Don't know what else to say. ASU led the last 35 minutes and really seemed in control. We could never get over the hump. They just seemed a little better than us. Well, until the last minute. Great clutch play- great defensive stop-unbelievable pass by Chuck. Last year he probably would have panicked with 2 seconds on the clock and jacked it up. This year he made a picture perfect pass to Tramar. Then Tramar, on senior night, nails them both like it was foul shooting practice. Still not sure if ASU might be a little better than us in pure talent. Hooten is a very good player. Hate to admit it, but Finn is good as well. But in the end it comes down to who is the better "team". Who can make the clutch plays when they count the most. Who wants it more. And maybe most importantly, who has the best point guard in the league.

We have better basketball players.

I'm not certain we have better basketball players. Every team I watch seems to out talent us in certain areas. I think we fit into that saying that the whole is greater than the sum of it's parts. I really believe our team is better than our individual talent. Obviously we have some very good players, but not dominating ones. But let's give credit to the head coach, who has taken all these new players and fit them in with the few returning starters to create a very competitive team in our league. I don't care about Kermit Davis. As Joe Kleine said on the radio after the game last night, if Steve isn't voted the COY, the voters have no idea what they're doing. That's sort of paraphrasing it, but that's the gist of it. This year is the best job of coaching he's ever done. Maybe he's just now coming into his own as a really solid coach. Most of us thought at the first of the year, that by tournament time, we'd be a pretty good team. But nobody honestly could have predicted what we accomplished during the conference season. Even if we don't win a game in the tournament (which is always a possbility), this has been a great season for the Trojans.

(02-26-2012 09:55 AM)outsideualr Wrote:  I'm not certain we have better basketball players. Every team I watch seems to out talent us in certain areas. I think we fit into that saying that the whole is greater than the sum of it's parts. I really believe our team is better than our individual talent. Obviously we have some very good players, but not dominating ones. But let's give credit to the head coach, who has taken all these new players and fit them in with the few returning starters to create a very competitive team in our league. I don't care about Kermit Davis. As Joe Kleine said on the radio after the game last night, if Steve isn't voted the COY, the voters have no idea what they're doing. That's sort of paraphrasing it, but that's the gist of it. This year is the best job of coaching he's ever done. Maybe he's just now coming into his own as a really solid coach. Most of us thought at the first of the year, that by tournament time, we'd be a pretty good team. But nobody honestly could have predicted what we accomplished during the conference season. Even if we don't win a game in the tournament (which is always a possbility), this has been a great season for the Trojans.

It's very possible we lose to WKU (again I'm assuming they beat FIU). It is a 50-50 game like most league games we play. At least, after last year, folks won't say Steve is "not a tournament coach" if we do lose. Having a night to think about it, I like our chances against WKU. But like you said, it will likely go right down to the wire and anything can happen.

All Steve has to do is remember to call timeout when Tramar is about to shoot free throws. Tramar might have shot 100% from the line had Steve followed that policy during the season.

(02-26-2012 10:08 AM)outsideualr Wrote:  All Steve has to do is remember to call timeout when Tramar is about to shoot free throws. Tramar might have shot 100% from the line had Steve followed that policy during the season.

Speaking of time outs, I really wondered last night why Tramar wasn't instructed to intentionally miss the second free throw if he made the first. ASU was out of time outs, and there is absolutely no way to get off any kind of shot off a rebound with .8 seconds left. Inbounding the ball with .8 seconds doesn't provide a great opportunity either, but better than from a rebound. And, if you clear everybody off the lane for the second free throw, there isn't an opportunity for the refs to call a foul. I know it doesn't matter since things came out right, but just a thought.

(02-26-2012 01:12 PM)PTJR Wrote:  

(02-26-2012 10:08 AM)outsideualr Wrote:  All Steve has to do is remember to call timeout when Tramar is about to shoot free throws. Tramar might have shot 100% from the line had Steve followed that policy during the season.

Speaking of time outs, I really wondered last night why Tramar wasn't instructed to intentionally miss the second free throw if he made the first. ASU was out of time outs, and there is absolutely no way to get off any kind of shot off a rebound with .8 seconds left. Inbounding the ball with .8 seconds doesn't provide a great opportunity either, but better than from a rebound. And, if you clear everybody off the lane for the second free throw, there isn't an opportunity for the refs to call a foul. I know it doesn't matter since things came out right, but just a thought.

I was yelling for him to miss the second, as well. Seemed like the obvious decision. Who knows. Maybe he tried to miss it. Then only danger is him missing the rim completely, so they get it out of bounds. But that really doesn't change much, since a long 3 beats you either way.

You clear the line and miss the ft, cna't i just let it go out of bounds?