Louisiana Monroe (2/19/11)

[UNTLifer]

In another post, I dissected our schedule and it boiled down to a bunch os wins against sub-par teams and losses to bad teams. I'll find it later and repost it if you like. Tech is bad, LSU is bad, hammering La-La and then getting hammered by them, an embarrassing loss on national television to WKU. Please show me one good win this year.

Sorry for my pessimism, but I was just as guilty as many on this board getting caught up in the run to open the season. Please look at our schedule and show me the wins against good opponents.

[chrisfisher]

Painful. Painful. Painful loss.

[UNTflyer]

Shameful. Embarrassing.

[CMJ]

In another post, I dissected our schedule and it boiled down to a bunch os wins against sub-par teams and losses to bad teams. I'll find it later and repost it if you like. Tech is bad, LSU is bad, hammering La-La and then getting hammered by them, an embarrassing loss on national television to WKU. Please show me one good win this year.

Sorry for my pessimism, but I was just as guilty as many on this board getting caught up in the run to open the season. Please look at our schedule and show me the wins against good opponents.

I think the counter point is show us good wins in just about any season. It's a pretty typical NT schedule. You could say we didn't beat anyone last year or the year before - or the year before.

[UNTLifer]

Sorry, but I learned 5 different zone defenses, as well as man to man, as a sixth grader. It is not that difficult.

[UNTLifer]

Responding from my phone, so I don't have the option to respond directly to your post while sighting them in mine. CMJ, your repsonse about this year's schedule being like any Other NT schedule, to me, is an example of an excuse for this team's performance, or lack thereof.

The seniors on this team should be leading us with their experience, but instead Thompson is in and out of the doghouse for lack of effort in practice and is a defensive liability. White has virtually disappeared in the second half of this season, and we still run a plauground, undisciplined offense that good teams, and a lot of bad ones this year, take advantage of.

[CMJ]

Sorry, but I learned 5 different zone defenses, as well as man to man, as a sixth grader. It is not that difficult.

Learning a zone, and learning it proficiently is totally different. I've heard plenty of college coaches talk about it being harder to coach zone than man-to-man. Hell, it's one of the reasons so many coaches pick Jim Boeheim's brain on how to teach the 2-3.

[CMJ]

Responding from my phone, so I don't have the option to respond directly to your post while sighting them in mine. CMJ, your repsonse about this year's schedule being like any Other NT schedule, to me, is an example of an excuse for this team's performance, or lack thereof.

The seniors on this team should be leading us with their experience, but instead Thompson is in and out of the doghouse for lack of effort in practice and is a defensive liability. White has virtually disappeared in the second half of this season, and we still run a plauground, undisciplined offense that good teams, and a lot of bad ones this year, take advantage of.

It's not an excuse. I'm not thrilled with the way the season has gone in the least. And I am disappointed in a team with this many seniors that have tasted success have lost their way so completely.

But if you say we haven't beaten anyone of note...again I ask did we last season? The only teams with good records we defeated were other Sunbelt schools - who played similarly suspect competition. If a victory over an NCAA type team is the criteria - the only really impressive win that I can remember was when we beat USA in the '07-08 campaign (who ended up getting in the field as a 10 seed at-large).

[drex]

No need to worry about JJ going anywhere else to coach.

[UNTLifer]

Sorry, I fail to believe a D1 coach can't teach D1 athletes to be proficient in a zone. Since I've never had the pleasure to meet you, I played basketball for years and was the son of a coach, so I do know a little something about the game.

I really respect your knowledge and passion for the game, but I just don't think this team was ever as good as a lot of us, including me, thought it was. No leader, lack of discipline, and at times, gasp, poorly coached.

[Mean Green Matt]

Attendance: 3935

[UNTLifer]

Regarding beating anyone of note, this year or years past, are we to continually be pleased with 20 wins against poor competition, winning the conference championship/tournament and then getting blasted in the first round of the dance? Been there, done that. It is time we raised our expectations.

Are you pleased with us getting beat by 20 by a Southland Conference school, SHSU, and being pleased with a close win or loss against UTA every year? We should be way ahead of of any of these schoolsN but we arent and there is no excuse for this.

[CMJ]

Sorry, I fail to believe a D1 coach can't teach D1 athletes to be proficient in a zone. Since I've never had the pleasure to meet you, I played basketball for years and was the son of a coach, so I do know a little something about the game.

I really respect your knowledge and passion for the game, but I just don't think this team was ever as good as a lot of us, including me, thought it was. No leader, lack of discipline, and at times, gasp, poorly coached.

I'm not saying you don't know anything about the game. But like it or not plenty of coaches make the pilgrimage Syracuse to pick Boeheim's brain on zones, so obviously it's not super easy to do it right.

Your second point was something I was a bit wary of even when we were flying high. If you recall, even when we were winning nearly every game - I never thought we'd roll thru the Belt easily. Ever. Obviously, I never thought we'd be 6-7 in league play either, but i think I was a bit more prepared for the roof caving in than some people here.

I guess i come from the school of - things are never as good, or as bad as they seem. Earlier I was a bit on the tempering of expectations side and now I'm looking for glimmers of sunshine. It's how I am.

[Green P1]

Mods please lock the basketball board.

[UNTLifer]

Fair enough.

By the way, as you well know, Boeheim"s specialty is the 2-3. There are other zones than this, he's just perfected the 2-3. Either way, I'm afraid this team is done for this year, and I too, hate to see Odufuwa, Thompson, White and Johnson go out like this.

[Mean Green Matt]

Fair enough.

By the way, as you well know, Boeheim"s specialty is the 2-3. There are other zones than this, he's just perfected the 2-3. Either way, I'm afraid this team is done for this year, and I too, hate to see Odufuwa, Thompson, White and Johnson go out like this.

Don't give up hope yet. In fact don't give up hope until we lose in the conference tournament. At the very least it will delay the misery, and at the very, albeit unlikely best, you avoid the misery altogether.

[CMJ]

By the way, as you well know, Boeheim"s specialty is the 2-3. There are other zones than this, he's just perfected the 2-3.

Well sure...just like Cheney at Temple perfected the matchup. You never saw teams score in the 70's against those squads. Hell, they often won in the 50's. But he always played the matchup zone -- so yeah they were extremely good at it.

Edited February 20, 2011 by CMJ

[TheTastyGreek]

Regarding beating anyone of note, this year or years past, are we to continually be pleased with 20 wins against poor competition, winning the conference championship/tournament and then getting blasted in the first round of the dance? Been there, done that. It is time we raised our expectations.

Are you pleased with us getting beat by 20 by a Southland Conference school, SHSU, and being pleased with a close win or loss against UTA every year? We should be way ahead of of any of these schoolsN but we arent and there is no excuse for this.

Who exactly do you think is pleased right now?

[meangreen]

This team needs to grow a pair and show up next time

[TheTastyGreek]

no way you can lose to the worst team in the league at home.

Obviously, you're wrong. There's at least one way.

[Zeleny' Orel]

It's been a long time since I felt this way, but I'm actually looking forward to football season. The last few years it's been the other way around. This team has just broken the heart of many a Mean Green Fan who didn't see it coming!

[MeanMag]

Would not be so sure, if JJ can not keep a defending champion, Senior Laden team functioning how will he handle a bunch of big shot freshmen, who want to continue playing playground ball = crap defense and jack-up offense.

Yes, there are 6 seniors who play on any given night.

I will keep saying this until someone gets it...

These are the guys that JJ was almost counting on at least 1 or 2 stepping up, but for reasons beyond JJ's control haven't.

RJ McGee - FR. Never set foot on the court this year. Could have been a 6'6" SG/SF addition that would be developing this year and maybe contributing nicely.

Collin Mangrum - SR. Transferred to SMU. The staff may have had time to react to this one, but it still sucks losing a senior from a tournament team that poured in as many minutes as Jacob Holmen did the year before. And look at how many Jacob Holmen is being asked to fill this year. Mangrum could have helped this year.

Alzee Williams - SO. injured

As a freshmen last year spelled Josh White in Dominique Johnson's absence, and did an admirable making cuts and collapsing defenses. I saw him filling a similar role this year as a sophomore with increased minutes and leadership roles.

Cam Spencer - SR. injured

Played about as much as Alzee did last year. At 6'8" we lost a much needed inside presence offensively and defensively from last year. His size alone kept defenses from extending to the 3 point line as much as they are this year.

Alonzo Edwards - JR. playing injured (supposedly needs surgery soon?)

Didn't play with the team last year, and really hasn't played enough minutes or been in a game long enough without fouling out to work on any kind of chemistry with the rest of the team.

Tyler Hall - walk-on JR. injured

This walk-on didn't play that much this year before he got hurt and still has the 3rd best FT% on the team. His FG% is right up there with Josh White and Tristan Thompson too, even if it is mop up duty time.

I simply don't understand how this is all JJ's fault. Things didn't work out like he planned them to, and things don't work out nice and neat all the time.

[eulessismore]

Yes, there are 6 seniors who play on any given night.

I will keep saying this until someone gets it...

These are the guys that JJ was almost counting on at least 1 or 2 stepping up, but for reasons beyond JJ's control haven't.

RJ McGee - FR. Never set foot on the court this year. Could have been a 6'6" SG/SF addition that would be developing this year and maybe contributing nicely.

Collin Mangrum - SR. Transferred to SMU. The staff may have had time to react to this one, but it still sucks losing a senior from a tournament team that poured in as many minutes as Jacob Holmen did the year before. And look at how many Jacob Holmen is being asked to fill this year. Mangrum could have helped this year.

Alzee Williams - SO. injured

As a freshmen last year spelled Josh White in Dominique Johnson's absence, and did an admirable making cuts and collapsing defenses. I saw him filling a similar role this year as a sophomore with increased minutes and leadership roles.

Cam Spencer - SR. injured

Played about as much as Alzee did last year. At 6'8" we lost a much needed inside presence offensively and defensively from last year. His size alone kept defenses from extending to the 3 point line as much as they are this year.

Alonzo Edwards - JR. playing injured (supposedly needs surgery soon?)

Didn't play with the team last year, and really hasn't played enough minutes or been in a game long enough without fouling out to work on any kind of chemistry with the rest of the team.

Tyler Hall - walk-on JR. injured

This walk-on didn't play that much this year before he got hurt and still has the 3rd best FT% on the team. His FG% is right up there with Josh White and Tristan Thompson too, even if it is mop up duty time.

I simply don't understand how this is all JJ's fault. Things didn't work out like he planned them to, and things don't work out nice and neat all the time.

+1, and I was wondering about the injury factor as I was driving home. It sounds like some of the guys we have contributing a lot of minutes are playing hurt.

[MeanMag]

I just don't think this team was ever as good as a lot of us, including me, thought it was. No leader, lack of discipline, and at times, gasp, poorly coached.

It's obvious the team played out of their minds at the beginning of the season. I'm impressed they were able to accomplish what they did.

We have match-up issues with every team we have faced this year and opposing coaches are now using a recipe for success against UNT. Don't let us run, force us into a half court offense and extend your defense to cover the perimeter, because everyone has a size advantage on our guards.

I'm happy about making the tournament, and I'm happy that we have had a respectable RPI. I'm not happy about losing to La Monroe, but I'll get over it. Consistency is a hard thing to master.

I believe that any confidence winning the USA game gave this team, may have just gone away with the ULM game.

[meangreenbob]

Yes, there are 6 seniors who play on any given night.

I will keep saying this until someone gets it...

These are the guys that JJ was almost counting on at least 1 or 2 stepping up, but for reasons beyond JJ's control haven't.

RJ McGee - FR. Never set foot on the court this year. Could have been a 6'6" SG/SF addition that would be developing this year and maybe contributing nicely.

Collin Mangrum - SR. Transferred to SMU. The staff may have had time to react to this one, but it still sucks losing a senior from a tournament team that poured in as many minutes as Jacob Holmen did the year before. And look at how many Jacob Holmen is being asked to fill this year. Mangrum could have helped this year.

Alzee Williams - SO. injured

As a freshmen last year spelled Josh White in Dominique Johnson's absence, and did an admirable making cuts and collapsing defenses. I saw him filling a similar role this year as a sophomore with increased minutes and leadership roles.

Cam Spencer - SR. injured

Played about as much as Alzee did last year. At 6'8" we lost a much needed inside presence offensively and defensively from last year. His size alone kept defenses from extending to the 3 point line as much as they are this year.

Alonzo Edwards - JR. playing injured (supposedly needs surgery soon?)

Didn't play with the team last year, and really hasn't played enough minutes or been in a game long enough without fouling out to work on any kind of chemistry with the rest of the team.

Tyler Hall - walk-on JR. injured

This walk-on didn't play that much this year before he got hurt and still has the 3rd best FT% on the team. His FG% is right up there with Josh White and Tristan Thompson too, even if it is mop up duty time.

I simply don't understand how this is all JJ's fault. Things didn't work out like he planned them to, and things don't work out nice and neat all the time.

Great information. I believe our kids are mentally and physically exhausted. I do not fault them for this.