The Observer, February 1, 2008
Volume XL, Issue 15
Losing streak now at seven for men's basketball
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The Spartans continued to slide last week as they dropped both games of their UAA double-header on Friday and Sunday. The first loss was a close game to Carnegie Mellon, while the second was in the same fashion to the top -ranked Rochester Yellow Jackets.
On Friday night the Spartans took the court in front of a near-capacity crowd in Horsburgh Gym. Even with the raucous Shaw High School band and a packed house, the Spartans couldn't rally past the Tartans, falling 86-72. Going into the game, the team knew it would have a handful with Tartan junior Ryan Einwag (30 points), but didn't expect senior Greg Gonzalez to play as well as he did (25 points). These two offensive threats, combined with the fact that Case lost Brad Sutton within the opening minutes of the game, really hurt the team. There is no word yet on how long Sutton will be out for. "We took some really good shots and missed," said head coach Sean McDonnell. "They took bad shots and made them. They were just getting the breaks."
Mason Conrad played well for the Spartans recording, a double-double as he continues to play through injury this season.
Sunday played out very similar to Friday's game. Case played well almost the entire game, but their few lapses killed the team. The Spartans lost, 85-74. Steve Young, who had a great weekend overall, kept the Spartans close in the second half when he hit three three-point shots in a row. Freshman Kevin Herring also continues to play a big role for the Spartans, as he scored 18 points on the night.
All praise aside,however, the Spartans have yet to win a conference game and last weekend's two losses extends their skid to seven. This weekend will also provide a challenge, as the team faces another UAA double-header against Brandeis University and New York University. "Brandeis is the quickest team we will face all year," said McDonnell. "They are very fast on the perimeter and when pressuring the perimeter." The Spartans will have another big match-up personnel wise as Brandeis' Joe Coppens and Terrell Hollins are two of the league's best perimeter and inside players, respectively.
Sunday the team will see a completely different style of play. While Brandeis will be a fast-paced dribble and drive offense, New York University plays a Princeton-style offense. This is the first time, and probably the only time, that Case Western will see this style of play during the season. "NYU likes to pass the ball a lot," said McDonnell. "They pass, pass, pass, and then run backdoor cuts."
This Friday also is another promotional event in association with the university. To take a break from the cold Cleveland winter, it will be Hawaiian night on Friday. Come dressed in Hawaiian attire. Plus, there is a drawing for a 19-inch flat screen HDTV. The men's game starts at 8:00 p.m. on Friday night and noon on Sunday.
