Hope

[severson09]

I'm as frustrated as the next guy with how inconsistent we are as a team. Today, I was going through the schedule today trying to find a way to get excited about the remainder of the season. Upon doing so, I found a few things to chew on to keep me upbeat.

1.) We have 2 games apiece remaining with Drake, Sourthern Ill., and Missouri State. Not implying we'll go 6-0 but if we get to playing consistent, we shouldn't lose to these teams.

2.) While we still have to go against Creighton and WSU, both of those games are at home. Maybe find a way to split those two?? We always seem to play Creighton tough.

3.) Despite our record, it feels like we are starting to play a little better basketball. Tuttle has been a beast since conference play and Sonnen has been shooting lights out all year. Our team seems to go as Deon goes, so if someone could lend him some mojo it would be appreciated.

Sure, I'm a homer, but I can see ways to play the remainder of the conference at 8-4 putting us at 10-8 overall and in a spectator position in STL. If we could get our sh*t together regularly we have the talent to go 9-3 (I don't think that will happen).

That said, where the F has Nate Buss been lately??

[9YRPLAN]

Re: Hope

nate buss couldnt guard Teo's girlfriend.

[06panther10]

Re: Hope

nate buss couldnt guard Teo's girlfriend.

Its actually an interesting debate as to why he is not playing. He is clearly a gifted scorer, and undoubtedly gives us significant value on that end of the floor.

Is his defense so bad that we can't even get him on the floor? I don't think so. Its not as if our team defense has been very good to begin with anyway.

I personally believe that he needs to see the floor more to provide some scoring for us.

[9YRPLAN]

Re: Hope

its pretty bad from what ive seen, but it seemed to be more about effort and intensity rather than lack of skills.

[ceaser150]

Re: Hope

I have hope as long as we can finish 6th or higher in the standings. Given how we are tied for 8th (or 9th, depending how you look at it) with Drake, which just beat Evansville easily (something we couldn't do), I think there is cause for concern. I am not sure we can beat Drake, SIU, MSU, or Bradley twice. However, if we can position ourselves right for the tournament, maybe we can make a run and pull of a miracle.

[BCPanther]

Re: Hope

Nate's defense is that bad and he doesn't work very hard at it when he is on the floor. Its not worth him scoring 6 or 8 if he's going to give up 10 in the same stretch...

He also really, really pissed Jake off when he was jacking up threes at the end of the Bradley game. Jake ended up apologizing to Geno Ford for it.

[severson09]

Re: Hope

Nate's defense is that bad and he doesn't work very hard at it when he is on the floor. Its not worth him scoring 6 or 8 if he's going to give up 10 in the same stretch...

He also really, really pissed Jake off when he was jacking up threes at the end of the Bradley game. Jake ended up apologizing to Geno Ford for it.

Good knowledge on the Bradley game - I hadn't heard that, and if ture, makes sense.

[BCPanther]

Re: Hope

Remaining Slate-

Drake- W
SIU- W
@ InSU- L
@ UE- W (we are finally going to get them)
WSU- L
MSU- W
@ BU- W
CU- W (Doug isn't ever going to get a W in the McLeod Center)
@DU- W
@MSU- W
BB- W (Going to get a horrible team at home)
@ SIU- L (We're going to lose a head scratcher and this is it)
IlSU- W (Thought this would be a big game when the schedule came out)

9-3 down the stretch to go 11-7 in the league and 19-12 headed for StL.

We get the 4 seed and play UE in the first round.

[BCPanther]

Re: Hope

Good knowledge on the Bradley game - I hadn't heard that, and if ture, makes sense.

I sit right behind the scorers table, Jake very clearly said "I'm sorry about that shot"...

[severson09]

Re: Hope

Remaining Slate-

Drake- W
SIU- W
@ InSU- L
@ UE- W (we are finally going to get them)
WSU- L
MSU- W
@ BU- W
CU- W (Doug isn't ever going to get a W in the McLeod Center)
@DU- W
@MSU- W
BB- W (Going to get a horrible team at home)
@ SIU- L (We're going to lose a head scratcher and this is it)
IlSU- W (Thought this would be a big game when the schedule came out)

9-3 down the stretch to go 11-7 in the league and 19-12 headed for StL.

We get the 4 seed and play UE in the first round.

This is what I'm talking - the schedule is fairly friendly down the stretch. My only concern is that we only give up 1 head scratcher like you've indicated and not 2 or 3. Even if like you and I are both wrong and we finish 7-5, that's still 9-9 in the conference and should be good enough to keep us out of Thursday's action down in the STL

[Panther'73]

Re: Hope

Drake won because they were hitting 3s. UNI would have won, too, with more made 3s.

[BCPanther]

Re: Hope

This is what I'm talking - the schedule is fairly friendly down the stretch. My only concern is that we only give up 1 head scratcher like you've indicated and not 2 or 3. Even if like you and I are both wrong and we finish 7-5, that's still 9-9 in the conference and should be good enough to keep us out of Thursday's action down in the STL

I put our chances of playing on Thursday night at less than 1%. Missouri State, Drake, and Southern Illinois are locks in my mind and the other one will be either Bradley or Illinois State.

If I had to project the tourney today, I would go--
1- Creighton
2- Wichita State
3- Indiana State
4- UNI
5- Evansville
6- Bradley
7- Illinois State
8- Missouri State
9- Southern Illinois
10-Drake

[unipanthers8907]

Re: Hope

I too looked at the schedule this morning, I feel we have the talent to go 9-3, but I feel 8-4 or 7-5 is most likely with us being so inconsistent. Someone told me this stat the other day and I was amazed, in our wins we are averaging 80 ppg and in our losses I think he said we are averaging 56 or 58 ppg, that's quite a difference.

[OhNewby]

Re: Hope

Nate's defense is that bad and he doesn't work very hard at it when he is on the floor. Its not worth him scoring 6 or 8 if he's going to give up 10 in the same stretch...

He also really, really pissed Jake off when he was jacking up threes at the end of the Bradley game. Jake ended up apologizing to Geno Ford for it.

I agree his D is bad. Maybe worse is he just doesn't go after rebounds, which is another effort thing.

The thing that I find interesting is, how does he not start next year or at least play significant minutes? A front line of Rank and Tuttle just seems way too small to field for significant minutes. Friedman? Let's hope so, but will his D be any better as a true freshman?

As bad as Nate's D is, you'll see him occasionaly be out of place on the floor, but still make a defensive stop just because he's long and atheltic.

[Panther-Sheik]

Re: Hope

I sit right behind the scorers table, Jake very clearly said "I'm sorry about that shot"...

He got all of 3 minutes in the Bradley blowout, so I don't think his lack of playing time is punishment for that shot. I also don't think Jake would be that short sighted to not play someone for putting up one shot in a blowout. However, I also don't think Buss' defense is that bad, either. He is 6'9" and more comfortable playing the wing. Foot speed makes it tough to guard some of the smaller wing players. He is also about 215 pounds which makes it tough to bang down low at the 4. Personally I would rather see him in there than on the bench when scoring is more our problem than defense right now. Creighton doesn't play great defense, but they outscored us. Same for Evansville etc. Bohannon's defense is not good yet he plays plenty of minutes. But, he is playing the wing and there is maybe more PT to go around there?? I don't see it, especially when he is struggling to shoot as much as he is, but I guess Jake is the coach and so be it.