Were we not predicted to finish in 4th in the MAC West???? Behind such notable squads as the Chips and Eastern???? We lost Kool, Lawson, and Mac off that squad, with -0- senior starters coming back...Most of you guys had us hovering around 15-15 or worse. Using this context it is easy to surmise that at this juncture, were actually over achieving a tad. I'll concede one point and it is simply a matter of us kicking a ton of MAC butt next year. There will be -0- excuses for this team in 2012....... See you guys Saturday!!!! Go Broncos!!!!!!

Recordwise, WMU vs. Ohio should be a good matchup. Advantage home team!!!! Right?

On the O end it depends which team shows up. If the "I'm getting my points" (Mr. Hyde) team shows up we are in trouble. If the "Make the extra pass" (Dr. Jekyll) team shows up we should be fine.

On the D end we need to keep last year's freshman All-American DJ Cooper below his 8 assists pg and 16 ppg averages.

We have been somewhat of a Jekyll and Hyde team this year with the Xavier game being a microcosm of this season. TEAM ball the first half and a health lead. ME ball the second half resulting in a close loss. I hope Dr. Jekyll plays 40 minutes on Saturday.

(02-11-2011 11:05 AM)broncojohnny Wrote:  Were we not predicted to finish in 4th in the MAC West???? Behind such notable squads as the Chips and Eastern???? We lost Kool, Lawson, and Mac off that squad, with -0- senior starters coming back...Most of you guys had us hovering around 15-15 or worse. Using this context it is easy to surmise that at this juncture, were actually over achieving a tad. I'll concede one point and it is simply a matter of us kicking a ton of MAC butt next year. There will be -0- excuses for this team in 2012....... See you guys Saturday!!!! Go Broncos!!!!!!

I could still see 15 and 15. I don't see one sure win other than UT at home.

I'll fess up.

I had WMU winning 10 games or less.

I know the schedule was watered down.

But I never saw the significant contributions from Howard and Stainbrook coming. For that matter, I never saw Ward's improvement either.

Quote:But I never saw the significant contributions from Howard and Stainbrook coming. For that matter, I never saw Ward's improvement either.

This is where I was at, 10-12 wins tops. These three factors really surprised me, Ward has been money this year.

Quote:For that matter, I never saw Ward's improvement either.

This is the Ward that was preseason in 2009. Never regained his form last year after his injury.

All due respect to the Jekyll and Hyde analogy, I think whether or not the Broncos win or lose we be determined by whether or not we can find a hot hand behind the arc. In MAC play the Broncos are averaging 38.4% from beyond the arc in wins and 24.4% in losses. We start off games bringing it inside to stain and flen, so the defence collapses in to shut it down. When we can hit from beyond the arc we can force the defence to spread back out, but when we are missing they just stay collapsed in making it difficult to get easy points. Our inconsistancy as a team stems from our lack of a consistant three point shooter. Ward, Wolf, Hutch, Howard, all have good games once in a while but we have yet to find a guy who can consistantly hit, game in and game out. If we can find someone we can rely on every week to shoot the three, we will be a very very tough team to beat

Hot behind the arc is always nice but for all teams far less predictable.

But you are right in that if a one or couple can "light the lamp" it either accelerates your come back or can start to deflate theirs.

But since the earth began to cool one thing has not changed. To defend in a way that disrupts and stymies your opponent and out rebound them on both ends is the sure recipe to winning.

When WMU defends to the level of their ability they win. When they don't they give up offensive rebounds AND don't go retrieve their own.

At Akron WMU posted 71 pts or thereabouts. Plenty enough to win any game if you D up and rebound. But they let Akron hang 83 or so.

I didnt see or listen to the game. But when I read that McClanahan or whoever their 3rd perimeter is hit several treys I knew it wasnt good. That is about all that kid can do on the + side of the ledger and if you let him you need to offset it. If you deny him, you can still stumble around drive the ball and get to the line.

Defend and out rebound and you are always there at the end even against better talent. And frankly, looking at our first 6 players, I don't see anyone in the MAC with better overall talent.

I had guessed 15-16, but never saw the ascendence to the freshmen to the extent they are at. I had thought a couple of the vets would be doing better than they are too, no names mentioned.

But of course it is a given if you've got lock down D, strong rebounding, and can take it strong to the hole and make FT's, you're going to either win games or keep it close.

Two caveats. One, you've got to find a way to score off your O rebounds. For some reason we are able to get them and then not cash in under the hoop like we should. Two, in today's game if you de-emphasize the three, you can fall behind and never catch up.

So, O rebounders under the hoop, you know what you've got to do. Suck up your strength and go strong.

You can't tell me our players can't make a three point shot. Something is wrong psychologically. It might stem from the fact they are told over and over cashing a three is not the way to win. That thought has been drilled into them to the point as they are setting up, flashing before their eyes is a big STOP sign, I'm supposed to find a better shot, I'm supposed to pass to the open man, I'm supposed to try to collect another foul from the opponent.

I've actually seen wide open people set up, then pull back as visions of retribution crosses their brain cells. To often that is followed by bad passes, turnovers, shot clock violations, etc.

I'm not saying gun gun gun. I'm saying you've got to give people a chance to use their skills and not overthink wide open shots. Coach a little bit about getting the rebound off a missed three and scoring.

Excellent point Ernie. I know there are teams out there that live strickly by the three, and likewise they will always die by the three. I'm glad we are not a team like that. Northwestern comes to mind at UA a couple years ago. They had no height, so they had to shoot threes.
They did and shot us out of our own gym. We were better than them overall. I hated that loss.

Under Donawald we used to run a fast break and post at the three, and it was always a wide open shot. That was a killer move, I thought. You need a confident shooter for that.

The one thing that I have heard, I'm no coach like GB, is that you let shooters shoot. They may miss a few, but when they warm up--lookout!
The other day against BG, I believe, Alex missed a couple early, but then he hit 2 or three in a row. Really helps the team if the coach has patience and confidence in your shooters.

Like you say Ernie, we have to be situational about the three. And when we take em, it is when it is appropriate, not a live and die by the three only.