Alabama game

[Slalomshocker]

1- I truly hope Anton Grady makes a speedy recovery. Very scary moment
2- Things will get better in 2 weeks. (contingent upon FVV becoming healthy)
3- This team is not good right now. Period.
4- Taylor is not the answer at PG right now. If coach is concerned about him being the PG of the future, he would be riding the pine until he took fewer shots than Ron. Not saying Taylor is not/could not be a useful piece of the puzzle, but he is not the answer at PG right now. True damn if you do, damn if you don't though, Everyone was screaming for him to pass more...so he did....to BWam.... wrong decision, but at least he thought to pass.
5- Light me up for this, I'm sure many that wear rose colored glasses will. What exactly has coach been teaching? Fred has been hurt for a month, and it seems there has been zero adjustments made to the offense. Zero interest in feeding the post where the defense will collapse and guys can move off the ball. Honestly it looks like everyone has been told 'the offense is Ron'. Everyone is scared to shoot except the PG that shot less than 30%, nobody drives it and kicks, the entire offense is run 30ft from the basket. It just doesn't look like a well prepared team, imo. I fully trust coach, he has proven he knows what he's doing, but wow...Coach is just like the rest of the players right now, looking at Ron to save the team.
6- McDuffie needs to play, but he also needs to defend better. He gets lost at times. Gave up some open 3s to the oppositions best shooters that cost big time. He should be starting at the 3, move Evan to the 2 for all I care. Heck EW ran PG at Heights, let him take a stab at running the show.
7- Most importantly, this team will get better, they just need to get healthy. I fully expect them to hang another MVC banner (very possibly 2) and if the selection committee does what they are supposed to and notes that FVV was out/hobbled for the first 6 games, this team will be dancing. And when that day comes, stick it to Vegas and take the long shot odds...the experience gained now will make this team more than capable.

[rialaigh]

Am I the only one on here who thinks (and I've said this since the second game of the season) that JRS looks good and could easily be carrying 15-20 minutes a game at point. I thought the offense looked in sync when he has played. He's taken open shots. He even dribble penetrated some...why is Taylor playing over JRS right now...

[shock]

Autobid. We are losing games now, but they are close games. We are not leaning on Ron as a crutch which means he will not be gassed in March. JRS will not be the backup point in March. This playing time and coaching time is invaluable if you are looking four months ahead. Non-con is inconsequential if they control the Valley, so why not get your youngsters LOTS of playing time? They will be fine when FVV is 100%. They will be better than fine when we add a sharpshooting guard already accustomed to the big stage. They will be fantastic at full strength come March.

Imagine Marcus Armstrong being hurt at the beginning of the FF season. Fred would have looked awful. This is not 06-07. We will be fine.

[shockerT]

Am I the only one on here who thinks (and I've said this since the second game of the season) that JRS looks good and could easily be carrying 15-20 minutes a game at point. I thought the offense looked in sync when he has played. He's taken open shots. He even dribble penetrated some...why is Taylor playing over JRS right now...

Well, I think he is not an exellent player. I would say he is an average. And, instead of playing him, I would rather playing with Taylor, Brown, Shamet, so they can develop better. I hope I'm wrong and he can get some good games.
I think Taylor is playing more because he is better right now and he is gonna be more important for us in the next seasons. Also, it seems to me that TT has more potential than JRS.

[pinstripers]

Autobid. We are losing games now, but they are close games. We are not leaning on Ron as a crutch which means he will not be gassed in March. JRS will not be the backup point in March. This playing time and coaching time is invaluable if you are looking four months ahead. Non-con is inconsequential if they control the Valley, so why not get your youngsters LOTS of playing time? They will be fine when FVV is 100%. They will be better than fine when we add a sharpshooting guard already accustomed to the big stage. They will be fantastic at full strength come March.

Imagine Marcus Armstrong being hurt at the beginning of the FF season. Fred would have looked awful. This is not 06-07. We will be fine.

I don't know what any of this means.

[WSUwatcher]

I agree that was pretty baffling in spots, pin, but I think Marcus Armstrong is actually Malcolm Armstead in disguise.

[Stickboy46]

I agree that was pretty baffling in spots, pin, but I think Marcus Armstrong is actually Malcolm Armstead in disguise.

I dunno, Marcus Armstrong being hurt could have drastically affected the Final Four year... Who ever he is. Might be the pilot. Would have been some long bus trips without that charter plane.

[shock]

I don't know what any of this means.

I agree that was pretty baffling in spots, pin, but I think Marcus Armstrong is actually Malcolm Armstead in disguise.

I dunno, Marcus Armstrong being hurt could have drastically affected the Final Four year... Who ever he is. Might be the pilot. Would have been some long bus trips without that charter plane.

Autobid.

Everyone is freaking out that we are losing our chances at an at large bid. We don't need an at large to get in. The Valley is stronger this year, but we still have a shot at winning it.

We are losing games now, but they are close games.

We are losing games by an average of ~6 points per game. Our last 2 have been by 3 and 4 points respectively.

[quote]We are not leaning on Ron as a crutch which means he will not be gassed in March.[quote] Ron is playing 35 mpg. Last year he played 32 mpg. Not a real big difference yet. Players tend to break down deep into march if they play closer to 40 mpg.

JRS will not be the backup point in March.

Self explanatory. We will have Conner and Landry in March. JRS will again play the last few minutes per game.

This playing time and coaching time is invaluable if you are looking four months ahead.

Ty is learning. Each game is better. His drive and motor is what we wish Shaq had. I was watching the Dirk documentary on Netflix and Kobe said something to the effect of, "Gym rats with talent become something special." Ty is soaking up everything Marshall is telling him like a sponge. Ty will be GREAT.

Non-con is inconsequential if they control the Valley, so why not get your youngsters LOTS of playing time?

Right now we have lost our chances at an at large bid. We have to win the Valley Tourney.

They will be fine when FVV is 100%. They will be better than fine when we add a sharpshooting guard [Conner] already accustomed to the big stage. They will be fantastic at full strength come March. [Landry]

Imagine Marcus Armstrong being hurt at the beginning of the FF season. Fred would have looked awful.

This is not 06-07. We will be fine.

Vegas baby, vegas...:frown-new:

[shoxilla]

Ty Taylor reminds me of another truly physically gifted and talented freshman that got immediate playing time against good collegiate competition and looked like the proverbial Tasmanian devil.
All the right intentions and strategies but just not quite ready to execute at this level of play.

Mario Chalmers didn't turn out too bad. (My wife makes me watch them)

HCGM knows that Ty will get it soon enough but that sooner can't get here soon enough.

Damn, did I just say that?

[CBB_Fan]

Ty Taylor reminds me of another truly physically gifted and talented freshman that got immediate playing time against good collegiate competition and looked like the proverbial Tasmanian devil.
All the right intentions and strategies but just not quite ready to execute at this level of play.

Mario Chalmers didn't turn out too bad. (My wife makes me watch them)

HCGM knows that Ty will get it soon enough but that sooner can't get here soon enough.

Damn, did I just say that?

If you have to compare him to Jayhawk PG, I'd say he compares more similarly to Ty Taylor. That isn't just a name joke; my memory is that the KU Taylor got **** on a lot more than Chalmers did until his final year. He had a LOT of bad decisions and out of control play even during his final season. Mario was forced into play earlier and was more similar in size/athleticism, but also came in as a 5* recruit expected to produce relatively early and his playstyle was a little different. He didn't just make a miracle shot in the 2008 championship, he was a 3PT shooter from his freshman year shooting 41.9% for his career. Our Taylor hasn't shown that. On the other hand, for all his bad shots Ty Taylor II hasn't made a lot of TOs with just 6 in 86 minutes.

Of course, if we get a PG as good as either we'll be in great shape for the next four years. And for further thought, here is Van Vleet's first 5 games as a Shocker:

vs North Carolina Central: 13 MP, 2 PTs (1/3 FG, 0/1 3PT) 4 RB, 3 AST, 1 TO,
@ VCU: 5 MP, 0 PTs (0/1 FG, 0/1 3PT) 2 RB, 1 AST, 1 STL, 3 TOs
vs Western Carolina: 17 MP, 7 PTs (0/2 FG, 0/2 3PT, 7/8 FT), 4 RB, 1 TO
vs Howard: 21 MP, 3 PTs (1/3 FG, 0/1 3PT, 1/2 FT), 2 RB, 2 STL, 2 TO
vs DePaul: 7 MP, 2 PTs (1/3 FG, 0/1 3PT, 0/1 FT), 1 RB, 1 AST, 1 TO

[Ricardo del Rio]

Tough loss today, tough loss yesterday. Our problem seems to be our shooting coming out of the gate. When you start out 2-19 and 2-15 thats just not the way you want to start a game.

We are playing hard, crashing the boards , but not taking advantage due to our poor shooting and sometimes shot selection. Baker was being double team most of the game, and with Grady being a non-factor in thhe post, and Kelly being a non-factor today we were playing 2 on five starting out.

Then enter Mr. Mcduffie and he single handily got us untracted, this guy will be a stud.

There were times when we were playing 3 freshmen for good stretches and playing pretty good due to some of our returning players lack of production. This will pay off come Febuary and March, long season.

I thought Taylor played a solid first half, handled the ball, hit a few key baskets, yes he's raw, everyone agrees he needs to pass first shoot second but again Baker is being double teamed, no inside game , and actually most of Taylors shots were good looks he just didn't hit a good percentage, but then again who did besides Evan, and this was Evans best shooting game of the season.

When Fred gets back, and Conner is in the Fold there won't be any of that doubling up on Ron, it will be much easier for Ron. When Freds back there won't be any throwing the ball to Bush with 7 seconds at the three pt. line with the game on the line.

The comment on Marshall having a weekness for coming up with plays at the close of halfs are end of game situations is laughable at best. Its funny when shots go in we look good, coaches look smart, when shots don't go in we look terrible and the coach has some flaws.

We need to get our inside game going, somehow, to give this team some balance. I think Mcduffie will be a factor, and I'm hoping and praying Anton will be back and getting his game in order. I think as the season goes along Hamilton will start seeing even more time.We need his physicality, especially with Shaq being a no-show this season, that is one of the biggest dissapointments so far in the early season. I hope he becomes a factor. Bush has been showing some glimses of someone who can give us some valuable minutes off the bench, but lets hope we don't have to count on him to be a permanent starter.

It's early, I still think we can be the team we thought we could be, we just didn't get the start we were hoping for due to some un-forseen circumstances.

Hopefully we can salvage the last game, that would be a nice start to get some confidence back, a few more makes and were 4-1 instead of 2-3. Now lets stay positive, I know its hard to do, and take out these Hawkeyes.

Howz this, Play Angry? Better?