Then all have to come together now. They have to be a team playing all together.

Some of them have to accept their roles first. Penny needs to make this a point of emphasis. Tighten up the rotation to ~8 and ride with it.

I think it will be great for the team to do this to start getting into shape for next season. Drop the team off 10 miles from the arena and they can all run to it... hopefully in time to watch the games. Hopefully they keep running all summer too

Maybe the quality of play isn't what it was 15 years ago, but comparing this year’s team to our last final four squad… good grief, it wouldn’t be a competitive game. I just don’t see this team as being anything more than Sweet 16 level; unless the brackets blow up like they did last year for FAU.

(01-19-2024 03:03 PM)Marc Mensa Wrote:  Maybe the quality of play isn't what it was 15 years ago, but comparing this year’s team to our last final four squad… good grief, it wouldn’t be a competitive game. I just don’t see this team as being anything more than Sweet 16 level; unless the brackets blow up like they did last year for FAU.

But it SHOULD be a Sweet 16 team. This team is capable of that.

(01-19-2024 03:24 PM)Claw Wrote:  

(01-19-2024 03:03 PM)Marc Mensa Wrote:  Maybe the quality of play isn't what it was 15 years ago, but comparing this year’s team to our last final four squad… good grief, it wouldn’t be a competitive game. I just don’t see this team as being anything more than Sweet 16 level; unless the brackets blow up like they did last year for FAU.

But it SHOULD be a Sweet 16 team. This team is capable of that.

they are, but they are also just as likely to flame out in the 1st round.

(01-19-2024 03:32 PM)Marc Mensa Wrote:  

(01-19-2024 03:24 PM)Claw Wrote:  

(01-19-2024 03:03 PM)Marc Mensa Wrote:  Maybe the quality of play isn't what it was 15 years ago, but comparing this year’s team to our last final four squad… good grief, it wouldn’t be a competitive game. I just don’t see this team as being anything more than Sweet 16 level; unless the brackets blow up like they did last year for FAU.

But it SHOULD be a Sweet 16 team. This team is capable of that.

they are, but they are also just as likely to flame out in the 1st round.

Unfortunately, the way we play is just the recipe for a Cinderella upset. We don’t defend the 3 well and struggle to keep teams off the offensive glass. If a team gets hot from outside, we could be in trouble.

We’ve seen this team overwhelm opponents, but far too often we let teams hang around. Last night it bit us.

(01-19-2024 01:47 PM)Steve davis Wrote:  Then all have to come together now. They have to be a team playing all together.

I agree that this is the fork in the road of the season. Got to get with it or get hit with it.

(01-19-2024 02:20 PM)T-County Tiger Wrote:  Some of them have to accept their roles first. Penny needs to make this a point of emphasis. Tighten up the rotation to ~8 and ride with it.

Not gonna happen because his 2 sons wouldn’t be in the rotation of the top 8 players, but they are going to play here.

This team ain’t sniffing the final four

We have the talent to make a deep run in the tournament and it all could depend on the luck of the draw.

I also know how bad we can play in stretches and a nobody could knock us out in the first round.

(01-19-2024 04:09 PM)true_blue_thru_and_thru Wrote:  

(01-19-2024 01:47 PM)Steve davis Wrote:  Then all have to come together now. They have to be a team playing all together.

I agree that this is the fork in the road of the season. Got to get with it or get hit with it.

They have the rest of Jan and Feb to get at it, and to get it together.

(01-19-2024 04:33 PM)MemTigers1998 Wrote:  

(01-19-2024 02:20 PM)T-County Tiger Wrote:  Some of them have to accept their roles first. Penny needs to make this a point of emphasis. Tighten up the rotation to ~8 and ride with it.

Not gonna happen because his 2 sons wouldn’t be in the rotation of the top 8 players, but they are going to play here.

It is what it is. Love all of our players but...several are taking minutes away from more talented players. It isnt that they get a few minutes, it is when they get them.

15-3 is great but we should be 17-1 right now and staring solidly at a 1 or 2 seed. Instead we are likely looking a 5 seed or so right now. We have minimal momentum despite being 15-3.

We have the talent, we have the experience, we even have the coaching I believe for an E8 or FF run overall but Pennys substitutions are killing our cohesion and momentum almost every game. It will also stunt our post season performance as well I believe and has already made the road more difficult.

Still, in the big dance, so much is the luck of the draw. Anything could happen..but at this pace it isn't likely we make a deep run. We lack continuity.

The first step is to not hate each other

Ain’t happening with this crew.[/align]

O. Bust the Trey Ball
O. Bust the 10 ft. J
O Control the offensive Boards
O no stupid turnovers and make the free throws
D. Control the Defensive Boards
D. Check the opponent’s Trey Ball
D. Play tight D and NO stupid fouls or turnovers

Do any coaches ever think to have all the players eat some mushroom tea together on a weekend for real bonding purposes?

well we've made maybe 6 runs in 80 years.

Realistically we have top 64 and probably top 32 talent to get in the dance. On the borderline if we have sweet 16 talent but throw in minutes allocated to Jaden and Ashton we drop back to top 64 talent. And add on coaching decisions, substitutions, and coaching philosophy we are top 64 but no better. In summary, anything better than round of 32 with current team/coach should be considered successful season.

(01-19-2024 10:06 PM)fsquid Wrote:  well we've made maybe 6 runs in 80 years.

1957 NIT finals - yes that counts
1973 NCAA finals
1982,83, 84 Sweet 16
1985 FF
1992 Elite 8
1995 Sweet 16
2005,06,07 Sweet 16
2008 NCAA finals
2009 Sweet 16

So that’s 13 seasons imo that were really good. You gotta have some luck to get further than a sweet 16 imo

When we got a really great coach we had a cluster of them. Not sure that can be done now with all the player turnover. I think Penny is partly right in that outside of JQ his players all come from losing cultures. But it’s his job to weed all that out and get them to buy in. It’s his fault if they don’t. He needs to look in the mirror imo