Troy hosts FAU in hoops

By Jon Johnson

Published: December 17, 2008

The Troy basketball team will be looking at somewhat of a mirror image of itself when Florida Atlantic pays a visit to Trojan Arena tonight.

Both love to push it up the floor on offense and utilize tenacious defensive pressure. And both are coming off lopsided losses in conference openers in which the two struggled miserably shooting from the field.

It will also feature a game with two long-time coaches in the profession matching wits.

Troy’s Don Maestri is in his 27th season at the school, and FAU’s first-year coach Mike Jarvis has been a head coach for 20 years on the Division I level with stops at Boston University, George Washington and St. John’s. Jarvis led all three programs to NCAA Tournament appearances.

General admission seats for tonight’s game will be free of charge. Tip off is scheduled for 7 p.m.

While FAU lost its Sun Belt opener on the road at Denver (66-55) on Tuesday, Troy hasn’t played since last Thursday when it lost at Middle Tennessee (81-53).

In the days since, Maestri said his team has gone back to the basics on the practice floor.

“It was a week for us to get a chance to work on everything we do,” Maestri said. “We know we were playing an exceptional team (Middle Tennessee) picked to win the conference, but when the game was over, we were disappointed.

“It wasn’t like we were overwhelmed by them. We just didn’t perform.”

Troy went more than seven minutes in the first half without scoring against Middle Tennessee and trailed 41-24 at the intermission. The team never recovered in the second half.

“Offensively, we haven’t scored as well as we need to, but we’re getting some pretty good looks,” Maestri said. “I think when you’re not shooting well, you lose some intensity on defense, and the other team gains some confidence on the other end.”
FAU (4-6, 0-1) features a strong inside presence in 6-foot-8, 245-pound center Carlos Monroe, who led the Sun Belt in rebounding (9.5) last season, along with sharp-shooting senior guard Paul Graham III.

Monroe missed the first nine games for FAU due to an eligibility issue, but started against Denver and scored 10 points with six rebounds in 26 minutes of playing time.

“He’s the best big man in the league,” Maestri said of Monroe.

Maestri will be relying on quality minutes from the Trojans’  7-foot, 230-pound senior center Tom Jervis to help counter Monroe. In his second season after transferring from Bevill State Junior College, Jervis has averaged 8.7 points and 6.4 rebounds.

“We’re going to have to start playing him more,” Maestri said. “His thing is getting experience.”

Graham III scored 21 against Denver and averages 14 points per game. He scored a career-high 27 in a six-point win at Troy last season.

Troy (3-6, 0-1) is led in scoring by Mississippi State transfer guard Richard Delk, who scored 22 against Middle Tennessee. He averages 13.9 points per game.

Delk and point guard Michael Vogler, who averages 7.3 assists, both battled preseason injuries. Maestri said their absence slowed the chemistry on a team made up of a number of new faces.

“We have a ways to go in that area,” Maestri said. “We’re not sure who should play how many minutes, and who should go in for who,” Maestri said. “The injuries to Vogler and Delk sort of disrupted the team. Then you put them back in the mix and you have to work it out (playing time) among the other players.

“But I think we’re developing a better chemistry.”

Along with Delk, Vogler and Jervis, the other starters for Troy tonight are expected to be Brandon Hazzard (6-2 guard) and Regis Huddleston (6-0 guard).