WMU up early but NIU not letting WMU extend the lead yet

This reminds me so much of last year's game at Kalamazoo so far, 21-13 Broncos

Ugh, never mind this game is over.

Wow we pretty much fell apart.

37-20 at half. Game over.

(01-17-2009 03:03 PM)rabidawg900 Wrote:  Wow we pretty much fell apart.

37-20 at half. Game over.

There is no reason we should not be more competitive with WMU, even in one of the tougher road venues in the MAC. WMU is not THAT good of a team, sure they can hit the 3, but that is about it. There have been way too many wide open looks for WMU, so much for the defensive emphasis. Im really discouraged right now, I thought by this point, we would be further along.

We really need to work on our perimeter D. 291st in the nation is not good enough. Hopefully WMU cools down from behind the arc and we can cut it close in the 2nd half.

We also need to work on our free throw shooting.

(01-17-2009 04:34 PM)BleedsHuskieRed Wrote:  We also need to work on our free throw shooting.

That was the worst perimeter defense of the year so far. We should not get lit up by Western Michigan. A team as one dimensional as they are, you can't let them beat you that way.

If you consult a dictionary online for ugly, pitiful or embarrasing, a foto of NIU team from the first half of today's game should be the link.

When will we know the signs when this young team has turned a corner and is capable of winning more than one MAC road game?

At least the women won.

(01-17-2009 05:59 PM)cyberdawg Wrote:  When will we know the signs when this young team has turned a corner and is capable of winning more than one MAC road game?

I'd say once they win 2 consecutive MAC road games.

Think that will that be this year, next or 2011?

Patton seems to be shortening his bench. 4 of the 5 starters Played 32 minutes or more. Does this mean we have no bench?

(01-18-2009 11:59 AM)cyberdawg Wrote:  Think that will that be this year, next or 2011?

This team has come together slower than I envisioned, but I remain unchanged in my view that 2009-2010 is a bust out year for the basketball program. NIU should be preseason favorites to win the conference going into next season.

(01-18-2009 12:17 PM)klake87 Wrote:  Patton seems to be shortening his bench. 4 of the 5 starters Played 32 minutes or more. Does this mean we have no bench?

I think it is a matter of Patton trying to latch onto a formula that can result in some wins in the short-term.

(01-18-2009 08:11 PM)Nigel Incubator-Jones Wrote:  

(01-18-2009 12:17 PM)klake87 Wrote:  Patton seems to be shortening his bench. 4 of the 5 starters Played 32 minutes or more. Does this mean we have no bench?

I think it is a matter of Patton trying to latch onto a formula that can result in some wins in the short-term.

THat is what the non-conference portion of the schedule was for. If he doesn't have it by now, we are screwed and this season is over.

(01-18-2009 09:41 PM)RobertN Wrote:  

(01-18-2009 08:11 PM)Nigel Incubator-Jones Wrote:  

(01-18-2009 12:17 PM)klake87 Wrote:  Patton seems to be shortening his bench. 4 of the 5 starters Played 32 minutes or more. Does this mean we have no bench?

I think it is a matter of Patton trying to latch onto a formula that can result in some wins in the short-term.

THat is what the non-conference portion of the schedule was for. If he doesn't have it by now, we are screwed and this season is over.

Yep I agree, it is a little late in the game for this.

I still think part of the problem is that there is an abnormally high number of younger and less experienced players so the inconsistency is still very high. The staff is having a hard time finding rotations because from game to game (and maybe practice to practice) different guys are playing well or playing poorly. But, we knew that would be the case going in, or at least should have expected it. Guys like Smith who is a senior but only his second year in D-I who hardly played early but has probably been our best and most consistent player. Anderson is only a sophomore and makes many mistakes and doesn't defend and is inconsistent but we know what he is capable of offensively on a given day. Kowal is in only his second year of playing and has a lot to learn. Ervin in his first year of D-I is limited offensively, similar to Fisher and Landers although this is Landers' 2nd year. Patton is just a 2nd year player but he brings energy and sometimes some quick scoring. Dzpina is in his first year of D-I and is limited athletically but shows signs of contributing. Then there are the true freshmen who are very freshmen like. Dinunno is up and down and all around but brings energy and scoring ability, he just doesn't understand good team play yet. Storm shows signs of what he will be able to do, he just hasn't shown it consistently yet and needs some of Dinunno's confidence. Hall is not a big scorer but will be a good point guard eventually. All three need as much experience as we can give them because I feel they will be keys next year.

Regarding Saturday at WMU however, there isn't an excuse for the team to come out and play like it sounded like they played in the first half. I'd be surprised to see a flat effort to start Tuesday's game.

I was there. It wasn't pretty at all in the first half. In fact, discouraging and embarrassing at times. The second half was better, but still not what we are capable of. The previous post probably has some truth to it, but I really don't know for sure what issues there are. Youth is a factor, but not an excuse for some things. You'd think I would have an insight as to what might be the issue with the team's play, but my source is having a hard enough time trying to figure out why he himself is inconsistant and how to get through it! I can only go by what I personally see and think and since I don't KNOW I'm not going to speculate or guess right now in a post. Believe me, the frustrations are not just with the fans. The coaches and players are expecting more out of themselves as well, that I do know for a fact. Keep the faith fans, players and coaches. "Rome wasn't built in a day." Or even a year.

(01-19-2009 11:02 AM)High On NIU Hoops Wrote:  I still think part of the problem is that there is an abnormally high number of younger and less experienced players so the inconsistency is still very high. .

How long are you going to use this as an excuse we should see improvement in all those players you mention but what I still see that same thing from last year’s team taking bad shots turning the ball over and playing some bad defense. Just look at Butler there was no reason why the Patton couldn’t of signed some freshman that could play at a high level like Butler did and he is the youngest coach in NCAA. And after seeing Tony Nixon play he is a very soft player and he will be kind of like tyler storm is this year. They signed the wrong player should of signed DJ Cooper that kid is a player and a true point guard.