January 16, 2013 Alex Brown

d.alex.brown@gmail.com

    With another deep run into the FCS playoffs for Georgia Southern football, we really haven’t discussed in detail the season thus far for Eagle basketball. Now that the calendar has hit January and spring semester has started at Georgia Southern, let’s get caught up with the action on the hardwood.
    As of Monday, Georgia Southern men’s basketball stands at 6-10 overall with an 0-3 mark in conference play — not exactly off to a quick start out of the gate.
    The Eagles’ two best wins have come over Virginia Tech and Georgia State. The others have come against Webber International, Kennesaw State, Brewton Parker and Mississippi Valley State — all teams the Eagles should be beating up on.
    Southern’s losses have come in mostly disappointing fashion. There have been teams on the schedule that, on paper, should have beaten the Eagles. Still, you’d like to see GSU be a little more competitive in games against teams like Maryland, Bradley and Valparaiso. Instead, those were all very lopsided losses.
    In games against the likes of Charlotte, UAB, North Florida and North Carolina A&T, I realize you can’t realistically expect to win them all, but I’d like to see Southern win more of these games.
    And then there are the conference games. These are the games that the non-conference portion of the schedule is supposed to be preparing the team for — and the Eagles are 0-3 against Elon, Samford and Wofford. They have plenty of ground to make up in SoCon play, but there’s a lot of season left. It’s time to turn it on.
    The Eagles are averaging 60.2 points per game, with Eric Ferguson leading the way individually with 14.6 per contest. Guards C.J. Reed and Tre Bussey are both averaging double figures at just over 11 points each. Ferguson also leads the team in rebounding with 7.9 per game.
    This is a huge week, as the Eagles host South division rivals Davidson, the College of Charleston and The Citadel. Davidson is a tall task, as always, who boasts a 4-0 conference record coming into Monday night’s contest with the Eagles and has won 11 straight over Georgia Southern.
    The College of Charleston is 3-1 in SoCon play and 11-5 overall, and The Citadel has struggled early on with a 3-11 mark overall and is winless in conference play. With all three games played in Hanner, I’d like to see Georgia Southern win at least two of them. We are about to find out what these Eagles are made of.
    Meanwhile, women’s basketball and first-year head coach Chris Vozab have had a rough start. After falling to Florida Atlantic and Georgia State in blowout fashion to open the season, the Eagles took some frustrations out on Kent State to the tune of a 24-point beating on Nov. 24. They didn't win again until Jan. 7 over Western Carolina.
    The women are currently 2-13 with a 1-5 mark in SoCon play. This team has only played four of its 15 games at home, which could factor into the slow start. This is also a first-year coaching staff, so the coaches and players have all had to learn to work with new people and a new system. Now that the season is about halfway done, this squad should be coming together. And getting to play some home games will help, too.
    Several of the losses have been heartbreakers: 48-44 to Mercer, 54-43 to George Mason, 58-56 to Charleston. Hopefully, some of these close ones will eventually start going Southern’s way.
    Mimi Dubose leads the team in scoring with 14.7 points per game, and Anna Claire Knight is the leading rebounder with 5.8 per contest.
    The women host Wofford Sunday at 2:30 p.m. before hitting the road next week for Greensboro and Elon.
    When Hanner Fieldhouse is full and the crowd is rowdy, it’s almost impossible for an opposing team to escape with a win. With four total home games, this is a huge week for Georgia Southern basketball — so don’t miss out!

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