Monday, February 25, 2013

Gonzaga Guard Glover a Good Get

Gonzaga guard Charles Glover committed to the Mount earlier today. A 6-1 guard, Glover plays for the best team in the WCAC and has enjoyed a fine senior season and is a first team All-WCAC selection.

Glover averaged better than 11 points a game and had a season high 23 versus St. John last week. He has also often had the task of guarding the opponent's best offensive player, so he should fit right in with the Mayhem in Emmitsburg.

Glover had an offer from Howard and was receiving interest from Marist, Siena, St Francis and New Hampshire but he will sign with the Mount during the next signing period.

He's another talented player in the stable that Jamion Christian and his staff continue to assemble.

Here's a story from DMVElite

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Friday, February 15, 2013

Prescott's Night

24 hours ago I was leaving Knott Arena. Had just witnessed Sam Prescott put on the greatest performance of any Mountaineer in the Arena's history. He had knocked down 10 three pointers matching a record set by Scott Murphy twice during his days as a Mountaineer, on his way to a 44-point performance that set a Division I Mountaineer scoring record passing All-Century team member Chris McGuthrie for that record and leading the Mount to a team record 18 3's in a game. All of this coming in an 84-70 beatdown of the current NEC pacemaker Bryant. If it wasn't a Woodshed beatdown, it was as close as you could get.

And as I left the building I started thinking of how far we'd come in a year. Because you may remember a year ago around this time was when Robert Burke coached his final game at the Mount. Back then there really was nothing to be excited about. However, this team that won our hearts with its all-out all-the-time effort in November has blossomed into a very good offensive team in February, that seems to be playing its best hoops at exactly the right time.

The Mount has won four of its last five games, knocking off teams in front of them in the NEC standings in three of those games. Oh how times have changed in Emmitsburg. That's right there is also that Emmit fellow running around. The Mount is now 2-0 in front of the mascot.

Jamion Christian has been pushing all the right buttons. He and his staff are always searching for and finding the right matchup offensively.

Defensively, they keep throwing different looks at teams that even though they continue to rank near the bottom of the NCAA charts in Field Goal Percentage Against they are winning ballgames by keeping offenses off balance.

Because how this team was going to play in February (and maybe March) wasn't even about what was happening back in November. Instead, this all started back on March 27th when Christian was hired. He's been building the blocks since then. Putting the pieces in place by preaching team first.

So even on a night when it was an individual effort that blazed, the core was still the team. Julian Norfleet, the leading scorer from a season ago, adapting to an on the ball point guard role, handing out 11 assists, the most since Jeremy Goode had that many.

Prescott's night was one those of us who braved the backlash that going to a Valentine's Night game might bring , will never forget.

But it's just one night, one moment in a season that is becoming full of them and seems to be only just beginning once again.

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Sunday, February 03, 2013

A Sacred Heart Perspective of Yesterday's win

Pioneer Pride: Sacred Heart Drops Second Straight to Mount St. Mary's, Now 6-4 in NEC:

'via Blog this'

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Division I lacrosse preview: Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers - baltimoresun.com

Division I lacrosse preview: Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers - baltimoresun.com:

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Another Win

If there was one game this season you wouldn't want to miss it was yesterday's homecoming thrashing of Sacred Heart.

Naturally, I missed it.

Missed Rashad Whack's career high 35-point performance. The George Mason transfer had 19 of the Mount's first 23 points, making his first five three pointers. Rumor has it he had 2 trifectas during the national anthem.

The win was the Mount's eighth straight over the Pioneers and keeps them one game out of the final playoff spot in the Northeast Conference. Quinnipiac, a winner at Wagner, and St Francis NY, a loser to St Francis PA, are currently tied for the seventh and eighth slot.

Shivaughn Wiggins also had a nice night for the Mounties. He dropped in 13 points and handed out six assists. A third NEC newcomer of the week award could be on the horizon.

The Mount has road games at Wagner and St Francis PA on the horizon this week. The Mount fell to the Seahawks by two last week at Knott Arena. The trip to Loretto will be the Mount's only battle with the Red Flash this season.

The improvement in the efficiency of the Mount offense seems to be the biggest reason for the recent upswing. We knew that this team with so many new faces and a new system with Coach Jamion Christian was going to take time to mesh completely. I think we've started to see that recently as the Mount is now averaging better than a point a possession in conference games. The Mount is 7-3 when scoring better than a point per possession this season.

The defense continues to be a work in process, but as long as it forces turnovers, it forced another 19 yesterday, it is going to be effective even with the high FG% against it.

The coaching staff continues to find matchups that work for the team, shuffling players in and out of the lineup with effectiveness. A big credit to them on reaching 9 wins, one more than last year, by Groundhog's Day.

February promises to be an exciting month for the Mount. If you believe in the mathematics of Ken Pomeroy, seven of the eight Mount games has a favorite of five points or less. The only exception, Wednesday's travel to Staten Island where the Mount is a seven point underdog. The Mount is favored in six of those eight games.

So get ready for some incredibly close, exciting basketball games. Sounds like Mayhem. Just the way we like it.

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