Pro Scouts On The Prowl For Oxon Hill’s Anderson

Pro Scouts On The Prowl For Oxon Hill’s Anderson
By Zach Smart

HAMDEN, Conn.– True story. DeMario Anderson sauntered into a restaurant on Whitney Ave., sporting a black fitted hat with “D.C.” emblazoned on the front. Suddenly, he was approached by two model-slender and strikingly pretty young women. Both were resident students and apparently supporters of the basketball team at Quinnipiac University, where after two seasons the Oxon Hill, Md. product has left a legacy that few can eclipse.

“Can I just shake your hand?” Asked one of the women, her eyes lit up like mini-fireballs.

Anderson, “D.A.” to the burgeoning basketball culture at Quinnipiac, responded with his hallmark ear-to-ear smile. Taken aback, Anderson let out a few abrupt laughs. When Anderson asked why they sought his permission (he would later explain he’s never had anyone ask to shake his hand before) to do so, one of the women was quick to answer.

“Because you’re like… famous.”

A bundle of talent, a winning personality, and an uncanny ability to thrive in the face of adversity. These are just some aspects that have helped Anderson skyrocket to small-school stardom. Now these facets are helping him mount a promising professional stock.

Anderson is a full package. He’s an intriguing blend of otherwordly, wunderkind-like athleticism, strength, and talent. He’s 6-3 (maybe 6-3 and some change) with a penchant for losing defenders off the dribble and scoring in traffic. Because of this, Anderson–who cooked opponents to the recipe of 21.7 points and 6.5 boards per game this season— is prolonging an unpredictable basketball career that began at Central Connecticut. Despite being utilized as the Bobcats’ clear go-to-guy, a wing whom they featured nearly every game, Anderson handed out a team-high 91 assists on the season. How’d he manage this, you ask? It’s simply what his coach expected of him.

Tom Moore, the former UConn assistant (and associate head coach during his last two years at the Big East NBA factory), said he was sold on Anderson’s potential since he opted to take the Quinnipiac job late last March.

“You become mercenary and see what type of hand you’ll be dealt if you do decide to take a job,” explained Moore in an interview with the New Haven Register last month.

“I knew what I was getting from him. I wanted to give him some ownership of this team, that’s how much I thought of him…He made this year seamless for me, and I’ll always be indebted to him for that.”
Ever humble, Anderson deflects most of the praise that’s been sprinkled on him over the past year. He’s certainly not shy, however, when it comes to the subject of his hoops future.

“Basketball is definitely in my future,” said Anderson, he of the thick Washington, D.C.-drawl. “I’m definitely trying to get to the (NBA) league. I mean it’s really been my goal since the summer. I’d be lying if I told you otherwise.”

He’s D.C. through and through. With a streetball-like savvy and an arsenal moves off the dribble and slashes to the cup, Anderson created matchup problems for nearly every team in the Northeast Conference this season.

“DeMario is a better than a lot of Big East players,” opined Mike Rice, the first-year Robert Morris head coach.

Oddly enough, despite the fact that he led the league in several statistical categories and turned in titanic performances against in-state foes Sacred Heart and Central Connecticut (at Central), Tony Lee of Robert Morris was handed Player of the Year accolades.

A royal snubbing?

More like “politics as usual,” as one may conclude. Robert Morris captured the regular season title and the team’s overall success typically dictates which player will take home the prestigious conference Player of the Year hardware.

Anderson took the world by storm this year, sometimes serving as a one-man wrecking crew as his numbers vaulted him to an elite class of the NCAA’s scorers.

Now a surplus of pro scouts are starting to take notice. Anderson says his cell phone has been flooded with messages lately. Everyone from Lebanon (where former Quinnipiac forward and Cheverly-bred Kevin Jolley dominated a year ago) to Spain, to throughout the European seaboard has been in contact with Anderson. The NBA agents have also jumped into the fray, urging him to attend the upcoming Portsmouth Invitational. The event scouts prospective NBA players

Not bad for a kid who didn’t start playing organized ball until his junior year of high school, when he was employed as an instant sparkplug off the knot. At Oxon Hill High, the alma mater of the Chicago Bulls’ Michael Sweetney, Anderson re-wrote the record books. He immediately surfaced as one of Maryland’s top players his senior season, garnering an All-County selection and an invite to the Capital Classic.

Putting The Bobcats On The Map
Quinnipiac, a perennial power in hockey, had been striving for some national visibility since the University shelled out a king’s ransom on the TD Banknorth Sports Center. The 3,500-seat arena dwarfs those of conference foes and would be fitting for an A-10 or MAAC school.

Moore, widely recognized for grooming a torrent of talent during his stay at UConn (see Butler, Caron or Gordon, Ben for more details) became the first coach in Anderson’s traveled five-year career (Anderson went to Global Institute in Manhattan for a year, but sat out to circumvent an NCAA rule that prevents a player from transferring schools in the same conference) to fully utilize the talent which cracked the surface.

Former coach Joe DeSantis’ system featured a motion offense that emphasized crisp ball movement and perimeter shooting. Playing in the wake of grief (Anderson’s mother, Lisa Duncan, died of cancer in 2006), Anderson struggled to get acclimated to the new system through the first ten games. Then one Saturday in December of 2006, he hung 20 points on Vermont. Following this, D.A. quickly came into his own. Anderson averaged 22.3 points over the final six games of the regular season and his evolution as the Bobcats’ feature player had the slowly growing basketball culture buzzing. He managed to do all this despite popping off the bench as the team’s sixth man. DeSantis, who took ten seasons to reach his 100th win, opted to start three-point assailant Van Crafton instead.

Not this year. Moore swooped in and ripped the straight jacket off Anderson’s back. The Bobcats’ offense allowed Anderson to execute the freelance mano y mano moves that makes the senior such a unique threat. It was under Moore that Anderson’s game truly flourished, as he flee from a cloud of obscurity this season.

The University got what it wanted at the near-conclusion of the season. Anderson avenged a loss at Central by winning an overtime thriller in astonishing fashion. With the score deadlocked at 73, Anderson launched a buzzer-beating, half-court prayer that splashed through the net, sending the gym into a mix of shock and frenzy. He then ran out of the Detrick Gymnasium, his teammates chasing after him, to celebrate the glory.

The game-winner would shoot to No.1 on SportsCenter’s “Top Ten Plays” that Feb. 28 night. It later became a finalist for Pontiac’s Game-Changing performance.

No national visibility? No problem. Give the ball to DA, and let him go to work.

Now basketball junkies around the country are voting amongst game-changing plays made by first-class schools like North Carolina, Memphis, Indiana, Stanford, Pittsburgh, and Wisconsin—and now Quinnipiac. The image may be re-constructed. Maybe DA’s eye-popper allows the school situated in the suburbs of New Haven County to be recognized for more than just its political polls, prestigious Physical Therapy department, and nationally ranked hockey team.

Enhancing The Image?
When a school has grows by leaps and bounds as quickly as Quinnipiac—once the tiny, Division-II liberal arts school—high expectations, hype, and hearsay tend to brew around campus faster than a freshman beer fest on spring weekend. There had been some hearsay about Quinnipiac eventually becoming a “Junior Ivy League.”

Yeah, right. And I’m the next Brad Pitt.

Whatever the University is doing to keep up with these Ivy League foes, Anderson certainly exacerbated Ivy League relations with his scoring prowess this season.

In an 85-63 dumping of Dartmouth back in December, Anderson used a compilation of mid-range jumpers and quick slashes to the hole to help blood-letter the Big Green. He finished with 27 points in 27 minutes. Against Cornell, Anderson turned in a 20-point showing—in the second half.

Against Sacred Heart mid-way through the season, Anderson scored 30 and had a hand in virtually every play. It was a down-to-the-wire clash which concluded in video game fashion. When the Pioneers’ Drew Shubik hit a three, Anderson would answer with a three of his own. When Shubik got free for a lay-in, Da would break through two defenders and complete a reverse layup. In the end, however, the DA transit ran out of gas as the Bobcats suffered a dizzying one-point loss.

“I’m not even going to vote for Player of the Year,” said Moore after that game. “I’m just going to send the (game) tape in. If he doesn’t get (Player of the Year), that would just be criminal.”

Wow.

D.A. backed up his coach’s potent words the following game, when the Bobcats walloped lowly St. Francis (Pa.) at home. DA did his best Chris Paul impression that game–handing out a game-high six dimes. When they tried to trap him, they weren’t there in time. When they keyed on him, his teammates were beneficiaries of his presence.

The D.A. transit was looking to drive deep into the playoffs this season, but the Bobcats lost a tough one to eventual champion Mount St. Mary’s in the opening round.

Dickenman Saga: Squashing The Beef
Anderson emerged into Central’s leading scorer as a sophomore, averaging 14 points and turning in a Godzilla-like, 32-point eruption against, oddly enough, Quinnipiac. His career as a Blue Devil would hit a major pothole however, after a scholarship dispute with head coach Howie Dickenman emerged. At the end of his sophomore year at Central, Anderson asked to be released from his scholarship. Dickenman refused to meet his wish.

“There isn’t really any hard feelings between us (anymore),” said Anderson, who is still close friends with Blue Devil guard Tristan Blackwood. “He just never let me out. That got real personal because it not only changed my basketball future but my academic future as well.”

Dickenman maintains that there’s another side to it. He explained to the New Haven Register that Anderson didn’t take advantage of the opportunity to appeal the decision.

“I don’t think (his decision to transfer) had to do with him bumping heads with coach really,” said Justin Chiera, the former three-point assassin for Central who now works as a basketball instructor in New Jersey.

“He wasn’t happy (at Central), it was a personal decision of his. That’s the real reason why he left. As far as how his career went, I honestly think he would have done his thing either way, had he stayed at Central. Just having him on the court was such a luxury, because with D.A., there’s just so much he can do when the rock is in his hands.”

Handling Adversity
You’ll find that few things in life faze Anderson. The 22-year-old was forced to be extraordinarily self-reliant in the months following his mother’s death. He also tries to be instrumental in the upbringing of his younger sister, Parris. Anderson has her name tattooed on his right arm.

This season, Anderson lost his grandfather and was forced to miss a pair of games against Wagner and Monmouth. After returning to Connecticut from the funeral, Anderson responded in the wake of grief (once again) by pouring in 25 points and hauling down 11 boards in a loss to Sacred Heart.

D.C. Pipeline
Anderson, along with teammates Louis Brookins, Jeremy and Evann Baker, all hail from the D.C.-area. Former Quinnipiac forwards Victor Akinyanju and Kevin Jolley, also from Maryland/D.C. areas, are enjoying prosperous careers overseas. Exactly when D.C. became the Quinnipiac pipeline is open to question. Most people can date it back to Rob Monroe, the 5-foot-10 guard who became one of the NCAA’s scoring and assists leaders during his final season (2004-2005 campaign) with the Bobcats.

Never heard of DeMario Anderson before? Don’t worry, you will soon.

DeMario’s game-winning long ball gets national exposure

DeMario’s game-winning long ball gets national exposure

By Michael T. Lyle, Jr.
WQAQ.com Sports
February 29, 2008

NEW BRITAIN, Conn. — “The Immaculate Reception”, “The Drive”, “The Music City Miracle”, “The Fumble”.

These are just a few terms created to quote some of the greatest moments in sports over the years. But after what happened at Central Connecticut State on Thursday night, perhaps there’s a new term Bobcats’ hoops fans may have in the works??

How about “The Shot…err…DA Shot?” No, not the shot Michael Jordan made against the Cleveland Cavaliers in that 1989 playoff game Bulls fans made famous.

Rather, for the private school located in Hamden, and to their fans, it’s now “DA Shot!” …just ask Quinnipiac Athletic Director Jack McDonald!

It’s catchy and it does have some meaning, and perhaps DeMario Anderson’s game-clinching, buzzer-beating, half-court heave that swished through the net gave Quinnipiac some much-needed momentum headed into their regular-season finale at Wagner.

But a couple of things are certain following Thursday’s big-time highlight – DeMario and the Bobcats finally got the better of their long-time nemesis after losing the previous eight meetings with the Blue Devils, and held on to fourth-place in the thick of a tight Northeast Conference playoff race, a spot they can solidify should they knock off the second-place Seahawks Saturday night. That would give Quinnipiac home-court advantage in the opening-round of the NEC tournament next week, more than likely against Mount Saint Mary’s.

“DA Shot” also propelled the senior captain and the Quinnipiac program into the national spotlight, as the final moments of the Bobcats win were replayed throughout the night and early Friday morning on various local and national cable networks, including ESPN’s “SportsCenter” and ESPN Radio. In fact, “The Worldwide Leader’s” flagship show led off with the final seconds of Quinnipiac’s dramatic victory on the Thursday night 11 o’clock edition, followed by ESPN Radio playing the final radio call of “DA Shot” from AM 1220 WQUN during its national “SportsCenter” radio update minutes later.

A late-night show on the national radio network, “AllNight With Jason Smith”, also ran with WQUN’s final call, but with some humor mixed in.

Indeed, Thursday night was truly a historic one for the Quinnipiac University men’s basketball team, their fans and the media that’s followed them through a memorable first-year in the “Tom Moore” era.

“DA Shot” is one that Bobcats fans will talk about for quite some time, and perhaps it’s the play that gets the Bobcats motivated for a final playoff push, and more fan support as they go about doing so. Who knows? Need I mention the New York Football Giants and their improbable run towards the Super Bowl, and how it all started?

Moments like the one that occurred at CCSU’s Detrick Gym are what makes sports likeable, enjoyable, and, sometimes, unimaginable, and not for the fainthearted!

(Eds. note: Video of DeMario Anderson’s game-winner can be found here: QuinnipiacBobcats.com)

Sacred Heart upstages Quinnipiac in home-finale

Sacred Heart upstages Quinnipiac in home-finale

By Michael T. Lyle, Jr.
WQAQ.com Sports
February 23, 2008

HAMDEN — The outcome of this afternoon’s matchup between Quinnipiac and Sacred Heart was much different than the Bobcats’ tough one-point loss to the Pioneers late last month in Fairfield.

Quinnipiac’s 88-74 drubbing by their other Northeast Conference rivals on “Senior Day” at TD Banknorth Sports Center can be attributed to a couple of key statistics, such as 21 Bobcat turnovers Sacred Heart scored 19 points off of.

Another is the lack of attention Quinnipiac gave to Sacred Heart guard Ryan Litke. He, and not star guard Drew Shubik, was the catalyst for the Pioneers, scoring 13 of his 17 points in the second half, including a big three-pointer with 6:40 left that sent the 2,888 angry fans in attendance dashing for the exits.

“Obviously, I was tremendously disappointed with our second-half play,” said Quinnipiac head coach Tom Moore. “Our body language was tough in the first half, but not in the second. (Sacred Heart) played like their four-senior championship game from last season, and the experience showed.”

And with two tough road games left on the campaign, perhaps the Bobcats may have played their last home game in the first season of the Tom Moore era. Quinnipiac (14-13, 10-6 Northeast) currently owns the fourth seed in the NEC, a game and a half up on Central Connecticut. In order for the Bobcats to hold onto that spot, which gives them homecourt advantage in the opening-round of the NEC Tournament, they’ll have to put together strong performances at Central next Thursday and then on Saturday in the regular-season finale at Wagner.

When asked if he feels his team has enough to make a run at both games, Moore says its possible.

“If we practice a little better next week, we’ll have a chance,” he said.

DeMario Anderson, who returned to the lineup after missing Thursday’s game against Monmouth because of a family emergency, led all scorers with 25 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. However, the Pioneers got a well-balanced offensive attack to place five players, including Litke, in double-figures. Chauncey Hardy also added 17 points for Sacred Heart (16-11, 13-3), with Brice Brooks and Gene Pettway contributed 13 and 12, respectively. Shubik was held to just 10 points on 3-of-7 shooting.

Brian Geffen scored 12 points for the Bobcats while James Feldeine added 10.

“This game was just as important as any other game we’ve played in the conference this season,” said Sacred Heart head coach Dave Bike. “We happened to catch fire in the second half and was able to put the ball in the basket. We’re just trying to get better at what we do.”

After a tightly-played first half that featured three lead changes and three ties, the Pioneers, fueled by a pair of breakaway dunks off steals from Chauncey Hardy, scored eight consecutive points to turn a 38-36 halftime deficit into a 44-39 lead, 18:19 into the final period.

But DeMario helped the Bobcats answer by knocking down a three-pointer, then scoring on a fadeaway jumper to tie it at 44 with a little over 16 minutes remaining. The game became a see-saw contest for the next three minutes before Litke and the Pioneers put together an offensive fury to put it out of reach. His three-pointer at the 10:14 mark gave Sacred Heart a 54-52 lead, followed by a three-point play by Shubik which stretched the lead to 58-54. Another three pointer by Brice Brooks with 8:10 left, then the dagger shot by Litke capped a somber afternoon for Quinnipiac as they said goodbye to three seniors honored during pregame ceremonies, including DeMario.

Aside from the turnovers, the Bobcats did just about everything right in trying to avenge their January 26 loss to the Sacred Heart. They shot 56 percent from the field, and converted 14 of their 20 free throw attempts. Quinnipiac also held the Pioneers to shooting 48 percent for the game.

Yet, the Bobcats were bitten by the “turnover bug” again, and this time, they couldn’t recover.

“They’re very intelligent and really well-coached offensively,” said Moore of Sacred Heart, who committed a mere nine turnovers. “They don’t get rattled too much on offense. I think we just ran out of will in the second half.”

For the Bobcats, fortunately, there remains a will, and after today’s embarrassing loss, the Bobcats need that, along with a collective effort to try and knock off two of the conferences top teams next week.

NOTES: DeMario has scored 987 points in his career at Quinnipiac. He needs to score 13 points in one of the final two games to reach the 1,000 milestone. Combining his career statistics from Central Connecticut and Quinnipiac, DeMario has now scored 1,578 points during his tenure in the Northeast Conference.

Bobcats fall to Wagner in overtime despite valiant effort

Bobcats fall to Wagner in overtime despite valiant effort

By Michael T. Lyle, Jr.
WQAQ.com Sports

February 11, 2008

HAMDEN — Without DeMario Anderson, Quinnipiac gave visiting Wagner everything they could handle in what was deemed a critical Northeast Conference matchup Monday night. However, with the star guard back in his hometown of Oxon Hill, MD, tending to a family emergency, the Seahawks were simply too fast and too aggressive for the short-handed Bobcats down the stretch.

Sophomore guard Casey Cosgrove tied a career-high with 16 points, but Wagner, behind some clutch shooting from Joey Mundweiler, outscored Quinnipiac, 20-8, in overtime as the Seahawks came away with an 82-70 victory in front of 1,138 at TD Banknorth SportsCenter. The win was especially huge for Wagner, not only because they clinched a playoff berth in the upcoming NEC tournament, but they claimed sole possession of third place in the conference, leaving the Bobcats 3 1/2 games back of first-place Sacred Heart, and only a half-game up in the loss column on Central Connecticut State.

It’s an effort that DeMario would’ve been proud of, and many on the Quinnipiac coaching squad will say that this was a game the Bobcats had well in hand. They did, in fact, seem seconds away from pulling off a stunning upset, but the Seahawks (17-6, 10-2 Northeast Conference) withstood a defensive stand by the Bobcats with 45 seconds left.

After Cosgrove sank a pair of free throws to give Quinnipiac a 62-59 lead, Wagner worked their offense around the perimeter and eventually found Mundweiler for a wide-open three-pointer from the right corner of the baseline. His attempt was too strong, as was Mark Porter’s from the top of the key. Quinnipiac had a chance to snag the rebound, but they couldn’t get a handle on the loose ball, which eventually fell back into the hands of Mundweiler, who silenced the raucous crowd by knocking down the wide-open, game-tying shot with 18 seconds to go.

The Bobcats had a chance to win at the horn, but Cosgrove’s runner in the lane was too strong. That turned out to be the last time the Bobcats kept pace with the Seahawks, thanks to Mundweiler. He scored eight of his game-high 19 points in the extra-session , including a big three-pointer that sealed the win for Wagner with 1:33 left, making it 74-66. The field goal was preceded by an alley-oop two-hand jam by Jamal Smith from Porter, as the Seahawks took advantage without the Bobcats’ senior captain.

“We come up with that rebound in regulation, we win the game,” Bobcats Assistant head coach Scott Burrell told WQUN after the game. “We hung in there and fought hard, but we’ll have to grow from this.”

Bryan Geffen scored 15 points and Karl Anderson added 12 for Quinnipiac (12-11, 8-4 NEC), which lost its second-straight. Smith and Porter rounded out a balanced scoring attack by Wagner, scoring 17 and 18 points, respectively.

The contest stayed close for most of the game, as the Bobcats played “inspired basketball” without DeMario on the floor. They had a chance to extend a 31-26 lead in the final seconds of the first half, but Porter cut into the deficit on a buzzer-beating three-pointer from near NBA range.

Late in the second half, both teams began making the battle interesting. After an alley-oop conversion by Durrell Vinson gave Wagner at 57-54 lead with 3:16 to go, Geffen put the Bobcats in front, 60-59, on a spectacular running hook-shot off the glass. It came moments after he knocked down a three-pointer to help Quinnipiac draw even with the Seahawks, 58-58 with a little over two minutes remaining.

NOTE: It was announced during the WQUN broadcast that Coach Tom Moore told DeMario to take all the time he needs before returning to the team, which could come either Thursday night at Long Island or Saturday at Mount Saint Mary’s.

Central defeats Quinnipiac… again

Central defeats Quinnipiac… again
by Seth Rothman
February 7, 2008

HAMDEN — They’ve done it again.

Thanks in large part to a 33-16 Central Connecticut State run over the first 11 minutes of the second half, Central Connecticut State rolled to an 85-71 win over Quinnipiac at the TD Banknorth Sports Center on Thursday night.

Quinnipiac is now 2-25 in their last 27 games against Central, and 2-18 against the Blue Devils since joining the Northeast Conference in 1998. The Bobcats have also lost their last 10 games in Hamden against their counterparts from New Britain, Conn.

After the game, Quinnipiac head coach Tom Moore was embarrassed by how easily the Blue Devils (11-12, 7-5 NEC) controlled Quinnipiac (12-10, 8-3 NEC).

“We got handled out of the gate and got handled the entire second half on the offensive boards, and the way they executed their offense,” Moore said. “They were the tougher-minded team throughout the whole game. We had some spots where we made some shots and stood up to them. We never out-toughed them, but we stood up to them. That’s the first time it’s happened all year to us, so it’s startling and embarrassing to have it happen in front of [2,841] people.”

“Coach [Dickenman] makes them play hard. They out-toughed us,” Bobcats sophomore Casey Cosgrove said. “They were ready and wanted it more, and the final score showed it –  the entire game showed it.”

“We just got outplayed. Rebounds, defending, offense. It was all across the board,” Bobcats captain DeMario Anderson said. “We couldn’t match their energy on offense or defense, and the final score showed it.”

Anderson, who scored 12 points, was defended by Central’s biggest offensive threat, senior Tristan Blackwood. DeMario said he wasn’t fazed by playing his old team — it’s the third time he’s done it. He gave credit to Blackwood for shutting him down.

“I was a little amped up, but this is my third time playing them, so it’s not anything I’m not used to,” Anderson said. “Tip of the hat to Tristan Blackwood — he did a great job defending me.”

The point total is DeMario’s lowest since December 16 against UConn when he scored only 10 points.

“Tristan was very strong tonight, incredibly strong. Strength of mind, strength of body — all phases of the game,” Moore said. ”That’s a risky move to put their best offensive player on our best offensive player, but they did it. He played very physical, but didn’t foul. He frustrated DeMario into a couple bad shots.”

“He’s a good player, so our focus was to keep him down,” Blackwood said. “He’s a good player, he’s going to get his, so we just have to try to play good defense.”

“DeMario Anderson is one of the best players in the league, and Tristan denied him so many times that I think Quinnipiac got out of rhythm,” Central coach Howie Dickenman said. They depend so much on DeMario that they felt a little lost without him out there.”

For Quinnipiac, the intensity wasn’t where they wanted it to be, and it showed when Central went on their run to start the second half. Quinnipiac tied the score and even took the lead before the end of the first half, but once the teams returned to the floor, it was all Blue Devils.

“They just out-toughed us. Everything they did was better than us tonight,” Cosgrove said. ”They crashed the boards and controlled the game. They beat us pretty good. We feel like we’re the better team, but that wasn’t the case today.”

The stat sheet shows Quinnipiac actually out-rebounded Central 48-42, and 23-17 on the offensive glass. Moore says that stat is deceiving.

“I felt they were twice as good a rebounding team all night,” a visibly frustrated Moore said. “The numbers look so skewed from us having to play crazy in the last five minutes. That’s the most deceiving stat we’ve had all year. They were clearly better, tougher, and more consistent rebounding tonight.”

So now, Quinnipiac has to get ready for Wagner on Monday in Hamden. Moore says it won’t be an easy task.

“Wagner has a reputation for being a physical, tough team. We just looked so weak tonight, I’d rather play anyone other than Wagner on Monday after how we played tonight,” Moore said. “We have two practices to get our house in order. I’ll watch the tape and look at some personnel switches. A night like this, in such a big spot when so many kids come up so short, as a coach it really makes you shuffle the deck a little bit.”

“It’s a tough loss, but it’s a long season,” Anderson said. “We have a lot of games left. Wagner’s going to be another very tough game. We just have to keep our heads up and take this as a learning experience.”

Bobcats start slow, finish strong in rout of St. Francis (PA)

Bobcats start slow, finish strong in rout of St. Francis (PA)

By Michael T. Lyle, Jr.
WQAQ.com Sports
January 31, 2008

HAMDEN — If there were any questions about whether or not the Quinnipiac men’s basketball team could regain their focus after a tough loss last weekend at Sacred Heart, they were answered with a dominating performance against visiting St. Francis of Pennsylvania.

In a game broadcasted here on WQAQ, and in front of a season-high 2,109 watching on at TD Banknorth Sports Center, the Bobcats (11-9, 7-2 NEC) overcame a sluggish start and put together a decisive 16-1 run late in the second half to knock off the Red Flash (5-16, 3-7 NEC) 73-55. Freshman guard Evann Baker, one of four Quinnipiac players to score in double figures, led the offensive charge with a team-high 17 points.

“I was obviously displeased with our play in the first half, but very pleased in the second,” said Bobcats head coach Tom Moore. “It’s a testament to our guys listening at halftime and coming out and executing our gameplan.”

It took until the 12:08 mark of the second half before the Bobcats did just that, and Baker fueled the outburst by scoring seven of his total points to turn a 41-40 lead into a 51-41 cushion. James Feldeine and Justin Rutty also converted on consecutive baskets to blow it open with 7:16 left, giving Quinnipiac at 57-41 lead.

“We played good defense throughout,” said Moore. “It’s a statement when you can win the second half and beat a team like this by 18.”

Indeed, it was a tale of two-halves, as the Bobcats bounced back from a horrendous 35 percent shooting from the first-half to convert on a sizzling 69.6 in the final half. Another key stat would be that of DeMario Anderson. The senior captain also found his touch in the last 20 minutes, scoring 14 of his 16 points in the period. Rutty added 14 points and Brian Geffen chipped in with 11.

St. Francis center Bassirou Dieng led the visitors with 18 points, but was held in check after scoring 13 in the first half. Cale Nelson contributed with 12.

“The second half was the difference in the game,” said St. Francis head coach Bobby Jones. “Once they made that run, I thought we lost our composure a little bit. We didn’t stop them man-to-man, and I thought (Quinnipiac) and DeMario Anderson asserted themselves during that stretch.”

In the opening minutes, the Bobcats didn’t do much of anything, besides commit a couple of turnovers and missed their first six shots. Once Dieng knocked down an uncontested three-pointer for the game’s first points, Moore quickly called a 30 second time and gave his team an earful.

Whatever the first-year coach told his squad during that break, they responded with some fury, but for a short period of time. A Brian Geffen three tied it at 13-all with 7:37 left in the half, followed by a putback by Rutty seconds later that put the Bobcats up, 19-14.

But St. Francis battled back to take a one-point lead at halftime, 26-25, on buckets by Bassirou and Nelson before Quinnipiac responded with a big second-half to cruise to the win.

NOTE: Senior center Karl Anderson sat out this game with the flu. He’s expected to be back in time for Saturday night’s road contest at Farleigh Dickinson in Teaneck, NJ.

Bobcats rally, but come up short at Sacred Heart

Bobcats rally, but come up short at Sacred Heart

By Michael T. Lyle, Jr.
WQAQ.com Sports
January 26, 2008

FAIRFIELD — It had all the makings of a championship contest. A record 2,012 fans in attendance at Sacred Heart’s William H. Pitt Center, a battle for first-place in the Northeast Conference, and a chance to show the rest of the league that they are a force to be reckoned with.

Indeed, Quinnipiac’s battle with the Pioneers on Saturday afternoon was filled with all sorts of drama and emotion, and they lived up to the hype. Unfortunately for DeMario Anderson and the rest of his Bobcat teammates, this defeat will stun for a while.

DeMario had a double-double with 30 points and 11 rebounds, but missed what would have been the game-winning tip-in off an inbounds pass from Brian Geffen at the final horn, giving Sacred Heart a nail-biting 75-74 win and snapping Quinnipiac’s four-game win streak.

“I think that the team that played better won the game,” said Bobcats head coach Tom Moore. “We played with some emotion in the second half, but we had one guy play great and not everyone else played as well as they had been playing.”

Justin Rutty was the only other Quinnipiac player to score in double figures with 12 points, but a staggering Sacred Heart defense held the Bobcats in check for most of the evening. The Pioneers limited Quinnipiac (10-9, 6-2 NEC) to tying a season-low with six assists and forced the Bobcats into 14 turnovers. The hosts also made 22-of 32 free throws and shot 50 percent from the field in the final period — stats that Moore say will not get the job done on both sides of the ball.

“You can’t allow that kind of field-goal defense in the second half and expect to win — especially on the road,” he said.

Sacred Heart sealed the win by scoring their final 10 points from the free-throw line, with Drew Shubik, who led the Pioneers with 20 points, converting on five of them down the stretch.

“That’s what I praticed ever since I was a little kid,” said Shubik. “After the late miss, I just smiled. You can’t get frustrated at that point because we still had a game to win.”

After DeMario sank a pair from the line to give the Bobcats a short-lived 74-73 lead, Shubik knocked down two more to give the Pioneers the one-point advantage with 25.4 left.

After both teams traded timeouts with 1.6 on the clock, the Bobcats drew up a play for DeMario. On a successful inbounds pass from Geffen, the senior captain raced around a swarm of Pioneer defenders and leaped towards the rim for a potential follow-tip, but he drew some contact and missed the net, sending the capacity-crowd and the Pioneers into a frenzy as Sacred Heart (11-10, 8-2 NEC) moved into sole possession of first place in the league.

“We had a [heck] of a game,” said Pioneers head coach Dave Bike. “I thought both teams played well. We were just fortunate enough to come out on top.”

The Bobcats came out strong in the first half, led by DeMario and James Feldeine, whose early scoring gave the visitors a 13-10 lead at the 12:20 mark. The game stayed close for seven more minutes, with neither team holding a lead bigger than two points. Sacred Heart then blew it open with an 8-0 run, culminating with a Ryon Howard bucket that made it 27-19 late in the period.

Sacred Heart kept the pressure on Quinnipiac in the second half, turning at 39-26 halftime lead into a 45-35 advantage following a Howard tip-in with under 17 minutes to go. But DeMario and Justin Rutty helped the Bobcats battle back. A bucket and three free-throws by DeMario cut the Pioneers lead to 55-51 before a Rutty runner in the lane, followed by a tip-in by Karl Anderson gave QU the lead at 59-57, with 6:23 to play. A three-pointer by the captain stretched the advantage to 66-60 around the four minute mark before the combination of Shubik and Chauncey Hardy got Sacred Heart back in it.

DeMario’s usual play allowed Quinnipiac to stay within striking distance, but his near heroics came up a tad short at the end.

“That’s what I’m supposed to do as a captain and senior”, said DeMario of his strong performance. “But the better team came out with the win, and we have to learn from this.”

Moore was also quick to defend his star-guard’s ability, saying that for him not to be named the “Conference Player-of-The Year” would be “criminal.”

“I wouldn’t send in a ballot, I’d send a video from this game to (the league office),” he said with a smile.

As far as this being a preview of the conference tournament championship, the possibility exists giving the standings in a now competitive Northeast Conference. Moore insists his team still has a lot to prove, but would be elated should he lead the Bobcats to that point come mid-March.

“That would be great,” he said. “The potential is there, but we still have a long ways to go before we can start thinking that way.”

NOTES: Quinnipiac played this one without forward Louis Brookins, who sat out with a back injury. Moore said he’s listed as day-to-day….As the Bobcats continue to get better, the fans continue to fill the seats. Combining last week’s contest at TD Banknorth Sports Center against Long Island, Quinnipiac has now played in front of over 3,000 spectators. They nearly cracked the 1,800 mark in their win over the Blackbirds.

Feldeine Coming Into His Own

Feldeine Coming Into His Own
By Zach Smart
January 22, 2007

HAMDEN — Opportunities came at a rarity for Quinnipiac off guard James Feldeine last season.

The then-freshman was buried on the bench behind a plethora of guards—Adam Gonzalez (who now plays in the Baloncesto Superior National, Puerto Rico’s professional league), three-point sniper Van Crafton, and Dale Meinbresse—to name a few, and spent much of his first year stuck on the pine.

Under then-coach Joe DeSantis, Feldeine was on a short chain. The 6-foot-4 sharpshooter would be inserted into the fold but quickly pulled if he misfired on his first shot attempt.

A high-profile recruit from a traditional basketball breeding ground (Bronx, N.Y.) who played alongside and against Louisville’s Edgar Sosa (and was mentored by the Sacramento Kings’ Francisco Garcia), Feldeine did not feel he was given a chance. But Feldeine, he of the unique sling-shot jumper and springs, stuck it out and patiently waited for his day to come.

Then DeSantis was fired in March as the coaching staff and much of the 2006-2007 roster were thoroughly cleansed.

Feldeine’s reaction?

Shoot, shoot, and shoot some more. A new opportunity to take advantage of.

Feldeine spent nearly his entire summer in Hamden, packing some muscle on his spindly, 190-lb. frame and shooting jumpers with teammate Casey Cosgrove until his arms tired out.

Feldeine, who played just 35 minutes last season, came into the season with a new mentality and sporting a new look as well. A tattoo with “King James” emblazoned on his right arm now makes its presence felt.

This year, Feldeine made his presence felt since Game 1. He scored 19 points and snared 10 boards in a double-overtime thriller in the season-opening win against Hartford. Feldeine’s timely buckets were critical in that one, as DeMario Anderson (team-high 20.8 PPG) had fouled out in regulation.

The transition from spare part freshman to instant lynchpin has prevented Anderson from shouldering too much of the scoring load. It’s also helped propel Quinnipiac to the top of the Northeast Conference.

These are uncharted waters for the Bobcats, which improved to 6-1 in conference play with a recent win against Long Island.

After being inserted into the starting lineup following Evann Baker’s hip-flexor injury, Feldeine has come into his element. Now Moore has employed a system that has Baker, the Bobcats second-leading scorer, coming off the bench.

During a trouncing of Dartmouth earlier in the season, Feldeine dropped 11 points—all in the second half and two on an emphatic, two-handed jam—and played lock-down defense on the Big Green’s top scorer Alex Barnett.

Against Long Island, Feldeine dropped 18 points, including eight in the final three minutes, to help lift the Bobcats to an 84-80 triumph.

Bobcats keep on rolling, hold off Long Island University to claim top spot in Northeast Conference

Bobcats keep on rolling, hold off Long Island University to claim top spot in Northeast Conference

By Michael T. Lyle, Jr.
WQAQ.com Sports
January 19, 2008

HAMDEN — It’s been a long time since the Quinnipiac men’s basketball team found themselves in this position, and the fans are starting to take notice.

They keep this going, and maybe — just maybe — they’ll be thinking about getting to “The Big Dance” come mid-March.

The Bobcats put together a well-balanced attack, led by DeMario Anderson’s 21 points, in holding off a tough Long Island University squad, 84-80, before 1,784 at TD Banknorth Sports Center. The win was the Bobcats fourth straight, putting them in sole possession of first place in the Northeast Conference — a feat that head coach Tom Moore never imagined.

“I didn’t know where we’d be before the start of the season,” said Moore. “We’ve been fortunate with playing against opponents we have lined up in our early part of the schedule. Tonight we found enough resolve to outplay them down the stretch.”

Indeed, Quinnipiac (10-8, 6-1 NEC) had to work hard to earn this one against a Blackbird squad that was coming off a huge 20-point romp over previously unbeaten Wagner just two nights prior. The Bobcats started off strong behind the combination of DeMario, Casey Cosgrove and James Feldeine, as they raced out to an early 28-23 lead in a first half in which they shot a shade under 50 percent from the field. DeMario lead the charge with 10 of those points, including a buzzer-beating jumper that ended the period with Quinnipiac up, 44-35.

Not to be outdone, LIU (10-7, 2-4) battled back to take a 56-53 lead mid-way through the second half, party due to some sloppy ball-handling and passing by the Bobcats, and also behind the one-two punch of Jaytornah Wisseh and Kellen Allen. Both combined to score more than the Blackbirds’ total points on the evening. Allen’s 3-point play with 8:13 left gave the visitors a 56-53 cushion. But after another three-pointer from Wisseh, Feldeine took over. With LIU clearly focusing on denying DeMario the ball, Feldeine tallied the last nine points for the Bobcats, culminating with a back door conversion off a nice feed from Karl Anderson that put Quinnipiac up for good, 75-71, with under a minute to play.

“Everybody knows he’s the best scorer in the league,” said Feldeine of LIU’s defensive scheme for DeMario. “They were coming at him and I saw an opportunity and took advantage of it.”

Wisseh and Kyle Johnson kept the Blackbirds in striking distance, but Evann Baker and DeMario knocked down eight straight free throws in the final 30 seconds to seal the win.

“He was huge tonight,” said Moore of Feldeine. “I think that opening game against Hartford was good for him because it was a confirmation that he can be a great basketball player. He showed that on the offensive end tonight.”

For LIU, Wisseh lead all scorers with 23 points, while Allen added 20. The loss was a tough one for head coach Jim Ferry, particularly because of his objective to try and keep DeMario from having a big game. The plan worked to an extent because the Bobcats’ captain did commit eight turnovers and shot 8-of-21 from the field. However, they failed to keep an eye on Feldeine, who proved to be the difference down the stretch.

“(DeMario’s) a great player and we thought we did as good as a job against him as anyone in the conference,” said Ferry. “We just didn’t do as good of a job on Feldeine. I thought he played very well for them late in the game.”

Another positive for the Bobcats would have to be the support of their fans. With the women’s team also on a hot streak — they remained undefeated in NEC play also with a nail biting win vs. LIU earlier in the day — Hamden is starting to become another popular basketball town in the state. Seeing a great turnout for both games was more than enough to satisfy Moore — something he emphasized during “Midnight Madness” back in October.

“It was loud and it was fun,” he said. “There’s nothing that our kids want more than to have fan support. It’s a fun team to watch, and hopefully, when the students come back from winter recess, they’ll fill up the other end of the court.”

Perhaps they will, and with plenty of good reason.

NOTES: DeMario has now scored 20 or more points in five consecutive games for the Bobcats…The last time he fell below that mark was at St. Francis of PA two weeks ago. He scored 19 in a QU win. He’s also scored in double-digits in every game played this year….Quinnipiac now gets a week off before returning to action next Saturday at Sacred Heart, the conference’s preseason overall pick. The Pioneers ended the Bobcats playoff run last year in the semi-final round of the NEC Tournament in Fairfield.

Bobcats get their hustle on, hold off Mount Saint Mary’s

Bobcats get their hustle on, hold off Mount Saint Mary’s

By: Michael T. Lyle, Jr.
WQAQ.com Sports

HAMDEN - For the Bobcats against Mount Saint Mary’s, the name of the game was hustling. They dove for loose balls, played tough defense and got their offense going on a few fast-break attempts. Heck, even the majority of the TD Banknorth Sports Center fans nearly jumped out of their seats as Evann Baker missed a one-handed dunk over a defender.

It was one of those nights for Quinnipiac, and against a Mount St. Mary’s team that’s known mostly for their defense, the Bobcats mixed up theirs with some quality offensive output from the usual cast.

DeMario Anderson scored 11 of his 21 points in the second half to help Quinnipiac bounce back from Saturday’s loss to Robert Morris with a 70-59 Northeast Conference victory. The senior captain also made some key defensive plays to fend off a late Mountaineer rally and got support from Karl Anderson and James Feldeine, two of five Bobcats that score in double-figures. Karl had 12 and Feldeine added 11.

“We played weak in the first half because they worked hard on defense,” said Bobcats’ head coach Tom Moore. “We were stronger coming off the screens and off the ball in the second half. The neat thing is that we had enough in the tank to weather the storm down the stretch.”

After a first half that featured four lead changes and seven ties, Feldeine and DeMario got things going for the Bobcats (7-8, 3-1 NEC) to start the final period. Feldeine knocked down a three-pointer, followed by a block by DeMario and another three-pointer that fueled a 14-6 run and opened up a 40-32 lead with under 15 minutes left.

The Mount (7-9, 3-2) kept their defensive pressure going against the Bobcats, and fatigue started to settle in late for the hosts. It sure looked that way as bad passing, sloppy possessions and a few silly fouls left the door open for the Mountaineers as Jeremy Goode scored on an uncontested layup in the lane to cut the lead to 58-51 with 4:18 to go.

But Feldeine and Karl put an end to the Mountaineers comeback as they scored on consecutive buckets to push the lead back up to ten, 67-57, with 1:22 remaining.

Goode led Mount Saint Mary’s with 15 points and Will Holland added 10.

“The came out and were more aggressive in the second half,” said Mountaineers head coach Milan Brown. “We found ourselves having to play uphill for so long. They simply beat us at our own game tonight.”

Mountaineer forward Sam Atupem got the visitors off to a 19-18 lead with a pair of buckets late in the opening half. A three-point play by Karl, then a jumper by Brian Geffen briefly gave Quinnipiac a 26-25 lead before a free-throw by Atupem drew Mount Saint Mary’s even at intermission.

NOTES: The game also marked the return of Casey Cosgrove, who missed Saturday’s game due to a back injury caused by hip-alignment. He went scoreless in 14 minutes of action. Moore said that he’s still fighting the issue, but its nothing serious.