Sports and Rants with Brett and Pants : Dayton

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

The Happiest Place on Earth!

They say Disney World is the happiest place on earth… However, tonight it is Saint Joseph’s University. The Hawks pulled off their biggest win of the season, and their biggest win since beating VCU in the A-10 tourney. Tonight’s game was one of the most looked forward games of the year, and it did not disappoint. This win giant for the Hawks and it was not only a complete team effort but, an effort from all of Hagan Arena. The student section came out rocking and did not let up the entire game. There was passion and intensity by every fan in the arena.

Tonight there was no player happier on the court then DeAndre Bembry. Before the game was over, with seconds left, Bembry ran to the student section and celebrated. It was truly a magical and a memorable moment on Hawk Hill. From the very beginning it looked like the Hawks had control over the game, and they did not let up. St. Joe’s went on big run after big run to create large leads against Dayton. But, the strength and resilience of Dayton did not disappoint. The Flyers fought throughout the whole game, until the Hawks were able to pull away with minutes left. It was a scoring fest from the Hawks with five of their players in double digits. Though Bembry brought the strong scoring, leadership, and passion to this huge game; the biggest lift came in the form of Javon Baumann. Javon who had not played very much this season, came out for some giant minutes when Miles got into foul trouble. Many Hawk fans and reporters thought that the game may be over with the weaker scorer out on the court, but Javon made up for it big. Javon used his big body to control middle and not only out rebound but also out hustle Dayton’s big guys. St. Joe’s proved something tonight; they showed the world they could beat not only a ranked team, but also a great team.

After knocking off #15 Dayton tonight, the Hawks now look forward to Saturday at Davidson. This will be the next big test for the Hawks, a test they have to pass. The Hawks beat their biggest challenge tonight but they face a long road ahead of them. This team does not want to just compete; they want to win in March. Fun win tonight for the Hawks, and it is time to take this momentum into March! #THWND

-Brett

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SportsAndRants

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SportsAndRants

Instagram: http://instagram.com/sportsandrants

Thursday, January 1, 2015

The A-10, what will happen?

It’s official conference play will begin January 3^rd against George Washington. For this struggling Hawks team, it is now apparent that these games will become extremely important if they want to make it to the tournament once again. SJU lost several games during non-conference play that they should not have, and it is clear that this team should be at least 8-3 or 9-2 going into January 3^rd. The Hawks have had several ups and downs this season, and it is apparent that they will not land in the top five of their conference. Below are our predictions of who will be the top five teams.

1. Dayton 10-2

a. Dayton was a team that completely shocked the world last season making it to the elite eight. It is clear that this team wants to go for even more this season, and can potentially do it again. It is no surprise how well Dayton has been doing so far this season, due to the fact that they have one of the best defenses in the conference. Do not be surprised if Dayton is once again playing in March.

2. Davidson 9-2

a. Davidson has been the biggest offensive presence this season so far. Davidson has averaged 86ppg, and has outscored teams over and over again. For this team it is no surprise that they have been dominating, and will continue to dominate into the conference play.

3. VCU 10-3

a. VCU over the last few seasons has been the clear powerhouse in the A-10. However, going into this season it does not look as though they will be the top team in the conference. Though all around strong on the offensive end, VCU has struggled mightily to keep teams from scoring. This team has also averaged 10pts less than the top scoring team Davidson. VCU will once again however finish in the top five in the conference.

4. George Washington 10-2

a. George Washington has been a very surprising team this season. The 10-2 team has played extremely well during non-conference play, scoring over 70ppg and allowing only 57.8ppg. Washington has been very competitive and will play extremely well in the A-10 this season.

5. LaSalle 8-5

a. LaSalle is a team that could be one that shocks the A-10 conference this season. LaSalle will be able to compete, and will be in the tournament come the end of this season. LaSalle has the talent that is needed to win and compete in not only in their conference but in the country as well. They are probably one of the best coached teams, and have the best fundamentals of any of the A-10 teams.

It is no surprise that we don’t have SJU listed above. They are not one of the top five teams in the conference. After, losing their seniors it does not look like the Hawks have fully recovered yet. Looking at this season many Hawk fans and experts would be happy if the team lands in the six or seven spot.

-Brett