MBB Next up: Cleveland State

The CSU Vikings come into town Sunday.  Things are a mess over there.  Lest we forget, however,. this is the same team that beat BG by 18 last year in Cleveland, providing rock bottom to a BG squad that came home and took stock of itself and...well, the rest we know.

Last July, CSU fired their basketball coach.  In the weeks preceding, their two best players had transferred, one to Florida (!) and one to Oakland.  According to Terry Pluto, eight others were looking to transfer.  There were academic issues, beefs over training, whatever. 

They brought in Dennis Gates, who was an assistant for Leonard Hamilton at Florida State, which is pretty good in my book.  People have won at Cleveland State and there's no reason it can't be done again, but for now things are not good.

They were picked last in the Horizon.  They are 4-6 with one non-d1 win and their best win over #287 Robert Morris.  They lost to Toledo by 15 at home and to Kent by 22 in Kent.  Their kenpom is #322 out of 351.

You can see why below.  That offensive number is just anemic.  It is #347 out of 351 teams.  They are poor on defense too, ranked #232. 

Looking at those offensive numbers...I mean this is just a wow.  They are #347 in shooting and #335 in turnovers, a deadly combination.  They are not bad on the offensive boards and they do get to the line (and make 71%), but those results on the first two factors just leave no chance to have a competitive attack.  BG has given up a lot of FTs...and CSU is #7 in the nation in the percentage of points that come at the line.

They are a heavily 2FG-focused offense (in fact, one of the most 2FG focused in the country), but are 325th in 2FG%.  They are second-to-last in making 3FGs.

They are better on defense.  They are average in terms of defending the shot and forcing turnovers.  BG's model has been to protect the ball enough to eventually make some shots.  The Falcons have not been good on the offensive boards, so that will be an interesting challenge and CSU does foul a lot, which BG could take advantage of.  CSU is poor defending the 3FG, which is obvious interest to the Falcons, although they are decent at 2FG, which has been a big weakness for the Falcons.

Their scoring is lead by Algevon Eichelberger, a 6'8" transfer from DePaul who had already sat out his transfer year when Gates arrived.  He's scoring 13 PPG on 42% shooting, which is a rough way to go.  He also leads the team with 7.9 RPG.  Their other double figure scorer is Tre Gomillion, who is 6'4" and scoring 10 a game on 51% shooting and 79% from the FT line.  He was a JUCO transfer who came over after Gates arrived.

They also have Torrey Patton, who once played at Akron.  I count 6 JUCO transfers on the roster, including Patton.

This is not a good team and this is a team BG should beat, even if Justin Turner does not play, which is what I would assume to be happening.  Remembering last year, however, should help the Falcons take the game seriously and get the W.