Must Win! UNCW(1-3) vs USF(3-1) preview and game thread

[Vega]

GAME NOTES: The Seahawks of UNC-Wilmington aim for just their second win of the season as they take on the South Florida Bulls in the final round of the Charleston Classic at Carolina First Arena.

The Seahawks lost both of their games against Appalachian State and George Washington heading into this mini tournament, and have since beaten Penn State (80-69) and fallen to Miami-Florida (67-60) on Thursday and Friday, respectively.

As for the Bulls, their only setback of the young season came just two nights ago in a 69-66 decision against South Carolina. A day prior, USF posted a 65-58 win against Davidson, giving the team three straight wins to kick off the 2009-10 campaign.

With respect to the all-time series between these two schools on the hardwood, each of these teams has beaten the other twice in the past, with the Bulls pulling off a 57-38 victory in the most recent meeting during the 1994-95 season.

Even though the Seahawks shot just 32.3 percent from the field in the first half and trailed by just a single point at the break on Friday, it still set a bad precedent that ended up sinking UNCW by seven points. Shooting 6-of-14 form the floor, Chad Tomko posted 16 points to go along with his four assists, while John Fields accounted for 15 points as he made 5-of-8 shots from the field. Turnovers (18) hampered the squad, as did just 38.2 percent shooting from the floor. Tomko leads this team in scoring with his 16.7 ppg, although he has missed one of its four contests. He has made good on 8-of-18 attempts beyond the arc as the perimeter specialist, while Fields (12.0 ppg) spends more of his time on the inside where he captures five rebounds per contest and has eight of the club's 17 blocked shots. Opponents are shooting only 27.3 percent behind the three-point line and 63.5 percent at the charity stripe.

South Florida's 52 percent accuracy from the field in the first half set it up with a lead at the break versus South Carolina, but in the second half the Bulls made a mere eight field goals and fell in the three-point decision. Shooting 10-of-12 at the free-throw line, Augustus Gilchrist accounted for 19 points and seven rebounds for USF, followed by Dominique Jones with his 17 points, nine rebounds and five assists, although he also turned the ball over five times. Coming up a rebound shy of a double-double himself was Jarrid Famous with 16 points. Gilchrist, who is leading the squad in scoring with his 20.3 ppg, has been living at the four line over the first four games, averaging 11 trips to the stripe per outing. Gilchrist has made 88.4 percent of his chances which means he has more points at the free-throw line (38) than all but two of his teammates (Jones, 17.3 ppg and Famous, 10.3 ppg) have scored over the course of four games. Defensively this group is limiting opponents to just 59.2 ppg on 37.4 percent from the field and 21.2 percent beyond the arc.

South Florida and Gilchrist are tough to handle on the inside, especially for a team like UNCW, so expect to see the Bulls back in the win column again after today's bout.

http://www.kansascity.com/472/story/1586080.html

[MechanicalBull]

video or audio link anyone?

[outrunner]

lets go bulls!!!

I'll be listening on the radio.  1250am WHNZ-Tampa

[Brad]

video or audio link anyone?

So far it has been Bulls Vision audio only unless you can find the opponent's free audio stream.  No video to speak of.

There are Live Stats

I don't think anyone has been able to get 1250 on the internet and it's hard to get over the air even around campus.

[MechanicalBull]

video or audio link anyone?

So far it has been Bulls Vision audio only unless you can find the opponent's free audio stream.  No video to speak of.

There are Live Stats

I don't think anyone has been able to get 1250 on the internet and it's hard to get over the air even around campus.

Thanks!

I've had zero luck with 1250 online.  I'm just a bit too far from Tampa to get a decent radio signal.

[Brad]

Looks like we might get an audio stream on Yahoo via UNC-W

http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/ver/270.0/popup/index.php?rn=9033886&ch=10565848&cl=16508863

[Guest BasketBull.]

'Da goat lives!  --I'm talking about the Yahoo pic on the radio feed.

[MechanicalBull]

Looks like we might get an audio stream on Yahoo via UNC-W

http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/ver/270.0/popup/index.php?rn=9033886&ch=10565848&cl=16508863

sweet!

[Vega]

I very much look forward to this game. I want to find out how CSH plans on playing this game. First off what's the over/under on USF scoring more then 65-67 pts? Will Heath let the boys play or will he continue to be Stan "slow it down" Heath. We can play aggressive(our strength) and play our bench. You will never know what you have if you don't play the guys. I watch to much college basketball and because of that I know I'm right.

I have now started a BLOG and one of the first topics I will be discussing is Heath's conservative approach and why it won't work in the Big East with South Florida. I'll get to that this week. I will not make up things but instead use Coach's own words and talk about why he is not following through on his own promises.

[Vega]

Change in starting lineup with Leemow starting over Mercer