@ Vermont - AE Tourney 2017 Championship - 3/11 - 11AM on ESPN2

[justdrastik1]

 

This is a game that we should have won. I hold CB in high regard. What's he done/does for our program has been nothing short of spectacular and I hope he remains at UA for a very long time. That being said, I don't think this was one of his better coached games. Everyone has an off day too, I suppose.

At the risk of sounding like a Will Brown apologist, I see it completely opposite. My thought was that uvm had more talent and depth and to be up 9 deep in the second half spoke to how well he prepared the team and coached them.

 

This is the same team that blew out the number 4 seed unh by 30 and brown had them on the ropes with an inexperienced team. Uvm rolled through the league and were sweating big time today. Credit to them gutting it out but I though brown coached a great game and team was prepared.

I understand exactly where you're coming from. However, counter argument could be made that up 9, we collapsed, and Coach has to take some of the blame.

 

For the season overall, I give him an A. For today's game, B+. Some of the substitutions at the end didn't make much sense to me, and he seemed to have lost Nichols by the end of the game.

Edited March 11, 2017 by justdrastik1

[Clickclack]

 

 

This is a game that we should have won. I hold CB in high regard. What's he done/does for our program has been nothing short of spectacular and I hope he remains at UA for a very long time. That being said, I don't think this was one of his better coached games. Everyone has an off day too, I suppose.

At the risk of sounding like a Will Brown apologist, I see it completely opposite. My thought was that uvm had more talent and depth and to be up 9 deep in the second half spoke to how well he prepared the team and coached them.

 

This is the same team that blew out the number 4 seed unh by 30 and brown had them on the ropes with an inexperienced team. Uvm rolled through the league and were sweating big time today. Credit to them gutting it out but I though brown coached a great game and team was prepared.

I understand exactly where you're coming from. However, counter argument could be. Ade that up 9, we collapsed, and Coach has to take some of the blame.

 

For the season overall, I give him an A. For today's game, B+. Some of the substitutions at the end didn't make much sense to me, and he seemed to have lost Nichols by the end of the game.

Thats fair...

[DanesRGood]

 

 

 

 

 

Tough loss...Proud of team and future bright.

That quickly devolved from a game they shouldn't have won to a game they shouldn't have lost. Hero ball indeed.

 

Good effort; now make a run in a secondary, tertiary, or quaternary post season tournament to close out the season.

Yes, unfortunately it's what you get sometimes out of a guy who has supreme confidence in himself but relatively young and with a developing mental game. Nichols as a senior doesn't attempt 25 shots. Ypu live and hopefully learn with a young kid seeing really his first year of action.

 

I'm OK with it...

Agreed. That's who David seems to be as a player. We can't love him and hate him for it based on the outcome. That is how he is going to play. He could have tried to distribute more but when he did no one but Travis really stepped up on offense. I'm happy that many of these guys will be around for 2 more years. A feeling we haven't felt under Brown..Championship loss..humbles us all as armchair quarterbacks.

Doesn't mean he has to continue to play that way. Coach Brown and the staff need to teach him. They need to change that behavior and they can. In the games where he plays big he doesn't force as much as he did today. There were at least 4-5 wasted possessions in the second half where he dribbled into everyone and lost the ball or chucked it up or shot a bad and contested long three. In a championship game against a team like UVM you cannot waste possessions. The coaches need to coach him on that stuff. I'm not blaming this game on him only because others also made key mistakes but they need to get that under control for next year.

What makes you think they aren't? You forget they actually sat him earlier in the year?

 

Let's not throw out the baby with the bathwater. Does he need to continue to mature? No question but he is a great player and a great Dane.

 

You have to live with a young kid essentially a freshman learning on the job in a title game.

 

I'm a nichols fan...

 

whoa, whoa, whoa.... I think my post was taken the wrong way. I am a HUGE David Nichols fan. HUGE! My point was in response to Mrs. GDG that is who he is and basically that we have to deal with it. (not a knock on you MrsGDG so please don't take it that way) I was just saying that the staff needs to and can change that behavior. You don't want him to be tentative but you don't want what we had in the second half today going forward.

 

I definitely do not want to come off as blaming David for this game, as I said in my initial post. I think he is a huge player and a star for our program and looking forward to the next two years.

[UA1882]

I think Nichols has to learn to score within the flow of the offense ... Shots with the shot clock running down are not bad... It's the bad shots early on the shot clock that need to be fixed ....Just keep improving!!!!!!!!

[UA1882]

Also not to get too far ahead of ourselves but we need to think about scheduling better next year. Need to improve our out of conference rpi schedule . Our league has the chance to be the best it's been on 10 years... Us and Vermont​ should have an rpi at least in the 80's... 2 or 3 teams could have rpi's better or around 150 ... The problem is we could have 2 or 3 teams with an rpi in the 300's...

[dmurph43]

Haven't read through the thread yet but here's my 2 cents. I hate to get on Nichols bc without him we are not in this position BUT:

He was playing "hero ball" ALL game especially in the 2nd half. Trying for the "dagger" 3 pointer that would be on SC highlights when they were leading and obviously at the end. He

 

I feel if he had acknowledged even mid 2nd half that he was just "off" today and played fascilitator they win!

 

Again we aren't in this game without Nichols & really hate to get on one kid but he was gunning all game & I really think it played a big part in the loss. As per usual Coach Brown put us in a position to win, certainly can't bench your best player but he was out of control. Cant take that many shots & hit 6, 1 3 pointer out of wat? 9?? Give Cremo (or ANYONE!! )5-10 of his shots and we are dancing!

 

On the bright side Nichols, Cremo, Campbell SOPHS!! Great year! Great group of kids enjoyed rooting for em!

[dmurph43]

Did someone really say Browns clock has "struck midnight" ?????. Ive spent too much energy on this game today to even respond to this. Better hope Coach Brown doesn't get a big time offer and forces midnight! I assume you weren't around 2000-04 or you'd thank God Will Brown has been here as long as he has! Just went wire to wire with a VT team on a 20 game (longest in NATION) winning streak! Now 5-1 in conf championships. Please don't tell me there's a such thing as a "spoiled" Great Dane fan. It's the America East & when you have success like this & your coach remains with the program you should be thankful.

[dmurph43]

After reading through the thread AFTER posting, seems as if mostly everyone agreed Nichols was out of control. Why I like reading this board. For the most part knowledgeable fans. Getting so close hurts so badly. Damn.

[MRSGDG]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tough loss...Proud of team and future bright.

That quickly devolved from a game they shouldn't have won to a game they shouldn't have lost. Hero ball indeed.

 

Good effort; now make a run in a secondary, tertiary, or quaternary post season tournament to close out the season.

Yes, unfortunately it's what you get sometimes out of a guy who has supreme confidence in himself but relatively young and with a developing mental game. Nichols as a senior doesn't attempt 25 shots. Ypu live and hopefully learn with a young kid seeing really his first year of action.

 

I'm OK with it...

Agreed. That's who David seems to be as a player. We can't love him and hate him for it based on the outcome. That is how he is going to play. He could have tried to distribute more but when he did no one but Travis really stepped up on offense. I'm happy that many of these guys will be around for 2 more years. A feeling we haven't felt under Brown..Championship loss..humbles us all as armchair quarterbacks.

Doesn't mean he has to continue to play that way. Coach Brown and the staff need to teach him. They need to change that behavior and they can. In the games where he plays big he doesn't force as much as he did today. There were at least 4-5 wasted possessions in the second half where he dribbled into everyone and lost the ball or chucked it up or shot a bad and contested long three. In a championship game against a team like UVM you cannot waste possessions. The coaches need to coach him on that stuff. I'm not blaming this game on him only because others also made key mistakes but they need to get that under control for next year.

What makes you think they aren't? You forget they actually sat him earlier in the year?

 

Let's not throw out the baby with the bathwater. Does he need to continue to mature? No question but he is a great player and a great Dane.

 

You have to live with a young kid essentially a freshman learning on the job in a title game.

 

I'm a nichols fan...

whoa, whoa, whoa.... I think my post was taken the wrong way. I am a HUGE David Nichols fan. HUGE! My point was in response to Mrs. GDG that is who he is and basically that we have to deal with it. (not a knock on you MrsGDG so please don't take it that way) I was just saying that the staff needs to and can change that behavior. You don't want him to be tentative but you don't want what we had in the second half today going forward.

 

I definitely do not want to come off as blaming David for this game, as I said in my initial post. I think he is a huge player and a star for our program and looking forward to the next two years.

All good lol. It just seemed ppl were getting on him for what he has been doing all year that's all. Agreed they need to harness it, but I guess I also saw others on the team taking the passes and not putting up shots or missing open looks. So I'm not shocked David took so many shots...even if they were forced. I was surprised we didn't have more ppl on the team stepping up to the challenge to score. Edited March 11, 2017 by MRSGDG

[UAalum72]

Also not to get too far ahead of ourselves but we need to think about scheduling better next year. Need to improve our out of conference rpi schedule . Our league has the chance to be the best it's been on 10 years... Us and Vermont​ should have an rpi at least in the 80's... 2 or 3 teams could have rpi's better or around 150 ... The problem is we could have 2 or 3 teams with an rpi in the 300's...

Actually the problem is we have FOUR teams +300

 

49 Vermont

126 New Hampshire

137 Albany

162 UMBC

176 Stony Brook

309 Mass-Lowell

311 Binghamton

323 Maine

327 Hartford

[UA1882]

 

Also not to get too far ahead of ourselves but we need to think about scheduling better next year. Need to improve our out of conference rpi schedule . Our league has the chance to be the best it's been on 10 years... Us and Vermont​ should have an rpi at least in the 80's... 2 or 3 teams could have rpi's better or around 150 ... The problem is we could have 2 or 3 teams with an rpi in the 300's...

Actually the problem is we have FOUR teams +300

 

49 Vermont

126 New Hampshire

137 Albany

162 UMBC

176 Stony Brook

309 Mass-Lowell

311 Binghamton

323 Maine

327 Hartford

I was talking more for next year ... I may be crazy but I don't think Binghamton will be 300. . Prob more like 250 ...I also think Lowell will be better too

Edited March 12, 2017 by UA1882

[Dane Pound]

 

All good lol. It just seemed ppl were getting on him for what he has been doing all year that's all. Agreed they need to harness it, but I guess I also saw others on the team taking the passes and not putting up shots or missing open looks. So I'm not shocked David took so many shots...even if they were forced. I was surprised we didn't have more ppl on the team stepping up to the challenge to score.

 

Great point. There were a lot of times today where there were six or seven seconds left on the shot clock and they gave the ball back to Nichols to make something happen.

 

I'll say this. We've had some great guards here, guys like Jamar and Mike Black. Neither of those guys lead their team into the conference championship their soph year. Nichols has.

[S-money]

Two things come to mind after this one. First, WB needs to get through to Nichols...and Nichols has to have the mental fortitude to trust and be coached by WB. Second, give Vermont credit for shutting Cremo down in the second half (after having to sit most of the first). He had that one open three, then Vermont worked hard to prevent him from ever freeing up again. And our guys just didn't have enough horses to make up for it.

 

At halftime, I figured it would go to OT - tough battle back and forth. Refs screwed up calls for both sides, but it's little surprise UVM got more calls having the home team advantage - which they certainly earned. (And if we won, their fans would never let anyone forget the phantom out-of-bounds, even if Lamb did travel which I'm not sure he did).

 

Overall, I think this team showed a lot of improvement over the season and displayed the character they were sorely lacking at the beginning of conference play. Hopefully everyone grows from the experience and we go undefeated in the AE next year, or at least win it all in our glorious purple, gold, and gray building.

[Eli]

The irony is at the beginning of the year we said (and was the case for much of the year) that our offense would be fine but the defense was questionable. It turned out, in the later part of the year that our defense was markedly improved and our offense sputtered a few times.

We'll be back next year. Vermont better be ready cause it's gonna be us and them again. Hopefully this time the game is at our place. Not only due to home court advantage...but that place sucked lol. Soon as the buzzer sounded me and my fiance got the hell out of dodge.

Edited March 12, 2017 by Eli

[DanesRGood]

Post game press conference. Those three young men, as sophomores, sitting there answering tough questions with the echos of the UVM fans celebrating must've been very hard but they did it. I absolutely love Brown and Cremo sticking up for Nichols.

 

http://www.capitalregionsportsnet.com/sports/basketball/535-ualbany-mbb-uvm-presser-part-1

http://www.capitalregionsportsnet.com/sports/basketball/536-ualbany-mbb-uvm-presser-part-2