Hancock (69)
                    3319.78.43.70.81.00.21.31.7
                    R. Casey (72)
                    3318.86.42.04.01.40.01.51.2
                    T. Schmidt (69)
                    3313.64.92.90.60.60.00.71.2
                    G. Nwoke (51)
                    46.54.81.80.00.50.30.30.5
                    P. Williams (65)
                    3210.14.71.00.90.10.00.90.7
                    D. Mihailovic (69)
                    3317.34.30.93.60.50.01.31.4
                    R. Maye (58)
                    225.32.31.60.20.10.30.50.5
                    M. Johnson (61)
                    214.72.10.80.60.20.00.50.5
                    J. Weathers (61)
                    263.91.60.31.00.30.00.50.3
                    K. Brown (59)
                    305.51.60.31.00.30.00.50.3

                    Doss and Seymour often carried the scoring load for the Spartans, though many times it would be one or the other instead of both at the same time. And when they were off, they were really off. Probably the biggest surprise off the bench was Williams, who started out well and got progressively worse over the season because he was unhappy. His role had been reduced from starter to rotation player -- so that's not entirely surprising.

                    MEAC Final Standings Conference Standings - Updated: Mar 14, 2013
                    TEAMRECPCTCONFGB
                    Morgan State25-6.80616-2-
                    Norfolk State26-7.78815-31
                    Howard20-11.64512-64
                    Bethune-Cookman15-13.53511-75
                    MD-Eastern Shore13-21.3829-97
                    Coppin State11-19.3668-108
                    Delaware State9-22.2907-119
                    South Carolina State11-19.3667-119
                    Florida A&M7-25.2186-1210
                    Hampton8-24.2506-1210
                    NC A&T12-18.4006-1210
                    WSSU8-19.2965-1311

                    The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH 2k8 Legacy - Ended)

                    Comment

                    • waytofailself
                      MVP
                      • Feb 2011
                      • 1522

                      #115
                      Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)


                      Tournament Rounds 1 & 2

                      The Spartans enter the tournament looking to be the first three-peat champions since North Carolina A&T won seven in a row between 1982 and 1988. However, without Kyle O'Quinn to lean on, the young Spartans will be looking to new contributors. Seymour and Doss have been valuable throughout the season, but will they have what it takes to keep it going in a one-and-done tournament world? Will the Spartans be able to make it to the NCAA Tournament and possibly even break into the sweet sixteen?

                      Round 1
                      #7 Delaware State 76 #11 NC A&T 85
                      #6 Coppin State 63 #9 Florida A&M 69
                      #8 South Carolina State 73 #10 Hampton 52

                      Round 2


                      #2 Norfolk State vs #8 South Carolina State

                      The Spartans started fast and dominated early. By drawing fouls and creating many baskets in transition, Norfolk State quickly jumped out to a 10 point, then a 15 point lead. With Seymour relegated to the bench because of foul trouble early, it was Friend who stepped up and helped carry the offensive load with 8 first half points.

                      Unfortunately, near the end of the first half the hoop suddenly got a lot smaller for Norfolk State. They began missing open shots. They began missing layups. And although they entered the half with a twelve point lead it quickly began to evaporate. The young Spartans just could not close out the Bulldogs, and in the second half they got as close as one point down after two straight 3s by Meade.

                      However, one key time out with 5 minutes left was the difference of the game. The Spartans began to get stops, and Doss and Casey hit some key shots and free throws. In a few possessions, their lead was back up to a comfortable 8.

                      The Spartans move on, but they don't look quite like the role of convincing two time champions this year.

                      Mar 9, 2013 - NORF at SCST
                      TEAM1ST2NDSCORE
                      #2 Norfolk State
                      422264
                      #8 South Carolina State
                      302858
                      Norfolk State
                      STARTERSMINFGM-A3PM-AFTM-AREBASTSTLBLKTOPTS
                      R. Casey174-70-13-32430211
                      E. Cowen192-70-20-0130004
                      R. Hancock183-81-14-43210111
                      J. Doss247-100-03-510212317
                      G. Seymour211-40-12-2813214
                      BENCHMINFGM-A3PM-AFTM-AREBASTSTLBLKTOPTS
                      D. Mihailovic151-51-30-0010003
                      T. Friend134-90-12-27004110
                      T. Schmidt111-30-10-0200012
                      P. Williams70-20-10-0000010
                      K. Brown30-00-00-0010000
                      J. Weathers20-00-02-2000002
                      R. Maye-- DID NOT PLAY --
                      TEAM TOTALS25-552-1116-183315881064
                      South Carolina State
                      STARTERSMINFGM-A3PM-AFTM-AREBASTSTLBLKTOPTS
                      D. Chatman181-40-21-2352133
                      D. Morkeliunas152-80-11-2010025
                      S. Meade268-214-90-04130120
                      J. Opong244-70-01-2611129
                      G. Cammon257-90-01-111002115
                      BENCHMINFGM-A3PM-AFTM-AREBASTSTLBLKTOPTS
                      R. Taylor171-60-20-0430014
                      R. Spaulding121-30-12-2311004
                      J. Gross40-20-10-0120000
                      R. Meyers70-30-10-0030010
                      T. Garner10-00-00-0010000
                      R. Logan10-00-00-0000000
                      TEAM TOTALS24-634-176-93218741158

                      Coach West: "You can win pretty, you can win ugly, you can dominate or escape. But it doesn't really matter, because we got the W and we're moving on. There's plenty to look at one the game tape to adjust, but this was a good gut check game for our guys. Let's see if we can carry this into the next game and gain a little momentum."

                      Other Round Two Results
                      #11 NC A&T 65 #1 Morgan State 77
                      #5 MD Eastern Shore 81 #4 Bethune-Cookman 88
                      #9 Florida A&M 76 #3 Howard 83

                      No surprises -- the higher seeds move on all in fairly convincing fashion. The Spartan's next match up is with the Howard Bison in the semifinals.
                      The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH 2k8 Legacy - Ended)

                      Comment

                      • waytofailself
                        MVP
                        • Feb 2011
                        • 1522

                        #116
                        Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)


                        Tournament Semifinal



                        #3 Howard vs #2 Norfolk State

                        This was a familiar script for the Spartans this year: a game where they match up well with the opponent on paper turns into a close contest. Norfolk State entered with a distinct size advantage, but the far more experienced Bison relied on their seniors to push forward. The Norfolk State faithful had seen this happen before: the Spartans rush out to a large lead, only to see it deteriorate and disappear.

                        While both teams were shooting poorly for the game, the Bison had broken out of their slump in the second half just in time to rack up an 8 point lead with four minutes to go. On the backs of Phillips and likely conference player of the year Collins, the Bison finally got some stops to coincide with some timely good shooting. The Spartans were stunned. After starting strong, both Seymour and Doss could not get anything going in Howard's 2-3. And with the clock ticking, someone had to step up.

                        That person was Randall Casey -- he who had missed all of his shots and scored zero points during the first half. "It was late in the game and Coach West had just put me back in. He pulled me aside, put his hands on my shoulders and looked me straight in the eye. All he said was, 'Shoot it,'" said Casey, "I hadn't been able to get anything in the basket, so it was great for Coach to still give me the green light."

                        After the time out, the Spartans ran a play designed for Seymour, but as had been happening the double team came off of Casey's man. Seymour managed to pass to the wide open freshman, and he drilled a clutch three pointer. Casey hit another three on the exact same sequence the next time down. Suddenly the fans were on their feet. Suddenly it was a game again.

                        On the next possession, the team ran an isolation play for Cowen, who also had been shooting inconsistently this game. He got the ball on the wing, and gave a wicked pump fake. By the time Cowen had dropped in the lay up Fluellen's feet had not yet touched the ground. The Bison responded with three pointers of their own. But amazingly, and uncharacteristically for the entire season, the Spartans managed to respond with a two threes from Cowen and another three from Casey to force overtime.

                        And overtime was no contest. On the first possession, Casey walked straight to the three point line and hit another three. The next possession, Doss scored a three point play. Eventually the Spartans had an 8 point cushion that the Bison could not overcome. Although they got as close as 3, the Spartans sealed the game by going 5-6 from the free throw line in the extra period.

                        Howard has shown all year that they are a strong squad that can contend for the MEAC title. But tonight's game goes to Casey, who put the team on his back and carried them to victory. If he can keep this shooting touch, there's no telling how far he can lead the Spartans during the next three years.

                        Mar 12, 2013 - NORF at HOW
                        TEAM1ST2NDOTSCORE
                        #2 Norfolk State (25-7)39391593
                        #3 Howard (20-10)3444684
                        Norfolk State
                        STARTERSMINFGM-A3PM-AFTM-AREBASTSTLBLKTOPTS
                        R. Casey254-114-88-92210020
                        E. Cowen254-133-80-02400211
                        R. Hancock254-50-01-1511019
                        J. Doss247-120-02-410120216
                        G. Seymour256-160-00-012320312
                        BENCHMINFGM-A3PM-AFTM-AREBASTSTLBLKTOPTS
                        D. Mihailovic60-20-22-2030012
                        T. Friend134-60-00-0810208
                        T. Schmidt124-70-01-3100019
                        P. Williams32-20-00-0000004
                        K. Brown70-10-00-0111020
                        J. Weathers30-10-00-0010000
                        R. Maye51-30-00-0110012
                        TEAM TOTALS36-797-1714-195118721393
                        Howard
                        STARTERSMINFGM-A3PM-AFTM-AREBASTSTLBLKTOPTS
                        D. Naves255-150-50-04700110
                        D. Collins279-231-80-01621219
                        B. Fluellen316-172-70-011020114
                        M. Phillips306-141-15-614013018
                        C. DeCosta284-90-00-01432108
                        BENCHMINFGM-A3PM-AFTM-AREBASTSTLBLKTOPTS
                        A. Dickerson103-42-30-0010018
                        M. Carroto143-71-20-0303017
                        R. Devonish70-10-00-0400000
                        D. Straight-- DID NOT PLAY --
                        G. Lawrence20-00-00-0100000
                        W. Dearmon-- DID NOT PLAY --
                        S. Lagana-- DID NOT PLAY --
                        TEAM TOTALS36-907-265-64227104784

                        Coach West: "Casey is finally starting to have the kind of games I've been seeing him have in practice. He can shoot the lights out of the building, and it's good to see he's finally bringing it together. We almost blew it. Well, not blew it, the Bison are a great team with some strong senior leadership. We were very good on the perimeter to limit their three point shooting until the last few minutes of the game, and I'm proud of the way we were able to contain their offense and claw back into the game."

                        Other Semifinal Result
                        #1 Morgan State 90 #4 Bethune-Cookman 74

                        For the third time in three years, Morgan State and Norfolk State will be locking horns in the conference finals. It is sure to be a test of wills between an experienced Bear squad that has been here before and a Spartan squad keeps finding ways to win.

                        Last edited by waytofailself; 05-08-2011, 05:53 PM.
                        The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH 2k8 Legacy - Ended)

                        Comment

                        • waytofailself
                          MVP
                          • Feb 2011
                          • 1522

                          #117
                          Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)


                          Tournament Final

                          It's the clash almost everyone was hoping for and the clash most pundits expected to happen. The two teams that are head and shoulders above the rest of the MEAC meet on the court with a ticket to the NCAAs on the line. The loser will have to sweat out Selection Sunday as a long shot -- and as both teams have lost to Florida A&M (RPI 301), their resumes aren't exactly pristine. Better to shoot for the sure thing. The Spartans are looking to be the first three-peat MEAC Tournament Champion since NC A&T did it 7 times in a row in the 80's, while Morgan State looks to beat Norfolk State for the first time in three tries in the MEAC Tournament Final.


                          #1 Morgan State vs #2 Norfolk State

                          Many wondered if Norfolk State had found some magic trick or matchup to exploit in the way they manhandled Morgan State earlier this year. Others wondered if the Bears would be able to forget and shake the loss. Well, the Morgan State squad didn't forget, but they sure did shake the memory alright. The team was full of seniors, led by future NBA draft picks Dewayne Jackson and Kevin Thompson, itching to get past the Spartans. They played with a sense of desperation and urgency not seen in their regular season debacle, and in the end they snatched the MEAC crown from Norfolk State. There would be no Spartan three-peat tonight, the final score was an emphatic 80 to 55.

                          Needless to say, it all started with smothering defense. Having Ian Childs in the lineup, as opposed to being injured within the first minute during their last meeting, meant Norfolk State could not control the middle at will. And with Casey being clung to tightly by Justin Black, the hopes of the offense rested on Elton Cowen and Romain Hancock. They shot a combined 2-18 from the field.

                          The tone of the game was set very early. The Spartans got a quick dunk off of the tip off and scored a quick basket in transition. However, their early 4-0 lead was quickly demolished by the Bear's 26 unanswered points. It does not matter whether you're a top ranked power conference team or a bottom feeder from Nowheresville, a 22 point hole within the first 6 minutes of the game is a monumental hill to climb. Coach West was visibly angry at his team, and even yanked all of his starters and put the bottom of the bench in the game. The bench warmers responded with 8 points -- but unfortunately Morgan State continued to pour on the offense.

                          It didn't matter who had the ball or who was shooting. Jackson was on fire with his mid-range game. Thompson was showing Freshmen Seymour and Doss how the post game is done. Black pulled the strings and always found the open man or scored himself in transition. And although the Spartans attempted to climb back into the game a few times during the second half, they only got as close as 11 before Morgan State went on a 14-0 scoring tear to seal the game for good.

                          Congratulations to Morgan State for finally winning the MEAC. Hopefully Norfolk State's resume has enough quality victories to get the committee to notice and put two MEAC teams in the tournament for the first time -- because right now most pundits have them far on the outside looking in.

                          Mar 13, 2013 - NORF at MORG
                          TEAM1ST2NDSCORE
                          #2 Norfolk State (26-7)282755
                          #1 Morgan State (25-6)413980
                          Norfolk State
                          STARTERSMINFGM-A3PM-AFTM-AREBASTSTLBLKTOPTS
                          R. Casey180-10-11-2241021
                          E. Cowen171-80-52-2000004
                          R. Hancock191-100-11-1301013
                          J. Doss215-60-02-27101212
                          G. Seymour163-50-03-41011109
                          BENCHMINFGM-A3PM-AFTM-AREBASTSTLBLKTOPTS
                          D. Mihailovic141-81-50-0021013
                          T. Schmidt133-90-21-1200027
                          T. Friend142-80-21-4100025
                          P. Williams74-50-01-2100019
                          M. Johnson50-10-00-0100000
                          J. Weathers30-10-00-0001100
                          K. Brown31-20-00-0030002
                          TEAM TOTALS21-631-1612-182711531155
                          Morgan State
                          STARTERSMINFGM-A3PM-AFTM-AREBASTSTLBLKTOPTS
                          J. Black273-111-61-20102038
                          J. Lockhart166-111-32-31000015
                          D. Jackson267-120-04-49230118
                          K. Thompson225-80-03-610313013
                          I. Childs193-80-12-6722318
                          BENCHMINFGM-A3PM-AFTM-AREBASTSTLBLKTOPTS
                          D. Oneil163-50-00-1502026
                          D. Cuffe92-70-00-0911014
                          J. Jackson93-51-31-1020008
                          M. Mance40-00-00-0000000
                          D. Angounou-- DID NOT PLAY --
                          M. Mcfarlin-- DID NOT PLAY --
                          R. Works20-00-00-0000000
                          TEAM TOTALS32-673-1313-234120116880

                          Coach West: "No, our team was not thinking ahead to the NCAAs. Morgan State is a huge opponent, and everyone on our team knows you have to wake up and bring your best game. They did, we didn't. There's nothing more to say other than I hope we get another chance to prove ourselves this year. This would be a bitter pill to end the season on."

                          The Spartans get to wait a few hours and see if they can sneak into the NCAA Tournament or the NIT.
                          Last edited by waytofailself; 05-09-2011, 03:47 PM.
                          The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH 2k8 Legacy - Ended)

                          Comment

                          • Getty51
                            Pro
                            • Jul 2009
                            • 816

                            #118
                            Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

                            Rough loss there what do you think? Get in or get jobbed?
                            Chicago Cubs - A Road to a Dynasty (The Show 2015)

                            Comment

                            • waytofailself
                              MVP
                              • Feb 2011
                              • 1522

                              #119
                              Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)


                              Tournament Resume

                              Record: 26-8
                              RPI: 72
                              Last 10: 8-2
                              Road/Neutral Games: 17-4
                              vs RPI Top 50: 1-0 (Alabama)
                              vs RPI 50-100: 2-2 (Virginia Tech & Old Dominion)
                              vs RPI 101-200: 7-3
                              vs RPI 200+: 16-3
                              Good Wins: at Alabama, at Virginia Tech, vs Old Dominion
                              Bad Losses: vs Coastal Carolina, vs Florida A&M, vs NC A&T
                              Last edited by waytofailself; 05-09-2011, 09:18 AM.
                              The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH 2k8 Legacy - Ended)

                              Comment

                              • VandyRedskins21
                                MVP
                                • Dec 2010
                                • 1898

                                #120
                                Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

                                Man that RPI rating is a little shaky. Hope you can sneak into the tournament.
                                “If you’re true to yourself, you’re going to be true to everyone else.”

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