We've made a habit here at G:TB of adopting a college basketball team that strikes our fancy. By habit, I mean that we've done it once before. Hey, every healthy addiction starts somewhere. Our little coke/hoops jones may be an every other year kinda thing, but it's nonetheless powerful.Our previous adopted squad, the 2008-09 Wake Forest Demon Deacons (and isn't that a little ironic) were 13-0 when we anointed them, and finished the season 11-7, losing in the first round of the ACC tournament to Maryland and falling to Cleveland State in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. So, y'know, we're sorry.
Apologies in advance, then, to Coach Randy Bennett and the Saint Mary's Gaels, G:TB's newly adopted darlings.When we last paid any attention to the plucky pride of Moraga, CA, Omar Samhan was leading St. Mary's to a berth in the 2010 Sweet Sixteen, knocking off Richmond and Villanova in the process. Samhan's shipped off to Lithuania, where he plays for team president Arvydas Sabonis and BC Zalgiris in the Euroleague.The current Gaels roster doesn't have a player taller than 6'9", and nobody over 6'7" starts. And that's the way we like it. Backcourt tandem Mickey McConnell (15.1, 6.4) and Matthew Dellavedova (13.2, 5.8) average 28.3 points and 12.2 assists per game between them, with McConnell making an eye-popping 47.3% from three point range. 6'6" Rob Jones leads the Gaels in rebounding with 7.6 boards, chipping in 14 points. Supersub Mitchell Young gets a very efficient 1o points (on 64.1% shooting) and 4.5 caroms a game in a mere 18 minutes.
Stat guru KenPom rates the Gaels among the nation's top 10 in terms of offensive efficiency, ranking first in effective field goal percentage (you'll need to look it up). Coach Bennett's young team is 18-3, 6-0 in the Big West, with wins over St. John's and Mississippi State and no-shame losses to BYU, San Diego State, and Vanderbilt. KenPom rates St. Mary's as the 19th-best team in the land. No quibbles from us.
But we don't love the Gaels for any of that stuff. No, you need to go down under the stats and the records to grok our fondness. Beyond even their really cool logo, in fact. Ever since Patty Mills took his talents across the oceans blue from Oz, we've had a thing for St. Mary's. Five members of the team's current roster hail from Australia, with a Lithuanian tossed in for good measure. We love all things Aussie, except vegemite, so St. Mary's fits us like a Bondi Beach wetsuit. G'day Gaels, see you in March.
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36 comments:
austin freeman! onions'
terrific poise under serious pressure for the hoyas down the stretch
Rob - saw you were looking for activities in St. Louis. Go to the Bowling Hall of Fame (in downtown). Seriously, it's kind of fun. Plus, free bowling. You could take and Anheuser Busch brewery tour too. Free beer.
if only someone would combine the two
Louisville might lead the nation in tats.
sidney lowe, not a big-time coach
Well then.
http://fashionista.com/2011/01/gagas-fragrance-will-reportedly-smell-like-blood-and-semen/
coming soon, a picture of the hipster doofus sitting across from me at the bar. hoodie pulled up all the way.
Please tweet that pic as well...
Midwestern hipsters: Even worse the regular hipsters.
replace "the" with "than".
Peyton Siva looks like he's coming into his own for Louisville. That would be huge for Pitino's squad. Lack of a consistent creator at PG has been a big problem for Cards the last few years. Siva is a big time talent.
The zwoman just got an email from her spa place encouraging her to "Book your Brazilian in time for V-day." It would've been great if it conclude with a statement to the effect of "Cuz you're gonna be using yer yang."
dagger - bowling museum is closed for renovation
I believe the Dog Hall of Fame is located in downtown St. Louis as well. Might want to skip that.
Who's in it? Lassie? Asta? Tiger Woods? Bea Arthur?
yang is an underrated slang term - well done, z.
Rob: Try to find that street that where the Griswalds got lost in Vacation. Then ask for directions.
See that sign that says "Rib Tips"? Well fuck that sign, you don't need to see that.
i'm gonna wind up taking wisconsin to go to far in my bracket, aren't i?
or too far, either way.
anybody know anything about midi? got my kids a keyboard for xmas - can i download songs in midi format and upload them to the keyboard?
the cuse is scuff-a-ling
midi is a communication system between instruments, synthesizers, and the computer. "music" in midi format isn't really music-- it's just keystroke velocity, note, and pitch-- and you can make it play whatever "instrument," virtual or midi capable, that you have. so you may be able to upload midi patterns to the keyboard, but what do i know? i am fairly drunk on troeg's hopback, which i highly recommend.
huge comeback for baylor
Wake Forest won.
uva's really bad, huh?
Oh my...this monster truck show is absurd.
I am deaf.
I am def.
St. Marys losing by 27 tonight. Nice work rob.
rob is the mush.
Gainesville, still awesome: http://tinyurl.com/6jr4nv2
Mayhugh - you watching the Alexander-Bradley fight on HBO? Seems like it has some potential.
wow, i have powers i can't even control
a little bit like chevy chase in 'modern problems'
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