Jan. 22, 2008

Complete Release in PDF Format

THE WEEK IN REVIEW... Johns Hopkins had an exciting, if not exhausting, week last week with overtime winners over Muhlenberg and at Swarthmore. The two conference wins moved the Blue Jays into a tie for third with Franklin & Marshall and McDaniel.

Senior guard Doug Polster, sophomore guard Pat O'Connell and sophomore forward Andrew Farber-Miller all scored over 20 points to lead JHU to a 100-91 triple overtime win against Muhlenberg in Goldfarb last Wednesday.

The trio also played more than 45 minutes each as the Blue Jays survived a seven-point deficit in the second overtime period. It was the first triple overtime contest in JHU history since a 94-91 loss at Loyola (MD) on January 21, 1967 and just the second ever.

Three days later, Hopkins saw a six-point lead evaporate in the final 2:20 of regulation as Matt Allen's three-pointer forced overtime with the teams tied at 53-53. This time it was the Garnet who lost the lead late with junior Scott Weisenfeld nailing a pull-up trey to force the second overtime.

The Blue Jays again had to rally late, trailing by two junior Collin Kamm hit a three from the corner with 24 ticks on the clock to give JHU the lead for good. O'Connell would sink two free throws to seal the win.

THE WEEK AHEAD... Johns Hopkins is looking to extend its three-game winning streak this week with home games against McDaniel and Dickinson.

The Blue Jays and the Green Terror will square off for the 139th time on Wednesday night in Goldfarb. JHU holds a slight edge in the series, 70-67-1, which began in 1930-31. McDaniel won the last meeting, 70-68 in Baltimore, ending a seven-game losing streak to Hopkins.

On Saturday, JHU and Dickinson will square off for the second time this season. The Blue Jays won the first meeting, 70-59 in Carlisle, ralllying from a six-point deficit with a game-ending 17-0 run.

300 AND COUNTING... Johns Hopkins has some outstanding three-point shooters in its history. In fact, JHU has hit atleast one three-pointer in 306 consecutive games. A streak that dates back to February 17, 1996. It is the 11th longest active streak in NCAA Division III. Salisbury holds the record for consecutive games with a three-point basket - 500 - from 1986-2006.

Senior guard Doug Polster has hit a trey in 18 consecutive games - dating back to February 25, 2007. T.J. Valerio `07 holds the individual record for consecutive games with a three-pointer. He hit a trey in 35 straight games, a stretch from January 8, 2005 to February 1, 2006.

I'M HONORED... Sophomore guard Pat O'Connell was named the PrestoSports/Pride of Maryland Player of the Week on Monday, as well as to the Centennial Conference Honor Roll.

O'Connell shot 42.1 percent from the field, including 50.0 percent from three-point range, and 90.0 percent from the free throw line in wins against Muhlenberg and Swarthmore. He also dished out four assists and had six steals to go with one block. On Wednesday, in the three overtimes against Muhlenberg, O'Connell went 6-of-6 from the charity stripe and 1-of-2 from the field. He finished with 20 points, including 13 from the free throw line, and eight boards against the Mules.

Then just three days later, in the two overtimes at Swarthmore, he went 5-of-6 from the free throw line, including two with three seconds on the clock to seal the win, had two steals and played all 10 minutes. He led Blue Jays with 17 points, while also grabbing six boards against the Garnet.

NO SOPHOMORE SLUMP.. After seeing limited playing time in their rookie seasons, Adam Baumgartner and Andrew Farber-Miller are having solid sophomore campaigns.

Farber-Miller had a career day in the triple overtime win over Muhlenberg. He punched up 26 points (6-16 FG), 14-18 FT) with 12 rebounds for his first career double-double. He did all that while playing a school-record 49 minutes, including the 24 minutes of the game.

Farber-Miller ranks third on the team with 9.6 points and second with 5.7 rebounds per game. He's shooting 47.7percent from the floor and 77.8 percent from the free throw line.

Baumgartner chipped in 10 points, including a rim-rattling one-handed dunk, with eight rebounds in the double overtime win at Swarthmore. He averages 4.7 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. He ranks third on the team in blocks (6) and is shooting 42.3 percent from the field.

PICKPOCKET... Junior guard Collin Kamm broke a school record in the win against Eastern in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic. He had nine steals, including six in the first half, breaking the program single-game record of seven - held by both Dave Wilson (02-05-1986) and Bill Zahn (11-27-1989). Kamm's nine steals are also tied for the third most in Centennial Conference history. For the season, Kamm has 28 steals, just four shy of his total in 2006-07.

As a team, Johns Hopkins had 15 steals - the most in a game in exactly seven years. The Blue Jays last had 15 steals in a game on January 5, 2001 in a 67-50 win over New York University.

FREE BASKETBALL... Johns Hopkins played two overtime games last week, for a total of 25 extra minutes of basketball. On the season, the Blue Jays have gone to overtime four times and is 3-1 in those games. JHU lost its first overtime game of the season, 78-74 to Richard Stockton, but has won the last three. Hopkins last played back-to-back overtime games on November 20 & 23, 1999. That season, the Blue Jays played a school-record six overtime games (3-3).

COACH NELSON... Head coach Bill Nelson, now in his 22nd season with the Blue Jays, is the winningest coach in program history. He posts a 361-205 (.638) record entering this week's action. Nelson ranks second in Centennial Conference history in conference wins (143), conference tournament wins (9) and NCAA Tournament wins (5).

MOVING ON UP... Senior guard Doug Polster is moving up the ranks in the Johns Hopkins record book for career three-point field goals made and attempted. He enters this week with 291 attempts and ranking ninth all-time. Polster has nailed 112 treys and ranks eighth all-time. Polster entered the season ranked third in JHU history in three-point percentage with a 41.9 percent clip.

Also making a move in the Hopkins record book is senior forward Kevin Roach. He enter's this week with 197 career rebounds, ranking 22nd all-time, and just three shy of surpassing T.J. Valerio `07 in 21st. Roach also has 43 career blocks, which ranks tied for 16th in school history.

AROUND THE CENTENNIAL... Senior guard Doug Polster leads the Centennial in three-point field goals (2.80), while ranking sixth in free throw percentage (.824) and seventh in scoring (14.9). Sophomore forward Andrew Farber-Miller is seventh in offensive rebounds (2.20) and 10th in field goal percentage (.500). Sophomore guard Pat O'Connell ranks third in three point percentage (.500) and seventh in steals (1.80).

Junior guard Scott Weisenfeld is second in assist/turnover ratio (1.32) and fifth in assists (2.85), while senior forward Kevin Roach ranks fourth in blocks (1.27). Junior guard Collin Kamm ranks third in field goal percentage (.563) and ranks sixth in steals (1.93). Sophomore forward Adam Baumgartner ranks eighth in offensive boards (2.07).

As a team, the Blue Jays rank second in free throw percentage (.723) and turnover margin (+2.00), fourth in three-point percentage (.368), three-point percentage defense (.320) and blocks (3.20), and fifth in steals (8.73), scoring offense (69.9) and field goal percentage defense (.412).

CHARITY STRIPE... The Blue Jays have six players who are shooting better than 65.0 percent from the charity stripe this season. In fact, five of those six are shooting better than 73.0 percent. Senior Doug Polster leads the team, connecting on 82.4 percent of his shots from the free throw line.

IT'S A NEW SEASON... Johns Hopkins is in its 83rd season of basketball and posts an all-time record of 791-896-1 (.469). The Blue Jays also post a Centennial Conference record of 143-67 (.681). Hopkins ranks second behind Franklin & Marshall (157) for most conference wins.

COACHES' PICK... The Blue Jays were picked to finish fourth in the Centennial Conference in the coaches' preseason poll. Hopkins received 111 points and was the only team in the top-five to not receive a first place vote. Ursinus is the conference preseason favorite, earning seven first place votes and 137 points.