Who was the MVP of the Denver game?

[Coach]

This is tough...

Hopkins led in scoring and hit the game winner, there may not have been a game winner if not for Hines taking control under pressure and he pitched in 8 rebounds, Simpson and Barnett did a good job on Nicholson, Harris poured in 16 points and Watson had 12 with a big 3 at the end.

You could make a case for any of these, which shows it was a great team effort. But given the choice, who was the MVP of the game?

[Zeke]

I picked Leonard, though I really didn't think anyone stood out heads and tails above the rest. Truly a team win.

If we can keep Simpson out of foul trouble we will be able to compete in the Sun Belt tourney.

[Eagle since birth]

I ended up picking Simpson, although he had to spend time on the bench because of foul trouble. When he was in the game his presence was known. Great game for him.

[Coach]

I had to vote for Hines, but you could pick anyone and not be wrong.

He only had 2 points, but he got 8 rebounds from the point guard position, had 3 steals, and 3 assists with only 1 turnover. Like I mentioned earlier, his composure and drive and dish in the final seconds turned a frantic play in disarray into the game winning shot.

[Guest e-bone]

I had to pick Hopkins just because of the game winner he made. That one shot might turn around the whole season.

[meangreen-kevin]

I gave my vote to Harris. We needed someone to come off the bench and have an impact in the game if we wanted to beat Denver. Good game Ron.

[medpilot21]

Hop got my vote becuase he just made the difference tonight, but Barnett was a close second. That guy did everything in the middle tonight but trade jerseys with both Denver centers. If you want to see how a big man should play bruising "in the paint" defense, JB was teaching that class tonight.

GMG!!!

[meangreendork]

The two Denver guys that fouled out. I'm sure their foul->free throw points are what helped us win.

[Buford_Julep]

Hines is my choice for MVP almost every game. It seems like he has a hand in all the big plays on offense and defense.

[CorinthEagle]

Hines is my choice for MVP almost every game. It seems like he has a hand in all the big plays on offense and defense.

I 2nd, 3rd, and 4th that opinion.

[Coach]

Hines is the best player on the team.

The great thing about him is that he rebounds so well, and there is no need for an outlet pass, the break starts right then. He also doesn't turn the ball over or take poor shots, and he plays defense very well both on the ball and in the passing lanes in the zone. Every game I see him, I am impressed. Unlike the other key cogs on this team, he is very consistent, and that has carried the team through rough times this year.

[ADLER]

Obviously, we needed every player to perform well this game, but for the game MVP, I had to go with Justin.

After comparing the two games against Denver, it is clear just how important he is to this team. Barnett was injured and had to sit out the game at Denver. The Pioneers pushed the ball inside to Yemi and started a dunkathon against our outsized defenders. When Coach Jones made some adjustments to stop the slaughter inside, Denver destroyed us with precision 3 point shooting. North Texas was was never competitive in that game and was down 25 points much of the contest.

Even though Justin didn't score a whole lot of points, he kept the opposition's center from having free roam in the paint on defense. At Denver, Yemi Nicholson disrupted everything that North Texas tried to do inside, and his defensive ability was neutralized when he played against Justin in Denton.

Size does matter. Having Barnett clog the middle allows our other players to cover our opposition's perimeter shooters. When Justin's healthy, we usually win. When Justin's sitting out or severely slowed by injury, we usually lose.

[Coach]

That was the best game I have seen Barnett play, but I wouldn't say our win loss record is traced back to his health. That's a bit of a leap. He can do one thing well and that is be big. His size allows for him to get rebounds and block some shots, and of course hold his own against opposing posts when they fight for the low block position. Some things he needs to improve upon and his minutes and numbers would soar is taking better care of the ball and getting in position more effectively. If you watch, he will have lapses and not block anyone out and that is when JJ usually pulls him out. He will never be the swiftest of foot because of all the injuries, but position and anticipation could make up for that. I did notice that he and Yemi are listed at the same size, so if we run into them again, we have a body that can make things more difficult for him. As for the first game in Denver, one thing to consider is the way Simpson has improved since then. It's not like he became marginally better, at the time of the Denver game I was starting to think he was a bust, but then he emerged as an almost ShoJo Lite. I had a friend close to the team tell me that he is good but did not get the system, and when he did, he would do well, he was right on. Those same sentiments are even mentioned in an article Old Timer posted on here the other day.

Tonight in Lafayette, we will need to have a more athletic lineup on the court. Their biggest guy spends a lot of time around the three point line and that is a very bad matchup for JB and not the best for Simpson either. It seemed like everyone on their team could get out on the break and finish. With teams as quick as that, blocking out is much more effective than just brute strength, though it was nice having a little beef to get in Yemi's way the other night, ULL is a different matchup altogether.

[Guest e-bone]

Having Barnett back makes a big difference because we now have depth in the post. I truly believe that Barnett is best coming off the bench because he changes the way the game is played and he brings energy. Earlier in the season Barnett was hurt and as Coach has already said, Simpson was not near the player he is now. Also, Ron Harris has been playing well as of late, and that is huge in that we have three guys we can put in the post who can contribute. Mike Jones is in foul trouble so much he often becomes a non factor. However, I would occasionally like to see a big line up with Jones at the 3 where he can face the basket. He is more comfortable facing the basket and has a decent shot from the outside. Also, Jones should have a size advantage if he is at the 3 which would help his inside game.