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Topic: Two very important truths

Topic: Two very important truths

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Wilson Hall Record Holder
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Member Since: 11/13/2010
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Two very important truths

Posted: 12/8/2011 12:03:11 AM

1) This is not a hollow 6-1 record in the respect that the one loss was not a blowout loss vs. the only true NCAA tournament team on the schedule. We led Louisville late just like the road games tonight and against Marshall. That can't be understated or overstated (depending on your perspective)

2) I don't consider these close wins to be late game collapses...this is invaluable experience of learning and more importantly becoming comfortable in situations where every possession offensively and defensively matters. (not to mention free throws) These are what I like to describe as mustard seed planting games. The harvest stands to be realized come Tournament time much more so than if these would have been all close home court wins.

HeHateMiami
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RE: Two very important truths

Posted: 12/8/2011 12:14:39 AM

Wilson Hall Record Holder wrote:

2) I don't consider these close wins to be late game collapses...this is invaluable experience of learning and more importantly becoming comfortable in situations where every possession offensively and defensively matters. (not to mention free throws) These are what I like to describe as mustard seed planting games. The harvest stands to be realized come Tournament time much more so than if these would have been all close home court wins.

I've read this a couple of times in the past week (from other posters, not to single you out WHRH). I don't completely buy the reasoning that we're a young team and should learn from/improve our late struggles. I don't buy it because we had this very same issue last season, culminating in the MAC Tournament loss.

I hope you're right though. Groce has some work to do getting this team to keep their foot on the gas when the opponents are on the ropes.

And let me say, at this point I'm nitpicking. A very good win tonight, and nothing to be down about.

anorris
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RE: Two very important truths

Posted: 12/8/2011 12:30:50 AM

The huge difference I see in this team than the past few years is depth. Often this is something we complain allows the big-time programs to finish off games against us... we seem to really have some this year. Should help make us more consistent as a team, I hope, because a guy can have an off night without losing a game. We played ten guys tonight. Our starting five scored 42 points. Our next five scored 42 points. I am ecstatic about that part of this year's team, especially.

whocaresgobobcats
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RE: Two very important truths

Posted: 12/8/2011 12:36:30 AM

They've been collapses, no other way around it. It needs to get fixed.

JSF
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RE: Two very important truths

Posted: 12/8/2011 12:46:12 AM

It's not a collapse when you don't surrender the lead. They've come close, but they've done enough every time except one.

And, against Morgan State, they slammed the door shut. Lamar, too, though that was in OT. And they pulled away against Arkie State. We're not falling apart late in every game.

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Wilson Hall Record Holder
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RE: Two very important truths

Posted: 12/8/2011 1:38:06 AM

Lord Wellington Fisherburn wrote:

They've been collapses, no other way around it. It needs to get fixed.

If it is a collapse then why are we ending up with more points at the end of the game?

I have never seen a building or structure collapse and still look just as good as it did before the collapse. (and yes a 2 point win is no less of a win than a 10 point win so we may just have to differ on that part.)

It's as if we are supposed to never lose more than 2 points off a lead in the last 2-3 minutes from your perspective.

Can you explain this more please?

For example....when the lead went from 14 down to 9 at halftime was that a collapse too?

Wilson Hall Record Holder
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RE: Two very important truths

Posted: 12/8/2011 1:39:38 AM

JSF wrote:

Oooops sorry I sent my reply to his statement before reading yours.

Redundancy can be effective sometimes

Chuck_IV
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RE: Two very important truths

Posted: 12/8/2011 8:11:16 AM

While I'd love to see them slam the door shut every time. It's not gonna happen. The way the game is set up, between the 3 point shot and the leading team having to make free throw after free throw and the HIGH variability in the refereeing, the trailing team always has opportunity to close the gap. Good teams WILL close the gap, especially on their home court and that is what we have been seeing... good teams, doing what it can to keep themselves in games.

What we have also bee seeing is an Ohio team fighting through this and doing what it has to do, to finish the game on top. With the exception of Louisville, we have managed to finish games off one way or the other. Even in Louisville case, once we blew that lead, we could have rolled over and died, but we STILL managed to have TWO chances to tie the game in the last 10 seconds against a top 10 team.

All this leads to confidence that they can get the job done, one way or the other. This will benefit them as the season goes on. What needs to happen tho is they need to progress so that they aren't always in these nailbiter type games. They need to put the game out of reach BEFORE the last 2-3 minutes.

Last Edited: 12/8/2011 8:13:34 AM by Chuck_IV

Class of 88

Jeff McKinney
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RE: Two very important truths

Posted: 12/8/2011 8:52:10 AM

I think the prospects are for this team to keep improving as the season progresses.

71 BOBCAT
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RE: Two very important truths

Posted: 12/8/2011 10:37:55 AM

Jeff, I hope you are correct.
We definately need to work at our last 2-3 minute performance in these games.
It's great that we win the close ones but did we win beacause we out scored the opponent down the stretch or was the opponent unable to overcome a small deficent?
The opponents lately seem to pick up their D which causes us to turn the ball over or miss our shots. We need to turn up our intensity as well.

GO BOBCATS

HeHateMiami
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RE: Two very important truths

Posted: 12/8/2011 10:54:33 AM

anorris wrote:

+1

This has been a dramatic difference between this team and every other team we've had for the past 10 or so years.

OUBobcat13
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RE: Two very important truths

Posted: 12/8/2011 1:24:01 PM

I would rather not be giving up leads either, but these have been good teams and we still are getting the W in the end. I believe over the last couple years we have had similar issues and ended up on the Losing side. At least now we are adding to the win column, even if it is by 2.

PLipps09
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RE: Two very important truths

Posted: 12/8/2011 4:03:26 PM

The late comebacks are concerning, coming from teams with 2 and 3 wins on the season. However, we do win the games. But it's against this level of play that we can't be doing this. I'm not saying these games should be cup cakes but, we should try and put ourselves in positions to where we can practice some plays or get other players pt. We can't afford to put ourselves in these positions when MAC play comes or else we will lose games. We've got a deep squad, we should bury teams initially and then utilize or depth to get players playing time instead of screwing around at the half and late into the game.

Monroe Slavin
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RE: Two very important truths

Posted: 12/8/2011 6:02:36 PM

Wilson Hall Record Holder wrote:

JSF wrote:

Oooops sorry I sent my reply to his statement before reading yours.

Redundancy can be effective sometimes

Redundancy can be effective sometimes

The point that a W is not an L is a good one. Also, wouldn't most of us have been pretty happy with 6-1 at this point if told that would be the case before the season started? And that the 1 would be a very close one.

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RSBobcat
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RE: Two very important truths

Posted: 12/8/2011 6:58:20 PM

I am becoming more and more a believer in this teams potential. The bench depth is great! We are are more and more playing to our strengths, and minimizing opponents ability to take advantage of our comparitive weaknesses vs them.

Per late game "collapses" - if we were a team that was consistently coming back and making the run at the end of the games - would we all be complaining that the only reason we win is because the other team always "collapses"? I think not - I think we would say "we know how to finish strong and win". I am starting to see a bit of different perspective with this team.

RS Bobcat

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