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Topic: Mid-Season Report Card

Topic: Mid-Season Report Card

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Ozcat
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Mid-Season Report Card

Posted: 1/7/2013 11:08:03 AM

January 7th. Here we are, ready for another season of MAC play. The primary goal of every season is still well and alive. Where do we stand?

On solid ground, I would say.

Have there been a few growing pains, as we adjust to life without Groce? Sure. But, aside from losing to Winthrop (bad), we really are doing just fine. The loss to BobbyMo still doesn't really bother me. I watched that game, and effort and execution were less at fault than running into a buzzsaw. And everyone on this board would have loved for us to grab a W or two against Memphis, Oklahoma, or UMass. But most of us knew these would not be easy games.

So here we are, again faced with the reality that pretty much the only thing that matters is 3 days up in Cleveland in 2 months. An elusive regular season title is still very much in play, and I, for one, would very much like to see the digits 2013 alongside 1994 on a certain banner hanging from the Convo. 13-3 or 14-2 shOUld be in play given our squad and the state of the atrocious MAC. I would certainly take a 23-7 clip heading into postseason play. So, my grades from the OOC schedule:

JC: B-
Probably would have given him a B, but the Winthrop loss knocked combined with what I perceived as a 'threw in the towel' effort against Memphis knocked it down a hair. Overall, I think he's still toying with lineups and rotations, but he's close to what he wants to see. The MAC regular season has been his forte, so if he lives up to my expectations and brings home a championship, he can easiy get to the A- range.

Coop: A-
Bad shot selection down dramatically. Overall decision making seems improved. No need to spend too much time here. We all know what we have.

Keely: B+
In my opinion, our most improved player on the season. Catching entry passes cleaner than he ever has, and is almost always in great position when they come his way. Doesn't mess around once he has the ball, and quickly makes a strong move towards the rim.

Walt: C+
Probably the most confusing player to figure out for me. All of the confidence and slashing ability he flashed last year is seemingly missing. Troubling, as I think he is the key to our success. As Walt goes, we tend to follow. Looked better against Marshall, so I'm hoping the trend in moving in the right direction.

Kellog: B-
If not drilling 3s, shouldn't really be on the floor. Did learn he was battling a hand injury, so if he's healthy, and the Marshall performance we a sign of things to come, then no worries from me at all. Would like to see him pick up play on the defensive side of the ball. Most of the career nights we seem to run into come at his expense.

Ivo: C-
Concerns have been well documented on BA. No need to beat the horse. You're 6'8". Please play like it.

TJ: D
Doesn't look healthy. I'll leave it at that.

Jon & Rico: B+/C
I'll give them two grades. Defensively, they're both great. Rico has shown near lock-down ability at times, and Jon is our best post defender. However, they're almost worthless on the opposite end of the floor. Great role players, for sure, and we'll need them all the way. But if it's tight and we need a bucket, they should be on the pine.

Wilkins: undecided
I need to see more.

All in all, I would've liked to not see the Winthrop loss. Other than that, let's be honest. Even had we beat, say Oklahoma and Memphis, our chances for an at-large would still be minimal. We're not quite to the point where an at-large should be a major goal. I've said it numerous times. I want MAC titles. We can still get that. And we'll be right there on Saturday in Cleveland. Go Cats.

OUbobcat9092
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RE: Mid-Season Report Card

Posted: 1/7/2013 12:14:24 PM

Nothing on Kadeem Green??

Bring Back Men's Track & Field

Ohio69
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RE: Mid-Season Report Card

Posted: 1/7/2013 12:39:38 PM

Hard to disagree too much with Ozcat. Although, another loss to Robert Morris is maddening.

Seems like Offut is the X Factor for this team right now. Will be interesting to see how his creaky knees and game handle the MAC and rest of the season.

Can somebody hit a pull up jumper for me?.....

Ozcat
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RE: Mid-Season Report Card

Posted: 1/7/2013 1:52:53 PM

Ohio69 wrote:

Seems like Offut is the X Factor for this team right now. Will be interesting to see how his creaky knees and game handle the MAC and rest of the season.

Offut's always been the key. Although, I'd put Ivo right in the same category. When he plays well, the results are usually fantastic. He came up HUGE in some very big spots last year.

OUbobcat9092 wrote:

Nothing on Kadeem Green??

You don't get a grade when you missed the semester:)

OUbobcat9092
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RE: Mid-Season Report Card

Posted: 1/7/2013 3:22:36 PM

Ozcat wrote:

Ohio69 wrote:

Seems like Offut is the X Factor for this team right now. Will be interesting to see how his creaky knees and game handle the MAC and rest of the season.

Offut's always been the key. Although, I'd put Ivo right in the same category. When he plays well, the results are usually fantastic. He came up HUGE in some very big spots last year.

OUbobcat9092 wrote:

Nothing on Kadeem Green??

You don't get a grade when you missed the semester:)

He has played in 5 games so far. My grade = Incomplete

We need to see more PT for Kadeem Green to judge his performance better. If that means that it eats into Smith and Baltic's minutes, so be it.
He looks good when on the floor, is averaging more RPM than Baltic, and is shooting .769 from the floor (SSS - 10-13)

Bring Back Men's Track & Field

stub
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RE: Mid-Season Report Card

Posted: 1/7/2013 5:11:34 PM

OUbobcat9092 wrote:

[
He has played in 5 games so far. My grade = Incomplete

We need to see more PT for Kadeem Green to judge his performance better. If that means that it eats into Smith and Baltic's minutes, so be it.
He looks good when on the floor, is averaging more RPM than Baltic, and is shooting .769 from the floor (SSS - 10-13)

I agree the jury is still out. We really haven't seem enough of him.

Interesting that Missouri thought enough of him to give him more minutes as a true frosh than he's getting here. But missing the Fall really had to work against him. I think he's still trying to get comfortable with the game flow in the short minutes he gets. 'Kinda mechanical at times. But his speed and movement for his height is encouraging for a big payoff down the road. We'll see. Christian can afford to take him along slowly for now but I hope to see more of him as the season progresses.

Last Edited: 1/7/2013 5:15:18 PM by stub

UpSan Bobcat
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RE: Mid-Season Report Card

Posted: 1/7/2013 8:17:20 PM

I think people are too hard on Ivo. I'd like to see him attack the basket more, too, and i think he has some recently, but look at what he's done. He's shooting 52.6 percent, leads the team in rebounding and is in second in assists, steals and blocks. To some extent, you've got to take him for what he is. He does a lot of things really well.

Doc Bobcat
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RE: Mid-Season Report Card

Posted: 1/7/2013 8:32:05 PM

Walter is a crunch time player so his grades will go up......Coop and Reg need to keep their grades.

RSBobcat
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RE: Mid-Season Report Card

Posted: 1/7/2013 10:10:31 PM

Ozcat pretty right on I would say.

RS Bobcat

BillyTheCat
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RE: Mid-Season Report Card

Posted: 1/7/2013 10:28:54 PM

UpSan Bobcat wrote:

Couldn't agree more, people will miss him next year.

Chicken George
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RE: Mid-Season Report Card

Posted: 1/7/2013 11:10:27 PM

Ozcat--your grades are probably more fair than mine are. While the season has come to what we thought it would come to--Cleveland in March--I think most of us expected no less than 11-3 or 12-2 at this juncture. My grading is probably unfair in that I took into consideration a Sweet 16 team, who despite getting a new coach kept it's entire roster intact. With those expectations beating a bunch of teams we should've beat at home, losing to every highlighted game on the OOC schedule (UMASS, Memphis and Oklahoma) and two really bad loses (Winthrop, Robert Morris) turn this into a C- start compared to what I hoped envisioned. I just think when you look at our schedule and the expectations, 9-5 just doesn't feel right.

Then again, unless it was 14-0, 13-1, or 12-2--it really doesn't matter as anything less didn't accomplish the outside chance of an At-Large Charge. 9-5 is as good as 8-6 or 7-7 realizing it's now MAC Tournament or bust.

Overall, I think we're fine. Hopefully we've worked out the kinks, the loses probably woke the troups up and like many expected--the season starts now.

Last Edited: 1/7/2013 11:11:29 PM by Chicken George

Ozcat
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RE: Mid-Season Report Card

Posted: 1/7/2013 11:23:39 PM

Chicken George wrote:

While the season has come to what we thought it would come to--Cleveland in March--I think most of us expected no less than 11-3 or 12-2 at this juncture. My grading is probably unfair in that I took into consideration a Sweet 16 team, who despite getting a new coach kept it's entire roster intact.

I don't think 'most' people thought we'd be 12-2. Maybe 11-3. None of us saw the Winthrop loss coming, but other than that, no big surprises.

You also put way more stock into the Sweet Sixteen run than I did. The win over Michigan was great, but again, matchups. They are a legitimate national title contender this season. We are not. So what happened last March was great, but we were hot, and in my opinion, played a team we matched up well against, a not really that good USF squad, and a UNC team that had lost their equivalent of our Cooper.

Which is why my expectations this season were a regular season MAC title, and hopefully a return to the Dance. Both goals are still very much in play.

Monroe Slavin
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RE: Mid-Season Report Card

Posted: 1/8/2013 2:05:39 AM

The analysis here is in the ballpark. But something about not a single road win yet rankles.

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71 BOBCAT
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RE: Mid-Season Report Card

Posted: 1/8/2013 8:39:25 AM

Ozcat........I generally agree with you with 1 exception JC. I think you graded on the curve here. You know all the reasons why expectations were high for this team this year and why many are dissappointed at this juncture of the season. I for 1 think if Groce was still the coach we would have a better record and perhaps be ranked.

GO BOBCATS

Bobcat1998
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RE: Mid-Season Report Card

Posted: 1/8/2013 8:48:55 AM

Call me crazy but I still think Michigan is HIGHLY overrated right now. I get that they're playing really well but I just don't think they're that dominating. If there was ever a year where a team like the Cats could make some serious noise in the tournament it's this year. No team scares me at all. And I believe that expecting 12-2 was not out of the question. We should have lost to Memphis and the other OU. Every other game should be a "W" right now. Winthrop was a disaster, Robert Morris was supposed to be payback.

I also agree that Walt is the X factor but if Nick goes scoreless we also pay. I think this team needs to be firing on all cylinders to truly make some noise. That means Ivo with 10 and 6, Reg with 12 and 8, Walt 12-13, D.J. with 15-18, 5 rebs, 10 assists, Nick with at least 2 triples, Jon with 5, 5 and 2 blocks and Rico shutdown D. Bonuses are a triple from Wilkins, a couple rebs and blocks from Green and if T.J. is healthy, points and key stops. Stevie also has done a great job on D and as the "energy" guy.

bornacatfan
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RE: Mid-Season Report Card

Posted: 1/8/2013 9:13:26 AM

Bobcat1998 wrote:

Call me crazy but I still think Michigan is HIGHLY overrated right now.

I will call you crazy . No one who has or will see them on their schedule has any illusions that this team is not built to win. They are scaring the bejesus out of the coaches who have already or will face them as they see the potential and how this group is clicking even withthe injuries and relative youth. I have yet to find a knowlegeable hoops guy who does not see what UM has put together. IMHO the only thing that will keep them from advancing is the youth factor as some of those guys are just going to either hit the wall or not be just quite ready for the spotlight.

never argue with idiots, they bring you down to their level and beat you with experience.

Winter comes and asks how you spent your summer.....

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bobcat695
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RE: Mid-Season Report Card

Posted: 1/8/2013 9:39:27 AM

John Beilein is a really, really good coach. It's tough to argue with his results, no matter where he has been. I've never met him, but a lot of my WVU friends that knew him during his run in Morgantown have nothing but great things to say about him. There are some great coaches in the Big 10 right now.

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Ozcat
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RE: Mid-Season Report Card

Posted: 1/8/2013 9:48:33 AM

1998, I'm with borna here. You are crazy. This is not your 2012 Tournament Michigan squad.

If they voted today, Burke would likely be the unanimous player of the year. He's the top PG in the country, and I don't really think it's all that close. Hardaway is playing fantastic ball, and the freshman are completely legit. Robinson Jr. is a beast. If we played this team this year, we likely lose by 20. (A testament to them, not us.)

Ozcat
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RE: Mid-Season Report Card

Posted: 1/8/2013 9:51:22 AM

71 BOBCAT wrote:

If you think we'd be ranked if Groce was still around, you're wrong. JG may have won the BobbyMo game, and likely wouldn't have lost Winthrop. Not sure he gets a W in any of the other 3, and even if he did, one single loss and we're still not ranked.

OUVan
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RE: Mid-Season Report Card

Posted: 1/8/2013 10:49:31 AM

Ozcat wrote:

JC: B-
Probably would have given him a B, but the Winthrop loss knocked combined with what I perceived as a 'threw in the towel' effort against Memphis knocked it down a hair. Overall, I think he's still toying with lineups and rotations, but he's close to what he wants to see. The MAC regular season has been his forte, so if he lives up to my expectations and brings home a championship, he can easiy get to the A- range.

I think you are being generous here. I see him as a C at best. What scares me is that we have been so darn bad defensively against good teams. I agree that that grade can change dramatically but right now he isn't anywhere near a B in my book. Hopefully it's just a matter of the players getting comfortable with the system.

bornacatfan
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RE: Mid-Season Report Card

Posted: 1/8/2013 11:01:25 AM

OUVan wrote:

I see him as a C at best.

can someone with a teaching degree and a methods class help me here?

C means average or median ....is that right?

Not arguing your grade Van just a thought that popped into my head.

Being from a family of teachers this often comes up at thanksgiving dinner. After listening to those folk argue philosophically since I was a boy, and having gone through 23 years of schoolin' and now sitting with 4 boys through 18 more, I am more confused on grading scales and definitions than ever. Not that it mattered......I never had much choice in my gramps, my grammie that graduated Miami or my pops house....there was only one grade for us...."better be an A, son" .....negating any argument of scales and curves I might have used after listening to the dinner conversation. For the record I think Oz did a nice job getting this started and the ensuing opines have been welldone.

It takes a teacher.......

Last Edited: 1/8/2013 11:02:18 AM by bornacatfan

71 BOBCAT
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RE: Mid-Season Report Card

Posted: 1/8/2013 11:32:43 AM

71 BOBCAT wrote:

OzCat responded:
If you think we'd be ranked if Groce was still around, you're wrong. JG may have won the BobbyMo game, and likely wouldn't have lost Winthrop. Not sure he gets a W in any of the other 3, and even if he did, one single loss and we're still not ranked.

Ozcat...you are making an assumption that with Groce the only change in outcome would have been the Winthrop game. I'm not sure that I would agree with you. I would also add the Robert Morris and UMASS into the win column.
Good point and counterpoint discussion.

GO BOBCATS

Ozcat
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RE: Mid-Season Report Card

Posted: 1/8/2013 1:59:15 PM

71 BOBCAT wrote:

Ozcat...you are making an assumption that with Groce the only change in outcome would have been the Winthrop game. I'm not sure that I would agree with you. I would also add the Robert Morris and UMASS into the win column.
Good point and counterpoint discussion.

Unless Groce somehow could personally stop a guy from going 11/11 and 8/8 from deep, his presence still would not have mattered. We played tough in that game, and that guy was still drilling shots, with OUr guys draped all over him and hands in his face.

And pretend we did beat BobbyMo and UMass, we're still not ranked.

Donuts
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RE: Mid-Season Report Card

Posted: 1/8/2013 2:18:04 PM

Where is Stevie's grade?

OUVan
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RE: Mid-Season Report Card

Posted: 1/8/2013 2:33:19 PM

Ozcat wrote:

An arguement could have been made that he could have had a hand in stopping those guys. We specialized in making it difficult for teams to pass the ball the last couple of seasons. That's not the case this year and that means that shooters are catching it in rhythm. Now obviously guys going 19/19 from deep is ridiculous even if we only have three guys on the court but there is reason the percentages are high and our turnovers caused are down over the last ten or so games.

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