Turnovers: big key for this game. St. Louis doesn't turn the ball over that much (11.4 per game), NMSU does (14.2 per game) and St. Louis forces 15 turnovers per game. The SLU guards are aggressive and will be all over KC Ross Miller and Terrel de Rouen. Guards Jordair Jett, Mike McCall and forwards Dwayne Evans and Cody Ellis all average at least one steal per game. Aggies have to be aggressive but protect the ball
Big game for Bandja Sy and Renaldo Dixon: NMSU is much better offensively when Bandja Sy is productive. He had good second halves in the WAC Tournament last week. I don't think Sy can wait until the second half on Thursday. NMSU's offense isn't efficient as a whole and when they aren't getting transition points, they go through long scoring lulls. NMSU went 10 minutes without a field goal in the WAC title game. Can't happen Thursday. I think it's going to be a tight game but the only way NMSU can get blown out is if they go on another dry spell. Dixon will have his hands full with St. Louis power forward Dwayne Evans, who was described to me as a freshman or sophomore year Wendell McKines. Good rebounder, drives and gets to the foul line. Dixon and Sim Bhullar's length in traffic can bother him.
Rebounding: St. Louis keeps teams to one shot for the most part so NMSU has to do the same. St. Louis grabs around nine offensive rebounds per game but NMSU is the 20th ranked team in terms of rebounding percentage at 55 percent.
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Menzies keeping Bhullar away from NCAA buzz
There is a lot of buzz on Twitter and online regarding NMSU freshman center Sim Bhullar.
Here is an AP story about Saint Louis center Rob Loe, who is going to be a handful in his own right, plans to defend Bhullar. Loe seems like an Alex Kirk type of center. Rugged, but can also step out and shoot.
I was able to speak with Bhullar prior to the WAC Tournament, but he wasn't available again until winning the Tournament MVP award after averaging 12 and 10 in the WAC tournament and a 16 point, 15 rebound five block performance in the title game.
Bhullar wasn't available on Monday before the team left and I'm not sure if he will be at the Aggies' press conference around noon on Wednesday.
"Freshmen in general, I don't like to over expose them to this," Aggies coach Marvin Menies said. "Dealing with the media in this day and age is a different media. I think less is more for younger kids. I don't need him to have a great interview and a great press conference. I need to have him play well in the game. My focus is winning the game, not winning the press conference."
Menzies would rather keep Bhullar focused on the task at hand and let his more experienced players get the attention. It will be interesting to see how much the Aggies veterans can calm down Bhullar and other players who are making their first appearance in the tournament.
"It's a huge huge event. It's the Big Dance. It can be overwhelming for a young kid," Menzies said. "Even for an older kid who has never been there. The experience of just going through that process is good. I'm hoping we will benefit from that."
I'm sure if the Aggies spring the upset, Bhullar will be on the podium. If not, "You guys will have more access next year, put it that way."
Here is an AP story about Saint Louis center Rob Loe, who is going to be a handful in his own right, plans to defend Bhullar. Loe seems like an Alex Kirk type of center. Rugged, but can also step out and shoot.
I was able to speak with Bhullar prior to the WAC Tournament, but he wasn't available again until winning the Tournament MVP award after averaging 12 and 10 in the WAC tournament and a 16 point, 15 rebound five block performance in the title game.
Bhullar wasn't available on Monday before the team left and I'm not sure if he will be at the Aggies' press conference around noon on Wednesday.
"Freshmen in general, I don't like to over expose them to this," Aggies coach Marvin Menies said. "Dealing with the media in this day and age is a different media. I think less is more for younger kids. I don't need him to have a great interview and a great press conference. I need to have him play well in the game. My focus is winning the game, not winning the press conference."
Menzies would rather keep Bhullar focused on the task at hand and let his more experienced players get the attention. It will be interesting to see how much the Aggies veterans can calm down Bhullar and other players who are making their first appearance in the tournament.
"It's a huge huge event. It's the Big Dance. It can be overwhelming for a young kid," Menzies said. "Even for an older kid who has never been there. The experience of just going through that process is good. I'm hoping we will benefit from that."
I'm sure if the Aggies spring the upset, Bhullar will be on the podium. If not, "You guys will have more access next year, put it that way."
Monday, March 18, 2013
Lessons learned from last year's NCAA
I remember talking to NMSU players following last year's first-round loss to Indiana. It seemed like the Aggies were depending on getting to the foul line against the Hoosiers. Afterall, the Aggies were among the nation's leaders in free throw attempts. Only problem was that NMSU wasn't playing with WAC refs anymore. NCAA games are called differently for whatever reason. Perhaps some are coming from a more physical league, more experience in the Tournament. But NMSU attempted just 10 free throws against Indiana.
Indiana was also ready for Wendell McKines, as the dominant offensive force on the Aggies. A year later and I believe this team is more balanced offensively while still doing the things that got NMSU into the tournament last year.
"You have to play harder, play stronger, make stronger moves because they are not going to call everything and we know that," Aggies senior Bandja Sy said. "They let us play."
Not that the Aggies shy away from a physical game, but they won't get calls and now they know this going in. Not to mention, St. Louis has been described as a very physical basketball team.
Sy and Daniel Mullings both said the Aggies can't afford to get off to a slow start again.
"They jumped out on us early before we kind of adjusted," Mullings said.
This year's Aggies are less reliant on the free throw line this season, and more balanced offensively.
"A lot of that has to do with a lot of the starters that went down at the beginning of the season because we have a lot of depth at a lot of positions," Mullings said.
The Aggies defend and rebound well enough to keep them in any game. They aren't as reliant on getting to the foul line as they were a year ago and more players are capable of contributing. NMSU seems to have improved in areas of weakness from last year's tournament team.
Indiana was also ready for Wendell McKines, as the dominant offensive force on the Aggies. A year later and I believe this team is more balanced offensively while still doing the things that got NMSU into the tournament last year.
"You have to play harder, play stronger, make stronger moves because they are not going to call everything and we know that," Aggies senior Bandja Sy said. "They let us play."
Not that the Aggies shy away from a physical game, but they won't get calls and now they know this going in. Not to mention, St. Louis has been described as a very physical basketball team.
Sy and Daniel Mullings both said the Aggies can't afford to get off to a slow start again.
"They jumped out on us early before we kind of adjusted," Mullings said.
This year's Aggies are less reliant on the free throw line this season, and more balanced offensively.
"A lot of that has to do with a lot of the starters that went down at the beginning of the season because we have a lot of depth at a lot of positions," Mullings said.
The Aggies defend and rebound well enough to keep them in any game. They aren't as reliant on getting to the foul line as they were a year ago and more players are capable of contributing. NMSU seems to have improved in areas of weakness from last year's tournament team.
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Keys to a championship: Arlington prediction
Transition: The Aggies turned the ball over 20 times last week in Las Cruces. Turnovers, and bad shots by NMSU was a big reason UTA got back into the game last week. If NMSU runs better offense and takes care of the ball tonight UTA won't get the kind of looks that hurt NMSU last week.
3-point defense: Arlington is shooting 43 percent from 3-point range this week. Karol Gruszecki is shooting 47 percent this week and is one of four players capable of knocking it down. One thing that helps the Aggies is that for the first time this week, center Sim Bhullar isn't facing a center with much of a jump shot in Jordan Reeves. UTA got a lot of transition 3s against the Aggies in Las Cruces last week. Look for Bandja Sy to guard Gruszecki and Renaldo Dixon to guard Kevin Butler.
Point guard play: This is probably the first time this week that the Aggies may need Watson's ability to handle the ball to help out the point guards against Arlington's press. KC Ross-Miller had a decent game on Friday with 12 points 5 assists and 3 steals, but Arlington's point guard Shaq White Miller will be a handful for Ross Miller and Terrel de Rouen tonight. White Miller is good at getting into the paint and creating. UTA uses a lot of ball screens for him so NMSU bigs will hedge out and not necessarily switch.
UTA feels like they should have swept the Aggies this season. Their press and ability to shoot the 3 will keep this close but NMSU will pull out a 68-62 victory.
3-point defense: Arlington is shooting 43 percent from 3-point range this week. Karol Gruszecki is shooting 47 percent this week and is one of four players capable of knocking it down. One thing that helps the Aggies is that for the first time this week, center Sim Bhullar isn't facing a center with much of a jump shot in Jordan Reeves. UTA got a lot of transition 3s against the Aggies in Las Cruces last week. Look for Bandja Sy to guard Gruszecki and Renaldo Dixon to guard Kevin Butler.
Point guard play: This is probably the first time this week that the Aggies may need Watson's ability to handle the ball to help out the point guards against Arlington's press. KC Ross-Miller had a decent game on Friday with 12 points 5 assists and 3 steals, but Arlington's point guard Shaq White Miller will be a handful for Ross Miller and Terrel de Rouen tonight. White Miller is good at getting into the paint and creating. UTA uses a lot of ball screens for him so NMSU bigs will hedge out and not necessarily switch.
UTA feels like they should have swept the Aggies this season. Their press and ability to shoot the 3 will keep this close but NMSU will pull out a 68-62 victory.
Arlington is a confident group entering final
LAS VEGAS, Nev. - Success isn't new for Texas-Arlington.
"Reaching the NCAA Tournament is probably the most amazing thing and that is what I am trying to convey to these guys," UTA coach Scott Cross said following his team's 69-53 victory over Texas-San Antonio in the Western Athletic Conference Tournament semifinals on Friday. "Last year we were a conference champion. These guys could have to of the best years in UTA history."
Arlington (19-12) plays No. 3 New Mexico State at 9 p.m., in the WAC Tournament championship game on ESPNU on Saturday.
Cross discussed the Aggies' size as being difficult to handle, but Arlington has been difficult for the Aggies to handle. Arlington beat NMSU by 21 points in December and the Aggies needed a Bandja 3-pointer on senior night to beat UTA last weekend in Las Cruces.
"I was mad that he hit the game-winner at the end," Arlington forward Kevin Butler said. "I think we should have won that game. We came out and actually dominated the second half. If we play like we did the second half last game the whole game, no question we win."
Butler has been among the best players in Las Vegas and wing Karol Gruszecki is 9-for-19 (47) percent from 3-point range this week.
Arlington is shooting 43 percent (19-for-44) from 3-point range this week in Las Vegas. Arlington was 10-for-23 against Utah State in the quarterfinals and UTA hit 9-of-21 against UTSA.
Arlington outscored NMSU 43-31 in the second half last week in Las Cruces and UTA's full court pressure forced 20 NMSU turnovers. Friday's lopsided win allowed Cross the luxury of resting key players.
"I don't think it was about the end of the game, it was the first half," Gruszecki said. "We didn't play with energy. Second half we stepped it up and had a chance to win. It was a good lesson for us before the tournament that if we play defense like we did tonight for 40 minutes, we can win."
Jason Groves can be reached at (575) 541-5459. Follow him on Twitter @jpgroves.
Friday, March 15, 2013
Postseason: Texas State keys and prediction
Joel Wright — Wright was 3-18 the last time these teams played. Renaldo Dixon/Bandja Sy could each guard Wright, but look for Remi Barry to get some minutes tonight against Wright. Wright came off a 32 point game where he got to the foul line 16 times against Denver. He's a versatile four but he didn't attempt a 3 against Denver, getting into the paint.
Run — This is Texas State's third game in as many days. NMSU won't press like they did against Idaho because Texas State guards are better, but pushing the tempo and pounding the ball inside with Bhullar could help wear down the Bobcats and their best big man Matt Staff, who had 20 and 10 last game against the Aggies.
Fast start — The key to Texas State's three game win streak is a fast start. They led 10-0 against Denver on Thursday. NMSU needs to hold them to one shot and grind it out. The Aggies outrebounded Texas State by nine in San Marcos.
Texas State is a solid team, but I think the Aggies win 74-63 for two reason — NMSU matches up very well with Texas State and NMSU is too close to the final to come out and let the Bobcats hang around.
Run — This is Texas State's third game in as many days. NMSU won't press like they did against Idaho because Texas State guards are better, but pushing the tempo and pounding the ball inside with Bhullar could help wear down the Bobcats and their best big man Matt Staff, who had 20 and 10 last game against the Aggies.
Fast start — The key to Texas State's three game win streak is a fast start. They led 10-0 against Denver on Thursday. NMSU needs to hold them to one shot and grind it out. The Aggies outrebounded Texas State by nine in San Marcos.
Texas State is a solid team, but I think the Aggies win 74-63 for two reason — NMSU matches up very well with Texas State and NMSU is too close to the final to come out and let the Bobcats hang around.
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