Update Your Bookmarks

welp, we're moving. It's been in the works for a while now, and it's finally official. I'm leaving blogspot and joining the SportsBlog Nation network of blogs. Thanks to yall's input, I'll still be writing under 'The 12th Manchild' alias, the only difference will be a new site layout.

Please update your bookmarks to this address: The 12th Manchild.com

I encourage all of you to come on over and register (takes two seconds) and say hello.

Thanks & Gig 'em,

Brad
The 12th Manchild

Big XII Bracket

yeah, so i already missed two games thanks to a sodomy inclined Game Theory midterm today, but here's my bracket for the Big XII tournament:

• Ags over longhorns, will probably end much the same way as 2.28, except this time Acie isn't all by himself.
• After watching much of the K-State vs. KU game earlier this season, While I see no reason why K-State won't give KU a run for their money, KU doesn't lose this game.
• A great game that will help both teams prepare for the Dance, I wouldn't put money on either team, but my gut goes with KU.

A Disturbing Trend?

Ask anyone around the country to describe Texas A&M Basketball, and they will undoubtedly associate Texas A&M with defense. "Stifling", is how the pundits usually choose to describe Billy Gillispie's Aggies, but looking at the last three games in conference, one wouldn't know it.

Heading into the Baylor game on 2/24, the Aggies averaged 60.69 pts allowed/game in conference play. Against Baylor, Texas, and Mizzou the Aggies allowed 87, 98, and 78 respectively.



Is this just a random coincidence? a small hiccup? or is this the beginning of an alarming trend as we head into tournament play?

I set out to see if I could find any kind of correlation between points allowed and various defensive statistics:

*note - the blue line is opposing shooting percentage (from the field)

The two stats with the most telling relationship to A&M's increase in points allowed seem to be fouls called on A&M and shots allowed.

Shots allowed seems to be the the statistic with the least variance, with exception of the marked increase between the OSU game and Baylor. This increase, followed by continued weak variance indicates a concious strategic shift between the OSU and Baylor games. Either Baylor, Texas, AND Mizzou all figured out how to shred the Aggie Defense, or Billy Gillispie is up to something. It's not obvious while watching, but it almost seems like the Aggies aren't contesting as many shots as before, almost like they're daring teams to try to beat them with their perimiter shooting, or trying to see if Acie Law and Josh Carter are feeling hot that night. I'm not going to question Coach Gillispie's strategy and methods (Billy is Lord, Amen), but playoffs in all sports are won with consistently tough defense. Let's hope we see those points allowed start to drop off in the Big XII tournament.

Fouls, Fouls, Fouls.. It's no surprise that there is a direct relationship between Aggie Fouls and Opponents Points. I'm more concerned about the refs the Aggies will face than the possible opposing teams. No team like A&M's that has the true potential to reach the final four, should ever be concerned with the officiating, but Acie Law IV can only do so much when his Jones, AK, Kirk, and Carter are on the bench.

Hopefully this weekend's tournament will put all of these issues to rest.

Aggie Baseball

The baseball team is off to a fantastic start in 2007. The Ags are currently at 15-2 in coach Childress' 2nd year, with key wins over #1 Rice and last year's champs, #7 Oregon State.

Everybody remembers last year's great start followed by disastrous conference play. The question on everyone's mind is whether the Ags can translate their current success into the Olsen Magic that we've yearned for since the late 90's.



The staple of the Aggies so far this season has been solid pitching from the mound, mostly from these two:

Kyle Nicholson (left) leads the bullpen in ERA (1.12) Innings Pitched (24) and K's (21). Scott Migl (right) is 2nd in ERA (2.35) and leads the team with the 3 Wins.


Nicholson picks off a runner in the Ags' sweep of UT-Arlington