Mercer @ Furman, 3/2

[gofurman]

Very disappointing year! First time in years we didn’t improve as the year went on.

I found where Jackal & I had addressed this almost exactly a year ago.

I'm feeling now like the streak may have ended.

One notable thing is that Furman has been able to replace all of the "how are we going to replace x" players. Next man will ready.

Yep:
We were able to replace Croone when he graduated in 2016
We were able to replace Acox when he graduated in 2017
We were able to replace JDIII, Fowler, Sibley, & Beans when they graduated in 2018
We were able to replace Rafferty & Brown when they graduated in 2019
We were able to replace Lyons when he graduated in 2020
We were able to replace Mounce & Gurley when they graduated in 2021
We were able to replace Hunter & Garrison when they graduated in 2022

We'll be able to replace Bothwell & Slawson when they graduate this year. Onward!

My same. concern with football. When you have truly special players it’s hard to reload and replace. We haven’t had a draft pick in YEARS- Slawson was just different. Very analogous to my football concern. Bothwell and Slawson return and we have the most memorable year in my watching since 90s. We had a TON of football guys do the same last year, most of whom are gone now. We will see with football…

With basketball isn’t CBR getting a lot of money? How do you address that with a .500 type year? I’m a long term guy. Waited until end of year to post this. Not horrific but we need a talent infusion. A coach getting paid a lot is responsible for getting those players. Now he can sell the renovation too. Especially in another year. No excuses. I’m fine with this year but needs to improve in next year or three with renovation recruiting. Though I know some of those guys will be brought in as freshman - I would say by 3 or 4 years we should rightfully expect to be consistently better with recruits seeing the renovated arena.

[apaladin]

Let the demolition begin!

[apaladin]

Glad to get the free tacos!

….but they did have to lower the unrealistic total of 100 to 70 which we barely made.

[apaladin]

No senior day today which means everyone is coming back. One spot open.

[purplehorse123]

I have said all along-the biggest problem with this team is just lack of talent. Maybe certain players have not reached their potential. With CBR I am shocked he cannot get better talent at Furman. It seems to me that many folks would want to play for him.

I think once Bowser puts on more weight and gets stronger that he will be good. I love his free throws for a big man.

[FurmAlum]

I don't profess to be a basketball coach but since we have a UFFP... It's never over until it's over so here's what I would tell the team.

1. We are now the hunter and not the hunted.
2. Therefore the pressure is off.
3. Play your hearts out and leave it all on the floor.

Here's what I would tell the individual players.

1. As much as I like Bowser, his time is next year. I would not rely on a freshman in a playoff game where it's win or go home. I would tell Hien and Hughey that they will get all the playing time at the 5 unless they get in bad foul trouble. And so go out there and play your ass off.

2. I would tell Whitt and Williams that they will play a lot and not to worry about the quick hook. They need the freedom to play loose without the fear of coming out after one mistake.

3. I would try to get Williams some early shots on some set plays. He's too good a shooter to only get 4-5 shots a game. But he needs to stay within the offense and move without the ball instead of standing there like a rock. P, F, and S can't do it all.

4. Pegues, Foster, and Smith just need to keep doing what they are doing. The shots either go in or they don't. Foster has had 2 subpar games in a row but he showed last year in the NCAA tourney that he can do it.

5. Tell VDW when you drive into the lane, finish it at the rim! If they play off you, and they will, take the shot and don't worry about it. 

6. On defense play with the intensity and help D like you did in home wins against Sammy, Chatty, and Woffy. I don't know how you coach that but it might help to watch a replay of the FU/Virginia game. We have 8 players that all played well in last years SoCon tourney and 2 NCAA tournament games. You have been there before.

A far as game strategy I would alternate Vanderwal and Hughey on Woolbright with lots of help. His supporting cast beat us with 3 pointers last game but I would bet they can't do it again.

Anybody got any better ideas?

[FurmAlum]

I have said all along-the biggest problem with this team is just lack of talent. Maybe certain players have not reached their potential. With CBR I am shocked he cannot get better talent at Firman. It seems to me that many folks would want to play for him.

I think once Bowser puts on more weight and gets stronger that he will be good. I love his free throws for a big man.

I don't think it is lack of talent. I think it is lack of team chemistry. For some reason we just haven't been able to click as a team except for about 5-6 games. The other reason is we have lost our confidence. Hien used to shoot 3's from the top of the key and the corner pretty good. Now he does not even shoot them. I'm all for all the players we have coming back next year as each should be more mature physically and mentally. But some of them, heck most of them, need to get in the gym and learn to shoot. Pegues didn't become the best free throw shooter in the SoCon without some heavy off season practice. He was just mediocre last year. I remember someone said Alex Hunter took 1,000 shots a day in the off season between his junior and senior seasons. And he went from a so so shooter to a bonafide star.

[apaladin]

We should not be shocked if we lose more than one to the portal. I am afraid there is more friction on this team than we want to believe. Hope I am wrong.

[FurmanATT]

I don't think many of the frustrations expressed here are lost on Bob. -- MD
Timmons finale goes awry for #Paladins https://wellpilgrim.wordpress.com/2024/ ... ale-82-75/

[Jasper]

I don't profess to be a basketball coach but since we have a UFFP... It's never over until it's over so here's what I would tell the team.

1. We are now the hunter and not the hunted.
2. Therefore the pressure is off.
3. Play your hearts out and leave it all on the floor.

Here's what I would tell the individual players.

1. As much as I like Bowser, his time is next year. I would not rely on a freshman in a playoff game where it's win or go home. I would tell Hien and Hughey that they will get all the playing time at the 5 unless they get in bad foul trouble. And so go out there and play your ass off.

2. I would tell Whitt and Williams that they will play a lot and not to worry about the quick hook. They need the freedom to play loose without the fear of coming out after one mistake.

3. I would try to get Williams some early shots on some set plays. He's too good a shooter to only get 4-5 shots a game. But he needs to stay within the offense and move without the ball instead of standing there like a rock. P, F, and S can't do it all.

4. Pegues, Foster, and Smith just need to keep doing what they are doing. The shots either go in or they don't. Foster has had 2 subpar games in a row but he showed last year in the NCAA tourney that he can do it.

5. Tell VDW when you drive into the lane, finish it at the rim! If they play off you, and they will, take the shot and don't worry about it. 

6. On defense play with the intensity and help D like you did in home wins against Sammy, Chatty, and Woffy. I don't know how you coach that but it might help to watch a replay of the FU/Virginia game. We have 8 players that all played well in last years SoCon tourney and 2 NCAA tournament games. You have been there before.

A far as game strategy I would alternate Vanderwal and Hughey on Woolbright with lots of help. His supporting cast beat us with 3 pointers last game but I would bet they can't do it again.

Anybody got any better ideas?

I do. We are a terrible defensive team in too many games. We have little rim protection and give up way too many uncontested 3’s . Today was a perfect example of that. No one in the zip code of the shooter most of the time.
We need Whitt and Williams to play a lot more. Whitt is the best penetrator and assist man on the team. he sees the open man better than anyone. Williams is a very good stationary shooter. They are both suffering from “quickhookitis” right now. That needs to stop.
This tournament in Asheville is wide open to 7 or 8 teams. We can do some damage if the right changes are made - particularly on D.

[apaladin]

I noticed that about their shooters. Everytime we had a chance to close the gap they had a wide open 3 and knocked it down. They shot 60% from the 3 today. How can they do that against the best 3 point defense in the league? Lol.

[apaladin]

[Roundball]

Glad to get the free tacos!

….but they did have to lower the unrealistic total of 100 to 70 which we barely made.

Yes, that was sad when announced.

[Roundball]

That was a discouraging post game press conference. Not much hope for Asheville. It sounds like we need to clean house and bring in guys that have the desire to put it all on the line for each other.

[tim]

Coach Richey talks in statistics more than any basketball coach I have ever heard. It's all about deflections, to/assists ratios, certain players are a 1.24 etc. This isn't a criticism but I can't help wondering if we are losing the team in all that?