Famu...

[Box and one]

Florida AM +4.5 over Lehigh ***
FAMU despite satrting out the season 1-10 captured the MEAC beating a good South Car St team and Coppin St team.They were the No1 and 2 seeds.And to show you how much FAMU improved late in the season So Car St beat FAMU both times by 24 and 9 pts.
Famu has a stud in T.Woods.Led the nation lyr in 3 pt shooting.No 1 in FG%.He's a 6'3 gd that Lehigh will have trouble containing.Wilkens is anothere scoring gd and White is the pt gd.
This 3 gd attack are much quicker then Lehighs.Ayodele and Harper are 6'7 and 6'9 inside.
Famu played NC St,Florida,Georgia and Marquette.Lost all 4 but played a few of them tough.
Lehigh knocled off American the other day on a last second shot.There led by Pat Pl of Yr Rowland.Olivero and Tiah Ra are the other gds.Nurse,Monserez,Neptune and Mygebroff all have decent size but are not scorers.
This team ended up losing to Bucknell,Navy and Holy Cross the last 2 weeks of the season.They got lucky and beat American for the title.
They just beat Army by a few at home.My god,that has to tell you something.They did play 2 big teams in Vandy and UConn.
Lehigh has the higher SAT scores but FAMU has T.Woods and they win this game outright.FAMU has a good perimeter game and are quicker overall.

 

[Blackman]

GL - Lehigh is a completely different team out of Bethlehem.

 

[bohawk]

Box-Man, read Woods has a thigh bruise ,but should be ready
to go . GL

 

[Box and one]

bohawk,I read that and forgot to mention it.Pretty sure he is going tonite.If he doesn't play I would pass on the game.Thanks
Blackman,your right.

One other important stat I left out.Although both teams shoot the 3 at about the same % and there perimeter defense vs the 3 is about the same Lehigh was 6th in the Pat Conf in FG D %.But FAMU's numbers weren't much better.
But Lehigh the past 3 weeks has been in a shooting slump and FAMU has been hot.
Also I think the "play in game" dog as won outright over the past yrs.
Can someone check that out?
Lyr UNC Asheville beat Tex So..who was the dog in that game and who had the highest seed????
GL..

 

[c note]

box......siena was a fav 2-3 years ago in the play in game...think they were laying 4 to 5 pts...they won but did not cover...

 

[Kdogg21]

Nice write up box, but were butting heads....

GL!!

 

[TIDE2121]

BOX IM WITH YOU 105% TONIGHT! GO RATTLERS

 

[bohawk]

Box-Man, Woods thigh didn`t hurt too bad(19 pts?). Nice call
Had the Under too. GL

 

[mcity]

great call box!!!

 

[Nole]

Nice call Box.

Coach Gillespie has paid his dues down there in Tallahassee(my old stompin' grounds). TCC for 10 years or so and now FAMU. I would not be surprised if he became head coach at FSU somewhere down the line. The Noles' coach Hamilton is doing a fine job though so I don't believe that will happen anytime too soon unless he leaves.

Again, nice call.

nole

 

[Box and one]

thanks guys..
Nole,where did he coach before? He looks so famaliar.Whats TCC?A juco? I know him...I think.
Did he ever coach in ...can't remember..Gulf Coast,Panama City,etc
I always had juco coaches recruiting my kids.Texas,Oklahoma and the king of Juco's Kansas.But Florida in the early 90's started a NY recruiting war.Gillispie looks so famaliar.

Looking at tomr's NIT
URI-7 over BU looks good.
Tenn -2 over G.Mason...still working on that one..
bohawk..Woods sure looked good tonite.Think maybe FAMU has a shot at upsetting UK.lol
thanks c-note..I do remember that

 

[Nole]

Box, yes, TCC is Tallahassee Community College. I remember him from the local sports radio shows. Everytime FSU would start sucking, his name would come up locally but they didn't figure FSU would ever take a chance on him.

I'm glad he got a chance at a higher level. Hopefully he can make the next step. I wouldn't be surprised to see his name pop up after this tourney for a division 1-A school.

Good luck tonight.

nole

 

[Big Daddy]

Funny you should mention him being familiar. When I first heard his name last night, I thought to myself I played against a guy by the name of Mike Gillespie in high school back in the 70's. He played for Joliet Catholic H.S., who was in our conference. When I saw him on TV, he looked about the same age as me, so I had to get on the internet and see if I could find a bio on him. Sure enough, it listed his home town as Joliet, Illinois. Small world. Here is the bio I found.

Biography - Coach Gillepsie
When Mike Gillespie was formally presented to the Florida A&M community on May 15,2001, his acceptance speech was akin to that of a grateful suitor who had finally won the heart of his beloved.
By the time he finished, the tall, personable Midwesterner had shed his coat, snatched the microphone from the podium in storied old Gaither Gymnasium and virtually transformed into a camp-meeting preacher beginning the first night of a revival.

For any other coach, the resuscitation of the once proud FAMU basketball program would be a daunting task, but not for Gillespie, who in the miracle-working style of the proverbial camp-meeting healers, has established a sterling reputation by resurrecting moribound programs into championship contenders on every level.

With his impressive r?sum? of past accomplishments in hand, his latest challenge, that of turning around a Rattler program that has not seen a winning season since 1992, may well be his greatest miracle yet.

Gillespie has demonstrated a penchant for reviving struggling programs during his 27-year coaching career. His most recent appointment as head coach at nearby Tallahassee Community College saw him start the program from scratch in 1991 and compile a 258-56 record in 10 seasons at the helm - an .822 winning percentage.

The 50 year-old - who also served as director of athletics at TCC - was comfortable at the junior college level. He had developed relationships with some of the biggest names in Division I hoops and had transformed the lives of numerous student-athletes by helping them to earn scholarships to top institutions.

But there was something missing. Despite his success at TCC, he had still not achieved his goal of running his own Division I program. From time to time his name would get thrown in the mix when a job came open, but some doubted he could transfer his achievement from the junior college to the Division I level. Gillespie refused to listen to his naysayers and continued to oversee the flourishing men's basketball program at TCC.

In March 2001, the FAMU job was vacated. Again, Gillespie's name was tossed around by FAMU officials and alumni, his supporters at TCC and members of the media. But he would have to contend with an impressive list of hopefuls to earn the post. In the end, there was little doubt that he was the right man, and on May 12, 2001, FAMU officials offered the job to Gillespie.

Although only on the job for a short time, Gillespie has already breathed new life into the struggling program. Since his arrival, he has signed three players with Division I experience, including two transfers from notable college programs. The floor in Gaither Gymnasium has been resealed and repainted to look new, and Gillespie has made the commitment to work with the facilities and women's basketball and volleyball staffs to ensure that they maintain the floor's pristine condition. Gillespie has also hired a trio of young assistant coaches, all with extensive collegiate playing experience, who bring a new vitality to the program.

There is also a feeling of optimism around the athletic department that had been missing in recent years. Many attribute the budding optimism to Gillespie's arrival.

Whether or not Gillespie can turn around the FAMU men's basketball program remains to be seen. But if his first three months on the job are any indication, there are good things in store for Florida A&M men's basketball.

GILLESPIE AT A GLANCE
Age: 50
Hometown: Joliet, Ill.
Coaching Experience: Coached on high school level for 14 seasons and for two seasons a St. Leo College (1988-89 and 1989-90) before moving to Tallahassee Community College in 1990-91.
At TCC: Posted a 258-56 in 10 years, including a state junior college title and a third-place finish at nationals in 1996-97.
As a Player: Was a three -year starter at DePaul University.

GILLESPIE'S ASSISTANTS
Shawn Forrest is the all time leading scorer at Arkansas-Pine Bluff...Played one year with the Sacramento Kings...Spent the last three season's at Troy State.
Lamont Franklin lettered four years at UNC-Wilmington...Has had coaching stints at UNCW, Howard and Mt. St. Mary's (Md.).
Matt Chlebek played three years at Florida State...Served as an asst. at TCC in 2000-01... Earning his master's degree at FAMU.
John Pat Pickles lettered three years at Mercer...Will assist Rattlers as team manager while earning his master's degree.