SFA (1-0) vs. McNeese State (1-1)
WHEN: DEC 4 (FRI) 6:30P.M.
WHERE: William R. Johnson Coliseum (Nacogdoches, TX)
WATCH: ESPN+
Heading into the weekend of their first week of the 2020-21 basketball campaign, the SFA Lumberjacks will be taking on their second team that wasn't on the schedule on the Monday of this week. Replacing Alcorn St. in the Saturday game will be the Cowboys of McNeese State on Friday night. It's just a tiny microcosm of what could end up being a swirling mess of a COVID-19 infected season - or it could just be first week jitters. Time will tell.
After missing out on their opportunity to get some national press in Bubbleville, SFA came out Tuesday night ready to show their fans that they intend to take up where last season left off. Out of the gate against Letourneau, the starting squad (all second year players) showed that they knew how to run an efficient full court game. The pleasant surprise is that the bench (mostly first year players) seemed to execute adequately well considering that it was their first time in live game play. This is the first team in a generation at SFA that has no third or fourth year players (consecutively at SFA), yet it may have one of the best forecasts for the regular season. This rosy outlook will start to be tested Friday night.
McNeese opened their season looking for some measure of healing after Lake Charles was ravaged by not one but two hurricanes during the summer. Their brand new glitzy multi-million dollar basketball arena was devastated. Third year coach Heath Schroyer has assembled his most talented squad yet, but with no great practice options before the season, the Pokes ran into a buzzsaw against Big10 also-ran Nebraska. Despite not getting all the Cornhusker leather out of the seats of their shorts, last night they took out all their frustrations on Dallas Christian College destroying them by over 100 point margin. SFA has to be ready for the target to switch to them.
While SFA thinks they own the talent on the inside, McNeese is here to show they have some bigs worth dealing with. Led by forwards Carlos Rosario (6' 8", 220), Keyshawn Feazell (6' 9", 235) and Jeremy Harrell (6' 8", 240), this front court of all senior players knows how to work the inside and get gritty buckets. While Kensmil and crew may be up to the challenge, all the inside work is to open up what McNeese is best at - guard shooting.
Dru Kuxhausen may be the deadliest sharpshooter in the Southland. When he gets on a roll, his range can be accurate from well beyond the arc. He just drained 8-12 from three last night against DCC, and he's hoping that's just warmed him up for Friday. It doesn't get much better for the Jacks after that, guards AJ Lawson, Zach Scott, Ra'Shawn Langston, and newcomer Braelon Bush all have shooting mentalities. They plan on stretching the vaunted SFA defense for all its worth. If those weak side corner threes start falling, it will be a long night for the Lumberjacks.
SFA cannot overlook McNeese as the stepchild of the SLC that got beat by more than 50 in their last D1 game. Defensive cohesion is going to be the make or break aspect of this game. While the Jacks should have the edge inside being able to roll Gavin, Calvin, Charlie, Nana, Demiere constantly at the inside senior three, it will be our guards whose fitness is going to be stretched. David, Roti, and Cam are going have to lead the way defensively to keep the pressure off of Nigel and DeAndre. We have speed and we're going to have to exploit McNeese into not getting set on the court. If the Cowboys get their shooting touch dialed in, it will be heard to go toe to toe with them. Disruption must be the game plan.
No one is going to fold to SFA this year, but the first 8 minutes popping McNeese in the mouth with a solid one-two of inside offensive dominance and backcourt defense should be enough to let the Jacks get the measure of this game. Kuxhausen could easily be a first teamer in March, but Keller is going to try to make sure that it is not based on this game. Rosario is also trying to cement himself as the top big of the Southland, but Kensmil will be ready to go to the mat if necessary to show him who the best is. It's going to be a fun NON-Southland Southland match up Friday night in Johnson Coliseum. Be there.
Axe 'em!
WHEN: DEC 4 (FRI) 6:30P.M.
WHERE: William R. Johnson Coliseum (Nacogdoches, TX)
WATCH: ESPN+
Heading into the weekend of their first week of the 2020-21 basketball campaign, the SFA Lumberjacks will be taking on their second team that wasn't on the schedule on the Monday of this week. Replacing Alcorn St. in the Saturday game will be the Cowboys of McNeese State on Friday night. It's just a tiny microcosm of what could end up being a swirling mess of a COVID-19 infected season - or it could just be first week jitters. Time will tell.
After missing out on their opportunity to get some national press in Bubbleville, SFA came out Tuesday night ready to show their fans that they intend to take up where last season left off. Out of the gate against Letourneau, the starting squad (all second year players) showed that they knew how to run an efficient full court game. The pleasant surprise is that the bench (mostly first year players) seemed to execute adequately well considering that it was their first time in live game play. This is the first team in a generation at SFA that has no third or fourth year players (consecutively at SFA), yet it may have one of the best forecasts for the regular season. This rosy outlook will start to be tested Friday night.
McNeese opened their season looking for some measure of healing after Lake Charles was ravaged by not one but two hurricanes during the summer. Their brand new glitzy multi-million dollar basketball arena was devastated. Third year coach Heath Schroyer has assembled his most talented squad yet, but with no great practice options before the season, the Pokes ran into a buzzsaw against Big10 also-ran Nebraska. Despite not getting all the Cornhusker leather out of the seats of their shorts, last night they took out all their frustrations on Dallas Christian College destroying them by over 100 point margin. SFA has to be ready for the target to switch to them.
While SFA thinks they own the talent on the inside, McNeese is here to show they have some bigs worth dealing with. Led by forwards Carlos Rosario (6' 8", 220), Keyshawn Feazell (6' 9", 235) and Jeremy Harrell (6' 8", 240), this front court of all senior players knows how to work the inside and get gritty buckets. While Kensmil and crew may be up to the challenge, all the inside work is to open up what McNeese is best at - guard shooting.
Dru Kuxhausen may be the deadliest sharpshooter in the Southland. When he gets on a roll, his range can be accurate from well beyond the arc. He just drained 8-12 from three last night against DCC, and he's hoping that's just warmed him up for Friday. It doesn't get much better for the Jacks after that, guards AJ Lawson, Zach Scott, Ra'Shawn Langston, and newcomer Braelon Bush all have shooting mentalities. They plan on stretching the vaunted SFA defense for all its worth. If those weak side corner threes start falling, it will be a long night for the Lumberjacks.
SFA cannot overlook McNeese as the stepchild of the SLC that got beat by more than 50 in their last D1 game. Defensive cohesion is going to be the make or break aspect of this game. While the Jacks should have the edge inside being able to roll Gavin, Calvin, Charlie, Nana, Demiere constantly at the inside senior three, it will be our guards whose fitness is going to be stretched. David, Roti, and Cam are going have to lead the way defensively to keep the pressure off of Nigel and DeAndre. We have speed and we're going to have to exploit McNeese into not getting set on the court. If the Cowboys get their shooting touch dialed in, it will be heard to go toe to toe with them. Disruption must be the game plan.
No one is going to fold to SFA this year, but the first 8 minutes popping McNeese in the mouth with a solid one-two of inside offensive dominance and backcourt defense should be enough to let the Jacks get the measure of this game. Kuxhausen could easily be a first teamer in March, but Keller is going to try to make sure that it is not based on this game. Rosario is also trying to cement himself as the top big of the Southland, but Kensmil will be ready to go to the mat if necessary to show him who the best is. It's going to be a fun NON-Southland Southland match up Friday night in Johnson Coliseum. Be there.
Axe 'em!
Ryan
Kinnaird Guitars
Kinnaird Guitars
