A reality check

[pnkranger]

We did NOT play well tonight offensively, but that was not a terrible team. They have played 3 BCS teams. Here are the scores:

LSU 102-95
Texas A&M 78-65
OU 69-65

They were not a glorified juco team like some of the early season games.

 

[suncoastsooner]

We did NOT play well tonight offensively, but that was not a terrible team. They have played 3 BCS teams. Here are the scores:

LSU 102-95
Texas A&M 78-65
OU 69-65

They were not a glorified juco team like some of the early season games.

You realize both of those other teams are bad by everyone's account, right?

 

[jerry]

The frontcourt needs to start shooting better 7-25 last night.

 

[AdaSooner]

Shoot a decent percentage and our offense won't look nearly as bad. We're getting good shots, they're just not going in.

Our front court players have to take the ball to the hole as if every try for a goal is the winning shot. And, as close as the last two games have been, that's a definite possibility. The only one doing that now is Romero. He didn't always complete the try. But his free shots down the stretch were the difference in the game.

 

[topcat]

We did NOT play well tonight offensively, but that was not a terrible team. They have played 3 BCS teams. Here are the scores:

LSU 102-95
Texas A&M 78-65
OU 69-65

They were not a glorified juco team like some of the early season games

What was their best win? East Texas Baptist, Campbell or Hannibal-LaGrange?

2 of those teams haven't won a game. They beat CAMPBELL by 4, Istate beat campbell by 20.

 

[bgrch1350]

What was their best win? East Texas Baptist, Campbell or Hannibal-LaGrange?

2 of those teams haven't won a game. They beat CAMPBELL by 4, Istate beat campbell by 20.

I don't understand why were trying to make Lemonade out of Lemons. We barely beat a terrible team at home and we barely beat a bad team on the road. Some of you are just trying to squeeze every ounce of juice out of your lemons and for what? I support this team, but I'm not going to deny what I am witnessing. Were struggling to beat teams that we beat fairly easily last season.

 

[Stikboy]

I don't understand why were trying to make Lemonade out of Lemons. We barely beat a terrible team at home and we barely beat a bad team on the road. Some of you are just trying to squeeze every ounce of juice out of your lemons and for what? I support this team, but I'm not going to deny what I am witnessing. Were struggling to beat teams that we beat fairly easily last season.

So what? What is your point? What does last year matter? Yes, although we are 6-1 so far this year, we are struggling. And, we sucked last year. Regardless of how much we beat these teams by with last year's players, all those players are back, playing, and we're struggling. Much of the reason why we are struggling is because of last years players. Fitzgerald, Grooms, Pledger, and Clark have SUCKED shooting the basketball so far this year overall. The new guys haven't been worldbeaters either, but they are freshmen. The guys from last year are junior and seniors and their ability to score is even worse than last year. Your contention that we should have the old starting lineup is stupid. Why? So they can brick even more shots? At least the new guys can play defense, rebound, and have more potential.

 

[Chaser728]

So what? What is your point? What does last year matter? Yes, although we are 6-1 so far this year, we are struggling. And, we sucked last year. Regardless of how much we beat these teams by with last year's players, all those players are back, playing, and we're struggling. Much of the reason why we are struggling is because of last years players. Fitzgerald, Grooms, Pledger, and Clark have SUCKED shooting the basketball so far this year overall. The new guys haven't been worldbeaters either, but they are freshmen. The guys from last year are junior and seniors and their ability to score is even worse than last year. Your contention that we should have the old starting lineup is stupid. Why? So they can brick even more shots? At least the new guys can play defense, rebound, and have more potential.

This.

 

[bgrch1350]

So what? What is your point? What does last year matter? Yes, although we are 6-1 so far this year, we are struggling. And, we sucked last year. Regardless of how much we beat these teams by with last year's players, all those players are back, playing, and we're struggling. Much of the reason why we are struggling is because of last years players. Fitzgerald, Grooms, Pledger, and Clark have SUCKED shooting the basketball so far this year overall. The new guys haven't been worldbeaters either, but they are freshmen. The guys from last year are junior and seniors and their ability to score is even worse than last year. Your contention that we should have the old starting lineup is stupid. Why? So they can brick even more shots? At least the new guys can play defense, rebound, and have more potential.

I believe their poor offense has to do with their new roles. Fitz coming off the bench has dropped his performance, Pledger playing the 3 has dropped his performance. We started off last year 9-1 and most of that had to do with Fitz, Osby and Pledger being able to score a lot. Our bench cost us down the stretch. Now instead of adding depth to our bench...Kruger has decided to weaken our starting 5 and our bench play.

 

[KBaden145]

I believe their poor offense has to do with their new roles. Fitz coming off the bench has dropped his performance, Pledger playing the 3 has dropped his performance. We started off last year 9-1 and most of that had to do with Fitz, Osby and Pledger being able to score a lot. Our bench cost us down the stretch. Now instead of adding depth to our bench...Kruger has decided to weaken our starting 5 and our bench play.

Our 9-1 start last year had more to do with schedule. This is a new year and a new team. You're not going to be able to see what this years team is all about until you stop with the comparisons.

The basic fact is this team is very good defensively but struggling, at times, with rebounding the ball and with consistency shooting the basketball. The reasons for these have nothing to do with last season or who is or is not starting. These guys are getting open looks and shots at the rim. The players have to step up and make shots. If they will rebound more consistently on the defensive side, they will be even better defensively.

 

[bgrch1350]

Our 9-1 start last year had more to do with schedule. This is a new year and a new team. You're not going to be able to see what this years team is all about until you stop with the comparisons.

The basic fact is this team is very good defensively but struggling, at times, with rebounding the ball and with consistency shooting the basketball. The reasons for these have nothing to do with last season or who is or is not starting. These guys are getting open looks and shots at the rim. The players have to step up and make shots. If they will rebound more consistently on the defensive side, they will be even better defensively.

A. I don't see how we can't compare this team to last. Its the exact same team, minus Washington and Blair..plus some newcomers.

B. And our 9-1 start last season had more to do with our Schedule??? OK...you may be right...but don't pretend that our 5-1 start right now doesn't have to do with our current schedule being easy as well. Only difference is...Last year, we beat ORU and NWSt farely easily while we barely beat them this season.

 

[KBaden145]

A. I don't see how we can't compare this team to last. Its the exact same team, minus Washington and Blair..plus some newcomers.

B. And our 9-1 start last season had more to do with our Schedule??? OK...you may be right...but don't pretend that our 5-1 start right now doesn't have to do with our current schedule being easy as well. Only difference is...Last year, we beat ORU and NWSt farely easily while we barely beat them this season.

I didn't say anything about this years schedule but...since you are into comparing this year to last, if last years team played this years schedule, they would have lost at UTA, to WVU, and at ORU in addition to Gonzaga, IMHO.

Would you agree our issues are missing open shots and rebounding? If those resolved, would you consider us to be improved?

 

[bgrch1350]

I didn't say anything about this years schedule but...since you are into comparing this year to last, if last years team played this years schedule, they would have lost at UTA, to WVU, and at ORU in addition to Gonzaga, IMHO.

Would you agree our issues are missing open shots and rebounding? If those resolved, would you consider us to be improved?

I disagree with all except for Gonzaga. Our offense was way better last year than this year. You need to go back to the points and their fg % last season and compare it to this year.

And I agree with the open shots and rebounding, but every team that we have played this season could say that if they just made that rebound or made a few more shots and they would have won. Yes, if shots were falling and we were rebounding better it would make a huge difference...but thats not what this team is doing as of right now.

 

[skyvue]

A. I don't see how we can't compare this team to last. Its the exact same team, minus Washington and Blair..plus some newcomers.

Which by definition makes it ... not the exact same team.

As for our schedule, our RPI is currently 29. If our schedule were as easy as you've painted it, we'd be nowhere near that high.

You seem locked into this idea that teams don't change from year to year. We beat ORU at home last year by double digits, so we should have done the same this year in Tulsa. We beat Arkansas handily at home last year, so we should beat them on the road this year. We beat NWS by double digits last year, so we should have done it again.

We're not the "exact same team" this year, and neither are those teams. Every season is different. Please join us in this season.

 

[bgrch1350]

Which by definition makes it ... not the exact same team.

As for our schedule, our RPI is currently 29. If our schedule were as easy as you've painted it, we'd be nowhere near that high.

You seem locked into this idea that teams don't change from year to year. We beat ORU at home last year by double digits, so we should have done the same this year in Tulsa. We beat Arkansas handily at home last year, so we should beat them on the road this year. We beat NWS by double digits last year, so we should have done it again.

We're not the "exact same team" this year, and neither are those teams. Every season is different. Please join us in this season.

Why not throw out there that we beat NW St last year, at home, by 20 and only won this year, at home, by 4?

 

[skyvue]

Our offense was way better last year than this year.

Through the first seven games, yes it was.

And a fat lot of good it did us, as we went on to finish the season with a losing record.

So, Coach Kruger is focusing improving our weaknesses from last season -- defense and quality depth. The focus on defense has definitely paid off, and the strengthening of our bench, by giving the new guys ample playing time, will pay off in conference play.

 

[skyvue]

Why not throw out there that we beat NW St last year, at home, by 20 and only won this year, at home, by 4?

I did, actually.

 

[bocabull]

SOS after a handful of games is fairly meaningless. All it takes is 1 game vs an undefeated Gonzaga to skew the results. If we had won that game it would make it more meaningful but it was a turn it off at halftime rout.

 

[pnkranger]

The next 4 games will tell us a lot about this team:

• Arkansas is tough at home and gave Syracuse a good game
• Stephen F. Austin beat Tulsa by 16 at Tulsa
• Texas A&M is 5-1
• Ohio returns all players from a Sweet 16 team and is 6-0

If we go 3-1 in those 4, I won't be panicking about conference season.

 

[suncoastsooner]

The next 4 games will tell us a lot about this team:

• Arkansas is tough at home and gave Syracuse a good game
• Stephen F. Austin beat Tulsa by 16 at Tulsa
• Texas A&M is 5-1
• Ohio returns all players from a Sweet 16 team and is 6-0

If we go 3-1 in those 4, I won't be panicking about conference season.

What if we go 2-2 or worse? How will you feel then? Honest question.

How would you feel if we went 3-1 but that one game was a severe beating? 2-2 with a severe beating?