GAME NOTES: Etech Lumberjack Classic
12/9/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 9, 2010
NACOGDOCHES, Texas -
Complete Release in PDF Format 
VITALS
Second Annual Etech Lumberjack Classic
Friday-Saturday, Dec. 10-11, 2010 • 7:15 p.m. (CST) both nights
William R. Johnson Coliseum (7,200) • Nacogdoches, Texas
Radio: Q107.7-FM • TV: None • Online: SFA All-Access
Lumberjacks
Record: 4-2
Last 5/Streak: 3-2/L-1
Coach: Danny Kaspar
Career: 404-167
At SFA: 185-115
SID: Brian Ross
E-mail: rossbrian@sfasu.edu
Web: sfajacks.com
Tigers
Record: 1-7
Last 5/Streak: 1-4/L-3
Coach: Bobby Washington
Career: 8-28
At GSU: 8-28
SID: Roderick Mosley
E-mail: mosleyr@gram.edu
Web: gsutigers.com
Cougars
Record: 2-7
Last 5/Streak: 1-4/L-3
Coach: Tracy Dildy
Career: 2-7
At CHIST: 2-7
SID: Corey Miggins
E-mail: cmiggins@csu.edu
Web: gocsucougars.com
GAME INFORMATION
ETECH CLASSIC: The Stephen F. Austin basketball team will host the second annual Etech Lumberjack Classic this weekend, an event that offers fans the chance to see four games in two days. SFA will play the nightcap both days, taking on Grambling Friday then Chicago State on Saturday. Southland foe Central Arkansas will fill the fourth spot, playing Chicago State Friday and Grambling on Saturday. The 'Jacks come into the weekend with a 4-2 record.
LAST GAME: SFA led by three at the break and was in front as late as the 10-minute mark in the second half, but Texas A&M was able to rally for a 62-53 win in College Station. Senior forward Jordan Glynn tied a career-high with 20 points and led SFA with eight rebounds, spearheading an effort that saw the 'Jacks match Texas A&M point-for-point in the paint and outscore the Aggies, 11-9, in second-chance points. Denzel Barnes added 14 points, four assists and four steals, as the Lumberjacks outscored A&M, 19-6, in points off turnovers. The Aggies' outside shooting was the difference, though, as Texas A&M hit 5-for-8 from 3-point range in the second half while SFA went just 3-of-16 for the game.
THE TIGERS: Grambling comes in with a 1-7 record after playing seven of its first eight games on the road. The Tigers' lone win so far is a 77-76 overtime verdict at Southeast Missouri State. Since that game, Grambling has fallen in three straight road games against Vanderbilt, North Texas and SMU. The Tigers average 62 points per game, led by Justin Patton's average of 15.6.
THE COUGARS: Chicago State, like Grambling, has played a road-heavy early schedule. The Cougars opened the season with a home win against Concordia-Chicago, then played seven consecutive games away from home with two neutral-site contests mixed in. Chicago State picked up a 64-59 win over Georgia Southern in the South Padre Island Invitational but has dropped three straight since that game. Carl Montgomery's 13 points per game lead a squad that is averaging 63.9 as a team.
vs. THE OPPONENTS: SFA is 3-2, all-time, against Grambling. The 'Jacks are 1-1 against Grambling during Danny Kaspar's tenure as head coach. The teams haven't met since SFA dropped a 75-60 decision on the road in 2004-05. Saturday's game will be the first meeting between SFA and Chicago State.
COVERAGE: All four tournament games will be streamed live online via SFA All-Access. Fans can also follow the action with GameTracker via SFAJacks.com. Both Lumberjack games will be broadcast live on Q107.7-FM. Rob Meyers has the call.
UP NEXT: SFA will have a week off for final exams before hosting Jarvis Christian on Dec. 18. The game is set for a 7 p.m. tip. After that, the 'Jacks will play a road game against UTEP before taking a nine-day break for Christmas.
NEWS AND NOTES
CLASSIC RESULTS: SFA won the inaugural Etech Lumberjack Classic last year with wins against Southern and Cal State Fullerton. That moved the 'Jacks to 8-0, all-time, in home, regular-season tournaments. SFA went 4-0 in two years of hosting the Tall Pines Classic in 1975 and 1976, and the 'Jacks picked up two wins in the Stephen F. Austin Tournament in 1963.
TOURNAMENT TEAM: Over the last two seasons, SFA is 7-1 in four regular-season, tournament-format events. The Lumberjacks won two games at the Drake Hy-Vee Classic in 2008-09 and split a pair of contests at the Arkansas Jim Thorpe Classic later that season. Last year, SFA swept two games each in the Etech Lumberjack Classic and the St. Mary's Shamrock Classic.
BOUNCING BACK: SFA is 1-0 this season in games following a loss. Over the last three seasons, the 'Jacks are 14-0 in home games following defeats. The last time SFA dropped two straight games with the second loss coming at home was the 2006-07 season, when the 'Jacks fell at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, then lost at home to UTSA in the regular-season finale.
TWO LITTLE: In SFA's nine-point loss at Texas A&M, Denzel Barnes and Jordan Glynn were the only two players to reach double figures in scoring. They combined to score 34 points, or 64 percent of SFA's total of 53 points. Thirteen of the Lumberjacks' 23 losses over the previous three seasons have come in games with fewer than three double-figure scorers. SFA is 20-14, overall, in such games, dating to the 2007-08 season.
HALFWAY THERE: In both of its losses this season, SFA held the lead at halftime. The Lumberjacks led Texas Tech by one and had a three-point lead on Texas A&M at the break. SFA was 19-1 last year when leading at the half. The 'Jacks have led at the break in all but one of their games this season.
ON THE DOWN-LOW: SFA has outscored its opponents in the paint by an average of 10.4 points per game through six contests. Forty-three percent of the Lumberjacks' production this season has come from the paint.
POINTS IN THE PAINT: SFA outscored Science and Arts of Oklahoma, 52-14, in the paint. That's the most points down low the Lumberjacks have scored this season and marks just the fifth time in the last four seasons for SFA to break 50. The most post scoring SFA has put up during that stretch was 60 against East Central (Oklahoma) last season.
HIGH-PERCENTAGE: SFA's dominance in the post against USAO directly contributed to the Lumberjacks' best shooting percentage of the season. SFA hit 55.7 percent from the field, bettering the 50-percent effort the 'Jacks put up at ULM.
ALL GOOD FOR GLYNN: Junior forward Jordan Glynn has shot 79 percent (19-for-24) from the field and 87.5 percent (14-for-16) at the free throw line in the Lumberjacks' last three games. He has led the team in scoring in each of those contests. Glynn's seven field goals at Texas A&M tied a career-high, as did his 20 points in that game.
SECOND CHANCES: SFA averages 13.8 offensive rebounds per game, and the Lumberjacks are making the most of those second chances. SFA has been outscored in second-chance points only once this season and has posted 20-plus points off second shots in three of its first six games.
ON THE REBOUND: SFA was beaten in rebounding, 34-19, in its win at ULM. It marked the first time this season for the Lumberjacks to be outrebounded and is the largest margin in an opponent's favor since Syracuse beat SFA on the boards, 55-34, in the first round of the 2009 NCAA Tournament. The Lumberjacks won just four times last season in games when they were outrebounded.
DOWN TO THE WIRE: SFA defeated ULM, 65-64, on a 3-pointer by Zac Downing with three seconds left. SFA was 3-4 last season in games decided by three points or fewer, and the 'Jacks are 12-9 in such games over the last four years.
STRAIGHT SHOOTING: SFA had its best all-around shooting night of the year in the win at ULM. The 'Jacks shot 50 percent from the floor, 46 percent from 3-point range and 78.9 percent at the foul line. The last time an SFA team shot that well in all three categories was an 82-67 win at Jackson State in the 2007-08 season. In that game, the 'Jacks hit .630 from the floor, .474 from three and .789 at the stripe.
AGAINST THE BIG XII: SFA is 2-9 against teams from the Big XII in 10 years under head coach Danny Kaspar. The Lumberjacks knocked off Baylor, 79-57, in Waco during the 2003-04 season and defeated Oklahoma, 66-62, on the road in 2007-08. With games against Texas Tech and Texas A&M in 2010-11, this season marks the third time in the last four years for SFA to play two Big XII opponents.
HOME NON-CONFERENCE: With a 3-0 start at home this season, SFA has now won 23 of its last 24 home, non-conference games, dating to the 2006-07 season. The only loss during that stretch is a two-point defeat against Texas Tech last season. The Lumberjacks are 53-4, overall, in home, non-conference games in 10-plus seasons under head coach Danny Kaspar.
PERFECT AT THE LINE: Freshman point guard Darius Gardner went 10-for-10 at the foul line in SFA's win over Longwood. That's the first time since the 2004-05 season a Lumberjack has hit at least 10 free throws in a single game without missing. Marcus Clark last accomplished that feat by going 11-for-11 at Sam Houston State in the 2004-05 season. That performance came right after a 15-for-15 showing by Clark at Louisiana-Monroe. In 10-plus seasons under head coach Danny Kaspar, SFA players have gone perfect in at least 10 attempts at the stripe only five times. Clark had three such games and Stevin Ozier did it once.
HIGH-SCORING: The 114 points SFA scored against Howard Payne marks the highest offensive output by a Lumberjack team in Danny Kaspar's 10-plus seasons as head coach. It's just the eighth time in Kaspar's tenure for the 'Jacks to break into triple-digits. The last time an SFA team scored more than 114 points was in the 1996-97 home opener when Derek Allister's squad beat Schreiner College, 138-69. Only that total and the 126 points SFA put up against Texas Wesleyan in the 1994-95 campaign top the Lumberjacks' output against Howard Payne in SFA's history at the Division I level.
MARGINAL: The 65-point margin of victory in SFA's 114-49 win over Howard Payne is the widest margin of Danny Kaspar's tenure and the biggest point spread for the 'Jacks since a 138-69 win over Schreiner College in 1994-95.
CENTER OF THE SCORING: Junior center Jereal Scott put up a career-high 27 points in the season opener against Howard Payne. That's the most points scored by a Lumberjack since Matt Kingsley -- Scott's predecessor at the five spot -- scored 29 in a win at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi during the 2007-08 season.
PARTY OF FIVE: SFA has put five players in double figures on two separate occasions this season. Against Howard Payne, Jereal Scott, Jordan Glynn, Eddie Williams, Amos Olatayo and Zac Downing all reached double digits. Glynn, Scott, Olatayo, Brandon Cutler and Dion Prewster all reached double figures against Science and Arts of Oklahoma. That feat has been achieved 17 times in Danny Kaspar's tenure as head coach. The 'Jacks put five in double figures only three times last season.
DOUBLING UP: Both Jordan Glynn and Jereal Scott had double-doubles against Howard Payne (Glynn 15p, 14r; Scott 27p, 10r). Two players recorded double-doubles in the same contest on three occasions last season. Glynn and Scott shared two double-double games, while Eddie Williams and Glynn shared one.
FRESH PERSPECTIVE: Freshman Amos Olatayo came off the bench for 10 points in SFA's win over Howard Payne. That marks the first time since the 2005-06 season for a Lumberjack freshman to reach double figures in the season opener. Josh Alexander was the last SFA rookie to achieve the feat, scoring 10 points in a road win over Tulsa.
BELOW FIFTY: SFA has held two opponents below 50 points so far this season. In 10-plus seasons under Danny Kaspar the Lumberjacks have held an opponent to 50 points or fewer on 44 occasions.
SEASON OPENERS: SFA is now 7-4 in season-opening games under head coach Danny Kaspar. The Lumberjacks have compiled a 12-13 record in season openers as a Division I program (since 1986-87 season). Under Kaspar, the Lumberjacks are 6-0 when opening the season at home and 11-6 in home season openers overall as a Division I program. SFA is 1-4 under Kaspar when opening on the road and is just 1-7, in all, as a Division I program when playing the season opener on the road. The Lumberjacks' only season-opening road win in the last 23 seasons was an 82-72 verdict at Tulsa to start the 2005-06 campaign.
HOME OPENER: SFA knocked off Howard Payne, 114-49, in the 2010-11 home opener. Head coach Danny Kaspar's teams are a perfect 11-0 in home openers at SFA. The last time an SFA team failed to win its home opener was a 67-55 loss to Texas A&M in 1998.
SAFE AT HOME: In nine-plus seasons under head coach Danny Kaspar, the Lumberjacks have compiled a 117-29 (.801) record in the William R. Johnson Coliseum. SFA is 313-120 (.723) all-time in the Coliseum. SFA finished with a 13-2 record in home games last season, marking the fifth straight campaign and the seventh time in eight years for the Lumberjacks to post double-digit wins at home.
EXPERIENCE: SFA has five returning players -- including four starters -- from last season. But with three of the five being junior college transfers in their second year with the Lumberjacks, SFA has only eight years of Division I basketball experience on the 2010-11 roster. That figure is tied for the 10th-fewest years of D-I experience in the nation. Eastern Washington has the fewest combined years of collegiate experience in the nation at four.
FRESH FACES: SFA has eight newcomers -- including transfer Mark Walton, who is redshirting -- on the roster for the 2010-11 season. That figure is tied for the fifth-highest number of first-year players during Danny Kaspar's tenure as head coach.
STEADY EDDIE: A back injury forced guard Eddie Williams to miss SFA's game against Texas College last season. That marked the first time in his career for Williams to miss action. He had played in all 76 games -- including 32 in each of his first two seasons -- coming into the contest against the Steers. He has now played in 101 total games with 60 starting appearances as a Lumberjack.
SITTIN' ON 20: With its victory against A&M-Corpus last year, SFA broke the 20-win barrier for the third consecutive season and the fifth time in Danny Kaspar's 10 years as head coach. Prior to Kaspar's tenure, the only 20-win season in the program's history at the Division I level was the 22-8 record put up by the 'Jacks in the 1986-87 campaign, the program's first as a D-I team.
FAST START: SFA entered Southland Conference play with double figures in the win column last season for just the second time in the program's Division I tenure. The Lumberjacks' only other 10-win pre-conference slate came in 2007-08, when they went 12-2 before opening league play.
-- SFA --
