Alma @ Hope 6pm <<<<< note starting time
DeVos Fieldhouse
 |
| Skips leg day |
The three MIAA teams I seem to know the least about this year are Alma, Kalamazoo and Adrian. That also happens to be Hope's next three games, but I'll trudge on.
Alma opened the year 2-9, 7 of those losses came to teams with wining records and at least 5 began the year with legit NCAA tournament hopes. The Scots are now 4-12 and a healthy 4-3 since Dec 20 which includes wins over Ripon, Wittenberg, Albion and a 6 point loss @ Calvin. If they don't have your attention yet, think back to here.
Roster
Stats
Schedule
Probable Lineup:
G Scott Nikodemski 6-1 Jr.
G Chase Fairchild 6-0 Jr.
F DJ Beckman 6-3 Jr.
F Tyler Edwards 6-4 So.
F Doug Bradfield 6-7 Fr.
--------------------------------------
G Jason Beckman 5-11 Fr.
F Corey Hungerford 6-2 Jr.
C Quinton Cook 6-5 So.
F JR James 6-5 Fr.
G Ethan Woelke 6-3 Jr.
In league play Alma has switched 3 guys in Tyler Edwards spot, either, Edwards, Corey Hungerford or Quinton Cook as the starter. The other four spots are pretty set.
The key for anyone playing the Scots is finding a way to keep DJ Beckman from going off for a huge game against you. DJ is quietly having a very solid year averaging 14.8 points and shooting 45% from the floor including 47% from three. He is the Scots number one option. Following is Scott Nikodemski averaging 13.5pts and leading the league in assists at the moment. Off the bench Jason Beckman gives them solid bench production and ball handling, I'm told he will drive the lane if given the chance. Fairchild is mostly a perimeter player, 2nd on the team in 3-point attempts. I don't know much about Ethan Woelke.
Doug Bradfield will remind Hope fans of Cody Stuive, a pretty thin 6-7 kid that can play outside. Doug is pretty much 50-50 3pt shots to 2pt shots. He's a very good shot blocker and a tremendous dunker, including ripping the rim off of one of Art Smith Arena's baskets earlier this year. I don't know much about Cook or James. Overall this is mostly a shooters/slasher team.
The Scots are shooting 45% from the floor and for the first time in awhile holding opponents to a lower percentage at 43%. Alma loves the 3-point shot and are still averaging 20 attempts per game but in league play have chilled out a bit, only averaging 17. But I'd still expect a lot. As a team they are shooting a respectable 38% from 3, DJ Beckman and his 47% avg is the biggest threat, the rest of the team avg's just 34%. Alma opponents have taken an average of 23 per game and made just 35%.
Alma's an average rebounding team, they don't really get dominated here like they used too. I think they'll hold their own but this should be a Hope advantage. Alma will turn it over more than their opponents and don't generate a lot of turnovers themselves. Defensively I'm told Alma plays a lot of zone and maybe even employs John Beilein's 1-3-1. If that's the case expect the corner 3 to be a big shot in this game.
At 4-12 you wouldn't expect the Scots to have great efficiency numbers and they don't, just 102 on offense and a pretty high 110 on defense. But since the Dec 20 Ripon game, their first win, the Scots are 4-3 with an offensive eff of 108 and defense of 108, but that defensive number includes their 3 best performances of the year. Pace wise Alma is normal, but they've been up and down the ladder quite a bit winning and losing both high and slow paced games.
Masseyratings.com loves the Scots schedule pegging their sos at #8, so they've played a lot of Hope type opponents. Massey has Alma rated #196 and gives Hope a 93% chance of winning by 15 points, which is hilarious. Expect less than 15 point margin and expect a long period of the game to not feel like a 93% chance of victory.
The Scots can shoot the ball and if they have any kind of a good night shooting this will be a close ball game to the end. Hope hasn't been great on defense the last few games, hopefully they can step things up a notch or two on that end.
No comments:
Post a Comment