Wednesday, December 28, 2011 @ 9:50pm
Seattle U vs Nebraska Omaha
By Gary Hill
Seattle U (2-8) vs Nebraska Omaha Mavericks (6-8)
Key Arena (Seattle, WA)
Thursday December 29, 2011 8:15 pm
RADIO: 710 ESPN Seattle
Series- First Meeting
Last Meeting- n/a
Scouting Nebraska Omaha:
The Mavericks ride into town looking for their second Division I win in school history. Nebraska Omaha is in their first year transition to DI and will play out of the Summit League next year. They are playing a mixed schedule of DI, DII and NAIA schools this year. They are just 1-7 against DI teams this year. Athletic Director Trev Alberts, (former Nebraska standout and ESPN personality) cut the football and wrestling programs and made the decision to take all other sports programs DI. They won 19 games last season in D2 and are second in the country in assists this year.
The Ones to Watch:
Mitch Albers- 6'4 195 SR G- 18 ppg 3 rbds 3.5 assts
Albers is the 4th leading scorer in the history of Maverick basketball. He spent his first two years at Nebraska Omaha before transferring to Nebraska. He spent a year redshirting at Nebraska, but returned to Nebraska Omaha before he ever took the court for the Cornhuskers. He is shooting 50% from the floor including 37% from downtown. He is the only upperclassman starting for the Mavericks.
John Karhoff- 6'8 225 SO C- 12.5 ppg 4 rbds 2 assts
The Mavericks do not feature a great deal of size which makes Karhoff that much more important. The Center is god around the basket shooting 57%. He also shoots 80% from the free-throw line.
Keys to the Game:
1- Energy- SU played at a different level in their last outing and nearly knocked off a ranked team.
2- Feed the front-line- SU should have some match-ups to take advantage of up front.
3- Get to the Free-Throw Line- Opponents are dominating Seattle U in free-throw attempts.
Numbers to Know:
- 28- The day in November Seattle U last won a game
- 6- The number of losses in a row for Seattle U.
- 0- The number of losses for SU in the Elgin Baylor classic.
-4- The number of games at the Key a day for two days straight.
Seattle U looks to snap the losing streak tonight at 8:15 on 710 ESPN Seattle.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011 @ 1:32pm
Seattle U vs Virginia
By Gary Hill
Seattle U (2-7) vs Virginia Cavaliers (9-1, 0-0 ACC)
Key Arena (Seattle, WA)
Wednesday December 21, 2011 7:10 pm
RADIO: 710 ESPN Seattle
Series- SU 1-0
Last Meeting- Wednesday, December 22nd 2010- SU Win- 59-53
Scouting Virginia:
A fast start has helped push Tony Bennett's team to a 24th ranking in the AP poll. Defense has always been the calling card for Bennett coached teams and this particular version of the Cavaliers plays it very well. They are 2nd in the nation in scoring defense (48.5 points per game) and they allow only 37.2% shooting from the field. The Cavaliers finished 16-15 (7-9 ACC) last year, but return 4 starters and Preseason ACC standout Mike Scott. Scott played just a handful of games last year and received a medical redshirt after an ankle injury. The veteran Virginia club has taken care of a soft non-conference schedule with the exception of a 70-58 win over a ranked Michigan team. They beat Oregon the last time out 67-54 in Eugene. The game against Oregon was their first true road game of the season. Virginia was picked 4th in the preseason ACC poll.
The Ones to Watch:
Mike Scott- 6'8 237 SR F- 15.5 ppg 9.5 rbds 2 assts
Scott may be the best forward Seattle U will face all year. He is a double-double machine who crushed opponents on the glass. He is one of the leaders in the country in rebounds (9.5 a game) and field goal shooting (59%). He is a tremendous college basketball player. He will provide a matchup nightmare for Seattle U. He went for 17 and 13 against Oregon his last time out and he has already picked-up 4 double-doubles this year. He punishes teams for fouling him by shooting 80% from the stripe.
Joe Harris- 6'6 211 SO G- 12.5 ppg 4 rbds 1.5 assts
Harris gets a rare chance to play in front of family and friends versus Seattle U. The Chelan, WA native was the Gatorade State Player of the Year his senior year. He averaged a staggering 26.6 points, 8.0 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 4.4 steals and 1.6 blocks a game. He is the only other Cavalier to average double-digit scoring. He doesn't miss free-throws (30-33) and is a good 3-point shooter.
Keys to the Game:
1- Free-Throws- The last 5 game average- SU (8-12.8) Opponents (21.6-30.6).
2- Keep Scott away from the basket. He is a matchup nightmare and he can do big damage in the paint.
3- Find ways to score. Scoring against Virginia is hard and SU must find a way.
Numbers to Know:
- 1984- The last time Virginia played in Seattle, losing 49-47 in OT to the Hakeem Olajuwon led Houston in the National Semi-Finals. Virginia was led by Olden Plynice and Rick Carlisle.
- 1978 - The last time SU hosted a ranked team- Losing to San Francisco 96-85.
-1974- The last time SU beat a ranked team at home- UNLV 82-64.
-5-1- Bennett's record in Seattle.
-3-0- Bennett's record at Key Arena
Join us on 710 ESPN Seattle for tip at 7:10pm. Seattle U looks to take down the Cavs for the second year in a row.
Saturday, December 17, 2011 @ 2:20pm
Seattle U at Utah State
By Gary Hill
Seattle U (2-6) at Utah State (4-5, 0-0 WAC)
Dee Glen Spectrum (Logan, UT)
Saturday December 17, 2011 7:05 pm
RADIO: 710 ESPN Seattle
Series- Utah State 14-13
Last Meeting- 1/31/1976- SU 79-73
Scouting Utah State:
The numbers are staggering- 12 straight postseason appearances, 12 straight 23-plus win seasons, 4 straight WAC championships and 3 NCAA appearances in a row. Utah State has appeared in The Tournament 20 times including in 2000, 01, 03, 05, 06, 09, 10 and 11. They feature the 4th best winning percentage in the nation in the 2000's behind 1-Duke, 2-Kansas and 3- Gonzaga. Since 2006, Utah State boasts a 75-21 (.781) record in the WAC. They are 221-15 at home in the last 15 years including a perfect 17-0 mark last season. To say that Head Coach Stew Morrill has had success at Utah State in his 13 years would be an understatement. Morrill has a 324-103 record in Logan including an impressive 30-4 mark last season. Needless to say it is shocking to see that the Aggies have already racked up 4 losses with the possibility of entering league play with a sub-.500 record. It has been an unsteady start for Utah State as they attempt to recover from the massive losses after the 30 win season a year ago. The Aggies return only 1 starter and 4 letterman from last year. They have used 7 different lineups already and have been hit with a couple of injuries as well. Their starting lineup includes two sophomores and a freshman. Despite the struggles to start the year they are still nearly impossible to knock off at home. The Dee Glen spectrum is one of the toughest places to play in college basketball and they are still 3-1 at home this year. They often sell-out their 10,000 seat arena and the crowd has a widespread reputation for being very vocal. The students are out for break so we shall see what the crowd looks like tonight. The WAC championship has gone through Logan for the past 4 seasons so this will be a challenge for the WAC bound Redhawks tonight.
The Ones to Watch:
Pane Brockeith- 6'1 195 SR G- 13 ppg 2.5 rbds 3 assts
The lone returning starter for Utah State. The transfer from Houston was 1st Team WAC last year averaging 12 points 3 rebounds and 3.5 assists a game. He has played huge minutes this season as the Aggies have relied heavily on the veteran. He is in the top-10 in several different offensive categories in the WAC. He can score and pass. Seattle U has done a great job on lead scoring guards this year and he will pose a big challenge.
Preston Medlin- 6'4 175 SO G- 13 ppg 4 rbds 3 assts
Medlin is an expert at stroking the three. He is hitting 44% from downtown including an 8-11 game from downtown against Idaho State earlier this year. He was only 1-6 his last time out against Wichita State. He is averaging 16.4 points per game in his last 5. He spent last-year redshirting. Offense is his strength, defense is not.
Keys to the Game:
1- Make the Gimmies- SU has done a good job of getting good looks close in, but now they have to turn those into points.
2- Slow down Pane and Medlin- Utah State can be beat if those two can be held down on offense.
3- Get to the Free-Throw Line- Opponents are dominating Seattle U in free-throw attempts. It provides too big a point gap for Seattle U to overcome.
Numbers to Know:
- 25.8- The number of wins Utah State has AVERAGED the last 12 years.
- 27- The total number of games SU will play this year- to put it into perspective.
- 06-07- The last season that a team other than Utah State won the WAC outright- Nevada.
-29- The shooting percentage for Seattle U from downtown.
Seattle U looks for the upset today- tune in at 7:00 on 710 ESPN Seattle.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011 @ 8:27am
Seattle U at Arkansas State
By Gary Hill
Seattle U (2-5) at Arkansas State RedWolves (4-5, 0-0 Sun Belt)
Convocations Center (Jonesboro, Arkansas)
Wednesday December 14, 2011 7:00 pm
RADIO: 710 ESPN Seattle
Series- First Meeting
Last Meeting- n/a
Scouting Arkansas State:
The Red Wolves are enjoying tremendous success since veteran Head Coach John Brady walked on campus. Brady won two SEC championships during his 10 seasons leading LSU. He was twice named SEC coach of the year while guiding the Tigers to six postseason appearances including a Final Four. The Red Wolves are the only team in the country featuring two Final Four coaches on their staff. Assistant Coach Richard Williams led Mississippi State to the 1996 Final Four, which was part of his 12-year tenure. Brady took over to begin the 08-09 season and improved their win total from 10 to 13. They have won 17 games each of the last two years including a Sun Belt West Conference Championship last year. The defending champs were picked to repeat in preseason, but that was before Brady was forced to throw their best player and 1st team All-Sun Belt forward, Martavius Adams, off the team. Arkansas State was already dealing with depth issues and the loss of Adams was a devastating blow to a team with NCAA Tournament ambitions. The Red Wolves have primarily utilized a 6-man rotation out of necessity. They added another body in their last game by playing someone who has yet to appear on their roster. The players left for Arkansas State are talented and after losing 4 of 5 to start the year they have reversed the trend and won 3 of 4. Their only loss in the recent stretch was in OT to Austin Peay. They also have a very nice road win against St. Bonaventure under their belts.
The Ones to Watch:
Trey Finn- 6'2 210 JR F- 12 ppg 6 rbds 2 assts
A basketball player with the first name "Trey" should really shoot and Trey well… and he does…46%. He does everything for Arkansas State- 1st in points and 2nd in rebounds, assists and steals. The 3rd Team Preseason Sun Belt tremendous on the glass given his size and he is a tough defender. They need him to play well for them to win.
Brandon Peterson- 6'7 215 JR F- 11 ppg 7 rbds 1 assts
He provides a presence in the middle for Arkansas State. He was second in the conference with 61 blocked shots two years ago and he leads the team this year with 7 boards per game. He is very athletic and active around the basket.
Keys to the Game:
1- Free-Throws- Seattle U has shot 14 less FT's a game in their last 3 than their opponents. Arkansas State is 4-0 when holding opponents to less than 8 free-throws made.
2- Tickling the Twine- Seattle U has struggled to shoot the rock and will look to shoot it better than their 41% on the season.
3- Shut down Finn. Seattle U has done a great job on lead guards this year and they will have work to do on another one.
Numbers to Know:
- 16- The number of wins for Arkansas State at home compared to just 1 loss in the last 2 years.
- 27 - Points scored by Arkansas State in a loss to undefeated Louisville this year.
-40- The % shot by opponents from the field against Seattle U this year.
Join us on 710 ESPN Seattle for tip at 7:00pm. Seattle U looks to snap a 3-game losing streak.
Monday, December 12, 2011 @ 8:06pm
Idaho- In Review
The Vandals kept their momentum rolling after a loss at the buzzer to Washington State and the demolition of Oregon State in Corvallis on Friday. They were steady last night- shooting 55% from the field and knocking down 45% of their 3's. They out-rebounded Seattle U by 7 and received some clutch shooting from their bench. Meanwhile, the positives for Seattle U included smothering leading scorer Deremy Geiger. The explosive guard was fresh off a career high 27 point effort, while netting 7 treys against Oregon State. SU held him to just 4 points on 1-5 shooting. Seattle U was also able to make life difficult for 6'10 Kyle Barone. The second leading scorer for Idaho managed just 8 points on 3-7 shooting. Seattle U worked hard on the glass by securing 22 offensive rebounds which helped lead to an eye-popping 76 shot attempts. Unfortunately, Seattle U could not overcome two major obstacles which have haunted them lately. In the last three games Seattle U has shot 18-31 from the free-throw line. The percentage is not great, but the real problem is the number of attempts per game- 10.3. Contrast the tally with their opponents- 53-74= 24.6 attempts per game. Seattle U opponents have had the opportunity to score 14 more points a game from the free throw line. That is a tough total to overcome when you consider the caliber of opponents. The other issue was shooting percentage. Seattle U shot 35% from the field last night including a stretch of 2 points in 8 minutes at the beginning of the second half. They are shooting 42% from the field which is 230th in the country and 28% from 3 which is 309th.
The bottom line is that Seattle U is playing very good defense and certainly well enough to win consistently. The early offensive woes should probably not be a huge surprise given the number of new faces and given the fact they have been competitive with great competition despite the offensive woes it is easy to carve out a scenario where SU could turn a game like last night into a win. They will have their chance again when they travel to Moscow to take on the Vandals again in early February.
- The Halftime guest on radio yesterday was Eddie Miles- "The Man with the Golden Arm". He will be honored at halftime against Virginia on December 21st. Tony Bennett makes his return to the Pacific Northwest as the ACC school attempts to avenge a loss to Seattle U on their home floor last year.
- The Seattle U women's basketball team took down Portland on Sunday 69-55 for their third victory in a row. They play Santa Clara next at home on Tuesday December 13th at 7:00pm.
Sunday, December 11, 2011 @ 7:59am
Seattle U vs Idaho
Seattle U (2-4) vs Idaho (5-4, 0-0 WAC)
Key Arena (Seattle, WA)
Sunday December 11, 2011 3:00 pm
RADIO: 710 ESPN Seattle
Series- Seattle U 14-10
Last Meeting- 3/5/11- Idaho 78-69
Scouting Idaho:
The Vandals roll into Seattle fresh off of their impressive 74-60 win at Oregon State on Friday night. It was their second game in a row facing a Pac-12 foe after going down at the buzzer to Washington State in the game before. Former longtime Utah State assistant Don Verlin is in his 4th year as the Idaho head-man. His Vandal club runs the same highly successful Utah State system. They are a patient team on offense as they run through their offensive sets and they strive to play solid defense while staying away from gambling. After winning 16 total games in the three years previous to Verlin's arrival the Vandals have won 17, 15 and 18. They shoot 49% from the floor which is 19th in the nation and 1st in the WAC. They also shoot a blistering 43.8% from 3 which is 5th best in the country. Idaho finished 3rd in the WAC last year with a 9-7 record and should be competitive for the conference title. Today will be a good measuring stick for a Seattle team shuffling into the WAC next year.
The Ones to Watch:
Deremy Geiger- 5'11 170 SR G- 15 ppg 2.5 rbds 5 assts
He is a devastating offensive player who is deadly from downtown. He is shooting an eye-popping 48% from three. He rarly steps inside the arc as he has taken 79 shots on the season and 60 have been from 3. He tortured Oregon State by going 7-9 from beyond the arc while collecting a career high 27 points.
Stephen Madison- 6'5 210 SO F- 12 ppg 5.5 rbds 2 assts
The versatile forward does a little of everything for the Vandals. Against Oregon State he chipped in 9 points 15 rebounds and 5 assists. He shoots 43% from 3 which makes Idaho very difficult to guard when Geiger and Madison are on the floor at the same time.
Keys to the Game:
1- Stop the 3- Idaho is 5th best in the country knocking down the 3 and they are impossible to beat when they are rolling- ask Oregon State.
2- Stay disciplined on D- Idaho looks like Utah State running their offense which is always a test for the patience.
3- Get Broussard going early- Broussard has not been able to get things going early in games for SU and they need him to score.
Numbers to Know:
- 29- The percentage SU allows opponents to shoot from 3 this year.
- 6- The Vandals have won 6 of the last 7 in this series.
- 1- These teams meet one more time this year in February.
Seattle U looks for the win today- tune in at 3:00 on 710 ESPN Seattle.
Sunday, December 4, 2011 @ 10:07am
SU at HARVARD
Monday, November 28, 2011 @ 4:17pm
Preview: Seattle U vs. The Evergreen State College
By Gary Hill
Seattle U (1-2) vs. The Evergreen State College (1-6, 0-0 CCC)
Where: Showare Center (Kent, Wash)
When: Monday Nov. 28, at 7 p.m.
Radio: 710 ESPN Seattle
Series: Tied 7-3
Last meeting: SU won 51-29 in 2005-06 season
Scouting Evergreen:
Evergreen has made 3 runs the past 11 years to the NAIA National Tournament. Former USC Trojan and local standout Quincy Wilder teamed with sharpshooter Andre Stewart to form a devastating offensive duo during the 2001-02 season. The Geoducks won a school record 20 games in a row at one point and took down Seattle U in impressive fashion 71-59. Wilder played for former Seattle U coach Joe Callero at Highline CC and USC. Evergreen again made back to back trips to the National Tournament under Jeff Drinkwine in 08-09 and 09-10. Nate Menefee was one of the top college basketball players in the state regardless of level. He averaged nearly 25 points a game for his career and exploded for 57 in one night. The two-time All-American led Evergreen to a win over Seattle U in exhibition action in the first transition year for Seattle U. Hard times have hit Evergreen since the departure of Menefee and his coach Drinkwine. Former Tacoma Community College coach Arvin Mosley took the helm last year as the short-handed Geoducks stumbled to a 20-loss season. Evergreen is off to a very tough start this year as well as they try and recapture their past basketball glory.
The Ones to Watch:
Marice Tolliver- 6'6 220 SR F- 19 ppg 8.8 rbds 3.4 assts
Tolliver does it all for Evergreen and they lean on him heavily on the offensive end. He nearly averages 20 and 10 and has a green light on the offensive end. He has not received a great deal of help from his supporting cast so far this season.
Keys to the Game:
1. Stop Tolliver. It will be interesting to see to draws the assignment on the main Evergreen man.
2. Frontline Repeat. The SU frontline dominated Montana State on both ends of the floor which led to the first win of the year.
3. Patience. Seattle U was very patience on the offensive end the last time out and it resulted in easy buckets.
Numbers to Know:
1. SU is one win away from .500 on the year.
9. The number who played against the Bobcats as Cameron Dollar tightened the rotation.
Don't forget: Don't go to the KEY! We are in Kent tonight, and you can always find us on 710 ESPN Seattle.
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Gary Hill
Gary Hill Jr. has been immersed in the Pacific Northwest sports scene since childhood. Growing up in Tacoma listening to Bob Blackburn, Pete Gross, Dave Niehaus, Bob Robertson, Kevin Calabro, Bob Rondeau and the other local royalty of radio ignited an unyielding passion for sports broadcasting that eventually lured him to Washington State University. Since college Gary has served as play-by-play announcer, analyst or studio host for Seattle University, the Seattle SuperSonics, Seattle Storm, the University of Washington, and the University of Puget Sound among others. 
