a half from a young team that really highlighted its overall issues.

[SoBristol]

Pretending that issues don't exist because we "can't change it" isn't a very convincing viewpoint. No offense, but there is very little in your post that makes sense.

I don't take any offense -- because obviously we don't agree on this.
I don't like the whining about being "young" because this team is not significantly younger than last year's team that started 25-0 or our 2003 team that relied on two starting frosh.
We have 3 starting seniors -- plenty enough for leadership. Cooney & Gbinije, 4th year players, need to get better at play-making. If you are a coach, or analyst, you can't dwell on whether two of your players are sophomores (with or without a prep year), or how many frosh are in your top 7.
If you were focusing on the play of Joseph or McCullough, young might be meaningful. Are you?

 

[RF2044]

I don't take any offense -- because obviously we don't agree on this.
I don't like the whining about being "young" because this team is not significantly younger than last year's team that started 25-0 or our 2003 team that relied on two starting frosh.
We have 3 starting seniors -- plenty enough for leadership. Cooney & Gbinije, 4th year players, need to get better at play-making. If you are a coach, or analyst, you can't dwell on whether two of your players are sophomores (with or without a prep year), or how many frosh are in your top 7.
If you were focusing on the play of Joseph or McCullough, young might be meaningful. Are you?

"Excuses." "Whining."

Now you're just making things up.

We don't have three starting seniors, despite the splitting hairs attempt. We have two fourth year guys, both of whom were redshirts and didn't play for a full season. 3 of our other 7 players that comprise the rotation are inexperienced. And that is going to lead to variance, miscues, and occasionally poor execution--especially this early in the season, regardless of whether you'd like to pretend otherwise.

And for the record, it isn't just Joseph or McCullough--it is also Roberson and Patterson.

I already acknowledged above and in other threads that our experienced players let the team down with their free throw shooting the other night. Not sure what else you are harping upon.

 

[AlaskaSU]

I agree no excuses. Might not be young by age, but one could argue young in experience when it comes to a road ACC game. Outside of Cooney and RAK the others didn't play much in the ACC last year. Have to play better and knock down open shots and free throws.

free throws were our Achilles heel. We had a nice 9 point surge and that should have been all she wrote. We are not a dominating team. Therefore, we will have many close games. I hope that coach closes with our 5 best freebie shooters. I'll go nuts if Patterson is on the court when we need foul shooting. When the other team is fouling and Cooney has the ball, he has to keep it. He passed it. We have talent but it is masked by being unable to handle pressure and by not playing smart. These are two traits that are completely uncharacteristic. We have had big men bricklayers but have we ever had small forwards and guards, with the exception of Cooney, that are so inept at the line when it counts? And to make this team even more odd, our center is one of our two best free throw shooters.

 

[Eagles20]

free throws were our Achilles heel. We had a nice 9 point surge and that should have been all she wrote. We are not a dominating team. Therefore, we will have many close games. I hope that coach closes with our 5 best freebie shooters. I'll go nuts if Patterson is on the court when we need foul shooting. When the other team is fouling and Cooney has the ball, he has to keep it. He passed it. We have talent but it is masked by being unable to handle pressure and by not playing smart. These are two traits that are completely uncharacteristic. We have had big men bricklayers but have we ever had small forwards and guards, with the exception of Cooney, that are so inept at the line when it counts? And to make this team even more odd, our center is one of our two best free throw shooters.

In his presser JB said he has faith in Mike and Ron to make free throws. We shall see if they can make them next time if that opportunity arises.