Couple of quick thoughts as we get set for semifinal Sunday in local college basketball... what a surprising Saturday is was.. for both Siena and UAlbany.
The Danes obviously pulled the biggest surprise, beating Vermont in overtime. It was exactly what Will Brown said it had to be..an ugly game of basketball. Sometimes ugly is good, at least for UAlbany, the team that often can't shoot straight.
Give credit to Brent Gifford who did a nice job on Marques Blakley, Vermont's superstar player of the year. Blakely is fantastic and did score 22, but they were a hard fought 22 and he was not able to get one of his ESPN-like highlights that often change the momentum of the game.
Will Brown has been looking for a combination of players all season long. Yesterday, the plan worked, putting the Danes one win away from another trip to the finals... For the Danes, another ugly effort could indeed be something beautiful.
Siena was supposed to beat Canisius, supposed to win the whole MAAC, supposed to go to the NCAA. Often times when expectations are that high, teams tighten up and get nervous. Sure appeared that applied to Siena yesterday as they got off to a slow start with the vasty-improved Griffs.
Then Alex Franklin got wacked in the head by Robert Goldberry. Both guys appeared to get knocked out by the contact. Fran McCaffery was less that thrilled with Goldberry's aggressiveness(Goldberry got called for an intentional foul).
Do you think that foul got Siena going? "A little bit," said McCaffery, who did not elaborate beyond those three words.
Right after that, Kenny Hasbrouck hit for 2 of his 16 first half points. Owen Wignot came off the bench for 2 threes. Franklin came back to score at the buzzer and this one was really over. What was supposed to be a close game, wasn't from there on out. The Saints 2nd half defense, as good as it's been all season according to the coach.
The ease in which Siena dispatched the Griffs the surprise.
What will today bring???
