Jacksonville

Jon Teitel's "Coaching Greats": Jacksonville and Furman's Joe Williams

Jon Teitel — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 10:46:12 -0800

In the latest installment in his "Coaching Greats" interview series CHN writer spent some time with Joe Williams, who put together impressive runs at both Jacksonville and Furman. During his time at JU Williams led the Dolphins to an NCAA title game appearance, coaching Artis Gilmore and Rex Morgan on that 1970 team. Williams also led Furman to multiple NCAA Tournament appearances during his tenure there.

Jon Teitel: According to my interview of Artis Gilmore, you had no training rules and scribbled scouting reports on the backs of envelopes. Is that true, and do you think it was easier for you relate to your Jacksonville players because you were such a young man yourself?

Joe Williams: My only two training rules were the attend class (or explain why you did not attend) and play hard when you stepped on the court (whether it was a preseason drill or an NCAA tourney game).

JT: In 1970 your team at JU became the first to ever average 100+PPG for an entire season, despite no shot clock or three-point line. How was your team able to score so many points, and what kind of offense did you run?

JW: We ran a controlled break. Broadcaster Ed Jucker once said on the air in a specific game that he had not seen us take a bad shot yet. Rex Morgan had averaged almost 30 PPG the previous year and then we added Artis who averaged about 20 RPG, so the only way to make sure everyone would have good stats was for the point guard to quickly push the ball up the court with two guys out on the wing. We had a rule that unless you had a wide-open 2-on-1 situation, you had to wait for Artis to come down the floor so he could have a chance to rebound!

1970 NCAA Tournament

JT: Your basketball program had such a small budget that you had to "pass the hat" among the boosters to raise enough money to pay for the team's hotel rooms. How big of a disadvantage was the size of your program, and do you feel like your run in the tourney helped save the program?

JW: We played in Dayton that year and it was snowing pretty hard. We got a restaurant recommendation that turned out to be a little more expensive than we thought, so a booster helped pay for the meal. When I first got to JU I had to teach five classes and I had a $250 recruiting budget. As we got better we started to sell more season tickets and got money from the booster club to increase our budget.

JT: You beat Western Kentucky (led by Jim McDaniels with 29 points) in your school's first-ever game on national TV after walking into the gym and seeing a "Jacksonville Who?" sign. Did you feel that your team was getting no respect at all, and how big a deal was it to get the first tournament win in school history?

JW: It was a big sign that everyone could see. Western Kentucky had a great team and built an early lead before setting up a press against us. We had a lot of good ball-handlers so we just kept dribbling around them and getting some easy shots. After that game nobody pressed us anymore (not even UCLA!), which was a compliment to our team.

JT: You had a one-point win over Iowa (led by Fred Brown with 27 points) when Pembrook Burrows tipped in a last-second miss by Vaughn Wedeking for the win (and later wrote a song about the game). Did you think that your team was going to hang on after Artis Gilmore fouled out, and where does Burrows' tip-in rank among the best fantastic finishes that you have ever seen?

JW: I heard that there were some people in Iowa who broke their TV sets after that shot! Iowa had a great team: anytime you can make it that far you have to be a little lucky. We had to slow down the pace of the game and control the tempo because they kept scoring and scoring.

JT: You had a six-point win over Coach Adolph Rupp's top-ranked Kentucky team (led by Dan Issel with 28 points and 10 rebounds before he fouled out with 10 minutes left). Did the momentum completely turn once Issel fouled out, and what did you learn from walking around the day before in a brown suit?

JW: I only had one really nice suit, but I got the brown suit because Coach Rupp had a brown suit. My birthday is in February and the boosters picked out some clothes for me to wear and presented them to me during a TV interview.

JT: You had an eight-point win over St. Bonaventure (who played without star center Bob Lanier, who injured his knee in an earlier tourney game against Villanova). Do you think you would have won that game if Lanier was healthy, and how far did you think that your team was going to go?

JW: We just really enjoyed playing and our team had a lot of charisma. We played in Hawaii earlier that year and the entire team ended up getting Hawaiian shirts and puka shell necklaces. When the players walked into the gym for their game dressed up in their new attire, the home crowd gave us a huge ovation. Everywhere we went to eat people complimented us on how good our team was. The key to discipline is not about screaming and hollering, but whether a player does something that you ask him to do.

JT: Gilmore shot 9-29 from the field before fouling out in a title game loss to Coach John Wooden's UCLA team (led by Sidney Wicks with 17 points and 18 rebounds, who blocked four of Gilmore's shots despite being six inches shorter). Did you consider your run in the tourney to be a success (due to making it to the title game) or a failure (due to getting so close but not winning it all)?

JW: We were very proud of our team: I told the players not to say anything negative because we played hard and lost to a great team, so there was nothing for them to be ashamed of. That was one of the first years that almost all of the games were televised. Every time we came back from another tourney win, the entire route from the airport to campus was full of fans who were excited about our team. A Louisville newspaper even wrote about how nice it was to see a losing team not blame anyone else for the loss.

JT: After that game you left JU to become coach at Furman. Why did you make the switch, and did you have any regrets?

JW: I had previously been an assistant coach at Furman, and it is a beautiful part of the country. They offered me a tremendous financial offer to come and build a program, and JU did not really do anything to try and keep me there. At the end of every season you have to assess what you want to do.

JT: What are your memories of the 1973 NCAA Tournament (you were down by 18 with 10 minutes to go against Syracuse, and fought all the way back before losing by one)?

JW: That was a great game: we actually had the lead late. Syracuse pressed us and one of our players was called for traveling, but today the refs let that call go all the time. Syracuse went on to the Final Four, so they were a good team.

JT: What are your memories of the 1974 NCAA Tournament (upset South Carolina before losing to Pitt)?

JW: We had an outstanding player named Clyde Mayes, but South Carolina had a great club featuring Alex English. Clyde just took over the game in the second half. We had a slight lead against Pitt late in the game but they had a four-point play that gave them the momentum, and Billy Knight was pretty tough.

JT: In 1978 you left Furman to go to Florida State, where you joined a short list of coaches who have taken three different teams to the tourney and had a winning record at each school. How were you able to have so much success at so many different schools?

JW: The key is to have good players and a sound system. If they play hard and get good grades, then you will probably win. Coach Wooden (who was nice to everyone) once told me that even though people like to talk about who the best coaches are, the coach with the best players is usually the one who wins. He also said that the way to tell if you have a good defense is not how many points you allow, but how big your scoring margin is.

JT: You are on an even shorter list of men who are the best coaches in the history of two different schools (Furman and Jacksonville). Did you enjoy one job more than another, and do you think that is a good litmus test for seeing just how good a coach someone is?

JW: I enjoyed both jobs even though they were different kinds of programs. They are both in big cities, so I got help from both communities in building up the programs. I told people that since our school is called Jacksonville University we were representing the entire city. When you play in a big downtown arena it helps the chamber of commerce and local business get behind you. The players also enjoyed playing in a big arena. You can find unique things at each school to "sell" people on it. One of the reasons that I was successful at Furman was because of all the success I had at JU. Back in the day you could go see high school players a lot to aid in the recruiting process, but the NCAA now limits such things, which gives a big advantage to big schools. Butler is a great example of a school with a great tradition that has a big arena that is tied in with a large city.

JT: Your son Blake was recently named an assistant coach at Furman. Did you inspire him to go into coaching, and do you think it will be easier or harder for him to coach at Furman after all of your prior success there?

JW: Both of my sons were captains of their high school and college teams. Blake loved basketball and worked really hard on drills to become better. Blake played on some great summer league teams in high school. One of his teammates was Amare Stoudemire! When you have the passion like he and I do it is not considered "hard work", just "time-consuming". I think that my success at Furman will make it easier for Blake. I was invited back there to speak recently and everyone is still excited about the basketball program. Head coach Jeff Jackson is a fine young guy and he is excited about Blake being there.

JT: When people look back on your career, how do you want to be remembered the most?

JW: When I was coaching I had some really fine players who graduated. At Furman every single freshman we had ended up graduating, and Artis was the first person in his family who graduated. All of my players were good students/positive kids.

Coach Williams is on Jon's list of best coaches in both Atlantic Sun and SoCon history.

ATLANTIC SUN
Belmont: Rick Byrd (1986-present) 518-278, 4 NCAA tourneys, 4 conference titles, 1-time national COY, 2-time conference COY
East Tennessee State: Murry Bartow (2003-present) 162-98, 3 NCAA tourneys, 2 conference titles, 1-time conference COY
Florida Gulf Coast: Dave Balza (2001-2011) 153-121, 1 NCAA tourney
Jacksonville: Joe Williams (1964-1970) 92-61, 1 NCAA tourney
Kennesaw State: Tony Ingle (2000-2011) 178-165, 1 D-2 national title, 1-time national COY, 1-time conference COY
Lipscomb: Don Meyer (1975-1999) 663-181, 1 NAIA title, 2-time national COY
Mercer: Bill Bibb (1974-1989) 222-194, 2 NCAA tourneys, 2-time conference COY
North Florida: Matt Kilcullen (1999-2009) 98-186
South Carolina Upstate: Eddie Payne (2002-present) 120-146, 2 NCAA tourneys, 1 conference title, 1-time conference COY
Stetson: Glenn Wilkes (1957-1993) 552-435

SOUTHERN
Appalachian State: Buzz Peterson (1996-2000, 2009-2010) 103-52, 1 NCAA tourney, 4 conference titles, 2-time conference COY
Charleston: John Kresse (1979-2002) 560-143, 4 NCAA tourneys, 9 conference titles, 4-time conference COY
Chattanooga: Mack McCarthy (1985-1997) 243-122, 5 NCAA tourneys, 8 conference titles, 3-time conference COY
Citadel: Les Robinson (1974-1985) 132-162, 2-time conference COY
Davidson: Bob McKillop (1989-present) 401-263, 5 NCAA tourneys, 10 conference titles, 1-time national COY, 6-time conference COY
Elon: Bill Miller (1959-1979) 329-224, 2 conference titles
Furman: Joe Williams (1970-1978) 142-87, 5 NCAA tourneys, 3 conference titles, 1-time conference COY
Georgia Southern: Frank Kerns (1981-1995) 244-132, 3 NCAA tourneys, 4 conference titles, 4-time conference COY
UNC Greensboro: Fran McCaffery (1999-2005) 90-87, 1 NCAA tourney, 1 conference title
Samford: Jimmy Tillette (1997-present) 218-200, 2 NCAA tourneys, 1 conference title, 1-time conference COY
Western Carolina: Steve Cottrell (1977-1987) 145-133, 1-time conference COY
Wofford: Mike Young (2002-present) 137-139, 2 NCAA tourneys, 2 conference titles

Jon Teitel's "Forgotten Legends" Series: Jacksonville's Artis Gilmore

Jon Teitel — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 13:11:23 -0700

In the latest installment in his "Forgotten Legends" interview series CHN writer Jon Teitel spent some time with Jacksonville great and recent Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Artis Gilmore. In two seasons at Jacksonville Gilmore led the Dolphins to heights they haven't reached since, getting all the way to the 1970 NCAA title game where they fell to UCLA. Gilmore went on to have a great pro career in both the ABA and NBA, finally receiving his call to Springfield on Final Four weekend.

Jon Teitel: You were nicknamed "The A-Train". How did you like that nickname?

Artis Gilmore: It was fitting: I got it from the Bulls public address guy while I played in Chicago. "A" was short for Artis and the "Train" signified power, so I liked it.

JT: You had to go barefoot when your shoe size grew beyond 13, as none of the local stores had anything that big. Was it a blessing or a curse to be so tall at such a young age?

AG: Not having access to shoes prevented me from excelling. I did not have a number of things besides shoes. It became a blessing as I developed, but it was difficult for me as a kid.

JT: You wanted to play tight end on the football team as a 6'5", 145-pound high school freshman, but your parents could not afford the required insurance. How do you think you would have turned out as a football player, and do you think you would have ever played basketball if you had made the football team?

AG: I am not sure, as there is a great possibility of injury, so I would not dare try to guess. It was not just a matter of insurance. We could not even afford to put food on the table most times.

JT: You were named Third Team High School All-American at center, behind future college legends Howard Porter and Jim McDaniels. Did you know anything about the guys ahead of you at the time, and did you feel like you were the best center in the country?

AG: We got some media every once in awhile, but it was hard to get exposure. Howard and Jim played for bigger schools. We only had about 10-11 seniors graduating from our tiny school each year, plus this was a time just after integration.

JT: You started your college career at Gardner-Webb JC for two years, then transferred to Jacksonville for your final two years. Why did you choose Gardner-Webb to start, and why did you later choose to go to Jacksonville?

AG: I went to Gardner-Webb because I did not have all the tools necessary to develop academically and I was not ready for a four-year institution. Jacksonville allowed me to be closer to home. My mom had never seen me play in high school or college, but the first game she ever came to was a loss to Florida State.

JT: Your coach at Jacksonville was Joe Williams, who had no training rules and scribbled scouting reports on the backs of envelopes. What was it like to play for Coach Williams, and did you relate to him because he was such a young guy?

AG: Joe was very well-organized but he had very little budget to work with. He made a salary of $7,000-8,000/year, which was barely enough to support a wife and two kids. He did a great job considering he had very little to work with, and helped me make the transition to college.

1970 NCAA Tournament

JT: You scored a tournament school-record 30 points and grabbed 19 rebounds in a win over Western Kentucky (Jim McDaniels finished with 29 points), which was Jacksonville's first-ever game on national TV. What was the reaction like after getting the first tournament win in school history, and was it extra-special because McDaniels had been ranked ahead of you in high school?

AG: I did not think of it in terms of McDaniels being better: it was just special for our school to beat a great school. We were shouting for joy the previous week after we found out that we got the tourney bid.

JT: You had 30 points and 19 rebounds but fouled out in a one-point win over Iowa (Fred Brown had 27 for Iowa, but Pembrook Burrows tipped in a last-second miss by Vaughn Wedeking for the win). Did you think that your team was going to hang on after you fouled out, and how does Burrows' tip-in rank among fantastic finishes that you have ever been involved with?

AG: If we had lost that game we would have been just another team. My teammates showed extraordinary leadership after I fouled out. Burrows had one of the greatest tip-ins of all time. Iowa had a host of talented players who made it to the next level. If we played them 10 times, we would have split the series 5-5.

JT: You had 24 points and 20 rebounds in a six-point win over Kentucky (Dan Issel finished with 28 points and 10 rebounds but fouled out with 10 minutes left, and said that Gilmore was the best center he played against in his college career). Did the momentum completely turn once Issel fouled out, and could you tell at the time that Issel was going to become a star?

AG: Issel was already a star who played on big stages. I remember seeing him play LSU on TV the previous month. Issel scored 51 in a 16-point win while Pete Maravich scored 64! The SEC was one of the biggest stages in the country at that time. Issel became an extraordinary player in the ABA and NBA. I remember picking up my fourth foul after being run over by a Kentucky guy, so I was taken out of the game. Soon after that Wedeking ran over Issel like an 18-wheel truck, and Issel was in disbelief when he got called for his fifth foul.

JT: You had 29 points and 21 rebounds in an eight-point win over St. Bonaventure (whose star center Bob Lanier after injuring his knee in an earlier game against Villanova). Do you think you would have won that game if Lanier was healthy, and did you think that your team was going all the way to win a title?

AG: The momentum had swung our way during the Kentucky game and continued into this game. They played well and we did not play as well as in past games, but we were able to get the win.

JT: You were very relaxed before the title game against UCLA (as you fell asleep in an armchair in the hotel lobby the day before the game), while the Bruins were not (Sidney Wicks and Curtis Rowe went out at 2AM the morning of the game to get sandwiches and sat up most of the night talking with some of their teammates before sleeping into the late morning). Why were you so relaxed, and why do you think a team with a great winning tradition was so nervous?

AG: I was not far removed from sleeping in one bed with 3-4 brothers, so I am sure that any sleep I got at the hotel would have been in a big bed of my own! We realized that we had to play a very talented team, but we were a small school that had just beaten a huge school in Kentucky. Most people predicted that UCLA would play the Wildcats for the title, but there we were.

JT: You had 19 points and 16 rebounds but shot 9-29 from the field before fouling out in a title game loss to UCLA (Wicks finished with 17 points and 18 rebounds, and blocked four of your shots despite being 6" shorter). Did you consider your run in the tourney to be a success (due to making it to the title game) or a failure (due to getting so close but not winning it all)?

AG: One of our key players (Rex Morgan, who was an All-American the previous year) was injured, and we were not able to make the right adjustments. I always want to win and have always been very competitive, but the rules did not allow dunking at the time so Wicks was able to play behind me and get a few blocks. We had a chance to win the game, but just having a small school make a nice run was the most special thing in the history of the state until Florida won back-to-back titles in 2006 and 2007.

1971 NCAA Tournament

JT: You scored 12 points and grabbed a tournament school-record 22 rebounds in a two-point revenge loss to WKU (Jim McDaniels finished with 23 points and 13 rebounds). Did you think you would beat them after beating them the previous year, and did it seem like WKU was out for revenge after beating you earlier that season (when McDaniels scored a career-high 46 PTS on 20-29 FG)?

AG: Our slogan that year was "Be #1 in ‘71". We had replaced several guys from the previous year but we did not have the same focus, or the same coach, or were on the same page. We had the ball with the lead in the final seconds, but we were called for a double-dribble and fell out of synch.

JT: The game was decided on the famous Clarence Glover shoestring play (with the score tied in the final seconds, Glover knelt down and pretended to tie his shoe, then he jumped up, took the inbounds pass, streaked towards the basket, and made the game-winning shot). What was going through your mind when you saw Glover get the pass, and do you feel that it was unfair to lose on such a trick play?

AG: They earned it, as they were a team of destiny. We made some mental errors. I was guarding Glover but switched over to McDaniels without my teammate switching over to Glover, who made a wide-open lay-up to win it all.

JT: You led the NCAA in rebounding during both of your two years at Jacksonville, and your career 22.7 RPG is still #1 in Division I history. How were you able to dominate throughout the rest of your college career, and do you consider yourself to be the best rebounder in NCAA history?

AG: I never looked at it that way. I joked with my teammates that they missed shots on purpose in order to allow me to get the record! I had the skill and ability to get above everyone else and take everything that came off the board; it was a gift.

JT: You are one of only eight college players ever to average 20+ PPG and 20+ RPG for their career, and you were two-time All American. Do you consider yourself to be one of the best players in NCAA history?

AG: Absolutely: I consider myself to be one of the best ever.

JT: Kentucky signed you to a then-record 10-year, $2.5 million contract, and you rewarded them by being named ROY and MVP in your very first season. How were you able to come in as a rookie and dominate from the start?

AG: I had some great players around me (Issel, seven-time All-Star Louie Dampier, etc.) who took a lot of pressure off me, and we had several other great veterans.

JT: That season you and Issel led Kentucky to an ABA-record .810 winning percentage (68-16) but did not win the title. How on earth did a team with you and Issel not go all the way?

AG: There is a formula involved in getting to the next level, but we just came out in regular-season mode while the Nets (featuring Rick Barry) came out in playoff mode.

JT: In 1973 you led Kentucky to the ABA Finals before losing to Indiana (your four losses were by a total of 18 points). How frustrating was it to play so competitively and not win the title?

AG: It was frustrating to not make the next step, but we were in a period of continuing growth.

JT: In 1975 you led Kentucky (coached by Hubie Brown) to the ABA title over Indiana and were named playoff MVP. How did it feel to win the title, and was it extra-special to do so against the team that beat you in the 1973 Finals?

AG: It was good to win the title as an acknowledgment of reaching our ultimate goal. We played at a high level.

JT: You were the #1 pick of the 1976 NBA dispersal draft by Chicago, and you proceeded to be named an All-Star four times in the next five years. Why was it so easy for you to make the switch from the ABA to the NBA, and what was the biggest difference between the two leagues?

AG: It was not a huge switch, but the NBA had several advantages. A larger stage to play on, larger cities, more games on television, bigger crowds, stronger players, etc.

JT: In 1981 you shot a career best 67% from the field (the third-highest single-season percentage in NBA history, as Wilt Chamberlain owns the top two spots). Did it just feel like every shot you took was going in?

AG: It was important to make them count. Wilt apparently decided one year that he was going to lead the league in FG%, then another year he decided that he was going to lead the league in assists. I was not like that.

JT: In 1983 you were traded to San Antonio and were a two-time All-Star there (George Gervin said, "I have never played with a dominant center before, and I am enjoying it"). Were you surprised the Chicago traded you, and what was it like playing with Gervin?

AG: I was a little surprised. My wife was pregnant with our youngest daughter at the time and I found out about the trade in the middle of a two-week road trip. I decided to make the best of it. The NBA was not totally ready for a small city like San Antonio to get such recognition.

JT: You finished your NBA career with averages of 17.1 points and 10.1 rebounds per game, and your career 59.9 FG% is still #1 in NBA history. What does it mean to you to be the best field goal shooter in the history of the NBA?

AG: I know that record is not going to stand: there are many guys today who can score in the low post. Still, I am proud to be acknowledged.

JT: Your ABA and NBA combined numbers are quite staggering (11-time All-Star, 3,178 BLK [#4 all-time], 16,330 REB [#5 all-time], 24,941 PTS [#19 all-time], and the leading left-handed scorer in pro history). What sort of advantage did you have as a lefty, and what do you want people to remember the most when they look back on your career?

AG: The advantage of being a lefty is that my left hand is directly opposite the ball shot by a right-handed shooter, which helped me be a good defender. I hope to be remembered as one of the best players ever, which I feel like I was in my heart. I assume that future fans looking at my stats will realize how good I was.

JT: You were recently inducted into the Hall of Fame after being retired for over two decades. Why do you think it took so long for you to be inducted?

AG: I always thought that I would be inducted one day, but I have no idea why it did not happen earlier. I was nominated a few times. Initially I would get a call with directions about what to expect, but later on the calls stopped coming.

Gilmore is also on Jon's list of best pro players in Atlantic Sun history.

Belmont: NO ALUMNI IN ABA/NBA
Campbell: George Lehmann (1968)
East Tennessee State: Skeeter Swift (1970)
Florida Gulf Coast: NO ALUMNI IN ABA/NBA
Jacksonville: Artis Gilmore (1972)
Kennesaw State: NO ALUMNI IN ABA/NBA
Lipscomb: NO ALUMNI IN ABA/NBA
Mercer: Sam Mitchell (1990)
North Florida: NO ALUMNI IN ABA/NBA
South Carolina Upstate: Mike Gibson (1984)
Stetson: Lorenzo Williams (1993)

College Hoops Monday: Your Commentary

Raphielle Johnson — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 23:59:24 -0800

With the Tostitos BCS National Championship Game between Auburn and Oregon taking center stage (the pick here is Oregon) there isn't a whole lot to keep tabs on in college basketball. But there is an important resume-boosting opportunity for arguably America's favorite cardiac program as Marquette (11-5, 2-1) looks to rebound from their loss at Pitt on Saturday. And the return to Milwaukee won't come without a challenge as Mike Brey's Fighting Irish are the visitors, and they're looking to build on a productive 2-0 week (wins over Connecticut and St. John's). Ben Hansbrough led the way on Saturday night as Notre Dame (14-2, 3-1) handed the Red Storm their first conference loss, scoring 26 points and displaying an array of offensive skills. But Notre Dame is about more than just Hansbrough as four other players are averaging double figures in points.

Carleton Scott has missed the last two games due to a hamstring injury, resulting in freshman guard Eric Atkins moving into the starting lineup and he's done well as a distributor. Atkins is averaging 3.4 assists per game and turning the ball over just a shade more than once per game, and given the offensive abilities of Hansbrough, Tim Abromaitis and Scott Martin all he really has to do is make sound decisions. Notre Dame as a team shares the basketball (17.9 assists per game) while taking good care of it (10.9 turnovers per game), and they also have a rebounding margin of plus-7.6. But this is also just their second true road game (Syracuse) so the jury may still be out in regards to how well the Irish will perform on the road. They've played good basketball for much of the season, meaning that the Golden Eagles will certainly have their hands full at the Bradley Center.

Marquette's problem with their resume is a simple one: every "big" game they've played they've lost. Close calls to Duke, Gonzaga and Wisconsin define the non-conference portion of the schedule for Buzz Williams' club, meaning that they'll need to rack up some solid conference wins in order to make their way back into the NCAA Tournament without sweating on Selection Sunday. Darius Johnson-Odom (15.9 ppg) and Jimmy Butler (15.1) lead the way for Marquette, who averages over 80 points per game and has five players scoring at least nine points per contest. The strength for the Golden Eagles offensively has to be their ability to get to the basket, although they also have players who can knock down perimeter shots. Freshman Vander Blue has steadily matured and grown into his role, and along with Dwight Buycks he's been their best distributor of late, and Junior Cadougan is a solid point guard off the bench.

The key for Marquette will be to get the Irish to play at an uncomfortable pace. While Notre Dame averages just two fewer possessions per game than the Golden Eagles they get nearly 31% of their points from beyond the arc. Why do those two stats fit together? If Marquette can force the Irish into some hurried perimeter shots they may gain the opportunity to score some easy baskets of their own, and to get the crowd involved early would be a bonus. And while Notre Dame performed well for much of their loss at Syracuse there's still more to be learned about this veteran club on the road. Do the Irish have the goods to make some noise come March? Games like this one will determine the answer to that question. As for the remainder of Monday's light schedule keep an eye on Jacksonville taking on Belmont in a battle of teams tied for first place (in the loss column) in the Atlantic Sun. The Dolphins won at Lipscomb on Saturday and a sweep of the two Nashville schools would put Cliff Warren's team in a good spot at this early stage in the season.

Top 25
7:00 PM (15) Notre Dame at Marquette (ESPN2)

NCAA Division I Games
1:00 PM North Florida at Lipscomb
6:00 PM Savannah State at Marshall
7:00 PM Stony Brook at Binghamton
7:00 PM Mercer at Campbell
7:00 PM Elon at UNC Greensboro
7:00 PM Bethune-Cookman at North Carolina A&T (ESPNU)
7:00 PM Austin Peay at Tennessee-Martin
7:15 PM Stetson at East Tennessee State
7:30 PM Florida Gulf Coast at USC Upstate
8:00 PM Howard at Coppin State
8:00 PM Hampton at Morgan State
8:00 PM Maryland-Eastern Shore at North Carolina Central
8:00 PM Delaware State at South Carolina State
8:30 PM Alabama A&M at Arkansas-Pine Bluff (ESPNU)
8:30 PM Jacksonville at Belmont
8:30 PM Florida A&M at Norfolk State
9:00 PM Southern University at Jackson State
9:00 PM Alabama State at Mississippi Valley State
9:00 PM Alcorn State at Grambling State

College Hoops Monday: Your Commentary

Raphielle Johnson — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 21:29:56 -0800

Finals week kicked off last week with Louisville and Tennessee picking up big wins on Saturday as the Cardinals beat UNLV while the Vols handled Pittsburgh. And what did both teams do in their next act? They lost games many expected them to win to Drexel and Oakland respectively. A key trait of teams who tend to reach high levels come March is the ability to maintain focus and take care of business regardless of the opponent, and that's why the matinee between Jacksonville (6-3) and Florida (8-2) is a game to keep an eye on. Billy Donovan's Gators are coming off of an impressive defensive performance against Kansas State, limiting the Wildcats to 22.2% shooting from the field (and 0-10 from three) in the second half of the 57-44 victory. Their play defensively helped make up for eighteen turnovers, and Kenny Boynton led three Gators in double figures with 15.

Florida goes into Monday's game with the nation's best strength of schedule and sits second in the RPI, but while those numbers may take a hit in playing Cliff Warren's Dolphins this could be a tough contest if they don't show up ready to go. Senior forward Ayron Hardy leads JU in scoring (12.6 ppg), rebounding (7.0 rpg) and assists (3.7 apg), but this is a balanced club that offensively has six other players who average at least seven points per game and four others who grab at least four rebounds. This is a balanced outfit that will win games this season due to the sum of the parts as opposed to one exemplary player. But the Dolphins are up against history as they've beaten Florida just once since 1980 (68-64 win in 1994) and the average margin of defeat is fifteen points.

Another issue for Jacksonville, who has dropped their last two games to Winthrop and Saint Louis, is their lack of size when compared to Florida. Forwards Delwan Graham and Shamile Jeffers are the tallest players in the Jacksonville rotation and they're both 6'7". Compared to the size and strength of players such as Vernon Macklin, Alex Tyus and Patric Young the Dolphins will be at a disadvantage on paper. But numbers don't account for the intangibles, meaning that they've got a chance provided they keep Florida off of the offensive boards (offensive rebound percentage of 39.5%). Add in the tough matchup of versatile wing Chandler Parsons and to say the least the Dolphins will have their work cut out for them. But with the tip being an afternoon game during the week, and with the students on holiday break, Jacksonville could put a scare into the Gators if Billy Donovan's team isn't focused on the task at hand. And as Louisville and Tennessee showed last week, doing such could result in an unexpected outcome.

Four other ranked teams are in action on Monday, including an inexperienced Memphis squad that's struggled with seemingly inferior competition this season (Arkansas State and Austin Peay have both taken the Tigers to overtime). Texas A&M-Corpus Christi is only 4-6 on the young season but they've played the 11th-toughest schedule in the nation thus far, including road games at Texas A&M, Oklahoma State and Kansas, and the Islanders are coming off of a win over Houston. If any of the ranked teams in action could be susceptible to a pre-Christmas letdown it could be the Tigers, who are dealing with the loss of Wesley Witherspoon while also trying to figure out the roles of their talented youngsters. Winthrop's trip to Dayton could prove profitable for the Big South team given the Flyers' struggles at times, and Brian Gregory's team has proven to play only as well as PG Juwan Staten does running the show. And the Aeropostale Holiday Festival tips off in New York, with Northwestern and St. John's looking to move into Tuesday's title game with wins over St. Francis (NY) and Davidson respectively.

Top 25
7:00 PM Elon at (1) Duke (FS South)
7:00 PM Coppin State at (4) Connecticut (ESPNU)
7:00 PM Morgan State at (5) Syracuse (ESPN3)
8:00 PM Texas A&M-CC at (19) Memphis
1:00 PM Jacksonville at (24) Florida (ESPN3)

NCAA Division I Games
5:00 PM Valparaiso vs. Eastern Michigan*
7:00 PM American University at Mount St. Mary's
7:00 PM Bucknell at Cornell
7:00 PM Norfolk State at Virginia
7:00 PM Thomas More at Coastal Carolina
7:00 PM Illinois State at North Carolina-Wilmington
7:00 PM Belmont at Alabama State
7:00 PM South Dakota State at Central Michigan
7:00 PM Winthrop at Dayton (FS Cincinnati)
7:00 PM Towson at Hampton
7:00 PM Northwestern vs. St. Francis (NY)* (MSG)
7:30 PM Vermont at Fairfield
7:30 PM Rochester Coll at Oakland
8:00 PM Eastern Washington at South Dakota
8:00 PM Xavier LA at Southern University
8:00 PM North Dakota at Green Bay
8:05 PM Jackson State at Bradley
8:05 PM Western Illinois at Creighton
8:05 PM Savannah State at Arkansas State
9:00 PM Northern Colorado at Colorado State
9:00 PM Samford at Texas-San Antonio
9:00 PM Centenary at Wyoming
9:00 PM Mayville State at Utah Valley
9:30 PM Davidson at St. John's (MSG)
10:30 PM Portland State at Nevada
10:30 PM Stephen F. Austin at UTEP

Jacksonville 2010 NIT Capsule

Joel Welser — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 18:20:55 -0800

Jacksonville Dolphins

Atlantic Sun Conference (17-13, 14-6)

Big Wins: 12/29 vs Buffalo (83-73), 12/30 at UCF (61-51), 1/16 Belmont (82-66)

Bad Losses: 11/30 at Georgia State (54-64), 1/2 Mercer (74-75), 2/7 at Lipscomb (61-79)

Coach: Cliff Warren

Why They Can Surprise:

While Jacksonville does turn the ball over quite a bit, they do other things to make it so they almost always get more possessions than their opponents. One thing the Dolphins do to keep the ball out of their opponent’s hands is rebound. Lehmon Colbert has emerged as the top rebounder on the team, averaging 6.8 per game. Fellow frontcourt starters Ayron Hardy and Will Alston give Colbert plenty of help on the glass. Colbert and Hardy are also quality scorers who can step outside and hit the mid-range jumper.

The other way to create possessions is to grab some steals. As a team, the Dolphins tally 8.5 steals per contest. Most of the credit goes to point guard Ben Smith who averages 2.0 of those steals. The 5-10 junior is more than just a great defender though. He is the team’s top scorer and the point guard. Smith has always been an aggressive scorer and that has not changed this season. He will attack the basket very effectively and either find his teammates or score himself. Smith is also Jacksonville’s biggest, and only, long range shooting threat and that versatility makes him difficult to stop.

Why They Can Disappoint:

Smith does not deserve most of the blame for the turnovers, but it is his job to keep this team under control, especially when the young players on the bench are in the game. The other concern on this team is the shooting defense. Jacksonville will go for the steals, so when the opposition gets a shot off it will be a pretty good look. Jacksonville allows the opposition to shoot 43.3 percent from the floor and 33.4 percent from beyond the arc. Those numbers are about the same as what Jacksonville shoots and they better make sure they can get rebounds and not turn the ball over if the opposition is going to shoot that well from the floor.

Who To Watch:

Smith is the only consistent scoring threat among the guards. Junior Travis Cohn will usually start at the shooting guard spot, but he has been extremely inconsistent this season. He might give the Dolphins a dozen points, but he could just as easily put up a goose egg. If Cohn is not scoring, Coach Cliff Warren will look to Chris Edwards and Tevin Galvin off the bench. Edwards is the more effective shooter of the two and his outside shooting can provide some quick points, but he is not the type of player who is going to come in and score ten points in a game. However, it does not matter if the points come from Cohn, Edwards or Galvin, or a combination of all three, as long as Jacksonville can provide another scoring threat from the perimeter.

Probable Starters:

Ben Smith, Senior, Guard, 19.6 ppg, 3.7 apg, 2.0 spg

Travis Cohn, Junior, Guard, 8.7 ppg, 1.1 apg

Ayron Hardy, Junior, Forward, 8.8 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 2.0 spg

Lehmon Colbert, Senior, Forward, 12.1 ppg, 6.8 rpg

Will Alston, Sophomore, Center, 3.8 ppg, 3.1 rpg

Key Roleplayers:

Chris Edwards, Sophomore, Guard, 3.2 ppg, 2.0 rpg

Tevin Galvin, Sophomore, Guard, 5.7 ppg, 4.8 rpg

Glenn Powell, Freshman, Forward, 3.8 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 1.0 bpg

Russell Powell, Freshman, Guard, 3.4 ppg, 1.1 apg

By the Numbers:

Scoring Offense: 70.1 (145^th in nation, 4^th in conference)

Scoring Defense: 67.5 (164, 4)

Field-Goal Percentage: 42.0 (237, 6)

Field-Goal Defense: 43.3 (180, 4)

Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 5.4 (252, 7)

Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 33.9 (172, 5)

Free-Throw Percentage: 70.6 (114, 2)

Rebound Margin: 3.6 (63, 1)

Assists Per Game: 11.9 (242, 7)

Turnovers Per Game: 14.8 (249, 5)

Follow Joel Welser's Postseason Capsules & College Basketball Previews on Twitter @Joel_Welser and on his Facebook page. Joel will be back in June for his annual Top 144 Teams in 144 Days preview on CollegeHoops.net

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College Hoops Thursday Recap: Hummel, Safford Injuries and Their Impact

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 21:58:21 -0800

Bad news hit West Lafayette and Columbia on Thursday afternoon, with Purdue's Robbie Hummel and Missouri's Justin Safford both going down for the remainder of the season with torn ACLs. The more important ligament on a national level: clearly that would be Hummel's, and his injury could be the difference in seed lines for the Boilermakers. Many have used Kenyon Martin's broken leg back in 2000 as the comparison to Purdue losing Hummel, but that's a bit off when you further examine the cases. In that season Martin was clearly the best player in America, and his injury happened in the Bearcats' first conference tournament game. Of course Cincinnati went on to lose, and with very limited evidence of what the Bearcats could be without the National Player of the Year the selection committee dropped them a seed line.

Cincinnati, out of sorts from losing their best player and not having much time to get used to playing without him, was bounced in the second round by Tulsa. Purdue, on the other hand, will have ample time between now and Selection Sunday to figure this out and it will also help them to still have marquee games on the schedule. The first test: Michigan State at home on Sunday. There have been a lot of statements that Purdue's chances of getting to Indianapolis are shot; despite Hummel's talents it's unfair to rush to such a judgement without seeing this team play a full game without him. Matt Painter and his staff will look for other players to step up, and if Wednesday's win at Minnesota was any indication maybe Keaton Grant is the man to expand his role.

As for the Tigers, losing their fourth-leading scorer is still a blow that needs to be negotiated with care the remainder of the regular season. Sitting alone in third place, Mike Anderson's team can still count on Kim English, Marcus Denmon and four other players averaging at least 7.5 points per game. Their strength is their balance and that's exactly how they'll make their way towards the NCAA Tournament without Safford. The key: someone else up front will need to step up. Steve Moore saw 21 minutes of action in the blowout of Colorado but it would be more logical to ask of more from Laurence Bowers and Keith Ramsey. But just like Purdue they've got two weeks to figure the new rotation out before entering conference tournament play. Both losses hurt but it shouldn't mean immediate panic.

Three Key Happenings

1. Morehead State ends Murray State's 17-game win streak; round three in the OVC final? In a collision of lengthy win streaks (Murray State's 17 overall, Morehead State's 16 OVC home game), Terrance Hill hit a three-pointer with 39 seconds remaining to give the defending OVC Tournament champs the lead for good on their way to a 70-65 home win. The win gives the Eagles their second consecutive 20-win season for the first time in school history and a good confidence boost going into next weekend's conference tournament. Kenneth Faried led the way with yet another double-double, scoring 15 points and grabbing 11 rebounds.

Isaac Miles led the Racers with 18 but the scoring balance, which has been one of Murray's biggest strengths, wasn't present on Thursday night with Danero Thomas scoring fifteen and no one else finishing with more than eight points. B.J. Jenkins had a rough night from the field in making one of eight shot attempts (1-7 3PT) on the night. Could there be a third meeting in the OVC final next week? It's definitely possible but to ignore the likes of Eastern Kentucky (who plays Murray State on Saturday) and Austin Peay would be dangerous to say the least; in the last decade the top two seeds have meet in the final just four times.

2. California takes a definitive step towards their first Pac-10 title in decades. We may finally have clarity in the Pac-10, a conference that while it hasn't impressed in regards to the caliber of the teams it has offered up unpredictable basketball. Mike Mongomery's Golden Bears took full advantage of their opportunity on Thursday night, using a second half run to take care of Arizona 95-71 in Berkeley. Now they sit just one win away from wrapping up a share of their first Pac-10 title in some fifty years. Jerome Randle led four players in double figures with 24 points and Jamal Boykin added another double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds.

The young Wildcats simply couldn't keep up offensively with the Golden Bears, who shot 63% from the field in the second half and 56.7% for the game. Also outrebounding Arizona 34-23, Cal will face a stiffer defensive test in Arizona State on Saturday afternoon. Add in Senior Day and you can understand why a coach may be a little worried. "One of the risks that you run is there's a lot of things going on with Senior Night and these kids and the reality of it is, that if we win that game, we have at least a share of the conference championship," said Coach Montgomery. "When we're good, we play hard, we play together and we're focused on just winning the basketball game (quote courtesy of calbears.com)."

3. Jacksonville (Atlantic Sun) and Wofford (Southern) make moves toward a regular season title. Both teams were involved in important contests in regards to the inside track for their respective conference titles, and home court advantage came in handy for the Dolphins and Terriers. With their 65-52 win over Campbell, Jacksonville clinched at least a share for the A-Sun title with one league game remaining. Travis Cohn and Ben Smith scored fifteen points apiece and Jacksonville scored 17 points off of 21 Campbell turnovers to separate themselves from the Camels. The Dolphins also did a fantastic job of sharing the basketball, assisting on sixteen of their twenty-one baskets.

As for the Terriers, they won their eighth consecutive and 22nd game overall in beating preseason favorite Charleston 74-68 to take a one-game lead in the South Division of the Southern Conference. Noah Dahlman led three Terriers in double figures with 20 points while also grabbing eight rebounds, and as a team Wofford outrebounded the Cougars 41-34 while also holding the visitors to 39.4% shooting from the field. And just like Jacksonville, Wofford did a good job of distributing the basketball, assisting on 15 of their 24 made field goals. Now armed with the top seed in the South Division, the Terriers have locked up a postseason bid by virtue of having the SoCon's best record.

Top Three Games

1. Vanderbilt 96, Georgia 94 (OT) Ten players in this one finished with double figures and Jermaine Beal led the Commodores with 28 points in a comeback win over the Bulldogs in Nashville. Travis Leslie led the Bulldogs with 22 points, 10 rebounds and five assists.

2. Wright State 76, Youngstown State 73 Troy Tabler knocked down a three pointer with 0.5 seconds left to save the Raiders on the road. Todd Brown led the victors with 16 points while Vitas Sulskis led the Penguins with 15 points and 10 rebounds.

3. Morehead State 70, Murray State 65 See above.

Three Notable Performances

1. F Adnan Hodzic (Lipscomb) Hodzic led the Bisons to a 74-66 win over Kennesaw State with 24 points and 20 rebounds.

2. F Drew Viney (Loyola Marymount) In the Lions' 72-69 win at San Diego Viney led the way with 35 points and eight rebounds.

3. G Austin Kenon (VMI) Kenon scored 32 points and handed out five assists in the Keydets' 95-85 loss at Charleston Southern.

Poll: Who Will Win the Atlantic Sun?

Shawn Siegel — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 09:02:42 -0700

Jacksonville Basketball Preview: #108

Joel Welser — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 06:03:17 -0700

Overall Rank: #108

Conference Rank: #1 Atlantic Sun

2008-09: 18-14, 15-5

2008-09 postseason: NIT

Coach: Cliff Warren (52-67 at Jacksonville, 52-67 overall)

There is little doubt what direction the Jacksonville basketball program is heading. It was not long ago, during Coach Cliff Warren’s first year at the helm, that this team went 1-26. Coach Warren opted to build up the program by hitting the recruiting trail hard and not simply picking up junior college transfers and looking for the quick fix. The result in 2008-2009 was a conference championship and a trip to the NIT. The Dolphins hope to win the conference again, but add a conference tournament championship to their rapidly growing resume.

Key Losses: F Marcus Allen, G Evan Jefferson

Key Newcomers:

Jacksonville returns four players who averaged between eight and 12 minutes per game last year and some of those young players will step up and play a bigger role. That means Coach Warren will not need to ask much of his group of newcomers. However, big man Josh Sparks has a ton of potential and should turn into a consistent force under the basket sooner or later and point guard Russell Powell will battle for minutes off the bench this year and look for a starting job in 2010-2011.

Backcourt:

Ben Smith is the leader of this team. He connected on over two three-pointers per game and led the team with 16.9 points, 4.0 assists and 2.2 steals. He can almost take over a game at will. His presence overshadows the rest of the backcourt, which is certainly understandable, but Travis Cohn is an emerging force on the perimeter. He is not a superb shooter, but he is getting better and should turn into more than just ‘the other guard on the team’ now that he is an upperclassman. The biggest concern on the perimeter is the lack of depth. Tevin Galvin and Chris Edwards had promising freshmen campaigns and must be prepared to contribute more off the bench.

Frontcourt:

The Dolphins return two forwards who averaged at least ten points per game last year. Ayron Hardy tallied 10.1 points per game and led the team in blocks. Hardy, at 6-5, is a great small forward who can hit the outside shot, go to the basket and hit the glass. Lehmon Colbert played the power forward spot last year and did a superb job, averaging 11.8 points and 6.2 rebounds per contest. His ability to step outside and hit the outside shot makes him nearly impossible to defend. Colbert might have to move to the five spot this year if Aric Brooks works his way into the starting lineup. Brooks, at 6-6 and 192 pounds, certainly does not have the size to play center. Szymon Lukasiak, a 6-10 junior, would be the ideal fit so Colbert could stay at the four spot, but he averaged under ten minutes per game last year.

Who to Watch:

Jacksonville will go as far as Smith can take them. The 5-10 Dublin, Georgia product is simply a scorer in every possible way. He reached the free-throw line 5.5 times per game last year and hit over two three-pointers per contest. When Smith is not scoring, he is finding his teammates. Either way, Smith is getting to the basket and either scoring, getting fouled or finding one of the big guys for an easy bucket.

Final Projection:

Marcus Allen is a big loss. He led the team in rebounding and his presence under the basket allowed Colbert to be effective as a power forward. If Colbert can be just as effective as a center or Lukasiak can play 20 to 25 minutes per game, there is no reason for this team to not win the Atlantic Sun once again. Now they just have to win the conference tournament as well and make a trip to the big dance.

Projected Post-season Tournament: NCAA

Projected Starting Five:

Ben Smith, Senior, Guard, 16.9 points per game

Travis Cohn, Junior, Guard, 6.8 points per game

Ayron Hardy, Junior, Forward, 10.1 points per game

Aric Brooks, Junior, Forward, 4.4 points per game

Lehmon Colbert, Senior, Forward, 11.8 points per game

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Jacksonville: 2009 NIT Capsule

Joel Welser — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 03:24:11 -0700

Jacksonville Dolphins

Atlantic Sun (1st, 18-13, 15-5)

Last NCAA Appearance: 1986, First Round loss to Temple

Coach: Cliff Warren (First NCAA appearance)

Probable Starters:

Ben Smith, Junior, Guard

Travis Cohn, Sophomore, Guard

Lehmon Colbert, Junior, Forward

Ayron Hardy, Sophomore, Forward

Marcus Allen, Senior, Forward

Key Roleplayers:

Will Alston, Freshman, Forward

Aric Brooks, Sophomore, Forward

Chris Edwards, Freshman, Guard

Tevin Galvin, Freshman, Guard

Evan Jefferson, Senior, Guard

Szymon Lukasiak, Sophomore, Center

Why They Can Surprise:

While Jacksonville does turn the ball over quite a bit, they do other things to make it so they almost always get more possessions than their opponents. One thing the Dolphins do to keep the ball out of their opponent’s hands is rebound. Marcus Allen, a 6-7 senior, is the best rebounder on the squad, averaging 7.1 per contest. Fellow starting forwards Lehmon Colbert and Ayron Hardy give Allen plenty of help on the glass. Those three are also quality scorers. Allen spends most of his time under the basket, but Colbert and Hardy can stretch out the defense with their outside shooting ability.

The other way to create possessions is to grab some steals. As a team, the Dolphins tally 8.6 steals per contest. Most of the credit goes to point guard Ben Smith who averages 2.3 of those steals. The 5-10 junior is more than just a great defender though. He is the team’s top scorer and the point guard. Smith has always been an aggressive scorer and that has not changed this season. He will attack the basket very effectively and either find his teammates or score himself. Smith is also Jacksonville’s biggest long range shooting threat and that versatility makes him difficult to stop.

Why They Can Disappoint:

Smith does not deserve most of the blame for the turnovers, but it is his job to keep this team under control, especially when the young players on the bench are in the game. The other concern on this team is the shooting defense. Jacksonville will go for the steals, so when the opposition gets a shot off it will be a pretty good look. Jacksonville allows the opposition to shoot 45.4 percent from the floor and 36.9 percent from beyond the arc. Both those numbers are better than what Jacksonville shoots and they better make sure they can get rebounds and not turn the ball over if the opposition is going to shoot that well from the floor.

Who To Watch:

Smith is the only consistent scoring threat among the guards. Sophomore Travis Cohn will usually start at the shooting guard spot, but he has been extremely inconsistent this season. He might give the Dolphins a dozen points, but he could just as easily put up a goose egg. If Cohn is not scoring, Coach Cliff Warren will look to Evan Jefferson and Tevin Galvin off the bench. Jefferson is the more effective scorer of the two and he has only reached double-digits twice on the year, but his outside shooting can provide some quick points. However, it does not matter if the points come from Cohn, Jefferson or Galvin, or a combination of all three, as long as Jacksonville can provide another scoring threat from the perimeter.

+ Following final Bracket announcement, more team info will be added, including final RPI, final team statistical rankings, Joel's prediction, and more!

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ETSU Wins Atlantic Sun Title

Press Release — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 17:22:02 -0800

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - March 7, 2009 The JU men's basketball team's return to the NCAA Tournament will have to wait another year as the Dolphins dropped the General Shale Brick Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament championship game to East Tennessee State, 85-68.

ETSU (23-10) got a team-high 22 points and 12 rebounds from Mike Smith, who earned a spot on the all-tournament team. Kevin Tiggs earned tournament MVP honors with his 21 points in the finale.

The Dolphins (18-13) are guaranteed a spot in the National Invitation Tournament via winning the A-Sun regular season title, JU's first postseason action since receiving a spot in the NIT in 1987.

"We let them get some good looks early and when they get some confidence, they are a dangerous team," said JU head coach Cliff Warren. "We didn't keep them off the boards and gave them a lot of second chances that hurt us."

The Dolphins second straight trip to the championship game turned into a nightmare as the Bucs dominated the boards and scored 20 second chance points.

Ben Smith led JU with a game-high 29 points to lead three Dolphins in double figures, hitting 9-of-19 from the floor. Lehmon Colbert pulled down a career-high 13 rebounds while Ayron Hardy and Evan Jefferson had 11 each for JU.

Jacksonville struggled shooting in the first half, hitting just 35.7 percent from the floor. It wasn't until late in the second half that the Dolphins found their offensive flow, scoring 23 points in the final seven minutes.

After falling behind 4-0, the Dolphins scored six straight to take a 6-4 lead on a basket by Ben Smith with 13:12 left in the first half.

From there the Bucs took over, going on a 13-0 run that eventually led to ETSU taking a 43-28 lead into the locker room at halftime.

Any hopes of a second half comeback faded quickly as the Bucs pushed the lead to 24, 54- 30, using a pair of 3-pointers to spark the 11-2 run.

JU fell behind by as many as 30 before making a late run to cut the deficit to 14 on a 3-pointer by Smith with 1:25 left in the game.