2009-10 Team Previews: Mississippi Valley State
by J.T on Sep 29, 2009 10:35 PM PDT
10 comments
Before the Zags open their home season with highly anticipated games versus Washington State and Wake Forest, the Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils travel to the Kennel on November 14th for the regular season opener. The Delta Devils come from the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) and a program that is trying to reestablish itself. They are headed by Head Coach Sean Woods who will be in is sophomore campaign after a rocky first season with his club. Interesting note, many of you might remember Sean Woods as the player who scored the 10 foot jumper for Kentucky with 2.9 seconds left to put his Wildcats up 103-102 before Christian Laettner made the miracle shoot that sent Duke to the Final Four in the 1992 NCAA tournament and later to win the National Championship.
Well now Woods is the man in charge at MVS after assistant coaching stints at High Point, Texas A&M Corpus Christi and TCU. So, just like last year when Coach Few scheduled Montana State Billings and Idaho as a warm up for the Old Spice Classic, Mississippi Valley State should be a warm up before the team travels to East Lansing to play Tom Izzo and his Michigan State Spartans on November 17th.
Last Season:
For the Delta Devils, the inaugural season for coach Sean Woods didn’t go as well as they could have wished. In 2008 the team made the NCAA tournament and got bounced out in the first round. One season later and a coaching change later the team finished 2009 with a record of (7-25) and finished sixth in the SWAC with a conference record of (7-11) and (0-1) in the SWAC conference tournament. The team did not qualify for any post-season play. Just like the Bulldogs, the Delta Devils played Washington State, Texas Southern and Arizona. Mississippi Valley State was blown out by WSU 76-25, dominated by Arizona 86-52 and split the season conference games versus Texas Southern by winning at home 81-68 and losing on the road 99-87. In comparison, the Zags beat WSU 74-52, handled Texas Southern 84-42 and lost a heart breaker to Arizona 69-64. The Delta Devils opened the season by going (0-14) before picking up their first win at home against conference rival Alabama A&M. They did however play 2009 NCAA tournament teams Oklahoma, Arizona, Arizona State and SWAC conference champions Alabama State. The Delta Devils did not pick a win versus any of those tournament teams however. While it’s clear that coach Woods is trying to rebuild the program, his did lead his team to finish the season 7-11 after a dismal start and it seems like that should carry over to the start of this season after another off-season for the team to find its identity.
New Faces:
For any Division I school, it is hard to replace senior leadership and carry over momentum over to the next season when you only return three starters, six players from the previous seasons and bring in nine fresh faces. However that is a problem Coach Woods is looking to solve. He lost his best rebounder Eric Petty and a team leader in Earl Clark to graduation after last year. But don’t count out the Delta Devils yet; with the help of assistant coaches Dylan Howard and Chico Potts, the team is bringing some junior transfers and freshmen that the team has a right to be are excited about. Two junior transfers who could see a lot of playing time at the guard position could be Jason Sabb and Michael Mayo. Sabb comes over from Angelina Junior College in Texas and Mayo comes from Cochise Junior College in Arizona. Also two freshmen that could make some noise are Guard Ricky Lamb from Florida and Forward Mark Holmes from Illinois. Lamb is multitalented athlete and has the speed to go along with his 6’6’’ height. Mark Holmes comes from Illinois and was named to the Illinois All-League player for the Chicago Catholic League. Coach Woods should look to use all these players in a regular rotation the entire season. Amongst these players, Woods has a handful of other transfers would could play valuable minutes and help turn around the program.
Players to Watch:
With three returning starters, the biggest threat and perhaps the Delta Devils best player is senior Shannon Behling. Last season he was the teams leading scorer averaging a little more than 10 points and snagging six rebounds a game. He numbers look to improve this season after another year in coach Woods system and earning more minutes at the small forward position with Eric Petty graduating. Behling has the size to match up with anyone (6’7’’) and his above average speed and experience could cause some headaches for teams this year. Odds are the play of Behling will determine how improved MVS will be. He will be the leader of the team and his play with set the tempo for the Delta Devils. If Behling struggles during the game, his team will probably struggle. Also another player to keep an eye on is senior guard Julius Cheeks. He was MVS second leading scorer last year with more than 9 points a game and he saw action in 27 games. Cheeks only started 10 games last year but his experience from a year ago should allow him to get into games earlier off the bench or start at one of the guard positions. As a team last year, the Delta Devils shot 38% from the field but with improved playing from Behling and Cheeks and quality minutes from the rest of the team, MVS has a chance to be vastly improved this season.
Concerns:
Based on the numbers and talent, this game should be a big win for the Zags. MVS is an improving team but behind the leadership of Bouldin, the speed of Goodson, the shooting of Gray, and power of Sacre; the Zags should take care of business and get the bench playing time in the second half. What the Zags need to be careful of is overlooking the Delta Devils and focusing their attention on Michigan State three days later and not being mentally prepared to play. I doubt this would ever really happen under a Mark Few coached team but you never know. Also since this will be an the season opener, It will be interesting to see how Rob Sacre plays after missing last season and how the team will function after losing leadership from Pargo, Heytvelt, Daye and Downs from last year. The Zags have the talent, coaching and potential to be a dominant team, it will just be exciting how they put all the pieces together with such a young team.
What We're Watching For:
Just like everyone else, we are excited to see the new guys in action this season. Especially the much anticipated debuts of German sensation Elias Harris and Canadian Bol Kong. Harris had a solid performance for the German national team at the 2009 FIBA tournament and could have an instant impact this season. Although he got to campus late, he could get some quality minutes prepping him for Michigan State. Expect him to score often and Zag fans will fall in love with him. Bol Kong seems to have unlimited potential. Fans have been waiting two years to see him in his #34 jersey and he could put up big numbers. This could be a coming out party for the new guys and the Zags should easily win this one versus the rebuilding Delta Devils.
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I wonder about these kinds of games!
What exactly does anybody think GU actually is benefiting from these types of games? Just curious? Is it just a favor being repayed to someone? I scratch my head every year on these! There are so many comments to make on this that I’ll limit myself to: High risk, Zero Benefit, false security and poor choice. HHHHHMMMMMMMMMM, thats about right. JMO
Cupcakes are a part of the game
There are at least two reasons for playing these types of games. The biggest, is to let the players get their feet wet early in the season.
This is not a veteran team this year and undoubtedly there are going to be all kinds of ‘rough edges’ in the early going. New players will be tested in various situations and the coaches will be evaluating which combinations work the best. There is no getting around this. Some teams will schedule a couple of these games every year. Others (like the U-Dub) will schedule a half dozen. Of course not every cupcake is going to roll over and die. Sometimes you catch a Bran Muffin (Portland did a number on U-Dub last year).
But it isn’t just young teams that do this it is a common practice everywhere.
You also have to look at the other side of this equation. For years Gonzaga could not schedule a quality opponent. We still have this problem at times. There are programs out there that badly need the boost brought by some national exposure — and the $$$ associated with playing in the Kennel. There was a time when GU would be looking for a game like this and never find one. So, in a way, we are extending an opportunity to a struggling program.
Personally I would rather have seen North Dakota or a local team in this game but . . .
You can bet that struggling program is going to do their best. This might be the biggest game they play this year.
The cupcake I object to is the one at the end of the season — well at the end of last season. That was just sad.
mjc
I think these games are great to start with
These are great games to start the season of with. We can practice the offense, start to get back in game shape, and see exactly how everyone will fit in. Do you expect us to start off flying down to play michigan state, or going to play memphis? This game is perfect to start the season with. False security? I think our team is going to know that this team is obviously not as good any other opponont we are gonna play this year.
In General
“Types” was the operative word here. You get better by playing against better, thats a fact! If I could play MSU or MEMP every game, I would rather than MVS. Pattsie’s are a gimme for teams in need of a boost. My point is, GU is good enough not to need the “Fix”. As far as the end of the Season Pattsie’s, the game is important but the competition is useless. I would rather come off of the WCC tourney just before the Selection day than playing the “Gimme” game and sitting for another 7-10 days! They get nothing from that type of game except limited toning. The neg’s are they don’t play their rotating players like they would against a MSU, they blow out the team, and IMO, they spend more time hunk’n and Jiv’n gett’n in peoples faces and showing off than improving their skills. They actually regress in timing and skill level for that game.
There are no MSU’s or Memphis’s in the WCC. There are some teams close to MVS though! We already have those gimme’s. I guess from a coaching standpoint, I’d rather go 20-10 prepared than 29-4 and go to the NCAA unprepared.
Finally, once we start the WCC, we slowly lose some of the competetive edge after playing the Dukies, MSU, Wisc, WSU, MEMP ect., thats why we show how we do in March. Not because of how good or bad the kids are but “WHO” we’ve played against for the past 2 1/2 months, thats just how it works! Our league is what it is. It’s up to GU to take the steps to change the playing field and I just think they’ve got a way’s to go. JMO
Don't get me wrong
I don’t understand having these type of games at the end of the season, but I think having one or two before the season starts is a good thing. I dont want to say that is a glorified scrimmage, but essentially it is. By playing these games we ease our returners as well as all our new guys into the Michigan game, so they can get a feel for the game, and play against some competition besides their teammates. Plus it is always nice to get a couple wins under our belt, I have complete faith in our squad this year, but our non-leauge schedule is pretty dang hard and we do not wanna start league games with lost confidence due to losses. Saying that they regress in skill level while playing these games is just not true. As far as the WCC being compared to MVS, that is ridiculous, LMU could handle them. WCC teams are getting better. Thats just what I think
by zagsfan4life on Oct 1, 2009 11:10 AM PDT up reply actions
I don't think so!
I believe your wrong about the competition issue. Also, I said, “There are SOME teams close to MVS though!” If you don’t think in the past couple of years the lower teams in our league were just HORRIBLE, then, your right. we are looking at things totally differently. When you beat teams by 50, they’re BAD! As far as toughness of schedule…………MSU plays more tough teams than we do just because of their league, as does all of the Major BCS schools in the ELITE group and thats exactly my point. Would you rather play 20 quality games or maybe 10? I’m not degrading the Zags schedule as such but only the FACT that they won’t get much better at the end of the season until they cleanup the MVS type scheduling in their program.
As far as starting the league with losses to quality teams? Huh? I would rather lose to the Dukies, MSU, Wisc etal, by buzzer beaters than win by 50 over the MVS of the hoop world. Skilled competition not the lack of, will get us over the hump and into the long range goals of this program as a top1-8 team every year.
By the way, the UW scheduling in the past 3 years has been horrible….but look at their record against quality teams in that time period and where were they at the end of the season for tourneys? In fairness they play 18 games in league thats quite a bit tougher than our league is right now. The difference with them scheduling the cupcakes at home is they finish with a very strong schedule for 2 1/2 months we coast in the WCC except for a couple of games……we can’t do anything about our league but we can by eliminating every other cupcake we can. As always JMO
Good post J.T.
Okay
I think quidveritas summed it up very well, they gotta get their feet wet. I don’t know what else to say, obviously we do not have a very strong league compared to elite schools like MSU and Duke…that is apparant, but we cannot schedule every single non-league game we play to be against a top 25 or and elite program. Obviously we would rather lose by a buzzer beater than beat a bad team by 50, but what if we lose to MSU by 30. Is that really a bigger boost then winning against a team that is not as good? I have never heard of an “elite” team who has not started the season off with a game or two (or 6 in the case of UW) to get a win under the belt, and see how the team is going to work together. I agree to get rid of these games at the end of the season, but as for starting off the season, these games are exactly what you need.
Thanks
Thanks, Your helping me make my point. So let me also add this angle. The reason the BCS are cupcaking a few in early season is, they play a tougher schedule from January to the end of March, WHEN IT COUNTS! They will play 20+games that are competetive most of the time during that period. GU, will play 4-6 games that will be tough during the same period. It’s because of our league that there’s such wide difference of competition but none the less there it is. So, if you add the 5-6 cupcakes we play throughout the season to our schedule…………now, were playing 10 quality and 20 cupcakers. Since we can’t change the 12 in league……maybe change that which we can control?
Look, here are the choices. GU will continue to struggle at tourney time with 29-5 seasons unless they change their MO or……….GU gets the players that are SO GOOD, it doesn’t matter who they play or when. It seems to me that the first solution would be the one that more than likely occurs. The second, is like North Carolina or Kansas or Duke or throw in some others, who just plain get the players I’m talking about every year. That could be awhile…. but maybe not. Bottom line, nothing in between! If you want to be the best, play the best, anytime, anywhere and while that has been the battle cry for the past several years at GU, it truely has not been the case.
I hear what your saying about GU already having a tough schedule but in fact, after December, it’s mediocre at the very best so how do they change that? I agree with everyone who says take a cupcake once in awhile but we already usually have 12 cupcakes we have to play in league in Jan. and Feb every year. Hopefully that changes which would help solve the issue.
I’m sure I’m beating a dead horse here so I’ll leave it alone with this. If your point is, playing lesser makes you better and you believe that, I guess we’ll just have to wait and see if a “Mid Major” who play’s poor teams at the end of the season wins a National title. I think then your point will certainly be validated. If it’s not your point, then ya gotta be on board for tougher games. Good stuff to debate though. Great Post
I agree
Thats true about the other leagues, they do have more quality competition. We have just two non-conference games that are against “cupcakes”. Im glad we do not have a bunch, but I believe that one or two are necessary. I sure hope we get those UNC Duke type players someday in the future, that would be great. We will definately have some easy wins in the WCC, but I dont think all twelve will be easy games. Of course I am with you in saying that we need to play these tough teams, and by the looks of our non-conference schedule this year that is what we are trying to do. All I was trying to say was that one or two right in the beginning of the season are good for our team. Good debate, cant wait until the season starts
Everyone welcome J.T. to the team!
You may have already noticed but JT has joined our writing team here on The Slipper Still Fits. He’s going to be helping us a lot with day to day writing and has a good amount of experience and dedication to Gonzaga basketball, which is priority #1!
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