Storming the Floor

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College basketball love, founded upon the three pillars of information, analysis and humor. Curated by Eric Angevine

  1. going see LSU vs. UVA tonight

    optimuswalken:

    first basketball game in a looooong time for me. let’s see if we can pull off another upset. i’m ready

  2. Tony Bennett not sweating transfers - College Basketball Nation Blog - ESPN

    “Bennett’s situation is slightly different from whatever an “average” transfer issue might be. He’s three years into a rebuilding project. His teams’ distinct style — slow-paced and defensively oriented — necessitate certain types of players that fit better than others. He’s received unexpectedly good play from a handful of players, which relegated Harrell (a promising freshman last season) and Johnson (a little-used forward who would have provided interior depth this season) to the bench. 


    Still, the transfers leave Bennett with just nine scholarship players this season. They’ll also force him to play freshman guard Paul Jesperson, who Bennett initially intended to redshirt this season. It’s far from an ideal situation, especially with senior forward Mike Scott leading this Cavaliers team to such a promising start. The timing is harsh.”

  3. Assane Sene finds a home at Virginia - College Basketball Nation Blog - ESPN

    I never ask people to link my stuff, but I did this week, because I wanted a national audience for my local work about a guy who doesn’t have a national profile. Thanks to Eamonn Brennan from ESPN for giving his thoughtful take:

    “It’s a hokey notion, but I’m about to say it: This is why college basketball, or college athletics in general — for all its problems and pitfalls and corruption and greed — is worth preserving. It may not be the best model for the No. 1 prospect in the country each year, the kid who dreams of one day making money for his immense abilities. But for guys like Assane Sene, college hoops is the dream.”

  4. Virginia, Seton Hall, head early season surprises

    (Source: thecollegecourt)

  5. My feature on Assane Sene is online! Take some time to meet him. Here, he’s talking about the challenges of being a muslim newly arrived in the U.S. “When I was in South Kent, they gave me some barbeque ribs, and oh my god they were so good!” Sene said, closing his eyes and reveling in the sense memory. “I saw everybody taking ribs and they looked really good. My teammates, they tricked me, they let me finish, then they are like ‘Yo! Did you know what that is?’ I was like ‘no’. ‘That was pork!’ and I was like ‘Oh my God.’ But when you don’t know, you don’t know. You gotta ask.” (via C-Ville: Features - The sky’s the limit)

    My feature on Assane Sene is online! Take some time to meet him. Here, he’s talking about the challenges of being a muslim newly arrived in the U.S.

    “When I was in South Kent, they gave me some barbeque ribs, and oh my god they were so good!” Sene said, closing his eyes and reveling in the sense memory. “I saw everybody taking ribs and they looked really good. My teammates, they tricked me, they let me finish, then they are like ‘Yo! Did you know what that is?’ I was like ‘no’. ‘That was pork!’ and I was like ‘Oh my God.’ But when you don’t know, you don’t know. You gotta ask.”

    (via C-Ville: Features - The sky’s the limit)

  6. "Once he drives into the paint, everything opens up,” forward Mike Scott said. “We got Joe [Harris] and Sam [Zeglinski] on the wings, me and Assane [Sene] down low. We’re just feeding off him."

    ― Virginia’s Jontel Evans making smarter plays - Washington Times

  7. “The apex of Dave Leitao’s four-year Virginia coaching tenure occurred during a 2006-2007 season in which Roanoke’s J.R. Reynolds was the Cavaliers’ shooting guard. Since then, their careers have taken circuitous paths, only to have them re-connect this fall in the NBA Development League. Two years after his resignation as UVa men’s basketball coach, Leitao accepted a position as head coach of the NBADL’s Maine Red Claws. When the Red Claws opened the season Friday night in Springfield, Mass., their leading scorer in a 94-87 loss was Reynolds with 22 points. “We’d kept in touch with each other,” said Reynolds, 27. “He called me one day out of the summer and gave me a heads-up that he was taking the job and that he would love to have me.” (via College notebook: Ex-Virginia hoops player, coach reunite - Roanoke.com)

    “The apex of Dave Leitao’s four-year Virginia coaching tenure occurred during a 2006-2007 season in which Roanoke’s J.R. Reynolds was the Cavaliers’ shooting guard.

    Since then, their careers have taken circuitous paths, only to have them re-connect this fall in the NBA Development League.

    Two years after his resignation as UVa men’s basketball coach, Leitao accepted a position as head coach of the NBADL’s Maine Red Claws.

    When the Red Claws opened the season Friday night in Springfield, Mass., their leading scorer in a 94-87 loss was Reynolds with 22 points.

    “We’d kept in touch with each other,” said Reynolds, 27. “He called me one day out of the summer and gave me a heads-up that he was taking the job and that he would love to have me.”

    (via College notebook: Ex-Virginia hoops player, coach reunite - Roanoke.com)

  8. Ralph Sampson honored at UVa after Hall of Fame induction

    Since I write for a weekly paper these days, I thought I’d share a snippet of Nicole Auerbach’s article from last night’s UVA/Michigan game, which featured a live appearance from Virginia’s G.O.A.T.

    “Sampson is the first Virginia player to be inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame. Three other players were inducted along with Sampson: Chris Mullin, Cazzie Russell and James Worthy.

    Nearly 30 years after his playing days, Sampson remains Virginia’s leader in rebounds (1,511), field goals (899) and blocked shots (462).”

  9. [Flash 10 is required to watch video]

    Ralph Sampson walking after his alma mater honored him at halftime of the Michigan/Virginia game.

    When you’re Ralph Sampson, walking is a big deal, man. At least it was a big deal to us standing there.

  10. "I think at this point, Michigan fans are behind John Beilein 99.9%. There still might be a small deluded faction of fans that clamor for the glory days of the late eighties / early nineties and think that Michigan is an elite basketball program and deserves an elite coach, but every rational fan loves Beilein and thinks he’s great for the program."

    ― Virginia and Michigan Tip Off: Q&A with Michigan Blog Maize n Brew - Streaking The Lawn