Nice crowd, maybe the largest of the season; however, I wonder how many figured that they got their money's worth and went home happy?

Same tired Rocket script from the Ohio game and the same result. Come out flat, make a bunch of turn overs, fail to protect the perimeter and fall behind by double digits for about the first 30 or so minutes of the game, then make a furious comeback attempt in the last few minutes but make enough mistakes at the end to ensure the loss. Tonight on the really crucial possessions after the lead was down to 4 points, the Rockets made sure it go no closer than that with TOs on crucial offensive possessions and giving up offensive rebounds until Buffalo was able to score on THE key defensive possession of the game after UT seemed to have the momentum and the crowd finally into the game a bit. As an aside Jon Jon is a heck of a player but when he tries to take over a game near the end sometimes he ends up with more style points than points on the score board.

Some how it seems now as if it was a longer than just 2 seasons ago when the Rockets did not lose a single home game in MAC play.

Early on Buffalo was just too quick and too physical for the Rockets to deal with, particularly at the guard positions and Buffalo was hitting way too many uncontested threes while at the same time Boothe only had 2 points at the half. This is getting to be routine in the last couple games and if the Rockets don't take some action to counteract this, they are not going to end up with even a .500 record in MAC play.

All in all however, I have to give Buffalo (or New York as they seem to prefer to call themselves these days) a lot of credit. To have lost as many players who should have been playing there this year (about six, I believe) as well as their head coach, I gotta think that their new coach has to be given a lot of credit to have this team playing as well as it is.

(01-30-2016 10:09 PM)MidnightBlueGold Wrote:  can we get that little girl to sing the Anthem at every game? She literally gave me goosebumps.

We don't often agree, but we absolutely agree on this. She was phenomenol!

(01-30-2016 10:20 PM)bcunn3128 Wrote:  

(01-30-2016 10:09 PM)MidnightBlueGold Wrote:  can we get that little girl to sing the Anthem at every game? She literally gave me goosebumps.

We don't often agree, but we absolutely agree on this. She was phenomenol!

Agree---what a tremendous, strong, clear, controlled voice from such a petite little girl. Even the Buffalo bench was enthusiastically applauding her. I wonder how old she is. I would guess about 8 or 9.

I missed the 2nd half, but was casually watching the 1st. It seemed like they were doing pretty well getting rebounds, but, man, could not get the shots to drop. Defense was OK at times, then they would get out-quicked by UB.

Third loss in a row, two at home, and they aren't even to the mid-point of the conference schedule.

The last three games have been very disappointing, but as always, I will not give up on the team. I will be rooting hard for them until the bitter end. I hope they can get out of this funk. Go Rockets! Beat Western!

Buffalo was extremely undisciplined. They should have beaten us by twenty but settled for headlong drives into double and triple teams (and made an alarming number of those shots). We actually had a better assist /TO +\- at -6 to UB's -7. We were waaaayyy out quicker. I'd hate to see this UB team with their MAC POY and I he guy that left for ASU. I figured them for MAC bottom-feeders this year along with Miami and BG. And us. We were exceeding expectations until recently.

(01-30-2016 11:28 PM)RocketBBallFan Wrote:  The last three games have been very disappointing, but as always, I will not give up on the team. I will be rooting hard for them until the bitter end. I hope they can get out of this funk. Go Rockets! Beat Western!

Same here. I sat through the back to back 4 win seasons (and only missed probably a couple games, due to having a night class or 2), so a 3 game losing streak is nothing.

Nick Rogers had a very short night, and I could see why. He turned the ball over and couldn't get the Rockets into their offense. Depth is a serious problem.

UB and OU are not top caliber MAC teams... We haven't even seen CMU or Kent State yet...hold on.

I do think we are more talented than at least half of the teams. I hope we get hot at the right time. A home game in the 1st round has to be the goal at this point.

(01-31-2016 01:59 AM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  UB and OU are not top caliber MAC teams... We haven't even seen CMU or Kent State yet...hold on.

I do think we are more talented than at least half of the teams. I hope we get hot at the right time. A home game in the 1st round has to be the goal at this point.

don't know about that, MAC teams for most teams have the same caliber of players with the exception of a quality big man. Excellent Guards are scatter throughout the league. Seniors are the difference on each team, the more you have, better play you get.

I turned the game off. We are so lacking in basic skills and I have a hard time understanding what we are trying to establish on offense. I look at how many open shots Buffalo had vs. how many UT had, and it was not even close. They made quick crisp passes and our defense was consistently out of position.

I would never expect this basketball team to contend for a MAC title under the current leadership. When Booth is gone next year, there had better be some immediate help coming. I see the Rockets continuing to be a 3rd/4th place team in the division. Average.

The team was really "low energy" for most of the game. Buffalo was stepping into the passing lanes constantly but our guys kept lobbing passes right into those lanes.

(01-31-2016 01:59 AM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  UB and OU are not top caliber MAC teams... We haven't even seen CMU or Kent State yet...hold on.

I do think we are more talented than at least half of the teams. I hope we get hot at the right time. A home game in the 1st round has to be the goal at this point.

Not here to cause any trouble, but both UB and OU beat Kent State already this year.

(01-31-2016 06:04 AM)Springboromark Wrote:  

(01-31-2016 01:59 AM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  UB and OU are not top caliber MAC teams... We haven't even seen CMU or Kent State yet...hold on.

I do think we are more talented than at least half of the teams. I hope we get hot at the right time. A home game in the 1st round has to be the goal at this point.

don't know about that, MAC teams for most teams have the same caliber of players with the exception of a quality big man. Excellent Guards are scatter throughout the league. Seniors are the difference on each team, the more you have, better play you get.

We had 3 pretty talented seniors last year (Brown,Weatherspoon, and Drummond). That did not equate into better play for the Rockets. More along the lines of selfish one on one. It really seems to fall back on coaching philosophy. The staff needs to keep some of these egos in check.

(01-31-2016 10:24 AM)FMRocket Wrote:  We had 3 pretty talented seniors last year (Brown,Weatherspoon, and Drummond). That did not equate into better play for the Rockets. More along the lines of selfish one on one. It really seems to fall back on coaching philosophy. The staff needs to keep some of these egos in check.

Unfortunately true. I did watch all of the BG game and was impressed with how well this played together and moved the ball around. This didn't even look like the same team. It's like they forgot whatever was working. Agree with Motorocket, I hope they have answer for the loss of Boothe next year.

(01-31-2016 07:23 AM)MotoRocket Wrote:  I turned the game off. We are so lacking in basic skills and I have a hard time understanding what we are trying to establish on offense. I look at how many open shots Buffalo had vs. how many UT had, and it was not even close. They made quick crisp passes and our defense was consistently out of position.

I would never expect this basketball team to contend for a MAC title under the current leadership. When Booth is gone next year, there had better be some immediate help coming. I see the Rockets continuing to be a 3rd/4th place team in the division. Average.

Actually, they already have contended for a MAC title under the current leadership.

In 2012-2013, they finished 10-6 (tied for first in the West), which would have made them the fourth seed in the MAC Tournament, had it not been for the postseason ban that Gene Cross was responsible for.

In 2013-2014, they went 27-7, 14-4 in the MAC, which was tied for first in the whole MAC, not just the West. That team lost in the MAC Championship game. Playing in the MAC Championship Game is contention for a MAC title, wouldn't you say?

In 2014-2015, they finished 11-7, which was tied for second place in the whole MAC, fourth seed in the MAC Tournament and made it to the semifinals.

Looks like contention for a MAC title has happened for three straight seasons under the current leadership, including a regular season championship in 2013-2014.

Well, he did say "this" basketball team. This is not the same team we've had the past 3 seasons (Brown,Weatherspoon, Drummond). This staff has been doing the recruiting, though.

(01-31-2016 11:02 AM)Toledo Football 1st Wrote:  Well, he did say "this" basketball team. This is not the same team we've had the past 3 seasons (Brown,Weatherspoon, Drummond). This staff has been doing the recruiting, though.

That's how I took Moto's comment as well. It may not be fair, but in sports what you did "yesterday" means little--it's what you do "today" that counts, and "todays" are the building blocks of "tomorrows". So maybe the Rockets will be able to forget the yesterdays of Northern, Ohio & Buffalo and build a new today on Tuesday night. I hope so because I think another slow start and deep hole dug for the 3rd game in a row at home would not be a good sign.

Then again I'm no rosy optimist, so...

(01-31-2016 11:20 AM)bcunn3128 Wrote:  

(01-31-2016 11:02 AM)Toledo Football 1st Wrote:  Well, he did say "this" basketball team. This is not the same team we've had the past 3 seasons (Brown,Weatherspoon, Drummond). This staff has been doing the recruiting, though.

That's how I took Moto's comment as well. It may not be fair, but in sports what you did "yesterday" means little--it's what you do "today" that counts, and "todays" are the building blocks of "tomorrows". So maybe the Rockets will be able to forget the yesterdays of Northern, Ohio & Buffalo and build a new today on Tuesday night. I hope so because I think another slow start and deep hole dug for the 3rd game in a row at home would not be a good sign.

Then again I'm no rosy optimist, so...

I realize that sports are a "what have you done for me lately" business, but Coach K's ability to contend for a MAC title was being questioned, and I was just pointing out that they have, in fact, contended for a MAC title under his leadership.

The Bulls were a half-step to full-step quicker than the Rockets all night. Have to wonder about UT's mental speed last night.