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Post by euphoenix99 on Jan 18, 2008 9:23:44 GMT -5
Dissappointing loss last night. There were times Elon looked really good, but GSU is just a more athletic team. They were quick to every loose ball, jumping in passing lanes and disrupting Elon's flow. Defensively, I think we looked good, but GSU was just the better team last night. I was particularly impressed with Fields for GSU. That guy was nonstop the whole game.
Hopefully they can get it turned around against UNCG tomorrow.
Go Phoenix!
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Post by firebird on Jan 18, 2008 11:53:12 GMT -5
We almost always look good defensively ... and I just won't be saying the corollary to that at this time. I'm just too disappointed.
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Post by elon_phan on Jan 18, 2008 21:22:29 GMT -5
Phoenix falls flat Georgia Southern dumps Elon men By Adam Smith / Times-News January 17, 2008 - 11:30PM
ELON -- Suddenly devoid of the scrappy energy it usually oozes, Elon University went from grasping for press-breaking precision and critical rebounds in vain to grasping for answers as to why.
“It seemed like we weren’t ourselves,” Elon guard Brett James said after Georgia Southern stuck the Phoenix with a 67-57 defeat Thursday night in Southern Conference men’s basketball at Alumni Gym.
“We gave into their quickness and their pressure and their athleticism,” Elon coach Ernie Nestor said. “It’s disheartening because I thought we were past that, and obviously we are not.”
With a little less than 13½ minutes remaining, Georgia Southern had carved out a 13-point cushion and the good vibes from Elon’s solid start -- the Phoenix led by eight after the opening eight minutes -- frustratingly had evaporated.
Elon, stumbling to a season low in field goals (18) and field-goal percentage (35.3), never trimmed its deficit below six the rest of the way.
“It seemed like we lost our focus and couldn’t get it back,” Elon forward Ola Atoyebi said.
Atoyebi’s bucket inside put Elon up 18-15, but that became the only field goal for the Phoenix (7-10 overall, 5-4 Southern Conference) through the final 9:29 of the first half.
Georgia Southern (12-5, 5-2) used a 17-4 run during the 7½ minutes before halftime to seize control that ultimately never was relinquished.
The Eagles’ trapping half-court press refused to allow Elon to squeeze any sort of settled rhythm out of its patient offensive sets.
“I think the press frustrated them a lot,” Georgia Southern forward Matthew Fields said. “They couldn’t run their stuff on offense the way they like to.”
And on the other end, the quick-leaping squadron of Louis Graham, Fields and company delivered Georgia Southern with offensive rebounds and multiple chances on several trips.
Six of Fields’ 12 rebounds came off the Eagles’ offensive glass. Georgia Southern missed a total of 31 shots from the field and offensive-rebounded 14 of them.
All told, Georgia Southern’s 37-33 edge in rebounding didn’t exactly jump off the final stat sheet.
“Yeah but believe what your eyes saw,” Nestor said. “We got our tails kicked on the boards. When they needed a basket, they got a rebound.
“If you don’t score, you can’t press. If you’re giving them second opportunities to score and get in their press, that’s something you can’t allow.”
James scored 15 and Atoyebi added 13 for Elon, bogged down in part by 4-for-23 shooting from its four reserves who offered an attempt from the field.
Anthony Marshall popped off the bench with 17 points to lead four Georgia Southern players in double figures.
“Elon really bothered us the first eight minutes,” Georgia Southern coach Jeff Price said. “Our press changed the game. It took them out of their offensive patterns, didn’t let them take shots they’re accustomed to.”
-- TIP-INS ...: Graham High School’s Nate Blackburn, a senior sharpshooter, watched with a contingent of Red Devils, including coach Mike Williams, from several rows behind the Georgia Southern bench. Blackburn has signed to play with Georgia Southern next season.
Elon forward Adam Constantine didn’t suit up and looked on from the bench. Nestor said he woke up Thursday with an illness.
Elon’s 16-for-18 (88.9 percent) shooting from the foul line registered a season high.
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