Predictions? Info?

carney2 · Joined: 24 Feb 2007 Posts: 1174

I'm looking for something to get me through my post football depression. The men's team doesn't look like they are going to do it. Last year the women were 14-16 and 6th in the Patriot League (6-eight*). What does it look like this time around? VDV is gone, but Wright is early in a very promising career. Any help in the sophomore or freshman classes?

*A stupid smiley appears if you try to use an 8 in this context.

bison137 · Joined: 24 Feb 2007 Posts: 206

Here are a few guesses.

To begin with, last year the league had five teams that were almost identical in ability - AU, Army, BU, HC, and LU. Then it was a significant dropoff to 6th (LC), a bigger dropoff to 7th (Navy), and then a drop to the bottom of the Grand Canyon (Colgate).

My guess for how the preseason poll will look is as follows:

1/2 Lehigh and Holy Cross
3 Bucknell
4/5 Army and American
6/7 LC and Navy
8 Colgate

Lehigh returns everyone and adds two potentially good transfers (from Penn State and Xavier). HC lost two players, including their solid PG (Aloisi), but returns some very good players and adds two frosh who should help. A key for them is Bethany O'Dell, who was ROY and 2nd team All-PL as a freshman but did not show any improvement as a soph.

Bucknell lost two very good players but also gets back All-PL guard Amanda Brown, who missed half the league season with an injury and was hampered by it when she returned. BU also had three very good frosh last year and seems to have at least two pretty good ones this year, so I think they can still be in the race.

AU lost three good players - including a very good guard in Liz Hayes - but had some quality backups and should still be fairly good. Army returns a bunch of solid players - including Alex McGuire, who is very good. But they lost two strong players - including Cara Enright, who is one of the top players the PL has ever produced.

You know all about LC, so I won't go into any details here. I do see in the summer prospectus that the Pards lost two starters and return four starters. If the league allows you to play with six starters again this year, I predict the team should be tough. Laughing

Navy returns their whole team, including very good post player Consedine. They also have a new coach, which is almost certain to be an improvement.

As for Colgate, they can only be better. They do return virtually all of their players, including three sophs who had to start as frosh. Also I've heard a couple of their incoming players should see some playing time. It's a sure thing that they will win a few games this year, as opposed to the 0-14 they put up last year.

KenZ · Joined: 12 May 2007 Posts: 19

bison137 · Joined: 24 Feb 2007 Posts: 206

bison137 · Joined: 24 Feb 2007 Posts: 206

1. Holy Cross (8 first-place votes) 90 points

2. Lehigh (6) 83

3. American (2) 75

4. Army 60

5. Bucknell 53

6. Lafayette 38

7. Navy 35

8. Colgate 14

- - - -

I think they have Bucknell too low IF the Bison are healthy. Otherwise it's just about the way I picked them.

The Maroon · Joined: 23 Feb 2007 Posts: 459 Location: Bethlehem, PA

A big part of our success may hinge on if Alex S is as good as her resume implies. I hate to say that about a frosh---but we aren't that strong down low.

Hopefully Wright will be shooting foul shots at least at a 60% clip or were going to have to yank her from every close game where we are ahead.

I'd be disappointed if we didn't match last seasons success---but we haven't had to play without VVDV in a LONG time, so it will be interesting to see who emerges as the leader of this team.
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carney2 · Joined: 24 Feb 2007 Posts: 1174

Xboreturns · Joined: 31 Aug 2007 Posts: 231

I don't know about #4 but you've got the first 3 right.

I've watched parts of a few practices and I've liked most of what I saw. Virgin and Jackson look to have improved since their freshman year. The three freshman look like they'll be OK but they are still freshman and have a lot to learn. The PG Downey looks like she'll be able to spell Spicer who had to play way too many minutes last year.

Serowoky and McGorry both run the floor well but neither appears to be a low post player, not that we use one in our offense. If we run more transition, I can see them be effective beating the other teams posts down the court.

Jenkins still not back from her 2 ACL surgery's but expects to be back soon.

dogofthewater · Joined: 04 Mar 2007 Posts: 41 Location: pennsylvania

Interest is way down, partly the losing and partly the change in scheduling, which was a lousy idea.
It was 11 years ago, I believe, the Lehigh/Lafayette game for the title.
There can be no talk of a rebuilding year. There has been nothing to rebuild.
This has to be it; either there is improvement this year, a winning record, or there is a change. Eight is Enough.
This ``learning to win'' garbage is just that. Crying or Very sad

The Maroon · Joined: 23 Feb 2007 Posts: 459 Location: Bethlehem, PA

Kind of a baptism by fire tonight. I can't pretend I knew much about Middle Tennessee State but it only took about 30 seconds of googling to figure out this was a BIG step up for us.

Since all I can do is a stat sheet analysis....

Hey!!! We shot 58%! Holy moley....You don't lose many games when you shot 58%....Wait...we lost by 38!?...So we didn't get as many shots as the other team....which would have to mean..yup...38 turnovers. OUCH!!!! THe women's game has a lot more TO's but that's still a stratospheric number.

Still...I gotta believe we aren't going to see their kind of speed often--this team beat LSU last year.

Wright shot 2-6 from the line...That simply has to get better. She was the best frosh I've seen in Leopard Maroon in 2 decades but the foul shot problem HAS to be overcome. She had 10 points and only had ONE TO in 20+ minutes---she's so darn good.

Niquette couldn't get time in a 38 point loss? Was she hurt? I'm starting to worry that we're never going to see much of her at all.

You know what...Bad day to be a Leopard....Bad weekend. This game means squat and my Ambien is kicking in....

Let's just beat Lehigh!

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