BrianLester posted on February 02, 2012 13:00
By BRIAN LESTER
This will be one of the few times this season where I will not be at the University of Findlay men's basketball game.
The Oilers are on the road tonight to take on Michigan Tech in a 7:30 p.m. Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference showdown at the SDC Gymnasium in Houghton.
Findlay (15-4, 9-3 GLIAC) comes in on a three-game win streak while Tech (10-9, 8-4) has lost three of its last five.The winner will stay in the hunt for the right to host the conference tournament.
It's never easy playing a game against the Huskies. They are well-coached, and as head coach Charlie Ernst told me earlier this week, they are a team that won't be themselvees.
But Ernst also told me that a team has to have all of its ducks in a row to be successful on the road in this conference. He believes the team is ready in that regard. He likes the mental state of the team, which is always crucial to success away from home, and that should bode well for Findlay on this trip.
The lineup seems to be in order and the players understand their roles. It's all a matter of execution and effort. If the Oilers bring their best effort, they win this game. It's that simple. I think the Oilers have proven during their three-game win streak that if they plays hard, especially on defense, they are going to be tough to beat.
After all, when you play hard, shots come easier, turnovers are forced more often and good defense is a given.
I know Findlay has struggled on the road in the past, but it's not as if it has been blown out in any game. The Oilers are ready to put 40 minutes of basketball together on the road, and as they give their best effort, they will be fine.
I'll have a game story in the Thursday morning edition of The Courier. Also, check back later tonight for my final thoughts on the Oilers' game against the Huskies. Enjoy the game.
Note on the Regional Poll: Just as the rules have changed for the NCAA tourney criteria, the release date of the poll has changed as well.
Instead of the usual six polls per season, there will now only be three. The first one will be released on Feb. 15 or Feb. 16.