Monday, January 03, 2011

These Weeks in Wrenball

New year, new leaf for your friendly neighborhood mid-major correspondent. Same leaves, actually, if you judge by the big piles of brown and gray debris in my back yard. Kids these days, friends, are even lazier than their elders.

Except for the ones in Williamsburg, that is. W&M's got a frisky freshman class, led by point guard Brandon Britt, who's averaging 7.6 ppg and less than a turnover a game. The 6'1, 175-pounder has tallied nearly 13 points per game over his last 4 after starting the season on the shelf with a wrist injury. Britt made his first career start in the Tribe's groan-inducing loss to Longwood - G:TB's unbiased observers hope he's earned the job for good. His athleticism and body control are far beyond anything seen in a Green and Gold uniform in some time. Fellow frosh Julian Boatner, Tim Rusthoeven, and Fred Heldring also see 10 or more minutes per game. The 6'9" Rusthoeven is third on the team with 4.0 boards a game, while Boatner's an enthusiastic if not necessary accurate shooter, fourth on the Wrens with 36 three point attempts (though only 22.2% have fallen). As no less a sage than MGL notes, the Tribe's 4-8 overall record is a function of extreme offensive inefficiency. Says MGL, "William & Mary is near or at the bottom of the conference in most offensive categories, death to a team whose success is predicated on offensive efficiency. The good news? There’s no real coaching magic to “making shots.” Eventually the percentages work in your favor."

In addition to the quartet of freshmen, sophomores Kyle Gaillard (who went for an acrobatic 25 in a loss to UNC) and Matt Rum are substantial contributors for Tony Shaver's Wrens. Junior Quinn McDowell leads W&M with 15.2 ppg (shooting 52.9% from three) and 5.5 rpg, while classmate JohnMark Ludwick might be the nation's most unique player. The 6'8" Ludwick doesn't run or jump well, but he can chuck the rock. His 45 field goal attempts this season include 40 from three-point range, and his 40.0% success rate is third on the team. With only a single senior on the roster (primary inside presence Marcus Kitts), the future looks bright for the Tribe.

The present, though, for a team with that gives as many minutes to underclassmen as W&M is predictably bumpy. While the Wrens played undefeated Syracuse close, falling by three on the road, they were shredded by UVA, Richmond, and UNC - not to mention Western Carolina - before falling to a Longwood team they should have hammered. In a strong CAA dominated by experienced teams, the Tribe's kids had better have a short learning curve. And a few more shots need to start falling.

Starting tonight at home against UNCW, the Wrens have five games in the next 12 days. W&M heads to Delaware Wednesday before hosting three straight against talented JMU, VCU, and Drexel teams. G:TB would realistically be thrilled with a 2-3 mark against that schedule. Patience is the secret password to gain entry into the Wrenball clubhouse in 2011. Good thing that's a strength of mine.

50 comments:

Mark said...

The futile superfans must be very busy today...

T.J. said...

Drinking.

T.J. said...

I see somebody new on twitter...

zman said...

Twitter is Teedge's Magic Mirror.

Danimal said...

Great mid-major building material. Thanks.

Danimal said...

Sitting on hotel deck overlooking golf course in Miami drinking a cerveza. Mondays blow.

rob said...

danimal, you hiring?

Squeaky said...

What is the Zman twatter feed unlocked?

zman said...

Twatter?

Dave said...

danimal, what kind of job is that?

i was teaching mark twain at 7:26 this morning. i think i need a change.

zman said...

I thought Mark Twain was dead -- he's in high school?

Danimal said...

Worry bout it

Danimal said...

Can't get an opinion on this game. Speak to me.
Despite bitching yesterday took Texans.
Help me swami.

T.J. said...

Andrew Luck -6.5

The Teej has spoken

rob said...

tribe game is on masn, dc gtbers

Danimal said...

Vatech tailgate: cornhole and beer pong
Stanford 's: physics exercises
Fortunately I excel at both

rob said...

great, the fucking griffin is getting camera time

Dennis said...

Quick. I'm heading to Austin for biz next week...Recommendations for music venues please.

Dennis said...

Tribe....not awesome...but, there's help on the way, I promise.

Dennis said...

I've already contributed more to this blog than all of 2010...watch out people.

rob said...

gutty comeback for the wrens just falls short

zman said...

They would've won with a wren on the sideline.

rob said...

truth

TR said...

Johnnies-Hoyas show was a good one at MSG tonight. Steve Lavin is really winning this city over.

TR said...

Dennis - The Teej is a big fan of Oilcan Harry's.

Mark said...

I'm not a huge Tyrod Taylor fan, but that was pretty sick.

rob said...

that was a spectacular touchdown by tech

T.J. said...

Va Tech...pole smokers

zman said...

This is why Teedge, but not Teej, edges out The Edge.

http://www.teasearecords.net/teej.cfm

Teejuana indeed.

zman said...

You should sign up for the Stones Throw Podcast through iTunes. It's free.

rob said...

skov doing his meathead best to dispel the stanford rep as intellectuals

zman said...

At what point does Oakley become completely disgusted with the Bobcats and start coming in off the bench?

Mark said...

Andrew Luck is just cutting Va. Tech to shreds in the 2nd half. Really impressive mobility and accuracy. No big shocker, but he's gooood.

T.J. said...

Danimal, hope you bet the Teej's "Andrew Luck -6.5"...

Danimal said...

i didn't bet. didn't listen to gut. outclassed vt. the lone touchdown for hokies was lucky/awesome/one in a million play. could have been 40 - 5.

Danimal said...

stanford in 2nd qtr after holding tech to a 3-0 started chanting..."jmu...jmu...jmu..." that was kinda cool.

Squeaky said...

Dennis, anywhere on 6th Street.

But check out Stubb's for the music and the food. (8th St) I still use their marinade or sauce at least once a week for grilling.

Antone's on 5th St.

The Parish on 6th St. Sort like a House of Blues venue with seating.

Don't know when you'll be in town but if it's a Saturday night try to score tickets to a taping of Austin City Limits. http://www.acl-live.com/

I'll try to give a list of dive bars later.

More info:
goo.gl/J3J5c

T.J. said...

3. The key stat in St. John’s 61-58 win over No. 13 Georgetown? The Red Storm committed only four turnovers, their fewest in any game over the last 15 years. Meanwhile, Georgetown turned the ball over 14 times, leading to 19 points for St. John’s. For a team so focused on guard play, the turnover battle appears to be the Hoyas’ biggest weakness. Georgetown is committing 1.7 more turnovers per game than its opponents, which puts them tied for 271st in the nation. Opponents are averaging only 12.5 turnovers, 294th in the nation. In their three losses, the Hoyas committed a combined 20 more turnovers than their opponents.

T.J. said...

Top 10 draft order for 2011 NFL draft...
1. Carolina
2. Denver
3. Buffalo
4. Cincinnati
5. Arizona
6. Cleveland
7. San Francisco
8. Tennessee
9. Dallas
10. Washington
11. Houston
12. Minnesota
13. Detroit
14. St. Louis
15. Miami
16. Jacksonville
17. New England from Oakland
18. San Diego
19. New York Giants
20. Tampa Bay

zman said...

The last time the Bills had a pick this high they drafted Mike Williams #4 overall. As in Mike Williams who played OL for the Skins last year after being out of the league for four years.

Squeaky said...

Zman, I get it. The Bills suck but don't drag the Skins into it.

Wait a minute the Skins blow too. Stupid f'ing Snyder.

zman said...

The Skins suck but at least they didn't draft Mike Williams #4 overall. At least the 2002 draft wasn't very good. Oh wait ...

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2002/draft.htm

Clarence said...

We may need a side-by-side comparison between the Bills' and Redskins' drafts of the past 15-20 seasons -- a crossfire between Zman and Geoff. The Charley Casserly era alone featured some astonishingly atrocious picks.

Squeaky said...

Side by side comparison would be funny.

TJ, this is all you: goo.gl/FnR2p

zman said...

Teedge, more cross-promotion. Work out the details. Tah-tah-tootie, get the Vealhaus on the phone for Teedge.

T.J. said...

Squeaky, you da man!

Clarence said...

Teej, is your Top 10 draft order an homage to the Big Ten?

T.J. said...

AWL.

T.J. said...

That's how danimal counts to 10. JMU thing.

T.J. said...

Whit, new post up, just for you...