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Charleston Classic - Buffalo vs. Missouri State (11/24 @ 3:30 PM)


BrooklynBull

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17 minutes ago, SGBull said:

Was only able to watch the last 10 minutes of the second half but wow that was a nailbiter. Got a lucky call from the refs at the end and a stupid play where they guard threw away a pass. But a win is a win.

Definitely nail biter, another poor shooting night with the exception of Jordan and Jeenathan. That call wasn’t lucky was a clear foul. Refs missed some other fouls on mz state against us. He hit the big points to close it out, but Johnson needs to get his act together he’s been horrible so far this season and this game he was missing open shots. He’s too talented to not be performing better.

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Espn+ is a godsend. Worked all day, avoided social media. Came home and watched the game, was just as suspenseful as it would have been live. 2-1 is a good showing in the tournament, they should be proud. Johnson had another off night shooting but won the game for us, incredible storyline. Jordan just took over the team, what a game from him. Can’t wait until next Saturday 🤟🏽

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Here are my thoughts on the game:

A game when we certainly did not play our best but we found a way to win a game even when we shot the ball so poorly again.  Sometimes a young team needs to learn how to win and I think tonight we saw that.  This game was won by our defense, no doubt about it.  I am happy with our performance in this tournament.  We played UConn tough and we went 2 and 1 overall.  We did not shoot the ball very well minus the UConn game but our defense as always keeps us in the game.  This team remains with some issues in the interior but hoping that having Bertrum return and continued growth by Hardnett can get us to where we need to be.  As we have all season we played good defense on the perimeter and limited the turnovers, only 9 committed in this game.  We settled for threes more often than I like, overall we were 9 for 29.  I would like to see us take the three when we are open, otherwise look to attack off the dribble and put pressure on the defense by getting to the free throw line.

Coaching-I really enjoyed what I heard from Coach Whitesell on the all access segments.  He remains calm even in the intense moments and that resonates with these kids.  Coach is a a great teacher and the kids seems to really respect him and want to learn from him.  I thought coach made some good adjustments in this game, especially with the adjustments he made to defend the big guy in the post after he took advantage of us early in the game.  The remainder of the game he threw a bunch of different defensive looks which seemed to confuse them and limited the impacts of the big man down low.  I also thought coach did some good things by getting the Bulls to attack the high post when they went to the zone.  This was clearly a good adjustment they made at the half, anytime we got the ball to the high post something good seemed to happen.  AS a side note I loved the segment on his brothers and all of the various jobs they have, very impressive and interesting.

Williams-I would argue this was his best game for the Bulls.  He attacked off the dribble and looked to get to the rim.  He was his usual relentless self on the offensive glass.  He kept a few balls alive with his effort on the offensive glass including a few big plays off free throws in the second half.  He has a knack for the offensive rebound and his effort is tireless.  He limited the turnovers and the three pointers.  I was impressed with this kid.  It is nice to see him coming into his own.  He is going to be a handful for opposing team for years to come.

Graves-He settled for too many jump shots.  He takes so many jumpers with defenders closing out on him.  I would like to see him pump fake and attack off the dribble.  He is a much better player when attacking off the dribble.  He is too athletic to become a jump shooter.  His rebounding and defense were impressive as always.  He looked a little tired, which I would expect with 3 games in 4 nights, he has played a lot of minutes the last 4 days.

Johnson-He was flat out terrible again.  I know, I know he hit a few big free throws down the stretch.  He took some more bad shots and his defense was flat out bad.  The last two games he has shot 2 for 23, yes thats right 2 for 23!  He certainly does not deserve to start, in my mind he deserves limited minutes at this point.  Segu needs to take his minutes.  Johnson is not helping us now and coach needs to limit his minutes like he has with Grant.  Johnson looks so awkward shooting the ball now.  He is a slasher, that is his game.  Shooting is not his strength.  He is one of the worst help defenders I have seen in a long time.  On the defensive end he sees the floor very poorly.  I hope this is just a bad slump and he can turn it around and come out of this, but right now this kid is hurting us and coach needs to make an adjustment to his minutes.

Jordan-He shot the bell well again and even made a few free throws.  His ability to get to the rim and finish are a huge positive for this team especially when they need a bucket. Jordan along with Graves are the leaders of this team and his defense sets the tone for this team.  Like Graves he has also done a good job helping on the glass when he is not getting back to stop a fast break.  Jordan is going to have a huge run come conference play.

MBalla-He still seems to be struggling with the fouls.  He made two fouls that were necessary.  I love how aggressive he is on the defensive end, but he needs to limit the fouls.  This team simply cannot afford him in foul trouble as we do not have the depth needed in the post.  I love what I see from him after he rebounds the ball.  He looks to be comfortable dribbling the ball up the court and starting the break.  He is going to be a beast in this conference.  Mballa is the MVP of this team so far.  He has held down the fort in the post on his own and without him we would be in big big trouble, thank goodness he was granted his waiver.

Grant-Coach limited his minutes tonight.  He was matched up with a post player which seemed to help him on the defensive side.  I liked his shot selection a lot better tonight.  I was nervous going into this game that if they played zone he may take some ill advised shots, but he did not.  I thought his rebounding was better tonight as well.  If he can continue to help on the glass and show he can defend he can carve out some more minutes.

Hardnett-I thought he made some really nice plays.  He showed his athleticism more than he has in any other game.  Like Mballa he had a few silly fouls that limited his time on the court, but he seems to be getting more comfortable and I like what I see.  I think this kid is going to be a stud.  It will take sometime but the ability is there.  As many of you have said lets not lose sight that he is a freshman.  I am enjoying watching hi, develop.  After listening to Whitesell teach these kids on the sideline I cannot think of a better situation to allow him to prosper. 

Segu-He played smart and as you saw in all access with the coach he was a bit bashful to shot against the zone pressure.  Segu played hard on defense as he always does.  I feel strongly as you read above he needs to take many of Johnson's minutes,  Segu should be starting and playing significant minutes.  He is too good to not be on the floor for most of the game.  I have not researched the stats but my guess is he is leading the team in plus minus (a stat I think deserves a lot more attention in basketball).

Nickelberry-He did not play tonight.  I was a bit surprised.  He seemed to be a bit sulky on the bench.  I hope it lights a fire under him and he comes in next week ready to work.  I know he transferred here thinking he would get minutes, but coach is making him earn them, I love it and the message it sends to all of these kids.

Overall a successful tournament.  I think this team showed some growth over this tournament and showed some things that we can build on moving forward.  We have proven we can win even when we shoot the ball poorly.  The recipe to do so has been to defend relentlessly and to limit the turnovers.  This team is going to be good.  Looking back on it, I think the Dartmouth lose will end up being a good thing for this team in the long run.  I like the unselfishness of this team and as I watch them I get the feeling they all really care about each other and want to see each other succeed.  This team will continue to grow as the season goes along.  I personally cannot wait to watch.  There will be bumps in the road but it will be a fun ride.  The goal is to be playing our best come Cleveland!  I cannot wait for Saturday, GO Bulls!

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I gotta say, David Nickelberry has been such a disappointment. It's only 5 games in, but, I really thought he'd be ready day 1. There's plenty of time this season for him to find his game. But him not playing tonight was kind of sad. 

We really need bench production. And I'd say we need Brock Bertram back for some forward depth so him and Mballa can rotate.

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14 hours ago, MaineBull said:

Here are my thoughts on the game:

A game when we certainly did not play our best but we found a way to win a game even when we shot the ball so poorly again.  Sometimes a young team needs to learn how to win and I think tonight we saw that.  This game was won by our defense, no doubt about it.  I am happy with our performance in this tournament.  We played UConn tough and we went 2 and 1 overall.  We did not shoot the ball very well minus the UConn game but our defense as always keeps us in the game.  This team remains with some issues in the interior but hoping that having Bertrum return and continued growth by Hardnett can get us to where we need to be.  As we have all season we played good defense on the perimeter and limited the turnovers, only 9 committed in this game.  We settled for threes more often than I like, overall we were 9 for 29.  I would like to see us take the three when we are open, otherwise look to attack off the dribble and put pressure on the defense by getting to the free throw line.

Coaching-I really enjoyed what I heard from Coach Whitesell on the all access segments.  He remains calm even in the intense moments and that resonates with these kids.  Coach is a a great teacher and the kids seems to really respect him and want to learn from him.  I thought coach made some good adjustments in this game, especially with the adjustments he made to defend the big guy in the post after he took advantage of us early in the game.  The remainder of the game he threw a bunch of different defensive looks which seemed to confuse them and limited the impacts of the big man down low.  I also thought coach did some good things by getting the Bulls to attack the high post when they went to the zone.  This was clearly a good adjustment they made at the half, anytime we got the ball to the high post something good seemed to happen.  AS a side note I loved the segment on his brothers and all of the various jobs they have, very impressive and interesting.

Williams-I would argue this was his best game for the Bulls.  He attacked off the dribble and looked to get to the rim.  He was his usual relentless self on the offensive glass.  He kept a few balls alive with his effort on the offensive glass including a few big plays off free throws in the second half.  He has a knack for the offensive rebound and his effort is tireless.  He limited the turnovers and the three pointers.  I was impressed with this kid.  It is nice to see him coming into his own.  He is going to be a handful for opposing team for years to come.

Graves-He settled for too many jump shots.  He takes so many jumpers with defenders closing out on him.  I would like to see him pump fake and attack off the dribble.  He is a much better player when attacking off the dribble.  He is too athletic to become a jump shooter.  His rebounding and defense were impressive as always.  He looked a little tired, which I would expect with 3 games in 4 nights, he has played a lot of minutes the last 4 days.

Johnson-He was flat out terrible again.  I know, I know he hit a few big free throws down the stretch.  He took some more bad shots and his defense was flat out bad.  The last two games he has shot 2 for 23, yes thats right 2 for 23!  He certainly does not deserve to start, in my mind he deserves limited minutes at this point.  Segu needs to take his minutes.  Johnson is not helping us now and coach needs to limit his minutes like he has with Grant.  Johnson looks so awkward shooting the ball now.  He is a slasher, that is his game.  Shooting is not his strength.  He is one of the worst help defenders I have seen in a long time.  On the defensive end he sees the floor very poorly.  I hope this is just a bad slump and he can turn it around and come out of this, but right now this kid is hurting us and coach needs to make an adjustment to his minutes.

Jordan-He shot the bell well again and even made a few free throws.  His ability to get to the rim and finish are a huge positive for this team especially when they need a bucket. Jordan along with Graves are the leaders of this team and his defense sets the tone for this team.  Like Graves he has also done a good job helping on the glass when he is not getting back to stop a fast break.  Jordan is going to have a huge run come conference play.

MBalla-He still seems to be struggling with the fouls.  He made two fouls that were necessary.  I love how aggressive he is on the defensive end, but he needs to limit the fouls.  This team simply cannot afford him in foul trouble as we do not have the depth needed in the post.  I love what I see from him after he rebounds the ball.  He looks to be comfortable dribbling the ball up the court and starting the break.  He is going to be a beast in this conference.  Mballa is the MVP of this team so far.  He has held down the fort in the post on his own and without him we would be in big big trouble, thank goodness he was granted his waiver.

Grant-Coach limited his minutes tonight.  He was matched up with a post player which seemed to help him on the defensive side.  I liked his shot selection a lot better tonight.  I was nervous going into this game that if they played zone he may take some ill advised shots, but he did not.  I thought his rebounding was better tonight as well.  If he can continue to help on the glass and show he can defend he can carve out some more minutes.

Hardnett-I thought he made some really nice plays.  He showed his athleticism more than he has in any other game.  Like Mballa he had a few silly fouls that limited his time on the court, but he seems to be getting more comfortable and I like what I see.  I think this kid is going to be a stud.  It will take sometime but the ability is there.  As many of you have said lets not lose sight that he is a freshman.  I am enjoying watching hi, develop.  After listening to Whitesell teach these kids on the sideline I cannot think of a better situation to allow him to prosper. 

Segu-He played smart and as you saw in all access with the coach he was a bit bashful to shot against the zone pressure.  Segu played hard on defense as he always does.  I feel strongly as you read above he needs to take many of Johnson's minutes,  Segu should be starting and playing significant minutes.  He is too good to not be on the floor for most of the game.  I have not researched the stats but my guess is he is leading the team in plus minus (a stat I think deserves a lot more attention in basketball).

Nickelberry-He did not play tonight.  I was a bit surprised.  He seemed to be a bit sulky on the bench.  I hope it lights a fire under him and he comes in next week ready to work.  I know he transferred here thinking he would get minutes, but coach is making him earn them, I love it and the message it sends to all of these kids.

Overall a successful tournament.  I think this team showed some growth over this tournament and showed some things that we can build on moving forward.  We have proven we can win even when we shoot the ball poorly.  The recipe to do so has been to defend relentlessly and to limit the turnovers.  This team is going to be good.  Looking back on it, I think the Dartmouth lose will end up being a good thing for this team in the long run.  I like the unselfishness of this team and as I watch them I get the feeling they all really care about each other and want to see each other succeed.  This team will continue to grow as the season goes along.  I personally cannot wait to watch.  There will be bumps in the road but it will be a fun ride.  The goal is to be playing our best come Cleveland!  I cannot wait for Saturday, GO Bulls!

A very good summary of our last few games. Concerned about both Grant and especially Johnson’s overall play. Do agree Johnson’s playing time should decrease until he shows more unselfish play on the offensive end. He is a very selfish player on the offensive end and does not play defense. They came in with more hype than what they really showed with their previous schools. I still think the jury is still out on Williams who continues to force some things on the offensive side and makes some bad decisions on both ends of the floor. Segu is the one player that should be getting more playing time and shows the most improvement from last year. As stated before time will tell if this new group of players can be successful once the MAC season starts. Keeping the positive vibes going and Go Bulls!!!!

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Overall I’m happy for the team that they went 2-1. You can see the genuine joy in them. We hung with UCONN and pulled out two games we probably shouldn’t have won (late game magic against Towson and questionable foul call against Johnson). I think the two wins will go far for this team’s confidence. And they are also great learning lessons and teachable end of game situations. This tournament showed what we excel at and what we are deficient in, and I think that’s a good thing. It’s all building blocks for later. Obviously we all know what needs to improve but over the course of 3 games I saw improvement from most and flashes of improvement from others.  Example: Gabe Grant had a 2 minute stretch in the 2nd half in which he made the hustle plays, scored 4 points and blocked a shot that led to a Segu layup. Probably his best play thus far. So it’s in him. And as far as Johnson...he needs to work on his shot selection. If he improves that, his efficiency should increase and our offensive output should be better. 
 

Time for the guys to rest and eat some turkey, not too much lol. Let’s get after it on Saturday. Go Bulls!

Edited by DooleyBull06
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Another good summary DooleyBull. My brothers and I keep saying to each other to just enjoy the games and try not to be so critical. This is just a really different type of team and hope to see steps of improvement. We were laughing the other day that wee were critical at times of the play last year and they were 32-4!!!! Looking forward to the upcoming games for both the men and women. Go Bulls!!!!

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21 hours ago, John said:

Another good summary DooleyBull. My brothers and I keep saying to each other to just enjoy the games and try not to be so critical. This is just a really different type of team and hope to see steps of improvement. We were laughing the other day that wee were critical at times of the play last year and they were 32-4!!!! Looking forward to the upcoming games for both the men and women. Go Bulls!!!!

But we are fans...that's what we do.  That we are critical at 32 wins is still okay.  It shows the desire to be as good as possible...players and fans.  No one was happy with the season when it ended, but (I think) everyone was happy with the season.   I will think back to that season forever.   It is unreasonable for UB (fans or players) to expect another 32 win season.  We will celebrate that season...five years, ten years, etc. from now and think back to it fondly.  CJ, Perk, Harris, Caruthers, Jordan, Graves, etc...especially the first few guys...they are already UB basketball legends.  Oats will come back at some point (leading Alabama against UB, coaching another team, when he is retired or fired) and he will be warmly received (time will heal those wounds for most)  The stature of those players will only grow as time passes.  We will compare players to CJ, to Perk, to others.  Heck, the comparison is already happening a few games into the season now.

So...I am still going to enjoy the games this year AND...be critical.  Some on this board seem to find this position untenable..and, I think, at least one has left the board.  But that is their problem, not mine.  

I bleed blue.  I live and die (figuratively) with the UB sports teams I follow.  It was nerve-rackingly painful to watch the UCONN game since we were so close late.   Somehow we managed to defeat Towson and then survived the Sunday game.  It is good to watch the new guys perform and see the other guys develop (or not, as the case may be).    They were sooo happy to win on Sunday.  It is great to see that.

But...in closing...I am still going to be critical, while also being supportive and enjoy the games.  As the Bulls move into MAC play in January, I look forward to catching a few games in person.

Go Bulls!

 

 

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5 hours ago, UB92 said:

But we are fans...that's what we do.  That we are critical at 32 wins is still okay.  It shows the desire to be as good as possible...players and fans.  No one was happy with the season when it ended, but (I think) everyone was happy with the season.   I will think back to that season forever.   It is unreasonable for UB (fans or players) to expect another 32 win season.  We will celebrate that season...five years, ten years, etc. from now and think back to it fondly.  CJ, Perk, Harris, Caruthers, Jordan, Graves, etc...especially the first few guys...they are already UB basketball legends.  Oats will come back at some point (leading Alabama against UB, coaching another team, when he is retired or fired) and he will be warmly received (time will heal those wounds for most)  The stature of those players will only grow as time passes.  We will compare players to CJ, to Perk, to others.  Heck, the comparison is already happening a few games into the season now.

So...I am still going to enjoy the games this year AND...be critical.  Some on this board seem to find this position untenable..and, I think, at least one has left the board.  But that is their problem, not mine.  

I bleed blue.  I live and die (figuratively) with the UB sports teams I follow.  It was nerve-rackingly painful to watch the UCONN game since we were so close late.   Somehow we managed to defeat Towson and then survived the Sunday game.  It is good to watch the new guys perform and see the other guys develop (or not, as the case may be).    They were sooo happy to win on Sunday.  It is great to see that.

But...in closing...I am still going to be critical, while also being supportive and enjoy the games.  As the Bulls move into MAC play in January, I look forward to catching a few games in person.

Go Bulls!

 

 

No problem about being critical and we will always see plays and players that should perform or make plays that can be more successful. What I was trying to say is we are still going to be critical but we are trying to enjoy the games and stay in the moment. We all have to enjoy the success and hope the players appreciate all the support from us diehard fans that have been True Blue fans for the last 40-50 years. Go Bulls!!!!

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