After Gurley hit a 3 to put us up 3-0, our only other tres were a total of 6 by Lyons. Again need to hit the absolutely wide open 3’s.
FU vs. WCU Saturday Dec. 1st
Western is not a bad team at all. They made a great hire in Prosser as HC. They played well yesterday. I was making fun of their big man at halftime. Wow, did he prove me wrong. As he was going to the locker room after the game, I told him he was a beast in the second half. As for the Paladins, we found a way to win against a well coached team. We have much room for improvement. We must improve to face what is going to be a grueling SoCon schedule. This team is fun to watch. 8-0. Go Paladins!
While not a good game, it was a thrilling game. Kept waiting for us to go on a run, and every time we got up by about 5 points WCU would hit a 3, we would make two sloppy turnovers or forced shots. I notice that when the shot clock gets down to 10 seconds we panic and there seems to be no semblance of order - lots of deer in the headlight looks. Sitting behind the basket I was able to see those reactions. But we persevered and won another tough game. WCU is not that bad and I counted at least 5 buzzer beating 3's. They seemed unconscious in the first half with that shot.
And we won another typical Bruce Benedict officiated game. Geez I wish he could catch back on with the Braves as a scout or something and leave officiating.
The game also pointed out what happens when a team puts a really big body on Matt Rafferty. Dotson is 6'7 " and tips the scales at 275. He out-muscled everyone and I do wonder why Jalen Williams was not inserted. While limited offensively, Dotson is the perfect sort of player who we need to push back on both in this game and in the future, as I am sure there will be other similar styled players. Dotson a 0 point in first half and looked slow. He ended up scoring 27 and pulling down 14 rebounds. Made me long for the days of Kris Acox underneath.
Place was packed and rowdy and that was great. Fans treated to a truly thrilling game, which might not have been our best but which pushed us to 8-0.
And we won another typical Bruce Benedict officiated game. Geez I wish he could catch back on with the Braves as a scout or something and leave officiating.
The game also pointed out what happens when a team puts a really big body on Matt Rafferty. Dotson is 6'7 " and tips the scales at 275. He out-muscled everyone and I do wonder why Jalen Williams was not inserted. While limited offensively, Dotson is the perfect sort of player who we need to push back on both in this game and in the future, as I am sure there will be other similar styled players. Dotson a 0 point in first half and looked slow. He ended up scoring 27 and pulling down 14 rebounds. Made me long for the days of Kris Acox underneath.
Place was packed and rowdy and that was great. Fans treated to a truly thrilling game, which might not have been our best but which pushed us to 8-0.
That panic will be somewhat lessened by having Brown back.
We are starting 2 sophomores and a freshman, with another freshman first off the bench.
Rafferty basically gave their big guy 8-10 points since he had 4 fouls. I would have preferred they put some one else on their guy. You could still leave Rafferty in there.
Alas, I was not consulted!
We are starting 2 sophomores and a freshman, with another freshman first off the bench.
Rafferty basically gave their big guy 8-10 points since he had 4 fouls. I would have preferred they put some one else on their guy. You could still leave Rafferty in there.
Alas, I was not consulted!
Fun tidbits:
- this game currently ranks as the most "tense" in college basketball this season per Pomeroy (though it shows up as #2 due to an apparent glitch).
- Furman was a heavy favorite, statistically, for the entire game except for the period between WCU taking a 64-62 lead and Lyons tying it at 67.
- this game currently ranks as the most "tense" in college basketball this season per Pomeroy (though it shows up as #2 due to an apparent glitch).
- Furman was a heavy favorite, statistically, for the entire game except for the period between WCU taking a 64-62 lead and Lyons tying it at 67.
Can someone post a link to the replay. The one on the official site doesn't work.
Thanks much!
Thanks much!
There isn't enough Kool Aid in the universe to convince me that this wasn't a poorly played and badly coached game. A home win against a lowly rated 2-7 team who was an 18 point underdog in double overtime is not the stuff of highlight films. We allowed the WCU big man, Dotson, to dominate the game and virtually score at will in the 2nd half when our best player, Matt Rafferty, was in deep foul trouble without even looking down our own bench at 6'8'' 250 lb. Jalen Williams with 5 fouls to give. Dotson shot fouls like Wilt Chamberlain BTW and was scoreless in the first half when Raff was able to challenge him. Are you kidding me? It was an exciting game and it was a win - so some of you fans on this board will be ecstatic and hoping to rise to the top of the rankings this week on Furman's inevitable journey to the Final Four. I will shut up and leave you to your fun. For the kids sake I hope it will continue as long as it can. But let's just say I will not be contributing to the "hire our great coach for life" fund.
bj93, AllKnighter liked this
Coach Richey agrees with your assessment.Jasper wrote: ↑Sun Dec 02, 2018 4:11 pmThere isn't enough Kool Aid in the universe to convince me that this wasn't a poorly played and badly coached game. A home win against a lowly rated 2-7 team who was an 18 point underdog in double overtime is not the stuff of highlight films. We allowed the WCU big man, Dotson, to dominate the game and virtually score at will in the 2nd half when our best player, Matt Rafferty, was in deep foul trouble without even looking down our own bench at 6'8'' 250 lb. Jalen Williams with 5 fouls to give. Dotson shot fouls like Wilt Chamberlain BTW and was scoreless in the first half when Raff was able to challenge him. Are you kidding me? It was an exciting game and it was a win - so some of you fans on this board will be ecstatic and hoping to rise to the top of the rankings this week on Furman's inevitable journey to the Final Four. I will shut up and leave you to your fun. For the kids sake I hope it will continue as long as it can. But let's just say I will not be contributing to the "hire our great coach for life" fund.
MNORM liked this
I think we should not count this as a win since we are such a terrible team with bad coaches. Maybe the loses will come to make a few happy.
I agree. Folks like Jasper hang around those few Clemson fans not happy with a 21 point victory over the Shamecocks. Glass have empty. By the way, Furman needs to sign up Coach Richey for a lifetime contract. He is that good of a coach.
From Furman Sports Report:
http://www.furmansportsreport.com/2018/ ... ouble.html
Richey said the Paladins should expect more tests like this, especially as long as they stay undefeated.
"As I told the team, a fat pig gets slaughtered. We've got to make sure that we don't start to think that we're something we're not," Richey said. "We've got to show up every day. ... We're going to get people's best shot.
"Western Carolina played really hard and physical. They had a great game plan on both sides and we're fortunate to come out on the good side of it."
http://www.furmansportsreport.com/2018/ ... ouble.html
Richey said the Paladins should expect more tests like this, especially as long as they stay undefeated.
"As I told the team, a fat pig gets slaughtered. We've got to make sure that we don't start to think that we're something we're not," Richey said. "We've got to show up every day. ... We're going to get people's best shot.
"Western Carolina played really hard and physical. They had a great game plan on both sides and we're fortunate to come out on the good side of it."
MNORM liked this
Was there a single Furman fan who thought this team would be 8-0 at this point? I didn't. I would have been thrilled with a 7-1 start, happy with a 6-2 start (as long as we were competitive in the losses), and content with 5-3 as long as Western Carolina was one of the wins. And that is with a healthy Andrew Brown.
There is plenty of improvement we need to make to have the kind of season we all want. With such a young team that is a realistic hope that we will make those improvements.
There is plenty of improvement we need to make to have the kind of season we all want. With such a young team that is a realistic hope that we will make those improvements.
Last edited by tya1 on Sun Dec 02, 2018 8:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Jasper wrote: ↑Sun Dec 02, 2018 4:11 pmThere isn't enough Kool Aid in the universe to convince me that this wasn't a poorly played and badly coached game. A home win against a lowly rated 2-7 team who was an 18 point underdog in double overtime is not the stuff of highlight films. We allowed the WCU big man, Dotson, to dominate the game and virtually score at will in the 2nd half when our best player, Matt Rafferty, was in deep foul trouble without even looking down our own bench at 6'8'' 250 lb. Jalen Williams with 5 fouls to give. Dotson shot fouls like Wilt Chamberlain BTW and was scoreless in the first half when Raff was able to challenge him. Are you kidding me? It was an exciting game and it was a win - so some of you fans on this board will be ecstatic and hoping to rise to the top of the rankings this week on Furman's inevitable journey to the Final Four. I will shut up and leave you to your fun. For the kids sake I hope it will continue as long as it can. But let's just say I will not be contributing to the "hire our great coach for life" fund.
What exactly were/are your expectations for this team?
Last edited by DungeonRealm on Sun Dec 02, 2018 8:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I think the saying is that 'hogs get fat, pigs get slaughtered.' Bigger picture though - there is no contradiction between Richey being a good coach and Furman having a rough game. When Villanova has a bad game, does that mean Jay Wright is a bad coach? No mildly sentient being would make that argument.
Nor have I heard a coach say that he doesn't care how his team plays so long as they win. Richey has certainly never said that.
Furman won without playing well. Richey said it, the statistics say it, anyone with eyes should have seen it. It's bizarre for anyone to even push back on that fact. The important thing is that the team learn from it and play better at Elon.
Nor have I heard a coach say that he doesn't care how his team plays so long as they win. Richey has certainly never said that.
Furman won without playing well. Richey said it, the statistics say it, anyone with eyes should have seen it. It's bizarre for anyone to even push back on that fact. The important thing is that the team learn from it and play better at Elon.
youwouldno wrote: ↑Sun Dec 02, 2018 8:14 pmI think the saying is that 'hogs get fat, pigs get slaughtered.' Bigger picture though - there is no contradiction between Richey being a good coach and Furman having a rough game. When Villanova has a bad game, does that mean Jay Wright is a bad coach? No mildly sentient being would make that argument.
Nor have I heard a coach say that he doesn't care how his team plays so long as they win. Richey has certainly never said that.
Furman won without playing well. Richey said it, the statistics say it, anyone with eyes should have seen it. It's bizarre for anyone to even push back on that fact. The important thing is that the team learn from it and play better at Elon.
Its going to be tough for a lot of us to feel TRULY satisfied until we show up back in the NCAA's, that said its been a fun season to this point
dornb liked this