Mississippi State

[jacobkdoyle]

I’m generally an optimist about our team. Finding the good in even bad games. I’ve bitched about the schedule but not about the team.

That said, I’m really losing confidence in how good this team can be. Uber talented but badly constructed. Your best team on paper doesn’t always play like it and it happens all the time across the country.

I legit got frustrated when Brian snow and rick broering would say this team can’t be great with Jenifer. But they were right. He can’t play more than 10 min. And Cane Broome just may not be a winning PG, so we’re kinda out of options because Evans can’t create his own shot and on the ball he has no one to kick it out to him.


Even on defense the team looks bad. Cronin defenders usually move in unison and are cohesive, this is not that.

So based on what I see and what. I’ve seen from our conference foes, I’m not very confident we can just run through the AAC. 14-4 is a minimum .

Can we stop with this narrative? He's created his own shot a ton of times already this season.

 

[jacobkdoyle]

I’m generally an optimist about our team. Finding the good in even bad games. I’ve bitched about the schedule but not about the team.

That said, I’m really losing confidence in how good this team can be. Uber talented but badly constructed. Your best team on paper doesn’t always play like it and it happens all the time across the country.

I legit got frustrated when Brian snow and rick broering would say this team can’t be great with Jenifer. But they were right. He can’t play more than 10 min. And Cane Broome just may not be a winning PG, so we’re kinda out of options because Evans can’t create his own shot and on the ball he has no one to kick it out to him.


Even on defense the team looks bad. Cronin defenders usually move in unison and are cohesive, this is not that.

So based on what I see and what. I’ve seen from our conference foes, I’m not very confident we can just run through the AAC. 14-4 is a minimum .

The potential of this team remains sky high. We have 22 regular season games left. I'm glad we haven't peaked yet. Give them a chance to gel over the course of the season. They deserve that. Try to enjoy the ride!

 

[waterhead]

Your looking at this in a bubble. But we have to compare our wins to other teams in power leagues. Every single team in the SEC is in the top 100. Miss state has 1 top 100 win and yet they will get a chance at 18 top 100 and top 50 games in conference alone.

So while most pundits assume the new formula will help the mid majors...you think it's only going to add more fuel to the fire for the Power conferences?

You might be right...but which idiots who were trying to give the mid majors more credence were so dumb to miss that?? Again, you could be right...but I would like to meet the mid major committee that f%%ked that sh&t up.

I haven't done the math but I hope somebody did before changing the column wins in the way they did...so that it would only ensure even more power conference dominance and further alienate the mids. Can they all be that stupid? Did not one of them (mid majors) do the math and they all thought...hey yah...this is a good idea?

 

[jacobkdoyle]

I'm going to point out everytime Evans creates a shot for himself. It happens a lot. Especially if you include transition opportunities. He's been much more aggressive this year imo. He just didn't shoot a lot at the very beginning of the year.

 

[waterhead]

I'm going to point out everytime Evans creates a shot for himself. It happens a lot. Especially if you include transition opportunities. He's been much more aggressive this year imo. He just didn't shoot a lot at the very beginning of the year.

I think he looks better on the top of the key. I actually have no problems whatsoever letting him play from there with Cane on the wing. The only problem I see is that we can't use Trevor Moore as much. I would also rather Trevor be in the game than going with Jenifer and Cane at the same time.

 

[MacBearcat]

I am confident we can still make the tournament. I just don't see this team getting past the first weekend. Caupain isn't look so bad now is he? The PG's on this team show no ability to defend. Kyle Washington is not a threat against a good defender with size, and teams are doubling Gary and forcing him to shoot garbage shots or pass out to a Turnover. Our best player is going to have to carry us in big games, and that is Evans.

 

[justinhub2003]

Im confident this team is capable of being great.


But to say that Im not worried about our PG situation and how we play on the road would be a lie.

So far I've seen nothing that makes me confident about going @temple, @UCF, @wichita State, @Houston and @SMU.


And yea I keep bringing up scheduling because I called it out the moment they released it. I could envision something like this happening. It frustrates the piss out of me that the Administration did this.


But my point today was, we can salvage the Non conference by winning the next 2. And we need to.

IMO this game against Miss State will tell us a lot about who this team is in big games.

 

[jacobkdoyle]

I am confident we can still make the tournament. I just don't see this team getting past the first weekend. Caupain isn't look so bad now is he? The PG's on this team show no ability to defend. Kyle Washington is not a threat against a good defender with size, and teams are doubling Gary and forcing him to shoot garbage shots or pass out to a Turnover. Our best player is going to have to carry us in big games, and that is Evans.

This Bubble Watch stuff is madness.

 

[jacobkdoyle]

Im confident this team is capable of being great.


But to say that Im not worried about our PG situation and how we play on the road would be a lie.

So far I've seen nothing that makes me confident about going @temple, @UCF, @wichita State, @Houston and @SMU.


And yea I keep bringing up scheduling because I called it out the moment they released it. I could envision something like this happening. It frustrates the piss out of me that the Administration did this.


But my point today was, we can salvage the Non conference by winning the next 2. And we need to.

IMO this game against Miss State will tell us a lot about who this team is in big games.

I'll bet you we go 3-2 at worst in the 5 road games you mentioned.

 

[justinhub2003]

Im a positive person, especially when it comes to players. I usually can see through to the positives about players. But so far if I had to recap each players play so far, most are negative.

Gary Clark: I can't say anything bad about Gary, but I also don't think he's adjusted well to being the center of attention for teams defenses. He works hard. I just don't think we can be great if we play exclusively through the post

Cane Broome: He can get in the lane when he wants to; but he doesn't do it enough or tries and makes a silly mistake. His passes still aren't crisp and sometimses the offense gets stagnent if he is running the point. TO's the ball over way too much to be the PG this team needs. is he a winning player?

Jacob Evans: He seems to only be aggressive when we are down 5-10 points. Still doesn't take people off the dribble nearly enough and is actually shooting worse on Wide open jumpers than contested ones. He is turning the ball over way too much and is just not aggressive enough. Example: Against Florida, he makes a steal and then gets blocked at the rim but recovers the rebound and is left open for a wide open 3. Instead of busting it, he tries to throw a pass to Jarron and gets its stolen. Any other aggressive NBA prospects wing scorer would have shot the 3. Unselfish to a fault.

Jarron Cumberland: I'm going to assume something did happen in the off season because he isn't focused at all. Still scores when he wants to; and he was the guy I thought had the killer instinct. But he is not attacking and trying to punk opposing defenses.

Kyle Washington: Teams are figuring out that they just need to crowd him and he will make a mistake. He is where opposing defenses choose to attack first.


Nysier Brooks: Everyone was saying that Brooks should start over Kyle and yet I don't think Brooks would start on many good teams in the country. He is soft around the rim. Doesn't protect the ball then gets rebounds ripped from his hands by smaller guys. Cannot score.


Trevon Scott: I like what Scott does for this team. he comes in and works and hustles and does what we can to impact the game. But the reality is that him, Nsesome & brooks provide nothing offensively. His work ethic doesn't go unappreciated though

Justin Jenifer: I wanted to believe in JJ and still hold out hope he is servicable but he is just outmatched against better teams. He can't make a 3 against good compeition but can against Alabama state. Not sure if its a confidence thing or what, but if you can make them respect you and your not great at getting in the lane, teams can just sag off him and take away anything he has to offer. My guess is that Logan johnson steals his playing time next year. And it pains me to say that about him. he worked his ass off. But being 5'8 in high major basketball is tough



For me, this team feels A LOT like Xavier last year. Xavier had PG and Chemistry problem even though they started the year top 10. Sumner attacked when he should have passed and vice versa. It took them a long while to figure it out. and they struggled in every big non conference game. UC is in the same boat.

Xavier now has a past first PG and their chemistry is off the charts. They look like a well oiled machine. We need to correct our chemistry problems ASAP, i just worry that you can't fix the PG problem.


And i haven't given up on the season. But I am worried.

 

[justinhub2003]

This Bubble Watch stuff is madness.

So if the tourney happened today do you think UC would be in?


If you think we should be in tell me why?

 

[jacobkdoyle]

So if the tourney happened today do you think UC would be in?


If you think we should be in tell me why?

The tournament doesn't start today...so who gives a sh*t?

 

[cincrulz11]

I'm going to point out everytime Evans creates a shot for himself. It happens a lot. Especially if you include transition opportunities. He's been much more aggressive this year imo. He just didn't shoot a lot at the very beginning of the year.

when he does create his own shot the defender is still typically pretty close to him. he does not create good separation. lucky for him he has a 40+ vert and can rise above most defenders to get the shot off.

 

[justinhub2003]

The tournament doesn't start today...so who gives a sh*t?

Ok.

My point was we’ve played 33% of our schedule and have nothing to hang our hat on


Puts an insane amount of pressure on the back 2/3

Less pressure the better. Better to have room for error

 

[cincrulz11]

Ok.

My point was we’ve played 33% of our schedule and have nothing to hang our hat on


Puts an insane amount of pressure on the back 2/3

Less pressure the better. Better to have room for error

micks teams have always played better with their backs against the wall. its when they think they are great we seem to struggle.

 

[justinhub2003]

We need to win the next 4.

Protect home court all year

And win 6 out of 9 conference road games

That puts us in really good shape but that’s no easy task

 

[justinhub2003]

Can’t wait to see what a near sold out BB&T sounds like tomorrow.

Hopefully student section is filled

 

[justinhub2003]

We’re #25 in AP

 

[cincrulz11]

Can’t wait to see what a near sold out BB&T sounds like tomorrow.

Hopefully student section is filled

better leave for the game at noon!

 

[justinhub2003]

Which is where I put them in my reddit poll