Sunday, December 19, 2010

Glover's Strong Play Goes On vs. Orange

Just when it appeared that Iona's Mike Glover couldn't play much better he turns in a double-double against Big East power Syracuse ... by halftime.

The 6-foot-7, 240-pound junior playing his first season in the MAAC had 14 points and 10 rebounds at the intermission before finishing with 25 points and 16 rebounds in 'Cuse's 83-77 victory over the Gaels Saturday night.

The outcome ended Iona's seven-game winning streak, much of it driven by Glover who now averages 22.1 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. He is one of just two conference players averaging a double-double on the season. Siena's senior center Ryan Rossiter (20.3, 13.3) is the other. And, it has become fairly clear already that Glover and Rossiter are head and shoulders the two prime contenders for the 2010-11 season's Player of the Year honors.

Glover, who originally signed to play at another Big East school, Seton Hall, prior to the 2007-08 season (academic issues never allowed him to play there), showed Saturday that he is a high-major level player plying his trade at the mid-major level.

Said Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim, after Saturday's contest: "We couldn't contain Glover; that was our biggest problem."

"He (Glover) had a lot of movement," added Syracuse center Baye Moussa Keita. "He was on the baseline and, before you know it, he got the ball."

Glover, after the Syracuse contest, heaped some credit on teammate and junior point guard Scott Machado for his (Glover's) early season success.

Glover said that he and Machado have already developed a certain chemistry this season. Glover said that he signals Machado to “lob it up there,” then chases the ball when Machado directs it toward the rim.

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