Watched the Game twice and...

[arbitragegls]

...sense something is wrong. This is not the same team I saw playing its first 8 games...something changed. So here are a few ideas of what is going on:
1. Hopefully its the team read its clippings and #3 ranking and it went to their head
2. Seems as if the LT fiasco has unsettled MCW in several ways:
--MCW has lost focus and is not playing as a team player
--seems to have sped up his game and making silly passes and shots
--not playing well on defense--out of position
--loss of focus as demonstrated by his poor FT shooting
--loss of focus as demonstrated by his poor FG shooting
--lack of finding teammates for easy buckets--assts
3. Seems as if the LT fiasco and loss of MCW focus has team playing:
--low # of assts the past two games, against what should be inferior teams, demonstrates a
one on one mentality...everyone is gunning...playing for themselves
--out of control on half court offense...once again there is none

I wonder whether this recent poor play by all players, including MCW, Triche, South, and the bigs in general is due to destruction of team chemistry caused by the LT fiasco or something else. There appears to be a lack of CHEMISTRY on this team...not passing the ball to open teammates (as determined by a poor percentage of assts to baskets). The lack of focus on the offensive half court...one on one playing and complete loss of focus shooting free throws...it is turning into a What effort the last 2 1/2 games.
Any ideas out there what is going on?

Raises a few questions:
1. Did the MCW LT cause a schism in the team
2. Has the soft, very soft schedule caused the players to believe they are better than they are resulting in not being focussed
3. Is the offense not established...counting too much on MCW...

What are your thoughts?

 

[orangejunkie]

I think you're reading too much into MCW's mall incident. He hasn't played well the last two games but that is part of the growing pains of being a first year point guard. He will show improvement as the season goes on. Keep the faith...

 

[Sufran]

They are in a horrible funk right now. I don't What is going on, brutal play as of late.

 

[igor]

had a chance to watch duke yesterday. a color guy in studio last week praised plumlee big time. hes improved big time. rak has more talent in his pinky finger, but looks the same as he did last year. cant see any growth except number 5, but hes a black hole. how can kids collectively not shoot fouls. im no walk on. i'm a star

 

[osullfam]

The only big we have who finishes with authority is CJ.

 

[CusefanATL]

the craziest thing about this post is that you watched that game TWICE!!

I wasnt going to share this story... but I am now. I remember Cooney hitting the 3 with ~11 to go last night. Next thing I knew, I woke up during a commercial. I assumed it was the under 12 TO...

Nope, and I cant make this up... it was the commercial right before the next show started. I popped up and my wife just started laughing at me.

Now, it certainly didnt help that I had a few beers during the football game... but the sleep was out of pure boredom - not a drunken pass out.

 

[Marsh01]

Its holiday break and finals time. Distractions are inevitable. Jesus we lost two games in the last 2 regular seasons and all of a sudden we are a terrible team.

I love these posts where all of these "problems" have rose after we lose a game an play poor in another.

 

[iommi]

Its holiday break and finals time. Distractions are inevitable. Jesus we lost two games in the last 2 regular seasons and all of a sudden we are a terrible team.

I love these posts where all of these "problems" have rose after we lose a game an play poor in another.

Come on, Marsh. Team is in a major funk.

 

[CusefanATL]

Its holiday break and finals time. Distractions are inevitable. Jesus we lost two games in the last 2 regular seasons and all of a sudden we are a terrible team.

I love these posts where all of these "problems" have rose after we lose a game an play poor in another.

its been 90 minutes of horrible horrible basketball...

Of course its going to be talked about.

 

[Marsh01]

Come on, Marsh. Team is in a major funk.

I wouldnt say major. I still think finals and the break coupled with a tad over confidence + playing a really crappy team is the reason why we are in this mini funk.

Listen - we were not going to blow every team out. I actually surprised that we have played so well up to the Temple game given all of the new parts. Guys need time to progress. We as fans just think we can plug these guys in and whamo we are going to go 30-1 again. Look at Kentucky. All of these new faces and they are struggling. Look at Louisville. Veteran team and they are rolling. I think that we will be a very tough out in March regardless of that seed we are. All we need to be is a top 4 protected seed and take our chances.

Its ok to go 26-5 and be a 3-4 seed.

 

[iommi]

Good post, Marsh. I'm concerned, especially with chemistry. Still, hard to argue with your post. Hopefully, we play better tomorrow night.

 

[Marsh01]

its been 90 minutes of horrible horrible basketball...

Of course its going to be talked about.

We dominated Detroit for 35 minutes. So that game it was 5 bad minutes.

We played well for about 10 minutes against Temple then played about 30 bad minutes

We played crappy for about 30 minutes against Alcorn.

90 minutes of horrible basketball is a real stretch dude.

 

[bevosu]

I was hoping that Triche would step up, and if ever there was an opportunity for him to show his stuff it was last night. Nothing.

I know you, arbitragegls, have been one of his biggest backers. I loved his game coming out of high school. I hope he gets his game together. Got to say I'm a little disappointed in the way his time at SU has played out.

He's good, but he just hasn't been able to elevate his game. This team could use some of the potential things that he seemed to be capable of doing coming out of high school.

I don't think having the ball in MCW's hands for over 75% of a game is going to work. I fear that better competition might not result in better outcomes.

We've got to figure out an offense.

 

[Marsh01]

Good post, Marsh. I'm concerned, especially with chemistry. Still, hard to argue with your post. Hopefully, we play better tomorrow night.

Believe me I am not thrilled with these past few games but for people to push the panic button now is just silly.

 

[CusefanATL]

I wouldnt say major. I still think finals and the break coupled with a tad over confidence + playing a really crappy team is the reason why we are in this mini funk.

Listen - we were not going to blow every team out. I actually surprised that we have played so well up to the Temple game given all of the new parts. Guys need time to progress. We as fans just think we can plug these guys in and whamo we are going to go 30-1 again. Look at Kentucky. All of these new faces and they are struggling. Look at Louisville. Veteran team and they are rolling. I think that we will be a very tough out in March regardless of that seed we are. All we need to be is a top 4 protected seed and take our chances.

Its ok to go 26-5 and be a 3-4 seed.

i, along with most people on this board, thought we were better than a 3-4 seed last week.

hence this discussion. it's not a bad thing at all to be a 3 or 4 seed... ask Carmelo or John Wallace.

 

[Marsh01]

i, along with most people on this board, thought we were better than a 3-4 seed last week.

hence this discussion. it's not a bad thing at all to be a 3 or 4 seed... ask Carmelo or John Wallace.

We are better than a 3-4 seed. Losing one game and playing bad (in a win remember) doesnt mean all of a sudden we are not a top 2 seed. Hell Duke was losing at home to Santa Clara in the second half. Stinkers happen.

 

[CusefanATL]

Believe me I am not thrilled with these past few games but for people to push the panic button now is just silly.

i dont think anyone is pushing the panic button...

But most people on this board thought we were either the best team in the country or the 2nd best.

now that we know we are probably more like a top 20 or 25 team... its a blow.

 

[CusefanATL]

We are better than a 3-4 seed. Losing one game and playing bad (in a win remember) doesnt mean all of a sudden we are not a top 2 seed. Hell Duke was losing at home to Santa Clara in the second half. Stinkers happen.

you said 3 or 4 seed... i just went along with it.

was Santa Clara a horrible 2-12 team?
did duke beat the team we lost to by 35?
did we let a 5 loss team go on a 25-5 run to nearly beat us at home on our coaches 900th win?

its really tough to call these stinkers at this point... it *could* be who we are. hence the discussion.

 

[Marsh01]

i dont think anyone is pushing the panic button...

But most people on this board thought we were either the best team in the country or the 2nd best.

now that we know we are probably more like a top 20 or 25 team... its a blow.

I think lost people were smart enough to figure out that as well as we were playing we would also take our lumps this season.

Top 20 or 25 team? Thats pushing the panic button dude. Every team has issues. We will be fine.

 

[CusefanATL]

I think lost people were smart enough to figure out that as well as we were playing we would also take our lumps this season.

Top 20 or 25 team? Thats pushing the panic button dude. Every team has issues. We will be fine.

go back to halftime of the detroit game and tell me people were smart enough... that includes me (and more than likely you)

and telling me im pushing the panic button is flat out wrong... I am not. just pointing out we arent nearly as good as we thought we were last week. NOT EVEN CLOSE.

any idiot who thought we were a top 5 team last week (me) is just as stupid as anyone who is actually pushing the panic button right now... just in the opposite way.

 

[Marsh01]

you said 3 or 4 seed... i just went along with it.

was Santa Clara a horrible 2-12 team?
did duke beat the team we lost to by 35?
did we let a 5 loss team go on a 25-5 run to nearly beat us at home on our coaches 900th win?

its really tough to call these stinkers at this point... it *could* be who we are.

So now we are comparing everything to what Duke did? Who gives a crap? I watched that Duke game. Temple played terrible. They had a stinker. It happens. That 5 loss Detroit team also was in the NCAA's last season and are a very good 5 loss team who probably will be going to the NCAA's again this year.

Santa Clara BTW lost to a 2-8 UCSB team so lets not get ahead of ourselves.

 

[CusefanATL]

So now we are comparing everything to what Duke did? Who gives a crap? I watched that Duke game. Temple played terrible. They had a stinker. It happens. That 5 loss Detroit team also was in the NCAA's last season and are a very good 5 loss team who probably will be going to the NCAA's again this year.

Santa Clara BTW lost to a 2-8 UCSB team so lets not get ahead of ourselves.

YOU BROUGHT UP DUKE!!!! I JUST WENT ALONG WITH IT.

 

[Marsh01]

go back to halftime of the detroit game and tell me people were smart enough... that includes me (and more than likely you)

and telling me im pushing the panic button is flat out wrong... I am not. just pointing out we arent nearly as good as we thought we were last week. NOT EVEN CLOSE.

any idiot who thought we were a top 5 team last week (me) is just as stupid as anyone who is actually pushing the panic button right now... just in the opposite way.

Here are the top 17 teams

1 Duke (63) 11-0 1,623
2 Michigan (2) 12-0 1,551
3 Arizona 11-0 1,463
4 Louisville 11-1 1,422
5 Indiana 11-1 1,383
6 Kansas 10-1 1,309
7 Missouri 10-1 1,157
8 Cincinnati 12-0 1,144
9 Syracuse 10-1 1,140
10 Ohio State 9-2 965
11 Minnesota 12-1 878
12 Illinois 12-1 875
13 Gonzaga 11-1 824
14 Florida 8-2 772
15 Georgetown 10-1 674
16 Creighton 11-1 589
17 San Diego State 11-1
557


We are a legit top 10 team and will push the top 5 teams any day of the week.

 

[Marsh01]

YOU BROUGHT UP DUKE!!!! I JUST WENT ALONG WITH IT.

Dude all I am saying is that things are not as bad as you think they are. We will be fine.

 

[dasher]

had a chance to watch duke yesterday. a color guy in studio last week praised plumlee big time. hes improved big time. rak has more talent in his pinky finger, but looks the same as he did last year. cant see any growth except number 5, but hes a black hole. how can kids collectively not shoot fouls. im no walk on. i'm a star

Maybe you missed swc's post about free throw shooting. Over the past 32 years or so, we have shot right at what our opponents have shot and just a shade below the national average. wrong again Igor.