New Orleans

[CMJ]

It's cliche now, but now the most important game on our schedule is UTA. Not a league game, but it's a school we haven't beaten in awhile. And I DO NOT want to go into the MTSU contest(which is gonna be a all out war I have a feeling) on a 2 game losing streak.

[Green Lantern]

Hey guys, I'm not happy either. Just trying to put a nice spin on things. The sky isn't falling yet.

(I re-checked...actually had us going 12-6 in league play before the season)

I'm with you...this year has started off pretty good so far. Not a good loss tonight, but it's not the end of the world. Take care of UTA.

[chrisfisher]

Regardless of what your projections were....we were still a 5 pt. favorite tonight. Losses like this are what prevent us from ever having a magical season....where we win a helluva lot more conference games than we lose (something like 14-4 or better). Also, it'd be nice to have the type of season one year....where if we don't win the conference or the tourney....we'd have a good shot at a NIT or CBI bid. That's where losses like this one...can really come back to haunt us.

GMG

So true SUMG.....and a very disappointing loss tonight in a game that was very winnable.

[GrandGreen]

I love the "this team has too much talent" stuff that always comes out. It's not like UNO doesn't have kids on scholarship. We did just get a split in two places where we have struggled. I'm gonna be happy with that. Sure, I would've loved to get 2, but what's done is done. Before the season I had us going 11-7 in league play...but I had BOTH of these as losses.

So we're ahead of my projections as we speak.

The West is already jumbled up & it's quite possible 11-7 or 12-6 is gonna win the division again this season.

Most teams have players on scholarships so I guess talent is never an issue? The facts are that NT only two losses up to this point were to good teams, Houston 7-1 and Oklahoma State 8-3. New Orleans is now 5-6 with losses to Savannah State and Nicholls State. They are improving and shoot lights out for most of the game. So is it just a matter of coming up against an unusually good game by an opponent or is it another year of NT hovering just over .500 with a couple of road wins in conference hopeing for the hot streak in the tournament.

To me, NT looked like a team with little urgency who was content to fire away from outside and was out hustled for most of the game. NT did turn it up a notch at the end of the game, but still could not stop NO. IF NT can't beat NO on the road, who can they expect to beat. NO was picked last in the conference and probably has less a home court advantage than any team in the Belt.

[Censored by Laurie]

I guess if you can't beat em, might as well make fun of em!

Its kinda what we do here

[Censored by Laurie]

Did George get hurt?

[chrisfisher]

Did George get hurt?

I raised this question too several times this past week and even during the UNO game. He did not get hurt during the UNO game, at least best I could tell. What I suspect is going on: I recall about 3 games ago that George hurt his achilles during the game.... I remember him hobbling off the court. Nothing was ever mentioned again about this. However, I noticed his output and performance have decreased since then, with a new low in all of his stats against UNO. We desperately need George back. His rebounding presence was sorely missed last night and was a huge factor in our loss.

[CMJ]

Most teams have players on scholarships so I guess talent is never an issue? The facts are that NT only two losses up to this point were to good teams, Houston 7-1 and Oklahoma State 8-3. New Orleans is now 5-6 with losses to Savannah State and Nicholls State. They are improving and shoot lights out for most of the game. So is it just a matter of coming up against an unusually good game by an opponent or is it another year of NT hovering just over .500 with a couple of road wins in conference hopeing for the hot streak in the tournament.

To me, NT looked like a team with little urgency who was content to fire away from outside and was out hustled for most of the game. NT did turn it up a notch at the end of the game, but still could not stop NO. IF NT can't beat NO on the road, who can they expect to beat. NO was picked last in the conference and probably has less a home court advantage than any team in the Belt.

I guess we can expect to beat ULL since we already did.

I'm just saying, most people around here never seem to give any credit to the other team when we lose. Hell, when we win alot of time it's not by enough for many of you. A win is a win, a loss is a loss in conference. Some are better or worse than others, but no one is heads and shoulders above anyone else in the Belt this year(IMHO, but I guess that remains to be seen). So I don't think we can expect to go on the road and dominate people. A split on the road is always a good thing for my money. If we go 1-1 every road trip and are our usual 1 or 2 loss self at home - we'll be in good shape. We only won, what....2 road conference games 2 years ago, and I believe 3 last year(I'm going from memory here, someone can check on me). So, I'll take a 1-1 opening on the road.

UNO played better than us period, and deserved to win last night.

[chrisfisher]

I guess we can expect to beat ULL since we already did.

I'm just saying, most people around here never seem to give any credit to the other team when we lose. Hell, when we win alot of time it's not by enough for many of you. A win is a win, a loss is a loss in conference. Some are better or worse than others, but no one is heads and shoulders above anyone else in the Belt this year(IMHO, but I guess that remains to be seen). So I don't think we can expect to go on the road and dominate people. A split on the road is always a good thing for my money. If we go 1-1 every road trip and are our usual 1 or 2 loss self at home - we'll be in good shape. We only won, what....2 road conference games 2 years ago, and I believe 3 last year(I'm going from memory here, someone can check on me). So, I'll take a 1-1 opening on the road.

UNO played better than us period, and deserved to win last night.

I wish you'd cut it out. Reason and logic are so drab. And I really hate it when the facts get in the way of emotion. It much more fun to be irate and angry! Down with reason! Pillage!! Plunder!! Call for JJ's head! Bench the starters! Fire someone! Now I feel much better.

Edited December 23, 2008 by chrisfisher

[greenminer]

As Thompson goes, so do we?

[emmitt01]

As Thompson goes, so do we?

Finally, somebody gets it.

[CMJ]

If we could get Tristan and Collin Dennis scoring at the same time we'd be really tough to beat. Both can light it up, but they rarely seem to have huge games together.

[NT80]

I raised this question too several times this past week and even during the UNO game. He did not get hurt during the UNO game, at least best I could tell. What I suspect is going on: I recall about 3 games ago that George hurt his achilles during the game.... I remember him hobbling off the court. Nothing was ever mentioned again about this. However, I noticed his output and performance have decreased since then, with a new low in all of his stats against UNO. We desperately need George back. His rebounding presence was sorely missed last night and was a huge factor in our loss.

Something is wrong when he gets only 8 minutes and Howerton gets 16.

[chrisfisher]

If we could get Tristan and Collin Dennis scoring at the same time we'd be really tough to beat. Both can light it up, but they rarely seem to have huge games together.

Dennis has had a horrible shooting season. Shooting 30% across the board. He has contributed in other ways, but quite honestly, he should not be playing 20-30 minutes a game based on his poor scoring output plus turnovers. I really think McCoy, Johnson, and Tramiel should be getting much more minutes.

Edited December 23, 2008 by chrisfisher

[Censored by Laurie]

Dennis has had a horrible shooting season. Shooting 30% across the board. He has contributed in other ways, but quite honestly, he should not be playing 20-30 minutes a game based on his poor scoring output plus turnovers. I really think McCoy, Johnson, and Tramiel should be getting much more minutes.

I. Agree.

[CMJ]

Dennis isn't having a a great season, I know. He has shown flashes of the the kind of games he put up last year, but not consistently(and to be real honest even last year he had trouble with consistency). I do believe he is one of our best defenders though, so it'd be hard to sit him.

Edited December 23, 2008 by CMJ

[calvin]

Actually before the year started I expected to be about 7-4 right now, so I will take 8-3. But going into yesterday I fully expected to be 9-2. I love JJ but the only thing that has bothered me about the JJ era is we always lose road games that we shouldnt. When we start winning most of our conference road games that we should is when we make the next step like a WKU. I love JJ and what he has done here is incredible but sometimes it does get frustrating to keep losing these games.

I remember saying last year that we go as Collin Dennis goes. Seemed like when he played well last year so did we and we won and when he didnt we lost. Maybe that is why we havent been able to put a complete 40 minute game this year, (besides UL-LA I guess.) Hopefully he will get it going and we will get rolling.

[filmerj]

I love JJ but the only thing that has bothered me about the JJ era is we always lose road games that we shouldnt. When we start winning most of our conference road games that we should is when we make the next step like a WKU. I love JJ and what he has done here is incredible but sometimes it does get frustrating to keep losing these games.

I have to agree, we can't lose road games if we want to contend for a title. I honestly can't expect them to win every road game but win the ones you should and put yourself in a good position to have a good tourney run. This team seems to be lacking a killer instict and seem to play to the level of their competition.

[BleedGreen]

There is no doubt that we are better than New Orleans. With George hurt and Dennis struggling, no wonder we lose. If this team hits on all cylinders with Josh, Collin Dennis, Tristan Thompson, and an inside combo of a health Odufuwa and Traniel, we can definitely win the west and the tournament. Last night was a fluke. Kendall Dykes is really good but other than that ,New Orleans is not that strong. I think we may have looked past them and to UTA.

How could we look past a Sun Belt conference game to UTA you ask? Well, we are fed up with losing to the Movin' Mavs and the guys want revenge. Look for a knock down, drag out next Monday at the Super Pit!

[wardly]

check the ratings. this was a bad loss to a bad team. we did the same thing last year, loseing to inferior teams on the road. i might expect a road loss at ualr. wk, or usa, but not uno, who is nearly as bad as denver or the louisiana and florida schools this year.

[CMJ]

check the ratings. this was a bad loss to a bad team. we did the same thing last year, loseing to inferior teams on the road. i might expect a road loss at ualr. wk, or usa, but not uno, who is nearly as bad as denver or the louisiana and florida schools this year.

I believe any team that loses to a school in the 200's is counted as bad loss on Realtime. Check out every D1 school that MTSU has beaten. Just saying, what's considered a "bad loss" in the ratings isn't necessarily a bad loss.

[oldguystudent]

check the ratings. this was a bad loss to a bad team. we did the same thing last year, loseing to inferior teams on the road. i might expect a road loss at ualr. wk, or usa, but not uno, who is nearly as bad as denver or the louisiana and florida schools this year.

UNO's not a Louisiana school?