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As a whole, it was a much better positive bench. Jim was quite amped up, encouraging the bench and crowd. Positivity goes a long way!

I think any expectations that this team would be as good as last years was wishful thinking at best, so I don't think it's reasonable or useful to compare production loss from last years' team to this years team. We don't need to be last years team beating MAC opponents 15 points a night to win the MAC. The talent level on this roster is good enough to be the best in the MAC - I mean look around the league: would you really want to swap out our roster for any other roster? As for CJ and Perk being ready immediately, as freshmen when UB won the MAC with Nate Oats for the first time Perk contributed 7.6 PPG and 4.3 RPG on 19.1 MPG; CJ was 11.3 points and 4.1 rebounds in 25 minutes. Both excellent contributions but not dissimilar from Williams and Segu this year - sure they're doing it a year later than Perk and CJ but that's comparing 2 of the best players in UB history. Hell you could even argue Mballa as a sophomore is ahead of where Perk was as a sophomore. As a team in 15-16 we averaged 77.6 points, 39.1 rebounds, 12.7 assists, 6.9 steals, 3.6 blocks, and 13.7 turnovers on 43.8% shooting (33.7% from deep). This year we are at 77.9 points, 41.2 rebounds, 16.4 assists, 8.7 steals, 4.4 blocks, 14.1 turnovers on 44.3% shooting (33.4% from deep). Pretty on pace to match that years squad for better or worse. What I don't recall about that years squad was their defensive intensity, something this year seems to sorely be lacking. We have players contributing very similarly to how they contributed in 15-16. We stole a championship that year - it was Akron's to lose and it may be again this year. 15-16 wasn't about having enough bodies to make clutch shots down the stretch, it was about THE clutch shot that Hamilton made to win it all. To achieve what Oats did that year all we really have to do is get hot at the right time. We were sitting at 9-8 in MAC play and 2 games over .500 overall in March of that year and I don't think the MAC as a whole was any better that year than this. It just feels different because of some really dud games against teams we know we should be better than and the fact that we just don't know how this season will end yet.

My point was that, after the game, Alabama fans were all over the internet / social media expressing their love for their coach and the brand of basketball he brought. I didn't imply anything about football school or believe that they are a basketball power. They were just happy that Oats was 1 - 0 vs Pearl. I was nostalgic..

Why wouldn't they? He's a great coach and the players love to play for him. It's no surprise at all that he's excelling there. We lost our greatest commodity the day he left and it will be hard to ever get another like him, as there aren't many who are even close to comparable to what he brings to the table.

Fair looking angry but focused. Extra pass to Christie was assist of the game.

UB’s athletic department should put together highlights after each game. I’m sure they could get some student intern to do it.

I hope they go to overtime one game, just to mess with this math.

It is actually a 20% increase. Last year $20.83 per game. This year $25.00 per game.

I don't disagree with either point. We all had some nervousness after falling to 0-2 and having an extremely ugly 2nd game. The staff and team have bounced back solidly, evening up the record. While not playing the traditional "powers" of the league yet, they still have gotten the job done over this last week. I'm sure they must have been (much like many others were as well). What they did has appeared to have worked, at least last night anyway. I have no idea if something happened or was said, or if it was a cumulative effect, regardless, job well done in turning a negative into a positive for the team. As much as some (and especially one or two) like to knock Grant, this team can be better with him than without him. Same goes for a few other players on the team, provided they are all willing to be positive members and take on their roles within the team, whether it's 30 minutes or 0 minutes, whether it's taking 20 shots or 0 shots. If you're on the team, they need to be a collective unit in order to the most success to be achieved this year.

Off-nights, are part of growth. Getting run out of gyms by mediocre teams is what led me to worry and come down hard on the staff. Glad to see him contribute but he also didn't travel with the team for 2 games so there's a chance that the staff was frustrated with him as well...?

I've said it before but Mballa is the MVP of this season. I don't know if it's because Brock can't get anything going or Mballa's just really good, but it's night and day with him on the court.

Admin...please do not lock this thread. I think most UB fans are curious to see how Oats does at Alabama, so having a place to discuss this (such as this one thread) is quite reasonable. Here's a quote I found in a comment on an article about the game: "Not sure what Coach Oats can do when you hit only 68% of free throws and blow a five point lead in final 22 seconds because of ball security. Why Kira Lewis didn’t turn and dribble the ball on inbounds pass rather than call last time (and second one in literally a few seconds) is beyond me. Love the kids natural ability but he has long way to go. Still, much more fun to watch than CAJ’s teams.." Mine is the bold. I think the jury may be out on Oats in Alabama, but the consensus seems to be that the product is more appealing to the fans.

Don’t look at the thread then? If you don’t like it, don’t click? Easy fix for you.