UTEP (1/3/16)

Andrew · January 4, 2016

Just now, GMG24 said:

Yes his midrange shot in HS was good. Teams knew if you kept him off the glass, and made him put the ball on the floor you had a good chance of minimizing his production. FT shooting for him is mental because like you said he does have a good mid range game.

He will improve regardless of who the coach is, because he works hard! Same can be said for Brice and Brown. Fuller, Holston, and Pittman really need someone to work on their game and it is not getting done right now.

Army of Dad · January 4, 2016

27 minutes ago, untjim1995 said:

Free Throws are all about discipline and practice. Kids know that dunks, 3-pointers, and behind-the-back passes get attention from the fans. Good coaches know that defense, rebounding, and free throws get you wins. Coaches known as recruiters only don't usually translate into good head coaches because they don't know how to gameplan or execute in games, nor do they run decent practices--of which free throw shooting is huge.

Benford's days here are numbered. We aren't finishing with a record that will allow him to get extended. When it becomes mathematically impossible to reach a postseason invite, he will get fired. My guess has always been in late January/early February. I still believe that. The only thing that will shock me is to see him coach one day beyond this season, extension or not. Either way would represent UNT Athletic Leadership at its finest...

So, after 1-2 games in the conference tournament then?

untjim1995 · January 4, 2016

6 minutes ago, Army of Dad said:

So, after 1-2 games in the conference tournament then?

At the latest...but if we are like 5 or 10 games under .500 by the end of Ferbuary, he'll be gone, even if the possibility exists in RV's mind that we could still make a run in the CUSA Tournament.

UNTFan23 · January 4, 2016

8 minutes ago, untjim1995 said:

At the latest...but if we are like 5 or 10 games under .500 by the end of Ferbuary, he'll be gone, even if the possibility exists in RV's mind that we could still make a run in the CUSA Tournament.

As bad as Peterson and Stevens were they weren't fired until after the season had completed. I don't see Benford being fired until after the season is over.

MeanGreenTexan · January 4, 2016

9 minutes ago, UNTFan23 said:

As bad as Peterson and Stevens were they weren't fired until after the season had completed. I don't see Benford being fired until after the season is over.

Those were the women's coaches. I think it really boils down to what Ernie wants.

UNTFan23 · January 4, 2016

Just now, MeanGreenTexan said:

Those were the women's coaches. I think it really boils down to what Ernie wants.

If Bernie wants it, then fine with me.

UNT90 · January 4, 2016

UNT needs to win its next 2 games at home to have any prayer of ending up in the vacinity of .500 and a new contract for RV's ego.

Can they? Will they?

chrisfisher · January 4, 2016

1 hour ago, untjim1995 said:

Free Throws are all about discipline and practice. Kids know that dunks, 3-pointers, and behind-the-back passes get attention from the fans. Good coaches know that defense, rebounding, and free throws get you wins. Coaches known as recruiters only don't usually translate into good head coaches because they don't know how to gameplan or execute in games, nor do they run decent practices--of which free throw shooting is huge.

Benford's days here are numbered. We aren't finishing with a record that will allow him to get extended. When it becomes mathematically impossible to reach a postseason invite, he will get fired. My guess has always been in late January/early February. I still believe that. The only thing that will shock me is to see him coach one day beyond this season, extension or not. Either way would represent UNT Athletic Leadership at its finest...

I agree.

Benford's offensive strategy is non-existent. It ranges from street-ball to pass the ball around the perimeter and then jack up a shot. Against UTEP, the first half we played full-on transition offense that was hurried and sloppy at times, and then in the second half, we slowed it down and played pass the ball around the perimeter. We have no offensive identity....no coordinated, identifiable offensive strategy. Benford can't seem to get set on a line-up, and his substitution patterns remain strange at best. I remember several games ago, a TV announcer commented that Benford must substitute like that because he hasn't found his starting/correct line-up...what they didn't know is that he has done this since day 1 dating back four years ago. Moreover, Benford doesn't seem to stick with anything that works. Brown had his best game against UTSA and didn't even start against UTEP - in fact, Brown's minutes were cut for UTEP....how is this possible? Benford never makes any sense.

UNT90 · January 4, 2016

39 minutes ago, chrisfisher said:

I agree.

Benford's offensive strategy is non-existent. It ranges from street-ball to pass the ball around the perimeter and then jack up a shot. Against UTEP, the first half we played full-on transition offense that was hurried and sloppy at times, and then in the second half, we slowed it down and played pass the ball around the perimeter. We have no offensive identity....no coordinated, identifiable offensive strategy. Benford can't seem to get set on a line-up, and his substitution patterns remain strange at best. I remember several games ago, a TV announcer commented that Benford must substitute like that because he hasn't found his starting/correct line-up...what they didn't know is that he has done this since day 1 dating back four years ago. Moreover, Benford doesn't seem to stick with anything that works. Brown had his best game against UTSA and didn't even start against UTEP - in fact, Brown's minutes were cut for UTEP....how is this possible? Benford never makes any sense.

The coaching contrast in the UTA game was so obvious to the naked eye it wasn't even funny. UTA knew exactly how to attack a 2-3 zone. UNT had no clue.

That is coaching, gents. UTA had it, UNT didn't. And hasn't for 4 long years.

Thank you, Rick Villarreal.

Bullyballer · January 5, 2016

6 hours ago, chrisfisher said:

I watched this game on American Sports Network. Benford line-ups were a head scratcher at times. For some reason, he cut Johnson, Brown, and Brice minutes, and increased minutes of Pittman and others. Johnson and Brown are two of our best scorers. If we aren't going to make free throws, wee need to at least keep our best shooters in the game. The ASN announcers commented "I've never seen anything like this" when were something like 0-8 at the free-throw line, and they commented that we shoot 3's better than free throws. They also said they asked Benford about the free throw problems, and Benford told them that "We don't understand it. We've tried everything to fix it" or something similar to that. This is a game we would have won if we only made our free-throws.

Just wanted to note that Johnson and Brown's minutes were not cut, they were limited because both picked up their 2nd foul in the first half and remained foul trouble most of the game.

Harry · January 5, 2016

1 hour ago, Bullyballer said:

Just wanted to note that Johnson and Brown's minutes were not cut, they were limited because both picked up their 2nd foul in the first half and remained foul trouble most of the game.

Good clarification.