I'm not too concerned about the upcoming season. The Pitino/Keatts/Siddle system isn't one you can implement right away and in the first season. I'd almost prefer Steere sit a year in order to get into the shape required to really excel under Siddle.

I watched the UNCW vs. CofC CAA championship game and in my opinion it was the epitome of what our style of play should be and hopefully will be under Siddle. The players matter, but that style of play and system are a thing of beauty. High octane offense with three pointers raining down constantly and relentless, full court defense. The entire game I watched was non stop energy. And to compete at that level for 40 minutes our players have to be in the best shape of any team in the country.

The bottom line is that we would eventually wear down our opponents through sheer pressure and will. I still remember Keatts stating emphatically that UNCW would be in better shape than any team in the country. And I remember going to a practice and seeing with my own eyes what he meant. This system will take at least one full year to implement and change the current culture back to where we were under Keatts. Siddle is too engrained in the Keatts system for it to simply disappear. I am more confident than ever that we will get back. I'm not worried about size, rebounding or any other concerns i'm hearing. Those things are important, but the system we played was why we won. We could overcome any deficit and we could extend a lead by 10 points in the blink of an eye with that style of play.

I think that you're right 82 that UNCW will definitely improve markedly, but it make take a little bit like you're saying, we will see. You have to have talented offensive players to really make it work in this system. I'm excited for the future.

82, what you talk about regarding conditioning was a common thread between Brownell and Keatts. Two coaches with vastly different styles of play who sought to make UNCW players the best-conditioned basketball players in the country. And that mentality delivered us 4 CAA titles.

I posted this when we hired Keatts from a Malcom Gadwell book. I watched Keatts do this myself so I know it's true. I have no reason to believe Siddle will any different. Keatts and UNCW did this with a very short bench his last year. We did this in the last game of the CAA championship when everyone had already played several games.

“I have so many coaches come in every year to learn the press,” Pitino said. Louisville was the Mecca for all those Davids trying to learn how to beat Goliaths. “Then they e-mail me. They tell me they can’t do it. They don’t know if they have the bench. They don’t know if the players can last.” Pitino shook his head. “We practice every day for two hours straight,” he went on. “The players are moving almost ninety-eight per cent of the practice. We spend very little time talking. When we make our corrections”—that is, when Pitino and his coaches stop play to give instruction—“they are seven-second corrections, so that our heart rate never rests. We are always working.” Seven seconds! The coaches who came to Louisville sat in the stands and watched that ceaseless activity and despaired. The prospect of playing by David’s rules was too daunting. They would rather lose.

I read that one, 82. David and Goliath. Gladwell’s books are always fascinating reads.

(05-30-2020 02:15 PM)Seahawk Nation 08 Wrote:  I read that one, 82. David and Goliath. Gladwell’s books are always fascinating reads.

It was so timely that it came out just as we were hiring Keatts. It put me over the top that we made the right move. Looking forward to that level of intensity again. It's so easy to forget what it was like to be a fan watching UNCW under Keatts. You had a reason to be on your feet from tipoff until the last basket. There was no where else I wanted to be.

I do find a bit of irony in your statement about throwing away next year 82. It's takes a while to implement style etc etc. KK came in and did it right away, if Siddle is going to be as good why couldn't he implement it just as fast? We have sucked for 3 straight years, No matter how good 2022 could look, we are not in any position to be tossing away a year.

(05-31-2020 08:29 PM)Seahawkhoops Wrote:  I do find a bit of irony in your statement about throwing away next year 82. It's takes a while to implement style etc etc. KK came in and did it right away, if Siddle is going to be as good why couldn't he implement it just as fast? We have sucked for 3 straight years, No matter how good 2022 could look, we are not in any position to be tossing away a year.

Didn't say anything about throwing it away. Just said i'm not worried about it one way or the other. The biggest problem Steere has had as a player is his weight and conditioning. Unless he has been hitting it hard this summer, he isn't going to be ready for what Siddle asks this year. I'd hate to burn one of his years when we aren't fully loaded to win a CAA title. Not to mention, it's looking like we won't have a real conference season. Just isn't the year to get worried about.

Our away game versus Charlotte is officially set for 11/29.

https://uncwsports.com/news/2020/6/1/men...arena.aspx

(06-01-2020 11:52 AM)Gary Miller Wrote:  Our away game versus Charlotte is officially set for 11/29.

https://uncwsports.com/news/2020/6/1/men...arena.aspx

That home game last year was when I knew it was time for McGrath to go and for Burke to take the reigns. Here's to a win in Charlotte....

That game was the worst.

(06-01-2020 12:36 PM)82hawk Wrote:  

(06-01-2020 11:52 AM)Gary Miller Wrote:  Our away game versus Charlotte is officially set for 11/29.

https://uncwsports.com/news/2020/6/1/men...arena.aspx

That home game last year was when I knew it was time for McGrath to go and for Burke to take the reigns. Here's to a win in Charlotte....

I feel like I've subconsciously blocked a lot of games from the McGrath era out of my mind. I had forgotten we even played Charlotte last year.

(06-01-2020 12:46 PM)CG_Hawk06 Wrote:  

(06-01-2020 12:36 PM)82hawk Wrote:  

(06-01-2020 11:52 AM)Gary Miller Wrote:  Our away game versus Charlotte is officially set for 11/29.

https://uncwsports.com/news/2020/6/1/men...arena.aspx

That home game last year was when I knew it was time for McGrath to go and for Burke to take the reigns. Here's to a win in Charlotte....

I feel like I've subconsciously blocked a lot of games from the McGrath era out of my mind. I had forgotten we even played Charlotte last year.

I wish I could block that one out. I believe it was when Sartarelli knew it was time to start discussing the future of McGrath too. Side note, went to a lot of games at Halton Arena during the Lutz era, when the CUSA was a premier basketball conference. It was rocking most nights. Don't know how it is now.

(06-01-2020 01:09 PM)Gary Miller Wrote:  

(06-01-2020 12:46 PM)CG_Hawk06 Wrote:  

(06-01-2020 12:36 PM)82hawk Wrote:  

(06-01-2020 11:52 AM)Gary Miller Wrote:  Our away game versus Charlotte is officially set for 11/29.

https://uncwsports.com/news/2020/6/1/men...arena.aspx

That home game last year was when I knew it was time for McGrath to go and for Burke to take the reigns. Here's to a win in Charlotte....

I feel like I've subconsciously blocked a lot of games from the McGrath era out of my mind. I had forgotten we even played Charlotte last year.

I wish I could block that one out. I believe it was when Sartarelli knew it was time to start discussing the future of McGrath too. Side note, went to a lot of games at Halton Arena during the Lutz era, when the CUSA was a premier basketball conference. It was rocking most nights. Don't know how it is now.

We were down 37-8 with 3:13 left in the first half. Worst half of basketball I had ever seen in my life. Charlotte came into the game with a 3-4 record. I was there and almost walked out at half time. Glad I didn't because I watched Burke never give up and pressing the guys to play harder. We came out and made a nice comeback in the second half

Charlotte made a lot of tough shots that night, if I recall.

(06-01-2020 07:30 PM)Seahawk Nation 08 Wrote:  Charlotte made a lot of tough shots that night, if I recall.

The number of teams/players who had "career" shooting nights against McGrath's defensive schemes were legion. Even our own announcers got to the point of noting that other teams saw "something" in our defensive set ups that was allowing them to drain 3s against us.

What an awful time ...

Back to the schedule. I know this is a rebound game, but this whole regional approach to scheduling is going to be awesome.

(06-01-2020 07:30 PM)Seahawk Nation 08 Wrote:  Charlotte made a lot of tough shots that night, if I recall.

Baaaahahahaha. Sounds about right.


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11/29 is the Sunday after Thanksgiving. School should be over for the Fall semester under the revised academic calendar. Most of UNCC's students live within driving distance. If the 49ers start their season well, the game should have a decent crowd.

(06-01-2020 08:20 PM)82hawk Wrote:  Back to the schedule. I know this is a rebound game, but this whole regional approach to scheduling is going to be awesome.

Agreed. We should try to play a game in Charlotte every year. Whether it be Charlotte or Davidson. Good for recruiting purposes and both are programs we should compare ourselves to.