(12-31-2019 04:48 PM)Jerry Weaver Wrote:  

(12-31-2019 04:30 PM)emu79 Wrote:  

(12-31-2019 12:26 PM)emu steve Wrote:  

(12-31-2019 11:43 AM)Block_E Wrote:  Am I the only one wondering if the AD gave Murphy this 20-win schedule so he didn't have to shop for a coach immediately after cutting two programs?

9-9 conference and one MAC tourney win and Murphy is automatically back for 2020.

I'm fairly pro-Murphy, but I can see it.

Murphy's contract runs through 2020/21 per a thread we discussed months ago.

For those who like to prognosticate the future, other than losing Toure' we return everyone else next year and have two redshirts waiting in the wings.

If we fill the hole in the middle (like a donut) we'll be a pretty strong team next year.

Actually 3 If you include Gibbs Lets remember this team was orginally configured with Micah Thomas and Gibson I too am interested in conference play

As everyone knows I am no fan of Murphy or this year's OOC schedule. That said, however, this team has already won two games that we lost last season, UMD and Northeastern. I really don't see us doing much in the MAC this year but this start has quite frankly shocked me pleasantly. Perhaps our conference pay will as well.

I'm with you. Pleasantly surprised with the way the non-conference has gone, but don't hold out high hopes for MAC play to go great. Always willing to be surprised though.

According to KenPom we have four Tiered games remaining: all B's and all on the road. So far we are 1-2 in tiered games, winning at North Texas and two losses at Irvine and Michigan State (our only Tier A game).
Last season we had three-non conference Tier A games (at Duke, at TCU, and at Kansas), and two Tier B games (at Rutgers and at Northeastern). Obviously we scaled back on those games this season (and earned a win), where last season we went 0-fer. Last season the MAC gave us eight tiered games (3 A, 5 B), and that four number is subject to change as the year goes on.

Basically saying: I want to see this team succeed, and would love to say I'm wrong. Honestly viewing this year as a stepping stone to a title contender in 2020-21, and hoping that we surprise people (including myself) with a better finish than predicted.

We were predicted to finished last in
the MAC West.

(01-02-2020 01:53 PM)emu79 Wrote:  We were predicted to finished last in
the MAC West.

By everyone who knew NOTHING about this team?

It is my understanding that those on the inside are not surprised by this team. We have been hearing both public and private statements for months about how this team is more cohesive, coachable, etc. than last year's team.

That is the problem when a mid-major completely reloads: pundits just don't know. Pundits look at the previous year's team and basically subtract the departures but really don't know much about the new talent.

(01-02-2020 01:55 PM)emu steve Wrote:  

(01-02-2020 01:53 PM)emu79 Wrote:  We were predicted to finished last in
the MAC West.

By everyone who knew NOTHING about this team?

It is my understanding that those on the inside are not surprised by this team. We have been hearing both public and private statements for months about how this team is more cohesive, coachable, etc. than last year's team.

That is the problem when a mid-major completely reloads: pundits just don't know. Pundits look at the previous year's team and basically subtract the departures but really don't know much about the new talent.

Right now its being able to find the balance of what this team is. We're not nearly as bad as the people who knew nothing about this team thought we would be, but I have to hold back my excitement about how good we are. North Texas was a quality road win. Northeastern isn't quite the team they were a season ago, but that's a strong win. Valpo was another good win.

UNLV isn't ranked much better than those three, but we made them look like a tournament team last week.

Hopefully the blow out over Concordia gave us our bearings back, but Akron is a tough opponent to open up MAC play. They beat us last season (barely) with a roster that was far less talented than this year, and John Groce's defense will be an in-your-face experience that will put a lot of pressure on all of our guards. Their three losses this year are to Liberty, Louisville, and West Virginia, who are a combined 36-4 this season.

I am hopeful we have at least a semi-present crowd that can give us an advantage in the end.

(01-02-2020 01:55 PM)emu steve Wrote:  

(01-02-2020 01:53 PM)emu79 Wrote:  We were predicted to finished last in
the MAC West.

By everyone who knew NOTHING about this team?

It is my understanding that those on the inside are not surprised by this team. We have been hearing both public and private statements for months about how this team is more cohesive, coachable, etc. than last year's team.

That is the problem when a mid-major completely reloads: pundits just don't know. Pundits look at the previous year's team and basically subtract the departures but really don't know much about the new talent.

Werent MAC hoops coaches involved in the voting?

(01-02-2020 01:55 PM)emu steve Wrote:  

(01-02-2020 01:53 PM)emu79 Wrote:  We were predicted to finished last in
the MAC West.

By everyone who knew NOTHING about this team?

It is my understanding that those on the inside are not surprised by this team. We have been hearing both public and private statements for months about how this team is more cohesive, coachable, etc. than last year's team.

That is the problem when a mid-major completely reloads: pundits just don't know. Pundits look at the previous year's team and basically subtract the departures but really don't know much about the new talent.

As I recall I thought this team might be better than Most thought and that was with Thomas and Gibson

Akron is a 3 point favorite.

For what it's worth, UNLV beat a fairly decent Utah State team the other night

(01-03-2020 08:03 PM)emu steve Wrote:  Akron is a 3 point favorite.

They'll cover.

Line: AKR -3.5
O/U: 130.5

The line as of this morning. Hard to believe but less than 5 hours to game time.

BSU beat TOL last night so depending on your outlook we: Lead TOL by a 1/2 game but also trail BSU by a half game.

(01-03-2020 08:21 PM)mpleafan Wrote:  For what it's worth, UNLV beat a fairly decent Utah State team the other night

And badly too.

What makes the OOC so hard to judge is that we have lost 3 games ALL on the road vs. either a top 10 team (MSU) or decent teams - UC-Irvine and UNLV.

We don't know how we would have done if the UC-Irvine or UNLV games had been home games.

In this respect, I think the Akron game might tell us more than any other game to date.

Agreed. This is our biggest test of the season. A home game against a solid team, who has the best computer numbers in the conference so far.

We’ve shot the ball well at home, and Akron has had the fewest true road games of any MAC team. I’m not sure if I’d bet on us, but I won’t be surprised if we win a grind of a game.

Keep an eye on Toure. He looked slower than usual against MSU and UNLV (I didn’t watch the Concordia game). Hope he isn’t hurt. He’s probably the most valuable player on the team. If he goes down, we only have one center behind him, and that would doom us defensively.

Anybody at the game?

Cant break the Akron press early on.

Ugly start. Struggling to even in-bound the ball...

"Titanic defensive struggle..." says Chad.

It's gonna be a slugfest all game long. 10-7 with 11:51 left in the 1st half.

Great defense. Putrid offense. Stop me if you’ve heard that before.

Neither freshman has played so far. But Spottsville has barely come out of the game.

I constantly find myself saying "please put James and Dillard in."

And just like that it's now 14-7