5-1

[OUsky]

My judgement is willing to change over the course of the season. I would love to change my view on how good we are in a few games if things change but right now, we don't look good.

If Capel was here your judgement would be much different... smh

 

[konawa]

Judgements like that are best left until the season is over.

Exactly. Teams with good coaching have actually been known to improve over the course of a season. That's a large part of being a fan -- watching the pieces begin to fit. Sometimes, especially when key pieces are young, the progress doesn't show in games for a while, or the progress in one area is overshadowed by less progress in another.

This team's defensive improvement has been camouflaged to an extent by the shots not falling on offense. What I saw this last couple of games was the best team defense since pre-Blake. That's hardly a reason to panic.

 

[MsProudSooner]

This team's defensive improvement has been camouflaged to an extent by the shots not falling on offense. What I saw this last couple of games was the best team defense since pre-Blake. That's hardly a reason to panic.

Exactly! If they can improve their offensive efficiency even a modest amount, it will pay big dividends.

 

[KBaden145]

This team's defensive improvement has been camouflaged to an extent by the shots not falling on offense. What I saw this last couple of games was the best team defense since pre-Blake. That's hardly a reason to panic.

As much as we have improved defensively, I would argue that our issues rebounding the basketball have further disguised how much we have improved. If we were rebounding at a better rate on the defensive glass, I doubt any of the teams we have played except Gonzaga would have cracked 60 points.

 

[luckyc1423]

I think its simple, at this time last year we were a better team last year than this years team. Because most of our guys new their roles and were comfortable with their roles.

this year we have a ton of new faces and everyone is trying to figure ou ttheir roles. I full expect this team to be much better by years end.

I do however think alot of guys have over hyped M'baye and to a certain degree were un realistic with this teams expectations.

 

[KBaden145]

I think its simple, at this time last year we were a better team last year than this years team. Because most of our guys new their roles and were comfortable with their roles.

Just not true. We just need to make open shots and rebound better defensively. We are deeper and night and day better defensively. Missed shots affect our ability to set our press and offensive rebounds are giving our opponents extra possessions. Fix those and we LOOK so much better and would show how much we really have improved. I guess I'm saying we're improved without looking like it. For instance, Kelvin had team who averaged 60-70 points per game which were much better than some of Billy's teams averaging 85-90 points per game.

 

[MNsooner]

I think its simple, at this time last year we were a better team last year than this years team. Because most of our guys new their roles and were comfortable with their roles.

This will be resolved next Tuesday right? If we beat Arkansas on the road it would be non-conference win than we had all season last season. As it stands it is hard to say where we are compared to last season.

 

[garyeb2]

Last years team was a group of returning starters, a well seasoned jr., and a JC All American. They started the season playing about as well as they could. They benifited from a home game loaded soft NC schedule. They finished the season as conference doormats.

This years team isn't just alittle better than last years version. They are alot better. However, they are not playing as well as they can or will. They have 2 freshmen starting and another playing major minutes. They have another guy coming off a redshirt year year playing a completly different position than he practiced at for the whole off year. Heild and M'Baye are turning the ball over at a Carl Blair like pace.

Kruger's platoon substitution pattern isn't helpfull in developing consistancy and cohesion. However it is probably helpful in winning these tight games.

Shots will start to fall. Heild and M'Baye will settle in. Cousins and Hornbeak will become more assertive. Pledger will figure out where he fits with this new group and how to contibute. It all just takes alittle time. Positive change isn't easy and it isn't quick.

 

[KBaden145]

Last years team was a group of returning starters, a well seasoned jr., and a JC All American. They started the season playing about as well as they could. They benifited from a home game loaded soft NC schedule. They finished the season as conference doormats.

This years team isn't just alittle better than last years version. They are alot better. However, they are not playing as well as they can or will. They have 2 freshmen starting and another playing major minutes. They have another guy coming off a redshirt year year playing a completly different position than he practiced at for the whole off year. Heild and M'Baye are turning the ball over at a Carl Blair like pace.

Kruger's platoon substitution pattern isn't helpfull in developing consistancy and cohesion. However it is probably helpful in winning these tight games.

Shots will start to fall. Heild and M'Baye will settle in. Cousins and Hornbeak will become more assertive. Pledger will figure out where he fits with this new group and how to contibute. It all just takes alittle time. Positive change isn't easy and it isn't quick.

Exactly. Good post, Gary...

 

[bgrch1350]

This will be resolved next Tuesday right? If we beat Arkansas on the road it would be non-conference win than we had all season last season. As it stands it is hard to say where we are compared to last season.

Why is beating a team on a road that
A. we beat by 15 last year at home and
B. is 3-3 as of right now

Resolve anything?

Is this a game we should not win?

This non conference schedule is nothing special. To say that its better than last year is not true. The only quality team that we have played beat us by 25pts. Teams like West Virginia sound good on paper...but they aren't good on the court.

 

[KBaden145]

Why is beating a team on a road that
A. we beat by 15 last year at home and
B. is 3-3 as of right now

Resolve anything?

Is this a game we should not win?

This non conference schedule is nothing special. To say that its better than last year is not true. The only quality team that we have played beat us by 25pts. Teams like West Virginia sound good on paper...but they aren't good on the court.

It matters where these games are played. Last years team was a horrible road team. They would be 3-4 playing this years schedule and be 3-5 after Arkansas.

 

[bgrch1350]

Last years team was a group of returning starters, a well seasoned jr., and a JC All American. They started the season playing about as well as they could. They benifited from a home game loaded soft NC schedule. They finished the season as conference doormats.

This years team isn't just alittle better than last years version. They are alot better. However, they are not playing as well as they can or will. They have 2 freshmen starting and another playing major minutes. They have another guy coming off a redshirt year year playing a completly different position than he practiced at for the whole off year. Heild and M'Baye are turning the ball over at a Carl Blair like pace.

Kruger's platoon substitution pattern isn't helpfull in developing consistancy and cohesion. However it is probably helpful in winning these tight games.

Shots will start to fall. Heild and M'Baye will settle in. Cousins and Hornbeak will become more assertive. Pledger will figure out where he fits with this new group and how to contibute. It all just takes alittle time. Positive change isn't easy and it isn't quick.

I like your post but a lot of it sounds more like wishful thinking than facts. The fact is...AS OF RIGHT NOW, theres nothing that has shown that this years team is better than last years team.
Are they better than last years team-YES. That b/c its hard to imagine that they aren't better with everyone coming back and the additions of M'Baye and the freshmen.
As of right now, are they playing better than last years team - NO! You don't get killed by Gonzaga, beat teams that we destroyed last year and only win by handful of points and have to make a late rally to win the games.

And as for Shots will start to fall, these players will start doing this and that..You don't know that...thats wishful thinking. I hope they start doing that as well, but I don't know that they will.

 

[bgrch1350]

It matters where these games are played. Last years team was a horrible road team. They would be 3-4 playing this years schedule and be 3-5 after Arkansas.

I disagree. Our bench hurt us. If we added these players we had to our bench last year...we would have most likely beaten Cincy and St. Louis. Our starting 5 did their best but couldn't hold on.

 

[garyeb2]

I like your post but a lot of it sounds more like wishful thinking than facts. The fact is...AS OF RIGHT NOW, theres nothing that has shown that this years team is better than last years team.
Are they better than last years team-YES. That b/c its hard to imagine that they aren't better with everyone coming back and the additions of M'Baye and the freshmen.
As of right now, are they playing better than last years team - NO! You don't get killed by Gonzaga, beat teams that we destroyed last year and only win by handful of points and have to make a late rally to win the games.

And as for Shots will start to fall, these players will start doing this and that..You don't know that...thats wishful thinking. I hope they start doing that as well, but I don't know that they will.

I do know that and it isn't wishfull thinking. You are the guy that that wants to believe that a single result is something definitive. So, please, dont ignore this one. Remember, that the White's ( Kruger's recruits and 3 of the current starters-plus Heild) beat the the Red's (last years starters) in that 1st scrimmage. They beat them pretty easy.

This years team. Both indivually and as a group are performing in games at a level well below than what they do in practice every day. That is a game experience issue. More game experience will resolve that issue.

 

[bgrch1350]

I do know that and it isn't wishfull thinking. You are the guy that that wants to believe that a single result is something definitive. So, please, dont ignore this one. Remember, that the White's ( Kruger's recruits and 3 of the current starters-plus Heild) beat the the Red's (last years starters) in that 1st scrimmage. They beat them pretty easy.

This years team. Both indivually and as a group are performing in games at a level well below than what they do in practice every day. That is a game experience issue. More game experience will resolve that issue.

Well If kruger doesn't change things up then...I hope your right. Its not like I don't want us to be better or win games. But to have to rally from behind to beat ORU and NWst, and then say that this team is playing good or that we look better than last year...I can't say that. We were lucky to escape with wins against teams that are less talented and skilled as us.

 

[KBaden145]

Well If kruger doesn't change things up then...I hope your right. Its not like I don't want us to be better or win games. But to have to rally from behind to beat ORU and NWst, and then say that this team is playing good or that we look better than last year...I can't say that. We were lucky to escape with wins against teams that are less talented and skilled as us.

You contradict yourself. You say we have the same team as last year and were so much better offensively last year. You blame it on Kruger changing up the lineup. You say we have an easy schedule this year, inferring it is no more difficult than last season. If we have the same players as last year, they should be hitting shots like they did last season, regardless of if they start or not. That's on the player to knock down what have been open looks so far. It does matter where games are played though. We had more home games to this point last season. We are fundamentally a vastly improved basketball team.

 

[skyvue]

But to have to rally from behind to beat ORU and NWst, and then say that this team is playing good or that we look better than last year...I can't say that.

Actually no one's saying that. Some have said that this team has better talent than last year, but everyone -- absolutely everyone -- is freely admitting (and most of us are publicly bemoaning the fact) that the team is not yet playing up to its capabilities, especially offensively.

But we're looking at the long term, and you are very much living in the moment. You refuse to acknowledge that Kruger's coaching this team with an eye toward conference play, that he has young players he wants (needs) to bring up to speed quickly, that without the improved depth those young players will provide, we'll be no better off than we were last season.

None of us likes these close calls, but most of us feel that it'll be worth the squirming in the long run if we can go eight, nine or even ten deep during conference play. We're willing to sacrifice large margins of victory right now for a stronger, more experienced squad two months from now.

For you, it seems to be very much a matter of now and only now.

Perhaps you know something we don't. Are you, by chance, Mayan?

 

[luckyc1423]

Actually no one's saying that. Some have said that this team has better talent than last year, but everyone -- absolutely everyone -- is freely admitting (and most of us are publicly bemoaning the fact) that the team is not yet playing up to its capabilities, especially offensively.

But we're looking at the long term, and you are very much living in the moment. You refuse to acknowledge that Kruger's coaching this team with an eye toward conference play, that he has young players he wants (needs) to bring up to speed quickly, that without the improved depth those young players will provide, we'll be no better off than we were last season.

None of us likes these close calls, but most of us feel that it'll be worth the squirming in the long run if we can go eight, nine or even ten deep during conference play. We're willing to sacrifice large margins of victory right now for a stronger, more experienced squad two months from now.

For you, it seems to be very much a matter of now and only now.

Perhaps you know something we don't. Are you, by chance, Mayan?

This person replied to my response saying we arent, as of now, better than last years team.

Just not true. We just need to make open shots and rebound better defensively. We are deeper and night and day better defensively. Missed shots affect our ability to set our press and offensive rebounds are giving our opponents extra possessions. Fix those and we LOOK so much better and would show how much we really have improved. I guess I'm saying we're improved without looking like it. For instance, Kelvin had team who averaged 60-70 points per game which were much better than some of Billy's teams averaging 85-90 points per game.

Its simple, we arent improved YET. We will be improved because Kruger has a plan. He is getting guys more playing time to get them READY. But as of today, we arent better. As of Febuary I fully expect us to be much better.

Just because we are deeper doesnt make us a better team. We can only play 5 guys at a time. Yes, it helps us if we get into foul trouble. But there are plenty of teams only playing 7-8 guys and do just fine. Deeper doesnt automatically = better.

 

[skyvue]

there are plenty of teams only playing 7-8 guys and do just fine. Deeper doesnt automatically = better.

Last year we didn't even have 7-8 quality guys, so yeah, our bench is better. Undeniably so, in my opinion. And as such, we're a better, more talented team.

Is it showing up yet on the court? Not so much (though in some ways, yes). And as I said, I've not seen anyone deny that we're a long way from where we need to be, in game and on the court. But we're a better team than we were last year simply because we don't have just five or six players we can count on to contribute.

 

[bgrch1350]

You contradict yourself. You say we have the same team as last year and were so much better offensively last year. You blame it on Kruger changing up the lineup. You say we have an easy schedule this year, inferring it is no more difficult than last season. If we have the same players as last year, they should be hitting shots like they did last season, regardless of if they start or not. That's on the player to knock down what have been open looks so far. It does matter where games are played though. We had more home games to this point last season. We are fundamentally a vastly improved basketball team.

A. This isnt the same team as last year...b/c we are starting 2 freshmen, 1 transfer, and playing another freshmen off the bench more than we are playing our returning players. The players who had all season to improve are getting less minutes and are coming off the bench to players who are not better than them.

B. All I see in that bold statement is B.S. We had more home games...I went to those home games and the only home court advantage was that we were playing at home. The stadium felt empty to me. And to say that we are vastly improved basketball team is statement that is not accurate at the moment.