DENVER - University of Denver men's basketball head coach Joe Scott took a break from practice yesterday morning to take part in the Sun Belt Conference Men's Basketball Media Days.
The
SBC utilized web conferencing for the second-straight year, meaning
that the coaches and media could hold a discussion virtually without
traveling to a meeting location. Scott sat in front of a webcam as
reporters from around the nation asked about the Pioneers and the Sun
Belt Conference.
In
addition to being more convenient for everyone involved, it means that
coaches like Scott miss no more than about 30 minutes of practice, as
opposed to the two days it used to take to travel and meet with the
national media and regional reporters from regions throughout the Sun
Belt.
The
web conference is designed so that each team's head coach takes his
turn answering questions for about 10-20 minutes with minimal breaks
between coaches. Tuesday was designated for the SBC West Division, and
Scott was third after Arkansas-Little Rock and Arkansas State, which
obviously fall before Denver alphabetically.
Scott
opened with an overall preview of his team heading into the season. The
Pioneers were picked third in the annual preseason coaches' poll. In
fact, the top four teams in the West were picked exactly how they
finished last season.
Scott
said the predictions made sense since the teams have a lot of players
returning, but he also explained that the preseason polls do not affect
what actually happens during the season.
He
is pleased with the way the team has practiced so far, in addition to
the work the team did in preparation for the trip to Spain and the games
they played against professional teams while there.
The
Pioneers have seven of their top eight scorers returning, and most of
them are juniors and seniors. Scott has seen a lot of improvement in
every player, but he said Kyle Lewis and Brian Stafford especially made great strides since last season. Additionally, Denver adds Trevor Noonan and Chris Udofia, who provide a presence in the lane that DU has not had in recent years.
"When
you look at the overall picture, we finally have all the pieces," Scott
said. "Will all the pieces gel in November or December or January?
That's going to be the key to the season. We have experienced guards. We
have experienced forwards. We're adding Trevor Noonan and Chris Udofia at
center with some size and athleticism. It's a matter of when those
pieces become a cohesive unit. I think the chances are good that it
happens sooner rather than later, but that's the key to the season."
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Friday, October 15, 2010
First Practice 10/15/10
DENVER - Around 4:45 p.m. on Friday, the University of Denver men's basketball team wheeled a cart filled with balls into Hamilton Gymnasium and started loosening up.
Due to NCAA rules, the coaches remained in their locker room until 5 p.m. - the exact moment that college basketball teams are allowed to begin practice.
Unlike most years, every player on the court ran through the drills and plays with a familiarity, almost like there are no freshmen out there. That, of course, is because the team got to practice 10 times in August before heading to Denver's tour of Spain.
Chris Udofia is the only freshman on the roster, so despite the taste of practice and games he got prior to and in Europe, he continues to learn. He was helped along by senior captain Kyle Lewis and a few other teammates who spent much of the past month working with Udofia on the team's offense.
If there's a question about the excitement surrounding this year's team, you just had to look around practice today. Numerous people caught a peak through the doors at the back of the gym, and even more stopped at the windows overlooking the court on their way to tonight's hockey game.
A few women's basketball players even stopped in to watch practice for a while. You know the team is fun to watch when other teams take time to watch them practice.
Homecoming: It's Homecoming Weekend at DU, which means a lot of excitement as alums return to campus for a visit.
One of those alumni was Joe Jackson, who was on the Pioneers 2004-08. When Jackson strolled into the gym toward the beginning of practice, he smiled as he greeted old friends, including coaches that found a moment to sneak away and say hello.
Those of us that know Jackson were not surprised to see him grab a ball and head up to Gates Field House to fire up some shots.
Open Practice: As a reminder, the men's and women's basketball teams will have open practices this Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon in Hamilton Gymnasium. It will be the men's team second practice.
Due to NCAA rules, the coaches remained in their locker room until 5 p.m. - the exact moment that college basketball teams are allowed to begin practice.
Unlike most years, every player on the court ran through the drills and plays with a familiarity, almost like there are no freshmen out there. That, of course, is because the team got to practice 10 times in August before heading to Denver's tour of Spain.
Chris Udofia is the only freshman on the roster, so despite the taste of practice and games he got prior to and in Europe, he continues to learn. He was helped along by senior captain Kyle Lewis and a few other teammates who spent much of the past month working with Udofia on the team's offense.
If there's a question about the excitement surrounding this year's team, you just had to look around practice today. Numerous people caught a peak through the doors at the back of the gym, and even more stopped at the windows overlooking the court on their way to tonight's hockey game.
A few women's basketball players even stopped in to watch practice for a while. You know the team is fun to watch when other teams take time to watch them practice.
Homecoming: It's Homecoming Weekend at DU, which means a lot of excitement as alums return to campus for a visit.
One of those alumni was Joe Jackson, who was on the Pioneers 2004-08. When Jackson strolled into the gym toward the beginning of practice, he smiled as he greeted old friends, including coaches that found a moment to sneak away and say hello.
Those of us that know Jackson were not surprised to see him grab a ball and head up to Gates Field House to fire up some shots.
Open Practice: As a reminder, the men's and women's basketball teams will have open practices this Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon in Hamilton Gymnasium. It will be the men's team second practice.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Fall Softball Game - 10/14/10
DENVER - The players were looking for revenge. It had been a long, long time since they beat the coaches and staff in the biannual softball game.
After yesterday's performance, it's safe to say they got the monkey off their backs.
The boys were crushing the ball yesterday, much to pitcher (and "Voice of the Pioneers") Mitch Hyder's dismay.
Tyler Thalken, who was a very good high school baseball player in Tulsa, Okla., hit a pair of homers, including a grand slam, to earn Most Valuable Player honors.
Brian Stafford, sporting a Brad Hawpe Rockies' jersey (likely because Hawpe is a fellow lefty), nearly hit I-25 three times, as he smacked pitch after pitch over the right field fence.
Trevor Noonan added a couple more moon shots over the fence. Chase Hallam and Justin Coughlinwent yard, as well.
In all, the players hit nine home runs, including a barrage to erase an 8-0 deficit in the second game. In one inning, Stafford cranked two and Thalken hit his slam.
Freshmen Chris Udofia and Charles Webb joined the coaches and staff's team in order to balance out numbers (you can probably pick them out in the picture below). Udofia, despite being gifted with great athletic ability, initially was uncomfortable at the plate - quite possibly because he had never picked up a bat before.
As his basketball teammates and softball opponents jeered, Udofia struggled in his first few at-bats, popping up and hitting a soft grounder. Then he seemed to pick up steam, hammering the ball over the outfielders' heads in his next two at-bats.
The coaches and staff battled, as head coachJoe Scott and assistant coach A.J. Kuhle both cleared the fence, but in the end, the players were too much, winning both games, 16-4 after five innings and 9-8 in a four inning encore.
Hyder, for his troubles, ended the fall season 0-2 with a 25.00 ERA.
When asked for a response to his performance, Hyder commented, "Don't blame me. Coach Scott wouldn't let me work the count."
Regardless, sources at the Rockies indicated that the team won't be calling anytime soon.
Open Practice: As a reminder, the men's and women's basketball teams will have open practices this Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon in Hamilton Gymnasium. It will be the men's team second practice, since they are not officially allowed to start until Friday night at 5 p.m.
Unofficial Softball Statistics
Total Home Runs Hit by the Basketball Team - 9
Total Number of Homers Kyle Lewis Needed to Complete the Cycle - 1
Total Number of Singles Andrew Hooper Hit in Five At-Bats - 5
Total Number of Earned Runs Charged to Mitch Hyder - 25
Total Career At-Bats by Chris Udofia Prior to Wednesday - 0
Total Number of Time Chris Udofia Hit Balls Over the Outfielders' Heads Wednesday - 2
Total Runs the Basketball Team Prior to the Third Inning of the Second Game - 0
Total Runs Scored by the Basketball Team in the Third Inning - 9
Final Score of the Second Game - 9-8
After yesterday's performance, it's safe to say they got the monkey off their backs.
The boys were crushing the ball yesterday, much to pitcher (and "Voice of the Pioneers") Mitch Hyder's dismay.
Tyler Thalken, who was a very good high school baseball player in Tulsa, Okla., hit a pair of homers, including a grand slam, to earn Most Valuable Player honors.
Brian Stafford, sporting a Brad Hawpe Rockies' jersey (likely because Hawpe is a fellow lefty), nearly hit I-25 three times, as he smacked pitch after pitch over the right field fence.
Trevor Noonan added a couple more moon shots over the fence. Chase Hallam and Justin Coughlinwent yard, as well.
In all, the players hit nine home runs, including a barrage to erase an 8-0 deficit in the second game. In one inning, Stafford cranked two and Thalken hit his slam.
Freshmen Chris Udofia and Charles Webb joined the coaches and staff's team in order to balance out numbers (you can probably pick them out in the picture below). Udofia, despite being gifted with great athletic ability, initially was uncomfortable at the plate - quite possibly because he had never picked up a bat before.
As his basketball teammates and softball opponents jeered, Udofia struggled in his first few at-bats, popping up and hitting a soft grounder. Then he seemed to pick up steam, hammering the ball over the outfielders' heads in his next two at-bats.
The coaches and staff battled, as head coachJoe Scott and assistant coach A.J. Kuhle both cleared the fence, but in the end, the players were too much, winning both games, 16-4 after five innings and 9-8 in a four inning encore.
Hyder, for his troubles, ended the fall season 0-2 with a 25.00 ERA.
When asked for a response to his performance, Hyder commented, "Don't blame me. Coach Scott wouldn't let me work the count."
Regardless, sources at the Rockies indicated that the team won't be calling anytime soon.
Open Practice: As a reminder, the men's and women's basketball teams will have open practices this Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon in Hamilton Gymnasium. It will be the men's team second practice, since they are not officially allowed to start until Friday night at 5 p.m.
Unofficial Softball Statistics
Total Home Runs Hit by the Basketball Team - 9
Total Number of Homers Kyle Lewis Needed to Complete the Cycle - 1
Total Number of Singles Andrew Hooper Hit in Five At-Bats - 5
Total Number of Earned Runs Charged to Mitch Hyder - 25
Total Career At-Bats by Chris Udofia Prior to Wednesday - 0
Total Number of Time Chris Udofia Hit Balls Over the Outfielders' Heads Wednesday - 2
Total Runs the Basketball Team Prior to the Third Inning of the Second Game - 0
Total Runs Scored by the Basketball Team in the Third Inning - 9
Final Score of the Second Game - 9-8
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Born in a Small Town - 10/7/10
DENVER - Junior forward Justin Coughlin's upbringing in Yuma, Colo., has long been the source of entertaining questions from and conversations with teammates and friends.
Yuma is a small town of about 3,300 people in northeast Colorado, about 40 miles from the Nebraska border.
Because most of his teammates are from cities or their suburbs, they are often fascinated by Coughlin's tales of growing up in a small town.
Between workouts, pickup games and school work, Coughlin enjoyed a recent visit from his brother Jared, who made the 2.5 hour drive to DU. Coughlin wanted to show Jared what it was like to live in Denver.
"Denver's a little different than Yuma," Coughlin said with a grin. "There's no Chili's or anything like that, and the movie theater only shows two movies a night."
A Google search for restaurants reveals 15 restaurants within Yuma with the next closest a little more than 13 miles away. The one after that? It's 26 miles away in Otis, Colo. If somebody in Yuma has a Big Mac attack, he's going to have to drive 43 miles to Sterling, Colo., which is also the location of the nearest Wal-mart.
Yes, Yuma is small, but Coughlin would have it no other way. He's proud of his hometown and speaks often of Yuma's friendly people and supportive atmosphere, which is also obvious throughout the season when many people from the town head to Magness Arena for games.
"Sure you only have two movies to choose from, but they're usually first-run movies and only cost about $3," Coughlin said. "They show the same movies in Denver, but it will cost you about $12 per person."
When Coughlin arrived at the University of Denver two years ago, he could have been described as skinny and a little timid, which to be fair describes a lot of college freshmen.
These days, Coughlin walks around campus with more confidence after growing in both maturity and body - the 6-9 forward has added about 30 pounds of muscle since arriving at DU.
Coughlin sat out the first four games as a freshman, but he has started all 59 Pioneers games since then - leading the team in blocked shots each of the last two season - and he and his teammates are excited for the season to start.
"We are feeling good and looking forward to this year," Coughlin said. "We all worked hard during the summer, and the trip to Spain should be a big help for us heading into the season."
Open Practice: The men's and women's basketball teams will have open practices on Saturday, October 16, the day after the men's team is officially allowed to start.
Fans will have an opportunity to meet coaches and players from each team. Look for more details on DenverPioneers.com early next week.
Yuma is a small town of about 3,300 people in northeast Colorado, about 40 miles from the Nebraska border.
Because most of his teammates are from cities or their suburbs, they are often fascinated by Coughlin's tales of growing up in a small town.
Between workouts, pickup games and school work, Coughlin enjoyed a recent visit from his brother Jared, who made the 2.5 hour drive to DU. Coughlin wanted to show Jared what it was like to live in Denver.
"Denver's a little different than Yuma," Coughlin said with a grin. "There's no Chili's or anything like that, and the movie theater only shows two movies a night."
A Google search for restaurants reveals 15 restaurants within Yuma with the next closest a little more than 13 miles away. The one after that? It's 26 miles away in Otis, Colo. If somebody in Yuma has a Big Mac attack, he's going to have to drive 43 miles to Sterling, Colo., which is also the location of the nearest Wal-mart.
Yes, Yuma is small, but Coughlin would have it no other way. He's proud of his hometown and speaks often of Yuma's friendly people and supportive atmosphere, which is also obvious throughout the season when many people from the town head to Magness Arena for games.
"Sure you only have two movies to choose from, but they're usually first-run movies and only cost about $3," Coughlin said. "They show the same movies in Denver, but it will cost you about $12 per person."
When Coughlin arrived at the University of Denver two years ago, he could have been described as skinny and a little timid, which to be fair describes a lot of college freshmen.
These days, Coughlin walks around campus with more confidence after growing in both maturity and body - the 6-9 forward has added about 30 pounds of muscle since arriving at DU.
Coughlin sat out the first four games as a freshman, but he has started all 59 Pioneers games since then - leading the team in blocked shots each of the last two season - and he and his teammates are excited for the season to start.
"We are feeling good and looking forward to this year," Coughlin said. "We all worked hard during the summer, and the trip to Spain should be a big help for us heading into the season."
Open Practice: The men's and women's basketball teams will have open practices on Saturday, October 16, the day after the men's team is officially allowed to start.
Fans will have an opportunity to meet coaches and players from each team. Look for more details on DenverPioneers.com early next week.
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