Messages

Sackey stepped up his game.  What about the upper classmen?  Where is this team going to get its leadership on Tuesday?

Reflections at the half:
1.  Points off turnovers kill us.
2.  Sorrolla is lost on offense.
3.  Bakari can't pass or shoot.
4.  No one is the go-to guy on offense.
5.  We go to Smits inside early in the half and then for some reason, we forget that it works.
6.  If it weren't for some decent defense, we'd be down by 20.

Reflections at the half: good defense, but no go-to guy on offense.  Bakari has completely disappeared since being taken out of the starting lineup.  Turnovers are becoming a given, it seems.

I hope it will be this kind of year!  We need miracles!

Stop the cross-court passes!

Pretty ugly basketball from both teams...

Someone needs to find a combination of five players who don't look like they were haphazardly place on the floor together without ever having met.

At least the gold ties are back...

Hard to lay turnovers at the feet of the coach, but ... It does seem like the coach hasn't found a combination of players who gel together ... For the last two years!

We are not a team that hustles after the loose ball.  The fact that there are so many loose balls also says a lot.

I recorded the game to watch and decided to sleep on it before commenting.  Lack of rebounding and a poor perimeter defense killed us.  Javon is going to be exciting for as long as we are able to watch him!

D.  I grade based on objective performance.  C means average.  D is below average.  We lost more than we won, therefore D.

I am pleased with the progress over the second half.  This team had the life sucked out of it when Joe Burton left and when Tevonn got sick.  Talk about a team dead in the water!  Regardless, players improved, the defense started to improve, and players started picking up the offensive slack, especially Golder, Bakari, and Smits.

Over the off-season, the guys will get older, they will continue to learn how to play as a team.  This is a sophomore-laden group.  I hope our bigs (and Mileek) get all they can eat and spend lots of time in the gym.  I'm hopeful that next year we improve to a B.  That would be enough of an improvement for me.

Ref explaining call to McMillan: "You're a freshman.  Alize's a senior."

MSU Coach: "Bradford's not a good shooter..."  Ouch!

Bigs: 1 point and 9 fouls.  Please get them on a decent meal plan in the offseason.

The play inside for the reverse layup by Mileek and his ability to shoot the 3 make me very optimistic for his future and the team.  This team can play defense around the perimeter.  Now the offense is starting to find points.  Rebounding consistently and defense inside the paint will be key.

Is anyone keeping track of missed dunks?

I'd like to stay positive with my comments, but this team really makes positive comments difficult to find.  Evelyn is not a point guard.  The players just stand around on offense.  Smits is a defensive liability.  There is no leader on the court.

Linssen strong to the hoop!

Lottich made a comment to the sideline reporter at the half about the team's effort and being ready to play.  Something to that effect.  Does anyone remember exactly what he said?  It struck me as the type of comment from someone who is very frustrated with his team.

Really.  Bad.  Basketball.

3 points from the bench.  Smits got burned inside too many times.  No movement on offense.  Who is going to step it up?  I hear it said we are athletic.  Tell me how to draw that conclusion. 

What happened to Tevonn?  Sick?

Bigs can't play defense.

Smits, Sorolla and Hazen had 2 points and 3 rebounds.  I don't like to get negative about our players, but these three guys need to step it up.  Why not start Linnsen and McMillan?  Our lack of production in the first ten minutes of each half is telling.  This is going to be a long season if we continue to let the shot clock whittle down to nothing before turning the ball over.