Men's Basketball Looks For Luck On Irish Night
1/29/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Northeast Conference Slate Continues
Quinnipiac faces NEC foe Saint Francis (Pa.) on Irish Night, Thursday at the TD Banknorth Sports Center. The two teams met less than a month ago, when QU took a 74-61 road win. The Bobcats saw their four-game winning streak snapped last time out at Sacred Heart, when DeMario Anderson's contested mid-air catch-and-shoot attempt to win the game with 1.6 seconds left fell short. The Red Flash has gotten hot of late, winning its last two games against St. Francis (NY) and Central Connecticut. The pair of victories bump SFPA into the all-important top eight of the NEC.
On The Air
All of this season's men's basketball games will be featured on the Bobcats Radio Network, which consists of AM 1220 WQUN (Hamden/Flagship), AM 1420 WLIS (Old Saybrook) and AM 1150 WMRD (Middletown). Thursday's play-by-play will be provided by Bill Schweizer with color commentary from Bill Mecca.
Scouting The Red Flash
Reigning NEC Player of the Week Devin Sweetney leads the Red Flash at 12.0 points per game to go along with 5.1 rebounds and just over a steal per contest. Sweetney averaged 19.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists while shooting 61.5 percent from the floor in the Red Flash's home wins against St. Francis (NY) and Central Connecticut. In addition to hitting a game-winning fade-away 14-footer to beat CCSU, Bassirou Dieng leads the Red Flash at 7.0 rebounds and just over one block per game.
All-Time Against Saint Francis (Pa.)
Quinnipiac has had the upper hand against Saint Francis, winning 13 of 19 contests between the two programs, dating back to the 1997-98 season. The Bobcats have won four of the last five against the Red Flash, including a 74-61 road victory in the last meeting, Jan. 3. But Saint Francis issued a painful 73-72 loss in the last meeting at the TD Banknorth Sports Center, Feb. 22, 2007.
Spanning The State
DeMario Anderson scored 30 points in a single game for the third time in his career, Jan. 26 at Sacred Heart's Pitt Center. All three of his 30-point games have involved a pair of the NEC's Connecticut teams and each has taken place on a different floor. Anderson's first 30-point output (32 points) came as a Central Connecticut Blue Devil, Feb. 28, 2005, at Detrick Gym in New Britain. Anderson then scored 31 against Sacred Heart, Feb. 8, 2007, at the TD Banknorth Sports Center before his latest 30 points at Sacred Heart, Jan. 26.
Same Last Name, Same Rebound Total
DeMario and Karl Anderson each grabbed 11 rebounds, Jan. 26, at Sacred Heart. The total represents a season-high for both players.
Double-Digit DeMario
DeMario Anderson has scored in double-digits in each of the last 39 games, including every game this season. The last time Anderson didn't reach a 10th point was Dec. 18, 2006.
Terrific Twenties
With 30 points at Sacred Heart on Jan. 26, DeMario Anderson scored 20 points or more in six consecutive games for the first time in his career. The stretch comes after three consecutive 20-point games, Dec. 18-31. Only a 19-point game at Saint Francis (Pa.) has prevented the streak from stretching to 10 straight games. He's averaged 23.9 points per game in the stretch.
Among The Conference, National Leaders
DeMario Anderson currently ranks 1st in the NEC and 14th in the nation in points per game at 21.3.
Balanced Scoring Attack
Once you get past DeMario Anderson (21.3 ppg) and Evann Baker (11.7 ppg), the Bobcats feature six players averaging between 7.0 and 8.3 points per contest. James Feldeine (8.3), Casey Cosgrove (7.6), Justin Rutty (7.5), Louis Brookins (7.2), Bryan Geffen (7.2) and Karl Anderson (7.0) have all made solid scoring contributions.
Bobcats At The Bank
Through the Jan. 19 game against Long Island, Quinnipiac is 5-4 at home this year. All-time, dating back to last season, the Bobcats are 11-6 at the TD Banknorth Sports Center. Quinnipiac is 8-3 all-time against NEC teams.
Lou At The Line
Louis Brookins has undergone a great transformation at the free throw line. The junior transfer, who shot just 47.1 percent (8-17) from the charity stripe in his lone season at Maryland-Eastern Shore, currently stands fourth in the Northeast Conference in free throw percentage at 86.4 percent (38-44).
Making More Than They've Missed
Quinnipiac has shot over 50 percent in six of its eight NEC games this year for a 51.1 percent average. The Bobcats shot over 50 percent in the first six games.
Give And Take
Four of the Bobcats' seven leading scorers are also averaging at least 3.0 assists per game this season. Casey Cosgrove is averaging 3.4 assists while scoring 7.6 points per game (4th-team). Bryan Geffen is right behind Cosgrove with 3.3 dimes while scoring 7.2 points per game (7th). Evann Baker is second on the team in scoring (11.7) and third in assists (3.1 apg). Leading scorer DeMario Anderson (21.3 ppg) averages 3.0 assists per game.
Stealing The Show
DeMario Anderson has done more than just score lately. Anderson has corralled 19 steals in the last seven games, including four in each of three games against St. Francis (Pa.), Robert Morris and Mt. St. Mary's.
Window Work
Quinnipiac is averaging 5.7 more rebounds per game than its opponents through 19 games. The Bobcats are averaging 38.4 rebounds per game while holding their opponents to 32.7 caroms per contest. Quinnipiac's 53 rebounds against Lehigh marked the second time this season that the Bobcats grabbed 50 rebounds in a game, following 58 against Hartford.
The Quest For 1,000
DeMario Anderson stands at 1,452 career points through 102 games played at Central Connecticut State and Quinnipiac for a 14.2 points per game average. For his QU career, spanning 48 games, Anderson has totaled 861 points (17.9 ppg). Currently averaging 21.3 points per game with 10 regular season games left this season, Anderson needs to average 13.9 points per game to reach 1,000 points at QU.
Taking Care Of The Ball
Quinnipiac has three players ranked in top 15 in the NEC in assist-to-turnover ratio. Bryan Geffen leads the NEC at 3.15 and is eighth in the nation. Casey Cosgrove ranks 6th in the NEC at 1.42. Evann Baker (1.09) rounds out the top 15. The Bobcats rank second in the NEC with a team 1.01 assist-to-turnover ratio.
All Points Bulletin
Quinnipiac owns two of the top 10 highest scoring games this season in the NEC. The Bobcats totaled 92 points against Lehigh and 90 points against St. Francis (N.Y.).
Crashing The Boards
QU has two of the top three team single-game rebounding outputs in the NEC this season. The Bobcats grabbed 58 boards against Hartford and 53 rebounds against Lehigh. They are one of five teams to grab 50 rebounds and the only team to do it twice.
Just(in) Do It
In nine of his 17 games played, Justin Rutty has pulled down no fewer than five rebounds while maxing out at 12. For the year, he is averaging 7.5 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.
Going Where No Bobcats Have Gone Before
At 6-1 in the Northeast Conference, Quinnipiac got off to its best start in the program's 10-year history in the NEC. With QU's Jan. 19 win against LIU, the team eclipsed the previous best of 5-1, set by the 1999-2000 squad.
He's Getting His Name In The Paper
DeMario Anderson was named the NEC Player of the Week for the second straight week, Jan. 21, after averaging 22.5 points and 7.5 rebounds in a pair of wins against St. Francis (NY) and LIU.
Feldeine's Fantastic Finish
James Feldeine scored 10 straight points inside the final 3:18 against LIU, Jan. 19. Included in the flurry were a three, a driving layup, a put-back, a back-door cut for a layup and a free throw.
Achieving Perfection
DeMario Anderson was perfect from the free throw line at St. Francis (NY), connecting on all 10 of his attempts. He continued the streak, making all five of his attempts against LIU. Including his last two chances at Monmouth, Anderson has now made 17 straight from the charity stripe. The last Bobcat to be perfect from the free throw line in at least eight attempts in a single game was John Winchester (8-for-8) on Feb. 4, 2006, ironically also against the Terriers.
Two For Twenty (Again)
DeMario Anderson and Evann Baker each scored at least 20 points in the same game for the second time this season. Anderson scored 24 and Baker added 21 as the Bobcats defeated Monmouth, Jan. 12. The feat came after Anderson and Baker each scored 25 points Nov. 25 at New Hampshire.
Rutty Recognized
Freshman forward Justin Rutty was recognized as Northeast Conference Rookie of the Week, Jan. 7, after averaging 9.7 points and 6.7 rebounds in three games in the week prior. Rutty became the third different Bobcat to earn the award, following two selections for Evann Baker and one for Ed Zajac.
Five For Scoring
Five Bobcats scored in double-figures in a single game for the second time this season, Jan. 10, against Mount St. Mary's. DeMario Anderson (21), Karl Anderson (12), James Feldeine (11), Evann Baker (10) and Louis Brookins (10) all reached double-figures against the Mount. On Nov. 28, against Lehigh, the Bobcats added a sixth double-figures scorer as Ed Zajac (17), Baker (16), Casey Cosgrove (16), Bryan Geffen (12), Justin Rutty (12) and DeMario Anderson (11) all scored more than 10 points.
Baker's Back
After missing three games due to injury, Evann Baker returned to action against Cornell and returned to his scoring ways against St. Francis (Pa.) with 16 of his 18 points in the first half. Baker's career-high is 25, coming earlier this season against New Hampshire.
Brookins Cookin'
Louis Brookins had a career game Dec. 31 against Cornell, with 11 points and a career-high 16 rebounds. The double-double was the first of the Maryland-Eastern Shore transfer's career. He exploded for 25 boards in two games, Dec. 22 and 31, after grabbing 29 through the first 10. Brookins played just one year, the 2004-05 season, at UMES, where he established previous career-highs of 11 points and six rebounds.
Feldeine Feelin' It
Sophomore James Feldeine tied his career-high with 19 points, Dec. 31 against Cornell. Feldeine then added 12 points and a career-high seven assists, Jan. 5, against Robert Morris. He also scored 19 in the Bobcats' season-opening, double-overtime victory against Hartford. Hot perimeter shooting (5-6) led to the Cornell outburst, while the multi-dimensional Feldeine did most of his damage on the interior against Hartford. Coming into this season, Feldeine's career-high was four points.
Shooting Like Never Before
The Bobcats made history Dec. 19 against Dartmouth, shooting 64.7 percent (33-51), including 75.0 percent (9-12) from beyond the three-point arc. Both marks were the best in Quinnipiac's Division I single-game history. The previous best field goal percentage was 60.8 percent (31-51), set by the 2005-06 Bobcat team on Jan. 23, 2006 against LIU. Only two other teams have shot as well as 60 percent for a game. Only the 2001-02 team shot over 70 percent from beyond the three-point arc (70.6 percent, Nov. 29, 2001 vs. LIU).
The Season For Giving
Three Bobcats combined for 22 of Quinnipiac's 27 assists Dec. 19 against Dartmouth. Casey Cosgrove and Bryan Geffen each dished out career-highs in assists. Cosgrove handed out nine assists while Geffen had eight dimes. DeMario Anderson also contributed five assists.
DeMario DeMan Against Dartmouth
DeMario Anderson played a complete game Dec. 19 against Dartmouth. The senior finished with 27 points on 9-14 shooting, including 2-2 from deep. He also made all seven of his free throw attempts. He grabbed six rebounds and added five assists, two blocks, and two steals.
Déjà Vu All Over A-Geffen
Bryan Geffen scored 16 points on 6-for-8 shooting off the bench for the second consecutive game, Dec. 9 at Army. The effort matched Geffen's output Dec. 6 against St. Francis (NY). The Bobcats won both games.
Stormy Sunday At The Civic Center
The Bobcats were defeated, 82-49, in Tom Moore's return to the Hartford Civic Center, Sunday, Dec. 16. After tying the game at 10 on consecutive Casey Cosgrove threes, the Huskies broke the game open, outscoring the Bobcats, 36-14, to close the first half.
Klutch Karl
On Dec. 9 at Army, Karl Anderson knocked down a pair of free throws with 10 seconds remaining to break a 54-54 tie and give Quinnipiac a lead it would not relinquish. Anderson also scored a crucial tip-in with 2:12 remaining in regulation with the Bobcats trailing, 54-50.
Evann At It Again
Evann Baker was named the NEC Rookie of the Week for the second time Dec. 10 after averaging 8.0 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game in a 2-1 week for the Bobcats. He scored 10 apiece against Brown and St. Francis (NY). He also iced the Army game, connecting on two free throws to make it a two-possession game with one second left in regulation.
We Call Him Double Down
DeMario Anderson turned in his second career double-double against St. Francis (N.Y.). Anderson had 25 points and 11 rebounds in the Bobcats' 90-70 win in their first NEC contest of the 2007-08 season.
Perfection, Part 2
Louis Brookins was a perfect 6-for-6 from the field against St. Francis, while also making 5-of-6 from the free throw line, on his way to a career-high 17 points. It was the second time this season that a Bobcat converted on all of field goal attempts. Evann Baker was 9-for-9 from the floor against UNH.
Little Big Man
Bryan Geffen stepped up big for the Bobcats against St. Francis (NY), totaling 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the floor, including 3-of-4 from three-point range. Geffen has scored in double figures four times this season, with all four times resulting in Bobcat wins.
Award Tour
On Monday, Dec. 3, freshman big man Ed Zajac was named the Choice Hotels/NEC Men's Basketball Rookie of the Week, joining teammate Evann Baker as the second Bobcat in four weeks to win the award. Zajac was honored after a gutsy performance against Lehigh, totaling 17 points and 15 rebounds including nine boards on the offensive end.
Down On Brown
Quinnipiac's see-saw battle against Brown on Monday, Dec. 3 ended in an 86-79 overtime loss to the Bears. It was the first time that Quinnipiac lost in overtime since Nov. 18, 2005 when the Bobcats were downed by Troy State, 94-83, in the season-opener. Quinnipiac won both overtime games last season.
Spreading The Wealth
Against Lehigh, six Quinnipiac players finished in double figures. Led by Casey Cosgrove's 16 points and Ed Zajac's 17 points and 15 rebounds, as well as Justin Rutty had 12 points and six rebounds. DeMario Anderson had 11 points and five boards. Evann Baker totaled 16 points and Bryan Geffen had 12 points. It was the first time since Feb. 27, 2002 that six Quinnipiac players scored in double figures in one game. Against Monmouth, Bill Romano (16), Kason Mims (15), Macklin Thornton (13), Rob Monroe (12), Kareem Lee (11) and Rashaun Banjo (11) completed the task.
Double Your Pleasure
Quinnipiac may have discovered the formula for wins this season, and it is anything but conventional. The Bobcats are 2-0 this season in games that have gone to double overtime. The Bobcats knocked off Hartford in their season-opener, 85-70, in extra frames as well as Lehigh, 92-88, in two extra periods.
Fundamentals, Fundamentals, Fundamentals
Quinnipiac converted on 12-of-12 from the free throw line in overtime against Lehigh in a 92-88 win. For the game, Quinnipiac was 22-27 for 81.5%.
Big Ed
Ed Zajac had a break-out game against Lehigh, totaling 17 points and 15 rebounds. Zajac was a monster on the boards, pulling down nine on the offensive end. For the year, Zajac is among Quinnipiac's leading rebounds with 5.8 rebounds per game, good for 16th in the NEC.
Welcome Back, Mr. Anderson
Karl Anderson returned to the Bobcats lineup after missing most of the preseason and Quinnipiac's first four games. Anderson made an immediate impact, totaling four points and six rebounds in 15 minutes off the bench.
25
- Two Times
In the loss
to New Hampshire, Quinnipiac had two players (Anderson and Baker)
score at least 20 points in the same game for the first time since
Anderson and Adam Gonzalez broke the 20-point plateau on February
8, 2007 against Sacred Heart.
Perfection
When freshman
guard Evann Baker went 9-for-9 from the field in a career-high
25-point effort in the Nov. 25 77-70 loss to New Hampshire, he
became the first NEC player to shoot 100 percent from the floor,
while making at least nine field goals, since Sacred Heart's Kibwe
Trim went 12-for-12 against Saint Francis (PA) on February 24,
2005. Baker, who was tabbed Choice Hotels/NEC Rookie of the Week
back on November 12, is the only NEC freshman in the last decade to
accomplish this feat.
A First For DeMario
DeMario Anderson turned in the first double-double of his Quinnipiac career when he finished with 29 points and 10 rebounds against Maine on Nov. 20. Anderson had one previous double-double, finishing with 15 points and 12 rebounds against Mount St. Mary's on Jan. 6, 2005, while at CCSU.
Dropping Some L-B's
Louis Brookins had a strong performance against Maine as he hit on 6-of-8 from the floor en route to a 14-point night.
Career Night For Casey
Casey Cosgrove had a career night against Binghamton, dropping in a career-high 16 points as the Bobcats mounted a strong second half comeback that ultimately fell short. Cosgrove hit on 4-of-7 from the floor including 4-of-5 from three-point range as well as 4-of-5 from the free throw line.
Sweet Lou
Louis Brookins bounced back from a shaky Quinnipiac debut against Hartford to score 15 points and grab five rebounds against Binghamton.
Choice Hotels/Northeast Conference Rookie of the Week
Evann Baker's collegiate career started off on a high note as the freshman guard was named the Choice Hotels/Northeast Conference Rookie of the Week on Monday, Nov. 12. Baker totaled 16 points, five rebounds and four assists in QU's 85-79 double overtime, season-opening victory over Hartford.
If
We Only Knew Sooner...
James
Feldeine had a break-out game against Hartford in Quinnipiac's
85-79 double overtime thriller on Sunday, Nov. 11. Feldeine
exploded for his first career double-double, totaling a career-high
19 points and 10 rebounds. Feldeine, used sparingly during his
freshman campaign last season, hit a three-pointer with 28 seconds
remaining in regulation to send the game to
overtime.
Nice Play At The Point
Casey Cosgrove totaled seven points and a game-high eight assists as the Bobcats edged Hartford, 86-79, in double overtime. It was Cosgrove's three-pointer with a minute to play in the second OT that sealed the win for Quinnipiac.
People
Call Me The Bry Man
Bryan Geffen,
playing in his first career game at Quinnipiac, had a monster debut
for the Bobcats. Geffen totaled 19 points on 7-of-13 shooting from
the floor, including 5-of-10 from 3-point range. Geffen got hot
late in the game, hitting three consecutive 3-pointers as part of a
16-5 run late in the second half to give QU the
lead.
These Two Compliment Each Other
Freshman centers Justin Rutty and Ed Zajac had an immediate impact in their collegiate debuts. Rutty grabbed 10 rebounds in the first half while finishing with 12 for the game, while Zajac also grabbed 12 rebounds while chipping in six points.
Hitting
The Boards
Quinnipiac
outrebounded Hartford, 58-41, in the Bobcats' season opening
win.
All-Time
Coaching Facts At Quinnipiac
Of
Quinnipiac's six coaches all-time, including Red Verderame, Tuffie
Maroon, Burt Kahn, Bill Mecca, Joe DeSantis and Tom Moore, Moore is
one of three, along with Verderame and Kahn, to win his first game
on the sidelines for the Bobcats. Both Verderame and Kahn started
their careers at 4-0. Quinnipiac's win over Hartford was its first
win in a season-opener since joining the NCAA Division I men's
basketball ranks (1998-99). Quinnipiac's last win to start the year
was in its final year at the Division II level when the Bobcats
defeated New Haven, 81-70.
