Tag: Dan Hurley

Wagner’s season ends too quickly

In stunningly swift fashion a special Wagner season that had taken months to build came to a crashing end on Sunday afternoon against Robert Morris at the Spiro Sports Center in the NEC semifinals. Robert Morris’ Velton Jones controlled play and led the Colonials to a 71-64 win.

The game was a story of two halves. In the first the officials dominated play, calling 29 personal fouls. Both teams struggled offensively, but Wagner came out of the first 20 minutes with a 31-29 lead on its home court.

But at the opening of the second half it all disappeared. RMU scored 10 of the first 11 points of the second half to build an eight-point lead, 40-32, and never looked back, pushing the lead to as many as nine and withstanding a late Wagner charge for the victory.

“We’ve been a great start of second half team all year,” said Wagner head coach Dan Hurley. “We weren’t tonight. We had some opportunities for some finishes around the basket. We could’ve maintained control of the game. We didn’t make the plays. They made the plays.”

Jones was the best player on the court. Robert Morris’ junior point guard 25 points on 5-10 shooting and 14-16 from the free throw line. He picked up three fouls in the first half, but managed to avoid picking up his fourth until 1:24 remained in the game. It was a foul he drew against Kenneth Ortiz with 1:03 remaining, the shot clock expiring and the Colonials hanging onto a three-point lead that was the biggest play of the game. He calmly knocked down all three free throws and RMU finished out the game.

For Wagner it was the culmination of two seasons of hard work under Hurley coming to their first crest. The Seahawks finish with a record of 25-6 (15-3), a place no one could’ve imagined them being two seasons ago.

“Coach came in here with a style two years ago and we bought it right away,” said senior Tyler Murray. “To make a such transition, it’s incredible.”

Part of the resurgence has been the leadership and play of Murray. He scored 15 points on 6-11 shooting in 26 minutes on Saturday before fouling out. Sophomore Latif Rivers led the way with 18 points, most of them coming on 11-12 shooting from the line.

Unfortunately, Wagner didn’t have the post play to complement those two against Robert Morris’ talented trio of Mike McFadden, Lijah Thompson and Russell Johnson. Thompson in particular helped RMU dominate on the boards with eight offensive rebounds. The Colonials grabbed 21 offensive rebounds and won the overall rebounding battle 45-30. If Thompson had been able to make more of his 10 point-blank shots RMU would’ve had an even bigger cushion to work with.

The Colonials also displayed the maturity that comes with being in this situation multiple times in the last four seasons. As RMU struggled with fouls in the first half they didn’t let the game get away. In the second Andrew Toole expertly shuffled his lineup. The Colonials committed 30 fouls in the game, but not one player fouled out. Six players ended up with four fouls.

“I think [the experience] helps us a lot,” Jones said. “We’ve played in big games like this throughout our years here. I think that helped us a lot to be able to finish out the game and be composed even though they made a run at the end.”

On the other side the youthful Seahawks often forced things that weren’t there in transition. Wagner had just four fast break points off 12 RMU turnovers and shot 27-40 from the line. It’s those types of things that Hurley will have to continue to work on.

“Sometimes you want it so badly, you get in your own way,” Hurley said. “It’s tough to take, but you’re just so proud of who these guys are.”

Hopefully Wagner will get a bid to the NIT. The Seahawks, with road wins over Pittsburgh, Princeton and Penn and just one bad loss (at Central Connecticut) certainly deserve to be considered. Hurley hopes his team will get that chance.

“We hope for the opportunity to play in [the NIT] because of everything that we’ve achieved throughout the year,” Hurley said. “I think we’ve earned it. Hopefully the committee feels the same way.”

It’ll be another opportunity build towards what looks like a bright future.

Third seed slips through St. Francis’ fingers

St. Francis (NY) got the chance it needed. It just couldn’t capitalize.

Coming into Saturday the Terriers needed two things to happen in order for them to grab the #3 seed in the NEC conference tournament. First, Robert Morris had to lose to Quinnipiac on EPSNU at 11 a.m. Second, SFC had to win at Fairleigh Dickinson, a team that was 2-26 and 1-16 in the NEC on the season.

Once the Bobcats knocked off the Colonials 73-69 to claim in the #5 seed in the conference tournament the possibility of the Terriers earning the third seed, and avoiding a pretty hot Quinnipiac team in the first round, seemed likely.

Except that in the NEC nothing is ever guaranteed. St. Francis shot 28% from the field and just 4-21 from three (19%) as they fell 45-44 at FDU. It’s a bad loss that leaves Glenn Braica’s club at 15-14 and 12-6 in the NEC on the season.

This loss is going to have long reverberating effects around the NEC. First off, it means that the Pope Center is going to host what should be the best game of the first round of the NEC tournament. SFC vs. Quinnipiac is going to be a great game. Yes, the Terriers just won by eight the last time these two teams played a few weeks ago, but the Bobcats are still one of the most dangerous teams in the league.

I also wonder if this is going to cost a few St. Francis (NY) players postseason awards. Obviously those shouldn’t be the main concern, because making the NCAA tournament is the ultimate reward, but Braica and Jalen Cannon are definitely in hotly contested races for Coach of the Year and Rookie of the Year. This slip could cost them both.

If (and this is a big if) Wagner can get past Central Connecticut today Dan Hurley’s Seahawks would be 16-2 and have a full four-game lead on the Terriers in the standings. I understand that Hurley has a lot of talent on Staten Island, but he also recruited and developed most of it. It just makes the decision that much harder. The other guys in the race here are Monmouth’s King Rice (record won’t be good enough, but he’s done amazing stuff) and LIU’s Jim Ferry (the victim of expectations). It still comes down to Braica vs. Hurley and that four-game edge in the conference standings would be difficult to reconcile.

Then there’s the ROY award. Jalen Cannon is just one of many players that could win the award. Unfortunately the loss to the Knights highlighted his biggest strengths (he had 20 rebounds) and weaknesses (five points). Cannon still needs to work on his offensive game. Most of his points come from tip-ins and dunks in transition. It’s possible that a freshman with a more developed offensive game, like Kyle Vinales of CCSU or Lucky Jones of RMU, might be able to sneak into this spot instead. Ultimately I think Cannon still deserves the award (despite what Ryan said).

Now Robert Morris will wait for the conclusion of two games tonight before it learns its opponent. The Colonials though can wait a little longer with the knowledge that they’ve got the #3 locked up.

Tempo-free NEC: Almost home edition

A couple Senior Nights have been played, most of the conference race has been decided and the NEC is getting wrapped up. As we go into the final week of the regular season what do people need to know about the league? Well, thanks to Ken Pomeroy’s new conference statistics we can take a look at some general trends. For one, like I’ve been saying all season, the NEC is a fast league. The fifth fastest paced league in the country in fact. This is driven by LIU Brooklyn, St. Francis (NY) and Sacred Heart, but it’s also a product of there not being any particularly slow teams in the league. There’s no Wisconsin here. The slowest paced team in the league in conference play has been Robert Morris at 65.8 possessions per game.

What else happens in the NEC? A lot of turnovers, a lot of offensive rebounds and quite a few assists. I think this is why Andrew Chiappazzi likes to say that this is a guard’s league. The teams that have good ones are able to rise above the pack. Of course, talent always rises to the top and that’s why once again LIU is sitting at the top of the league standings (or Jason Brickman). But it’s the team they’ve beaten twice, Wagner, that’s still hanging tough atop the efficiency rankings.

NEC Efficiency Standings:

1. Wagner (14-2) — +0.188
2. LIU Brooklyn (15-1) — +0.123
3. Robert Morris (12-4) — +0.106
4. St. Francis (NY) (12-4) — +0.054
5. Quinnipiac (8-8) — +0.052
6. Central Connecticut (8-8) — +0.018
7.  Sacred Heart (7-9) — -0.008
8.  Monmouth (8-8) — -0.041
9. Mount St. Mary’s (5-11) — -0.057
10. St. Francis (PA) (5-11) — -0.065
11. Fairleigh Dickinson (1-15) — -0.185
12. Bryant (1-15) — -0.207

Superlatives:

Best Offense: LIU at 1.13 points per possession
Best Defense: Wagner at 0.89 points allowed per possession
Worst Offense: Fairleigh Dickinson at 0.83 points per possession
Worst Defense: Bryant at 1.12 points allowed per possession
Luckiest: LIU at 2.4 wins above expected
Unluckiest: Quinnipiac at 2.3 wins below expected
Highest Variance: Quinnipiac
Lowest Variance: LIU

I think those last two things are related. (And are important moving forward!)

Three teams have significantly outplayed their pythagorean records: LIU, Monmouth and St. Francis (NY). All three of those teams have won a number of close games in conference this season and I think their coaches have a lot to do with it. On Twitter there’s been a lot of discussion lately about who should be the NEC coach of the year. I think in any other season King Rice would actually have a great argument, but it should come down to Dan Hurley and Glenn Braica. I think the fact that the Terriers have played so well in close conference games is a mark in favor of Braica’s candidacy for the award. It’s worth noting that Quinnipiac is the only NEC that’s “unlucky” by more than a game in conference play. According to Ken Pomeroy the Bobcats are 322nd in luck in the entire nation. That’s a painful way to go through the season.

LIU Brooklyn still in control of NEC after win at Wagner

For a year now LIU Brooklyn has been the class of the NEC. The Blackbirds haven’t lost a conference game, regular or post season, in over a 365 days with their 73-66 win over Wagner on Saturday at the Spiro Sports Center. LIU did it the same way its gotten most of its wins this season in conference play, by dominating in the paint and getting to the free throw line.

Continue reading “LIU Brooklyn still in control of NEC after win at Wagner” →

Wagner Opening Eyes Ahead Of Schedule

Editor’s Note: With Wagner playing so well, and getting ready to embark once again into NEC play after winning the Cable Car Classic we have our first ever guest post on Big Apple Buckets!

Why?

That’s the question I was often asked last summer when I became the play-by-play voice of the Wagner basketball team. Calling games last year for Long Island University and St. Peter’s College, I watched both make the NCAA Tournament in the same season. Switching to Wagner meant giving up those other two gigs, including for an LIU team that won 27 games and was picked to win the Northeast Conference title again this season.

So when I decided to join Wagner that question lingered.

Why?

In short, I expected second-year head coach Dan Hurley and his staff to continue turning Wagner around. With a 10-3 record so far, I hardly anticipated this much so soon, but then Hurley says he didn’t either. So what has fueled the Seahawks’ fast start so far?

1. Great recruiting. Sophomore transfer Kenny Ortiz (Southern Miss) chose to return close to home (Newark) and has fit perfectly at point guard. His toughness and defensive mindedness (1.8 steals / game) have rubbed off on the entire team. Ortiz’ 5-for-5 first half shooting helped lay the groundwork for Wagner’s upset at then No. 15 Pittsburgh. His over-the-backboard buzzer beater at Santa Clara won last week’s Cable Car Classic. In 31 of the previous 44 Classics, at least one team in the field has gone on to that year’s NCAA Tournament.

Junior JUCO transfer Jon Williams has been as advertised starting at forward, an all-around player (12.8 points / game, 50.4% shooting, team-leading 5.4 rebounds / game) that adds experience up front. Williams can shoot, post up, drive, rebound and defend. What else is there?

2. Player Development. After earning NEC All-Rookie Team honors last year, sophomore Latif Rivers (team-leading 14.2 points / game) is again finding his stride at shooting guard after off-season knee surgery. All of his 18 points came in the second half at Pitt. Rivers was Cable Car Classic MVP after averaging 19 points in the two games.

Senior swingman Tyler Murray raised his scoring about nine points per game last year. While his scoring (12.7 / game) is down, his three-point percentage (51.7%) is up, and among the nation’s best. Murray reached 1,000 career points at Santa Clara, and his steady leadership and underrated ball handling and rebounding are key.

6’11” sophomore Naofall Folahan continues to emerge as a solid center, especially on defense, where he leads the NEC in blocks (2.0 / game).

3. Improved defense. This was Job One this season, and Wagner is holding opponents to an NEC-best 40.7% shooting. After committing tons of fouls earlier this year, the Seahawks cut those way down in the Cable Car Classic against two very tough teams to defend, Air Force with their complex multiple sets, and Santa Clara, which boasts Kevin Foster, who led the nation in three-point shots made last year.

4. Playing to win. Hurley coached future NBA and elite Division I players at St. Benedict’s High School in Newark, creating a Top 5 program nationally. When he tells his players they can compete at UConn (12-point loss) and at Pitt, and vie for a conference championship this season, they believe him. Late in games, the Seahawks have surrendered big leads but have managed to step on the gas again when needed to finish strong and win. Shooting an NEC-best 75% from the foul line also helps.

Already this season, Wagner has become the first NEC team ever to beat Pitt (the Panthers were 70-0 against the league), won ten games before the end of the calendar year for the first time ever, set a school record for non-conference wins (nine), and have won their first in-season tournament since 1997.

So to those who once asked, why? I now counter, why not?

Aside from being the voice of Wagner basketball, Joey Wahler is a sports anchor/reporter at News 12 New Jersey and an update anchor at WFAN.

New York Mid-Major Non-Conference Teams

Nobody is in action today as we get ready for conference play, so it’s time to look back once more and name the All-New York Mid-Major Non-Conference teams. There are a lot of talented players to pick from in the New York City area. If I left your favorite player off one of the teams below let me know in the comments. I don’t like expanding beyond two teams, even though it’s possible, because at some point you just start including everyone and I wanted to avoid that situation.

Continue reading “New York Mid-Major Non-Conference Teams” →

Wagner defeats Pittsburgh 59-54

It’s really tough to win at Petersen Events Center, but now to mid-major teams have done it in 2011. The latest was quite the gift for Dan Hurley as Wagner pulled the 59-54 stunner over Pittsburgh. It was Wagner’s first win over a ranked team since defeating Alabama in 1978.

“That’s a better Christmas present than maybe even my wife got me,” Hurley said.

Continue reading “Wagner defeats Pittsburgh 59-54” →

Memory of LIU game drives Wagner to big victory

Wagner crushed St. Francis (NY) to get its first NEC victory of the season and in the process started to wash away the bad memories from a close loss to Long Island in the conference opener. The Seahawks blitzed the Terriers for a 90-50 victory on Saturday night at the Spiro Athletics Center.

Continue reading “Memory of LIU game drives Wagner to big victory” →