Monster dunk by Illini's Roger Powell, Jim Les' radio show, ISU academically embarrassing, and more tidbits

In a game yesterday -- a "MONSTER DUNK" by ex-Illini Roger Powell only "minutes after he got off the plane" to join his new German team, was apparently the talk of the Euro circuit..
http://germanhoops.wordpress.com/2010/11/01/roger-jordman-powell-sends-toby-the-dragon-whimpering-back-into-the-dungeon-a-monster-dunk-as-the-deutsche-bank-skyliners-demolish-the-artland-dragons-82-56/

Recall a monster dunk by Theron Wilson was also in the news...
http://www.bradleyfans.com/vb/showthread.php?t=16608

Here is video of Powell's monster dunk!!
It is in the 3rd quarter -- so you have to watch at about 3:40 into this 8 minute highlight video (or click to fast fwd to 3:40)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtKKnYm3fao

ALSO -- at about 6:56 on this video -- they interview a banged up Roger Powell and show replays of his dunk and the play where he takes an elbow to the eye..... -- also note that the German league uses an NBA-like lane now and not the trapezoid lane!
Also note -- some things they do in the German basketball league if you watch that video -- the players come out after the game and walk around the arena acknowledging their fans' support and waving and thanking them for it ..and after the game the kids in the crowd are allowed to come down onto the court greet the players and even hang around & shoot some hoops!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtKKnYm3fao



Here's my take on what was said in the first Jim Les show of the season on radio this morning.......

--they talked about great games coming up --
Duke-- and even the Valley games...
Wichita State is good and has depth at the post..

--we are deeper at the post as well - maybe as deep as in any recent year barring injuries..
We have some nagging injuries that have kept up from being fully 100% so far in practices, but hopefully everyone will be ready soon....

--Dodie is stronger -- used the word "thicker'..and everyone else is strong..
mentioned that only 2 players are under 200lb, and one (Sammy) is stronger than just about everyone else anyway..
also -- a lot are older, more mature...

--talked at length about the new guys on the coaching staff -- Jim Platt & Willie Scott..
Platt with 30+ years of experience, Scott with the loyalty to BU factor and lots of older players from past years make a point to stop by and hang on campus...

..nice to have MVC preseason picks but we all know how useless that really is -- injuries can obliterate all the preseason hype..

Will Egolf -- high ankle sprain

Kinda talked a little about how all the preseason hype is good for the fans and good for the people who like to discuss that kind of stuff (the message boarders) but that the team is maintaining focus...one goal..

Dan D'Orio inadvertently said once to come out and see BU Play Quincy on Sunday -- but the game is Saturday night!!

nice first show.....no real hardball questions or topics..no listener calls ...but didn't expect any.



Here's another take on the recent NEW NCAA academic date...
Check the last SIX years of data for the Valley basketball programs...and then note the averages...
few others to compare to..
Kentucky - 44%
Kansas - 67%
New Mexico (still covering some of Ritchie McKay's period) - 56%
USC - 42% (the OJ Mayo legacy)
Kansas State - 40% (the Bob Huggins legacy)
Indiana - 62% (still some of Kelvin Sampson's legacy)
Saint Louis - 67%
Texas Tech - 44% (tell me again how Bobby knight always graduates his players?)
Maryland - 31% (go Gary!!)
Southern Miss - 54% (Go Larry!)
Tennessee - 40% (Go Bruce!)
University of Southern Indiana - 43% (just a little more on Bruce)




BU 92, 90, 64, 63, 63, 73 -- 74.3
CU 100, 75, 69, 67, 67, 75 -- 75.5
DU 90, 83, 56, 50, 50, 50 -- 63.2
UE 71, 67, 100, 93, 93, 92 -- 86.6
ISU 67, 50, 36, 45, 50, 55 -- 50.5
InSU 67, 78, 100, 100, 82, 75 -- 86.6
MSU 94, 77, 69, 63, 56, 67 -- 71.0
UNI 91, 78, 67, 50, 22, 30 -- 56.3
SIU 100, 91, 86, 79, 69, 67 -- 82.0
WSU 85, 73, 57, 62, 64, 50 -- 65.2

BU's recent numbers are GREAT and their average over 6 years, 74.3 is right up there with the BEST numbers in the Valley..

Sadly, the entire Valley is being dragged down by the terrible numbers every single year at Illinois State....they're so far off the curve, that maybe it's time someone said something about it over there...
amazing they haven't been docked scholarships already!!!



Here's one guy who isn't timid about discussing info from closed scrimmages...
http://jeffgoodman.yardbarker.com/blog/jeffgoodman/zeller_barnes_shine_in_uncs_scrimmage_against_uncg/3523741

Info from IU's intrasquad scrimmage..just because a guy gets 13 pts, 10 rebs in an intrasquad scrimmage doesn't mean he's going to dominate D-I...
recall, a kid who is a walk on dominated this scrimmage...
http://indiana.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1146675



Osiris Eldridge's pro team in Turkey goes to 1-2 with a big loss, 97-72..
OE getting just 2 buckets for 10 pts, 6 reb, 4 turnovers
OE, after a good 1st game of 23 pts, now has his average drop to 14 ppg with consecutive 10-pt games, and he falls out from among the scoring leaders..
he is still among the leaders in the league in turnovers with 15 in his 3 games (5 TO/gm)



Northwestern lands 6-8 Mike Turner from Chicago University HS, Turner isn't ranked in the top 20 in Illinois in Class of 2011 (#24 - well behind Donivine Stewart & ahead of ISU's Jonny Hill..
http://www.chicagohoops.com/articles1/2011rankings.html


Some video from Indiana's madness/Hysteria event...the dunk contest...
Matt Roth can be seen, but the two things I note about the video is the guy who wins the dunk contest, Victor Oladipo, is really athletic...nice hops and great dunks..but the people he leaps over are all little kids unlike some guys who jump over teammates..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57BFLOK0XME

Nonetheless, he's athletic -- but in the Big Ten, a shooting guard has to have a shot, and word is he's a terrible outside shooter -- so we'll see if he can score over Big Ten interior defenses with a dunk shot only..
The 2nd thing was that the other competitor was Maurice Creek - who missed much of last season with knee surgery..and is IU's best player...
note how he kinda favors his left leg, and note how skinny his left leg is compared to the right -- it's only half the size of his right leg --
I have to think he has a long way to go conditioning wise for the big Ten season.


and...yet another Tennessee violation after their scrimmage?
http://www.volnation.com/forum/tennessee-vols-basketball/114088-did-tennessee-commit-another-violation-friday.html


Nobody really noticed but...DePaul played Northwood in an exhibition game...(D-II from Michigan)
the game was a blowout from the start...48-33 at half, and 107-62 final
http://www.depaulbluedemons.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/103010aaa.html

2 freshmen led them, Brandon young (5-9, 17 pts) and Cleveland Melvin (9-11, 19 pts)



Louisville got by a D-II opponent in their exhibition game...but they didn't look all that good...
http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20101031/SPORTS02/310310069/Louisville+Buckles+up+for+a+bumpy+ride+in+Northern+Kentucky+exhibition+83-66

Intrasquad scrimmages can be dangerous to your personnel -- as Michigan State learned..
http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/20101101/GW0202/11010334/MSU-women-s-basketball-Spartans-lose-top-freshman-Williams

Talk about picking a patsy for your exhibition -- Wisconsin-Milwaukee, the guys who have never bounced back from whet Bruce Pearl left them -- has scheduled Milwaukee School of Engineering -- a really low level D-III..
http://uwmpanthers.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/103110aaa.html?source=rss_teams_Wisconsin-Milwaukee_Panthers



Players being lost already...
Cal center goes pro
http://rushthecourt.net/2010/10/30/max-zhang-takes-his-talents-to-shanghai/

Iowa State transfer (from Minnesota) Royce White is still waiting on word of eligibility and there's a rumor Royce White may head to Europe to play if he has to sit out another full year -- after sitting out last year at Minnesota..

A website called RushtheCourt.com is also doing a countdown of all 340 D-I teams..
Here are a few of the links...... countdown
BRADLEY WAS AT #105 LAST YEAR
http://rushthecourt.net/2010/11/01/tweeting-the-preview-212-189/
http://rushthecourt.net/2010/10/31/tweeting-the-preview-236-213/
http://rushthecourt.net/2010/10/30/tweeting-the-preview-260-237/

They are also doing conference previews but the MVC isn't up yet..
http://rushthecourt.net/category/2010-11-season-preview/2010-11-conference-previews/



Here's an interesting Bobby Knight tidbit -- recall Bobby never goes to Indiana and won't set foot on campus even if they want to honor him -- he's a little immature about this whole thing and is making sure the IU people know he holds a big grudge..
BUT -- Bobby will go to these little events that his favorite son Steve Alford sets up...
http://www.golobos.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/103110aac.html