Florida Atlantic (2/27/25)

[Jonnyeagle]

10 minutes ago, rjm said:

3 point swing in the line makes me think there might be a North Texas injury?

The Owls will play inspired after being upset by State.

[BigWillie]

16 hours ago, GMG_Dallas said:

It's really crazy some are content with being good and don't expect their coach to take that next step to being great. I really don't care if this team finishes 24-6 if it means missing out on the big dance. That's what great teams play for. I think we could be a great team if we didn't have 5+ minute droughts every game.

Were we saying this when Grant was in his first years? As I mentioned, his teams had the same droughts. Did they get better or worse through the years? I think it's all perspective. 

[rjm]

McNeese is exactly the kind of team you want home and homes with.

Their kenpom is #60. Better than 12 teams in the AAC.

But by all means if you can secure home and homes with Kelvin Sampson & Bruce Pearl then you can drop McNeese.

 

 

[bstnsportsfan3]

I want to sweep FAU, we owe them

[Shark84]

1 hour ago, rjm said:

3 point swing in the line makes me think there might be a North Texas injury?

Heard Massey is out again but haven't heard of any other injuries. 

[Censored by Laurie]

36 minutes ago, Shark84 said:

Heard Massey is out again but haven't heard of any other injuries. 

I HOPE MASON PLAYS 🙄🔫

[GMG_Dallas]

2 hours ago, BigWillie said:

Were we saying this when Grant was in his first years? As I mentioned, his teams had the same droughts. Did they get better or worse through the years? I think it's all perspective. 

First, this isn't Grant. I hope Hodge is great but as of right now, he's stuck at good. Here's why I think that. Ross has been here since 2017 in a major role. Him being named HC was done to pickup where Grant left off. The offense struggles for the same reasons it did when Grant was here which is also when Ross was here. You can say he wasn't over the offense but he also got promoted knowing what issues our system had. I really think Ross will leave a legacy as good as Grant did whenever his time is up here. That said, I can't help but think he underachieved last year and may do so again this year. We won 19 games last year and many view that as a win considering it was our first year in the AAC. I may be too negative but I can't help but think about who we had on our roster. Rubin is playing 20+ minutes per game with #15 Michigan, Scott is averaging nearing 28 minutes per game with #6 St Johns, CJ Noland is averaging 21+ minutes per game with New Mexico who's top in the MWC and getting top 25 votes, Edwards is the SEC's #6 scorer and putting up over 17ppg for Vandy, Buggs is doing what he did for ETSU. All of that and we couldn't crack 20 wins. Sure, we have 20 wins this year but the schedule is weak and we've already dropped several games we should have won and we also played two non-D1 schools to get there.

I realize I'm probably being unreasonable. Just that looking at our schedule, we're good enough to have beat High Point, McNeese, Utah State, etc... I know it's the way sports work but really feels like we dropped the ball on an easy-ish OOC.

[CMJ]

FAU 7 --------- NT 4

 

16:11 to go

 

A lot of early turnovers.

Edited 5 hours ago by CMJ

[CMJ]

NT 16 --------- FAU 14

 

11:50 to go

 

Really back and forth game so far.  Not really our normal style.

Edited 5 hours ago by CMJ

[BigChiefGMG]

Oh I like that. I like that a lot 

[GMG_Dallas]

Don't know if it's B-Lo being more aggressive because he's back in Boca or an intentionally quicker pace but it seems we're more active on offense. I doubt B-Lo is going rogue and taking early shots against Ross' instructions so I guess it's coach wanting to play quicker. Watching FAU this year, they can get a little reckless with the ball. A quick pace doesn't necessarily benefit them even if it's what they *want* to do.

[BigWillie]

47 minutes ago, GMG_Dallas said:

First, this isn't Grant. I hope Hodge is great but as of right now, he's stuck at good. Here's why I think that. Ross has been here since 2017 in a major role. Him being named HC was done to pickup where Grant left off. The offense struggles for the same reasons it did when Grant was here which is also when Ross was here. You can say he wasn't over the offense but he also got promoted knowing what issues our system had. I really think Ross will leave a legacy as good as Grant did whenever his time is up here. That said, I can't help but think he underachieved last year and may do so again this year. We won 19 games last year and many view that as a win considering it was our first year in the AAC. I may be too negative but I can't help but think about who we had on our roster. Rubin is playing 20+ minutes per game with #15 Michigan, Scott is averaging nearing 28 minutes per game with #6 St Johns, CJ Noland is averaging 21+ minutes per game with New Mexico who's top in the MWC and getting top 25 votes, Edwards is the SEC's #6 scorer and putting up over 17ppg for Vandy, Buggs is doing what he did for ETSU. All of that and we couldn't crack 20 wins. Sure, we have 20 wins this year but the schedule is weak and we've already dropped several games we should have won and we also played two non-D1 schools to get there.

I realize I'm probably being unreasonable. Just that looking at our schedule, we're good enough to have beat High Point, McNeese, Utah State, etc... I know it's the way sports work but really feels like we dropped the ball on an easy-ish OOC.

No offense at all, but this is very short sighted. To think that an assistant coach should step into the role of a head coach and pick up exactly where the ex coach left off makes no sense. I am pretty sure you can find many examples where this was true and probably many less where it wasn't. 

You said it in your first sentence. He isn't Grant. My point was that even Grant didn't do as well his first 2 years as Hodge has. He progressed. Many people at this point in Grants tenure would probably say he was "good" also. 

My bottom line is we haven't had a large enough sample size. If we never had Grant and went from Benford to what Hodge is doing now we would be estatic. I think that pretty much ALL teams that make a coaching change take a step back in the first year or two. I am just happy ours wasn't a big drop off at all.

Edited 5 hours ago by BigWillie

[CMJ]

NT 22 --------- FAU 14

 

7:36 to go

 

Lorient putting on a show.

[Andrew]

Must keep Lorient and build the team around him this season. Got many tracking our basketball program and he is the one bright spot everyone notices. Sissoko has done exceptional as well. 

[Censored by Laurie]

41 minutes ago, GMG_Dallas said:

First, this isn't Grant. I hope Hodge is great but as of right now, he's stuck at good. Here's why I think that. Ross has been here since 2017 in a major role. Him being named HC was done to pickup where Grant left off. The offense struggles for the same reasons it did when Grant was here which is also when Ross was here. You can say he wasn't over the offense but he also got promoted knowing what issues our system had. I really think Ross will leave a legacy as good as Grant did whenever his time is up here. That said, I can't help but think he underachieved last year and may do so again this year. We won 19 games last year and many view that as a win considering it was our first year in the AAC. I may be too negative but I can't help but think about who we had on our roster. Rubin is playing 20+ minutes per game with #15 Michigan, Scott is averaging nearing 28 minutes per game with #6 St Johns, CJ Noland is averaging 21+ minutes per game with New Mexico who's top in the MWC and getting top 25 votes, Edwards is the SEC's #6 scorer and putting up over 17ppg for Vandy, Buggs is doing what he did for ETSU. All of that and we couldn't crack 20 wins. Sure, we have 20 wins this year but the schedule is weak and we've already dropped several games we should have won and we also played two non-D1 schools to get there.

I realize I'm probably being unreasonable. Just that looking at our schedule, we're good enough to have beat High Point, McNeese, Utah State, etc... I know it's the way sports work but really feels like we dropped the ball on an easy-ish OOC.

to the bold...how many "great" coaches do you think are out there? hell...how many "good" ones? 

to last year's squad...let's not forget that Rubin missed a 1/3rd of the season, Dello wasn't eligible for the first 10 or so games and Edwards, who 1000% is not a point guard, had to run the point for long stretches last season. and yet 10 of the 14 losses were within 5 points. 

I'm glad all our former dudes are playing well right now, but they're all just good role players on good teams, save Edwards who is just being asked to do what he does best and gun. 

[GMG_Dallas]

4 minutes ago, BigWillie said:

No offense at all, but this is very short sighted. To think that an assistant coach should step into the role of a head coach and pick up exactly where the ex coach left off makes no sense. I am pretty sure you can find many examples where this was true and probably many less where it wasn't. 

You said it in your first sentence. He isn't Grant. My point was that even Grant didn't do as well his first 2 years as Hodge has. He progressed. Many people at this point in Grants tenure would probably say he was "good" also. 

My bottom line is we haven't had a large enough sample size. If we never had Grant and went from Benford to what Hodge is doing now we would be estatic. I think that pretty much ALL teams that make a coaching change take a step back in the first year or two. I am just happy ours wasn't a big drop off at all.

To your point of bringing up Benford, Grant took over a dumpster fire. Ross took over a 31 win team and a program with a clear identity that he helped build over the previous 7 seasons.

Anyways, to the game. This offense feels different so far.

[GMG_Dallas]

1 minute ago, Censored by Laurie said:

to the bold...how many "great" coaches do you think are out there? hell...how many "good" ones? 

to last year's squad...let's not forget that Rubin missed a 1/3rd of the season, Dello wasn't eligible for the first 10 or so games and Edwards, who 1000% is not a point guard, had to run the point for long stretches last season. and yet 10 of the 14 losses were within 5 points. 

I'm glad all our former dudes are playing well right now, but they're all just good role players on good teams, save Edwards who is just being asked to do what he does best and gun. 

I'll never be happy getting to good and hitting the brakes. The team has a clear weakness. It's up to the coach to figure it out, fix it, and move to the next weakness. Otherwise the development of our program becomes stagnant.

[CMJ]

NT 34 --------- FAU 30

 

2:11 to go

 

Pushed the advantage to ten, but the Owls heating up from behind the arc.

[CMJ]

NT 37 --------- FAU 34

 

Halftime

 

Fun half of basketball, but our defense needs to clamp down some.

[Censored by Laurie]

12 minutes ago, GMG_Dallas said:

I'll never be happy getting to good and hitting the brakes. The team has a clear weakness. It's up to the coach to figure it out, fix it, and move to the next weakness. Otherwise the development of our program becomes stagnant.

I definitely never said hit the brakes...just progress and development is never linear. last year was not a major step backwards.  

I've said dozens of times on here how frustrating our offensive strategy can be...we agree. good news is we'll have like 10 new players in here next season, so ample opportunity to upgrade the talent level

[Censored by Laurie]

I honestly wonder if Joe Lunardi could make an uncontested lay-up

[GMG_Dallas]

3 minutes ago, Censored by Laurie said:

I definitely never said hit the brakes...just progress and development is never linear. last year was not a major step backwards.  

I've said dozens of times on here how frustrating our offensive strategy can be...we agree. good news is we'll have like 10 new players in here next season, so ample opportunity to upgrade the talent level

Must admit the last part made me chuckle.

I don't think last year was a major step backwards. I thought at the time it was a very solid year. Hindsight has me second guessing which is why I admitted to knowing I'm being unreasonable. Just looking for progress every game so we can continue to be proud of this program. I believe Ross is the guy to do it. Now we just wait for him to prove it. 

[GMG_Dallas]

About next year having 10 new guys, I've wondered if Vice, Cotton, and Mason were recruited with the understanding they need a year or two to develop but next year they'll get a major role after practicing together for a season.

Maybe just wishful thinking.

[CMJ]

NT 44 --------- FAU 39

 

15:05 to go

 

Lorient still playing very well in his homecoming game.

[Censored by Laurie]

10 minutes ago, GMG_Dallas said:

About next year having 10 new guys, I've wondered if Vice, Cotton, and Mason were recruited with the understanding they need a year or two to develop but next year they'll get a major role after practicing together for a season.

Maybe just wishful thinking.

I 100% think Mason and Vice are back with rotation roles next season. not sure on Cotton given this is two straight years in this system with no minutes.