Gotta love all the coaching "advice" that surfaces after an L.
I'm sure there's nobody more upset about it than our coaches and players.
There are games where there's just a few degrees of separation between a W and an L. Sometimes you fall on the right side and sometimes you don't. This was a game that we didn't.
Let's relax, be grateful for the solid coaches and players we have and focus on being the best team in the MAAC.
Hey, don't get me wrong, we're going to tear the league to pieces. But those of you worrying about ncaa seeding have to realize we are just not a great team. A good team, certainly, but not a great one.
The greatest poster in the history of the MAAC as determined by THREE separate polls.
Hey, don't get me wrong, we're going to tear the league to pieces. But those of you worrying about ncaa seeding have to realize we are just not a great team. A good team, certainly, but not a great one.
Completely agree, we are a good team with the potential to be great but need a lot of fine tuning. Last night i think we played good but late game execution is something we need to clean up and execute. Something we have had trouble with the last several years. I like our positioning right now going into league competition and believe this is the time to just run the table.
Post by hawaii bill on Dec 31, 2014 9:20:47 GMT -5
Yeah I honestly didn't have a bad feeling after this game. Yeah there were a couple of bad decisions during the game, especially attacking the basket when it was defended, IMO, but overall I thought the team played pretty well on the road. We had a couple of open looks late, but we didn't knock them down - it happens, they all don't go in. Ibn had the to on the last possession, but he's been very solid and a good influence on the team. Hard to knock him or IW for missing a shot when they both contribute so much. I keep coming back to when we went up 78-73 and started to take control of the game and Davis made two very tough shots on consecutive possessions, well defended, neither a good shot IMO. He hasn't been a good shooter all year, other than the opening game v. Siena. He's got a funky shot - reminds me of Donovan Kates. Yet he went 5-6 from 3 and had 25 pts. Sometimes stuff like that happens. If we defend guys and they play over their heads and beat us, tip your cap and move on. Nothing you can do about that.
Last Edit: Dec 31, 2014 9:21:59 GMT -5 by hawaii bill
Waking up what I remember most is, they had a guy get scorching hot who normally doesn't and of course we made that easier to happen, if Williams hits a shot we win, this lost opportunity will cost us a seed should we make the tourney, and yes IC59 the refs were a joke, very bad home job.
Also Greg we also had a big close win at home vs Richmond 3 years ago but honestly there are not many of these that go back and forth at the end that we end up winning, mostly our wins come in games we have 3-5 point leads and just hold on ( a few against the buffalo teams in the Maac tourney last 2 years).
Yeah I honestly didn't have a bad feeling after this game. Yeah there were a couple of bad decisions during the game, especially attacking the basket when it was defended, IMO, but overall I thought the team played pretty well on the road. We had a couple of open looks late, but we didn't knock them down - it happens, they all don't go in. Ibn had the to on the last possession, but he's been very solid and a good influence on the team. Hard to knock him or IW for missing a shot when they both contribute so much. I keep coming back to when we went up 78-73 and started to take control of the game and Davis made two very tough shots on consecutive possessions, well defended, neither a good shot IMO. He hasn't been a good shooter all year, other than the opening game v. Siena. He's got a funky shot - reminds me of Donovan Kates. Yet he went 5-6 from 3 and had 25 pts. Sometimes stuff like that happens. If we defend guys and they play over their heads and beat us, tip your cap and move on. Nothing you can do about that.
One of Davis' shots was well defended the other he was wide open, that's probably the one Cluess is mad about.
Was the tale of two refs last night. One of them was a MAAC regular who does a lot of our home games and did a nice job, well balanced. The other (bald guy) was atrocious. Missed the 10 second violation at the end, called a questionable out of bounds on AJ, and missed a bunch of offensive fouls on UMass. Despite the refereeing we had every chance to win this game and just didn't get it done.
Keeping things in perspective, other than the at-large year this is our best record at the New Year's Eve mark under Cluess (8-5, tied with '10-11 team). Now we just gotta plow through the MAAC.
I wasn't expecting to win at Umass on the road. Even if we beat them, it wouldn't have solidified an at large bid. Let's pummel the crappy MAAC and get to the tourny
Post by albanygael on Dec 31, 2014 11:18:48 GMT -5
I don't think the MAAC is going to be the cake walk that some of you guys think it is. Conference play is tough everyone will be giving us their best and they know where we are weak. Remember we gave up 92 to Monmouth a team that was held to 46 by SFC. Our opponents average 89 PPG in our 5 losses. Our defense is poor. We play at a high tempo and our defense is based on the hope that our opponents will miss more shots than we do. In 8 out of 13 games its worked. I think it will work for the majority of the remaining games. Will it work in the post season? I don't know, maybe. It didn't last year in the final against the Jaspers or in the NIT against LaTech. I'm not offering coaching advise to Cluess, he's probably forgot more about hoops that I'll ever know. I do know he's pretty pissed off about leaving guys wide open, especially Davis who shoots a two handed push shot from his chest and has to be either wide open or come off a screen. Put a hand in his face and you will close him out most of the time. Are we the best team in the MAAC? Yeah I think so. Is that going to get us to the NCAA? I guess we will see in March. Right now all we are is the best of a bad bunch. I'm not being negative, it's just the way I see it. Bottom line is that we have to get better.
I don't think the MAAC is going to be the cake walk that some of you guys think it is. Conference play is tough everyone will be giving us their best and they know where we are weak. Remember we gave up 92 to Monmouth a team that was held to 46 by SFC. Our opponents average 89 PPG in our 5 losses. Our defense is poor. We play at a high tempo and our defense is based on the hope that our opponents will miss more shots than we do. In 8 out of 13 games its worked. I think it will work for the majority of the remaining games. Will it work in the post season? I don't know, maybe. It didn't last year in the final against the Jaspers or in the NIT against LaTech. I'm not offering coaching advise to Cluess, he's probably forgot more about hoops that I'll ever know. I do know he's pretty pissed off about leaving guys wide open, especially Davis who shoots a two handed push shot from his chest and has to be either wide open or come off a screen. Put a hand in his face and you will close him out most of the time. Are we the best team in the MAAC? Yeah I think so. Is that going to get us to the NCAA? I guess we will see in March. Right now all we are is the best of a bad bunch. I'm not being negative, it's just the way I see it. Bottom line is that we have to get better.
I don't think the MAAC is going to be the cake walk that some of you guys think it is. Conference play is tough everyone will be giving us their best and they know where we are weak. Remember we gave up 92 to Monmouth a team that was held to 46 by SFC. Our opponents average 89 PPG in our 5 losses. Our defense is poor. We play at a high tempo and our defense is based on the hope that our opponents will miss more shots than we do. In 8 out of 13 games its worked. I think it will work for the majority of the remaining games. Will it work in the post season? I don't know, maybe. It didn't last year in the final against the Jaspers or in the NIT against LaTech. I'm not offering coaching advise to Cluess, he's probably forgot more about hoops that I'll ever know. I do know he's pretty pissed off about leaving guys wide open, especially Davis who shoots a two handed push shot from his chest and has to be either wide open or come off a screen. Put a hand in his face and you will close him out most of the time. Are we the best team in the MAAC? Yeah I think so. Is that going to get us to the NCAA? I guess we will see in March. Right now all we are is the best of a bad bunch. I'm not being negative, it's just the way I see it. Bottom line is that we have to get better.
Nice post, agree completely.
Ditto! Perfect post. Honest and accurate. No BS homerism.
We will feel renewed after the next 5 games.......
All are very winnable...We will be the favorite in all...3 of them are at home...
A sweep will put us at 13-5 and remove all the gloom that now prevails after a tough loss.
Enough...We still are a substantial mid-major who are going to lose a few along the way...but its fans know that if we won every game it would soon become very mundane...
We were the better team last night but for their uncharacteristic hot shooting, spotty refs along with home court advantage...
I was very proud last night after being down by 11 then going up 5 at the 5 minute mark of Cluess decision not to go into a stall, but to continue in his offensive winning nature....
I don't think the MAAC is going to be the cake walk that some of you guys think it is. Conference play is tough everyone will be giving us their best and they know where we are weak. Remember we gave up 92 to Monmouth a team that was held to 46 by SFC. Our opponents average 89 PPG in our 5 losses. Our defense is poor. We play at a high tempo and our defense is based on the hope that our opponents will miss more shots than we do. In 8 out of 13 games its worked. I think it will work for the majority of the remaining games. Will it work in the post season? I don't know, maybe. It didn't last year in the final against the Jaspers or in the NIT against LaTech. I'm not offering coaching advise to Cluess, he's probably forgot more about hoops that I'll ever know. I do know he's pretty pissed off about leaving guys wide open, especially Davis who shoots a two handed push shot from his chest and has to be either wide open or come off a screen. Put a hand in his face and you will close him out most of the time. Are we the best team in the MAAC? Yeah I think so. Is that going to get us to the NCAA? I guess we will see in March. Right now all we are is the best of a bad bunch. I'm not being negative, it's just the way I see it. Bottom line is that we have to get better.
I'll disagree. Most of the MAAC has trouble scoring 50, and the ones that can can't defend. Yeah, there are 2-3 teams that will be difficult, but everyone else absolutely sucks.
Consider this: our next opponent, Siena, statistically has a weaker defense than we do. On top of that their offense is spotty at best. There is absolutely no reason we should lose, even up there.
The greatest poster in the history of the MAAC as determined by THREE separate polls.
Most of the MAAC does have trouble scoring. However all but Monmouth have not faced the Gaels defense yet. Monmouth is averaging 61 a game against teams not named Iona. They put up 89 against us. Expand the sample to the last two games we think we could have won: GMU averages 67 / game (excluding Iona) - they scored 86 against Iona. UMASS is averaging 74. Against Iona - 87. So, over those three games playing Iona was worth an average of +20 points to the offense of the teams that beat us. And, yes, I do understand that is somewhat a function of our system. My viewpoint is that the system does not work when the defense is that weak. Iona dares teams to beat them at Iona's game. The teams walk into the games knowing what to expect. And then the game starts and the scoring comes easy to them. Sometimes TOO easy. As a result, they gain confidence and the games become dogfights. That is why I think the MAAC is unlikely to be a cakewalk. I hope I am wrong - and obviously the D can improve - but when your rank in D1 Scoring defense is number 338 out of 345 teams it seems optimistic to assume an easy conference schedule.
