show up. If we can build on what I saw against Stetson, I think we can still have a good season. Confidence should be up with two straight wins on the road. If the guys decide to play unselfishly like they did tonight, we might just have a chance against UNT. Maybe the light has gone on for both the coaches and players. I notice we're pushing the ball up the court more than in the past. I don't expect miracles from this team, but we could surprise some folks if we continue to work hard and play together. I saw very little "I" tonight. I saw more of "we" than I've seen all season.

If the guys decide to play unselfishly like they did tonight, we might just have a chance against UNT. Maybe the light has gone on for both the coaches and players.

I saw very little "I" tonight. I saw more of "we" than I've seen all season.
[/quote]


Amazing how the "pet" distributed the ball. He must have forgotten how important it is not to let the walkon shine.

(12-24-2010 01:05 AM)Mr. Mediocrity Wrote:  If the guys decide to play unselfishly like they did tonight, we might just have a chance against UNT. Maybe the light has gone on for both the coaches and players.

I saw very little "I" tonight. I saw more of "we" than I've seen all season.

Amazing how the "pet" distributed the ball. He must have forgotten how important it is not to let the walkon shine.
[/quote]

Everyone distributed the ball tonight. That's what it takes to win. They all still have to be careful not to get into the one on one mentality at the expense of finding an open shooter. I thought a lot of the kids shone tonight. Not just the walk on. Funny thing, he hit his three pointers when the game was still on. When we had it won, at garbage time, he missed a few. But three three's puts him closer to passing Malik on the all time list. I don't think he needs very many more to do it.
And there's no doubt that Solo will join the list of FT shooters. Opponents just can't keep their hands off of him.

(12-24-2010 01:18 AM)outsideualr Wrote:  

(12-24-2010 01:05 AM)Mr. Mediocrity Wrote:  If the guys decide to play unselfishly like they did tonight, we might just have a chance against UNT. Maybe the light has gone on for both the coaches and players.

I saw very little "I" tonight. I saw more of "we" than I've seen all season.

Amazing how the "pet" distributed the ball. He must have forgotten how important it is not to let the walkon shine.

Everyone distributed the ball tonight. That's what it takes to win. They all still have to be careful not to get into the one on one mentality at the expense of finding an open shooter. I thought a lot of the kids shone tonight. Not just the walk on. Funny thing, he hit his three pointers when the game was still on. When we had it won, at garbage time, he missed a few. But three three's puts him closer to passing Malik on the all time list. I don't think he needs very many more to do it.
And there's no doubt that Solo will join the list of FT shooters. Opponents just can't keep their hands off of him.
[/quote]

Yes, Matt hit some shots when the game was in the balance. And surprise surprise, he got more playing time. Coach Shields does play "favorites". He tends to favor the guys who play well and do what he asks them to do.

(12-24-2010 01:02 AM)outsideualr Wrote:  show up.

That is the question this year. Who knows?

We need a new cheer. "Yea, Dr. Jekyll. Boo, Mr. Hyde."

(12-24-2010 01:18 AM)outsideualr Wrote:  

(12-24-2010 01:05 AM)Mr. Mediocrity Wrote:  If the guys decide to play unselfishly like they did tonight, we might just have a chance against UNT. Maybe the light has gone on for both the coaches and players.

I saw very little "I" tonight. I saw more of "we" than I've seen all season.

Amazing how the "pet" distributed the ball. He must have forgotten how important it is not to let the walkon shine.

. I don't think he needs very many more to do it.
[/quote]

I was wrong. He needs over twenty more to pass Malik. I guess it's possible, depending on how many shots he gets the rest of the season.

some of you sound like solo killed your kids dog. u play who you think u can win with. if we dont win it is on steve. time will tell.

(12-24-2010 10:11 AM)insideualr Wrote:  some of you sound like solo killed your kids dog. u play who you think u can win with. if we dont win it is on steve. time will tell.

Not me. I predicted he'd be all-conference (3rd team) before the season started. I may have to reconsider- 2nd team may be more accurate.

I was wrong. He needs over twenty more to pass Malik. I guess it's possible, depending on how many shots he gets the rest of the season.
[/quote]

He is making between 1.5 and 2 per game so far. We will have at least 32 games this year, with 18 to go. 18 x 1.5 is 27. (Are all my numbers right?)

(12-24-2010 10:11 AM)insideualr Wrote:  some of you sound like solo killed your kids dog. u play who you think u can win with. if we dont win it is on steve. time will tell.

I think any reasonable observer of basketball can see that Solo has some nice skills. I don't think he's the second coming, but he's arguably our most talented all around player. My problem with him in the past was the he was seemingly more concerned with padding his stats then winning games. But I see some differences starting to appear. He's looking like more of a team player.


We all know that one player alone can't beat a decent opponent who involved all five of their players. So if this transformation is actually taking place, then my evaluation of Solo will substantially improve. That was one of the reasons Coach Foley sat Chas down. She had some attitude problems, but she also wasn't getting her teammates involved in the games. But since she's come back, she's making an effort to get the ball to open shooters, but she's still getting her points. I believe that we'd be a better team this year if Steve had Solo down last year when he would play out of control. We might have won more than 6 D1 games and been ahead of the game this year. Anyway, at least for today, things are looking a little brighter. Even if we lose to North Texas. I think our conference season will turn out allright. Then we have to win the tournament. As our AD said before last season, "It's imperative we get to the postseason".

(12-24-2010 10:19 AM)MICHAELSPAPPY Wrote:  I was wrong. He needs over twenty more to pass Malik. I guess it's possible, depending on how many shots he gets the rest of the season.

He is making between 1.5 and 2 per game so far. We will have at least 32 games this year, with 18 to go. 18 x 1.5 is 27. (Are all my numbers right?)
[/quote]

I'm assuming, if he gets enough minutes, he'll shoot a higher percentage then he's been shooting. He always has. I predict he'll end up around 38-40% from the arc this year. That could do it. Passing Malik would be a real accomplishment.

(12-24-2010 10:22 AM)outsideualr Wrote:  Passing Malik would be a real accomplishment.

Absolutely. Matt has had a great career here. I would recruit a player like him and the kid at Fayetteville every other year. You always need a designated shooter that drives the opposition defense to distraction. They know he can shoot and the coach will let him.

(12-24-2010 10:25 AM)MICHAELSPAPPY Wrote:  

(12-24-2010 10:22 AM)outsideualr Wrote:  Passing Malik would be a real accomplishment.

Absolutely. Matt has had a great career here. I would recruit a player like him and the kid at Fayetteville every other year. You always need a designated shooter that drives the opposition defense to distraction. They know he can shoot and the coach will let him.

We don't recruit shooters. They are required to walk on. Did we invite Rotnei Clarke to walk on too?

(12-24-2010 10:30 AM)outsideualr Wrote:  We don't recruit shooters. They are required to walk on. Did we invite Rotnei Clarke to walk on too?

Before you say that, go look at the record book. We had a kid last year that shot over 50% from the arc. And there have been some other pretty fair shooters since Shields has been here.

(12-24-2010 10:33 AM)MICHAELSPAPPY Wrote:  

(12-24-2010 10:30 AM)outsideualr Wrote:  We don't recruit shooters. They are required to walk on. Did we invite Rotnei Clarke to walk on too?

Before you say that, go look at the record book. We had a kid last year that shot over 50% from the arc. And there have been some other pretty fair shooters since Shields has been here.

Can't argue with the record book Pappy. Ricky did shoot well last year.
I don't know what happened with him. I know he had a difficult time finding his man on defense consistently. But with that being said, it could have been other reasons why he is no longer here. Or just a victim of attrition.

(12-24-2010 10:37 AM)outsideualr Wrote:  

(12-24-2010 10:33 AM)MICHAELSPAPPY Wrote:  

(12-24-2010 10:30 AM)outsideualr Wrote:  We don't recruit shooters. They are required to walk on. Did we invite Rotnei Clarke to walk on too?

Before you say that, go look at the record book. We had a kid last year that shot over 50% from the arc. And there have been some other pretty fair shooters since Shields has been here.

Can't argue with the record book Pappy. Ricky did shoot well last year.
I don't know what happened with him. I know he had a difficult time finding his man on defense consistently. But with that being said, it could have been other reasons why he is no longer here. Or just a victim of attrition.

I think, like DI like to say, he and Matt were the "same player" and they didn't need both. They were not going to run off Matt, who was local and a fan favorite. I think Matt was also more talented overall.

Can't argue with the record book Pappy. Ricky did shoot well last year.
I don't know what happened with him. I know he had a difficult time finding his man on defense consistently. But with that being said, it could have been other reasons why he is no longer here. Or just a victim of attrition.
[/quote]

Shields actually has done a pretty fair job of bringing in juco shooters. Akins, Alex, Davison. Even Fowler shot the 3 reasonably well his second season (35.6%).

We just don't need any off-court issues or disciplinary issues from here on out. This team might turn out to be pretty good in a badly down SBC year, and we don't need to shoot ourselves in the feet.

(12-24-2010 10:41 AM)mjs Wrote:  I think, like DI like to say, he and Matt were the "same player" and they didn't need both. They were not going to run off Matt, who was local and a fan favorite. I think Matt was also more talented overall.

Damn, I'll bet that was hard for you to say.

(12-24-2010 10:52 AM)MICHAELSPAPPY Wrote:  We just don't need any off-court issues or disciplinary issues from here on out. This team might turn out to be pretty good in a badly down SBC year, and we don't need to shoot ourselves in the feet.

You think we have troubles. I just saw a shot on TV of two of the Mississippi State players get into a fistfight in the stands at some game where they were obviously not playing. Must have been a tournament.
Anyway, they had to be pulled apart. Bad enough when kids do that in practice in the heat of the moment, but when it occurs in public at an arena when you're not even playing, it doesn't look very good. I'm sure it will be played on Sportscenter all day. At least our kids seem to get along most of the time.