First off - I would like to thank Bryce for his considerate email and as some of you that have had to deal with cancer and hospice which I am going thru at this time can empathise-sometimes you feel better taking a break and recharging your batteries.
Tonights game is between two very good coaching friends. Herb Sendek and Mr. Donovan.
I could tell you so much about these teams and the freshmen that have totally dominated the freshmen corps in both conferences.
The play tonight is on
10* Arizona State -3 (Buy the half point)
7* Under 132
Expect a lot of DeFense- Steals and blocks--these young kids will be flying around tonight. A great game to watch.
Since December of 2001 to March of 2005, Herb Sendek has defeated seven of the past eight NCAA champs. The only NCAA champion his staff has not defeated in the 1999-2007 period is Florida (2006-2007). It knocked defending NCAA champion UCONN (1999 and 2004 champion) out of the 2005 NCAA Tournament and has beaten past champions Michigan State (2000), Duke (2001), Maryland (2002), Syracuse (2003) and North Carolina (2005).
Florida has played well in its first two games in Gainesville but will not be up to the task of beating a fine NCAA snubbed team like Arizona State. Knowing Florida as I do they just do not have the defense to stop Arizona State from doing what they do best.
I was hoping Nick Calathes, Hodges and Speights would be game enough to give ASU a run, that the Gators extra day of practice there would be enuff to offset the 3 hour difference in gametime, that Bill Donovan knows the type of game to prepare for as he knows the coach.
Nah - don't think so. If the game was played in Gainesville, I would differ on the outcome but not this game, not this determination by Herb Sendek to win this game and show how talented his young team is.
ASU is led in scoring by the most famous Sun Devil southpaw since Phil Mickelson, James Harden, who has an ASU freshman record 16 20-point games on the year (seventh-best in school history). The 18-year old Harden is the youngest player in the Pac-10 as his 17.8 points per game is second-best in ASU freshman history and he leads the Pac-10 with 72 steals, fifth-best by a freshman in Pac-10 history...ASU was 5-4 at home in Pac-10 games after going 9-27 in Tempe the previous four seasons...ASU is 23-15 after starting last year 6-19...ASU has won its share of close games (7-4 in games decided by 10 points or less) and makes its free throws (.742 percentage is currently fifth-best in school history and second best in past 21 seasons)...ASU's winning record (5-4) in the back half of Pac-10 play was just the third for the Sun Devils in the past 13 seasons.
I could yak so much on this game but this is my gut feeling on the winner. Good Luck if you so choose to go with it. At present the public is slightly with the Gators.
Tonights game is between two very good coaching friends. Herb Sendek and Mr. Donovan.
I could tell you so much about these teams and the freshmen that have totally dominated the freshmen corps in both conferences.
The play tonight is on
10* Arizona State -3 (Buy the half point)
7* Under 132
Expect a lot of DeFense- Steals and blocks--these young kids will be flying around tonight. A great game to watch.
Since December of 2001 to March of 2005, Herb Sendek has defeated seven of the past eight NCAA champs. The only NCAA champion his staff has not defeated in the 1999-2007 period is Florida (2006-2007). It knocked defending NCAA champion UCONN (1999 and 2004 champion) out of the 2005 NCAA Tournament and has beaten past champions Michigan State (2000), Duke (2001), Maryland (2002), Syracuse (2003) and North Carolina (2005).
Florida has played well in its first two games in Gainesville but will not be up to the task of beating a fine NCAA snubbed team like Arizona State. Knowing Florida as I do they just do not have the defense to stop Arizona State from doing what they do best.
I was hoping Nick Calathes, Hodges and Speights would be game enough to give ASU a run, that the Gators extra day of practice there would be enuff to offset the 3 hour difference in gametime, that Bill Donovan knows the type of game to prepare for as he knows the coach.
Nah - don't think so. If the game was played in Gainesville, I would differ on the outcome but not this game, not this determination by Herb Sendek to win this game and show how talented his young team is.
ASU is led in scoring by the most famous Sun Devil southpaw since Phil Mickelson, James Harden, who has an ASU freshman record 16 20-point games on the year (seventh-best in school history). The 18-year old Harden is the youngest player in the Pac-10 as his 17.8 points per game is second-best in ASU freshman history and he leads the Pac-10 with 72 steals, fifth-best by a freshman in Pac-10 history...ASU was 5-4 at home in Pac-10 games after going 9-27 in Tempe the previous four seasons...ASU is 23-15 after starting last year 6-19...ASU has won its share of close games (7-4 in games decided by 10 points or less) and makes its free throws (.742 percentage is currently fifth-best in school history and second best in past 21 seasons)...ASU's winning record (5-4) in the back half of Pac-10 play was just the third for the Sun Devils in the past 13 seasons.
I could yak so much on this game but this is my gut feeling on the winner. Good Luck if you so choose to go with it. At present the public is slightly with the Gators.
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