(01-21-2017 07:01 PM)Frizzy Owl Wrote:  

(01-21-2017 06:59 PM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  A win is a win - I'll take a road win any day of the year. 13 wins on the season so we can point to that as a sign of improvement. I'm sure it was tough conditions to play today for both teams due to the tragedy in Hattiesburg.

Big homestand next week. We can't lose any more home games this year IMO.

Please, please, don't blame the weather.

4 people died. And one of the soccer players lost some fingers in the tornado (actually in reading the CUSA thread on this right now it might have been a player from William Carey, which is a different school also in Hattiesburg). I was shocked they even played the game to be honest.

But I'm sure it affected USM more than us (and probably was the reason they were so sluggish right away). As bad as the Rice fans feel here, I'm sure the USM fans feel worse. They lost.

We should still win twenty games. But at this point, I wouldn't be surprised if we come out on either side. Depends on which team shows up remainder of the season...the one that scored 60 points in twelve minutes or the one that just finished this game.

Road win. Not pretty. But it still counts.

I think we're still trying to figure out a lineup that works best but did I see it correct - MLE got the start over Meyer today? Of course he fouled out with just 1 point and 2 rebounds (or maybe the other way around) but I'm okay with him starting every game now.

Sounds like the team is playing worse now than early in the season. Hopefully this is a "2 steps forward, 1 step back" scenario.

(01-21-2017 07:30 PM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  MLE got the start over Meyer today? Of course he fouled out with just 1 point and 2 rebounds (or maybe the other way around) but I'm okay with him starting every game now.

The other way around. GameTracker showed that ML-E scored 2 points and snagged 1 rebound before fouling out ... after just 9 minutes of playing time.

I know MLE's M.O. is playing a bit out of control, but you've got to be kidding -- fouled out after 9 minutes of PT??

(01-21-2017 08:34 PM)Barney Wrote:  I know MLE's M.O. is playing a bit out of control, but you've got to be kidding -- fouled out after 9 minutes of PT??

Guess he can't blame lack of playing time on Coach ?

Seriously, I've thought he's got a world of talent/ability but hasn't figured out how to play under control.

(01-21-2017 07:03 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  A win is a win is a win. But my gosh what a godawful finish. At least we won't be 12-20 this year.

Truth be told, this is just the way it is with young teams. At some point they grow up, hope it is soon. This could still be an outstanding year, but it needs to get busy being that before much longer.

Do we really qualify as a young team? Of our three best players, two are in the 4th year of college and the third is a sophomore.

Yes, behind that we have a lot of youth, but it is optional youth or coach's discretion youth as coach has largely buried Mency and Drone who have started a lot of games. So not sure youth is a viable excuse when you have former starters who played 20+ mpg most of their career deep on the bench.

(01-21-2017 08:34 PM)Barney Wrote:  I know MLE's M.O. is playing a bit out of control, but you've got to be kidding -- fouled out after 9 minutes of PT??

At what point does he need a game or two on the bench? Kind of ridiculous.

Some interesting conference scores yesterday. UAB lost at FIU (and may have had another guard injured - I think UAB will continue to lose some games you wouldn't expect them to). Charlotte edged ODU on a last second shot in a game marred by a fight (Charlotte should have two players suspended for its next game and ODU a starter when we play them Thursday) and UTEP beat UTSA by 20.

MTSU continues to be the class of the conference and might get back into the top 25 shortly.

(01-21-2017 06:48 PM)Tiki Owl Wrote:  Currently being outscored 37-8.

I think USM *only* had a 31-10 run...with the score going from 45-22 with 15:17 left to 55-53 with 0:20 left.

just some data on youth. freshmen, including Lott, played 43 minutes yesterday, so basically on average there was one freshman on the court at all times.

Two thoughts

1. IMHO, that doesn't make us young. By contrast we had on average two 4th year players on floor at all times (Egor, Jackson, Mency, Drone). actually a shade over 2 on average.

2. Is there any cause for concern that frosh and RS frosh hold 6 of 13 schollies but only play 20% of the minutes? Will those kids develop, will they hamstring future recruiting, or will they be--in the inglorious parlance of the game--"run off"?

In any college sports discussion, the "young team" card can be played at any time. No player starts the season with more than three years of experience and they are all teens or early twenties.

(01-21-2017 08:34 PM)Barney Wrote:  I know MLE's M.O. is playing a bit out of control, but you've got to be kidding -- fouled out after 9 minutes of PT??

His fouls came this long after being subbed in:
-- 1st half --
** played 3:55 without a foul before being subbed **
1) 1:38 seconds
2) 1:38 seconds
-- 2nd half --
3) 1:27 seconds
4) 22 seconds
5) 26 seconds