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Dempsey on the La Salle game
I met with Tommy Dempsey Tuesday to talk about the Broncs in advance of Wednesday night's game against La Salle.
The coach touched on issues rangning from Ryan Thompson's lack of aggressiveness to the team's so-so play over the past few weeks.
First, though, here's what he had to say about facing the Explorers:
"It's a fun game for a couple of reasons.
"One ... theres's a lot of bragging rights. They like to hold their heads high in Philly. They beat us in Philly last year. To win this one, I think would give (our players) a lot of pride in the way they're playing. You have these two Atlantic 10 teams who are coming in here to play us on campus. Those are opportunities we want to take advantage of.
"The next thing is it's a game that mimics a game that's played at the top of the MAAC. Good environment, good crowd. Those games help prepare you for the Siena game, the Niagara game, the Fairfield game -- those games where there will be a lot of intensity.
"Those Big Five teams all have proud programs, and we kind of view ourselves as an up-and-coming program that's trying to get a little more respect in the Philly area, because that's a big recruiting area for us. It helps us. It helps my staff and myself when you're in someone's living room in Philadelphia and we can say 'We beat Saint Joe's' and it gets their intention.
"More importantly, it's a big game because we don't think we've been playing well."
The coach touched on issues rangning from Ryan Thompson's lack of aggressiveness to the team's so-so play over the past few weeks.
First, though, here's what he had to say about facing the Explorers:
"It's a fun game for a couple of reasons.
"One ... theres's a lot of bragging rights. They like to hold their heads high in Philly. They beat us in Philly last year. To win this one, I think would give (our players) a lot of pride in the way they're playing. You have these two Atlantic 10 teams who are coming in here to play us on campus. Those are opportunities we want to take advantage of.
"The next thing is it's a game that mimics a game that's played at the top of the MAAC. Good environment, good crowd. Those games help prepare you for the Siena game, the Niagara game, the Fairfield game -- those games where there will be a lot of intensity.
"Those Big Five teams all have proud programs, and we kind of view ourselves as an up-and-coming program that's trying to get a little more respect in the Philly area, because that's a big recruiting area for us. It helps us. It helps my staff and myself when you're in someone's living room in Philadelphia and we can say 'We beat Saint Joe's' and it gets their intention.
"More importantly, it's a big game because we don't think we've been playing well."
posted by Ben Doody at
12:05 AM
6 Comments:
St. Joe's was the much bigger win for Rider. LaSalle has the least amount of respect in Philly, even if they turn out to be better than St. Joe's this year.
GO RIDER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111
St. Joe's was the much bigger win for Rider. LaSalle has the least amount of respect in Philly, even if they turn out to be better than St. Joe's this year.
GO RIDER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111
This will be a great game, it is an intense and spiritied rivalry.
The "Duel by the Delaware" is one of the best rivalries in all the land.
1) How is this a rivalry game?
2) LaSalle would be the bigger win than St. Joe's. Unfortunately St. Joe's is purely a big name this year more than anything.
3) Up and coming program?
The "Duel by the Delaware" is one of the best rivalries in the nation. Clearly, you don't know anything about college basketball other than what espn tells you to think. Isn't there a duk-carolina board you can comment on? Because you clearly know nothing of A-10 or MAAC basketball.
I realize the two were old ECC rivals but that conference shuttered their doors 18 years ago, and until last year Rider and La Salle hadn't played since 1982-1983 (La Salle's last year in the ECC before moving to the MAAC).
So I apologize for not thinking a game that took a 26 year hiatus was 'one of the best rivalries in the land.'
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