Season openers

[Balatro Diabolus Ex]

The Loyola Marymount Lady Lions return 4 starters and 10 letterwinners from a team that finished 18-12 last year, including leading scorer Ranahy Young (14.7 ppg), and WCC Newcomer of the year Alex Cowling (13.4 ppg and 6.2 rpg). Their only significant loss from last season is point guard Cassady Moore, who averaged 11.5 points, and also lead the team in assists and steals. Both Young and Cowling were voted onto the WCC pre-season all conference team, and the Lions were picked to finish 2nd in the league behind defending champion, Gonzaga.
LMU is a guard oriented team that likes to play up tempo, but does not have a great deal of height. Their starting center and power forward from last season both return, but neither is a major factor in the offense. Melanie Yasaguirre and Alyse Evans combined for 10.5 points and 13.1 rebounds per game last season, and are after thoughts on a team that shoots a lot of 3’s (544 attempts last year) and likes to score in transition.
In their pre-season exhibition game, Young did not play, Yasaguirre did not start, and Evans only played 4 minutes. LMU used a small lineup almost the entire game, with Cowling at forward, 3 guards, and rotating Evans, Yasaguirre and freshman Camille Buckley in the post. There has been no mention of why Young didn’t play in the exhibition, and all indications are that she will be available to play tonight.
LMU is a short team, that compensates by pushing the tempo. They should be a NIT team this year, but would have to upset Gonzaga to make the NCAA tournament. They should finish the year in the top-100 of the RPI, though, and would be a quality win for us.



The South Florida Bulls return 2 full time starters, and 4 players that started 10 games or more, from a team that went 9-22 last year, and 4-12 in Big East play. Since joining the Big East, the Bulls have been the conference doormat in basketball, but last year hopes were high that transfers Mike Mercer and Augustus Gilchrist would be able to lift the Bulls out of the conference cellar, once they became eligible in the second semester. Gilchrist turned in a respectable performance, averaging 10 points and 4 rebounds per game, but Mercer played just 4 games before being kicked off the team for disciplinary reasons (drug charges), and the Bulls continued to struggle. Mercer is back on the team now, after an apparent attitude adjustment (and knee surgery) in the offseason, and hopes are again high that the troubled but very talented guard will help make the Bulls competitive in Big East play.

In last years season opener, the Bulls were lead in scoring by Jesus Verdejo (18 points) and rebounding by Mobolaji Ajay (11 boards) both of whom are gone now. The returning starters include guard Dominique Jones who lead USF in scoring last season (18.1 ppg), along with backcourt mate Chris Howard (7.4 ppg). Augustus Gilchrist started at center half of last season, and he will be joined in the frontcourt by JC transfer Jarrid Famous. Mike Mercer is expected to start at small forward, meaning that early in the season Jones will start at point guard. Ohio State transfer Anthony Crater is expected to take over at point guard in December, when he becomes eligible, but until then Jones will run the offense. When Crater is eligible, Jones will move back to the wing, along with Mercer. Alex Rivas, who started half of last season at Center, will also not be available until December, after undergoing surgery on both legs in the off season.

In their last exhibition game against Florida Southern, Jones led the team in points (20) and assists (8) and also pulled down 6 rebounds. Jarrid Famous showed that he was ready to make an immediate impact by pouring in 20 points and pulling down 8 boards. Augustus Gilchrist struggled with foul trouble, and played limited minutes, opening the door for freshman Toarlyn Fitzpatrick, who responded with 14 points and 8 rebounds. Mike Mercer scored 17 points, and shot 7/10 from the field. Gilchrist and Famous blocked 6 shots.

I expect USF to take the ball to the basket aggressively, both their post players, and their guards. The Bulls guards have a large size advantage over the home team, and I would expect them to drive to the basket early on, and perhaps also post up on the smaller defenders, down low. USF has talent and depth on the frontline, and they are not afraid to play physical. I would expect this to be a very physical game, USF will try to take the ball to the basket, hard.

Starting 5
PG- Dominique Jones, 6’4”, JR. 18.1 ppg last year
SG- Chris Howard, 6’4” SR. 7.4 ppg last year.
SF- Mike Mercer, 6’5” SR. averaged 13.6 ppg as a sophomore at Georgia, before transferring.
PF- Jarrid Famous 6’11” JR. JC transfer.
C-Augustus Gilchrist, 6’10”, SO. 10.4 ppg last year.

[Balatro Diabolus Ex]

Almost forgot, one piece of USF trivia, after so much has been made about Michael Jordans son at UCF, and his refusal to wear Adidas. Overlooked in all that is Jordan Dumars, son of former Pistons All-Star Joe Dumars, who is a freshman at USF this year. Dumars doesnt get as much publicity, because he doesnt make any ridiculous demands about his shoes.

[SMU 86]

To be fair I don't think Joe Dumars has his own shoes. I also think the media is really blowing this out of proportion. All this over a pair of shoes. Please.

[FriscoPMG]

My buddy said he saw Joe Dumars roaming the concourse before the game, but I never spotted him in the stands watching the game. Did anyone see him there? There aren't a whole lot of hiding spots in Moody to watch the game from!