Bobby Rose Legacy: In Pursuit of a Dynasty

[knox33]

Breaking News

After two weeks of interviewing candidates, Chancellor Tom Rakes and Athletic Director Phil Dane has announced their new head coach at the University of Tennessee at Martin. Thirty-year old Robert "Bobby" Rose comes to the University from Knoxville, TN where for the past five years has led up-start Tabernacle Christian to back-to-back state titles. He has also led his AAU team, the Tennessee Brotherhood, to National Recognition as well. Tabernacle Christian opened its doors five years ago and Bobby Rose built the program from the ground up. His up tempo game reaps benefits on both the offensive and defensive ends of the court. His success at Tabernacle Christian led to coaching the Tennessee Brotherhood deep into the AAU National Tournament and his connections as a recruiter spans throughout the state of Tennessee. He brings energy and commitment to a program that has never made its own conference tournament and has only recorded one winning season since becoming Division I eligible. Many believe he is a risky choice because he has no college experience, but he had enough confidence and charisma to make the Committee believe it can raise this program up from the dead.

Coach Rose comes to the University of Tennessee at Martin after Bret Campbell was fired after a turbulent 8-23 season along with a 5-15 conference record which put them in last place in the Ohio Valley Conference. Campbell was the head coach for the past 8 years and left with program with 7 new recruits and a career record of 86-142.

Coach Rose stated, "I have talked with the players over the past four days and three players have decided to transfer out and I have talked to them and will give them a release. Lester Hudson, Aaron Wilkins and Brandon Springer have decided to finish their careers at other Universities and my staff and I wish them the best. The rest of the team feels comfortable with the system that I run and know what is expected of them. There is a solid amount of talent on this roster and we will be able to compete in the Ohio Valley Conference. There's no doubt in my mind that this is going to be an uphill climb for this program, but we are committed to bringing competitive basketball to this University. West Tennessee is a hotbed for great talent in the future, but you will see a different program on the floor come this October."
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2007-2008 Tennessee-Martin Skyhawks

Roster
PF #0 Djero Riedewald 6'8" 220 lbs. (Netherlands) 61 overall JR
SG #1 Benzor Simmons 6'5" 215 lbs. (Miami, FL) 56 overall FR
PG #2 Carlose Wright 6'1" 180 lbs. (Gulfport, MS) 62 overall JR
PF #3 Gerald Robinson 6'9" 230 lbs. (Los Angeles, CA) 67 overall SR
SG #4 Marquis Weddle 6'1" 185 lbs. (Martin, TN) 60 overall FR
PG #10 Sam Pearson 6'2" 180 lbs. (St. Louis, MO) 59 overall FR
PF #21 Olajide Hay 6'6" 235 lbs. (Owensboro, KY) 62 overall JR
SG #22 Joe Bailey 6'2" 180 lbs. (Bowling Green, KY) 55 overall SO
SF #24 Daron Hood 6'7" 235 lbs. (Little Rock, AR) 59 overall FR
PF #25 Andres Irarrazabal 6'7" 235 lbs. (Fort Lauderdale, FL) 59 overall FR
SG #34 George Pruitt 6'5" 210 lbs. (St. Louis, MO) 63 overall JR

Coaches
Head Coach: Bobby Rose C (1st year)
Assistant: Carson Tamir C- (1st year)
Assistant: Julio Rushing C- (1st year)

[Deuce2223]

Looks good so far. Not a ton of big men, but if is like most of the other legacies going on at small schools 6'9 PF can be pretty decent down low. Good luck, looking forward to following.

[vols21]

welcome back Knox!! We missed ya!

[vikingfan1]

Welcome back Knox! I will be following of course.

[chestnutz6]

ahh, there he is. make sure to read up on the old brotherhood's legacies as well my friend! looks like you don't have many big men, but I doubt many teams in the conference do also.

[knox33]

Team Breakdown

Coach Rose explained this about his new team, "I understand that many alum and Skyhawk fans feel that I am not the right man for this job. I also understand that I am the fourth choice and three other candidates turned this job down because of the challenge it presents. I know the amount of talent this team has and I feel that we can compete with other teams in the Ohio Valley Conference. Coach Campbell brought in seven new players this year. This will be a new team and a new look for everyone. There are only four players back from last year's team and only of these players actually played while the other two took medical redshirt years."

Coach Rose explained, "Among the seven newcomers, three are JUCO transfers and four are true freshmen. The prized recruit from this class is Marquis Weddle who was Tennessee's Mr. Basketball as a high school senior. He is the hometown hero that will be looked upon to change the outlook of this program. The kid is solid on both ends of the floor and has decent athleticism and good basketball IQ."

The player that Rose will lean heavily on is Gerald Robinson. "Gerald is a guy that has size and range. He led the team in scoring and rebounding last year and will shift from his natural position of power forward and will play the 5 for us. I think he will be happy with the adjustment because it will cause plenty of match-up problems for other teams. He's not overly athletic, but he has mental toughness and a will to win. He's our lone senior and I expect great things out of him."

Rose had this to say about team play. "We have to play to our strengths and that is quickness. We have several guards on this team and not much height. I explained to the team that until they learn how to play solid man-to-man defense, they can expect to play a Syracuse style 2-3 zone. Hopefully this will keep us from getting manhandled in the post. Look for us to play more of an uptempo style of ball with intense defense. I look forward to our first game against Memphis in the 2K Sports Hoops Classic Tournament."
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2007-2008 All-Americans

1st Team
PG Darron Collison (UCLA)
SG Chris Lofton (Tennessee)
SF Martin Zeno (Texas Tech)
PF Tyler Hansborough (UNC)
C Roy Hibbert (Georgetown)

2nd Team
PG Sean Singletary (UVA)
SG Kyle Weaver (Washington State)
SF P.J. Couisnard (Witchita State)
PF Kyle Hines (UNC-Greensboro)
C Aleks Maric (Nebraska)
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Top 10 Media Poll

1. Kansas
2. UNC
3. UCLA
4. Tennessee
5. Georgetown
6. Michigan State
7. Arkansas
8. Memphis
9. Marquette
10. Louisville
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OVC Preseason Rankings

1. Austin Peay
2. Tennessee Tech
3. SE Missouri
4. Eastern Illinois
5. Eastern Kentucky
6. Murray State
7. Jacksonville State
8. Tennessee State
9. Samford
10. Morehead State
11. UT-Martin

[knox33]

Looks good so far. Not a ton of big men, but if is like most of the other legacies going on at small schools 6'9 PF can be pretty decent down low. Good luck, looking forward to following.
Thanks. Yeah we are slim on the post. My 6'9 PF is going to be my most lethal weapon because the guy can drain the trey. He's my Larry Birdesque type of player. Size, range, heart, hustle, and little athleticism. I like him already.

welcome back Knox!! We missed ya!
Welcome back Knox! I will be following of course.
ahh, there he is. make sure to read up on the old brotherhood's legacies as well my friend! looks like you don't have many big men, but I doubt many teams in the conference do also.
Guys, it's always good to be back. I finally have time to do this. Of course, I'll be following all of your alls legacies as well!

[Deuce2223]

Always nice to have a big man that hit 3's. I recruited a 3* SF that was 6'9 that was like that. I moved him to PF his junior and senior year to make room for a 5* JC SF, but he still was by far my best 3pt shooter. and led my team in scoring all 4 years, it was sad to see him go.

[CincyFan]

I know i haven't been on lately but didn't see you posted this one. So good you finally have time now to play this game it is a good one. Would say good luck, but we all know your track record ohh so well.

One thing you love the Ohio Valley Conference don't you?

[knox33]

Midnight Madness

10/29- Blue and White Scrimmage

Blue: 48 White: 33

With the crowd in complete anticipation, the few faithful Skyhawk fans came into Skyhawk arena to see what type of team their young, new coach could field. This looked like a completely new team for every fan in the arena. With only four familiar faces on the floor, there were many fans ready to see what Marquis Weddle would bring to the team.

The scrimmage was defense oriented and both teams were trying to shake off the rust of the summer. "This team will be built on defense and that's what the coaching staff and I are trying to instill in them," explained Coach Rose. Senior, Gerald Robinson looked solid by leading the Blue team with 15 points and connecting on 3 treys. Marquis Weddle added 12 points in a winning effort for the Blue team as well. Daron Hood has come back from a medical redshirt year and played solid with 10 points for his Gold squad and Joe Bailey added 9 points all from three-point range.

Coach Rose reported, "The team is learning at the pace that staff and I want and we are wanting to make give this town something to be excited about. We are thankful for the fans that showed up and hope more will come for our opening game against Memphis in the 2K Sports Hoops Classic Tournament at the FedEx Forum. We have some great players and the season looks bright."
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#8 Memphis Manhandles the Skyhawks

11/5 @ #8 Memphis (0-0)

Final: 68-92

In the opening game of the 2K Sports Hoops Classic Tournament, the hosting Memphis Tigers came out blazing. "Even with some of our fans making the short trip to Memphis, we still didn't get a good rhythm going from the tip off and they dominated us on the boards. Derrick Rose is everything he was hyped up to be and more and Chris Douglas-Roberts scorched us with 17 points in the first half. But we had some bright spots in the game. Gerald was aggressive for us tonight and Marquis showed that he is going to be something special for this program for years to come. He held his own against one of the nation's best freshmen. The team collectively helped contain Douglas-Roberts in the 2nd half, but they just had too many weapons. This isn't exactly how I hoped we would start our season. We definitely have a lot to work on, but we have much to build on as well. The staff and I will use the next couple of weeks to prepare for Mississippi State."

Skyhawks Key Players:
Gerald Robinson- 14 points, 10 rebounds
Marquis Weddle- 11 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists

Memphis Key Players:
Christ Douglas-Roberts- 19 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 6 steals
Derrick Rose- 12 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals

The Bobby Rose era begins 0-1.
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Recruiting Central

In a recent interview with 2kprep.com analyst, Ray Marion, Coach Bobby Rose addressed his needs for his team. Marion commented, "It's no secret Coach Rose is trying to find solid big men that will fit into his system. There are several different prospects that he has been in contact with and it has been brought to my attention that he is even trying to sway some international recruits. Obviously, the NCAA prohibits coaches from talking about unsigned prospects, but my sources have released information on the targets Coach Rose and Assistants Tamir and Rushing have been in contact with."

SF Bruno Huertas 6'10" 241 lbs. (Brazil; #78 overall, #25 SF) 4*
C Chris Pelle 6'10" 220 lbs. (Cameroon; #94 overall, #12 C) 4*
C Filiberto North 7'0" 231 lbs. (Milwaukee, WI; #190 overall, #26 C) 3*
SF Jon Drabyn 6'8" 222 lbs. (Memphis, TN; #225 overall, #58 SF) 3*
C Robert Hairston 6'7" 199 lbs. (Racine, WI; #235 overall, #32 C) 3*
C Gilbert Laurelin 7'0" 271 lbs. (Memphis, TN; #285 overall, #46 C) 3*
C Hatila Sneed 6'9" 222 lbs. (Montgomery, AL; #309 overall, #48 C) 3*
C Oscar Eppenhimer 6'11" 240 lbs. (Cedar Rapids, IA; JUCO SO) 3*

[knox33]

Always nice to have a big man that hit 3's. I recruited a 3* SF that was 6'9 that was like that. I moved him to PF his junior and senior year to make room for a 5* JC SF, but he still was by far my best 3pt shooter. and led my team in scoring all 4 years, it was sad to see him go.
Yeah, I think it will be sad once my guy leaves too. Hopefully, I can bag some of this talent for next season. I'm going the hard route this year. I'm not going to jack up my charisma with my points, but I'm going to put them toward being a better developer and bench coach. I'm going to try to make it a little more realistic this year because I used to bag All-Americans at Morehead State in last year's game.

I know i haven't been on lately but didn't see you posted this one. So good you finally have time now to play this game it is a good one. Would say good luck, but we all know your track record ohh so well.

One thing you love the Ohio Valley Conference don't you?

Yeah, it's good to be able to relax for a while. Hopefully, I can put a little magic into this season as in past legacies. Oh yeah, I'm a sucker for the OVC. I like the Southern Conference, but with the type of talent my team has, I figured that I could work the conference from a different angle this year. I think I'll get my fair share of recruits, but I don't think I'll be pulling in any type of Top 15 type of players with my game plan.

[jjredick4]

i'm followin'

[Deuce2223]

Where did you go?? Figured you need a bump.

[Deuce2223]

Where did you go?? Figured you need a bump.

[Wildcats23]

Sounds pretty sweet. Im following!!

[abbottgamer]

I'll follow

[knox33]

Top 10 Recruits in America

Analyst Ray Marion released 2kprep.com's list of Top 10 Recruits in the Nation. Marion states, "These young men are the best of the best in the nation. They are going to be difference makers to whichever program that they commit to. These consensus All-Americans are all the top players from their respective states. This is the year of the small forwards. Six of the top ten recruits are projected as small forwards because of their versatility. However, these athletic players can play many spots on the floor. "

1. SF Arizona Lambert 6'9" 215 lbs. (Los Angeles, CA)
2. SF Silver Vrzina 6'9" 228 lbs. (Washington, DC)
3. SF Travis Malone 6'9" 201 lbs. (Chicago, IL)
4. SG Duncan Low 6'4" 216 lbs. (Washington, DC)
5. C Demond Woodward 6'10" 241 lbs. (Oakland, CA)
6. SF Dana Bowers 6'10" 241 lbs. (Gary, IN)
7. SG Eddie Wong 6'4" 202 lbs. (Brooklyn, NY)
8. SF Norman Little 6'8" 228 lbs. (Corpus Christi, TX)
9. PF Warren Grizzard 6'9" 242 lbs. (Dallas, TX)
10. SF Gus Moody 6'9" 242 lbs. (Lubbuck, TX)
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Skyhawks Upset the #14 Team in the Nation

11/17 @ #14 Mississippi State (2-0)

Final: 93-88

After being blasted by the Memphis Tigers in the 2K Sports Hoops Classic Tournament, the Skyhawk coaching staff studied Mississippi State game tape and took the next two weeks to get them prepared. Coach Rose commented, "We came into a hostile environment and played one heck of a game. We made a run and we hit some big shots when it counted. After our poor performance against Memphis, I think they were looking over us and we played a competitive game and they weren't ready for that." Coach Stansbury explained, "They came out of the gate running and made an impressive run to start the game. They defended us well and we made a run of our own at the end, but Jamont (Gordon) couldn't hit the three to send us into overtime and they hit their free throws to close us out. This loss definitely leaves a sour taste in our mouths." This win denotes Coach Rose's first victory in the college ranks and perhaps the biggest win in Skyhawk history by knocking off the #14 team in the nation on the road.

Skyhawk Key Players:
Gerald Robinson- 22 points, 6 rebounds
George Pruitt- 11 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists
Daron Hood- 14 points, 2 rebounds
Joe Bailey- 15 points

Mississippi State Key Players:
Charles Rhodes- 15 points, 16 rebounds
Jamont Gordon- 23 points, 5 rebounds
Barry Stewart- 22 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists

Tennessee-Martin is now 1-1.
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Skyhawks Fall in Two Overtimes

11/29 @ Arkansas State (3-2)

Final: 98-104 (2 OT)

This game had all the makings of a classic tonight as the Skyhawks visited Arkansas State. Both teams battled back and for and it looked as if the Skyhawks would win their second straight game, but Adrian Banks forced overtime by nailing a 17 foot jumper as time expired. The first overtime period went back and forth and it seemed as if all hope was lost for the Skyhawks. Coach Rose explained, "We were down by three and we had 12 seconds left in overtime. I knew the Gerald (Robinson) was on from beyond the arc and it was definitely a mismatch so we ran a play to screen for Gerald and he nailed it to send us into double-overtime." The 2nd overtime did not fare so well for the Skyhawks. After going back and forth, the Skyhawks were forced to foul in the waning moments. Coach Rose pointed out, "Once we started fouling, they hit their free throws and we started jacking up threes. That's a bad combination to try and win a game. We fought hard and I think we just need a little more time to work some kinks out in our game plan, but overall I believe this experience will help us down the road. But there's no doubt this was a tough loss for us." The Skyhawks have only two days to bounce back until they play St. Peter's College.

Skyhawk Key Players:
Gerald Robinson- 24 points, 8 rebounds
Marquis Weddle- 16 points, 2 rebounds
Olajide Hay- 14 points, 6 rebounds

Arkansas State Key Players:
Adrian Banks- 35 points, 3 rebounds, 6 assists
Abayomi Ajasin- 20 points, 12 rebounds, 5 blocks

Tennessee-Martin falls to 1-2.

[knox33]

i'm followin'
Sounds pretty sweet. Im following!!
I'll follow

Guys, appreciate it!

[wsu_zags]

Beautiful win over Miss St. and sorry about the double OT loss, thats though on your guys confidence to loose like that after such a great win.

[knox33]

Skyhawks Bounce Back to Win on the Road

12/1 @ St. Peter's (2-3)

Final: 85-76

Coach Rose stated, "As expected, our lone senior is stepping up his game and this is definitely his team. What has been unexpected is that freshman Marquis Weddle is stepping up to become a leader on this team. He and George Pruitt have been a great combination. George has had to slide from his natural position of shooting guard to small forward to accommodate Marquis. The transition has been smooth. These players led the way tonight and have meshed together quickly to pick up another solid win on the road." The Skyhawks battled back from being down by 7 points at the half. They made key defensive stands and nailed some tough shots to pull away in the final minutes of the game. A week from tonight, the team will play in their home opener at Skyhawk Arena to open up conference play against Jacksonville State.

Skyhawk Key Players:
Gerald Robinson- 17 points, 5 rebounds
Marquis Weddle- 13 points, 4 assists
George Pruitt- 10 points, 4 rebounds

St. Peter's Key Players:
Raul Orta- 25 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists
Todd Sowell- 10 points, 10 rebounds, 3 blocks

Tennessee-Martin is now 2-2.
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Recruiting Central

Signing Day

2kprep.com analyst Ray Marion has been informed that Coach Bobby Rose did not receive any commitments to begin the early signing period and it seems as though all of his recruits will wait until the Spring Signing Period to make their college decisions. However one of the targets is off the board. Marion commented, "Big man Filiberto North has signed his letter of intent to play for Matt Painter and the Purdue Boilermakers." Of the remaining prospects on Coach Rose's list, Marion broke down each player and the likelihood of a commitment.

SF Bruno Huertas 6'10" 241 lbs. (Brazil; #78 overall, #25 SF) 4*- He is a top 100 recruit that is not out of reach for Coach Rose. Not much is known about international recruits, but game tape reveals that he has solid offensive skills as well as a solid knowledge of the game. Surprisingly, he is showing medium interest in the program, but sources say he is talking weekly with the coaching staff.

C Chris Pelle 6'10" 220 lbs. (Cameroon; #94 overall, #12 C) 4*- Another top 100 recruit that is a mystery to many. He is a bouncy big man that shows good athleticism, but has much to learn about the game and needs to develop a rebounding game. He is showing little interest in the program.

SF Jon Drabyn 6'8" 222 lbs. (Memphis, TN; #225 overall, #58 SF) 3*- Drabyn is a local product out of Memphis and is heavily looking at the Skyhawks and Arkansas-Pine Bluff. This is a dead heat between the programs. He is a big man that shows some athleticism, but has problems rebounding and shooting. He needs to work on his quickness as well.

C Robert Hairston 6'7" 199 lbs. (Racine, WI; #235 overall, #32 C) 3*- Hairston is an undersized big man that could compete in a small conference. Although he is slim, he can bang the boards and has a decent knowledge of the game. He is Loyola-Illinois' target to loose at this point.

C Gilbert Laurelin 7'0" 271 lbs. (Memphis, TN; #285 overall, #46 C) 3*- Laurelin is a monster with his size, but he brings little offensive skills to the table. He is a solid rebounder and a decent prospect. Sources say this local talent is Coach Rose's top target at the center position and at this point has the Skyhawks at the top of his list.

C Hatila Sneed 6'9" 222 lbs. (Montgomery, AL; #309 overall, #48 C) 3*- Sneed is an intriguing prospect. He is slim at the post and is an average offensive player, but this player has a high basketball IQ and makes up in hustle what he lacks in athleticism. Reportedly, he is the Skyhawks second option at the post and he is showing the most interest in Alcorn State.

C Oscar Eppenhimer 6'11" 240 lbs. (Cedar Rapids, IA; JUCO SO) 3*- Although Eppenhimer will be coming into a program more mature, Coach Rose reports that solid JUCO talent is a last resort for him unless they will immediately help team needs. He is a solid prospect that lacks hustle, but is a solid rebounder and offensive player. Eppenhimer is closely looking at Alabama A&M as well as Alcorn State.

[knox33]

Beautiful win over Miss St. and sorry about the double OT loss, thats though on your guys confidence to loose like that after such a great win.

It seemed as though the loss knocked the wind out of our sail because the win was so attainable. I'm glad the players stepped it back up and got a solid road win before conference play opens up.

[Deuce2223]

Nothing like going big when it comes to recruiting. Lets just hope you can add a few of those guys. How many scholarships do you actually have??

[knox33]

Skyhawks Impress Fans with Home-Opener Win

12/8 vs. Jacksonville State (2-3)

Final: 100-84

Coach Rose's Skyhawk team looked quite different than the team he brought in for the Blue and White game. "We are running a little better with our conditioning and we playing smarter defense. Half-court defense made the difference tonight. Because we lack height, we've been implementing a 2-3 zone and doubling up on the post. We give up a lot of outside shots, but we fight hard for rebounds. Of course we adjusted when they started nailing their shots, but I think the whole team did a great job of playing their game." Jacksonville State did not start the game off hot and ended up going into the locker room at half-time down by 13 points. They were only able to bring the game within 7 points before Gerald Robinson started launching shots from beyond the arc to keep the game out of reach. The Skyhawks will square off against Morehead State next week in their second game of conference play.

Skyhawk Key Players:
Gerald Robinson- 30 points, 8 rebounds, 2 blocks
George Pruitt- 13 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists
Daron Hood- 12 points, 3 rebounds

Jacksonville State Key Players:
Will Ginn- 20 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists
Erik Adams- 16 points, 6 rebounds, 5 steals

Tennessee-Martin is now 3-2 (1-0).
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Skyhawks Run Away with Win

12/17 @ Morehead State (1-6)

Final: 91-78

Before the game, Coach Rose explained, "The Eagles are gonna be a dangerous team when they start clicking. They have a lot of solid pieces to their puzzle, but they just haven't put them all together yet and hopefully this isn't the game when they do." As Coach Rose hoped, the Eagles did not take off tonight either shooting a cold 33% from the field for the entire game. Morehead's coach Donnie Tyndale commented, "We made a few good runs tonight, but we just came up short in the end. I give Coach Rose credit for the job he is doing with his team and I look forward to playing them later this season." Gerald Robinson and Joe Bailey used their hot shooting to make the difference in this game. Coach Rose stated, "Gerald is our most consistent player so far, but when Joe (Bailey) gets going he's hard to cool off. He's one of the most gifted shooter that I've ever coached and one of the better shooters in this conference. So far he's understood his role and has performed well at it." The Skyhawks will travel to the bright lights of Las Vegas to square off against the Running Rebels of UNLV.

Skyhawk Key Players:
Gerald Robinson- 25 points, 6 rebounds
Joe Bailey- 18 points (6-13 3-point FGs)

Morehead State Key Players:
Maze Stallworth- 17 points, 2 rebounds
Kenneth Faried- 10 points, 8 rebounds, 2 blocks

Tennessee-Martin is now 4-2 (2-0).
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Skyhawks Win on Last Second Shot

12/22 @ UNLV (6-3)

Final: 76-75

The Skyhawks battled back after being down by 15 points and got within reach to win the game with only 7.3 seconds remaining. Coach Rose explained, "Gerald (Robinson) wasn't having the best of games up to that point and was getting frustrated throughout the game. Marquis (Weddle) and George (Pruitt) stepped up and brought us back and tied up the game with 28 seconds to go. We tried to steal the inbounds pass, but they advanced the ball and was setting up their half-court offense when Carlos (Wright) got a little too excited and fouled Lamar Roberson. I couldn't believe he missed his second free throw and I knew we had a chance to win it all. Gerald had been jacking up three's the whole game and only managed to hit 1 out of 6. We drew up the play for him to pop out on the wing and hit a double screen to either pop the three or drive in the lane. I had enough confidence in him to shoot the three, but encouraged him to drive if he could. When Gerald got the ball, he went through the screens and drove into the lane and nailed an 8 foot fade away. It wasn't exactly what we drew up, but he's the leader of this team and I trusted his judgment. I'm just glad he made the right decision. That’s what being a senior leader is all about. This is a huge win against a great team. We are just glad we came out of here with a win because we definitely stole this one." The Skyhawks will travel to Nashville next week to take on the Vanderbilt Commodores. Coach Rose just found out Vanderbilt just lost 72-75 to conference member Tennessee State tonight as well.

Skyhawk Key Players:
Gerald Robinson- 15 points, 6 rebounds (GW field-goal at buzzer)
Marquis Weddle- 16 points
George Pruitt- 11 points, 2 rebounds

UNLV Key Player:
Lamar Roberson- 28 points, 4 rebounds

Tennessee-Martin is now 5-2 (2-0).

[knox33]

Nothing like going big when it comes to recruiting. Lets just hope you can add a few of those guys. How many scholarships do you actually have??

Right now it's about getting the best player available. I understand its going to be an uphill battle right now trying to steal away solid prospects. With my three schollys, I'm probably going to look at bagging two centers (seeing that there are none on the roster) and a small forward (I have a frosh SF, but he's too slow to start right now). If I can land a few solid prospects, I think I can string together a decent squad.

[wsu_zags]

very nice run, with an excellent win @ UNLV, those are the type of games that make it all worth it. probably gonna have a tough game against Vandy after them loosing to a team in your conference already. Hopefully your guys feed of that UNLV in that game.

[chestnutz6]

good start coach, had to be weird playing against your old morehead

[knox33]

Skyhawk Magic in Memorial

12/29 @ Vanderbilt (8-2)

Final: 83-80

Just one week after losing to the OVC's Tennessee State 72-75, Vanderbilt ran into another OVC roadblock in the form of the Tennessee-Martin Skyhawks. Coach Kevin Stallings commented, "They are a talented team and a lot of their players played the games of their lives. They had several guys step up for them and they definitely took us by surprise. We never thought the game was out of reach when they jumped out with an early lead, but we had trouble establishing our offense in the late stages of the game. It's something we will work on in the future." Shan Foster was scorching hot in the first half with 19 points, but halftime adjustments cooled him off. Sophomore Joe Bailey showed his shooting ability by nailing 6 three pointers while Gerald Robinson came up big with the eventual game winning three pointer with 7.9 seconds remaining in the game.

Skyhawk Key Players:
Gerald Robinson- 16 points, 10 rebounds
Joe Bailey- 18 points
Marquis Weddle- 12 points

Vanderbilt Key Players:
Shan Foster- 21 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists
Alex Gordon- 16 points, 5 assists

Tennessee-Martin is now 6-2 (2-0).
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Skyhawks Fall in OT

1/3 vs. Austin Peay (9-4; 1-2 OVC)

Final: 80-82 (OT)

The Austin Peay Governors were underdogs last season, but won the regular season title and was a last second shot away from winning the conference tournament. This season Dave Loos and company are the heavy favorites to win it all and they made their case in a huge road win against the Skyhawks. Coach Rose explained, "Everybody knew this would be a big game. They are the favorites in the conference and we are just trying to establish ourselves this year as a solid program. We were in it from the tip off to the final buzzer and this is a tough loss for our guys because they played their hearts out. We didn't make the stop at regulation with (Fernandez) Lockett tying the game up with the put back at the buzzer. Gerald (Robinson) and George (Pruitt) had the hot hands throughout the game, but when it came down to it I wanted Gerald to take the last shot. I asked the team if we wanted to force another overtime or win it all and we decided to go for the win. The play was executed almost to perfection, but Gerald's shot just didn't go down. We have nothing to be ashamed of and I'm confident we'll bounce back." Tonight's loss breaks the Skyhawks 5 game winning streak.

Skyhawk Key Players:
Gerald Robinson- 20 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists
George Pruitt- 23 points, 8 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 assists
Joe Bailey- 11 points

Austin Peay Key Players:
Fernandez Lockett- 12 points, 11 rebounds (game-tying tip at regulation)
Kyle Duncan- 18 points, 6 rebounds
Todd Babington- 16 points, 3 rebounds

Tennessee-Martin falls to 6-3 (2-1).
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Robinson Leads Team to Victory

1/5 vs. Samford (5-5; 2-2 OVC)

Final: 74-60

Coach Rose explained, "Samford likes to play a deliberate half-court offense and it was our game plan to push the ball. We felt that we had a little speed on them and it ended up working out for us in the long run." Gerald Robinson heated up in the first half and helped the Skyhawks take a comfortable double-digit lead, but the Bulldogs rallied to cut it to 6 points with a 1:22 remaining. Robinson cleaned up the glass on the defensive end and nailed a three with a minute left in the game. That shot seemed to be the killer of the opposition's momentum and the Skyhawks used free throws to seal the deal. "We knew we needed a win after losing to Austin Peay. This game definitely gave us a little more confidence. I felt like I let the team down in that game and I wanted to bounce back with a statement tonight," added Robinson in a post game interview. Tonight notes his 3rd double-double of the season.

Skyhawk Key Players:
Gerald Robinson- 21 points, 11 rebounds
Marquis Weddle- 18 points, 4 assists
George Pruitt- 11 points

Samford Key Players:
Joe Ross Merritt- 16 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists
Savoy Fraine- 11 points, 7 rebounds

Tennessee-Martin is now 7-3 (3-1).

[knox33]

very nice run, with an excellent win @ UNLV, those are the type of games that make it all worth it. probably gonna have a tough game against Vandy after them loosing to a team in your conference already. Hopefully your guys feed of that UNLV in that game.
Thanks. The team was fortunate to get a big road win off of Vandy, but it sucks that we dropped a home game to Austin Peay in OT. It looks like overtime doesn't like this squad. Seems like we win the games we aren't supposed to and lose the games we're supposed to win. Go figure.
good start coach, had to be weird playing against your old morehead
Thanks chestnutz. Good to see you around. It was weird playing against the good ole Eagles. Hopefully, I can put a little magic into this squad like I did with them. There was definitely a little bit of nostalgia playing that game though!

[CincyFan]

this is the knox I know and his multiple game post. Glad to see that you are back now. Unlike some people who are waiting to hear what your recruits you can get I am not worried cause I know your track records speak for themselves.

Question though? which game do you like better? This year or last's?

[knox33]

Press Conference

Coach Rose explained to the media that he feels his team has the potential to win the OVC. "We haven't hit our full potential, but I feel like we've seen glimpses of it. No one thought we would go on the road and beat the likes of Mississippi State or Vanderbilt. We have shown that we can compete, but what we haven't shown is consistency," commented Rose.

He went on to say, "Tomorrow night, we are playing one of the best teams in the OVC in Tennessee State. They are known for bringing in big crowds and they definitely have a dynamite player in Bruce Price. Our number one priority is to keep him from getting hot because that team plays off of his ability to create and score. I am thrilled that our team had as much success in our non-conference schedule as we did, but that doesn't mean a thing now. We've proved that we can play, but there is no more element of surprise or mystery about us to our opponent. Now we have to prove we belong in this conference because this program has annually been the weakest team in the OVC. We still have a lot to prove."
--------------------------------------------------------------
Skyhawks Hold on for the Win

1/7 @ Tennessee State (8-3; 4-0 OVC)

Final: 70-68

Tonight's match up has been much hyped since both teams beat Vanderbilt on the road. The Tigers came into the contest with a conference best 4-0 record. Coach Rose commented, "Coach Alexander has done a great job so far this year. I knew coming into this game that it was going to be a battle to the end. They have so many weapons and it was crucial for us to match them point for point and try to make some stops. They are definitely talented and we knew this could get outta hand if we didn't bring our 'A' game. This is such a great win for this team on the road against this type of crowd." Fortunately, the Skyhawks did bring their 'A' game tonight as they barely held onto the lead in the final seconds of the game to take the win on the road. Gerald Robinson struggled from the field, but junior George Pruitt came up big for the team in the 2nd half and showed his defensive prowess by contesting Bruce Price's three pointer that would have won the game.

Skyhawk Key Players:
Gerald Robinson- 16 points, 8 rebounds
George Pruitt- 13 points, 2 assists, 3 steals

Tennessee State Key Players:
Andrae Belton- 20 points, 7 rebounds, 7 steals, 3 assists
Bruce Price- 14 points, 5 assists, 4 steals

Tennessee-Martin is now 8-3 (4-1).
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Missed Opportunity Yields Loss

1/10 @ Eastern Illinois (6-8; 3-4 OVC)

Final: 54-56

"There's no doubt about it. Any team is susceptible to defeat if they do not come ready to play. I felt like we didn't come out hard and play the type of basketball that won us 8 games so far. No disrespect to Eastern Illinois because they beat us and we have no excuse, but the guys looked at their record and looked back on who they have already beaten this season. We overlooked these guys and you just can't do that in conference play," expressed a frustrated Coach Rose after the game. Eastern Illinois did a fine job of slowing down the pace of the game and running a half-court offense that survived on three-pointers and back door cuts. On the defensive end, the Panthers clogged the lane and defended the perimeter well. When asked what lost this game for his team, Coach Rose simply stated, "Lazy play. Even playing as bad as we did, we still had a chance to win the game. We came out of the huddle and we couldn't even execute the play. Instead of taking the shot, Gerald (Robinson) passed it and Marquis (Weddle) took a heavily contested shot to tie the game. There is no excuse for this type of performance and we are going to have to come better prepared for the next game."

Skyhawk Key Players:
Gerald Robinson- 21 points, 11 rebounds
George Pruitt- 10 points, 4 assists

Eastern Illinois Key Players:
Matt Dorlack- 10 points, 8 rebounds
Freddie Perry- 13 points, 6 assists, 3 rebounds

Tennessee-Martin falls to 8-4 (4-2).

[knox33]

this is the knox I know and his multiple game post. Glad to see that you are back now. Unlike some people who are waiting to hear what your recruits you can get I am not worried cause I know your track records speak for themselves.

Question though? which game do you like better? This year or last's?

I think I have a good chance of landing some solid talent this year, but I think it will take me a little while longer to bring this team into the spotlight unlike Morehead in last year's game. As for your other question, I like this year's game better and I hope this isn't the last 2K College Hoops game with all the speculation on the board about EA. It will be a sad day when 2K can't produce the best college game franchise because EA has monopolized the industry. EA March Madness has no where near the fluidity of gameplay as 2K does. The only thing EA's MM has on 2K is that they have a slightly better college atmosphere in their games, but other than that they are extremely weak in comparison.

[Superjames1992]

We all need you back Knox! Without you, the college hoops board seems like there is a little something missing... :(

[Deuce2223]

Have to agree, when I saw his legacy back up at the top, I thought maybe he was back. Guess it was just another fan missing what once was a great legacy in 2k7

[CityMiller]

wow, this is a very in depth legacy thread. good job knox, i might just have to follow in your footsteps and put this style towards my Bears in N. Colorado ( we're 14-1 so far). looking at your season though, little losses like that last one can't compare to the wins over miss st. or vandy but when your look at how your players palyed, you're right in believing that it was a big loss. keep it up and good luck in the OVC