Crown vs NIT

Tommy Gadberry · 2025-03-19T16:54:25Z

2 minutes ago, CMJ said:

For all the complaining about our offense by basically...90% of the people on the board, our offensive efficiency is actually in the top 25% of all of college basketball (77 of 364).

https://www.teamrankings.com/ncaa-basketball/stat/offensive-efficiency

Finally a voice of reason!!

MeanGreenTexan · 2025-03-19T17:46:19Z

1 hour ago, 97and03 said:

Are we not going to lose 6 of our top 8 again this year?
I am not disappointed with the result this year overall I suppose. I am, however, disappointed in the team’s massive scoring droughts at times. I would put that on the head coach. And it kept the team from getting to the next level. And that level is the same as last year, despite the higher win total.

I am just saying that runner up in the regular season and a semifinal exit isn’t going to get it done medium to long term. Unless your expectations are low, I think the program overall has reached a point where fans should expect Tourney appearances every 3-4 years or so, and then regularly.

It's certainly possible. There has been talk about Jasper having 1 more year of eligibility due to the new JUCO eligibility rules, and obviously Brenen's & Grant's eligibility are not up... Having those 3 back would be huge.

But, even if not, and we lose all of those guys, Coach Hodge has now proven he can dip into the portal and grab guys who can mesh and win immediately. He set that standard himself. He'll need to live up to that expectation moving forward.

GMG_Dallas · 2025-03-19T21:24:17Z

4 hours ago, CMJ said:

For all the complaining about our offense by basically...90% of the people on the board, our offensive efficiency is actually in the top 25% of all of college basketball (77 of 364).

https://www.teamrankings.com/ncaa-basketball/stat/offensive-efficiency

Our strength of schedule is also pretty weak. Our SOS going by opponent NET rankings is 140 total and 119 in OOC games.

https://www.warrennolan.com/basketball/2025/sos-net

Should I really be impressed by a 77th ranked offensive efficiency against the competition we played?

CMJ · 2025-03-19T22:53:20Z

1 hour ago, GMG_Dallas said:

Our strength of schedule is also pretty weak. Our SOS going by opponent NET rankings is 140 total and 119 in OOC games.

https://www.warrennolan.com/basketball/2025/sos-net

Should I really be impressed by a 77th ranked offensive efficiency against the competition we played?

Given how much gnashing of teeth is done about our offense, even given our opponents, you'd think we'd be in the 200s at best.

BigWillie · 2025-03-19T23:15:33Z

1 hour ago, GMG_Dallas said:

Our strength of schedule is also pretty weak. Our SOS going by opponent NET rankings is 140 total and 119 in OOC games.

https://www.warrennolan.com/basketball/2025/sos-net

Should I really be impressed by a 77th ranked offensive efficiency against the competition we played?

You are usually a glass half empty guy, aren't you?

Based on your avatar, I would say you have been getting used to the "football ways".

Edited 18 hours ago by BigWillie

GMG_Dallas · 2025-03-20T02:47:25Z

3 hours ago, BigWillie said:

You are usually a glass half empty guy, aren't you?

Based on your avatar, I would say you have been getting used to the "football ways".

My avatar was blank until a mod put a photo several years ago. I don't know how to change it nor do I care to. What are the "football ways"?

Glass half empty? No. Just living in reality. We dropped 80+ 4 times this year: against NET #257 Evansville, Wayland Baptist, #364 Mississippi Valley, and #204 Rice. Yes, yes, efficiency is not the same. I get it. Consider the opponents we played and the numbers we put up and it's no surprise we couldn't beat the best teams we played. We may have been efficient on paper, that doesn't make us a great offense. Good? Sure. I think we'd all prefer great.

Arkansas State is #71 on that list, just 6 spots better than us. They've scored 100+ against D1 opponents twice this season, including yesterday, and put up 98 against UAB, 85 against Memphis, and in the 90s a few other times. 71 vs 77 in offensive efficiency though.

3 hours ago, CMJ said:

Given how much gnashing of teeth is done about our offense, even given our opponents, you'd think we'd be in the 200s at best.

Fair statement. I think we can all agree sometimes things may look good on paper but just don't pass the eye test. I'm a Cowboys fan. Anybody who follows the NFL can tell you the Cowboys may have won 12+ games 3 straight seasons but those who watched all knew the record and statistical numbers were misleading. Same here.

NorthTexasWeLove · 2025-03-20T02:58:44Z

4 hours ago, CMJ said:

Given how much gnashing of teeth is done about our offense, even given our opponents, you'd think we'd be in the 200s at best.

It's not the offense. It's the gigantic lulls we way too often find ourselves in with no answer on how to get out of. It's cost us games vs very beatable teams.

NM Green · 2025-03-20T02:58:59Z

I loved our free throwing tonight. Sometimes it is way off but the guys were dialed in tonight. Even the kids playing the game at timeout were drilling from the free throw line. Good job Green and White #4!

If our will on D can dent their O this weekend, frustration in red and black will bubble over and our crowd will go cray cray. Tough but fun matchup ahead!

GMG

CMJ · 2025-03-20T03:07:54Z

7 minutes ago, NorthTexasWeLove said:

It's not the offense. It's the gigantic lulls we way too often find ourselves in with no answer on how to get out of. It's cost us games vs very beatable teams.

It obviously averages out over the course of games if we're ranked that high overall. We've talked about this before....if we had two four minute droughts, it's the same as one 8 minute drought, but that doesn't FEEL as bad.

NorthTexasWeLove · 2025-03-20T03:11:05Z

10 minutes ago, NM Green said:

I loved our free throwing tonight. Sometimes it is way off but the guys were dialed in tonight. Even the kids playing the game at timeout were drilling from the free throw line. Good job Green and White #4!

If our will on D can dent their O this weekend, frustration in red and black will bubble over and our crowd will go cray cray. Tough but fun matchup ahead!

GMG

If we close out on shooters with a good base while staying ON our feet we will be fine. Also, keep the game at our pace and not theirs..that's very important in this game because they live on pace.

BigWillie · 2025-03-20T03:43:08Z

49 minutes ago, GMG_Dallas said:

What are the "football ways"?

Used to losing, so always being negative about the team. I say this because I am in that boat too, and I completely understand why someone would be that way with Football, but with Basketball, I choose to look at all of the positives as there are WAAAAY more.

49 minutes ago, GMG_Dallas said:

We dropped 80+ 4 times this year:

You kinda addressed this, but even during Grant's tenure, which we can all admit was probably one of the best in our basketball history, how often did we score 80+? And what did we accomplish? Outscoring teams is not always the way to win and to be honest, is really for the top echelon of college basketball if you want to go far (see this year's Tech team).

49 minutes ago, GMG_Dallas said:

Arkansas State is #71 on that list,

Let's see what they do against us. I say that not that I expect us to hold them down, but I am genuinely curious.

97and03 · 2025-03-20T08:49:16Z

5 hours ago, BigWillie said:

Outscoring teams is not always the way to win

Not to pick nits here but out scoring the opposition is literally the only way to win a game. When they score more it is called a loss. (I understand what you meant but your statement is a prime example of why clear language is important - not trying to pick on you)

GMG_Dallas · 2025-03-20T12:16:27Z

8 hours ago, BigWillie said:

You kinda addressed this, but even during Grant's tenure, which we can all admit was probably one of the best in our basketball history, how often did we score 80+? And what did we accomplish? Outscoring teams is not always the way to win and to be honest, is really for the top echelon of college basketball if you want to go far (see this year's Tech team).

As I remember it, Grant's teams scored a lot his first several seasons here but the defense wasn't as good. I really don't like comparing their tenures. Grant took over after Benford. Ross took over an NIT championship team that won 31.

GMGGWBG · 2025-03-20T13:07:32Z

9 hours ago, BigWillie said:

Used to losing, so always being negative about the team. I say this because I am in that boat too, and I completely understand why someone would be that way with Football, but with Basketball, I choose to look at all of the positives as there are WAAAAY more.

You kinda addressed this, but even during Grant's tenure, which we can all admit was probably one of the best in our basketball history, how often did we score 80+? And what did we accomplish? Outscoring teams is not always the way to win and to be honest, is really for the top echelon of college basketball if you want to go far (see this year's Tech team).

Let's see what they do against us. I say that not that I expect us to hold them down, but I am genuinely curious.

Outscoring teams is literally the only way to win.🤣

MeanGreenTexan · 2025-03-20T13:39:16Z

28 minutes ago, GMGGWBG said:

Outscoring teams is literally the only way to win.🤣

One might argue that "holding teams to less points than you is literally the only way to win." It's a perspective.

We're essentially saying the same thing, but one places emphasis on offense, whereas the other places emphasis on defense. I'll let you figure out which one Coach Hodge & the Mean Green subscribe to.

GMGGWBG · 2025-03-20T14:15:29Z

36 minutes ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

One might argue that "holding teams to less points than you is literally the only way to win." It's a perspective.

We're essentially saying the same thing, but one places emphasis on offense, whereas the other places emphasis on defense. I'll let you figure out which one Coach Hodge & the Mean Green subscribe to.

I'm joking. I know what you are saying and agree with you. I actually get bored with people running all the time and not playing half court. I like watching a play develop and succeed.

I am happy to hear the ESPN announcers at least admitting the way we play is not boring.

Edited 3 hours ago by GMGGWBG

BigWillie · 2025-03-20T14:50:45Z

6 hours ago, 97and03 said:

Not to pick nits here but out scoring the opposition is literally the only way to win a game. When they score more it is called a loss. (I understand what you meant but your statement is a prime example of why clear language is important - not trying to pick on you)

1 hour ago, GMGGWBG said:

Outscoring teams is literally the only way to win.🤣

You guys are right. I should have worded that better. 🤣

BigWillie · 2025-03-20T14:52:38Z

1 hour ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

One might argue that "holding teams to less points than you is literally the only way to win." It's a perspective.

We're essentially saying the same thing, but one places emphasis on offense, whereas the other places emphasis on defense. I'll let you figure out which one Coach Hodge & the Mean Green subscribe to.

This is pretty much what I meant.

MCMLXXX · 2025-03-20T14:56:06Z

2 hours ago, GMG_Dallas said:

As I remember it, Grant's teams scored a lot his first several seasons here but the defense wasn't as good. I really don't like comparing their tenures. Grant took over after Benford. Ross took over an NIT championship team that won 31.

Do you believe that Grant would have won 31 games and the NIT without Ross as an assistant?