Nonconference Recap

[Wxcpanther]

Alright, so going into the season I had expectations of 1 maybe 2 losses in the nonconference schedule. Personally, I thought at Colorado was the game we would drop, much like the game at VCU for the 14-15 team. By all measures though I think this team has exceeded any reasonable nonconference expectations. The West Virginia loss will continue to hurt, but ending up getting a win over South Carolina as a result appears will age well. Just need to keep winning.

[CyCarp]

Before the start of the season, I thought we should get through with no more than 3 losses, and I would have been happy with 2 losses. Only 1 loss is just great.

I'm really looking forward to conference play. I'd say the same as I said for the non conference - we should have no more than 3 losses. I feel like we really could be favored in every game, but it's hard to not expect a bad game or two, especially in league play where coaches are more familiar with you.

[sevelev711]

Good thing we had such a strong showing OoC because the Non-Conference Recap for other MVC teams would be a lot lot more rough. We've earned a right to be in the "don't have to win Arch Madness" conversation, which no one else can say. So, good job, time to keep rolling.

['70 Grad]

There have been other years where our offense looked OK in December, and then just died in the conference with the extensive scouting, etc. I have optimism this year because of the multiple weapons we have.

Trae - please don't wake up. A.J. - continue to shoot from mid-range. Isaiah - could explode at any time. Spencer - play like a senior. Dahl - just do it. Austin - eat'em up.

[Wxcpanther]

Before the start of the season, I thought we should get through with no more than 3 losses, and I would have been happy with 2 losses. Only 1 loss is just great.

I'm really looking forward to conference play. I'd say the same as I said for the non conference - we should have no more than 3 losses. I feel like we really could be favored in every game, but it's hard to not expect a bad game or two, especially in league play where coaches are more familiar with you.

KenPom has us above 50% to win for every game the rest of the year except for at Loyola. That we only have a 49% chance to win lol

[orangetennis]

I think we all had high hopes coming into this season but none of us could be too sure how we'd perform after the last several seasons results. A 3 or 4 loss non-con slate wouldn't have surprised many so I can't imagine anyone displeased with a one loss non-con even though the pessimist could argue we should be undefeated right now had we not blown a 15 pt 2nd half lead to WV.
I'm still nervous for conference play only because we've seen previous Panther teams look great in the non-con only to look below average once valley season gets underway. However, this team looks capable of winning in several different ways. We can score at all three levels, have ample depth, experience and still play solid defense and rebounding most nights. TOs remain an issue and the dreaded scoring drought/blown double digit lead are still a worry but we've looked MUCH more consistent this season on the offensive end and are making our 3s and FTs.
A 3 or less loss valley slate is gonna be tough regardless of how the rest of the conference looks right now but I think this team is capable of doing it. Just need to get off to a good start at ISUr.

[vbfan19]

Good thing we had such a strong showing OoC because the Non-Conference Recap for other MVC teams would be a lot lot more rough. We've earned a right to be in the "don't have to win Arch Madness" conversation, which no one else can say. So, good job, time to keep rolling.

crazy how a team can pull off an upset on the road against the #1 team in the country and then lose 3 straight games the next week. (maybe there is more to the story, like injuries or something, I haven't really been paying attention.)

[sevelev711]

crazy how a team can pull off an upset on the road against the #1 team in the country and then lose 3 straight games the next week. (maybe there is more to the story, like injuries or something, I haven't really been paying attention.)

Not to my knowledge. Think it was just a super-uber fluke. Though tbf, Kentucky is not that great this year, they took 2 L's this week, to a good Ohio State and a not good Utah. The bigger question is how did Kentucky beat Michigan State?

[domedays]

There are really a number of guys playing very well. Berhow has just been ridiculously good offensively. Yesterday Isaiah showed how much he has improved since the beginning of his career. The team is rebounding very well. AJ has taken a step forward in his development, but for me though, the way JD has played has really changed the ceiling for what I think this team can do. It gives us another piece of the puzzle. Solid bigs are really hard to come by for a mid major and he has shown he can compete. Combined with Phyfe, they make us very solid inside.

[achrist70]

JD has made 6 of his last 7 free throws that’s probably the craziest stat we’ve put up

[BCPanther]

I think the biggest key is that we haven't spent two months on the road. We had the trip to Cancun and a 4 day swing West, that's it.

A HUGE part of the reason the 15-16 team really struggled early was exhaustion. That team went Richmond, VA--Fairfax, VA--Albuquerque--Des Moines--Honolulu from December 5th-25th. That's 7 games in 4 time zones with a 7 hour spread. No matter what shape you're in, the human body is really going to struggle with that. Led to Bohannon and Jesperson getting really sick and being on IVs to re-hydrate at halftime for most of January.

[clenz]

I think the biggest key is that we haven't spent two months on the road. We had the trip to Cancun and a 4 day swing West, that's it.

A HUGE part of the reason the 15-16 team really struggled early was exhaustion. That team went Richmond, VA--Fairfax, VA--Albuquerque--Des Moines--Honolulu from December 5th-25th. That's 7 games in 4 time zones with a 7 hour spread. No matter what shape you're in, the human body is really going to struggle with that. Led to Bohannon and Jesperson getting really sick and being on IVs to re-hydrate at halftime for most of January.

Also the same year Wes completely jacked his back up on a fall in Hawaii and wasn't right until mid-Jan.

['70 Grad]

Having BOTH Austin AND Justin contribute is a big thing.

Shots going in makes everything seem better. (Duh) When Spencer and others lost their touch, it made for frustration at both ends, despite effort.

My only pessimism right now is our yearly struggle to break a press.

Anything going on with Betz?

[clenz]

Having BOTH Austin AND Justin contribute is a big thing.

Shots going in makes everything seem better. (Duh) When Spencer and others lost their touch, it made for frustration at both ends, despite effort.

My only pessimism right now is our yearly struggle to break a press.

Anything going on with Betz?

I've said it elsewhere but I'll say it again - the strides Dahl has made are crazy. He's 4 times the player he was last year.

I was talking with a couple posters yesterday during the game and my what I came to realize was Dahl is a match up nightmare's match up nightmare.

Dahl on his own isn't really a match up nightmare. He's a massive body that strong as hell, but he doesn't really create a match up nightmare on his own as whatever match up problems he posses in the block are equaled out by how the game has changed to needing to be able to step out and defense and run the offense.

HOWEVER,

Whenever he is matching up against the other teams match up problem he becomes the match up problem somehow.

The way he's transformed not just over his 5 years, but specifically even from last year to this year is just nuts.

This is also why Luke isn't going to play this year beyond spot clean up time. He has worked his ass off since stepping on campus. He played his ass off last season. We could make the case that last year we finished with as good a record as we did because of how much he busted his ass. However, he, as has been said, just got "lucky" to get the gene that doesn't allow for any weight to be put on, which isn't ideal for being a 6'9-6'10 center. Having Phyfe back to take the starter minutes and be the bigger body that was missing takes most of his minutes away. The leaps that Dahl has taken takes away anything that was left. It sucks for Luke, I feel for him in that regard.

[BCPanther]

I'm not sure that Betz isn't going to end up getting that same unfortunate case of 'mono' that Anthony James got in 2008. Truly unfortunate timing for a 'health issue'.