Cinco de starters-o: Tennessee State

by:Thomas Beisner12/22/08
Whoa!  Wait a second.  We can start a game without this post!  Unfortunately, my Wildcat brothers and sisters, Mr. Hilbert has encountered some travel difficulties so you are a) stuck with me doing a bad impression and b) stuck with the shortest and most rushed post in the history of the website.  Maybe. But, as usual, take a peak below to get yourself briefed on tonight's opponent and, should you still be fiending for more info on the Tennessee State University Tigers, check out the most boring coach's show of all-time.  Let's do this: #22 Gerald Robinson Jr., 6′0”, G, Sophomore 2008-09 Stats: 18.7 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 4.2 apg Robinson is the playmaker for the Tigers.  But, these plays that are being made are partially because, well, he's always trying to make plays.  Robinson's 18.7 ppg are certainly impressive, but he's taken nearly double the shots of his next closest teammate and is shooting 38.7% from the field and is only 7 of 36 from downtown (19.4%).  Robinson puts up points, but he's never had to go against a Stabil-Stabilzer, baby. #04 Jeremiah Crutcher, 5′10”, G, Junior 2008-09 Stats: 2.6 ppg, 3.1 apg Crutcher is pretty much starting because he's one of the few guard types that the Tigers have.  The JUCO transfer's bio claims that he got several SEC and OVC offers, but seeing his stellar stats so far, I'd assume that he was either offered by Auburn or there was some urban legend about Roy Williams offering him, so another school got involved.  Just a hunch.  Dude shoots 22% from the field and 23% from behind the arc.  He's consistently not a good shooter. #20 Darius Cox, 6′7”, F, Sophomore 2008-09 Stats: 13.3 ppg, 7.2 rpg Cox enters the game as the second-leading rebounder and third-leading scorer for the Tigers and has started every game.  He will essentially be their "3" man, but he's another guy who is going to do his damage inside the arc.  He started 24 games last year as a freshman and, unfortunately, is not part of a cleverly-named twin duo of Darius and Varius.  The latter would describe my ex-girlfriend's college dating habits.  Still bitter. #40 Stephen Evans, 6′8”, F, Senior 2008-09 Stats: 9.3 ppg, 7.1 rpg  Evans, a junior college transfer, is a physical player who gets after the boards hard, but has a tendency to foul. He's improved his offensive game a bit, doubling his JUCO average, but he still remains a fairly limited player. He also writes science fiction and romance novels. #03 Jerrell Houston, 6′8”, F, Senior 2008-09 Stats: 14.6 ppg, 7.4 rpg . Houston is a transfer from Mississippi State and was ranked as the 106th best player in the class of 2005 by Rivals.  Houston played only half a season in Starkville, averaging 2.3 points and 2.2 rebounds in 13 games.  The Tigers' second-leading scorer isn't a threat from downtown, but he is deadly from the free throw line where he shoots 87% (20 for 23). Key Reserves: Emmanuel Gaiter, 6'5", G: Gaither puts up 7 points and three rebounds in about 20 minutes per game and gives the Tigers versatility at the small forward position. Parker Smith, 6'3", G: Parker?  I barely know her.  Smith is the only Tiger shooting over 30% from three-point range (31.8%) and is very effecient with his scoring (7 points in 16 mpg).  However, his assist to turnover ratio is .7:1. Lonnie Funderburke, 6'7", F:  Funderburke isn't really a "key" reserve, but his cousin is former NBA player Lawrence Funderburke - a top high school player linked to UK from the dark (Sutton) ages. The Tigers as a team have more turnovers than assists (147:128)....seven players log at least 15 minutes per game....the Cats are 5th in the nation in blocks and 14th in field goal percentage....UK has out-rebounded 9 out of 11 opponents this year....the game can be seen on the Big Blue Network and Fox Sports South....I think I blacked out while writing this.

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