Cal State Fullerton Game Thread

[ShockerFever]

Don't ever. Ever. Try and make people sing carols again.

Ever.

:nightmare:

Was that the most pathetic thing you've ever seen?

Thank you Athletic Department.

[SHOXAAC]

Dan, I'm with you. Aargh talked about Stutz being fronted most of the game with help from the back. Although that did happen, the guards focused way to much (and committed way to many turnovers) on forcing it in to him. To much experience for that to happen. And when Stutz got the ball, he either was forced to far away from the basket, or botched shots close to the rim. It wasn't a good matchup from the start for the big guy, but he was still a liability tonight. I know he will shake it off and play better on Sunday.

[ShockerFever]

Please say it ain't so! I am so tired of Klein Construction and Flooring that I told my wife we will NEVER shop there. Who is the dunk sponsor?

Blame this on the athletic department, selling ad space during a live basketball game, not on Klein Construction.

[1972Shocker]

I got that same vibe too, along with a couple of other players. But then Stutz didn't help his cause in this one either.

I did notice one time late in the game when the team came to the sideline Garrett was out greeting them. When he extended his hand out to D-Will who was the last one coming off, D-Will just pretty much ignored him. I think Garrett is trying to be a leader, but not sure the other guys are responding to him.

Obviously a small sample and anecdotal at best, but makes you wonder how the team chemistry is or will be this year.

[proshox]

Regarding Stutz - The "problem" with big skilled, but not terribly physical players is they can look really bad against a strong double team. Paul Miller had the same issue throughout his career (including the senior season). The key value these bigs bring is the fact they demand the double team. GS has always played very well when fighting a fair fight and I expect that to to be the case in every game this year. I predict he will look much better against "BCS" type schools because of their arrogance when it comes to sending the double team.

Tonight Stutz faced a strong double before each catch. He also was fed some terrible passes which made him look even worse. Once the crowd started moaning on every touch things got worse.

As Kennedy mentioned Carl Hall was the beneficiary of the Cal game plan. He was "one on one" the entire time Stutz was in the game and usually caught the ball as a defender was desperately trying to get back into position after cheating toward Stutz.

[SHOXAAC]

Ehimen was not very good tonight either. Struggled catching the ball tonight. However, he almost made a play for the ages when he just about bounced the ball into the basket late in the game. Also, on one other play he mishandled a pass and inadvertantly made a perfect touch pass to a teammate for a basket. Wonder if he got an assist on that one.

He was trying out for the Globetrotters!!!

[ShockerFever]

A couple of tidbits from the game that some already have keened in on..

Stutz was completely bombed by Fullerton. It was obvious he wasn't going to be able to touch the ball without a quadruple team. That's not all on Stutz. He also however did blow some layups which didn't help anything.

We acted like we've never seen a zone before. No passing inside. Just keep away around the perimeter and then a bad shot or throw-up 3. That offense is getting old fast.

Hall saved the game for us essentially. Without his effort, we might have lost that one. I really wanted to see him get 20, but it seems like after he started getting into a rhythm, other guys wanted to be heroes and stopped getting it to him. Strategy 101. Don't stop doing something that is actually working.

An effort like this on Sunday gets us blown out by 20. I'm just not seeing a cohesive team this year. I'm seeing sloppy *** basketball, with guys fumbling balls around, and making stupid decisions. There is no cohesiveness at all on offense. The defense is ok unless somebody shreds the inside and gets layups from time to time. At this point, we have played like a middling Valley team. I may have to adjust expectations on the year if things don't change. A lot will be told on Sunday. I hope a lot of learning is taking place form now until then because there sure isn't a lot going on this year yet.

[pinstripers]

Good minutes out of White.
For those that were not there, Stutz was as bad as I have seen him.
Murry played no D for the first 6-8 minutes.
The first half was painful to watch.
Demetric was bad.
Hall is a crowd favorite, as he should be.
Cotton is a man. He dives on the floor a lot.
Hall is an excellent interview.
Several said Sunday's game is at 3, others said Sunday night at 7.

[dregn]

Good minutes out of White.
For those that were not there, Stutz was as bad as I have seen him.
Murry played no D for the first 6-8 minutes.
The first half was painful to watch.
Demetric was bad.
Hall is a crowd favorite, as he should be.
Cotton is a man. He dives on the floor a lot.
Hall is an excellent interview.
Several said Sunday's game is at 3, others said Sunday night at 7.

I hope those who said 7 check their tickets

[ShockerFever]

I did notice one time late in the game when the team came to the sideline Garrett was out greeting them. When he extended his hand out to D-Will who was the last one coming off, D-Will just pretty much ignored him. I think Garrett is trying to be a leader, but not sure the other guys are responding to him.

Obviously a small sample and anecdotal at best, but makes you wonder how the team chemistry is or will be this year.

That's very disconcerting. Tie that in with the Stutz postgame interview from Puerto Rico and that all adds up to bad basketball. Some of the players on the team better start sacking it up and get this high school drama **** out of there, or they're REALLY gonna have something to pout about.

Having good chemistry and can easily separate a mediocre team from a great team and vice versa.

[SHOXAAC]

For a guy who was scoreless, Cotton sure made a significant impact on both offense and defense. It sure seemed to me he had more than one steal. He did get his hands on several other balls, however. On offense he keeps the ball moving in the right direction...zero turnovers in 18 minutes. Well done young man!!!

[shoxlax]

It's both ironic and sad that the most consistent players right now for us are two newcomers.

[SHOXAAC]

It's both ironic and sad that the most consistent players right now for us are two newcomers.

I'm not surprised about Hall, but Cotton is a PLEASANT SURPRISE!!!

[Gumby]

It's both ironic and sad that the most consistent players right now for us are two newcomers.

So the glass is half full in your world??

We won by double digits, and newcomers got on the court. Looks more than half full for me......

[Shocker85]

Hall was a beast.

Stutz was not getting the ball in proper position in the offense and the few times he did, couldn't finish. Bad game. Move on.

Hall was a beast.

Ragland finally found his range which destroyed Fullerton's pack-it-in zone strategy. Also, when they went to the zone in the 2nd half, Toure' and Ragland weren't in the game. As soon as Marshall could get them in, Toure' made two nice penetration moves that collapsed the zone and dished for easy baskets. Ragland's bombs sealed the deal.

Jake White did a nice job in the press break when he came in. He looked fairly quick on his feet on defense.

Hall was a beast.

--'85.