(11-24-2023 04:55 PM)msu35 Wrote:  

(11-24-2023 04:51 PM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  1-12 behind the arc. That is just…yikes.

Yeah, it's an unacceptable and pitiful showing. Hard to believe this is the same team that beat Michigan and Arkansas, with Jones scoring 36 last night. We look gassed and we're playing undisciplined. Can't win many games playing iso ball and jacking up threes if your shots aren't dropping.

Ultimately, if we leave the tournament in second place, it could be a lot worse. We lined up one of the toughest OOC schedules in the country for exactly this reason. No matter the outcome, we go back to Memphis with a long list of things to work on, and knowing our deficiencies and addressing them is part of the process.

FWIW, it could have swung the other direction had Memphis hit its 3's. At the point Villanova was 5 of 6 from back there, it was only 16-2 and just 5 and a half minutes played. Villanova could basically only score from those shots; missing its other shots and turning the ball over. Memphis just seemed to panic. Like, nothing going right with any kind of shot or possession. It didn't seem to matter that Villanova went 3/13 after that early run. Then again, it also felt like Villanova was just chucking up junk just to see if it would hit.

These games happen, though. And it can be a good thing if it inspires change. If I'm Memphis, I'm using this loss to focus on Virginia next month. Tighter defense and greater importance with your possessions and shooting opportunities.

(11-25-2023 06:29 AM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  

(11-24-2023 04:55 PM)msu35 Wrote:  

(11-24-2023 04:51 PM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  1-12 behind the arc. That is just…yikes.

Yeah, it's an unacceptable and pitiful showing. Hard to believe this is the same team that beat Michigan and Arkansas, with Jones scoring 36 last night. We look gassed and we're playing undisciplined. Can't win many games playing iso ball and jacking up threes if your shots aren't dropping.

Ultimately, if we leave the tournament in second place, it could be a lot worse. We lined up one of the toughest OOC schedules in the country for exactly this reason. No matter the outcome, we go back to Memphis with a long list of things to work on, and knowing our deficiencies and addressing them is part of the process.

FWIW, it could have swung the other direction had Memphis hit its 3's. At the point Villanova was 5 of 6 from back there, it was only 16-2 and just 5 and a half minutes played. Villanova could basically only score from those shots; missing its other shots and turning the ball over. Memphis just seemed to panic. Like, nothing going right with any kind of shot or possession. It didn't seem to matter that Villanova went 3/13 after that early run. Then again, it also felt like Villanova was just chucking up junk just to see if it would hit.

These games happen, though. And it can be a good thing if it inspires change. If I'm Memphis, I'm using this loss to focus on Virginia next month. Tighter defense and greater importance with your possessions and shooting opportunities.

A solid assessment. But my impression is that Villanova is simply better than Memphis, with the Wildcats winning 7 of 10, hypothetically, on a neutral court.

(11-25-2023 09:30 AM)bill dazzle Wrote:  

(11-25-2023 06:29 AM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  

(11-24-2023 04:55 PM)msu35 Wrote:  

(11-24-2023 04:51 PM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  1-12 behind the arc. That is just…yikes.

Yeah, it's an unacceptable and pitiful showing. Hard to believe this is the same team that beat Michigan and Arkansas, with Jones scoring 36 last night. We look gassed and we're playing undisciplined. Can't win many games playing iso ball and jacking up threes if your shots aren't dropping.

Ultimately, if we leave the tournament in second place, it could be a lot worse. We lined up one of the toughest OOC schedules in the country for exactly this reason. No matter the outcome, we go back to Memphis with a long list of things to work on, and knowing our deficiencies and addressing them is part of the process.

FWIW, it could have swung the other direction had Memphis hit its 3's. At the point Villanova was 5 of 6 from back there, it was only 16-2 and just 5 and a half minutes played. Villanova could basically only score from those shots; missing its other shots and turning the ball over. Memphis just seemed to panic. Like, nothing going right with any kind of shot or possession. It didn't seem to matter that Villanova went 3/13 after that early run. Then again, it also felt like Villanova was just chucking up junk just to see if it would hit.

These games happen, though. And it can be a good thing if it inspires change. If I'm Memphis, I'm using this loss to focus on Virginia next month. Tighter defense and greater importance with your possessions and shooting opportunities.

A solid assessment. But my impression is that Villanova is simply better than Memphis, with the Wildcats winning 7 of 10, hypothetically, on a neutral court.

I wouldn't say they are better, per se. They seemed to play with more discipline and structure, which we can address. The Tigers were exhausted and it was apparent. They started the game without their typical intensity and began to lose composure when none of their shots were dropping, snowballing into the fiasco that defined the first half.

If you noticed, the second half of the game told a very different tale. You don't go on a 24-2 run if you're significantly outmatched, and you have to credit our squad with getting it together at the half and shifting the tide of the game. In my estimation, both teams live and die by their outside shooting and Villanova couldn't miss a shot in the first half. Hard to overcome that when you're roughly 12% from the field and 8% from three.

If anything, one could say that the Tigers needed a loss like this. It was a wake up call and adversity can bring people together, depending on their emotional and psychological makeup. You can't coach grit and togetherness into a squad, and we should be encouraged that our team was able to pull it together and never gave up. Coming back to within 16 from a 35 point deficit against a team of Villanova's caliber isn't something that just anyone can do, from both a physical and mental perspective.

(11-25-2023 10:38 AM)msu35 Wrote:  

(11-25-2023 09:30 AM)bill dazzle Wrote:  

(11-25-2023 06:29 AM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  

(11-24-2023 04:55 PM)msu35 Wrote:  

(11-24-2023 04:51 PM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  1-12 behind the arc. That is just…yikes.

Yeah, it's an unacceptable and pitiful showing. Hard to believe this is the same team that beat Michigan and Arkansas, with Jones scoring 36 last night. We look gassed and we're playing undisciplined. Can't win many games playing iso ball and jacking up threes if your shots aren't dropping.

Ultimately, if we leave the tournament in second place, it could be a lot worse. We lined up one of the toughest OOC schedules in the country for exactly this reason. No matter the outcome, we go back to Memphis with a long list of things to work on, and knowing our deficiencies and addressing them is part of the process.

FWIW, it could have swung the other direction had Memphis hit its 3's. At the point Villanova was 5 of 6 from back there, it was only 16-2 and just 5 and a half minutes played. Villanova could basically only score from those shots; missing its other shots and turning the ball over. Memphis just seemed to panic. Like, nothing going right with any kind of shot or possession. It didn't seem to matter that Villanova went 3/13 after that early run. Then again, it also felt like Villanova was just chucking up junk just to see if it would hit.

These games happen, though. And it can be a good thing if it inspires change. If I'm Memphis, I'm using this loss to focus on Virginia next month. Tighter defense and greater importance with your possessions and shooting opportunities.

A solid assessment. But my impression is that Villanova is simply better than Memphis, with the Wildcats winning 7 of 10, hypothetically, on a neutral court.

I wouldn't say they are better, per se. They seemed to play with more discipline and structure, which we can address. The Tigers were exhausted and it was apparent. They started the game without their typical intensity and began to lose composure when none of their shots were dropping, snowballing into the fiasco that defined the first half.

If you noticed, the second half of the game told a very different tale. You don't go on a 24-2 run if you're significantly outmatched, and you have to credit our squad with getting it together at the half and shifting the tide of the game. In my estimation, both teams live and die by their outside shooting and Villanova couldn't miss a shot in the first half. Hard to overcome that when you're roughly 12% from the field and 8% from three.

If anything, one could say that the Tigers needed a loss like this. It was a wake up call and adversity can bring people together, depending on their emotional and psychological makeup. You can't coach grit and togetherness into a squad, and we should be encouraged that our team was able to pull it together and never gave up. Coming back to within 16 from a 35 point deficit against a team of Villanova's caliber isn't something that just anyone can do, from both a physical and mental perspective.

This is a strong assessment. Very well put.

Let's hope our Tigers turn the loss into a positive.

New Mexico St leading Louisville at half time.

DePaul lost to Northern Illinois last night to drop to 1-5. I'm not sure I see a path to anymore than 5 wins this year and I'm not sure that's a given. Outside of Chicago State the Blue Demons should be rather healthy underdogs to everyone on their schedule. This will likely be the worst team in school history. Sad state of affairs in Lincoln Park....

Florida Atlantic demolish Virginia Tech 84-50 in the ESPN Events Invitational Championship Game! The Owls are very much back after that small blip losing at home to Bryant.

Stetson go into Orlando and defeat Central Florida 85-82.

some weekend for FAU- they go 3-0 demolishing teams, and all 3 teams they beat go 2-1 in the tourney.

(11-26-2023 10:41 PM)stever20 Wrote:  some weekend for FAU- they go 3-0 demolishing teams, and all 3 teams they beat go 2-1 in the tourney.

Bryant/Vermont will be a bloodbath for the America East autobid.

San Francisco playing their annual non-conference game at the Chase Center come out with an 18 point win over Minnesota.

(11-26-2023 10:48 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  Bryant/Vermont will be a bloodbath for the America East autobid.

UMass-Lowell will have something to say about that too.

Nice graphic...

So Feast Week is officially over. Man it always seems to deliver. Gonna be interesting to see how the next 5 weeks go before Christmas. Shaping up to be a really fun season.

(11-26-2023 02:24 PM)TUowl06 Wrote:  DePaul lost to Northern Illinois last night to drop to 1-5. I'm not sure I see a path to anymore than 5 wins this year and I'm not sure that's a given. Outside of Chicago State the Blue Demons should be rather healthy underdogs to everyone on their schedule. This will likely be the worst team in school history. Sad state of affairs in Lincoln Park....

Last year's DePaul team went 10-23. I would take that record if we could, hypothetically, fast-forward to the season's end. Ten wins would be a "success" with this team.

Worth noting: DU has gone winless in conference play only once: 0-8 in 2008-08 in the previous Big East iteration and under Jerry Wainwright. I'm concerned we may see a repeat of that.