UVM @ UA

[Dane Pound]

I'm amazed at how utterly lost we look on offense. I didn't realize it during the game but we went for an 8 minute span where Vermont didn't score a field goal and we didn't make up any ground. We either take a quick shot out of rythym or pass up decent shots and let the defense reset so we don't get a shot at all, then there were the fast breaks where we're taking and missing jump shots instead of getting to the rim...

 

I'm grateful for the effort of Scotty McRae who made this game minimally bareable. He's not a thing of beauty of offense but he gives maximum effort. All I can ask for. He and the play of Mike Black were about the only positives I came away with.

[salukis=so.ill]

DP-- When did that 8-minute span occur?

 

I think Urli is a nice role player. Along with Scotty's play, Fran's inside toughness is a (relative) bright spot right now. McRae & Urli give us our best chance to ever get a rebound, and both have a bit of a nose for the bucket. Regardless, personnel decisions should have been ironed out months ago.

 

While there is a lot to criticize from the last two performances, I was borderline ashamed of how we just let Blakely add to his highlight reel with breakaway dunks and playground passes in garbage time. Scotty gave him a hard, clean foul at one point. Otherwise, we didn't even try to stop him. This probably goes back to an issue many have raised here re: Heart.

 

Threes never seem to fall when consistently when trying to claw your way back into a game when down by 15 points. While every aspect of this team's overall play can be criticized, this team has got to find a way to get it going early. 4 points in the first 8 minutes of the game?

 

I'm just trying to not be so harsh right now.

[Dane Pound]

DP-- When did that 8-minute span occur?

 

 

 

The end of the first half when we got with in four. VT had a couple free throws during that stretch.

[UAalum72]

DP-- When did that 8-minute span occur?

 

From when Accaoui made a 3-pointer with 8:55 to make it 22-11 until Marsalis made a layup at 1:01, Albany scored 11 points while UVM made 7 free throws

 

Live stats, click play-by-play

[Clickclack]

Can anyone explain how it took us 7 and a half minutes to score more then 4 points...I mean HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN....how do you not score more then 4 points in 8 minutes by accident.

 

We were stuck on 2 points until the 13:18 mark....THAT JUST CAN'T HAPPEN!

[Eli]

I can explain it.

 

Our ball movement is CRAP. We stand around.

 

I don't even see any Lebron James' or Dwyane Wades out there worth watching, so what the heck are they doing standing around? Our two "star" players are at best role players on any other team (Harris and Ambrose).

[UA'08]

As we talk about the team with a lack of energy and grittiness, I think of Raffa. He was that exact player and I may be in the minority of the people that wanted him to stay, but he was one tough SOB. He was basically run out of town by Will Brown. I see Mike Johnson was definitley the better point guard huh. That is why he hyped the sh*t out of him over the offseason. When healthy Raffa was averaging almost 12 pts per game and what a surprise they were 11-5.

 

I remember him getting into with Sherron Collins at Kansas and Nick Vier at the game in Vermont. Everyone said he can't be a point guard because he turned the ball over, but how can you really determine that after his freshman season.

 

I know the past is the past and I should stop bringing it up, but it's just another thing that I just can't understand. Especially when everyone bad mouthed him when he left.

[danefan]

Is it lacrosse season yet?

[salukis=so.ill]

DP-- When did that 8-minute span occur?

 

 

 

The end of the first half when we got with in four. VT had a couple free throws during that stretch.

 

Thank you-- not sure how I missed that. I must have been sleepy or I may have still had a red film coating my eyes this AM.

[Clickclack]

Is it lacrosse season yet?

 

We have at least 15 games left....14 conference games and at least 1 AE Tourney game....we are on pace for a 10-21 type of season...ouch!

[Dane96]

Ok...I am sick of this $iena...and believe me, Coach has done some things this season (actually hasn't omitted to do) that I think he should have done-- but that's why he's coach and I am not--but RAFFA was not his doing.

 

Want the real scoop already-- RAFFA WAS NOT LIKED BY HIS TEAMMATES OR THE OTHER COACHES. In fact, Coach B stuck with him the longest and, from what I understand, basically tried to keep Raffa here to the disdain of his assistant coaches who pleaded wiht him to let Raffa walk. Two specific players and one very recent alum player rolled there eyes when I spoke to them about Raffa in general. I met the kid twice...and watched him play plenty...and I still think its no great loss. When you turn off your teammates and coaches that badly...you got a problem.

 

The Raffa leaving incident had NOTHING to do with Coach...and he wanted him to stay, again, to the dismay of players and assistants. And those are the facts as many of us have heard and from multiple sources (including those not very fond of Coach).

 

That said, I am very disappointed that Coach has not just simply benched Ambrose and Will Harris. I may be in the minority, but the seaons is in some ways over and I think it is time to just start letting the youngins ply their trade like we did with the early Jamar/Levi teams. Ambrose will NEVER, EVER learn the concept of team basketball and has had more private tutelage (thanks to Coach Friel) than any player I think has ever had the pleaure of wearing a UA uniform. Will Harris may be a nice kid...but he has no basketball heart.

 

Again, this is a very young team and those two (I dont point out Gifford because what the kid lacks in skills, he is the consumate heart guy) were supposed to "show the team the ropes". Instead, they show them they cant understand basic basketball or inspire the others to want to play balls out. 90% of their problem is heart...and the rest falls on Coach (recruiting, decision not to bench guys, etc.).

 

If you play DI ball...you should know what you have to do day in and day out by the end of your frosh year-- apparently, some of the upper-classmen haven't figured it out.

[UA'08]

Is it lacrosse season yet?

 

We have at least 15 games left....14 conference games and at least 1 AE Tourney game....we are on pace for a 10-21 type of season...ouch!

 

Definitely not a good sports year for me. I am now a fan of all losing teams .

[Clickclack]

To what D96 said....

 

Regarding Raffa....he basically wanted a guarantee that he'd be the starting PG next year....from what I heard CB was unwilling to promise him the PG spot as it was clear as day that Raffa was not a PG. He was more of a scoring lead guard then anything else...he made no one around him better. His A/T ratio was 1/1.4....could he score...YES, but he was not a PG. I don't know how many remember how many times we complained about his to's or how he did a poor job running the team.....

 

Based on what I heard the coach gave him an option to fight for playing time at the off guard spot and Raffa decided he didn't want to do that...he wanted a guarantee....in hind sight it was a poor decision on his part. He could have absolutely stolen minutes from Ambrose this year....who knows, might have even been able to relegate Ambrose to the sixth man role.

 

Furthermore....there was some real tension between Raffa and the rest of the team. I'm not gonna go and point fingers...who was at fault or who didn't get along with whom but there was some real tension between Raffa and the rest of the team....as the season progressed it got worse and worse. Had little to do with coaches at that point, IMO the single biggest reason Raffa left had nothing to do with on the court stuff....he and his team mates never bonded and in fact grew apart. The divorce of Raffa and UA basketball was good for both parties. Was he a talent...sure, could he have helped us this year....perhaps. I wish the young man nothing but the best of luck, I enjoyed watching him when he played well, he certainly helped us win a couple of more games last year but his departure was good for everyone involved.

 

On a different note, I know it's hard to find positives in the teams recent performance but I'll point you to the recent play of Mike Black....he's been averaging 9ppg 3.2ast with an a/t ratio of 1.6 over the last 5 games. Through thick or thin....STICK WITH THIS KID. He has a chance to solve our point guard needs....we have been a team without a true point guard for far to long.

 

Furthermore...as D96 said...nothing personal but the Will Harris experiment is over in my book. It's nothing personal, it simply didn't work out....listen, we all built him up to be a savior type transferring in from an ACC school. From what I've seen/heard and read he's a great young man with strong family values but we'd be better off now and in the future developing the talent that will be on this team next year and beyond.

[mr g]

Good info Bosi. I agree with you - time to build the younger guys, though I think Harris can still have a solid role this year. Gif and Johnson should sit...

[danefan]

Good info Bosi. I agree with you - time to build the younger guys, though I think Harris can still have a solid role this year. Gif and Johnson should sit...

 

 

Welcome Mr. G!