Silverswords Are Cooking Up Some Exciting Court Action
By Jack Danilewicz
E-mail this story | Print this page | Comments (0) | Archive | RSS | Share
Del.icio.us
|
Fresh off an appearance late last week in the GNAC/Pac West Challenge in Lacey, Wash., the Silverswords open the home portion of their tough slate at McCabe Gym at 7:30 p.m. Thursday against Western New Mexico.
Below is a breakdown of Chaminade’s season.
Att aa Glance:: Chaminade went 10-15 overall and 7-9 in the Pacific West Conference in 2009-10. Four losses came to Division I teams Maryland, Vanderbilt, Colorado and Hawaii.
Didd Youu Know?? Head coach Matt Mahar is the most successful coach in (NCAA) school history, having won 64 percent (71-40) of his games overall as well as 71 percent of those vs. non-Division I teams (70-29). The Swords have won the PacWest twice during his first five years and earned trips to the NCAA Tournament in 2006 and 2008.
Starr Watch: Seniors Steven Bennett and Shane Hanson are two of CU’s most exciting players. A point guard and Second Team All-League pick, Bennett led in scoring (17 points per game) and assists (5.0) last season and posted a season-high 37 points against HPU in January. He started 24 of 25 games and was second in minutes played per game.
Hanson is a UC-Davis transfer who burst on the scene last year with a 15-point showing (which included four 3-pointers and eight assists) against UH and averaged 10.9 ppg to go along with 5.6 rebounds on the season. He also led the team with 61 three-pointers and had a free-throw percentage of 96.
Mahar said the Silverswords also will regain 3-point shooting ace Matt Cousins, a 6-8 forward, in December. With a year-anda-half of eligibility remaining, he had to take a semester off under NCAA guidelines.
Newcomerr too Watch: Seven-foot junior center Mamadou Diarra. A USC transfer, he was unable to obtain a release and had to sit out last year under NCAA guidelines. Diarra practiced with the team last season, however, and his debut was a smashing success as expected. He tallied 14 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in the exhibition game (an 83-55 loss) against UH Nov. 6.
Can’tt Misss Gamee I:: Versus Michigan State (4:30 p.m., ESPNU) Nov. 22 at Lahaina Civic Center. The Swords’ first-round game at the Maui Invitational is among the program’s most anticipated, and this year is no exception. MSU head coach Tom Izzo, whose debut came against Chaminade in 1996, has won six Big Ten titles and took the Spartans to the Final Four six times, including last season. On Nov. 23, the Silverswords will play either UConn or Wichita State. Their opponent for Day Three on Maui depends on the results of the first two days. All three of its Maui games will air on the ESPN family of networks.
Can’tt Misss Gamee II: Versus BYU-Hawaii March 5 at McCabe Gym. In a league where road wins are hard to come by, the Silverswords have to take care of business at home. As this game is the season finale for both teams, the PacWest crown could also be on the line.
Can’tt Misss Gamee III: Versus HPU Feb. 25 at McCabe. With 14 new players, the Sea War-riors are plainly the PacWest’s mystery team. This home game is a “must win.”
Gamee too bee onn Upset Alertt For:: Versus Carleton College at 2 p.m. Nov. 28 at home. The position of this game on the schedule is primed to produce a letdown, as the Swords will have just returned from Maui and will be leaving three days later for the PacWest Challenge.
Fearlesss Prediction: Chaminade will tie BYUH for the PacWest title en route to its third appearance in the DII NCAA Tournament.
E-mail this story | Print this page | Comments (0) | Archive | RSS
Most Recent Comment(s):
