UB85

On 2/19/2020 at 7:55 PM, skrabukes said:

Anyone predicting 13-5 heading into the season was really thinking pretty positively. 13 wins in this league isn't easy. Just because we got 16 last year and Akron had 17 a few year's back, doesn't mean that 13 wins is a given for anyone. The talent levels are much closer than most think in the MAC. A 67% win percentage only gets you to 12 wins, and winning 2 out of every 3 is no small feat, especially the year after graduating 4 All-MAC players. Beyond Jordan and Graves getting solid minutes over their careers here, and AJ getting good minutes 2 years ago (and sitting out all last year), this team didn't have a lot of game play experience at the D-1 level. Mballa, Williams, Segu didn't play very much last year. Grant didn't play tons at Houston 2 years ago (again, sitting out all last year). Hardnett sat out all last year, Brock has sparingly played, Nickelberry from JUCO last year and Memphis beforehand, and Gallion is a newcomer. The players now have gained a great deal of experience over the course of the season and are gelling at the right time, getting their defensive games in order and growing with each other. If you want to knock the coaches, you're crazy. If you don't think that this team is far better now than earlier in the season, you're even crazier. While all teams have the goal of getting better throughout the season, it doesn't always happen. Injuries, fatigue, in-house drama, etc. occur hindering growth. This team is definitely looking like a team ready to roll as opposed to ready for the season to end.

Reasonable. But weren’t people saying pre season that this team would have more depth and potentially nearly as good as last years team. I know there were a lot of extremely optimistic pre season outlooks. Now we’ve seen these guys be world beaters to a low mid one would have to say the season has been a successful one. A few more wins would go a long long way. 

Just now, skrabukes said:

F-ing EMU allows 6 points in 6 seconds, squandering a 4 point lead in the final 15 seconds to NIU. Lovely

And Kent wins! I’m not sure what the flaw is, but there is a serious one with this team. If we had just a stinker or two you could write it off. But after tonight it’s at least six if not more. I suspect leadership is one problem. 
 

Anyway time to file this one away, learn what you can and then beat the crap out the zippos Saturday. Go get ‘em guys!!!

5 minutes ago, Kevin said:

Akron losing it what makes you still happy?

It came to BG

Because if they could lose every game I would be happy. Just a huge fan of any team that plays those ............!

Well I’m still happy. Akron gets what they deserve a Big L!!! 

18 minutes ago, dbburns said:

These refs have been horrendous.  I’ve seen at least 5 instances there should have been a foul on Ohio based on how they’re calling fouls on us....this is blatant, they’re giving the game to Ohio

I wouldn’t blame this one on the refs. I’d start with a serious lack of focus and intensity then go from there 

Just now, squire17 said:

You are right. Fight to the bitter end

Absolutely!!!! But these guys aren’t fighting during the game. They get burned on the same plays repeatedly. Either dumb players or poor coaching. 

2 minutes ago, 961819 said:

Someone needs to step up with some energy. This is where Savion should come in and provide energy and a spark

He should have been in much sooner. 

This. Is. Ugly. 

Is it me or has Graves defensive ability regressed substantially from last year?

3 minutes ago, Kevin said:

They've gone back on a run every single time Grant checks back in

Mballa should defend VP! And needs to get his rear going because he is emotional leader of this team. 

17 minutes ago, Erie County said:

Vander Plas gets every single call

He deserves it. He works his tail off every second he’s on the court. I’d like to see our guys learn a thing or two from him. 

Fortunately I missed the first half. But it sounds like Dr. Jekyll showed up tonight. Meanwhile sounds like Ohio is playing in manner that befits the game, great team basketball not the NBA selfish and me-first version that is so prevalent today. 

44 minutes ago, Jeseph said:

Looks like Jordan Dartis may be a game time decision for Ohio

Hasn’t he had injury problems for quite a while now?

Big BIG Game!!! Let's Goooooooo!!

3 hours ago, squire17 said:

Agreed. A big if...but IMO Mballa has already surpassed Perk as a rebounder and a defensive force.

How about shot blocker?

They've got to do a much better job defending Vander Plas.

4 minutes ago, UBlearns said:

I gotta think 2-2 in these last four gets them into the top 4.  UB has the tiebreaker on Central, who would have to go 5-0.  Kent would need to go 4-0, which is a tall task with Akron and BG on the schedule.  Just gotta hope that Ball State/NIU cannibalize each other and one of the bottom-half West teams sneaks an upset.

Still, though, seeding aside, Akron really does appear to be a class above the rest of the conference this year.  UB can beat them (clearly, since they already did), but it's their conference to lose this year.

Gotta start with a win Tuesday. I can’t wait to see Akron get knocked off again. 

I watched some of the Virginia Pitt game yesterday. Tony Bennett is the best defensive coach in the NCAA. And his big guys all stepped up and challenged the opposing dribbler on the ball screen. Not sure why we didn’t against Kent but I wish we did. 

18 hours ago, UBlearns said:

Honestly, I agree with this Fred guy.  

Mental illness is no joke.  None of us know what Frye has gone through or what the backstory is here.  At the end of the day, these players are people too.

I hope UB routs BG on the court, of course, but I also hope that Frye gets (or has received) whatever help he needs.  No need to bring personal stuff into the game.....let our guys' play on the court do the talking.

Just my two cents.

Mental illness is no joke. However having read the BG board on Frye it seems far more likely that he was pissed with the coach’s pattern of substitutions and how it affected him. Having watched him closely over the last four years this seems very likely as he always seemed like a pampered prima Donna on the court. Now if it is mental illness than of course the kid gets a pass.  

9 hours ago, 961819 said:

Lol sounds good coach 

Didn’t mean to hurt your feelings. I respect your view, but as the play ran Friday and I’ve seen run countless times before showed not starting the play at 10 seconds or more, unless you have someone who can create his shot at will and we don’t have that, is doomed to failure. And your approach imo is playing not to lose. I much prefer to have a positive mental outlook and believe that my guys are better than yours and seize the moment. 

6 minutes ago, skrabukes said:

The 1 seed seems pretty unlikely now, with BG and Akron both at 11 wins, with one of the guaranteed to get to 12 wins since they play each other. We would have to win out and hope either BG or Akron (the winner of their matchup) loses to their other two opponents. Seems pretty unlikely. We can only control what we can control, so hopefully UB can get at least 2 more wins. Maybe CMU will help us out here as they're in OT with NIU right now.

Huge game Tuesday night!!! Gotta bring it from the opening tap. 

10 minutes ago, 961819 said:

It’s like you didn’t read what I said though...they TIME their plays, they have a feel for how long the play takes and at the end of a game when it’s tied and you’re holding for the last shot, you want to make sure time expires while the ball is in the air. Executing earlier into the clock would’ve left time on the clock for Kent to do something with. 

I read it. Just disagree with it. 

1 hour ago, Kevin said:

Meanwhile Ohio is up 15 against BG at half.

I tuned in to hear theBG annoucers cheering for BG buckets and calling And-1s. Also, complaining about the refs when BG has only committed 2 fouls

Those two knuckleheads should be banned from the airways. 

1 hour ago, DooleyBull06 said:

Agree. I hate waiting until 6 seconds left to make a move bc then all you have is iso ball. I also agree that we don’t wanna go too soon and give them the last shot. But with our rebounding abilities we should go at around 10 seconds and if we miss have a chance for the o-board. 

We failed when no timeout was called and failed when one was called. So obviously it’s something that needs more prep and practice.  There were a few things at the end of regulation and OT that were mistakes that when can grow and learn from. Example: Jeenathan’s inbound mental lapse. It’s all about learning and gaining that experience to grow. As I’ve said in other post...we’ve won and lost games in all types of fashions. All of which make us battle tested and mentally ready. Last nights had a MAC tournament vibe to it. It was a big win.

It can work. Just have to have the right player and play. BG just beat Ohio with a Justin Turner basket with 2.2 to go. Turner got a screen, a switch, rest of teammates were on baseline (eg plenty of room to go one on one.) and after making the big guy look silly made the basket. And he didn’t go at it until 6.9 seconds left. Boals blew it from the Ohio bench. Absolutely no bobkitten even moved to help. 
 

And to rub salt in the wounds Ohio missed the front end of a one and one with 17 seconds left. 
 

56 minutes ago, 961819 said:

Can assure you the time they started the play is directly based off how the play they were going to run was designed. It’s a situational thing, there isn’t a set time for when a last possession play should start 

Edit- especially with how well Kent was shooting all night, last thing they want to do is score too quick and leave any time on the clock 

To allow it to happen is just poor preparation. Failing to prepare is preparing to fail! It would be different if we had a player who was so far superior to everyone on the floor that you could guarantee a good shot. We are not that lucky. You must start the play whatever it is with more than 7-8 seconds in the clock especially when that play darts near half court.