Alcorn State (3/15/23)

[Censored by Laurie]

Just now, GMG_Dallas said:

See, I'd like to see him get 20+ per game. Huntsberry's eligibility is done. The minutes at guard are there. We need somebody who can put the ball in the basket. There's no reason Moore can't be a starter or Perry-type 2021-2022 6th man and not just a spark plug. 

I've been operating from the idea that only Martinez is definitely done after this year and that both TP and Kai are back next year. it's all kinda gray. 

if Kai doesn't have eligibility/doesn't come back, then ya...I see an expanded role for Moore. to be clear, I really like what I've seen...but dude's can get buckets in limited minutes and it not translate to an expanded role. 

also, TP and Moore is a tiny starting backcourt. if Moore gets everything Grant wants to do defensively then I think we have a great 6th man candidate. 

[BigWillie]

I got blasted for calling out Abou several weeks ago, but he is just too inconsistent. Waaaay too many easy shots missed. Sissoko may be raw, but he looks better than Abou right now...

[Censored by Laurie]

11 minutes ago, BillySee58 said:

Yeah it’ll be interesting to see. There have been a couple guys we have been reported to have reached out to who, while not true 5s, would probably carve into Abou’s minutes. Aaron Scott is so hard to take off the floor at the 4, so if we landed someone like Zack Austin, that would make us even less reliant on Abou.

Still expect him to start but maybe instead of keeping him on the court through these 2-10, 5-15 type performances he has had, we just utilize our other options. Sort of like tonight

 

maybe I'm missing the comp, but Austin is a 6'5" 200lb wing. I feel like if he comes in, he's basically just a higher ceiling Eady and wouldn't really change what we do at the 4/5. 

I've tossed out the idea of some limited minuted of Scott as a 5 with some big wings/guards around him, but I don't think it's a 25-30 minute a night line-up that we'd be able to get away with a level up in the American

[97and03]

13 minutes ago, BigWillie said:

I got blasted for calling out Abou several weeks ago, but he is just too inconsistent. Waaaay too many easy shots missed. Sissoko may be raw, but he looks better than Abou right now...

So inconsistent and so often doesn’t play like the biggest guy on the court. Even his fouls are kind of soft. 

[BillySee58]

6 minutes ago, Censored by Laurie said:

maybe I'm missing the comp, but Austin is a 6'5" 200lb wing. I feel like if he comes in, he's basically just a higher ceiling Eady and wouldn't really change what we do at the 4/5. 

I've tossed out the idea of some limited minuted of Scott as a 5 with some big wings/guards around him, but I don't think it's a 25-30 minute a night line-up that we'd be able to get away with a level up in the American

Just looking at his numbers, I think Austin would be primarily a 4 here if not for Scott. Over 2 blocks a game each of the last two seasons, and was at 8 rebounds per game as a freshman.

With Scott being in the fold, maybe they envision Austin playing more 3 to have them both on the court, but to your point, I think that’s the kind of guy you would want next to Scott when you do go small. A guy who can rebound and offer some rim protection, despite giving up some height.

There was another 6’7” dude we were reported to have reached out to. Forgetting who. Either way, definitely don’t think we are looking for a primary starting 4 to push Scott to the 5, but at least the versatility to go that route when the matchup or game calls for it.

[GMG_Dallas]

13 minutes ago, Censored by Laurie said:

I've been operating from the idea that only Martinez is definitely done after this year and that both TP and Kai are back next year. it's all kinda gray. 

if Kai doesn't have eligibility/doesn't come back, then ya...I see an expanded role for Moore. to be clear, I really like what I've seen...but dude's can get buckets in limited minutes and it not translate to an expanded role. 

also, TP and Moore is a tiny starting backcourt. if Moore gets everything Grant wants to do defensively then I think we have a great 6th man candidate. 

Which is why I wouldn't start him with Perry. The idea between 20+ minutes per game (20-25 ideally) is it allows you to get Perry back to the 30 minutes per game he got last season. More rest isn't a bad thing, especially late in the season. They'd then be on the court together for 10-15 minutes per game giving you two guys who can shoot the 3 and stretch the floor during that time. While Huntsberry has been an additional scoring threat we desperately needed last season, we never did really gain another legitimate 3 point shooter. Hopefully he can be that guy with an expanded role.

And who knows, maybe he's got another couple inches to grow being that he's just a freshman.

[Censored by Laurie]

10 minutes ago, BillySee58 said:

Just looking at his numbers, I think Austin would be primarily a 4 here if not for Scott. Over 2 blocks a game each of the last two seasons, and was at 8 rebounds per game as a freshman.

With Scott being in the fold, maybe they envision Austin playing more 3 to have them both on the court, but to your point, I think that’s the kind of guy you would want next to Scott when you do go small. A guy who can rebound and offer some rim protection, despite giving up some height.

There was another 6’7” dude we were reported to have reached out to. Forgetting who. Either way, definitely don’t think we are looking for a primary starting 4 to push Scott to the 5, but at least the versatility to go that route when the matchup or game calls for it.

don't get me wrong...I'd love to collect as many of those 6'5" - 6'8" 200-ish pound athletic and tough wings as possible to round out this roster. I think overall the roster is going to have to grow a bit as we step up in conference.

I think I just didn't get how adding Austin would really cut into Abou's minutes, baring a major change in style from GM (which seems unlikely). 

if the end of this discussion just has us landing on the idea that we're more efficient with all 13 scholarship spots and we utilize a few more players a few more minutes a night, then we're golden. 

[BleedingGreen]

I’m looking forward to 20 points, 8! Rebounds from Abou vs. SHSU to silence the “ supporters.”

 

[BillySee58]

10 minutes ago, Censored by Laurie said:

don't get me wrong...I'd love to collect as many of those 6'5" - 6'8" 200-ish pound athletic and tough wings as possible to round out this roster. I think overall the roster is going to have to grow a bit as we step up in conference.

I think I just didn't get how adding Austin would really cut into Abou's minutes, baring a major change in style from GM (which seems unlikely). 

if the end of this discussion just has us landing on the idea that we're more efficient with all 13 scholarship spots and we utilize a few more players a few more minutes a night, then we're golden. 

Every time we’ve gotten these bigger “guard/wing” type guys, Mccasland has seemed to stick them almost exclusively at the 4. I do think we’ll see some more size at guard in the AAC, so maybe that’s what the plan is. But anytime I see Grant going after a 6’5”-6’7” dude I immediately think that’s going to be a 4. That being said, I certainly wouldn’t be opposed to having more of those type of guys on the wing. Would definitely be a direction that makes sense.

[aztecskin]

1 hour ago, BillySee58 said:

Every time we’ve gotten these bigger “guard/wing” type guys, Mccasland has seemed to stick them almost exclusively at the 4. I do think we’ll see some more size at guard in the AAC, so maybe that’s what the plan is. But anytime I see Grant going after a 6’5”-6’7” dude I immediately think that’s going to be a 4. That being said, I certainly wouldn’t be opposed to having more of those type of guys on the wing. Would definitely be a direction that makes sense.

its pretty in CBB to have 6'7" dudes as your four man. It brings versatility. If you get an athlete like Scott or Thomas Bell there you can do so much. I mean, Kawhi Leonard played the four as a 6'7" guy. 

[South Texas Green]

 

 

[UNTLifer]

8 hours ago, BleedingGreen said:

I’m looking forward to 20 points, 8! Rebounds from Abou vs. SHSU to silence the “ supporters.”

 

I hope you are right. I think his problem is that he misses these little shots around the rim runs back down the court frustrated and then gets called for a ticky-tak foul. 

[Rudy]

12 hours ago, El Paso Eagle said:

We might lead the nation on missed layups 

We definitely lead the nation in being called the wrong school name.  It's been 34 fkin years.  34 years...

[Rudy]

12 hours ago, El Paso Eagle said:

Who is the DUMBASS announcer who is saying North Texas State?

The same dumbass with the backhanded comment when he said Perry always dreamed of going to North Texas.  "Thats not something you ever hear."

[Matt from A700]

7 hours ago, South Texas Green said:

 

 

A lot of alley oops last night, I love it!

[Matt from A700]

15 minutes ago, Rudy said:

We definitely lead the nation in being called the wrong school name.  It's been 34 fkin years.  34 years...

Missed layups, being called the wrong name, AND fouls on 3-point shooters.

[Jonnyeagle]

Put Abou on the bench and let’s start Sissoku!

[97and03]

10 hours ago, Censored by Laurie said:

don't get me wrong...I'd love to collect as many of those 6'5" - 6'8" 200-ish pound athletic and tough wings as possible to round out this roster. I think overall the roster is going to have to grow a bit as we step up in conference.

I think I just didn't get how adding Austin would really cut into Abou's minutes, baring a major change in style from GM (which seems unlikely). 

if the end of this discussion just has us landing on the idea that we're more efficient with all 13 scholarship spots and we utilize a few more players a few more minutes a night, then we're golden. 

So who should we get to replace Stone? 

[GMG_Dallas]

11 hours ago, Censored by Laurie said:

don't get me wrong...I'd love to collect as many of those 6'5" - 6'8" 200-ish pound athletic and tough wings as possible to round out this roster. I think overall the roster is going to have to grow a bit as we step up in conference.

I think I just didn't get how adding Austin would really cut into Abou's minutes, baring a major change in style from GM (which seems unlikely). 

if the end of this discussion just has us landing on the idea that we're more efficient with all 13 scholarship spots and we utilize a few more players a few more minutes a night, then we're golden. 

I saw a few posts up you said he's 6'5". The High Point website lists him at 6'7" as a redshirt sophomore so maybe he grew and ESPN never updated his height?

Personally, I'd love him at the 4. Few games that sticks out:

High Point beat Florida Atlantic in 2021-2022 (a year early from this FAU squad but still). Austin had 12 points, 10 boards, 4 assists, and 4 blocks. He did it 39 minutes. Goldin played 21 so unknown how his production was with Goldin on the floor vs off the floor.

Austin had 20, 8 boards, 3 blocks in 36 minutes in a loss to UNLV in 2021.

15 points, 8 boards, 4 assists, 2 steals in a loss to Michigan State.

12 points, 6 boards, 1 assist, 3 steals, 1 block in a loss to Kentucky.

13 points, 6 boards, 1 block in a loss to future AAC foe East Carolina.

The most fouls he had in any of the games above is 2. He had 0 fouls in 3 of them.

Strikes me as a Martinez type. Similar build, maybe a bit more athletic. Can shoot the 3.

Definitely wouldn't hurt to have size his versatility. I agree with you about not seeing him taking minutes from Abou unless Grant envisions some positionless basketball which I don't see happening. I thinks it's Sissoko who will continue to take minutes from Abou but we'll see how that transpires.

Edited March 16, 2023 by GMG_Dallas

[cousin oliver]

11 minutes ago, 97and03 said:

So who should we get to replace Stone? 

I really like Matt and I think he is a good teammate, but he is not a good shooter and we need more of them to run this type of offense.  Guys like Reece and Drez will make this more of a tournament type of program.

[97and03]

7 minutes ago, GMG_Dallas said:

I saw a few posts up you said he's 6'5". The High Point website lists him at 6'7" as a redshirt sophomore so maybe he grew and ESPN never updated his height?

Personally, I'd love him at the 4. Few games that sticks out:

High Point beat Florida Atlantic in 2021-2022 (a year early from this FAU squad but still). Austin had 12 points, 10 boards, 4 assists, and 4 blocks. He did it 39 minutes. Goldin played 21 so unknown how his production was with Goldin on the floor vs off the floor.

Austin had 20, 8 boards, 3 blocks in 36 minutes in a loss to UNLV in 2021.

15 points, 8 boards, 4 assists, 2 steals in a loss to Michigan State.

12 points, 6 boards, 1 assist, 3 steals, 1 block in a loss to Kentucky.

13 points, 6 boards, 1 block in a loss to future AAC foe East Carolina.

The most fouls he had in any of the games above is 2. He had 0 fouls in 3 of them.

Strikes me as a Martinez type. Similar build, maybe a bit more athletic. Can shoot the 3.

Definitely would hurt to have size his versatility. I agree with you about not seeing him taking minutes from Abou unless Grant envisions some positionless basketball which I don't see happening. I thinks it's Sissoko who will continue to take minutes from Abou but we'll see how that transpires.

Seems like kind of a loser based on the above. We only want winners! 

[keith]

Late arriving crowd?  We did pretty well attendance-wise.  Over 4,300 and 922 more than last year's Texas State game.  Would be nice to eclipse the Virginia game too against SHSU for our second 5,000+ game.

 

[GMG_Dallas]

11 minutes ago, 97and03 said:

Seems like kind of a loser based on the above. We only want winners! 

He needs to be part of a winning program that can teach him how to play winning basketball. By my count, he has 2 years left of eligibility.

 

 

[keith]

1 hour ago, Rudy said:

We definitely lead the nation in being called the wrong school name.  It's been 34 fkin years.  34 years...

The announcers got player names wrong all night long.  Ours at least, I assume they were wrong for Alcorn State too.  In addition to the North Texas State slip, one of the bozos referred to us as the Green Wave...D'oh!  It's right on the jersey dude....Mean Green.  SMH. 

[bstnsportsfan3]

1 minute ago, GMG_Dallas said:

He needs to be part of a winning program that can teach him how to play winning basketball. By my count, he has 2 years left of eligibility.

 

 

He sure likes to dunk! Looks very athletic