thatdudeBlume

4 minutes ago, DooleyBull06 said:

Download the cbs sports app and login using your cable credentials and you can watch whatever sports are on cbs sports

I get CBS Sports with my Hulu live package. I can watch it on my phone if I'm not home on wifi. I also get ESPN+ integrated with my Hulu subscription. The only UB games I don't get are the early season tournament games that end up on FloHoops

Regardless of result this is the most inspired and energetic the team has looked all season

12 minutes ago, RapidsFan said:

https://youtu.be/A-RS-utuXbQ

I strongly discourage clicking this link due to extremely poor content

Mballa 1-5 and 0-4 from 3. Can't have this at all and keep winning these tough games. Him and Skogman need to see the ball more inside. Need to fight harder for boards.

Love 4 in a row. 

With 4 guys at 3 fouls I'd say we're in some trouble here if they keep outpacing us on offense and forcing our hand

15 minutes ago, Erie County said:

holy cow the old logo, what year was this? I think I was there with my dad.

Roll call, I was there too. Woulda been sophomore year. Was a fun season until the end

6 minutes ago, squire17 said:

Any time you play in the MAC crowd noise is a factor. Western Michigan fans are tough.

That must be it. I can barely hear the missed shots. 

Skogman shows a lot of basketball smarts which seems to help his matchups. I continue to root for him to be a pillar down low, just need to avoid the fouls. I wish Hardnett could take a lesson from him.

1 minute ago, Jeseph said:

Brewton needs to be downgraded to reserve

He's not only cold, he down right doesn't make shots on a regular basis. Just not D1 dude

3 minutes ago, Erie County said:

Why is Bivens playing over your top recruit blocker or even Perry?

Ex..uhh, exper... uhh, experience? Maybe? Does he have any of that? I'd love to see more Blocker and Madding. Like play them until they foul out or just completely suck, or not? This is the game to do it. Quality ooc and down 2 guys...

8 hours ago, BasketBull said:

Bona is an excellent team with an excellent coach. I’ll be rooting for UB but these programs are clearly in different places at the moment.

There's really no debating this. Unless something drastic happens in the next week or so, UB is going to get embarrassed right out of the gym. 

29 minutes ago, SGBull said:

I agree with everything you said, one thing that has surprised me is his competence on the fast break. If he steals the ball he can dribble end to end, take two steps from the three point line, and still finish gracefully. 

And out of the gate this season he did not display this aptitude. Thinking back on the first few games he looked terrible when he had the ball in his hands in the open court like he had no idea what to do with it. It even looked like he didn't want the ball at all and was looking to pass as quick as possible. I think I recall him even dribbling off his feet a few times. But to see his confidence flying high now and ability to take it end to end - the dude is a work horse and will only continue to get better. 

In the first half last night against Ball St he had a play I'm so sorry he wasn't able to finish. Brought the ball up on a break, picked up speed as he hit the 3 pt line and drove right at 2 Ball St defenders with authority. If he didn't get fouled right before the rim he was going to bring the entire basket down with that dunk. He so deserved that moment. 

His ability to be patient, stay home and let the play come to him and defend the post is the top reason we've been able to stay ahead in these tight MAC games. MAC teams should be scared of this dude. He's going to be a force.

14 hours ago, skrabukes said:

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!

The team's energy as whole was way higher (even with some guys sick) and that all flowed down from coach to end the of the bench.  At this point in the season it's clear this team has not met the lofty expectations of most but the fact that these kids can still feed off positivity from coach to win another conference game, a critical home game, is huge. They need short memories, take each game as it comes and improve on the last.

Fact is, they're just an average team this year. Currently 113th in AdjO which is above average overall, middle of the pack in the MAC. Defense is clearly what's killing them. They're not going to blow anyone out this year. But that doesn't spell doom. Gotta take the wins anyway they can get them. The focus has to be getting a little better each game on defense and on getting a seed line in Cleveland with a shot to win.

Just now, 961819 said:

We’ve gotta be one of the worst free throw shooting teams in the country 

Yes

3 minutes ago, UB05 said:

Johnson COME ON man 

That 3rd foul was atrocious 

Love how they're working the ball in low to Mballa. Teams will be targeting him but he's proven to be effective. 

OK, so that was my knee jerk reaction. They're now looking sharp but the defensive lapses cannot continue 

This is unreal. A must win game and already down 10 by the first media time out. This team is imploding. Gross. 

10 minutes ago, Jeseph said:

Ok I’m officially worried

+1

Gents, uggggh. I fear we're doomed this season. Some reason for optimism for next year, but I fear we've hit the down slope. 

Literally no one can finish at the rim. This has been an issue all season long. 

And then we finally get a finish by Hardnett with chance for a and 1 and miss the free throw. Infuriating. 

1 minute ago, DooleyBull06 said:

Yea bc the answer for defense is to switch to a defense we don’t play. That makes sense. If communication and defensive rebounding is a problem for us then how do you guys feel a zone will make that any better? Have you ever seen teams that don’t play zone try to play a zone? Also if 3s are falling for the opposing team a zone will only encourage more 3 taking. This team is lost, using a zone won’t help imo.

That's fine. Appreciate your point. Was just posing a question, where does it start? What can they do to defend against teams shooting 50+%?

Just now, Erie County said:

Wouldn't that be because of the defense? Everyone has a higher FG% against UB's 300th ranked defense.

So where do the improvements need to be made on defense to prevent the 3s? Do they need to focus on transition and breaking up the play at mid court? Or do they need to figure out some type of zone defense against it? 

OK so our defense is trash again but seriously, how does every team hit all the 3s against us? Even contested 3s are splashing, wtf

As others have said, impossible to know which team shows up tonight but the defense has to be priority. They've shown that they can turn up intensity and force turnovers and get teams to start beating themselves (Townson, late vs NIU). I'd like to see them open up with a press defense to set the tone and bring it back if the lead slips. The energy and momentum that can come from forced turnovers is what they need to drive offense. Stay focused and out of foul trouble. Contest 3s and rebound like your life depends on it. Let's get some 2nd chance buckets!