The unofficial online home for fans of the Old Dominion University Monarchs. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

I haven't done many of these this year, as I'm trying to enjoy real life.

But, it was a big game, so here it goes:

3 Observations
1) I usually keep these about ODU, but I wanted to give MTSU their due. That's a very tough team. They will be a serious threat to win a tourney game for the third year in a row. They are big and they are tough. They pushed, pulled, and did whatever they had to do to get rebounding position, and I admire that. On top of that, they clearly have established a winning culture. In crunch time, Giddy and King made big plays. My hats go off to them.

2) I get that fans are upset about the loss, and maybe more so that it feels like it has been forever since the Monarchs won a big game. But, you absolutely cannot ask for more effort from the guys. They gave everything. MTSU is a tourney quality team. Despite the flaws, the Monarchs showed last night that they are right on the cusp of that.

3) Shooting. In the end, basketball is a game about putting the ball through the hoop. We just don't do it well enough. Some might argue that it's because we're not deep enough, but I'd argue that we're just not good enough to do it on a consistent basis. We missed some really good looks early in the game (I think specifically of our first or 2nd possession of the game where Trey gets the ball in the post, gets doubled, and kicks a beautiful pass to the opposite wing where Ahmad is wide open), and we couldn't make them then. Ahmad's shot is flat. BJ and Xavier both rushed their first attempts from deep. I would have loved to see Hueitt or Godwin get a run for a chance to knock down some shots, but last night's game called for some grown ass men, and I'm not sure they would have been able to physically handle it.

Two Questions
1) What adjustments can the players/coaches make to get over the hump? It's clearly not a matter of effort. But, is it a confidence thing? A concentration thing (the three bungled fast breaks nearly killed me)? Is it time to throw the young guys into the fire? I'm not sure I have the answer, but Jones and company have one month to figure it out.

2) Here's the big question: how will the Monarchs respond on Saturday night? UAB is a really talented team, especially on the offensive end. The Monarchs better be ready to play right at tip off.

One Prediction
1) At this point, the only thing that really matters is positioning for the CUSA Tournament. The Monarchs have to finish in the Top 4 to have a realistic shot. This UAB game looms LARGE after the emotion of last night. If the Monarchs can find a way to take care of business at home, I'd be pretty confident about finishing in the Top 4 and having a puncher's chance in Frisco.