mbb 2021 Game #7: 12/1/21 - 8:00PM at Kansas State

[Eli]

Personally, I don't care we how we do in OOC. If there is one year to suck in OOC, it's this year. EVERYTHING is new, even our court. I think our goal this year should be .500 in the AE and win a couple of games in the conference tournament. THEN, next year, we build more.

[cwdickens]

A team is only as good as their coach...this is an uninspired team....a coach who is more words then results...sorry just stating how I feel....I hoping this team recovers during conference play...yes there may be a handful of wins... however likely starting conference tournament play on the road ... the grand experiment continues 

[UA'08]

1 hour ago, cwdickens said:

A team is only as good as their coach...this is an uninspired team....a coach who is more words then results...sorry just stating how I feel....I hoping this team recovers during conference play...yes there may be a handful of wins... however likely starting conference tournament play on the road ... the grand experiment continues 

And when exactly was the last time they started conference tournament play at home?

[Eli]

1 hour ago, cwdickens said:

A team is only as good as their coach...this is an uninspired team....a coach who is more words then results...sorry just stating how I feel....I hoping this team recovers during conference play...yes there may be a handful of wins... however likely starting conference tournament play on the road ... the grand experiment continues 

They can't buy a basket but to say they play uninspired is ridiculous. They are pretty dang good, 7 games in, defensively which requires effort and 'inspiration'. They just need to figure out how to put the ball in the hoop.

[UAalum72]

Was pointed out by Wyland’s B Team (he’s on the road) that ELEVEN players had ten or more minutes last night. I suppose it’s a new coach, all the players are new to him and most of them are new to each other. Hope he settles on a more steady rotation 

[jimbo]

Still, it astounds me to see the stats from last night. Three point shots 1 for 18....one for 18. About 1 out of 3 from 2pts. Just cracking 50% from the foul line. D1 scholarship players, many of whom have been playing for years, can’t all shoot at once? Game after game? You expect some players to have cold or off nights and normally there’s a couple of hot hands. They are clanking wide open shots. It’s just so bizarre to see. Like most, I can’t fault their effort, because they appear to be really hustling out there. 

[UA'08]

1 hour ago, jimbo said:

Still, it astounds me to see the stats from last night. Three point shots 1 for 18....one for 18. About 1 out of 3 from 2pts. Just cracking 50% from the foul line. D1 scholarship players, many of whom have been playing for years, can’t all shoot at once? Game after game? You expect some players to have cold or off nights and normally there’s a couple of hot hands. They are clanking wide open shots. It’s just so bizarre to see. Like most, I can’t fault their effort, because they appear to be really hustling out there. 

Feel like shooting is all confidence and right now there isn’t much of that when it goes in the air. They need to find more looks for Cerruti. Hortons numbers aren’t great, but last night there were at least 3-4 missed easy layups on great passes

[reeder]

6 hours ago, cwdickens said:

A team is only as good as their coach...this is an uninspired team....a coach who is more words then results...sorry just stating how I feel....I hoping this team recovers during conference play...yes there may be a handful of wins... however likely starting conference tournament play on the road ... the grand experiment continues 

Yes, the team is really struggling - especially on offense but the coach just started in March.  Sure, I’d like to see them shoot better and win some games but he’ll need some time.

Not sure what you mean by the grand experiment continues.  We haven’t been above .500 in conference play since the 2017-18 season so it’s not like the cupboard was full when he got here.

[godanesgo99]

47 minutes ago, reeder said:

Yes, the team is really struggling - especially on offense but the coach just started in March.  Sure, I’d like to see them shoot better and win some games but he’ll need some time.

Not sure what you mean by the grand experiment continues.  We haven’t been above .500 in conference play since the 2017-18 season so it’s not like the cupboard was full when he got here.

New only goes so far. UMBC lost their coach and their best players, and just beat an ACC team.

I still have plenty of patience, and I like the team, but I'm not sure there is anything this team needs to practice other than shooting, layups, and more shooting.

[Dane96]

To me, the most surprising aspect is defense. They play really hard, and do a decent job.  I expected defense to be much slower than the offense.

It's a shame Healy left; having both Cerrutti and Healy would open up a lot of the floor for the rest of the team.  I really get that Cam was attached to Coach Brown, but he left for a program that isn't better off than Albany. 

[UA'08]

37 minutes ago, Dane96 said:

To me, the most surprising aspect is defense. They play really hard, and do a decent job.  I expected defense to be much slower than the offense.

It's a shame Healy left; having both Cerrutti and Healy would open up a lot of the floor for the rest of the team.  I really get that Cam was attached to Coach Brown, but he left for a program that isn't better off than Albany. 

From one 1-6 team to another. 

[Dane96]

2 minutes ago, UA'08 said:

From one 1-6 team to another. 

Arguably a MUCH worse 1-6.  I've watched them; we've shown flashes of life.  CMU is putrid.  Truly putrid. 

[Clickclack]

Keep in mind this is one of the more difficult schedules UA has played OOC with Boston College, Yale to go but it should lighten up some after that.

- 2021 OOC SOS = 160 (1-6)

- 2020 OOC SOS = 270 (0-1) this one doesn't count because almost no OOC

- 2019 OOC SOS = 310 (6-8...I refuse to count the non D1 game)

- 2018 OOC SOS = 311 (4-10 again not counting the non D1 game)

- 2017 OOC SOS = 307 (12-3 again not counting the non D1 game)

- 2016 OOC SOS = 216 (8-6......)

- 2015 OOC SOS = 293 (10-4) 

- 2014 OOC SOS = 154 (6-7)

- 2013 OOC SOS = 135 (6-7) 

Again, in recent history there was definitely some attempt to load up on bad team in order to improve the win total and still had losing season. In the years where they loaded up on the schedule they were under .500.  

I like what DK is doing, load up the schedule, play a lot of kids and develop them and see what shakes out. They need more talent and more shooting but they are trying to figure out the system and the schedule is challenging probably making things look uglier. We'll see how it goes once the schedule lightens up some. Even in conference, outside of UVM, teams like UNH - 192, UMBC 194 and SBU - 190 are more in line with the likes of Towson -182 and Harvard - 189 than Kentucky, Kansas St. 

We need desperate help at PG and move Horton off the ball and see if he can turn it around in the guard spot. Listen, I've been on this kid a lot...but it makes no sense that a kid that shot over 80% from the line last season all of a sudden can't make a FT...50% this year. I'm not a fan of him at PG but he should be better than this. The kid is a complete mess right now, not sure if a function of a new coach, system or what happened. Same goes for a few others, start trimming the rotation with guys like Champion, Newman who both probably should fall out of rotation. 

[Coach Nichols]

12 hours ago, UAalum72 said:

Was pointed out by Wyland’s B Team (he’s on the road) that ELEVEN players had ten or more minutes last night. I suppose it’s a new coach, all the players are new to him and most of them are new to each other. Hope he settles on a more steady rotation 

I think it’s pretty standard to expand the rotation out of conference then tighten up for conference play.  Most likely will see a steady 8 man rotation with spot minutes here and there for 9/10 based on game situations. 

Also, likely to see more disciplined offensive sets to get better shots.  Not going to run a lot of your set motions now to get certain kids certain shots.  We are seeing the front end of many offensive sets without the final options in play  

 

Edited December 3, 2021 by Coach Nichols

[UA1882]

My two cents are:

We are bad.  I did not expect us to be this bad. 

However,  Killings was hired only a short time ago . No real time to recruit last year.  We have 1 good recruit but I expect more.  He did not have time to recruit last year but I'm hoping that changes this time around.  

I am willing to give me a full pass this year (I don't like it) however next year will be a full year in his system with his own guys. No more excuses after that . 

Edited December 3, 2021 by UA1882