Up Next: Virginia Commonwealth

[achrist70]

Re: Up Next: Virginia Commonwealth

I believe I read on their boards that they rank something like 325th in 3pt field goal defense.

[Kyle]

Re: Up Next: Virginia Commonwealth

I am very thankful we have three serviceable point guards. Asking one guy to deal with VCU's pressure all game long is a recipe for disaster.

[Purrrrrfect]

Re: Up Next: Virginia Commonwealth

For those of you who haven't been keeping up...this is really our first real test all season so think about that when thinking bout 9-0.

We really haven't played much of anybody. Maybe SFA but they are 6-3 with their best win coming against a super down Memphis squad. Our opponents that we've played record is 34-40. No one has a quality win outside of said SFA and North Florida beat a subpar Purdue team by 2. North Dakota best win is against The Drake by 1. Vt and Northwestern aren't helping us at all. SFA, NW and North Florida are the only teams with winning records. The next two games will give us a better glimpse of what this team is really made of. Not trying to be a downer..Just don't want us to get so confident and have an epic crash if we do fall.

[06panther10]

Up Next: Virginia Commonwealth

Yeah, well thats just needlessly tearing down our schedule. You can poke a lot of holes in everybody's schedule when you are only 3 weeks deep into the season. Bottom line, UNI has been impressive this far.

We've played a few decent teams and we've won all of our games, and looked good doing so for the most part.

[Purrrrrfect]

Re: Up Next: Virginia Commonwealth

True. As long as we win life is fine. 1 game at a time. VCU is decent and they expect to win.

We have had a tendency for 2nd half let downs...maybe taking a page out of bill Salmons playbook. Would love to 40 minutes of relentless scoring

[BCPanther]

Re: Up Next: Virginia Commonwealth

Yeah, well thats just needlessly tearing down our schedule. You can poke a lot of holes in everybody's schedule when you are only 3 weeks deep into the season. Bottom line, UNI has been impressive this far.

We've played a few decent teams and we've won all of our games, and looked good doing so for the most part.

Griff's just laying the seed so he can maybe say 'I told you so' later.

Nobody loves 'I told you so' like Griff...

[Born-a-Panther]

Re: Up Next: Virginia Commonwealth

For those of you who haven't been keeping up...this is really our first real test all season so think about that when thinking bout 9-0.

We really haven't played much of anybody. Maybe SFA but they are 6-3 with their best win coming against a super down Memphis squad. Our opponents that we've played record is 34-40. No one has a quality win outside of said SFA and North Florida beat a subpar Purdue team by 2. North Dakota best win is against The Drake by 1. Vt and Northwestern aren't helping us at all. SFA, NW and North Florida are the only teams with winning records. The next two games will give us a better glimpse of what this team is really made of. Not trying to be a downer..Just don't want us to get so confident and have an epic crash if we do fall.

I'm sorry but to belittle what this team has accomplished... for the first time in school history... is not fair. We may not have played a ton of powerhouses but we're not playing a bunch of nobodies either. If it was so easy to get to 9-0, it would have happened before.

[domedays]

Re: Up Next: Virginia Commonwealth

Both messages are correct. We have looked very good at times, and beating all the teams you should beat is not easy. It is also a fact though that we scheduled some good mid-major programs that happen to be down this year.
VCU will be our best test so far.

[jegbomb52]

Re: Up Next: Virginia Commonwealth

I'm sorry but to belittle what this team has accomplished... for the first time in school history... is not fair. We may not have played a ton of powerhouses but we're not playing a bunch of nobodies either. If it was so easy to get to 9-0, it would have happened before.

I think what he is saying is that we have played a bunch of nobody's and he is right. Would this team be a different team if they were 0-9 and had played the 1st - 9th place team in the country? No, it would still be the same bunch of guys with the same talent. Its not taking anything away from them, just a reminder that although 9-0 our schedule is fairly weak. This VCU game will be our first shot this year against a team that will be dancing come March for any other reason than they won a crappy conference tournament (see SFA).

If we are 11-0 then gosh darn it, we have accomplished something. 9-0 against the schedule we have played with a veteran, experienced team is expected. Sure, pat them on the back, winning the games your supposed to win isn't always the easiest thing (see football), but i'm not throwing them a ticker tape parade, 11-0 though, ill buy the confetti!

[06panther10]

Up Next: Virginia Commonwealth

VCU is a very good team, and I dont want to make it sound like they are not. They are more than capable of playing well and beating us convincingly at home.

But, I like how we match up with them, and I think with the guards we have and the shooters we have, we could potentially have a field day against their defense.

If we just stay composed and don't turn it over 25 times, I foresee a bunch of layups and open 3s for our guys.

[OhNewby]

Re: Up Next: Virginia Commonwealth

SFA did beat VCU in the NCAA tournament last year!

[Purrrrrfect]

Re: Up Next: Virginia Commonwealth

Griff's just laying the seed so he can maybe say 'I told you so' later.

Nobody loves 'I told you so' like Griff...

Well no one likes to be wrong. Do they?

I only stated what I did from seeing this board explode at the craziest things in the past because such a good team lost a game and we didn't think they should.

9-0 is superb and I take nothing away from that especially at the collegiate or pro level. I just don't want us as fans to get ahead of ourselves just because we are 9-0 against a softer schedule and expect unworldly things. (Which I don't expect from this board). Like during football season despite pur problems I saw some great potential through our battle tested losses early on that made me confident for the isur and ndsu games. I personally just don't get that feeling yet from the bball team as we haven't been truly battle tested by equal or better teams. That is all. Nothing more or less. Just keep it in perspective.

[GonzoCat]

Re: Up Next: Virginia Commonwealth

Sounds like they collapse in the middle a lot and leave the 3 open, which I've always felt is the way to beat UNI. Could come down to if we are hitting 3's, a prospect which always makes me nervous as our percentage can vary anywhere from 10% to 45% on any given night.

No idea what our average is this year, but I predict a win if we hit at 33% or better from outside.

[UNIpanther99]

Re: Up Next: Virginia Commonwealth

In my opinion this is another must win, a loss won't be "bad" on our resume, but a win would get us a lot of national attention

I've been thinking more about your "must win" statement, and I think it comes down to something we haven't really been talking about. What are our expectations for this season?

If we are expecting a 1 seed, probably the only game that isn't a "must win" is at Wichita State. If we are only expecting to make the tournament, we're probably okay if we lose the next two. I think most of us are expecting something in-between, but we aren't exactly sure what we think this team is capable of just yet.

I remember in 2010, after the season it was revealed that the team had a goal of making it to the final four (that was the only goal of theirs we didn't accomplish). I wonder what goals this team has set for itself.

[BCPanther]

Re: Up Next: Virginia Commonwealth

I've been thinking more about your "must win" statement, and I think it comes down to something we haven't really been talking about. What are our expectations for this season?

If we are expecting a 1 seed, probably the only game that isn't a "must win" is at Wichita State. If we are only expecting to make the tournament, we're probably okay if we lose the next two. I think most of us are expecting something in-between, but we aren't exactly sure what we think this team is capable of just yet.

I remember in 2010, after the season it was revealed that the team had a goal of making it to the final four (that was the only goal of theirs we didn't accomplish). I wonder what goals this team has set for itself.

For me, and this is kind of my goal every year.

Get in and win a game.