UBigbobby

This is an embarrassment.  No one is in to the game.  Absolutely sleepwalking at both ends of the floor.

Looks a lot like the second half of the BGSU game.  CMU hitting their shots, UB is cold, and not locking it down on defense quite enough to make up for it.

Should be a good matchup for UB.  UB's defense (if they show up) should outmatch CMU's offense, and CMU has no defense to speak of.  Their record is better than they really are, and we have them at home.  Would expect a 10-20 point win.  Need that to get back on track.

Dontay is very boom or bust.  Luckily he's been more boom this year.  He's tenacious and one of the best defenders in the nation.  However he's also often wild and out of control and prone to carless turnovers.  Great guy to have coming off the bench.

13 minutes ago, dutchcountry7 said:

Yeah, but the year before (when Ohio was in it) there was only one extra game played--Auburn at Dayton.

If teams think Buffalo is going to be good, they might not want to play them that close to three other tough games.  Remember the game has to be played within a week of the tournament.

Might actually be harder to negotiate a game with a good team.  But if that's the case, it might be a good chance to get Towson or Missouri State to come to Alumni Arena!

I would go this route.  Always nice to get a power conference game, but it would be on the road.  I would like to see them try and get Towson, Missouri State, or St. Joseph's to come to Alumni.  Might even have a chance at UConn.

Keeps the streak of MAC teams in it alive as well.  2018 was Ball State, 2017 was Ohio, and 2016 was WMU.  Hopefully UB does better though than Ball State (7th of 8), Ohio (7th of 8), and WMU (8th of 😎

1 minute ago, dutchcountry7 said:

Why did Penn State pull out of the event?

 

Decided to do the preseason NIT instead.

I understand the feeling that we're a mid-major, so being skeptical of getting an at-large if they stumble in the tournament, but even now after the BG and NIU losses they have a slight chance of staying in the top 25.  They've been ranked in the top 25 for 12 straight weeks rising to #14 twice.  They are currently #23 in the NET.  There is absolutely NO chance this team doesn't get an at large.  Even if they lose one more game, they'll still be fine.  The committee is not going to leave out a team ranked in the top 25 for over half the season and top 25 in NET out of the tournament.  It's just not going to happen, no matter which conference they come from.  

Sordelett moved Ub down a spot to 17 from 16.  They might actually be saved by some of the folks who were ranking them highly already not punishing them much.  Those that had them ranked in the 20s, however, were never believers and are dropping them.

They'll likely be somewhere around 26-28 IMO.  Slight chance they hold on to #25.  Decock (23), Carino (25), and Couch (14) still have them ranked. Rothstein, Bozich, and Vitale (Josh) do not from what I've seen.  If they're out, I think it's unlikely you'll see them back in unless they run the table, in which case they might get enough attention to sneak back in near the end of conference play.  UB is still 23 in the NET though, which matters more for the tournament than the AP Top 25.

2 minutes ago, squire17 said:

The Loss to Marquette: Ran into a buzz saw. The loss to NIU: a fluke possibly affected by the way the game was called. This loss: Many things to pick on but it boils down to giving up 53 second half points. Any additional loss in MAC play takes this team closer to Bubbleland.

Even as of right now, if the season ended today, this is an at-large team.  That isn't even a debate.  Problem is, as Derek said, this is still a long season and they've been starting to trend in the wrong direction.  Good thing is the errors that are costing them are absolutely fixable.  Except Jordan's free throws which are a lost cause.  However, the last couple of weeks the team seems hell bent on playing themselves out of the tournament on onto the bubble, which is worrying.

4 minutes ago, trueblue32 said:

Realistically show me a harder working backcourt in the country than Jordan, Caruthers and Massinburg and we can have this conversation.

When they're playing well and have their heads on straight I'm not sure there is one!  Problem recently has been that the team in general has been taking halves or long stretches of halves off on defense.  It's not about quality, it's about consistency.  They're still fantastic, but the team just goes to sleep on D for long stretches, especially recently.

2 minutes ago, xDerekRx said:

Sky is * falling

*not

Lot of games left. 

It is possible to break down a single game without tossing out the whole season.  Problem is you're so afraid of or adverse to any criticism of a performance from this team that you resort to this kind of hyperbole and straw man to try and dismiss any actual discussion of the game.  

Just now, Jeseph said:

We don’t play consistent defense and I don’t know why but now we have to win in Cleveland and if we don’t play defemse we won’t.

Just don't use the E word or people will have a meltdown.  Consistent defense=effort and focus.

1 minute ago, trueblue32 said:

1.) Save me the bullshit about effort, you weren't watching the same game if you're questioning that.

2.) Harris is struggling but he's still our 3rd best player, benching him isn't the answer. Especially if you're one of the cynical people here that think we have to win the tourney. If that's our only chance than our biggest concern should be getting Harris hot for the tourney (we're still an at Large team tho)

You watch the first half and the second half and tell me that was the same team dedicating themselves on defense.  Tell me that, and I'll tell you that you're a liar.

1 minute ago, trueblue32 said:

Let's not overreact, BG is a better team than NIU and we only dropped 4 spots. We gotta drop 8 to drop out. We'll see but it's not an inevitability.

True, but we also lost games in back to back weeks...that's a baaaaad look.  

Absolute collapse.  This team has a LOT of soul searching to do.  Need to find a way to keep their intensity and effort more consistent.  Far too many swings to make a run in March the way things are going.

I mean, Jordan is so historically bad at free throws that you almost CANNOT have him on the court in big situations like that.

Too little too late.  Took the entire second half off until 4 minutes left.  Just not good enough.   Also, Goddamn Jordan how can anyone be a 30% ft shooter. I mean holy fuck SHAQ was was legendarily bad at free throws was a 52% shooter.

Lack of fight and commitment for nearly the entire second half doomed them.  BG wanted it more.  End of story.  Top 25 was fun while it lasted.  On to the conference tourney I guess.

Please get Harris off the court.  Now.

Now it's just a quest to not get run out of the gym.  What an embarrassment. To be up 8 at the half and now this.   

Epic collapse.  This is turning into a disaster in the making.

Hate me if you want, but UB is getting plain out out-huslted this half on both ends of the court. Total reversal of the first.

CJ trying his best to keep this going but getting almost no help from anyone else on the Bulls.

1 minute ago, ubfan75 said:

Hate to be Captain Obvious, but Harris is killing this game. 

Yup.  The whole team has been bad in the 2nd, but Harris is captain of the suck train.