Georges Niang Visits Mason

 (photo via new-england-storm.com)  TMB has learned that Mason received a visit yesterday from 6’7″ 230 lbs junior Georges Niang. Niang, a power forward, plays for the Tilton School in Tilton, New Hampshire.

Post Game Thoughts After Dayton

Yesterday, driving back from Dayton, OH with my five year old son in the back seat,

Better Late Than Never – Jolly’s Musings

I didn’t have a chance to post the latest writeup from our good friend Chris Jollay before I left for Dayton yesterday, so I’ll post it today.

Key players in Delaware’s success are from South Jersey

The University of Delaware has received a strong contribution from South Jersey athletes in reaching the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly I-AA) title game. The Blue Hens (12-2) will meet Eastern Washington (12-2) for the FCS championship on Jan. 7 at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas.

A Christmas Eve Miracle

Tiny Tim did not get a new leg. Buddy the Elf was never accepted with opens by his father, as much as James Caan would like to make you think otherwise. Charlie Brown never got to kick a field goal. Scrooge did not get laid. No we’re talking a different kind of Christmas Miracle. Where this miracle happened there was no snow, only sandy beaches and palm trees. There were no reindeer, but instead a pack of Huskies, clawing, fighting their way through a field of Bilikens, Buccaneers, and Bobcats. And on a chilly 80 degree Friday afternoon on Christmas Eve, those Huskies played out a Christmas miracle for the ages. Rewind to Wednesday. The 71-49 loss to St. Louis marked the Huskies’ 6th loss in a row. We knew this young team would struggle but the Bilikens were a beatable team. Enter Thursday. Your Huskies, then 2-6, face an ETSU team in the wake of a good ole beatdown. Things could either go two ways. One, they could repeat their performance of a day earlier and fall to 2-7. Or they could come out and play with a sense of pride. Your Huskies chose option two and came out guns blazing, scoring 47 first half points, eventually cruising to a 77-67 win. Freshman center Ryan Pierson led Northeastern with a career high 19 points. Senior captain Chase Allen added 18 of his own. Sophomore Jon Lee scored another 14, freshman guard Alex Harris added 12. The Huskies shot a blistering 11-18 from 3pt land. The losing streak was over and all of a sudden Northeastern was right back in the win column. Could this be the turning point of the year? Enter Friday afternoon, Christmas Eve. Huskies vs. Texas State. Both teams fighting for a 5th place finish in the Cancun Governor’s Cup. Things did not start off well. Tied at 12, the Bobcats went on a 19-3 run and all of a sudden the first half was over, with Northeastern down 48-34. That 14 point defecit was extended to 17 and even with 15 minutes left, it seemed the Huskies were doomed. Then something turned on for the Huskies. A late surge of energy, a sense of urgency, or just the will to win kicked in and put Northeastern in gear. They began chipping away at the lead, bringing the defecit to single digits. Sophomore guard Jon Lee then put the team on his shoulders going on a personal 9-0 run. Another Lee layup put Northeastern up 1 with 4 minutes remaining and that 17 point defecit was suddenly erased. The Ferocious defense and silly turnovers by Texas State continued to keep Northeastern in the game. Huskies guards continued to slash to the hoop as layups from freshman Alex Harris and sophomore Joel Smith put the Huskies in front by five with just over a minute remaining. At this point I’m fist pumping the crap out of the air, listening to the game on my laptop, watching stat tracker alone at the kitchen counter (this is how you know you’re a diehard fan of a mid-major basketball program). Solid defense, more Texas State turnovers, and ice cold free throw shooting sealed the game for Northeastern. Within a matter of ten minutes, your Huskies turned a 17 point deficit into a 5 point lead and an 86-78 victory. Safe to say my hands were red from clapping, tired from typing away furiously on Twitter , trying to contain my excitement. From there I went to the family Christmas party as happy as, well a kid on Christmas, but with adrenaline still pumping throughout me. The cell blew up with text messages. Twitter and facebook were overwhelmed with celebratory statuses. The turnaround we witnessed in a matter of two days was incredible. Friday’s epic comeback blew our minds. Teams this young aren’t supposed to win those games. But yet they did exactly that. With a bunch of kids, most of whom can’t even drink legally. But what Friday showed us is that while there will still be struggles this season, this team played with a giant set of balls. To come back from being down 17 points on the road, having played a game each of the last two days is incredible. It was a hell of an effort, one that required a ton of heart and boy did we see it from this team. And credit sophomore guard Jon Lee for a gutsy performance. In place of Alwayne Bigby who is done for the year, the 6’2 Flint, Michigan native carried the team on his back with that personal 9-0 run, posted a career high 22 points, dished out 4 assists, and pulled down 5 rebounds. Chase Allen posted his second straight 18pt performance while freshman center Ryan Pierson kept things rolling with another 17pts. Sophomore guard Joel Smith, who sat out most of Thursday’s game with a bum ankle, scored a big 16 points coming off the bench. Crazy stat line of the day, Chaisson Allen recorded 6 of the Huskies 8 steals. All in all, Northeastern shot 58% from the field, including 65% in the second half. After committing 9 first half turnovers, the Huskies turned the ball over just twice in the second half. That and a 25-34 FT shooting performance wrapped Friday’s game in a pretty bow, delivering the W to all Huskies fans. So here we are now at 4-6. Just a few days ago we were sitting at 2-6. While we hate do it, we’re going to have to. Last year’s NIT and 20 win squad also started off the year 2-7. Then on the third day of their holiday trip, a win over SMU sent them on to an 11 game winning streak, good for second best in the country at that time. While a winning streak like that is unlikely for this year’s squad, Friday proved that anything is possible, even if unlikely. Moral of this Christmas Eve Miracle story is that these Huskies are not down and they are certainly not out. Do not give up on this team. It’s still hard to say what the rest of the season will look like. But if Friday’s dramatic comeback is any indicator, points will be scored, #s 3, 20, and 14 will make it rain, and Alex Harris will continue to dunk on kids. We have a feeling there will be a few more heart attacks in order. But for now enjoy the back-to-back wins, the snow, and hope that we keep on streaking. There has never been a more wilder time to be a Northeastern basketball fan. Until next time, stay classy Northeastern and LET’S GO HUSKIES

Dreadful to Dangerous, your ’10-’11 Huskies?

Yesterday was a train wreck. And as an NU alum fittingly so pointed out, today we tossed the proverbial monkey right off our back and into the Gulf of Mexico. Now while Life Being Husky frowns upon drowning animals in oil, we hope that the losing streak monkey is gasping for air as we speak. Yesterday, the Huskies were dealt a crushing 71-49 defeat at the hands of St. Louis University. Both teams struggled in the first half as Northeastern was held to just 17 points, SLU to 22 points. Freshman Alex Harris was the only Husky to break double figures (11 points) as Northeastern was limited to 36% from the field. The Huskies defense disappeared as the Bilikens were allowed to shoot a whopping 65.5% from the field in the 2nd half. It was a bad day all around with the Huskies committing 17 turnovers. The entire team seemed as if it just stepped off the plane and was sleepwalking throughout the entire game. Lack of energy, lack of determination, lack of fight. Whatever it was, it was U-G-L-Y. Enter today’s game. Huskies vs. East Tennessee State University. Fun fact: Chaisson Allen’s grandmother was the first African-American woman admitted to then East Tennessee State Teachers College. Would Northeastern repeat their lackluster performance from the day before, or would they rebound in a big way? Well that question was answered very quickly. The Huskies came out of the gates running as freshman Alex Harris and Chase Allen knocked down two big 3′s. Strong guard play continued as Harris, Allen, and sophomore Jon Lee led the Huskies on an 11-0 run. The points continued to flow for Northeastern. The half ended at 47-29. The Huskies’ 47 points nearly matched the 49 total points they scored the day before. In the entire game. Northeastern shot a blistering 54.5% from the field including over 70% from downtown. The lead got up to 21 before ETSU began chipping away. The tables turned defensively as the Huskies allowed ETSU to shoot over 50% while being held to under 40% shooting themselves. Towards the final stretch the Bucs brought the game to single digits but key baskets from freshmen Alex Harris and Ryan Pierson, along with senior captain Chase Allen kept the game at a distance. Despite a few bumps along the way to the final, Northeastern closed out the Bucs 77-67. Story of the game? Has to be the Huskies scoring efficiency. While the 2nd half wasn’t pretty, the 1st half was an education on ball movement and shooting. In a game that featured 19 assists, Northeastern showed that when it’s playing well, they can be quite dangerous. Allen, Harris, and Lee shot a combined 9-12 from 3 point land with Lee going 4-4 from downtown. Dirk-like Vinny Lima can also hit the 3 while Chris Avenant knocked down a trey of his own. Remember that all this production comes without Joel Smith who played a total of 3 minutes. Northeastern came ready to play and showed that energy can translate into points. Strong guard play also opened up the floor for big man and freshman center Ryan Pierson. The St. Louis native continued to show improvement posting a career high 19 points. Pierson also contributed a 5-5 shooting performance from the charity stripe to go along with 7 rebounds (3 offensive). Fellow freshman Alex Harris continues to impress, posting 14 points, 5 assists, and 4 rebounds. With Allen’s 18 pts, sophomore Jon Lee’s 12 pts (4-4 3PT) and Vinny Lima’s 9 points, the Huskies scored a season high 77 on the day. Just like that the 6 game losing streak is over. Now 3-6 on the year, your Huskies sit in a very interesting position. Last year’s squad started off the year 2-7 before ripping off 11 straight wins, good for second-best in the nation at the time. That turn-around happened on the road at a holiday tournament. Sound familiar? While no one is predicting another 20 win season and NIT appearance for this season’s Huskies, it’s hard to ignore the similarity. What we do know is that when 3′s fall for the Huskies and they limit turnovers, these are some dangerous dawgs. We look forward to bringing you more good news tomorrow as your Huskies take on Texas State at 3:30pmET. You can listen live at wrbbsports.com or follow live game updates on twitter from @TheRealNZone. Until next time, stay classy Northeastern and LET’S GO HUSKIES

Next Two Road Games Could Be Crucial For Mason

The George Mason Patriots are heading into a tough stretch.

Tar Heels handle Tribe

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. Dexter Strickland scored a career-high 19 points, and North Carolina had five players reach double figures in an 85-60 rout of William and Mary on Tuesday night.

CAA Power Rankings: Week 3

Welcome to the third installment of Life Being Husky’s CAA Power Rankings. Now that finals are wrapped up for all the schools, we’re about to enter a very merry time for CAA basketball. That is holiday tournaments. Exotic locations, random matchups, and possible ESPN coverage. Good stuff right? Even better it means that we are just 2 weeks away from the CAA season. Because of the weird week, not every team has played since then and only Drexel played twice. So we’ll rank accordingly and briefly here. Enjoy 1. Drexel 8-1 (1-0) LW #2. The Dragons continue to roll. ODU and Mason didn’t play last week so that gives Drexel the perfect opportunity to claim the top spot. Not only did Drexel take down #21 Louisville on the road , but they also extended their winning streak to 6 games after a close win over St. Francis (PA). 2. Old Dominion 8-2 (0-1) LW #1. No games played last week. Upcoming games: vs. Presbyterian, Thursday 7pm. Notable leaders: Frank Hassell – 12.9ppg, 9.5rpg, 1.9bpg. Kent Bazemore – 12.9ppg, 5.3rpg, 2.3spg. 3. VCU 7-3 (1-0) LW#4. The Rams move up a spot to #3 after Defeating Tulane 70-67. Jamie Skeen led the way for VCU with 15pts, 12reb, and 3 blocks. Bradford Burgess also posted 10pts and 5reb. Five other Rams each posted at least 7 points for a combined 40 points. Tuesday night they travel to Birmingham, Alabama as they take on the 8-2 Blazers. 4. George Mason 8-2 (1-0) LW #3. No games played last week. Upcoming games: at Duquesne, Wednesday, 8pm. Notable leaders: Luke Hancock – 13ppg, 4.9rpg, 4.5apg. Cam Long – 12.5ppg, 4.7rpg, 3.1apg, 1,6spg. 5. James Madison 7-3 (0-1) LW #6. Move up to #5 with a 66-61 win over the Big East’s USF Bulls (who beat VCU earlier this year). South Florida gave JMU a run for their money but the Dukes proved too much. Denzel Bowles led all scorers with 24pts. Teammate Devon Moore chipped in 14 of his own. JMU moves on to a rematch with Marshall Wednesday night. 6. Delaware 5-3 (1-0) LW #5. Can’t really fault the Hens here. They had a daunting matchup with #11 Villanova and well, the better team won, 78-59. Jawan Carter led UD with 14pts but the big storyline from this game was Jamelle Hagins. The 6’8 sophomore blocked 7 shots. Yes 7 shots. That’s 12 blocked shots in his last 2 games (5 vs. Delaware State). Hagins is averaging a rididonculous 4 blocks per game. The Hens will host Penn Wednesday night at home. 7. UNC-Wilmington 5-4 (0-1) LW #7. After taking down Wake Forest, the Seahawks moved on to lowly Radford (2-8 with both wins coming against D-II teams). Not suprisingly Wilmington took home the W. Freshmen Donte Morales and Tanner Milson each scored 15 while Chad Tomko led UNCW with 16. They take on Illinois State tonight at home and Campbell on the road Wednesday night. 8. Georgia State 4-4 (1-0) LW #8. A win over Florida A&M, no games played by Northeastern and Towson, and a loss by William & Mary means the Panthers stay pat. In the 76-67 victory, Jihad Ali led the way with 15pts and 8reb. DeVonta White and Brandon McGee combined for 27pts and 16reb. Next up for GSU is a Wednesday night throwdown with Georgia Southern. 9. Hofstra 6-4 (1-0) LW #10. As much as it pains me, the Hofstra are up to #10 now. A win over Manhattan, no games playeyd by Northeastern and Towson, and a loss by the Tribe means the Pride move up a slot. I still think they’re overrated but hey they’re winning games. In their 71-58 win over Manhattan, Charles Jenkins scored 21 as well as reached the 2,000 career point mark. Fordham transfer Mike Moore dropped 20 and recorded 10 rebounds. Those two are starting to look pretty scary together. Maybe Hofstra’s not so overrated. Maybe. 10. Northeastern 2-5 (0-1) LW #9. No games played last week. The Huskies last played on December 10th. Coming up: Cancun Governor’s Cup tournament (vs St Louis, vs E. Tenn. State/Southern Miss, vs TBA) starting Wednesday in Cancun. Here are your notable leaders for the Huskies: Chaisson Allen – leads NU in scoring, assists, and rebounds (18.3ppg, 3.9apg, 5.9apg), Joel Smith – 11.6ppg, 2.7rpg, 2.4apg. 11. Towson 3-5 (0-1) LW #12. No games played last week. William & Mary taking a loss catapults Towson all the way up to #11 this week. Upcoming games: at Hamton tonight, vs Princeton on Wednesday night. Towson’s leaders: Braxton Dupree 13.1ppg, 10.1rpg, 1.1bpg, Isaiah Philmore 15.3ppg, RaShawn Polk 13.8ppg, Troy Franklin 12.6ppg. 12. William & Mary 4-6 (0-1) LW #11. 2 games played last week. Win vs Shenandoah (DII) and a loss to Liberty. Well here at LBH we don’t count D-II games. Sorry Hofstra, sorry William & Mary. Play a real opponent. So the only game that we count is the 71-62 loss to Liberty. Quinn McDowell and Matt Rum combined for 30pts, 12reb, 4ast, and 6 turnovers. Upcoming games: at North Carolina on Tuesday night. That’s the Final Exams version of this week’s Power Rankings. Got a couple games going on tonight that we’ll update later. Until then here’s linkage (I leave it to CAAhoops to provide some good facts). Mike Litos at CAAhoops.com Not CAA or hockey but my favorite video of the week? Month? Maybe even year. Dan “I Just Stole a Cupcake” Connolly So next time we’ll hook you up with a preview of Northeastern and the Cancun Governor’s Cup and I’ll offer some reaction to my decision of moving the Celtics up to #2 and Sox to #3 on my pro-sports fan list. Until next time, stay classy Northeastern and as always LET’S GO HUSKIES

Vaughn Gray Leads St. Benedict’s to Victory

 photo via sbp.org  It’s always nice when you get an email from someone at the game who says, “A lot of college coaches in the stands were commenting how they missed the boat on Vaughn Gray. Mason got a steal!” Gray had 18 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals to lead St. Benedict’s

Next Page »