The 2010 season has been rough for the Rutgers football team, and their record reflects it.

The Scarlet Knights (1-3 Big East, 4-5 overall), who let a closely fought game get away from them last week against Syracuse in their 13-10 loss, strives to bounce back against the Cincinnati Bearcats (1-3, 3-6). Both teams are at the bottom of the conference and are currently on three-game losing skids, so a win by either team can turn the season positively as Rutgers nears the end of the season.

Defensively, Rutgers will have to mainly focus on Bearcat quarterback Zach Collaros, whose aerial attack on offense has been one of the few bright spots for Cincinnati. Collaros, this season, has passed for 2,139 yards, 20 touchdowns, and a passer rating of an astounding 147.29.

On the offensive side of the ball, the Scarlet Knights need consistent play from their returning quarterback Tom Savage, who came back last week from injury in place of freshman Chas Dodd. Also their special teams needs to be better, as field goal kicker San San Te had a rough game last week, missing crucial opportunities to win against the Orange.

Will the Scarlet Knights finally bounce back from a mediocre season, or will their swoon continue against the Bearcats?

It has been a trying season on and off the field for the Rutgers football team.

The Scarlet Knights (1-2 Big East, 4-4 overall) had the emotions of  the tragic injury to Eric LeGrand weeks ago and have not gotten it done in the late moments of games. They look to stop the surging Syracuse team (3-2, 6-3) in order to have any chance of getting a bowl game invite.

Chas Dodd, the young quarterback that took over for Tom Savage, has been getting plenty of experience in the tough Big East and will need to focus on beating the Orange defense which is 16th in the nation with 18.7 points given up per game. The two-headed rushing force of Mohamed Sanu and Joe Martinek needs to deliver more than they have.

The defense of Rutgers has been the Achilles’ heel the past few weeks, giving up 69 points in the past two weeks. Syracuse junior quarterback Ryan Nassib is the main focus for the Scarlet Knights to maintain this week. He has had a standout year so far, with 1,563 passing yards, 15 touchdowns, and a quarterback rating of 125.53.

Nassib does a great job of balancing the yards between the receiving core, so the secondary will need to keep their heads on a swivel because Syracuse has such a balance offensive attack.

Rutgers will need to turn this season around in this game so they could springboard some momentum in the Big East as they near the end of their season.

Don’t look now, but the Golden State Warriors are near the top of the Western Conference at the first few weeks of the 2010-2011 season.

The month of November has gotten off to the right foot, with Golden State winning four of their five games. It began with a 115-109 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies. Monta Ellis continued his league-leading scoring average with 39 points, and Dorell Wright contributed a career-high seven three point field goals in the second game without Stephen Curry.

The Warriors have won their first three home games for the first time since 1990. The next night the streak went to four with an 85-78 win over the Utah Jazz. Stephen Curry made his return to the lineup, and contributed with nine points in limited time. Ellis had a team high 23 points, and David Lee (14 points, 15 rebounds) had his fifth double-double of the season.

Golden State then began an East Coast road trip with their second loss of the season, 102-97 to the Detroit Pistons. The Pistons had it going on from beyond the arc (9-21) while the Warriors struggled to keep up. Golden State did have a fourth quarter lead, but Richard Hamilton led the way back for Detroit with a game high 27, while Rodney Stuckey had 21 points and nine assists.

The next night in Toronto saw Stephen Curry return to his old form, with a season-high 34 points as the Warriors defeated the Raptors 109-102. The team got a scare when Monta Ellis (25 points) took a bad fall in the fourth quarter and needed to take x-rays. However, coach Keith Smart said that they were only precautionary x-rays and assured that he would ready to go the next game.

Last night, it was familiar territory for David Lee.

The forward returned to Madison Square Garden, where he played his first four seasons as a Knick and lit his old team up for 28 points and 10 rebounds in a 122-117 victory. A video tribute played for Lee, a fan favorite, during a first quarter timeout and got a rousing standing ovation. He also gave Wilson Chandler an inadvertent elbow late in the game that knocked his tooth out and gave Lee a gash on his elbow.

Amare Stoudemire, who essentially replaced Lee in New York, had 33 points and 10 rebounds but missed crucial free throws in the last minute that could have gotten the Knicks the victory.

Golden State led as much as 19 points in the third quarter, but New York kept cutting into the lead and even got the lead with three minutes left. When the Warriors needed an answer, not only Lee but Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry were there to bring the team back. Curry had 25 points, six rebounds, and eight assists, while Ellis had 22 points, six assists and four steals.

The Warriors, now 6-2 and sitting only behind the undefeated Lakers in the Pacific Division, wrap up their road stand with games tonight against the Chicago Bulls and the tough Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday before returning home for a rematch against the Pistons.

Since South Florida entered the Big East, the biggest thorn in their side conference-wise has been Rutgers. Fortunately for them and unfortunately for the Scarlet Knights, they managed to pull the thorn out and slip past in their 28-27 win Wednesday night at Raymond James Stadium. 

Moise Plancher, the sixth-year senior running back for the Bulls, had a career night running for 135 yards on 21 carries. Quarterback Chas Dodd, in his fourth start for Rutgers, went 19 for 22 for 139 yards but did not have a touchdown thrown.

This back and forth battle was a test for both teams on both ends of the field. South Florida (5-3, 2-2 Big East) jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the first, but the Scarlet Knights (4-4, 1-2 Big East) would tie it up on a 60 yard Mason Robinson punt return for a touchdown.

San San Te would kick the first of his two field goals, but Bulls quarterback B.J. Daniels (10-17, 149 yards, 2 TDs) hit Donavia Bogan for a touchdown in the red zone. Receiver Mohamed Sanu threw a touchdown pass on a lateral 21 yards to Mark Harrison to give them a three-point advantage. Harrison had a game high 88 receiving yards on five catches for the Scarlet Knights. A late field goal for South Florida tied the game up at 17 for halftime.

The second half was just as action-packed as the first. Less than five minutes into the third, Joe Martinek barrelled his way through on a one-yard score that was helped by South Florida shooting themselves in the foot with two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties. The Bulls would add a field goal and then would tackle Kordell Young in the end zone on a poorly ran screen pass to cut the lead to 24-22.

Rutgers would add another Te field goal, but the deciding play of the game was with nine and half minutes left when Plancher dove across the goal line. The ball slipped out in the air but tackle Jacob Sims dove on the ball to give the Bulls the one-point lead. The Scarlet Knight offense struggled to get even in field goal range the rest of the way and could not respond in time.

The Scarlet Knights will try to get back on track next Saturday against a very tough Syracuse team.

Opening week for the Golden State Warriors was quite an impressive one for the team predicted to be near the bottom of the Western Conference.

The team opened up their 2010-11 campaign last Wednesday with a terrific offensive explosion in their 132-128 win against the Houston Rockets. The 132 points is largest team amount since 1990 when they put up an incredible 162 on Denver.

Monta Ellis matched his career high with 46 points, giving new head coach Keith Smart a win in his regular season debut. Point guard Stephen Curry had 25 points to go with 11 assists, and new addition David Lee continued his double-double ways from New York with 17 points and 15 boards.

The team then defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 109-91 two nights later in ORACLE Arena. Their 2-0 start was the best start in 16 years.

Ellis did not have the same type of scoring game, but played within his game and scored 15 points while dishing off 11 assists. Dorell Wright had the team high with 24 points and eight rebounds. However, the win came at a price. Curry rolled his already injured right ankle in the second half and sat out the rest of the game and their game last night against the Lakers. His status is still uncertain.

Last night, the opening week concluded for Golden State with a visit to Staples Center to take on the two-time defending NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers. Playing with their star guard Curry, the Warriors were soundly defeated 107-83. Pau Gasol had 26 points and 12 rebounds, while Kobe Bryant added another 20 points. The Lakers led as much as 32 points in the game, so the finish was really never in doubt.

Monta Ellis had 20 points and Dorell Wright had 18, but David Lee was shut down by the stingy Laker defense. Lee was held scoreless and only grabbed three rebounds in the game.

Golden State’s next game is this Wednesday where they take on the Memphis Grizzlies (2-1). The status of Stephen Curry is still unknown, but the guard looks to be in the lineup.

Rutgers, playing with heavy hearts, couldn’t put it together after halftime.

One week after the tragic injury of tackle Eric LeGrande in their game against Army, the Scarlet Knights (4-3 overall, 1-1 Big East) fell to Pittsburgh (4-3, 2-0) 41-21 yesterday at Heinz Field.

Rutgers tied the game at 14 in the second quarter after a blocked punt was recovered by Brandon Bing. The second half was all Pittsburgh though. They scored 27 straight points in the third and fourth quarters to put Rutgers away.

The Panther running game dominated the Rutgers defense throughout the game. Pitt had 206 rushing yards, which was more than the Scarlet Knights had in total offense. Dion Lewis, the leading rusher in the nation last year, had 130 yards on 17 carries and one touchdown. Quarterback Tino Sunseri was sensational, going 21 for 27 with 307 yards and three touchdowns. Mike Cruz had also added two receiving touchdowns.

Rutgers quarterback Chas Dodd had a rough outing, going eight for 19, and only added 62 yards and an interception.

Of course the game was overshadowed by last week’s incident that still leaves Eric LeGrande paralyzed from the neck down. There was large support from everyone in the stadium for LeGrande. Recently, there was a trust fund put together by the college to help pay for his medical bills. Every Rutgers team member had the word “Believe” on their helmets in honor of him, while those on the Pittsburgh side had also signed a poster for him in support that said “Pitt Pulls for Eric”.

The Scarlet Knights have more than a week to prepare for their next game against South Florida on November 3 at Raymond James Stadium. If they want to move forward, both on and off the field, they must “believe”.

Last Saturday, there was little to celebrate for Rutgers in their 23-20 victory over Army at the New Meadowlands Stadium.

The game took a back seat with 5:10 to go in regulation when defensive tackle Eric LeGrande was paralyzed after attempting to tackle an Army player. He was rushed to the ICU at Hackensack University Medical Center where he had emergency surgery to stabilize his spinal cord.

It is still unclear at this point whether he can fully recover, although LeGrande has been responsive at times and knows the tough road ahead. The 72-hour window that paralyzed people have is tomorrow, and the college football world is holding their collective breath.

“Eric’s spirits were as good as you can expect,” said Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano, who visited with him before and after surgery. “He was cognizant of me being there, his mom, everybody. “He’s a fighter.”

The Scarlet Knights (4-2, 1-0 in Big East) returned to the practice field today for the first time since the incident. The team will surely have a lot on their mind as they prepare for their Big East showdown with Pittsburgh this Saturday, but they know that Legrande would want them to give it all they got.

The Rutgers faithful was in shock last Saturday for their school’s homecoming as Tulane came in defeated the Scarlet Knights (2-2) 17-14. Starting quarterback Tom Savage, who came into the game with bruised ribs, went down to injury in the second quarter and did not return. The team had costly penalties (nine penalties for 75 yards) and a struggling offense. The Green Wave used

There were a few bright spots in the game for Rutgers. Running back Mohamed Sanu scored on a school-record 91-yard run on a wildcat play, and also caught a ten yard pass for a touchdown from Chas Dodd, the freshman back up in the third quarter. Dodd was 13 for 29, with 176 passing yards and had the Manu touchdown and an interception.

Up next for the Scarlet Knights is their first conference game against the 3-2 Connecticut Huskies. It will be a tough task for the defense, who will look to stop an offense that hasn’t scored less than 30 points in their first five games. On the other side, with the uncertainty of Savage’s injury at this point, the offense will need to step up and avoid costly penalties. If Dodd has to go again, his inexperience will be put to the test for the Scarlet Knights.

Golden State Warriors:

Last year’s record: 26-56 (4th in Pacific Division)

Additions: Keith Smart (head coach), David Lee, Dorell Wright, Charlie Bell, Dan Gadzuric (traded for),  Louis Amundson, Rodney Carney, Jeremy Lin (free agent signing), Ekpe Udoh (drafted)

Departures: Don Nelson (resigned) , Anthony Randolph, Ronny Turiaf, Corey Maggette, Kelenna Azubuike (traded)

Possible Starting Lineup: PG-Stephen Curry, SG- Monta Ellis, SF-Dorell Wright, PF- David Lee, C-Andris Biedrins

Picking up the pieces from a dismal 2009-2010 season, the Golden State Warriors look to rebuild with new management, new talent, and getting toward the positive side of .500.

With head coach Don Nelson leaving , former Indiana University star Keith Smart has taken over the helm and will have a lot of new faces to mix into his new system as they face a daunting task in the Pacific Division.

Led by point guard Stephen Curry (17.5 ppg, 5.9 apg, 1.9 spg), fresh off winning with Team USA at the FIBA Championships, he will look to use his experience from his impressive rookie year and the FIBA tournament to improve the Warriors. Along with him, Golden State’s leading scorer Monta Ellis (25.5 ppg) are the core of the offense left from last year. Center Andres Biedrins looks to adjust and improve on his abysmal free throw shooting prominent throughout his career.

There have been many changes made to the team in the off-season. The Warriors acquired All-Star forward David Lee from the Knicks in a trade for Anthony Randolph, Ronny Turiaf, and Kelenna Azubuike. Lee will bring to the table a chance for a double-double each game, including alot of hustle each night. New starting small forward Dorell Wright will have an opportunity to prove himself in a starting role.

Ekpe Udoh, the sixth pick in the NBA Draft out of Baylor, will look to get his feet wet at the professional level. He’ll possibly see some time on the court during the season, and perhaps could be a key component to Golden State’s future.

Being in the Western Conference and a division with the two-time defending NBA Champions (Lakers) and a perennial playoff team (Suns) will be difficult for a young rebuilding franchise like the Warriors for 2010-2011. However, with new managment, new vision, and a revamped logo, Golden State might be shining in the years to come.

After a rough finish and loss to North Carolina last week, Rutgers has a crucial game this Saturday against Tulane (1-2).

If they want to keep the pace with the top teams in the Big East, they need to bounce back in a big way. The Scarlet Knights (2-1) have had major problems with their passing offense, and quarterback Tom Savage (33/63, 370 yards, 1 TD, 3 INTs) must right the ship if they want to avoid losing their second straight game. Turnovers in the opponent’s territory need to be avoided if they want the shift the momentum.

Rushing is Rutgers’ strong points so far, averaging almost 144 yards per game on the game. The platoon of Joe Martinek and Mohamed Sanu, who both average above 100 yards a game rushing are a formidable tandem that could give the Tulane defense nightmares all game.Sanu is also Savage’s key target in the passing game, but the other receivers in the offense will have to step their game up and contribute so that he doesn’t have to shoulder most of the load.

Defense is always said to win championships, and the Scarlet Knight defense has done a great job. They are second in the nation in points allowed (10.3 points per game), and the strong defense will have to continue if they want their third win.

The team is looking for the Green Wave to crash at Rutgers Stadium on Saturday and move back in the right direction.