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Post by rc on Feb 18, 2023 12:16:08 GMT -6
GCU had a big height advantage and we had to position two players about the free throw line to defend against setting up their bigs for easy lay-ins. This meant we had to run the baseline out a lot to shooters in the corners. They were deadly from the corners. But if we left them open in front, they buried those 3's as well. They shot the ball like NBA sharp shooters. Our shorter guards were just not able to stop them. We played relately better than average but GCU was balanced and physical -- and they could shoot like no team we have played.
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Post by Outsider on Feb 18, 2023 12:43:24 GMT -6
It's still largely true that we were, and currently are, recruited and built to be a team that could consistently be towards the top of the SLC, but will never be more than middle of the pack WAC. There are other variables with Tanner's rotations and players from year to year but there is a foundational issue. Will we evolve? It's not an easy or quick solution, but it is real. The bigger team excuse keeps resurfacing over and over. We go back and forth between our 3pt shooting, FT shooting and defending. Ultimately, we have to stop being one of the smallest teams in DI, regardless of how much heart we have, or how well we play defense. The other issues will begin to settle some.
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Post by Cap'n on Feb 19, 2023 12:45:04 GMT -6
It’s a little harsh to say we will never be more than middle of the pack. MBB has won 27, 20, 24, and 25 games the last 4 years and were in the tournament finals last year. Don’t you think maybe it’s just a rebuilding year? There is serious young talent on this team with a high school big signed along with a stellar JC point guard. For sure we need a transfer big in the worst way but do we always have to see the glass half empty?
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Post by bogeyman on Feb 19, 2023 13:57:23 GMT -6
We will see what our future program will be like next season. Will Tanner keep recruiting small players or will he move the program forward with a quality recruiting class. We lose Manny Allen, Joe Pleasant, Damien Daniels, Airion Simmons, Tobias Cameron and Yuot Gai? 5 of those players go back to the Jay Frank, Jaren Lewis, Kolton Kohl days. We've recruited a 6'9" (Hill) and another short PG (McClain). We need 3 more bigs (one center and 2 athletic, long forwards. Chris Loofe would be a great pick up but he's now getting lots of interest from some big programs. My personal opinion is that if our recruits are again 6'4" to 6'6", we are doomed to be mediocre. We have plenty of guards (Jackson, Madden, Dibba, Seat, McClain) and our post play will be better with Bettiol getting more minutes but Steele is out of position and seems to have lost favor with Tanner and Munoeuke has been a disappointment. We really need more bigs to be competitive and I think also a knock down scorer (shooting guard or scoring forward). This year has been a poor conclusion to an era. Next year starts a new era. We'll see which way we go with the kind of players we recruit.
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Post by Cap'n on Feb 19, 2023 14:08:26 GMT -6
Nailed it, Bogey. This is the year we find out whether Tanner is the coach of the future
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Post by bogeyman on Feb 22, 2023 19:54:22 GMT -6
Did I see JayFrank at the basketball game?
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Post by bogeyman on Feb 22, 2023 22:00:59 GMT -6
Sad end to a great effort. We lose 91-89 in double OT. We had 6 players in double figures led by Dibba (21). Not sure why Allen didn't see the floor in either OT or for several minutes at end of regular time. I just continue to not understand our substitutions.
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Post by rc on Feb 22, 2023 22:14:16 GMT -6
Was at the game and it was disappointing. It was a game decided by strange calls and no calls. Both sides must have thought the refs were pretty poor. SFA plays very physical, more so than any I have seen at Moody this year. We made a huge error at the end of regular time because with about 8.4 seconds we inbound to our shortest player when a pass to someone who could have driven the ball to the basket would likely have gotten foul shots with little to no time left.
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Post by jaminthebody on Feb 22, 2023 22:17:31 GMT -6
Did I see JayFrank at the basketball game? Yes
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Post by dallasalum on Feb 22, 2023 22:22:44 GMT -6
Good 2nd half comeback. Disappointing loss. Same question re: Manny. We very possibly lost the game in regulation because of the horrible failure to call the foul on Hunter Jack on the inbounds play with one second left on the shot clock. There is no way that a second elapsed between the time Hunter Jack first touched the ball and the time that he was hit by the SFA defender.
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Post by rc on Feb 22, 2023 22:38:51 GMT -6
It happen right in front of me and I thought there was no way we would not get free throws. Previously an SFA play drove around a Wildcat and raised his elbow up and popped him. They called the foul on ACU. There were a lot of bad calls going both ways but ACU probably got the worst of the crucial calls. I think the refs did not want the game decided by a ref's call.
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Post by Outsider on Feb 23, 2023 8:21:49 GMT -6
We tried hard, but we came out flat and dug ourselves a hole that we were never able to get out of, even when we actually got ahead and made it to OT. We were still missing crucial shots that we normally make. Dibba missing 4 shots in a row at the end of final OT was an example of that. It shows that we struggle at times even against teams that aren't necessarily bigger. The game certainly brought the crowd alive at least.
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Post by wildcatter on Feb 23, 2023 12:20:51 GMT -6
Seemed to me that SFA had a game plan and we did not. They did exactly what they wanted to on offense, whereas we just hoped to make shots. Still this team has no identity.
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Post by mavsman53 on Feb 23, 2023 13:50:10 GMT -6
Not having a game plan for a 2 point loss seems a bit much. We lose by 30, you might be able to say that. But by 2 points in double overtime, Come on!
Every team has a game plan. It comes down to execution. This team needs a true shot blocker or 2. There is no fear of driving into the lane by any team.
Yes this hasn't been the year that many have hoped for, but one positive is I believe we have a go-to guy coming up with Dibba. You look at all of the really good teams in this conference, they have 2-3 guys that know how to get buckets. In his last 8 games, he has 102 points in 8 games (nearly 13 a game). He has shot 39-81 from the field. For a guy that is technically a Freshman, his future looks bright. With so many seniors graduating, he will need help next year
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Post by rc on Feb 23, 2023 14:43:21 GMT -6
Dibba is an athlete for sure, a great jumper. He makes a lot of very difficult driving play but can also shoot if left open. At least two of his 4 misses at the end were cases where he was fouled in my opinion. He is just now coming into sync with the team because he did not play as much early on, and now he is a starter. He will be a good one. We still need a couple of bigs to play in the WAC. I, too, am mystified by the lack of playing time for Manny. He is likely the most talented on the team, or close to it. I just wish we had ended the regular game with an offensive play much different than throwing in to the opponents end of the court to a player who could be double teamed and who had to waste time weaving on to our end of the court. He tried mightily but we did not seem to have a play we could run and he wound up dribbling into a low probability situation. We were so close to winning, twice. Watching the replay of Hunter Jack sure suggested he could have been given free throws, but refs don't like to be blamed for wins or loses. Early in the year, Cameron Steele played a great deal. I wonder why he is not getting much time now. Is it defensive weakness and lack of rebounding?
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