"We're going to full court press, run, and shoot a lot of 3s"

[TheShow23]

[SIZE="5"][color="blue"]University of Delaware 2012-2013 Stats Leaders[/color][/SIZE]

[color="black"]Points:[/color] Donald Stuart 10.5 Joe Cockle 9.7 Chris Nelson 9.7 Donnell Gooden 9.5


[color="black"]Rebounds:[/color] Joe Cockle 6.8 Walter Mann 4.5


[color="black"]Assists:[/color] Chris Nelson 3.8


[color="black"]Steals:[/color] Walter Mann 1.1


Joe Cockle made CAA 2nd Team

[SIZE="5"][color="black"]NCAA Tournament[/color][/SIZE]

CAA Teams in NCAA Tournament

(6) Hofstra lost 64-48 (11) Texas Tech


Final Four

UCLA (1) 77 vs. Kansas 69 (2)

Georgia Tech (4) 58 vs. Wake Forest (7) 45

Georgia Tech (4) 64 vs. UCLA (1) 50

[TheShow23]

During a after season banquet for our team I was talking with my wife when one of our fans approached me for an autograph, the fan was very cordial, said he liked the progress we made and asked me did I hear the latest comments Paul Marshall in regards to me. I hadn’t heard them, granted I didn’t care but the fan had a copy of the article so I took a look at it.

[color="DimGray"]“Many are praising Coach Dante Porter about the season the Blue Hens just had, sure they made the NIT but they would have been in NCAA Tournament if it wasn’t for Coach Porter’s mistakes in the CAA Title game. Him losing his cool and getting a technical foul gave Hofstra the momentum to take the game over, and his use of the zone cost Delaware getting a crucial rebound late in the game. If we had a more disciplined and smarter coach we would be celebrating an NCAA appearance rather than an NIT appearance. Facts are facts, Coach Porter you blew it”

Paul Marshall
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Now I have ignored or brushed aside all of Paul Marshall’s comments but enough is enough, so I pulled out my iPhone and did what all people do to vent, go on Twitter.


[color="blue"]DantePorter15: [/color] Paul Marshall keep talking noise, did some research about you.


[color="blue"]DantePorter15: [/color] Yeah you went to UD, but you didn’t graduate. I have my Bachelors & Masters #StepYaGameUp


[color="blue"]DantePorter15: [/color] You hate on me because you never had any athletic ability, ain’t even make JV.


[color="blue"]DantePorter15: [/color] You talk about boosters & friends of the program, this ain’t #BlueChips.


[color="blue"]DantePorter15: [/color] Having boosters aiding the recruitment of players is a NCAA violation. #LearnTheRules.


[color="blue"]DantePorter15: [/color] Blue Hen nation we making the tournament next year, if not I’ll kiss Paul Marshall a**.

[TheShow23]

[SIZE="5"][color="blue"]Recruiting[/color][/SIZE]

We don't have a lot of depth in the backcourt, I had two extra scholarships so it was time bring in some transfers. Marcus Robinson is a 6'3 212 pound point guard from San Diego St. He started two years for the Aztecs averaging 11 points and 5 assists per game, as a freshmen he was the Mountain West Freshman of the Year. Rod Gregory is a 6-0 196 pound shooting guard from Boston College, definition of instant offense as he is a great shooter. In talking to both of their coaches I've been told the two players are great teammates and Robinson had a 3.1 GPA while Gregory had a 3.7 GPA.



[color="Black"]Delaware incoming recruits for the 2014-2015 Season
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None, we had a scholarship to give but none of my targets accepted, instead of wasting it on a player who probably won't make an impact I kept a hold of it to try and get an impact transfer player next season.

[TheShow23]

[SIZE="5"][color="Blue"]2013-2014 Delaware Roster[/color][/SIZE]

[color="Yellow"]Starters[/color]

#2 Chris Nelson 1.5/3.5 So. 6-3 193
#20 Mike Stallings 2/4 Fr.Rs 6-3 216
#31 Mark Shell 2/3.5 Jr. 6-6 227
#35 Steve Lee 3.5/5 Jr. 6-10 238
#44 Donnell Gooden 2/3 So. RS 6-10 232


Overview: Love the length of this team, great size in the post with Lee and Gooden. They should dominate the boards which will allow for more fastbreak chances. Shell is our best defensive player and Nelson and Stallings are outstanding shooters.



[color="yellow"]Bench[/color]


#13 Donald Stuart 2/3 Jr. 6-3 216
#34 Raheem Archie 2/3 Sr. 6-8 238
#43 James Arden 2/3.5 Fr. 6-6 197
#45 Raymond Leonard 2/2 Jr. 6-8 217
#10 Erik Nathaniel 1.5/3.5 Jr. 6-4 191
#24 Luis McMillian 1.5/4 Fr. Rs 6-6 206
#42 Jamison Wells 1.5/1.5 Sr. 6-8 233
#14 Donnie Watkins Fr. 6-0 170 (Redshirted)
#3 Rod Gregory 2/3 Jr. 6-0 196 (Transfer BC)
#5 Marcus Robinson 2/4 Jr. 6-3 212 (Transfer SDSU)


Overview: For the first time I feel will have enough depth to fully play my up tempo system, very comfortable playing 9-10 guys this season.



AD Expectations

Win CAA Tournament
Win 15 games

[TheShow23]

November 2013

@Georgetown (23) 82-74
Grand Valley State 67-54
@Purdue (15) 49-71
St. Francis PA 89-66
@SIU-Edwardsville 82-70


Recap: What a way to start our season, a road win against a ranked Big East opponent. In his first college game Mike Stallings lead us with 27 points, His backcourt mate Chris Nelson had13 points & 14 assists, and Mark Shell had 14 points. Other than a setback at Purdue I was pleased with the start to the season.


UD Record: 4-1


December 2013


@Louisville (13) 66-73
UMBC 81-60
Delaware St 95-78
Idaho St 85-76
@William & Mary 52-61
Towson 75-57


Recap: We took Louisville down to the wire before losing in the end, I' am 2 for 2 against Del St. Mike Stallings had 23 points, Donnell Gooden had 15 points & 7 rebounds, and Raheem Archie had a career high 23 points off the bench. Heading into conference play I like the look of this team, road games at ranked opponents have prepared us and giving the players to confidence they can compete with anyone.


UD Record: 8-3 Overall 1-1 CAA

[TheShow23]

January 2014



@George Mason 58-54
Northeastern 80-60
@Drexel 54-70
Hofstra 71-58
@ODU 67-50
@VCU 89-81 OT
William & Mary 65-60
Georgia St. 77-65
@JMU 87-80



[color="Black"]Recap: For the first time in school history we defeated all the Virginia schools on the road, in my time as coach we have been good at home but this team has finally learned to win on the road. The next step will be solving our road woes at Drexel, when we get to Philly we just don’t play well. I won’t dwell on it as much because we went 8-1 in the month.



UD Record: 16-4 Overall 9-2 CAA
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February 2014
UNC-Wilmington 92-79
@Towson 50-64
George Mason 65-56
@Northeastern 77-72 OT
Drexel 71-65
*Cleveland St. 68-66 (UD Ranked 25)
@Hofstra 80-85 (UD Ranked 25)
ODU 86-64



[color="black"]Recap: University of Delaware Men’s basketball ranked in the top 25, has a nice ring to it. Because of our winning we got to play in the Bracket Busters against Cleveland State. We are the favorites heading into the CAA Tournament, however I’ve been around this league long enough to know anything can happen so we must remain sharp.



UD Record: 22-6 Overall 14-4 CAA
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[TheShow23]

[color="Black"]CAA Tournament[/color]



[color="blue"] (1) Delaware Fightin’ Blue Hens (23 National Rank) vs. (8) UNC Wilmington Seahawks


This game was over quickly, we gave UNC Wilmington no hope as we blitzed them from the start. With a 60-36 lead at halftime we coasted the rest of the way in route to a 97-76 win. Stallings scored 25 points, Nelson chipped in with 15 points and 6 assists, and Stuart had 14 off the bench.
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[TheShow23]

[color="Black"]CAA Tournament[/color]



[color="blue"](1) Delaware Fightin’ Blue Hens (23 National Rank) vs. (4) William & Mary Tribe


My history in the CAA is well documented, so when I heard the response of the crowd I knew we were in for a fight. Not only had William & Mary taken our punches, but they began to throw some of their own. The neutrals began to rally behind the Tribe as they sensed an upset, with 4 minutes like the Tribe held onto to a 60-58 lead. Coming out of a timeout the Tribe’s Jason Omara made a three to put the Tribe up 63-58. Raymond Leonard playing his best game since his Freshman season got a dunk to narrow the deficit to three, Nelson got a steal and a layup to make the score 63-62 with 3:15 left. With a minute left Omara hit another three to put the Tribe up 67-63. Nelson rushed the ball up the court and found Stallings in the corner who let fly with a three to make the score 67-66 with 43 seconds left.


There was enough time to play the possession out so I told our players not to foul, our defense was phenomenal as the Tribe couldn’t get anything going. With 2 seconds on the shot clock Omara let fly with desperation three from 30 feet out, when that ball swished through the net I knew it was the dagger. The clock ran out as William & Mary pulled out a 70-68 upset. Omara came off the Tribe bench to lead them with 19 points including 5 three pointers. Stallings led us with 16, Stuart and Leonard had 10 each while Nelson had 8 points and 8 assists. Now our fate was in the hands of the NCAA Selection committee. [/color]

[TheShow23]

A national ranking of 19, top 20 RPI, CAA regular season champions should put us in the NCAA Tournament but with the committee you never know until your name is announced. The players, their families, and the coaching staff gathered at my home to watch the selection show. Two regions were announced and our name wasn’t said yet, still wasn’t nervous as the teams from the East Region were being unveiled.



[color="Blue"]“The number six seed in the East Region, The Delaware Fightin’ Blue Hens”[/color]



Once Greg Gumbel said that everyone in the room went nuts, all of the hard work paid off as we settled down just a bit to find out we were playing the Akron Zips.

[TheShow23]

[color="Black"]NCAA Tournament[/color]


[color="blue"](6) Delaware Fightin’ Blue Hens (19 National Rank) vs. (11) Akron Zips


Akron decided they were going to try and run with us, for a while it worked as they built a 17-10 five minutes into the game, I called a timeout to let the players know that Akron would not be able to keep up this pace, one they are a half court team and two they play seven guys. Stallings hit a three pointer, we forced a turnover with our press and Stallings found Stuart for another three pointer. Nelson got a steal and threw an alley-oop to Gooden who slammed the ball. Within 30 seconds we went on an 8-0 run. Akron continued to struggle against our press and we kept making shots eventually getting the lead up to 19 points. Eric Mack did his best to keep Akron in the game scoring 24 points hitting 4 three pointers, however Akron never got closer than seven as we won 78-71. Stallings was the leading scorer with 14 points, Stuart had 13 points, and Gooden had 13 and 6 rebounds.
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