Team Profile: Morehead State Eagles
Senior Writer, Bracketography.com
March 10th, 2009
Good Wins: 11/30 Central Florida (Neutral), 12/30 @ East Tennessee State
Bad Losses: 11/23 FAMU (N), 11/29 Grambling (N), 1/5 vs. Tennessee State, 1/17 @ Eastern Illinois, 2/5 @ Jax St.
Strengths:
1. Center of attention. Kenneth Faried will be the new Glen “Big Baby” Davis. Such effervescence and zest for life. Unfamiliar fans will gravitate to him and in part offer their support for the supreme underdog Eagles. As important will be Faried’s rebounding prowess. It’s nothing short of miraculous with silly numbers like 5.7 offensive rebounds per game in the OVC Tournament. Fifteen times Faried yanked down more than five offensive boards. Against top-flight competition expect a line like 15 and 11. Much of his career has been against 6′6″ centers. While his numbers can be minimized, no one will diminish his contagious enthusiasm. Make him a priority for your viewing docket.
2. Shooting. With Faried standing out as the only weak spot, MSU shoots very well from the line. Their mark of 72% puts them in the 80th percentile. If they start a miracle and grab a lead against an elite opponent, then their percentage from the line indicates they can hold on.
Weaknesses:
1. Road Woes. These Eagles prefer their own nest. Fourteen losses came on road/neutral courts. Owwwch.
2. Turnovers. Nothing takes a Cinderella home early like wasted possessions. Knowing the frontline was set, Morehead State aimed to replace point guard Nikola Stojakovic with a serviceable newcomer like Cecil Brown. It has not worked. The starting backcourt of Demonte Harper and Brandon Shingles combine for over 6.0 turnovers per game. Across the board the Eagles rank among the nations worst in this critical category. Think Indiana, Kentucky, and Syracuse. All three suffer similar totals.
Other Factors:
Bench: The bench is better than your typical OVC team (23rd ranked conference). Largely due to the early season struggles, Coach Donnie Tyndall granted starts to nine different players. Many MSU benchers feel important and the mental investment counts more than the physical.
The Departing: Coach Tyndall expected a four to five year laborious turnaround in Morehead, Kentucky. He did not count on the arrival of Leon Buchanan. The senior from Albany, Georgia sped up the process dramatically. He is one of three regulars to shot over 50% from the floor. Buchanan loves the limelight too. During the OVC Final he posed for the camera following his breakaway jam.
Tournament Prediction:
Morehead State entering the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 25 years is a great story, especially as they are led by alum Coach Tyndall. Despite having a power conference center in Faried, the Eagles don’t play great defense and the offense looks rudimentary. Keep the airplane ticket for the scrapbook because it might be awhile before they are back. First round loss.
Andrew Force, "a rising star in the broadcast fraternity," is a freelance sportswriter and broadcast journalist based in Dayton, OH. He focuses primarily on the Big East, Atlantic 10, Mid-American, and Missouri Valley Conferences for Bracketography.
@ Andrew. This is the kind of team that needs the play-in game. I am not a big fan of it, even though it is an NCAA Tournament game and someone can claim a win for thei university that normally would not happen, but it is almost like you are not in the tournament(a punishment of sorts), the game is not even on CBS and you face stiff competition if you win it. With that being said, Steve Peterson is the type of player Championship Week is all about. A player that comes out of nowhere to send his team into March Madness. I think if they had steadier guard play, they could cause some problems for whoever their first-round opponent is because of the prowess of Kenneth Faried. If they are in a close game as you indicated, their foul shooting will give them an edge. It might be a short stay for Morehead State, but it will be fun to watch.
Posted on March 10th, 2009 at 2:17 pm | Comment Permalink