Should be winning by 40, if we could make a free throw. That’s pretty much my only complaint so far. We are moving the ball well and attacking the glass. Chris James is a little bulldog. Impressive freshman. His free throw misses are likely an aberration. Toure...not so much. He needs to hit at least 60%, or MAC teams will hack away at him.

(11-12-2019 07:25 PM)emu steve Wrote:  After a cold start EMU is showing well.

Groce just hit a trey.

Ryan and Chad are doing a great job. Work very well together.

I love Chad’s insight. The little tidbits about the new guys, and how they are at practice, are much appreciated.

(11-12-2019 08:02 PM)EagleSam Wrote:  

(11-12-2019 07:25 PM)emu steve Wrote:  After a cold start EMU is showing well.

Groce just hit a trey.

Ryan and Chad are doing a great job. Work very well together.

I love Chad’s insight. The little tidbits about the new guys, and how they are at practice, are much appreciated.

Chad is extremely well prepared.

Groce having a career game.

That alley-oop to Groce was ridiculously sweet. Groce has to reach DOWN to grab it (or so it seem) and still slammed it from way over the rim. How does he jump like that???

He looks so confident so far this season. I think Ty could have a big year.

A good butt kicking. Team is much, much more athletic than I would have thought a week ago.

It's Ty's team, but Barnes and Montero will decide how good this team can be! Toure should be dominant, because of his size! Morgan I feel will be simply consistent!

Another impressive all around performance. Take the opponent into account, but we didn’t exactly smother them like this last year. I think we have a good, deep group of guards that all bring different skills to the table. Most importantly, they all work hard and defend well. Murphy mentioned post game that he’s surprised at how quickly everyone is picking up the zone. Our press is really effective as well, now that we have more speed on the court.

Can’t wait to see this team play some D1 opponents. I think we will surprise some people.

(11-12-2019 09:06 PM)emu steve Wrote:  A good butt kicking. Team is much, much more athletic than I would have thought a week ago.

I agree with that, but I think Murphy has changed as well, from size to shooters! Only time will tell how this team does against equal competition!

(11-12-2019 09:10 PM)EMUGLORYDAYSthe90s Wrote:  

(11-12-2019 09:06 PM)emu steve Wrote:  A good butt kicking. Team is much, much more athletic than I would have thought a week ago.

I agree with that, but I think Murphy has changed as well, from size to shooters! Only time will tell how this team does against equal competition!

Agree with your comment.

Murphy likes the big forwards, big guards, zone, etc.

This year he doesn't have that although some of his guards aren't small. He is playing more with the talent he has this year compared to sticking with a system which was designed for big wings, etc.

He seems to be practicing his front court pressure as a way to change up his defense.

BTW, next season we'll have, I think, EIGHT seniors, a junior (Gibson, whom I believe will medical redshirt this year), a couple sophs (James, Dillard), etc.

That's a pretty deep squad returning.

(11-12-2019 09:09 PM)EagleSam Wrote:  Another impressive all around performance. Take the opponent into account, but we didn’t exactly smother them like this last year. I think we have a good, deep group of guards that all bring different skills to the table. Most importantly, they all work hard and defend well. Murphy mentioned post game that he’s surprised at how quickly everyone is picking up the zone. Our press is really effective as well, now that we have more speed on the court.

Can’t wait to see this team play some D1 opponents. I think we will surprise some people.

Another very well phrased point, Sam. And agreed. Regardless of opponent, you can clearly tell this EMU team is as good if not better than last year.

And I think that quality depth of guards as you say is the biggest reason. There is more of them and all seem pretty good. I think they might be bigger than last year too. This might just offset the otherwise seemingly impossible task of replacing Thompson- at least in some indirect/asymmetric way.

Also, the extent of Groce’s apparent improvement might offset the other difficult replacement of Minnie.

Guards 2018-19. Guards 2019-20
6-2 Paul Jackson. 6-5 Montero
6-3 Kevin McAdoo. 6-4 Barnes
6-5 Tariq Silver. 6-2 James
5-8 Malik Ellison. 6-3 Spittsville
6-1 Damari Parris. 6-1 Parris

Listing them side by side, the quality of depth is clear. And interestingly, they are much bigger this year. Too

A few thoughts:
-There is significant talent on this team; particularly Morgan, Montero, James, and an improved Groce.
-This is an unselfish team with a high basketball IQ. Welcomed changes in the Murphy era.
-Chad is the man.
-JT4, Minnie, and Jackson are the perfect illustration of addition by subtraction.

(11-13-2019 01:01 AM)holybovine Wrote:  A few thoughts:
-There is significant talent on this team; particularly Morgan, Montero, James, and an improved Groce.
-This is an unselfish team with a high basketball IQ. Welcomed changes in the Murphy era.
-Chad is the man.
-JT4, Minnie, and Jackson are the perfect illustration of addition by subtraction.

Binelli will be the man with the rock in his hand. Chad said Murphy says Binelli is the best shooter he has coached.

One poster has consistently said this team will be fascinating and interesting to watch and may exceed expectations....

Lets hope he was right.

(11-13-2019 06:03 AM)emu79 Wrote:  One poster has consistently said this team will be fascinating and interesting to watch and may exceed expectations....

Lets hope he was right.

And one coach, Murphy. Murphy has been quoted that he loves this team. And it is more fun to coach, etc.

If one thinks coaching is fun, fun, fun... look at the MIA Heat and Dion Waiters. Gets a panic attack on a plane after consuming something he shouldn't have...

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/2804...ources-say

Murphy appeared to be more involved this summer. Its fun to coach when egos dönt get in the way this Group seems to be more coachable

This team is already fascinating to watch just by the unselfish play, ball movement, and most importantly the non ego effect! Plus, We've 4 real solid shooters, and add one more when Binelli returns! They play hard as well, but lets also remember the competition! This team will be ten deep soon! I don't miss dribble dribble dribble, and Jackson shoots a 18 footer fading away off his back foot, and he would shoot 38 percent from field! Parris most likely won't play much either........Murphy finally has a team with depth, and versatility! N Texas away will be really tough game, but that'll tell us something! Lets shock some teams this year!!!!!!!

(11-13-2019 01:01 AM)holybovine Wrote:  A few thoughts:
-There is significant talent on this team; particularly Morgan, Montero, James, and an improved Groce.
-This is an unselfish team with a high basketball IQ. Welcomed changes in the Murphy era.
-Chad is the man.
-JT4, Minnie, and Jackson are the perfect illustration of addition by subtraction.

Agreed with everything. I can’t remember ever seeing so many passes in the Murphy era. Every single player has showed the ability to make the extra pass so far, and to not “get his” all the time. Montero worried me in the first game, but he was fantastic yesterday. He’s going to be a good one, as you mentioned.

I’ll add that Toure has improved as well. He still shuffles his feet like a baby deer when he gets excited at the basket, and misses free throws, but his passing and defense have come a long way. He was always a very good one-on-one defender in the paint, but you could pick him apart with interior passes. Now he looks like a free safety, reading lanes and movement. I was surprised when Murphy named him captain, but he’s looked the part of a leader so far. Let’s see how he handles adversity when it inevitably comes.