Rice (2/11/25)

[GMG_Dallas]

8 hours ago, Censored by Laurie said:

we're gonna get every one's best shot in conference, and especially road games are always gonna be a challenge. 

interestingly, I think it was our efficiency in out-of-timeout sets that won this game...somehow we can draw up successful one-off plays, but can't turn those into 3-option offensive sets. maybe that's the next step in Hodge's development. 

We had an 8 minute stretch where we only put up 3 points. We were getting good looks from 3 and getting to the rim, just couldn't get shots to drop. I don't think sets had anything to do with those 8 minutes. Droughts are going to be magnified and feel long because of our slow pace. At the end of the day, if we want to compete in March, we've got to hit those open shots and get points off turnovers. I believe we had 3 offensive rebounds and 2 steals in those 8 minutes with 0 points attached. Can't have that. 

[Dannymacfan]

Whew!

[Travis]

It worries me how much we struggled even for defensive rebounds when Sissoko wasn’t in. Jeeze. 

[meangreenfaninno]

Very disappointing showing again but we still landed a W.  Also good seeing UAB losing tonight to ECU.  We are now tied I believe.

[GrandGreen]

42 minutes ago, meangreenfaninno said:

Very disappointing showing again but we still landed a W.  Also good seeing UAB losing tonight to ECU.  We are now tied I believe.

An away win is not very disappointing under most circumstances..  Rice played a very good game and in this particular game had IMO a couple of players that had great performances. 

This game went as a lot of Rice games have ended with the Owls on the wrong side of a very close game. 

NT is not going to overpower many teams with superior players, they win with stellar defense and coaching. 

[MCMLXXX]

Our next three away games are against USF, FAU, and Temple. Every one of those games will be difficult. 

[greenjoe]

Don’t we have a big on the bench that can go in for Sissoko if he gets in foul trouble or just needs a breather ?  This is the first time any Mean Green player has fouled out in (my) recent memory.

Edited 6 hours ago by greenjoe

[UNTLifer]

1 hour ago, greenjoe said:

Don’t we have a big on the bench that can go in for Sissoko if he gets in foul trouble or just needs a breather ?  This is the first time ant Mean Green player has fouled out in (my) recent memory.

We do, but in one of my only complaints about the McCasland/Hodge era, they aren't getting them off the bench, period.  There is no excuse that some of these younger players haven't seen the court this year.  Mason, Cotton, and Vice should have garnered some minutes by now.  True freshman Baron Smith was his high schools career rebounder leader, single season rebound record holder and single game record holder that chose us over offers from ECU, Utah St, etc...  Everyone of these young men are good enough to eat up a scholarship, but have barely hit the floor.  At some point, Hodge is going to have to turn to them and last night was almost one of those times.

@Brett Vito, maybe you could pose this question in one of the press conferences.  The lack of developing these young men has the potential to bite us in the ass.  Either they didn't deserve their scholarship or that giant coaching/support staff can't develop them to the level where Hodge trusts them.

Edited 8 hours ago by UNTLifer

[greenminer]

2 hours ago, MCMLXXX said:

Our next three away games are against USF, FAU, and Temple. Every one of those games will be difficult. 

Yeah, tough run.  Temple is undefeated at home in AAC play.

[BigWillie]

16 minutes ago, greenminer said:

Yeah, tough run.  Temple is undefeated at home in AAC play.

And this is the last game before the tournament. Could have major seeding implications.

[Censored by Laurie]

19 minutes ago, greenminer said:

Yeah, tough run.  Temple is undefeated at home in AAC play.

I'll do my best

[greenminer]

6 minutes ago, Censored by Laurie said:

I'll do my best

[Matt from A700]

2 hours ago, greenjoe said:

Don’t we have a big on the bench that can go in for Sissoko if he gets in foul trouble or just needs a breather ?  This is the first time ant Mean Green player has fouled out in (my) recent memory.

Seems like each year we get more talent on the bench that can hold their own on the court but for whatever reason Hodge will not increase his rotation beyond 8.

[GrandGreen]

10 minutes ago, Matt from A700 said:

Seems like each year we get more talent on the bench that can hold their own on the court but for whatever reason Hodge will not increase his rotation beyond 8.

 

1 hour ago, UNTLifer said:

We do, but in one of my only complaints about the McCasland/Hodge era, they aren't getting them off the bench, period.  There is no excuse that some of these younger players haven't seen the court this year.  Mason, Cotton, and Vice should have garnered some minutes by now.  True freshman Baron Smith was his high schools career rebounder leader, single season rebound record holder and single game record holder that chose us over offers from ECU, Utah St, etc...  Everyone of these young men are good enough to eat up a scholarship, but have barely hit the floor.  At some point, Hodge is going to have to turn to them and last night was almost one of those times.

@Brett Vito, maybe you could pose this question in one of the press conferences.  The lack of developing these young men has the potential to bite us in the ass.  Either they didn't deserve their scholarship or that giant coaching/support staff can't develop them to the level where Hodge trusts them.

Yeah, it is obvious that we fans need to help Hodge coach.

I agree to the extent that more players be used in blow-outs.  The problem is that NT game style doesn't create a lot of blowouts for either team.  I would like to see more of Vice, but even with big foul problems in the last game apparently Hodge didn't trust him in a very close game.  

At this point, there may be eligibility involved with the freshman players.  It would be stupid to burn an eligibility year with players like Mason and Smith.

What giant coaching/support staff?  That seems to imply that NT has more staffing than the typical AAC team, I doubt that.  

[UNTLifer]

1 minute ago, GrandGreen said:

What giant coaching/support staff?  That seems to imply that NT has more staffing than the typical AAC team, I doubt that.  

Seven coaches

One S&C Coach

One Athletic Trainer

One Nutritionist

Four Graduate Managers

If you remove the S&C, AT and Nutritionist, that leave 11 coaches and managers to work with 13 players.

[97and03]

27 minutes ago, GrandGreen said:

 

Yeah, it is obvious that we fans need to help Hodge coach.

I agree to the extent that more players be used in blow-outs.  The problem is that NT game style doesn't create a lot of blowouts for either team.  I would like to see more of Vice, but even with big foul problems in the last game apparently Hodge didn't trust him in a very close game.  

At this point, there may be eligibility involved with the freshman players.  It would be stupid to burn an eligibility year with players like Mason and Smith.

What giant coaching/support staff?  That seems to imply that NT has more staffing than the typical AAC team, I doubt that.  

Well if we didn’t lose or play super close games against shitty teams, we might be able to play the young guys. No reason for these Rice games to be close or lose to UTsa. 

[NorthTexasWeLove]

22 minutes ago, 97and03 said:

Well if we didn’t lose or play super close games against shitty teams, we might be able to play the young guys. No reason for these Rice games to be close or lose to UTsa. 

This. Gotta get up quick, set cruise control, and play Ross' secondary bench rotation. 

 

[Shark84]

Time to get some rest and good practice time in before the last 6 games. GMG!

[97and03]

27 minutes ago, GrandGreen said:

 

Yeah, it is obvious that we fans need to help Hodge coach.

I agree to the extent that more players be used in blow-outs.  The problem is that NT game style doesn't create a lot of blowouts for either team.  I would like to see more of Vice, but even with big foul problems in the last game apparently Hodge didn't trust him in a very close game.  

At this point, there may be eligibility involved with the freshman players.  It would be stupid to burn an eligibility year with players like Mason and Smith.

What giant coaching/support staff?  That seems to imply that NT has more staffing than the typical AAC team, I doubt that.  

Well if we didn’t lose or play super close games against shitty teams, we might be able to play the young guys. No reason for these Rice games to be close or lose to UTsa. 

[GrandGreen]

1 hour ago, UNTLifer said:

Seven coaches

One S&C Coach

One Athletic Trainer

One Nutritionist

Four Graduate Managers

If you remove the S&C, AT and Nutritionist, that leave 11 coaches and managers to work with 13 players.

Those numbers are only meaningful to me if used in comparison to other AAC teams.  NT is at the max and I think most of D1 schools are also unless they are currently replacing coaches.   

Unless, you want to make the point that the NCAA limits are too high for all D1 teams.  

[Shark84]

Memphis beat Rice by 3 points last week and they are the 14th ranked team in the country. Why is UNT supposed to blow them out? We don't have the most talented, athletic roster in the conference. The preseason coach's poll picked us to finish 6th. Again, why should we be blowing out everyone but Memphis in the AAC? Our style of play is going to keep most games close. I think having success and failing in some of those late game situations will help us come tournament time. The last 3 road games we have are all going to be tough. I'd be happy with a split on the 2 game Florida trip and Temple is undefeated at home in conference play. They should also have Mashburn back and he is the second leading scorer in Div. 1. I would love to see Hodge get those freshmen some minutes but that has been the case for the past several years. I'm sure the coaching staff has their reasons. I too, would like Vito to ask Hodge about that situation. GMG!

[LittleGreen_Birdie1]

5 hours ago, greenjoe said:

Don’t we have a big on the bench that can go in for Sissoko if he gets in foul trouble or just needs a breather ?  This is the first time any Mean Green player has fouled out in (my) recent memory.

The answer is no. We have 3 playable bigs. Anyone who tells you differently is just blowing smoke up your butt. 

[UNTLifer]

32 minutes ago, GrandGreen said:

Those numbers are only meaningful to me if used in comparison to other AAC teams.  NT is at the max and I think most of D1 schools are also unless they are currently replacing coaches.   

Unless, you want to make the point that the NCAA limits are too high for all D1 teams.  

No.  My point is with this many coaches and support staff, we should be able to develop these players.  The last players I remember being developed  from entering as a high school player to a contributing member of the rotation would be Rubin Jones and Aaron Scott.

[meangreenfaninno]

31 minutes ago, UNTLifer said:

No.  My point is with this many coaches and support staff, we should be able to develop these players.  The last players I remember being developed  from entering as a high school player to a contributing member of the rotation would be Rubin Jones and Aaron Scott.

I agree with @UNTLifer on this.

[NT80]

3 hours ago, GrandGreen said:

At this point, there may be eligibility involved with the freshman players.  It would be stupid to burn an eligibility year with players like Mason and Smith.

 

Current rules

• Players can't play in a single game without losing their redshirt status.