Agree with much that has been said, especially about game planning & lack of toughness. Incredible that this happened when refs were not in the typical home team TUC mentality and, particularly, that much happened when their double-double machine (Anosike) was on the bench with 4 fouls, including a tech. Pathetic!
And let's not forget Taj's stat line:
16 minutes, 0-4 from the floor, 1-2 from the line, 2 reb. Yechhhhh
Armand is a streak shooter... he is like a running back that needs touches to put up his yards. Get him in the game. He may not be great on D but neither is the rest of this team.
They had Siena's bigs in foul trouble early.... why didn't they continue to push the ball to Glover and let him go at them? It seems to me that you have a few too many guys playing for themselves here.
Do these guys understand time? They had how much time and then rushed two shots? Did you see Glovers face when that happened?
At this point it is clear that Glover needs to take over this team if it is going to go anywhere.
ctbill, what lesson do they learn that wasn't already taught by Purdue, Hofstra, Manhattan? St Pete's last March? You play smart and intense for 40 minutes. When things are not going your way (Manhattan and Siena cutting the lead to nine), you don't leave your game plan you return to your game plan.
And, TC, where's the bench depth that I thought would be our strong suit? We wear ourselves out instead of the opponent.
Jerry, this game wasn't about the team's effort, imo. We pressed them and built an 18 point lead, largely due to the fact that they couldn't hit a shot in the first few minutes. You knew the shots were going to start falling. At some point we stopped pressing, and to Cluess's credit this team has got to learn to play effectively in an half court set. Problem is we went ice cold from 3, and there are going to be nights when that happens. When a team is packed in a 2-3 zone and we're shooting 3-16 from 3, its hard to score points. MoMo and Scott had to try to penetrate and create some looks. Unfortunately, I remember down the stretch MoMo taking a couple of shots with two guys draped on him.
Bottom line is that we need to stretch teams out, but we also need to learn to manage leads better. This wasn't a failure of effort imo. Some times you just throw out a stinker. Problem is we had no room for error re an at large bid. Now we have the freedom to work on this team. Cluess needs to have a meeting with these guys and impress upon them that they are not winning a MAAC championship unless they band together and play like a team, put their egos and personal numbers, NBA scouts, ESPN articles aside.
Man its funny how fast things blow up here. Sean is leaving? Cluess is talking to St. John's? There is plenty of time for guys to pursue other things in the off-season. Right now there is a championship open for the taking, Cluess is being paid by the only school that would take a chance on him to finish this out.
Let's have a come to Jesus meeting and decide what we want to do. And if its screw around and "get mine" let us all know on the board so we can pursue another hobby.
ctbill, what lesson do they learn that wasn't already taught by Purdue, Hofstra, Manhattan? St Pete's last March? You play smart and intense for 40 minutes. When things are not going your way (Manhattan and Siena cutting the lead to nine), you don't leave your game plan you return to your game plan.
And, TC, where's the bench depth that I thought would be our strong suit? We wear ourselves out instead of the opponent.
Jerry, this game wasn't about the team's effort, imo. We pressed them and built an 18 point lead, largely due to the fact that they couldn't hit a shot in the first few minutes. You knew the shots were going to start falling. At some point we stopped pressing, and to Cluess's credit this team has got to learn to play effectively in an half court set. Problem is we went ice cold from 3, and there are going to be nights when that happens. When a team is packed in a 2-3 zone and we're shooting 3-16 from 3, its hard to score points. MoMo and Scott had to try to penetrate and create some looks. Unfortunately, I remember down the stretch MoMo taking a couple of shots with two guys draped on him.
Bottom line is that we need to stretch teams out, but we also need to learn to manage leads better. This wasn't a failure of effort imo. Some times you just throw out a stinker. Problem is we had no room for error re an at large bid. Now we have the freedom to work on this team. Cluess needs to have a meeting with these guys and impress upon them that they are not winning a MAAC championship unless they band together and play like a team, put their egos and personal numbers, NBA scouts, ESPN articles aside.
Man its funny how fast things blow up here. Sean is leaving? Cluess is talking to St. John's? There is plenty of time for guys to pursue other things in the off-season. Right now there is a championship open for the taking, Cluess is being paid by the only school that would take a chance on him to finish this out.
Let's have a come to Jesus meeting and decide what we want to do. And if its screw around and "get mine" let us all know on the board so we can pursue another hobby.
There is no solid information Cluess leaving for another school correct? The Armand twitter is poison though. That is very immature IMO.
Jerry, this game wasn't about the team's effort, imo. We pressed them and built an 18 point lead, largely due to the fact that they couldn't hit a shot in the first few minutes. You knew the shots were going to start falling. At some point we stopped pressing, and to Cluess's credit this team has got to learn to play effectively in an half court set. Problem is we went ice cold from 3, and there are going to be nights when that happens. When a team is packed in a 2-3 zone and we're shooting 3-16 from 3, its hard to score points. MoMo and Scott had to try to penetrate and create some looks. Unfortunately, I remember down the stretch MoMo taking a couple of shots with two guys draped on him.
Bottom line is that we need to stretch teams out, but we also need to learn to manage leads better. This wasn't a failure of effort imo. Some times you just throw out a stinker. Problem is we had no room for error re an at large bid. Now we have the freedom to work on this team. Cluess needs to have a meeting with these guys and impress upon them that they are not winning a MAAC championship unless they band together and play like a team, put their egos and personal numbers, NBA scouts, ESPN articles aside.
Man its funny how fast things blow up here. Sean is leaving? Cluess is talking to St. John's? There is plenty of time for guys to pursue other things in the off-season. Right now there is a championship open for the taking, Cluess is being paid by the only school that would take a chance on him to finish this out.
Let's have a come to Jesus meeting and decide what we want to do. And if its screw around and "get mine" let us all know on the board so we can pursue another hobby.
There is no solid information Cluess leaving for another school correct? The Armand twitter is poison though. That is very immature IMO.
I think (hope!) Sean was just venting. I really hate the players having Twitter accounts because of that sort of thing. (We immature fans venting on message boards is more than enough trouble. ) Before Twitter, someone in his situation might gripe to his friends, parents or teammates, but it wouldn't go out to the world, and then it would blow over the next day.
He had a tweet this morning about going to class, to the gym and back to class, so that sounds encouraging.
1. This team is soft as butter, no toughness. We've now seen a couple instances where with a nice lead the opponent said, "we're taking this right outta your hands", and we just let them do it. Not the stuff champions are made of.
Dead on Guy. We can't keep whining everytime something doesn't go our way, a call especially. Put your head down and keep fighting. Lots of call are going to go against us. Especially on the road.
1. This team is soft as butter, no toughness. We've now seen a couple instances where with a nice lead the opponent said, "we're taking this right outta your hands", and we just let them do it. Not the stuff champions are made of.
Dead on Guy. We can't keep whining everytime something doesn't go our way, a call especially. Put your head down and keep fighting. Lots of call are going to go against us. Especially on the road.
I agree with both of you and add that they lack deterimination. If they had that characteristic you win last night and against Manhattan. Mr. Cluess and staff I believe thats where you come into play!
Dead on Guy. We can't keep whining everytime something doesn't go our way, a call especially. Put your head down and keep fighting. Lots of call are going to go against us. Especially on the road.
I agree with both of you and add that they lack deterimination. If they had that characteristic you win last night and against Manhattan. Mr. Cluess and staff I believe thats where you come into play!
I tell my kids all the time, life isn't fair and if you expect it to be, you're gonna be disappointed. Its good, but it isn't fair. Same with basketball.
Post by gaeloarsman on Jan 24, 2012 9:33:21 GMT -5
The athletic department teaches the student athletes how twitter should be handled. I feel at times some of the guys too toe the line. "The line" is tough to properly define since this is a new form of communication but the general idea is if you wouldn't say it in a press conference then don't say ot on twitter and of Seans post is indeed a reference to his situation at Iona then that was a bad call.
Enough with the speculation about Cluess leaving. I for one think it is nonsense at this point. Does anyone think risk averse SJU would take a chance on Cluess now, when he is struggling to manage better talent than SJU has right now? TC would need to do more than win 20+ games a season a few years in a row, while blowing close games and the conf championship. SJU isn't desperate like a Fordham, ready to throw money and a job at a coach who has never won in the post season, or gotten to the NCAAs in the first place. He needs to demonstrate that he can get the team he has now to play up to, or at least close to, their collective talent level, if he hopes to go to a school like SJU. He's a coach with a lot of potential, but if we look honestly at last season, and this season so far, you'll have to agree that TC has a lot of growing to do at the D1 level.
This team would be better if they never got Momo. I think the offense is way more dangerous when you always have 2 of the 3 3 point shooters on the court: Smyth, Jenkins, Armand. Having Momo prevents this.
Maybe he will lead us to a maac championship and an NCAA win, but I highly doubt that and based on what has happenned thus far I wish we were just going with Armand and Jenkins with the minutes MoMo is getting.
This team is going to lose in the semis of the Maac tourney and go to the CIT(if they accept the bid). I just don't see things changing this late in the season. Gaels will lose 8 regular season games and may end up in 2nd.
I still think they can beat anyone on a given night but they also have shown they can lose to anyone.
Imagine the odds vegas would give you to say they would blow a 17 point lead with 8 minutes to play at home and get spotted an 18 point lead and lose to an under .500 team. Hard to fathom this happenned once nevermind twice.
Post by hawaii bill on Jan 24, 2012 9:45:49 GMT -5
Scott gets his second foul last night, which was a terrible call - offensive foul he barely touched the kid 15 feet from the basket - at about 13:30 with the score 20-7. He sits and we go about 4 mins before we get another field goal. This is the turning point, imo. We have to be able to score without Scott in the game. If we can't, we have to be able to lock the other team down until he gets back. Put this in the mental toughness category.
Again 3-16 from 3 hurts us a lot. Last night Kyle struggled with his shot. Looked to me like he forced a few, far from the basket and not in rhythm when he took them. We want to dictate the tempo, but if we can't or it isn't working we have to play within the flow of the game. We cannot panic and force shots. If we lose, so be it. Can't be afraid to lose.
This team would be better if they never got Momo. I think the offense is way more dangerous when you always have 2 of the 3 3 point shooters on the court: Smyth, Jenkins, Armand. Having Momo prevents this.
Maybe he will lead us to a maac championship and an NCAA win, but I highly doubt that and based on what has happenned thus far I wish we were just going with Armand and Jenkins with the minutes MoMo is getting.
This team is going to lose in the semis of the Maac tourney and go to the CIT(if they accept the bid). I just don't see things changing this late in the season. Gaels will lose 8 regular season games and may end up in 2nd.
I still think they can beat anyone on a given night but they also have shown they can lose to anyone.
Imagine the odds vegas would give you to say they would blow a 17 point lead with 8 minutes to play at home and get spotted an 18 point lead and lose to an under .500 team. Hard to fathom this happenned once nevermind twice.
That's all well and good Joebird, but we got MoMo, he appears to be a good kid and he's a talented basketball player. Cluess has to find a way to make this work.
From what I see of all our players, I like them personally. Some might be too fixated on being "stars' right now and might not understand what it means to be a "star." Guys who do little things to help the team win are highly valued. MoMo, Scott, Sean, Kyle, Glove, Randy right on down the line. Its a TEAM sport. They have to ask themselves every day, am I helping this TEAM win a championship?
(We immature fans venting on message boards is more than enough trouble. )
LOL, Bingo!
You know it isn't really an LOL. The players don't care what we say as fans, but they care what their team mates say. It can really hurt a team. We can't!