Renewal Of A Rivalry

Loyola University Maryland and Mount St. Mary’s University will renew the oldest college basketball rivalry in the State of Maryland on Saturday, December 10, when the Mountaineers host the Greyhounds at 2 o’clock.

Series History

Loyola and Mount St Mary’s will play for the 167th time in series history on Saturday in a rivalry that dates to January 20, 1910, the second season of basketball at Loyola.

The Greyhounds won the initial meeting between the teams, 35-24, but The Mount holds a 96-70 advantage all-time.

In addition to being the oldest series in state history – it predates Loyola-Maryland by two seasons – it is also the most-played. The 166 meetings exceed the 150 between Johns Hopkins and McDaniel (formerly Western Maryland), a series that started in 1930.

Last season, Loyola snapped a modest three-game winning streak by the Mount, defeating the Mountaineers, 65-42, in Baltimore. Shane Walked led all players with 22 points and logged a double-double with 10 rebounds, while Erik Etherly scored 17 points and was a rebound shy of a double-double himself. No Mount players scored more than eight points.

Back On The Tube

Saturday’s game at The Mount is the third-straight Greyhounds’ game to be televised and the second in a row on MASN.

Longtime University of Maryland announcer Johnny Holliday will call the play-by-play action, and former Georgetown University head coach Craig Esherick will provide the color analysis for the second game in a row.

A Good Run

Since falling at Wake Forest on November 11 in the season-opener, the Greyhounds have reeled off seven-straight victories. The winning streak is the longest in the school’s NCAA Division I history (since 1981-82), and it is the longest since the 1964-1965 team won eight in a row during January and February.

Best Start In Division I History

Loyola’s victory against Siena last Saturday moved the Greyhounds’ record to 6-1 and gave the 2011-2012 team the best start in school Division I history. The win at George Washington extended the mark, improving on the 5-1 start the Greyhounds achieved in 2005-2006.

The Greyhounds also are 2-0 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference for the first time in the 23 years in the league.

Back-To-Back Career Nights

Dylon Cormier tied his previous career-high of 20 points against both Coppin State and UMBC earlier this season, matching the amount he scored last season as a freshman, also against UMBC.

He recorded his third 20-point effort of the season on December 3 at Siena, scoring 22, and he set another career-high one game later with a game-best 26 in the win over George Washington.

This season, Cormier has averaged 18.3 points per game through eight games, scoring 15 or more five times. Last season, Cormier scored 10 or more in 12 games, something he has already done eight times this year.

His points have come in a variety of ways. At Siena, he knocked down 5-of-6 threes, while against the Colonials, he posted 10-of-13 from the free-throw line. Earlier in the year, he scored 20 at UMBC behind a 15-of-17 effort from the charity stripe.

Cormier also registered a career-best nine rebounds against George Washington.

Doubled Up

Erik Etherly posted his second double-double in three games, scoring 12 points to go with a career-high tying 15 rebounds at George Washington. This season, Etherly has double-doubles in half of the Greyhounds’ eight games, and all four have come in victories. Wednesday night’s effort was the ninth of his career.

Etherly has now scored in double-figures for 19-straight games, starting January 28, 2011, against Siena. In those 19 games, Etherly is averaging 14.3 points per game.

Four Big Points

Shane Walker had a season-low four points on 2-of-7 shooting Wednesday night at George Washington, but he tied his season-high with nine rebounds, five coming on the offensive glass.

Walker’s four points, however, came with great timing for the Greyhounds. George Washington cut Loyola’s one-time 20-point advantage to just eight with 5:18 to play, and the momentum appeared to have shifted to the Colonials. On the ensuing possession, R.J. Williams misfired on a jumper, but Walker came from the weak side to grab the rebound and lay it off the glass for his first points.

Minutes later, Walker took advantage of a mismatch at the top of the perimeter and drove down the right side of the lane, laying another basket off the backboard to put Loyola up 15 in the final 90 seconds.

Last Time Out

After trailing by seven in the first six minutes of play, George Washington rallied to go up, 19-18, on a Lasan Kromah three with 6:49 left in the first half. Twenty-one seconds later, however, R.J. Williams was fouled and made two free throws, starting a 17-0 Loyola run.

The run lasted less than four minutes, but Loyola took a 15-point lead on a Justin Drummond three with 2:30 left before the break, and the Colonials would cut their deficit to less than 10 just once, and Loyola went on to a 65-55 victory.

Dylon Cormier led all players with a career-high 26 points, while Erik Etherly scored 12 and had 15 rebounds.

Threes Starting To Fall

After starting the season cold from behind the 3-point arc – the Greyhounds made just 11-of-56 (.196) in their first four games – Loyola has seemingly reversed the trend, making 28-of-61 (.459) in its last four contests.

The Greyhounds were 6-of-16 (.375) against Florida Gulf Coast, 8-of-15 (.533) in the Marist tilt, 8-of-19 (.421) at Siena and a season-best 6-of-11 (.545) at George Washington.

Robert Olson led the way against the Eagles and Red Foxes, making 5-of-8, while Dylon Cormier was 5-of-6 against the Saints. Cormier and Olson both made 2-of-3 at George Washington.

Stopping A Scorer

The Greyhounds’ scouting report heading into the George Washington game focused on stopping the Colonials’ leading scorer, Tony Taylor. Mission accomplished.

The Greyhounds yielded just six points to Taylor, who averaged more than 15 per game entering the contest. Taylor, who was also honored before the game for recently scoring his 1,000th career point, made just 3-of-8 shot attempts and was held with a 3-point make.

Solid MAAC Start

Loyola did something last week it had never accomplished in 22 previous seasons in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. The Greyhounds went 2-0 in their first two league games, defeating Marist at home and Siena on the road.

The Greyhounds also won their conference opener for the first time since 2005-2006, marking just the fourth time in 23 seasons they were 1-0 in the MAAC.

Thievery

Loyola caused 20 Siena turnovers, and the Greyhounds were credited with 19 steals. R.J. Williams led the way with a career-high five, while Erik Etherly, Dylon Cormier and Robert Olson each had three.

The 19 steals are the second-most in school history, one more than the Greyhounds posted in a November 29, 1997, game at Kent State. It is also the most Loyola has recorded against a Division I opponent. The school single-game record of 20 came on February 28, 1996, when the team closed the regular-season against St. Mary’s (Md.).

Consistency Is The Key

Up until the George Washington win, three Loyola players – Dylon Cormier (13, 20, 20, 16, 14, 15, 22), Shane Walker (12, 15, 12, 15, 10, 11, 10) and Erik Etherly (11, 15, 27, 11, 15, 14, 11) have scored in double figures in each of the Greyhounds’ first seven games, something never accomplished by the same three players in the program’s Division I history.

Walker was held to just four against the Colonials, but Cormier finished with 26, and Etherly had 12.

The last time three Loyola players scored 10 or more over a six-game stretch was the 1997-1998 season when Mike Powell, Jason Rowe and Roderick Platt accomplished the task in consecutive games from January 25-February 15, 1998. Loyola was 5-1 in those games.

The Greyhounds had not had the same three players score 10 or more in four-straight games since Gerald Brown, Marquis Sullivan and Michael Tuck did it against Rider, UC-Davis, Canisius and Marist from February 18-March 2, 2008. Loyola was 3-1 during that stretch.

R.J. Racks Up More Minutes

Freshman R.J. Williams made the first start of his collegiate career on November 20 at New Hampshire and has started the four games since then, playing 31 or more minutes in each.

With the increased playing time, Williams has also seen more productivity. After scoring eight points in the first four games of the season, he has scored eight versus both Florida Gulf Coast and Marist. Against the Red Foxes, he finished with a career-high six assists, the most by a Loyola player this season.

Four of Williams’ assists came in the final 11:16 of the game as Loyola outscored Marist, 29-15, during that stretch.

Williams continued his solid play against Siena, dishing out four assists to go with six points and a career-high five steals.

Attacking The Offensive Glass

Loyola pulled down a season-high 25 offensive rebounds against Marist continuing a trend the Greyhounds have started this season. Loyola has posted 15 or more offensive boards in all but two game this year (13 at UMBC and Siena), and the Greyhounds have 135 total this season.

So far, Loyola has grabbed offensive rebounds on 51.3-percent of its missed shots (263).

Spreading The Wealth

Five Loyola players scored in double figures in the Marist contest, the second time this season (Coppin State) the Greyhounds have had five score 10 or more.

In the first seven games of the season, at least three Loyola players have scored 10 or more in every game, and in all but one, four or more have topped the 10-point mark.

In the Greyhounds’ January 30 victory last year over Iona, six players scored in double-figures, and the team’s top two scorers at the time did not even dress for the contest. It was the first time that a Loyola team had six players score in double figures since December 6, 1991, when the Greyhounds matched the feat in a 98-84 overtime home victory against Mount St. Mary’s.

CollegeInsider.Com Mid-Major Poll

In the December 5 edition of the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25, Loyola was one of three MAAC schools to be receiving votes. Iona was third in the current edition, while the Greyhounds were receiving 17 votes. Fairfield checked in just behind with seven.

Running Away

Runs have been a big part of the Greyhounds’ success early this year. Here is a look at some runs of note:

Olson Big On Both Ends Of The Court

Loyola trailed Florida Gulf Coast, 16-15, with 8:08 to play in the first half before Robert Olson tied the score with a free throw 18 ticks later. He then hit 3-pointers on consecutive possessions for the Greyhounds, going on a personal 7-0 run that put Loyola in front for good.

Olson later hit a three at the 4:38 mark as part of a 22-5 Greyhounds run, tallying all 10 of his first-half points in the span of 3:12.

Olson did not make a field goal in the second half, but he knocked down a pair of free throws with 83 seconds on the clock to put the Greyhounds up seven, and he made 1-of-2 from the stripe with 27 seconds left to make it a five-point game.

The junior guard also came up big on the defensive end, making two stops for the Greyhounds in the last minute and a half. He caused a Bernard Thompson turnover and logged a steal at 1:23, setting up the first of his two free throws, and he then blocked a Christophe Varidel 3-pointer with six seconds left, sealing the victory.

Triple Digit Blocks

Shane Walker’s block of a Kevin Cantinol layup 1:25 into the second half against Florida Gulf Coast was the 100th rejection of his Loyola career. He is now one of three Greyhounds all-time to log 100 or more blocked shots, joining Brian Carroll (217, 1997-2001) George Sereikas (117, 1989-1993).

Century Mark

Head Coach Jimmy Patsos became the third coach in Loyola history to win 100 games when the Greyhounds defeated UMBC, 73-63, on the road. Patsos, who is in his eighth season, took over a team that finished 1-27 during the 2002-2003 season. He won his 100th game in his 215th career game.

Last season, Patsos moved into third-place all time at Loyola in victories, trailing only Lefty Reitz (349 wins, 1937-44, 1945-61) and Nap Doherty (165, 1961-74).

Two Of A Kind

Although unofficial, research shows that Jimmy Patsos is one of only two coaches in the last 20 years to take over a team that won just one game the year prior to his arrival.

Brigham Young finished the 1996-1997 season with a 1-25 record. Steve Cleveland took over the following season and tallied 138 wins until his departure for Fresno State after the 2004-2005 season.

Rebounding Advantage

It’s only been eight games, but Loyola is +66 in the rebounding column this year, averaging 8.3 more than its opponents per game.

The Greyhounds have outrebounded four teams by 13 or more, pulling down 22 more than Coppin State, 13 more than New Hampshire and George Washington and 25 more than Marist.

Two Over Twenty

Erik Etherly and Dylon Cormier both hit, or exceeded, the 20-point plateau at UMBC with Etherly scoring 27 and Cormier chipping in 20.

It marked the first time since January 3, 2009, a stretch of 80 games, that a pair of Greyhounds scored 20 in the same game. On that date, Jamal Barney poured in 41 at Canisius, while Brett Harvey had 22.

Getting To The Line

As a team, Loyola went to the free-throw line 46 times at UMBC, making 31. The 46 attempts are the sixth-most all-time and most since the 2004-2005 squad attempted 53 on December 5, 2004, against Niagara.

Loyola’s 31 free throws made rank 11th on the school single-game chart and were the most since making 32 on January 14, 2009, versus NJIT.

Although his shot was not falling at UMBC, Dylon Cormier still found ways to be productive on the offensive end of the floor. The sophomore guard was just 2-of-9 from the field, but he went to the free-throw line 17 times, making 15, and finished with 20 points.

Cormier’s 15 free throws made are tied for sixth in Loyola single-game history, matching the total made by Mike Powell at Saint Peter’s on December 6, 1997, and Donovan Thomas against Marist on February 23, 2003. The 15 makes were the most by a Loyola player since Jamal Barney set the school record with 18 on January 14, 2009, against NJIT. His 17 attempts rank tied for sixth all-time.

Cormier At His Best Against City Competition

Dylon Cormier matched his career-high with 20 points on Monday night in the win over Coppin State, and he matched that total, also finished with that same total on Thursday against UMBC.

The pair of 20-point performances match his freshman-year high of 20, also against UMBC, in the second game of his collegiate career.

Through three games this season, Cormier is averaging 17.3 points after leading the Greyhounds with 13 in the opener against Wake Forest. He is shooting 51.6-percent (16-of-31) from the field, third on the team.

Baltimore Bred And More From Nearby

Since taking over as head coach in 2004, Jimmy Patsos has put an emphasis on recruiting locally, and it has never shown as much as on this year’s roster. Three players – sophomore guard Dylon Cormier (Cardinal Gibbons), sophomore forward Jordan Latham (City) and freshman guard R.J. Williams (St. Frances) are products of schools within the city limits.

Six more players played in high school within 50 miles of Loyola, as the crow flies (thanks daftlogic.com): Shane Walker & Tyler Hubbard, Montrose Christian, 32.6 miles; Robert Olson, Georgetown Prep, 33.9; Justin Drummond, Riverdale Baptist, 33.9; Anthony Winbush, T.C. Williams, 43.7; and Erik Etherly, Annandale, 47.9.

What’s Next?

The Greyhounds will take a week off to study for, and take, final exams before traveling to Western New York to play at St. Bonaventure on Sunday, December 18, at 2 p.m.

National Capital Clash

After playing a pair of Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference games last weekend, and winning both, Loyola University Maryland will play the first of its final five non-conference games on Wednesday night. The Greyhounds will make the short trip to Washington, D.C., to face George Washington University at 7 o’clock at the Colonials’ Smith Center.

Bright Lights Of TV

Wednesday’s game is the second of three-straight the Greyhounds will play on television. MASN will air the game against the Colonials, as it will on Saturday when Loyola travels to Mount St. Mary’s.

Jason Knapp will handle play-by-play duties on Wednesday, while Craig Esherick will provide color commentary.

Best Start In Division I History

At 6-1 through seven games, Loyola is off to its best start in school Division I history. The institution moved from Division II to I in 1981-1982, and previously, the program’s best start was 5-2 in 2005-2006, 1985-1986.

Solid MAAC Start

Loyola did something last week it had never accomplished in 22 previous seasons in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. The Greyhounds went 2-0 in their first two league games, defeating Marist at home and Siena on the road.

The Greyhounds also won their conference opener for the first time since 2005-2006, marking just the fourth time in 23 seasons they were 1-0 in the MAAC.

Series History

Loyola and George Washington will meet for the 13th time when the teams take the floor on Wednesday, but the first time since the season-opener in 1990-1991.

The Greyhounds won that meeting, 87-78, in Reitz Arena, but the Colonials still hold a 7-5 advantage in the all-time series.

The teams first met on the hardwood during the 1912-1913 season and played that year, as well as twice during the following two seasons. They then faced off again in 1923-1924 and 1932-1933, but they did not resume the series until the 1972-1973 season.

Familiar Foe

Although Loyola Head Coach Jimmy Patsos has never coached against George Washington, his counterpart on the Colonials’ bench is no stranger. Mike Lonergan and Patsos played basketball together at nearby Catholic University for the late Jack Bruen, were college roommates and served in each other’s weddings.

Wednesday’s game will be the rubber-match of the to-date four-game series between Patsos and Lonegran. Both won a pair of games in the four meetings between Loyola and Vermont over the last four seasons when Lonergan was the coach of the Catamounts.

Last Time Out

The Greyhounds took a 16-4 advantage just over six minutes in against Siena on Saturday and never led by less than six from that point forward in a 66-59 MAAC victory.

Siena scored the first two points of the game 16 seconds in, but the Greyhounds scored the next 13 and did not allow the Saints to score for over four minutes. Loyola eventually went up by 13, 30-17, on a Dylon Cormier three 6:38 before the half.

In the second half, the Saints cut Loyola’s advantage to six on four occasions, but each time the Greyhounds scored next to go back up by eight or nine.

Cormier finished with a career-high 22 points, leading four Greyhounds in double figures. Erik Etherly had 11, while Shane Walker and Robert Olson each tallied 10.

Threes Starting To Fall

After starting the season cold from behind the 3-point arc – the Greyhounds made just 11-of-56 (.196) in their first four games – Loyola has made 22-of-50 (.440) in its last three contests.

The Greyhounds were 6-of-16 (.375) against Florida Gulf Coast, a season-best 8-of-15 (.533) in the Marist tilt and 8-of-19 (.421) at Siena.

Robert Olson led the way against the Eagles and Red Foxes, making 5-of-8, while Dylon Cormier was 5-of-6 against the Saints.

Thievery

Loyola caused 20 Siena turnovers on Saturday night, and the Greyhounds were credited with 19 steals. R.J. Williams led the way with a career-high five, while Erik Etherly, Dylon Cormier and Robert Olson each had three.

The 19 steals are the second-most in school history, one more than the Greyhounds posted in a November 29, 1997, game at Kent State. It is also the most Loyola has recorded against a Division I opponent. The school single-game record of 20 came on February 28, 1996, when the team closed the regular-season against St. Mary’s (Md.).

Consistency Is The Key

Three Loyola players – Dylon Cormier (13, 20, 20, 16, 14, 15, 22), Shane Walker (12, 15, 12, 15, 10, 11, 10) and Erik Etherly (11, 15, 27, 11, 15, 14, 11) have scored in double figures in each of the Greyhounds’ seven games this season, something never accomplished by the same three players in the program’s Division I history.

The last time three Loyola players scored 10 or more over a six-game stretch was the 1997-1998 season when Mike Powell, Jason Rowe and Roderick Platt accomplished the task in consecutive games from January 25-February 15, 1998. Loyola was 5-1 in those games.

The Greyhounds had not had the same three players score 10 or more in four-straight games since Gerald Brown, Marquis Sullivan and Michael Tuck did it against Rider, UC-Davis, Canisius and Marist from February 18-March 2, 2008. Loyola was 3-1 during that stretch.

First Half Fireworks

Dylon Cormier scored a career-high 22 points on Saturday night at Siena, tallying half of the Greyhounds’ 30 points in the first half.

The sophomore guard entered the game shooting just .263 (5-of-19) from 3-point range in the year’s first six games, but he made all four of his attempts from behind the arc in the first 20 minutes. He finished 5-of-6 from long distance in the game.

R.J. Racks Up More Minutes

Freshman R.J. Williams made the third start of his young college career Thursday night against Marist, and for the first time, he led the team in minutes played.

Williams saw 31 minutes of action against the Red Foxes, matching the total played by Shane Walker for team-high honors, after playing 34 minutes last Sunday against Florida Gulf Coast.

With the increased playing time, Williams has also seen more productivity. After scoring eight points in the first four games of the season, he has scored eight in each of the last two. Against the Red Foxes, he finished with a career-high six assists, the most by a Loyola player this season.

Four of Williams’ assists came in the final 11:16 of the game as Loyola outscored Marist, 29-15, during that stretch.

Williams continued his solid play against Siena, dishing out four assists to go with six points and a career-high five steals.

Attacking The Offensive Glass

Loyola pulled down a season-high 25 offensive rebounds against Marist continuing a trend the Greyhounds have started this season. Loyola has posted 15 or more offensive boards in all but two game this year (13 at UMBC and Siena), and the Greyhounds have 118 total this season.

So far, Loyola has grabbed offensive rebounds on 50.2-percent of its missed shots (235).

Spreading The Wealth

Five Loyola players scored in double figures on Thursday night against Marist, the second time this season (Coppin State) the Greyhounds have had five score 10 or more.

In the first seven games of the season, at least three Loyola players have scored 10 or more in every game, and in all but one, four or more have topped the 10-point mark.

Three Greyhounds are averaging 11 or more points per game this year, and another is at 10.6, after seven finished the year averaging 8.1 or more last season.

In the Greyhounds’ January 30 victory last year over Iona, six players scored in double-figures, and the team’s top two scorers at the time did not even dress for the contest. It was the first time that a Loyola team had six players score in double figures since December 6, 1991, when the Greyhounds matched the feat in a 98-84 overtime home victory against Mount St. Mary’s.

CollegeInsider.Com Mid-Major Poll

In the November 28 edition of the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25, Loyola was one of three MAAC schools to be receiving votes. Iona was fourth in the current edition, while Fairfield is just outside the top 25 with 47 points. The Greyhounds are in the mix with 12 points.

Running Away

Runs have been a big part of the Greyhounds’ success early this year. Here is a look at some runs of note:

First Time For Everything

The victory over Florida Gulf Coast was the first time in 2011-2012 that the Greyhounds have been outrebounded in a game this season. The Eagles controlled a slight 36-33 advantage on the boards. Florida Gulf Coast’s 17 offensive board were also the most by a Loyola opponent this season. The Eagles were, however, able to score on less than half of their offensive rebounds, converting them into just 16 second-chance points.

Olson Big On Both Ends Of The Court

Loyola trailed Florida Gulf Coast, 16-15, with 8:08 to play in the first half before Robert Olson tied the score with a free throw 18 ticks later. He then hit 3-pointers on consecutive possessions for the Greyhounds, going on a personal 7-0 run that put Loyola in front for good.

Olson later hit a three at the 4:38 mark as part of a 22-5 Greyhounds run, tallying all 10 of his first-half points in the span of 3:12.

Olson did not make a field goal in the second half, but he knocked down a pair of free throws with 83 seconds on the clock to put the Greyhounds up seven, and he made 1-of-2 from the stripe with 27 seconds left to make it a five-point game.

The junior guard also came up big on the defensive end, making two stops for the Greyhounds in the last minute and a half. He caused a Bernard Thompson turnover and logged a steal at 1:23, setting up the first of his two free throws, and he then blocked a Christophe Varidel 3-pointer with six seconds left, sealing the victory.

Triple Digit Blocks

Shane Walker’s block of a Kevin Cantinol layup 1:25 into the second half against Florida Gulf Coast was the 100th rejection of his Loyola career. He is now one of three Greyhounds all-time to log 100 or more blocked shots, joining Brian Carroll (217, 1997-2001) George Sereikas (117, 1989-1993).

Century Mark

Head Coach Jimmy Patsos became the third coach in Loyola history to win 100 games when the Greyhounds defeated UMBC, 73-63, on the road. Patsos, who is in his eighth season, took over a team that finished 1-27 during the 2002-2003 season. He won his 100th game in his 215th career game.

Last season, Patsos moved into third-place all time at Loyola in victories, trailing only Lefty Reitz (349 wins, 1937-44, 1945-61) and Nap Doherty (165, 1961-74).

Two Of A Kind

Although unofficial, research shows that Jimmy Patsos is one of only two coaches in the last 20 years to take over a team that won just one game the year prior to his arrival.

Brigham Young finished the 1996-1997 season with a 1-25 record. Steve Cleveland took over the following season and tallied 138 wins until his departure for Fresno State after the 2004-2005 season.

Rebounding Advantage

It’s only been six games, but Loyola is +54 in the rebounding column this year, averaging 9.5 more than its opponents per game.

The Greyhounds have outrebounded three teams by 13 or more, pulling down 22 more than Coppin State, 13 more than New Hampshire and 25 more than Marist.

Two Over Twenty

Erik Etherly and Dylon Cormier both hit, or exceeded, the 20-point plateau at UMBC with Etherly scoring 27 and Cormier chipping in 20.

It marked the first time since January 3, 2009, a stretch of 80 games, that a pair of Greyhounds scored 20 in the same game. On that date, Jamal Barney poured in 41 at Canisius, while Brett Harvey had 22.

Must Be The Mask

Just over a week after breaking his nose in practice, Erik Etherly scored a career-high 27 points at UMBC. The junior forward made 9-of-15 shots from the field and converted on 9-of-14 free throws while wearing a mask to protect his injured nose.

Etherly was injured in practice on Tuesday, November 8, and although he did not practice from that point until prior to the season-opener on November 11, he scored 11 points and had nine rebounds at Wake Forest.

He then returned to the starting lineup on Monday against Coppin State and scored 15 points while pulling down 11 rebounds for his sixth career double-double.

Thursday night at UMBC, Etherly had a game-high 10 rebounds for his second double-double in a row.

With 11 at New Hampshire and a team-best 15 against Florida Gulf Coast, Etherly has now scored in double-figures for 16-straight games, dating back to January 30, 2011. Prior to scoring 10 that night against Iona, Etherly was averaging 8.8 points in his first season with the Greyhounds, but he lifted his average to 10.8 by the end of the year.

In Loyola’s last 14 games, 11 to close 2010-2011 and three this year, Etherly is averaging 14.9 points per game, tops on the team.

Cormier To The Charity Stripe

Although his shot was not falling at UMBC, Dylon Cormier still found ways to be productive on the offensive end of the floor. The sophomore guard was just 2-of-9 from the field, but he went to the free-throw line 17 times, making 15, and finished with 20 points.

Cormier’s 15 free throws made are tied for sixth in Loyola single-game history, matching the total made by Mike Powell at Saint Peter’s on December 6, 1997, and Donovan Thomas against Marist on February 23, 2003. The 15 makes were the most by a Loyola player since Jamal Barney set the school record with 18 on January 14, 2009, against NJIT. His 17 attempts rank tied for sixth all-time.

Getting To The Line

As a team, Loyola went to the free-throw line 46 times at UMBC, making 31. The 46 attempts are the sixth-most all-time and most since the 2004-2005 squad attempted 53 on December 5, 2004, against Niagara.

Loyola’s 31 free throws made rank 11th on the school single-game chart and were the most since making 32 on January 14, 2009, versus NJIT.

Cormier At His Best Against City Competition

Dylon Cormier matched his career-high with 20 points on Monday night in the win over Coppin State, and he matched that total, also finished with that same total on Thursday against UMBC.

The pair of 20-point performances match his freshman-year high of 20, also against UMBC, in the second game of his collegiate career.

Through three games this season, Cormier is averaging 17.3 points after leading the Greyhounds with 13 in the opener against Wake Forest. He is shooting 51.6-percent (16-of-31) from the field, third on the team.

Latham Granted NCAA Waiver For Immediate Eligibility

Sophomore transfer Jordan Latham was granted an NCAA waiver and will be immediately eligible to play for the Greyhounds in 2011-2012 rather than having to sit out the typical year-in-residency.

Latham returned to his home city when joining the Greyhounds. The 6-foot-8 forward played high school basketball a mere 2.5 miles from Loyola’s campus at the storied Baltimore City College, a high school that has produced two sitting U.S. Congressmen (Elijah Cummings, D-Md.; Dutch Ruppersberger, D-Md.) and a U.S. Senator (Ben Cardin D-Md.).

Baltimore Bred And More From Nearby

Since taking over as head coach in 2004, Jimmy Patsos has put an emphasis on recruiting locally, and it has never shown as much as on this year’s roster. Three players – sophomore guard Dylon Cormier (Cardinal Gibbons), sophomore forward Jordan Latham (City) and freshman guard R.J. Williams (St. Frances) are products of schools within the city limits.

Six more players played in high school within 50 miles of Loyola, as the crow flies (thanks daftlogic.com): Shane Walker & Tyler Hubbard, Montrose Christian, 32.6 miles; Robert Olson, Georgetown Prep, 33.9; Justin Drummond, Riverdale Baptist, 33.9; Anthony Winbush, T.C. Williams, 43.7; and Erik Etherly, Annandale, 47.9.

What’s Next?

Loyola is in the midst of a six-game road trip that will see them play games in four states and the District of Columbia.

On Saturday, Loyola will travel to Emmitsburg, Md., to take on Mount St. Mary’s in the most-played rivalry in the State of Maryland. The teams will square off for the 167th time in series history on MASN at 2 o’clock.

TOWSON, Md. - Making their NCAA FCS Playoff debut, Coach Rob Ambrose and the Colonial Athletic Association champion Tigers (9-2) will host Patriot League champion Lehigh University (10-1) on Saturday, Dec. 3 at Minnegan Field at Johnny Unitas® Stadium.

Towson and Lehigh are two of the 20 teams that were selected to play in the NCAA FCS Championship. They are two of 12 teams that earned first round byes.

Sam Houston State (11-0) is the top seed while North Dakota State (10-1) is the number two seed. Georgia Southern (9-2) is seeded third, ahead of Montana (9-2) and Northern Iowa (9-2).

The Tigers are one of five CAA teams that earned spots in the NCAA FCS playoffs. Old Dominion (9-2), Maine (8-3), New Hampshire (8-3) and James Madison (7-4) were also selected.

The Tigers, who edged Rhode Island in their final regular season contest to win their first CAA championship, are the first team in NCAA history to qualify for the NCAA Playoffs at the Division III, Division II and NCAA FCS level. In 1976, the Tigers qualified for the NCAA Division III playoffs and reached the Stagg Bowl, the Division III championship game. After a 14-10 victory over C.W. Post in the quarter-finals and a 38-36 semi-final win over St. Lawrence, the Tigers lost to Saint John’s (Minn.) in the championship game, 31-28.

From 1983 to 1986, the Tigers qualified for the NCAA Division II playoffs three times.  In 1983, they lost to North Dakota State, 24-17. In 1984, the Tigers beat Norfolk State in the quarter-finals, 31-21. Then, they lost to Troy State in the semi-finals, 45-3. In their final season as an NCAA Division II program, the Tigers fell to Central State (Ohio) in the quarter-finals, 31-0. The Tigers have an all-time record of 3-4 in NCAA playoff games.

The most improved team in NCAA FCS this season, the Tigers have engineered a historic turnaround. After winning only one game in 2010, the Tigers have improved by eight games and will take a 9-2 record into the NCAA Playoffs. Picked to finish last in the CAA’s pre-season poll, the Tigers won the CAA with a 7-1 mark. Coming into the season, the Tigers had lost 26 of their last 28 CAA games.

The Tigers are just the second team in CAA history to go from “worst to first.” In 1998, James Madison finished last in the league with a 3-8 overall record and a 2-6 league record. One year later, JMU posted an 8-4 overall record and a 7-1 conference mark. The Dukes shared the conference championship with UMass in 1999. In 1997 and 1998, Massachusetts went from 2-9 to 12-3. But UMass didn’t win the CAA in 1998.

“It is tremendously humbling for me to be a part of this,” says the Tigers’ third-year coach. “This is the result of some incredibly hard work by everyone involved – the coaches, the staff, our players, our administration, the students and our fans. This is something that our football alumni have been waiting for.”

The Tigers entered the final weekend of the regular season tied for first place in the CAA with Maine. After their 28-17 win, the Tigers clinched the CAA title outright when New Hampshire edged Maine, 30-27.

Ranked among the Top 25 teams in NCAA FCS for the last eight weeks, the Tigers won the CAA by beating six nationally-ranked conference opponents. After opening the CAA schedule with a 31-10 victory over No. 20 Villanova, the Tigers edged No. 14 Richmond, 31-28. A dramatic 39-35 come-from-behind win over No. 18 Old Dominion enabled the Tigers to improve to 3-0 in the CAA. The Tigers’ 38-27 victory over No. 14 William and Mary gave them a 4-0 CAA record.

After a 35-30 loss to No. 21 Delaware, the Tigers bounced back with wins over No. 7 Maine (40-30) and No. 7 New Hampshire (56-42). They completed their march to the title with their 28-17 win at Rhode Island.

The Tigers have been led by an explosive offense. The Tigers are averaging 239.45 rushing yards per game, the top mark in the CAA. They are ranked ninth in the nation in rushing. Offensively, the Tigers are scoring 34.55 points per game. They are second in the CAA and rank 14th in the NCAA FCS. The Tigers are also second in the CAA with 439.36 yards of total offense per game, the 11th best mark in the nation.

Freshman Terrance West leads the Tigers’ running game. He has rushed for 1,242 yards on 183 carries, second in the CAA. Averaging 124.20 yards per game, he ranks tenth in NCAA FCS. A leading candidate for the Jerry Rice Award, presented to the top freshman in NCAA FCS Football, West has scored 27 touchdowns. His school record 27 touchdowns lead NCAA FCS. West, who had a career high 261-yard performance against New Hampshire, has rushed for more than 100 yards in six of his last seven games. He has scored at least two touchdowns in each of the Tigers’ last seven games.

Named as the CAA Offensive Player of the Week twice this season, West has also been selected as the CAA Rookie of the Week four times.

The play of the Tigers’ offensive line has been vital to the team’s success. Senior tackle Henry Glackin has teamed up with sophomores Eric Pike, Charles Johnson, Randall Harris, Anthony Davis and Doug Shaw to provide the Tigers with outstanding line play.

Sophomore quarterback Grant Enders has excelled as the leader of the Tiger offense all season. Named as the Colonial Athletic Association Offensive Player of the Week twice this season, Enders has completed 153 of 224 passes for 1,867 yards and 14 touchdowns. With a 151.8 passing efficiency rating, he is second in the CAA and ranks 11th in NCAA FCS. Averaging 224.6 yards of total offense per game, Enders ranks fourth in the CAA.

Turnover ratio has also been vital to the Tigers’ success this season. During the regular season, the Tigers have compiled a plus-eight turnover ratio, a mark that is third in the CAA behind Old Dominion (plus-ten) and Maine (plus-nine). The Tigers have turned the ball over 16 times while forcing 24 turnovers. The Tigers have thrown ten interceptions and only lost six fumbles. The Tigers have recovered 11 fumbles and intercepted 13 passes.

A pair of linebackers, junior Alexander DiSanzo and freshman Kenton Powell, are tied for the team lead with three interceptions. This is noteworthy because the Tigers only intercepted two passes in the 2010 season. DiSanzo is fourth on the team with 64 tackles while Powell has 54 tackles and is sixth on the team. Junior safety Jordan Dangerfield, senior safety Nick Oates and freshman cornerback Tye Smith each have two interceptions.

Dangerfield leads the Tiger defense with 82 tackles in nine games. He is eighth in the CAA with 9.1 tackles per game. Junior linebacker Danzel White issecond on the team with 77 tackles in nine games.

Junior defensive ends Frank Beltre and Romale Tucker have given the Tigers outstanding play on the line. While Tucker leads all CAA defensive linemen with 69 tackles in 11 games, Beltre is fourth with 63 tackles. A member of the Pre-Season All-CAA team, Beltre leads the Tigers with 11 tackles for lost yardage. He is also the team leader with four quarterback sacks. Tucker has made 3.5 sacks and is tied for the team lead with two fumble recoveries.

Tickets for the Tigers’ NCAA FCS playoff game against Lehigh are currently on sale by calling 1-855-TUTIGER (888-4437).

Patsos Records 100^th Win In 73-63 Triumph At UMBC

CATONSVILLE, Md. – Loyola University Maryland Head Coach Jimmy Patsos won his 100^th career game on Thursday night as the Greyhounds defeated cross-town rival UMBC, 73-63, at the Retrievers Activity Center Arena.

Patsos, who took over a team that was 1-27 in 2002-2003, is in his eighth year at the helm of the Greyhounds’ program.

Erik Etherly scored a career-high 27 points and led all players with 10 rebounds for the Greyhounds (2-1 overall).

“I could not have gotten to 100 wins without the players,” Patsos said. “This program has grown with the caliber of players that we have.”

UMBC (0-3) took a three-point lead, 18-15, on a Brian Neller 3-pointer with 12-minutes, 58-seconds to play in the first half.

Shane Walker, however, scored the next four points of the game for Loyola, and after Chandler Thomas gave the Retrievers a one-point advantage at 10:41, a thunderous Etherly dunk from the left side put Loyola in front for good.

Justin Drummond posted smaller UMBC players up late in the first half, scoring the frame’s final four points to give the Greyhounds a 35-27 lead going into the locker room.

UMBC cut the Loyola cushion to four when Adam Satchell and Nate Basalyga scored on the first two possessions out of halftime.

Dylon Cormier made two free throws for the Greyhounds on the possession after Basalyga’s bucket, sparking a 10-0 Loyola run that culminated with two Etherly free throws at 16:39, pushing the Greyhounds out to a 46-31 advantage.

After he blocked a shot and picked up one of his 10 rebounds, Etherly converted a lay-up in transition with 11:08 to go in regulation, making it 51-34 Loyola.

The Retrievers would slowly chip away at the Greyhounds’ lead, making it a 10-point game with 4:38 on a traditional 3-point play by Will Wise.

Neller made a three two possessions later, one of his seven in the game as he matched Etherly’s 27 points, with 2:44 on the clock, pulling the Retrievers within seven, 61-54.

Cormier made four free throws in a row for the Greyhounds to push the advantage back to 11.

Neller made 1-of-2 for UMBC on the Retrievers’ next trip down the court, but Anthony Winbush converted on a pair from the charity stripe for Loyola with 41 ticks on the clock.

Cormier finished with 20 points, making 15-of-17 free throws. His 15 free throws made are tied for sixth-most in school single-game history.

Shane Walker added 12 for the Greyhounds, and Drummond had nine. Cormier and Winbush each had three steals for the Greyhounds

Etherly’s 27 points eclipsed the 19 he scored last February 25 at Niagara.

The Greyhounds continue their road swing on Sunday when they travel to Durham, N.H., to take on the University of New Hampshire at 1 o’clock.

- loyolagreyhounds.com -

You know how it works. 15 positive football observations, 7 “not so” positive football observations and one “oh no” moment from outside the world of football.

(As a reminder, we don’t do Baltimore Ravens analysis here. We do PLENTY of that elsewhere. This is about the rest of the world of football.)

15 Positive Observations…

1. The Towson University football team is a win away from a CAA Championship? The Towson University football team is a win away from a CAA Championship.

Terrance West ran for 265 freaking yards as the Tigers beat the New Hampshire Wildcats Saturday. They’re now a win over Rhode Island next week away from claiming the CAA title…

This can’t be right, can it?

2. Tom Brady hasn’t lost three straight games since 2002. Holy hell.

I don’t know what’s more embarrassing for New York Jets fans-the fact that Mark Sanchez was eaten alive by some dude named Rob Nankovich or that Deion Branch owned Fireman Ed after catching a touchdown…

Rob effing Nankovich. A dude named Rob Nankovich just played hero for the New England Patriots. Maybe Bill Belichick really is better than the rest of us.

3. Still think the San Francisco 49ers haven’t proved themselves?

It’s crazy how much the Niners are different under Jim Harbaugh. Justin Smith is playing like a Defensive Player of the Year, Carlos Rogers is playing like a capable National Football League cornerback and Alex Smith…wait, Alex Smith is still playing semi-respectable football? No way…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfX7gbCnlRg

I’m trying to put a Ravens-related spin on some of the things in the 15-7-0 this week. For example, the 49ers are a GOOD team, so when they play the Ravens on Thanksgiving we can be certain the Ravens will win, right?

4. Brandon Weeden was brilliant and Kansas State/Texas A&M was incredible. Ladies and gentleman, your weekend in the Big 12.

After a big performance in Oklahoma State’s rout of Texas Tech Saturday, Weeden’s Cowboys are now two wins away from the BCS Championship Game…

The Wildcats and Aggies played a four overtime thriller IN Manhattan. It was way more fun to watch than the game I was at Saturday night…

5. After a disastrous week for everyone at Penn State, almost everything that happened Saturday in Happy Valley was positive.

The Nittany Lions fell short against the Nebraska Cornhuskers, but this pre-game moment will probably be more memorable…

Elsewhere in the Big Ten…you know there wasn’t all that much going on elsewhere in the Big Ten. Well, Goldy Gopher DID attempt to frog splash Bucky Badger through a table; but not much else.

6. The Dallas Cowboys might have just put more points on the Buffalo Bills.

Let me get this straight. The Cowboys beat the Bills 44-7 and after the game the only thing anyone was talking about was the ONE Bills TD???

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6WvmOGoZ2E

The story is that Bills WR David Nelson caught a TD and then gave the ball to his girlfriend Kelsi Reich, who is a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader. This is a fantastic reason for me to post a picture of Kelsi Reich…

7. The Chicago Bears defense scored more fantasy points than a number of quarterbacks this weekend. 

Included in the Bears’ huge NFC North win was (inexplicably) ANOTHER punt return TD for Devin Hester…

What’s the worse idea? Predicting the Orioles will sign a significant free agent or kicking the ball to Devin Hester?

With things clearly not going their way, the Detroit Lions started fighting with the Bears. It’s weird because nothing about the team made me think they’d do something like that for no reason.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqyyZDR1kxA

Honorable Mention: Pro Wrestling: TNA Turning Point (Sunday 8pm from Orlando live on Pay-Per-View); Golf: Australian Open (Wednesday-Saturday 8pm from Sydney live on Golf Channel), LPGA Tour Lorena Ochoa Invitational (Thursday-Sunday 4pm from Guadalajara, Mexico live on Golf Channel); Auto Racing: NASCAR Kobalt Tools 500(Sunday 3pm from Phoenix live on ESPN); Women’s College Basketball: Loyola @ Maryland (Friday 7pm Comcast Center), Georgetown @ Maryland (Sunday 2pm Comcast Center); Tennis: ATP Tour BNP Paribas Masters (Tuesday 5am Wednesday & Thursday 4:30am  Friday 8am & 1:30pm Saturday 8am Sunday 9am from Paris live on Tennis Channel)

10. Foo Fighters/Social Distortion (Friday 7pm Verizon Center); Daughtry (Saturday 7:30pm Patriot Center); Everlast (Wednesday 7pm Recher Theatre); Howie Day (Saturday 7pm Baltimore Soundstage); Chuck Brown (8pm & 11pm Rams Head on Stage); Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue (Wednesday & Thursday 7pm 9:30 Club), Fitz and the Tantrums (Sunday 7pm 9:30 Club), Manchester Orchestra (Monday 6pm 9:30 Club); Rockapella (Thursday 8pm Strathmore); Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Experience (Thursday 8pm Fillmore Silver Spring); Sting (Thursday 8pm D.A.R. Constitution Hall), Kansas (Friday 8pm D.A.R. Constitution Hall), 3 Doors Down (Sunday 7pm D.A.R. Constitution Hall); Joe Bonamassa (Friday 8pm Hippodrome)

My buddy Chad Lamasa and I are headed to see the Fighters of Foo Friday night. He got the tickets, so I have to bring the Mentos. They kick a little ass…

I REALLY shouldn’t enjoy Chris Daughtry, but I totally do. I wish he was bringing Timbaland to Fairfax with him…

Fitz and the Tantrums are one of my absolute favorite bands of 2011. Before you watch a video of them playing with Daryl Hall, let’s debate whether it would be more fun to spell favorite “favourite”. I say yes.

If you’re not stoked for Rockapella, you and I disagree on the topic. I respect your feelings however.

9. Pauly Shore (Thursday-Saturday Magooby’s Joke House); Michael Ian Black (Saturday 9pm Ottobar); Maryland Irish Festival (Friday-Sunday Timonium Fairgrounds); “J. Edgar” out in theaters (Friday)

I believe Pauly Shore was voted “Most likely Hollywood star to be playing at a joint called Magooby’s Joke House in the future” 15 years ago. I’d call his fall from stardom surprising if it was. It isn’t.

Meanwhile Leonardo DiCaprio was voted “Most likely Hollywood star to be releasing another awesome movie this week” about 10 minutes ago. He’s so freaking good. The J. Edgar Hoover movie looks incredible, but it would take a lot of work for someone to make a movie half as good as “Catch Me If You Can”…

I’m going to do my best to come by the Irish Festival Saturday. Mostly because I want to eat a meal that resembles this…

Honorable Mention: Boxing-Bernard Hopkins vs. Chad Dawson (Saturday 9pm from Los Angeles live on HBO PPV); Mixed Martial Arts: Bellator Fighting Championships 54 (Saturday 9pm from Atlantic City live on MTV2); High School Football: Perry Hall @ Eastern Tech (Friday 7pm CCBC-Essex) Georgetown Prep @ Calvert Hall (Friday 7pm); Golf-PGA Tour McGladrey Classic (Thursday-Sunday 2pm from Sea Island, GA live on Golf Channel), Champions Tour AT&T Championship (Friday-Sunday 7:30pm from San Antonio on Golf Channel), LPGA Tour Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia (Thursday-Sunday 9:30pm from Kuala Lampur, Malaysia on Golf Channel); Tennis: ATP Tour Shanghai Rolex Masters (Tuesday-Friday 2am Saturday & Sunday 4am from Shanghai, China live on Tennis Channel); Rugby World Cup Semifinals: Wales vs. France (Saturday 4am from Auckland, New Zealand live on Universal Sports), Australia vs. New Zealand (Sunday 4am from Auckland, New Zealand live on Universal Sports); Canadian Football League: Calgary Stampeders @ Toronto Argonauts (Friday 8pm from Toronto live on NFL Network); College Lacrosse: Fall Ball Notre Dame @ Navy (Saturday 12pm Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium)

10. Sunday in the Country feat. Josh Turner, The Band Perry & Joe Nichols (Sunday 11am Merriweather Post Pavilion); Zac Brown Band (Saturday 7pm Jiffy Lube Live); Wanda Sykes (Saturday 8pm Patriot Center); Arctic Monkeys (Saturday 7pm Rams Head Live); FUEL (Tuesday 6:30pm Recher Theatre), Phil Vassar (Wednesday 7pm Recher Theatre), Tommy Lee/DJ Aero (Friday 10pm Recher Theatre), Thrice (Saturday 7pm Recher Theatre), Filter (Sunday 6:30pm Recher Theatre); Parachute (Tuesday 7pm Baltimore Soundstage), Vertical Horizon (Sunday 7pm Baltimore Soundstage); Spin Doctors (Tuesday 8pm Rams Head On Stage), Joshua James (Saturday 1pm Rams Head On Stage); G. Love & Special Sauce (Friday 8pm 9:30 Club), Smashing Pumpkins (Monday 7pm 9:30 Club); Boyz II Men (Tuesday & Wednesday 7:30pm Birchmere); Jill Scott (Tuesday 8pm Lyric Opera House), Tony Bennett (Saturday 8pm Lyric Opera House); Trey Anastasio Band (Thursday 6:30pm Fillmore Silver Spring), Blue October (Friday 8pm Fillmore Silver Spring), Bush/Chevelle (Monday 6:30pm Fillmore Silver Spring); Cecil County Food And Wine Festival feat. George Jones (Saturday 4pm Port Deposit Marina Park); Island Bay Day feat. Kix/Jimmie’s Chicken Shack/Kelly Bell Band (Saturday 11am American Legion Stevensville); Return of The Kings of Hip Hop feat. Rakim/Slick Rick/Big Daddy Kane/Kurtis Blow (Thursday 8pm D.A.R. Constitution Hall), Duran Duran (Sunday 7:30pm D.A.R. Constitution Hall); Esperanza Spalding (Sunday 8pm Warner Theatre), Dream Theater (Monday 8pm Warner Theatre)

I enjoy so many of these things, but few do I enjoy more than the great Zac Brown…

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOe25IfD0GE[/youtube]

I had no idea Filter was back together. Is Richard Patrick still in the band? Damn they had some hits…

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8MAHQhKe7Q&ob=av2e[/youtube]

While I was checking around for Filter stuff I found out Richard Patrick and Lacey Mosley from Flyleaf were doing U2 covers. I’ll indulge them…

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0IrmbKC2hU[/youtube]

I really shouldn’t publicly admit how much I enjoy Vertical Horizon…

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8s_q3IaglQ&ob=av2e[/youtube]

Joshua James is one of the new acts I have absolutely enjoyed most this season…

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmKGivfDNAo[/youtube]

9. Baltimore Beer Week (Tuesday-Sunday throughout Charm City); Donald Glover (Saturday 8pm RAC Arena UMBC), Shaq’s All Star Comedy Jam (Friday 8pm Lyric Opera House); “Horrible Bosses” available on DVD/Blu-Ray (Tuesday); Maryland Renaissance Festival (Saturday & Sunday RennFest Fairgrounds Crownsville); Second City: Charmed & Dangerous (Tuesday-Sunday Center Stage)

Beer? I LOVE Beer! Why, just the other day I was sipping a cold Moosehead…

But seriously, I could sit here all day talking about beer. In fact I might. OR…with this being the last hurrah for RennFest, perhaps I should instead allow Hack & Slash to tell you about how much they love beer…

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgXzc94PMvo[/youtube]

Honorable Mention: High School Football-Milford Mill @ Perry Hall (Friday 7pm), Glen Burnie @ Broadneck (Friday 6:30pm), Coolidge (DC) @ Calvert Hall (Saturday 1pm); Rugby World Cup: Team USA vs. Australia (Friday 4:15am from Wellington, New Zealand live on Universal Sports); Lingerie Football League: Baltimore Charm @ Cleveland Crush (Friday 10pm from Cleveland live on MTV2); Canadian Football League: Montreal Alouettes @ Edmonton Eskimos (Friday 9pm from Edmonton live on NFL Network), BC Lions @ Saskatchewan Roughriders (Saturday 4pm from Saskatchewan live on NFL Network)

10. John Prine (Friday 6:30pm Pier Six Pavilion); Fleet Foxes/The Walkmen (Friday 6pm Merriweather Post Pavilion), Jason Mraz (Saturday 6pm Merriweather Post Pavilion), Wilco (Sunday 5:30pm Merriweather Post Pavilion); Brad Paisley/Blake Shelton (Saturday 4pm Jiffy Lube Live); Anberlin (Saturday 7pm Recher Theatre); Stryper (Tuesday 7:30pm Baltimore Soundstage); Pepper (Tuesday 7pm 9:30 Club), The Head and The Heart (Friday 8pm 9:30 Club), Foster The People (Monday 6pm & 9:30pm 9:30 Club); Blondie (Tuesday 7pm Fillmore Silver Spring); Darius Rucker (Thursday 7:30pm Frederick Fairgrounds-Great Frederick Fair); Moby (Thursday 8pm France-Merrick Performing Arts Center/Hippodrome); Living Classrooms “Maritime Magic” feat. The Bridge (Friday 7pm Frederick Douglass-Isaac Maritime Park)

I really dig Anberlin actually. They did a cool cover of New Order’s “True Faith”, but I think I enjoyed “Feel Good Drag” even more…

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4sqFmSqrSc&ob=av2e[/youtube]

If it’s particularly feminine that I enjoy The Head and the Heart, I’m particularly feminine. Yeah, I just said that.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjoA4nYBD5U&ob=av2n[/youtube]

Darius Rucker effing RULES. It’s still a LITTLE odd hearing him put together country versions of Hootie & The Blowfish tunes though…

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tZELxKSXtw[/youtube]

It bothers me greatly that The Bridge is breaking up. Ugh. I can’t wait to see them Friday night AND help support Living Classrooms…

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQP7u0fn6oA[/youtube]

9. Baltimore Book Festival (Friday-Sunday Mt. Vernon Place); Maryland Renaissance Festival (Saturday & Sunday RennFest Fairgrounds Crownsville); Second City: Charmed & Dangerous (Tuesday-Sunday Center Stage); “Bridesmaids” and “Modern Family” Season 2 available on DVD/Blu-Ray (Tuesday); Season Premieres: “The Office” (Thursday 9pm NBC), “Parks and Recreation” (Thursday 8:30pm NBC), “Modern Family” (Wednesday 9pm ABC), “Saturday Night Live”-Alec Baldwin hosts (Saturday 11:30pm NBC), “Family Guy” (Sunday 9pm FOX), “American Dad” (Sunday 9:30pm FOX), “Cleveland Show” (Sunday 8:30pm FOX), “The Simpsons” (Sunday 8pm FOX)

These are television programs that I enjoy. If you enjoy chuckling, I feel as though you would do.

If you were listening to Monday’s edition of “The Reality Check” on AM1570 WNST.net, you would have heard me chatting with “Moneyball” star Chris Pratt. He plays Andy Dwyer the show Parks and Recreation. I find him to be humorous…

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yknG2cRW_c[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMvfXue_Mwo&feature=related[/youtube]