Good Morning Ohio,
Very excited for the challenge tonight. Most knowledgeable UMass fans have had this one down all season as among the toughest games we'll play, and we have a pretty strong schedule this year.
What you'll see from us is a pretty short rotation - but we have 7 guys capable of leading us on a given night.
Chaz is exactly what you expect - a very dynamic player who pushes tempo whenever possible. He is creative in the open court, throws a lot of lobs to Putney and Esho on the break, can get to the hoop at will with these new rules, and hit the three. He is prone to turnovers as he plays too fast and forces things occasionally, though there has been less of that this year.
Cady Lalanne is big and skilled, though still improving. He was injured for a couple of years and is breaking out this year after a healthy offseason. As you've mentioned, he is strong on the offensive boards, and uses his size well. He is a decent shot blocker as well. He is foul prone at times, especially against quicker bigs.
Sampson Carter is a fifth year senior, also healthy for the first time in a few years, Not terribly athletic, but very skilled for a PF. Can shoot the open three and take bigger guys off the dribble.
Putney is the wildcard on UMass. He is a unique player. He is tall, about 6'9", but extremely thin. He is a streaky three point shooter, and if he's on it's difficult to stop because he shoots it from so high and has great range. He is dangerous in the open floor as well, with many highlight reel plays over the years. He is inconsistent however. Not a great defender (though his length is effective), rebounder, or passer, and somewhat fragile mentally. Many UMass fans will tell you that when he has a good game, we are very, very tough to beat because the other guys are pretty consistent in what they bring.
Derek Gordon is a glue-guy, does lots of little things. Expect him to try to keep Kellogg under control. He is a very solid defender, rebounds well for his size, and is aggressive getting to the rim. Not a great finisher or free throw shooter, though.
On the bench, Maxie Esho is a great sixth man, another unique player. Very athletic and active, strong defender and rebounder, developing mid range game. Looks awkward at times but is a very effective guy off the bench.
Trey Davis gets decent minutes, spelling Chaz or playing to one and pushing Chaz to the two. Above average backup PG in my opinion. A threat to score and solid all around.
We also play Tyler Bergantino, a big body who plays defense and rebounds, sets picks. Not much else there, he is what he is and is decent.
We have 3 freshmen who haven't really cracked the rotation yet, though one guy, Clyde Santee, put up 13 points in 5 minutes during the blow out of UNI.
Chaz and Cady get a lot of attention, but we are a balanced team, mentally strong and experienced. We prefer to play fast, press, and get into a frenetic paced game, but we can win in other ways, as we did at EMU and over Clemson in Charleston. Turnovers and foul trouble are our Achilles Heel.
Hoping for an entertaining game, and a big road win for UMass at a difficult place to play!
Last Edited: 12/18/2013 11:20:52 AM by UMassFan