At one point I looked at the scoreboard and saw every UT player on the floor, lit up in double digits, then I looked at the score and thought WTF? "How are these guys even in the game?," but they were. I think that is why we're perplexed, is it the coaching or player attitude that is keeping us from having a killer instinct vs. lower win teams. I agree the team and Coach were completely bamboozled vs. EMU, it was like neither had ever seen a 2-3 zone before. BSU matched us shot for shot for the entire game and it was annoying. Not sure about others, but I didn't feel like we'd lose this one, but we did just enough to win. Not sure that is championship level basketball?

One nice thing we did defensively was hold their big guy to 12, only three more than he's scored the entire year to this point. Always good to see guys top their entire season's output in just one game against us.

Majuk didn't play (their good big guy). So I can see why we were close in Muncie when he had 20 and 10.
BSU seems to shoot the lights out vs. UT. Glad to pull out the win. Less unforced turnovers, and more 35 second violations on the defensive end will make me happy.

(02-23-2014 09:21 PM)RocketBBallFan Wrote:  

(02-23-2014 07:44 PM)adunifon Wrote:  It was easier to be a fan when we won 7 games a year. At least we weren't constantly failing to play up to our ability.

If you really feel that way and it would make you happier, find a 7 win team to root for. The rest of us will enjoy the run to a MAC title.

If you can't figure out what I'm trying to say here then you're hopeless.

(02-23-2014 10:19 PM)RocketBBallFan Wrote:  

(02-23-2014 10:12 PM)flying dutchman Wrote:  

(02-23-2014 10:00 PM)Campbell4President Wrote:  

(02-23-2014 09:49 PM)RocketBBallFan Wrote:  I know that they aren't playing their best basketball right now. I know that they have played some close games against teams that are not as good as them. I have been to all of the home games and a couple of the road games and have watched most of the other road games. I understand the frustration that they aren't playing up to the level that they are capable of.

The thing we all have to realize is that we are tied for First Place with four games to play! I know that we all have been craving a winning team and we've got one. 23-4 is a winning team. The MAC title is really going to be a toss up. Despite the team's flaws, I really don't think anyone else in in the MAC is playing any better than we are. WMU is playing very well, but they haven't been so much better than us or anyone else.

I truly am confident that this team will play up to their potential when they need to. I know they should already be doing that, but the really important games are still to come. They need to play their absolute best basketball on March 14 and 15. That is the bottom line. In the meantime, I am going to enjoy the wins that we keep piling up! Go Rockets!

I agree! I get frustrated during the games when the BGs, Hillsdales, and those types of schools hang around in games with the Rockets but at the end of the game, as long as the Rockets finish by at least 1 point over the scrubby opposition, I am happy and forget about my frustration. The thing is that the Rockets always ratchet it down in the second half at the point that they realize they need to and come away as winners. I'm not panicking at all and in fact if they lost every game from here on out and made neither the NCAA or NIT, they have already won more games this year than we could have predicted just a few years ago. Go back four and five years ago...would anyone have been excited if you were told that in four or five years, at this point in the season the Rockets would have an RPI of 27 which is higher than the RPI of Xavier, Memphis, Louisville, North Carolina, Illinois, Indiana, and pretty much 300 other teams in Division 1?

Your right fans should feel very proud but the problem is the players seem to be satisfied with that too and if the coach wants to accept wins and not playing like they should that is not good. We may even get the MAC and this team has the potential to go well into the NCAA tourney but the critical mind says NOT if they play this way. I am thrilled with the win loss record and where we stand but I did expect it this year and saw it coming last year. I just don't think it is wrong to be critical of a game we should have won by 30. Go Rockets but play better and get the two byes and if you improve we can go far in the big dance.

I agree with you that it is okay to be critical of their performance. Coach K has not been happy after the last two wins and has said so on the post game radio show. When someone implied that the losing seasons were better than this, I just felt the need to emphasize that we are having a very successful season in terms of wins and losses and we should be grateful for that at least.

Nowhere did I say the losing seasons were better than this. Work on your reading comprehension.

The problem we are going to run into by playing these close games is that players like juice are logging way too many minutes.

If you blow out the garbage teams he'd get more rest.

If we get the double bye it may bail us out, but you dont want to be running on fumes at that point in the year.

(02-24-2014 06:09 AM)adunifon Wrote:  

(02-23-2014 10:19 PM)RocketBBallFan Wrote:  

(02-23-2014 10:12 PM)flying dutchman Wrote:  

(02-23-2014 10:00 PM)Campbell4President Wrote:  

(02-23-2014 09:49 PM)RocketBBallFan Wrote:  I know that they aren't playing their best basketball right now. I know that they have played some close games against teams that are not as good as them. I have been to all of the home games and a couple of the road games and have watched most of the other road games. I understand the frustration that they aren't playing up to the level that they are capable of.

The thing we all have to realize is that we are tied for First Place with four games to play! I know that we all have been craving a winning team and we've got one. 23-4 is a winning team. The MAC title is really going to be a toss up. Despite the team's flaws, I really don't think anyone else in in the MAC is playing any better than we are. WMU is playing very well, but they haven't been so much better than us or anyone else.

I truly am confident that this team will play up to their potential when they need to. I know they should already be doing that, but the really important games are still to come. They need to play their absolute best basketball on March 14 and 15. That is the bottom line. In the meantime, I am going to enjoy the wins that we keep piling up! Go Rockets!

I agree! I get frustrated during the games when the BGs, Hillsdales, and those types of schools hang around in games with the Rockets but at the end of the game, as long as the Rockets finish by at least 1 point over the scrubby opposition, I am happy and forget about my frustration. The thing is that the Rockets always ratchet it down in the second half at the point that they realize they need to and come away as winners. I'm not panicking at all and in fact if they lost every game from here on out and made neither the NCAA or NIT, they have already won more games this year than we could have predicted just a few years ago. Go back four and five years ago...would anyone have been excited if you were told that in four or five years, at this point in the season the Rockets would have an RPI of 27 which is higher than the RPI of Xavier, Memphis, Louisville, North Carolina, Illinois, Indiana, and pretty much 300 other teams in Division 1?

Your right fans should feel very proud but the problem is the players seem to be satisfied with that too and if the coach wants to accept wins and not playing like they should that is not good. We may even get the MAC and this team has the potential to go well into the NCAA tourney but the critical mind says NOT if they play this way. I am thrilled with the win loss record and where we stand but I did expect it this year and saw it coming last year. I just don't think it is wrong to be critical of a game we should have won by 30. Go Rockets but play better and get the two byes and if you improve we can go far in the big dance.

I agree with you that it is okay to be critical of their performance. Coach K has not been happy after the last two wins and has said so on the post game radio show. When someone implied that the losing seasons were better than this, I just felt the need to emphasize that we are having a very successful season in terms of wins and losses and we should be grateful for that at least.

Nowhere did I say the losing seasons were better than this. Work on your reading comprehension.

I'm sorry that I misunderstood your comment that it was easier being a fan during the 7 win seasons. Can you please explain what you meant by that? I am not being sarcastic. I really do want to know what you meant by that comment. I truly am sorry that I misunderstood you. Like someone said, this message board is full of emotions and I guess I reacted a little too emotionally to that comment. As I've said before, I love the Rockets so much and I just want to make sure that we are giving them our full support.

(02-24-2014 06:13 AM)adunifon Wrote:  The problem we are going to run into by playing these close games is that players like juice are logging way too many minutes.

If you blow out the garbage teams he'd get more rest.

If we get the double bye it may bail us out, but you dont want to be running on fumes at that point in the year.

Bingo!

(02-24-2014 06:05 AM)adunifon Wrote:  

(02-23-2014 09:21 PM)RocketBBallFan Wrote:  

(02-23-2014 07:44 PM)adunifon Wrote:  It was easier to be a fan when we won 7 games a year. At least we weren't constantly failing to play up to our ability.

If you really feel that way and it would make you happier, find a 7 win team to root for. The rest of us will enjoy the run to a MAC title.

If you can't figure out what I'm trying to say here then you're hopeless.

I've attended a whole lot more games this year and last year compared to when we only won 4 or 7 games. I'm really enjoying our success, and am really looking forward to Cleveland. Go Rockets!!!!!!!

BTW: A tall recruit was present at the game. Looked to be a legit 6'9" - 6'10" to me. He was with Coach Kalsow who is 6'7" - 6'8". Easily 2 inches taller then the other Coach K or is it TK... I don't know. Trying to put a name to the face. If anyone has a name lets hear it.

(02-24-2014 06:20 AM)RocketBBallFan Wrote:  

(02-24-2014 06:09 AM)adunifon Wrote:  

(02-23-2014 10:19 PM)RocketBBallFan Wrote:  

(02-23-2014 10:12 PM)flying dutchman Wrote:  

(02-23-2014 10:00 PM)Campbell4President Wrote:  I agree! I get frustrated during the games when the BGs, Hillsdales, and those types of schools hang around in games with the Rockets but at the end of the game, as long as the Rockets finish by at least 1 point over the scrubby opposition, I am happy and forget about my frustration. The thing is that the Rockets always ratchet it down in the second half at the point that they realize they need to and come away as winners. I'm not panicking at all and in fact if they lost every game from here on out and made neither the NCAA or NIT, they have already won more games this year than we could have predicted just a few years ago. Go back four and five years ago...would anyone have been excited if you were told that in four or five years, at this point in the season the Rockets would have an RPI of 27 which is higher than the RPI of Xavier, Memphis, Louisville, North Carolina, Illinois, Indiana, and pretty much 300 other teams in Division 1?

Your right fans should feel very proud but the problem is the players seem to be satisfied with that too and if the coach wants to accept wins and not playing like they should that is not good. We may even get the MAC and this team has the potential to go well into the NCAA tourney but the critical mind says NOT if they play this way. I am thrilled with the win loss record and where we stand but I did expect it this year and saw it coming last year. I just don't think it is wrong to be critical of a game we should have won by 30. Go Rockets but play better and get the two byes and if you improve we can go far in the big dance.

I agree with you that it is okay to be critical of their performance. Coach K has not been happy after the last two wins and has said so on the post game radio show. When someone implied that the losing seasons were better than this, I just felt the need to emphasize that we are having a very successful season in terms of wins and losses and we should be grateful for that at least.

Nowhere did I say the losing seasons were better than this. Work on your reading comprehension.

I'm sorry that I misunderstood your comment that it was easier being a fan during the 7 win seasons. Can you please explain what you meant by that? I am not being sarcastic. I really do want to know what you meant by that comment. I truly am sorry that I misunderstood you. Like someone said, this message board is full of emotions and I guess I reacted a little too emotionally to that comment. As I've said before, I love the Rockets so much and I just want to make sure that we are giving them our full support.

I meant exactly what I said.

Easier to be a fan = less expectations. We had no talent. When we won it was great, when we lost, who cares. No stress. It sucked that we sucked, but it wasn't stressful to watch the games. It was almost comedic at times.

When you win and have way more talent than most teams = expectations. More fun to win, but more stressful and frustrating to a fan when you aren't playing to your potential.

(02-24-2014 07:07 AM)bcunn3128 Wrote:  

(02-24-2014 06:13 AM)adunifon Wrote:  The problem we are going to run into by playing these close games is that players like juice are logging way too many minutes.

If you blow out the garbage teams he'd get more rest.

If we get the double bye it may bail us out, but you dont want to be running on fumes at that point in the year.

Bingo!

Fortunately we have more depth than most but guys like lauf, smith and garber should have been getting more minutes late in games had we handled these trash teams like we should have.

(02-24-2014 08:35 AM)Rockketdork Wrote:  BTW: A tall recruit was present at the game. Looked to be a legit 6'9" - 6'10" to me. He was with Coach Kalsow who is 6'7" - 6'8". Easily 2 inches taller then the other Coach K or is it TK... I don't know. Trying to put a name to the face. If anyone has a name lets hear it.

The kid you are referring to might be Austin Davis. He is a 6-10 sophmore from Onsted Michigan. His folks were with them wearing Onsted b-ball sweatshirts. The kid is a legit 6-10 maybe taller.

(02-24-2014 08:35 PM)emanoh Wrote:  Onstead isn't far away and it has to be a small school. I gave driven by it before. Any pts, rebounds or beta on this kid?

See the Austin Davis thread.