On a slow Christmas week, a lot of action was taking place right here in Kings County where the Barclays Center played host to yet another major college basketball double header following the arena’s CBS Sports Classic this past weekend.
In the first contest, Saint Joseph senior leader Isaiah Miles let it rain, scoring 36 points and grabbing 15 rebounds in leading the Hawks to a convincing 79-62 win over Virginia Tech. In doing so, the 6-7 swing man showed he possibly has enough talent to play at the next level.
Saint Joe’s has now won 5 games in a row and showcased how this Atlantic 10 team will be a certified contender once the season winds down. Head Coach Phil Martelli has does done a wonderful job with this program, where he has been since 1995. As one of the most underrated coaches in the nation, it is easy for Saint Joe’s and Martelli to not receive some of the recognition that they deserve. For those in the know however, it is understood why Saint Joe’s is such a serious threat when tournament time begins.
For Virginia Tech, this is going to be a long season. After watching them play yesterday afternoon, it is pretty clear that this they are going to have a rude awakening when ACC play begins after the new year. Defensively, Virginia Tech has to figure out how to actually get stops. They allow way too many second chance points and they seem to lack a real sense of toughness. Head coach Buzz Williams has his work cut of for him as he tries to get this program turned around.
in the second game the red hot Fordham Rams made their way from the Bronx to Brooklyn for a showdown with the Boston College Eagles. In a closely contested battle, BC was able to get a much needed win, beating Fordham 64-55 and improving to 6-6. Right now, BC is the only team in the ACC without a winning record. Jermoe Robinson, easily their best player, led the way for BC with 19 points to help them get their third straight win. The Freshman has been very consistent for the Eagles this year, and they will need to depend on him as the season progresses.
Boston college was fortunate to get the win in a game where they faced much weaker competition. Just like conference rival Virginia Tech, BC is going to have a rough time competing in the ACC this season. This won’t just happen this year, but could continue for several years to get the Eagles on par to compete with the top dogs in their conference. Maybe they will find some quality talent , sooner than later, but right now, the BC basketball program is lackluster at best.
Fordham should have no business putting their heads down because they played with a lot of pride on Tuesday and the season has to continue for the 9-2 Rams. They will enjoy some off time and then they have a match-up with George Washington, who is ranked 20th in the nation. If things continue the way that they have gone for these Rams, who knows, maybe they will be able to compete in the Atlantic 10 conference.
