UAB (1/31/24)

[GMoney]

They got back in the game by pounding the ball down low to their big and scoring or getting fouled. We can't do that. We have essentially no scoring from our big. If shots stop dropping, we're in trouble.

[BigWillie]

38 minutes ago, tmjerm said:

The way this conversation is going makes me really happy bc our expectation every year is making and progressing through the tournament.  That’s still really hard to to and this UAB team has been climbing this climb with us neck and neck the whole way.  It’s ok to lose a game to a good team.  It’s better to win them and we shouldn’t lost to many.  I just don’t want our fanbase to lose hope bc we are a damn good team.  

It's an interesting perspective. After this game, I told @Big Z I am pretty much in a "Whatever" mood. Going to enjoy watching some entertaining games, but I don't expect this year to give me much now. 

With that said, 2 losses do make you reflect on what you really do expect out of this team.

Were we going to win a national championship? No.

AAC championship? This was my expectation.

B2B NIT? This is now my goal.

[Green Otaku]

50 minutes ago, Censored by Laurie said:

I really feel for Edwards (and CJ)...they're being asked to run the team when they should be primarily scorers off the ball.

This. Jones being out has forced these guys to adjust their roles on the team, and grow as they play. There will be some growing pains.

[Green Otaku]

1 hour ago, tmjerm said:

I really do think it’s just that it’s a week night.  Not a firm answer and I’m riddled with sick children and everyone I know has been sick so that may be why I’m excusing it. But I agree, I was disappointed in the crowd.  Which was kinda why I was disappointed in the Crean takes on the board bc he was still absolutely bringing the energy but I understand the take. 

SMU was also on a weeknight, but I'd understand if the late tip or other things played a factor. What I don't get is why the game wasn't as promoted (at least from what I saw) as the SMU game? Every game should be heavily promoted, and the SMU game showed what kinds of things the AD should be doing. They can clearly do them, there's no excuse for that.

[rojomojo]

Im in The Netherlands but damn... Team really seems to struggle with one possession games

[golfingomez]

lots to discuss from watching last night... but this game turned into one of the nightmare games by the first media timeout of the second half... you could tell where it was trending from there.

This game really boils down to a defensive collapse... maybe the team got scared of the foul situation or maybe Hodge just got outcoached, but UAB had more open baskets than i remember giving up in a long time. 

Outside of all that, here's how we ended each period:

-The end of the first half saw our lead shrink from 17 to 9 in the last 3:18

-The end of regulation we have a tie game and the ball with 16 seconds (shot clock off) and we take our shot with 8 seconds remaining. UAB goes down the floor and gets an EASY bucket.

-End of overtime we had the ball with 6 seconds left. and we dribble to the right side of the court, which is filled with every player on the court and throw up an "oh shit, the shot clock is going to expire" shot... where is the spacing? Even if we assume Edwards is keeping the ball, there were too many people down there for him to find an open space

Frustrating, to say the least.

[Jonnyeagle]

8 hours ago, BigWillie said:

It's an interesting perspective. After this game, I told @Big Z I am pretty much in a "Whatever" mood. Going to enjoy watching some entertaining games, but I don't expect this year to give me much now. 

With that said, 2 losses do make you reflect on what you really do expect out of this team.

Were we going to win a national championship? No.

AAC championship? This was my expectation.

B2B NIT? This is now my goal.

Yeah the NIT has changed their rules so even that will be difficult for this squad. We lost too much firepower and had too many injuries to expect a tournament spot this year.  That ship has sailed.  Also South Florida is much better than UAB so we will likely lose the next one as well.

[Censored by Laurie]

the bottom falling out at Memphis is hurting a lot of post-season aspirations in the AAC. I think they're squarely a bubble team now. if FAU wins the conference tourney, I wouldn't be shocked if this league only gets one bid. 

that pushes Memphis, SMU, UNT, USF and Charlotte all into hope/pray mode with the NIT

Edited February 1 by Censored by Laurie

[CMJ]

Yeah, Memphis is falling down an elevator shaft right now.

[Shark84]

10 hours ago, Matt from A700 said:

We have got to figure out the press. Up 4 with 30 seconds to go. Never should have went to OT.

As much as I love Jason, add two more misses to his long list of failed dagger attempts this season. He is desperately trying to hit those daggers and I don't think a single one has dropped all year.

Once Ruben is back, we will be able to handle the press better. Only having one true ball handler hurts.

 

10 hours ago, Censored by Laurie said:

It was protecting the stitches in his mouth from last game

Hodge said Allen also had surgery on his teeth, two were knocked loose. Trainer said it was the worst cut lip he had ever seen and that Allen was the toughest kid he had been around.

[cousin oliver]

4 minutes ago, Shark84 said:

Once Ruben is back, we will be able to handle the press better. Only having one true ball handler hurts.

 

Hodge said Allen also had surgery on his teeth, two were knocked loose. Trainer said it was the worst cut lip he had ever seen and that Allen was the toughest kid he had been around.

Yes Rueben being back will help but I also think losing CJ and Robert Allen will offset that a bit as well.  Also Buggs didn't seem to be healthy last night either.

[Shark84]

10 hours ago, GoMeanGreen1999 said:

We have potential to be really good, but we have some things we have to figure out.  Holding onto leads is one of them and breaking a press consistently is another one.  

When healthy, we can beat anybody in our conference. Sadly, we have some weaknesses that can raise up and get us beat by anyone in the AAC. The real concern should be trying to get a top four seed and the double bye in the tournament. With the loss last night, that is going to be tough. We will probably have to go 8-2 the rest of the way and without Ruben and maybe Noland, that will be hard to do. Winning 3 in 3 days in Ft. Worth is doable, 4 in 4 with our short rotation/bench is a stretch. Still love this team but we need to get everyone back on the court.

[UNTLifer]

1 hour ago, Shark84 said:

Once Ruben is back, we will be able to handle the press better. Only having one true ball handler hurts.

 

Hodge said Allen also had surgery on his teeth, two were knocked loose. Trainer said it was the worst cut lip he had ever seen and that Allen was the toughest kid he had been around.

1.  Injuring his hamstring again is not good. The timeline optimistically is four weeks and could be, realistically, eight. 
 

2. And yet no foul was called. 

[Green Otaku]

Also I'm officially on the "Can we get some damn floor mops at The Pit?" wagon now.

[Big Z]

1 hour ago, Green Otaku said:

Also I'm officially on the "Can we get some damn floor mops at The Pit?" wagon now.

@BigWillie wants to get the staff mops. 

Does anybody know why we don't use them? 

[HoosMeanGreen]

Live viewing & broadcast version - I saw some things that I missed live and realized that my eyes lied while viewing live.

I encourage anyone to go watch the UAB vs Memphis game and listen to Andy & Penny mic'ed up.  One is a polished NCAA coach and one is an AAU coach at best.  I knew we were in for a game last night.  Andy didn't disappoint. I would like to hear CRH mic'ed and it would answer many questions.

Last night's game should have been a double digit win.  We were simply outcoached.  No answer to UAB's counterpunch of throwing the ball inside.  Our answer was a combined 0-2 FG 3-4 FT 6 Rebounds from Sissoko & Allen.

A comfortable lead that we were building upon and we sit our best offensive player.  He had 2 fouls and finished with 3.  I allow him to foul out before sitting him.  He took home 2 fouls and UAB took home a W.  The substitution just for the sake of substituting at the 17:00/17:30 mark was nail #1.  Dude was 3-3 in 3 minutes and he sat him.  If his conditioning is that poor, then we need a change in team Nutritionist or Strength & Conditioning coach.  He averages 0.8 fouls per game. We lost anyway. Please - end that substitution practice.

Our offense is stale/meh.  Live by 3 and die by the 3 (31.8%). If we are determined to play at a snails pace, then we need an offense that matches the pace.  The 14-15 dribbles while backing down your opponent is not an offense.  On the replay Crean said (after CJ went out) that we missed Nolan but the ball was moving better.  I could hear in his voice the cringe in watching us play.  What is our offense?  Does anyone know?  Buggs or Edwards standing in the corners, Sissoko setting a rarely used high ball screen and the ball handler pounding the air out of the ball? 

Breaking the press.  Been there - done that.  It looks worse on TV than in person.  I went through this with Bennett and Virginia.  Hodge will figure this one out, like Bennett did, and we'll move on to something else to complain about.

It's time to put one of those guys on the bench into the fire.  I don't care who it is.  If you can't make defensive adjustments, won't run your offense (what little there is) through your best offensive player, refuse to abandon antiquated principles, and can't figure out when & when not to make substitutions - then at allow me to see players 9, 10, and 11.  I've seen everything else.  Allow me to see that these players are not worthy of 8 minutes of play.

I know there is more, but on to USF .... on to USF.  

                     

[HoosMeanGreen]

16 hours ago, Censored by Laurie said:

If you thought it was leaving Edwards hand as anything but a shot that’s on you

A) If you thought it was leaving Edwards hand as anything but a shot that's on you (because that was play called by CRH)

B) If you thought it was leaving Edwards hand as anything but a shot that's on you (because he doesn't pass i.e. selfish)

C) If you thought it was leaving Edwards hand as anything but a shot that's on you (because he was the best option)

D) None of the above

E) All of the above

 

[wardly]

attendance?

[Matt from A700]

1 hour ago, wardly said:

attendance?

Reported 3,689

[Big Z]

2 hours ago, Matt from A700 said:

Reported 3,689

It was bad 

[Matt from A700]

1 hour ago, Big Z said:

It was bad 

Another weekday and more time for people to make it to Denton - I would have thought we'd had seen more than half the attendance of SMU's game.

[Big Z]

7 minutes ago, Matt from A700 said:

Another weekday and more time for people to make it to Denton - I would have thought we'd had seen more than half the attendance of SMU's game.

And the kids working the concession stands is a bad idea. I got charged $60 bucks for three sodas, popcorn and a burger ? 

Edited February 2 by Big Z

[wardly]

3 hours ago, Big Z said:

It was bad 

No, it was our average.

[greenminer]

2 hours ago, Big Z said:

And the kids working the concession stands is a bad idea. I got charged $60 bucks for three sodas, popcorn and a burger ? 

Was that an error, or are the prices inflating in the name of a fundraising effort? Do you know?

I like the idea of keeping the HS kids involved somehow.

[Big Z]

17 minutes ago, greenminer said:

Was that an error, or are the prices inflating in the name of a fundraising effort? Do you know?

I like the idea of keeping the HS kids involved somehow.

The kids and parents were nice but it was like over 10 people behind the concession stands all over the place and just hitting buttons.