The unofficial online home for fans of the Western Michigan University Broncos. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

Post game comments were telling.

Hook: Flowers sure looked good tonight!
Hawk: Yup, BSU doesnt get up and into you on D. Michael was able to navigate and run the O not having to think even when he had a couple fellow pups in Printy and Whitens out there.
Take away: Against the likes of Buffalo and Kent who do get in your grill I may not feel as comfortable with him out there.

Hook: You had some odd lineups out there Hawk and seemed to work for you!?!?
Hawk: Yeah, we had back ups to back ups on the floor. Even had the 2 big fellas out there. Once I looked out and realized we had 4 subs and 1 starter in.
Hook: The guys really stepped up, hey Hawk?
Hawk: Yes. The focus was better. With all the changes the kids had to take stock as assignments weren't necessarily the same ole same ole.
Hook: Hey, Hawk you even played some zone.
Hawk: Well Robin we were scrambling. We played it a couple possessions. We were a little out of position at times. That confused them and fortunately they missed some wide open shots.
Take way: Get a way from the stock and stale patterns. Keep them on their toes. And for Gosh sakes practice that zone more. The next team wont be as confused and miss those open looks.

Summary: Shake it up. Dont be predictable. Make the other team adjust. EVERYONE plays 5 out or 4 out 1 in. Go double post, draw fouls and get and 1's forcing them to take stock and make a change. Then double back to the same ole then again to unconventional. IF as you say the kid's were more focused then challenge them while making the other team blink!

Yes! I was most impressed with how well he shook up the lineups and schemes throughout the game. Quite frankly, we haven't seen that much from him over the years.

WMU's BB woes go a bit deeper than a few plays. Some of these guys weren't seeing the floor for a reason. Like Hawkins or not you don't play his system or buy into the locker room culture you ride the bench. Ask any former Bronco who played under him. The respect goes back many seasons.

(02-26-2018 12:45 PM)BuickBronco Wrote:  WMU's BB woes go a bit deeper than a few plays. Some of these guys weren't seeing the floor for a reason. Like Hawkins or not you don't play his system or buy into the locker room culture you ride the bench. Ask any former Bronco who played under him. The respect goes back many seasons.

In that regard Hawks is like 100% of the other major university coaches.

Since it's his job on the line if we start losing consistently you can see why it has to be that way.

(02-26-2018 05:01 PM)BroncoPhilly Wrote:  

(02-26-2018 12:45 PM)BuickBronco Wrote:  WMU's BB woes go a bit deeper than a few plays. Some of these guys weren't seeing the floor for a reason. Like Hawkins or not you don't play his system or buy into the locker room culture you ride the bench. Ask any former Bronco who played under him. The respect goes back many seasons.

In that regard Hawks is like 100% of the other major university coaches.

Since it's his job on the line if we start losing consistently you can see why it has to be that way.

I think fans are more upset because of pre season expectations. I didn't see many here on the Buffalo or Toledo band wagon six months ago. Ball State was actually expected to have a great year by many media and mid major bloggers. Their fans are up in arms also. If Hawk gets by EMU tonight he holds tie breakers over them and BSU for better seeding. This team can still excel the next two weeks and even get a post season bid somewhere.

(02-27-2018 10:42 AM)BuickBronco Wrote:  

(02-26-2018 05:01 PM)BroncoPhilly Wrote:  

(02-26-2018 12:45 PM)BuickBronco Wrote:  WMU's BB woes go a bit deeper than a few plays. Some of these guys weren't seeing the floor for a reason. Like Hawkins or not you don't play his system or buy into the locker room culture you ride the bench. Ask any former Bronco who played under him. The respect goes back many seasons.

In that regard Hawks is like 100% of the other major university coaches.

Since it's his job on the line if we start losing consistently you can see why it has to be that way.

I think fans are more upset because of pre season expectations. I didn't see many here on the Buffalo or Toledo band wagon six months ago. Ball State was actually expected to have a great year by many media and mid major bloggers. Their fans are up in arms also. If Hawk gets by EMU tonight he holds tie breakers over them and BSU for better seeding. This team can still excel the next two weeks and even get a post season bid somewhere.

As I've noted, I never felt our prospects were that good from the start of the season. Some folks in this forum overrated our talent and other folks climbed on the bandwagon. Snowball effect.

Hawks is a smart coach, he'll squeeze just about as many wins out of this team as he can. But, we're about where I expected we'd at the start of the season-top end of the 'pack' in the West but certainly not a stellar team in the MAC. If Dugan hadn't been injured we may have swapped places with BSU, maybe split with Toldeo, but UT would still be leading the West.

Based on how WMU has played this year, I think the team is about where it deserves to be. There are three results I think could have gone the other way:

Oakland - Long drought was frustrating, but doesn't impact MAC standings so whatever
Kent State - Can't give up a full-court drive to the basket and two offensive boards in six seconds
Bowling Green - Blowing a 10-point lead in the final five minutes hurts

Could make the argument that WMU didn't necessarily deserve the CMU win or either of the Miami wins, so I think it evens out.

Win these last two and we're still in a good spot going into the MAC Tournament. Nothing else matters at this point. Lock up a good seed and anything can happen.

(02-27-2018 12:39 PM)dunkface Wrote:  Based on how WMU has played this year, I think the team is about where it deserves to be. There are three results I think could have gone the other way:

Oakland - Long drought was frustrating, but doesn't impact MAC standings so whatever
Kent State - Can't give up a full-court drive to the basket and two offensive boards in six seconds
Bowling Green - Blowing a 10-point lead in the final five minutes hurts

Could make the argument that WMU didn't necessarily deserve the CMU win or either of the Miami wins, so I think it evens out.

Win these last two and we're still in a good spot going into the MAC Tournament. Nothing else matters at this point. Lock up a good seed and anything can happen.

Could take the argument that they got jobbed by the officials at Bugs.

(02-27-2018 03:41 PM)Chipdip2 Wrote:  

(02-27-2018 12:39 PM)dunkface Wrote:  Based on how WMU has played this year, I think the team is about where it deserves to be. There are three results I think could have gone the other way:

Oakland - Long drought was frustrating, but doesn't impact MAC standings so whatever
Kent State - Can't give up a full-court drive to the basket and two offensive boards in six seconds
Bowling Green - Blowing a 10-point lead in the final five minutes hurts

Could make the argument that WMU didn't necessarily deserve the CMU win or either of the Miami wins, so I think it evens out.

Win these last two and we're still in a good spot going into the MAC Tournament. Nothing else matters at this point. Lock up a good seed and anything can happen.

Could take the argument that they got jobbed by the officials at Bugs.

No question, we did. But those things tend to even out over a season. The big surprise to me is UT playing as well as they have. I expected the MAC West to be pretty much even, a scramble.