vs. Miami (2/26)

[Globetrotter]

On the season they shoot 31%. They are shooting 50% now because they are wide open. This team has given up. They did good enough. Good for them for reaching their goals so early in the season. Can get a good rest until next year.

Notes as I watched:

2 threes from Plowden and some blocks early? He is getting better for sure. I don't think he will ever be a go to guy on offense but he is moving beyond the role of just athlete. I bet one of his final seasons will see him having a top block year as well.

I often don't understand our offense. There are guards just standing around so often. MOVE!

Our shot selection is garbage. Down by 6 just before the half. And it's all BBall IQ stuff. That's coaching.

12-0 run. As Kanye West said: How could you be so heartless?

We just jack up threes. It's like they are playing in the rec league. Our offense is embarrassing.

The Basketball IQ on this team is so bad. This is Seniors and Juniors and they can't even get spacing against a zone. If we grabbed 5 of us and went and played at the Fieldhouse we would know enough to get spacing.

Frye looks disinterested or lost or something. He is super willing to take early shot clock threes and sort of play defense.


There are 6 minutes left. It's completely clear we won't win this game. We can't do anything on offense and our defense is terrible. This is painful to watch. I am going to fast forward. OK I gave up. What an awful team.

[Globetrotter]

Need to put this behind us and focus on Friday. A win at home on senior night means we can be no worse than the 3 seed and avoid buffalo until the final.

This of course assumes we somewhat resemble the team of a month ago. Hard to think about that now but I still believe this team can make a run in cleveland.

By all means, I'm not giving up. Heck, when we were down like 11 with about 6 minutes left, I was telling people I thought we were still going to win. I don't give up easy.

No time to waste - time to bounce back Friday and clinch a bye.

They honestly put of no fight. They looked like zombies just going through the motions. They basically had no chance to win with about 10 minutes to go in the game.

[HoopsFan]

This probably wouldn't affect the outcome of the game, but Turner can't seem to get a break in his play. What does he have to do the get fouls called on the defender. Also, twice Lillard put up 3-point shots that were blocked and the ball was awarded to Miami. Either that or his last 3-point shot was 5 foot short of the basket because he's a horrible shooter LOL

Well, I guess if we get one of the last 3 we might get a 3 seed, and 2 of 3 for a 2.

Go Falcons!

HoopsFan

[mbenecke]

This probably wouldn't affect the outcome of the game, but Turner can't seem to get a break in his play. What does he have to do the get fouls called on the defender. Also, twice Lillard put up 3-point shots that were blocked and the ball was awarded to Miami.

Agree on this. Both of the Lillard shots were clearly tipped. I don't know how they missed that. Another thing they missed was a "3" by Miami where the player's foot was pretty clearly on the line, and I would know because it happened right in front of me. And also the shot clock violation where the horn sounded and play went on for another 5 seconds without a whistle, and then they still awarded Miami points? Not a great night for the officials at all.

Miami played incredibly physical, and there weren't nearly enough whistles on them last night, though I feel like it wouldn't have mattered, given how poorly we shot from the stripe. That needs to be cleaned up immediately.

If this team gets the intensity that it had last month back, we'll be hard to beat.

Gonna be a tough stretch ahead. Nothing left is easy. vs. Kent, @ Akron, @ Buffalo, then the tournament where anything can happen.

[Falconwriter]

They are who we thought...all that happened early in the league season was a mirage.

Please, Moose...do NOT give Michael Huger an extension. Please don't complicate things when they aren't complicated. As noted by Globe earlier, the problems we've seen for most of the last 4 years are all related to coaching. Huger is, at best, a .500 coach. At best. BG should be able to do better (yeah, I know, history says otherwise...but I do think this can be turned around with the right hire.)

[hammb]

They are who we thought...all that happened early in the league season was a mirage.

Please, Moose...do NOT give Michael Huger an extension. Please don't complicate things when they aren't complicated. As noted by Globe earlier, the problems we've seen for most of the last 4 years are all related to coaching. Huger is, at best, a .500 coach. At best. BG should be able to do better (yeah, I know, history says otherwise...but I do think this can be turned around with the right hire.)

We've still got 2 full seasons on Huger's original deal. I cannot fathom an extension even being in the discussion at this point. But my god, he's done NOTHING to earn it. The strong run in MAC play is the only thing keeping the pitchforks at bay calling for firing him (hell I'd still be in favor of it, but it won't happen).

[Globetrotter]

I think he deserves credit for putting Plowden (an obvious move that not all coaches would have made) and Fields (way less obvious and a great move) in and the run that came with it. But the air is seeping out of the balloon. If he would have maintained that momentum I would have been for a short extension. Sure why not. But there are 2 years left now. Let next year play out atleast.

Next year will b interesting. We will lose 2 guys that i think are uber talented but hurt the flow of the team in Lillard and Wiggins. We will gain a stud guard in Zeigler to ease the guard rotation and we will add another guy in Turner who seems like a jack of all trades kind of guy who could contribute. The huge question will be who plays the 5. Is it Mattis, Mattos, Sierra or Gadsen. There is an argument for all of them but limitations in each area. WE have at least 2 schollies left to give and I think that we would be a very attractive spot for a Grad transfer. Come and start at the 5 for a year for a team that won 20 games and returns all their guards and then some. We have 3 separate types of PFs who can play next year in Mattis, Sierra and Plowden. Both Mattis and Plowden will play better with a Bigger guy/Banger at the 5. Sierra can play with a smaller guy (probably even Mattis). The biggest question is probably who can play the 5 when Plowden is at the 4. I thought Mattos looked pretty good in preseason but he hasn't done much sense. I have an inkling that the team thinks they missed on Gadsen and that's why he wasn't redshirted.

[mbenecke]

Matiss wont play at the 5. I think we're more likely to see Plowden at the 5 than Matiss.

Mattos looks like he could really contribute in the big man rotation next year and beyond - he's probably my favorite for starting at the 5 next year. I've always wondered why we don't see Gadson more. He's an extremely athletic guy, I just think he lacks coordination. If he gets a little more consistent, I think he can be a tough one to handle at the 5.

I think next year will look like:
Frye-Fields-Turner-Plowden-Mattos
Laster-Ziegler-Turner-Mattis/Sierra-Gadson

[Falconwriter]

They are who we thought...all that happened early in the league season was a mirage.

Please, Moose...do NOT give Michael Huger an extension. Please don't complicate things when they aren't complicated. As noted by Globe earlier, the problems we've seen for most of the last 4 years are all related to coaching. Huger is, at best, a .500 coach. At best. BG should be able to do better (yeah, I know, history says otherwise...but I do think this can be turned around with the right hire.)

We've still got 2 full seasons on Huger's original deal. I cannot fathom an extension even being in the discussion at this point. But my god, he's done NOTHING to earn it. The strong run in MAC play is the only thing keeping the pitchforks at bay calling for firing him (hell I'd still be in favor of it, but it won't happen).

I understand that...but I'm still recovering from all those bad extensions we saw by the previous AD; so I'm also a bit jumpy it's going to happen again -- even though I really do think Moose is a good AD and wouldn't do anything so foolish.

[zete]

They are who we thought...all that happened early in the league season was a mirage.

Please, Moose...do NOT give Michael Huger an extension. Please don't complicate things when they aren't complicated. As noted by Globe earlier, the problems we've seen for most of the last 4 years are all related to coaching. Huger is, at best, a .500 coach. At best. BG should be able to do better (yeah, I know, history says otherwise...but I do think this can be turned around with the right hire.)

We've still got 2 full seasons on Huger's original deal. I cannot fathom an extension even being in the discussion at this point. But my god, he's done NOTHING to earn it. The strong run in MAC play is the only thing keeping the pitchforks at bay calling for firing him (hell I'd still be in favor of it, but it won't happen).

I understand that...but I'm still recovering from all those bad extensions we saw by the previous AD; so I'm also a bit jumpy it's going to happen again -- even though I really do think Moose is a good AD and wouldn't do anything so foolish.

Could/probably be a .500 team for the next two years.....then the non-renewal.

[mbenecke]

What happens if we win 70% of our games over the next 2 years and get to at least the MAC semifinals 2 times in the next 2 years (plus this year)?
Would you still want him to walk?

I'm not trying to be a booger, I'm legitimately curious what some people on this site would think/feel in that situation.

[zete]

MH and staff would need to bring someone like Tre'Shaun Fletcher into the program - and soon - to save their skins.

[hammb]

What happens if we win 70% of our games over the next 2 years and get to at least the MAC semifinals 2 times in the next 2 years (plus this year)?
Would you still want him to walk?

I'm not trying to be a booger, I'm legitimately curious what some people on this site would think/feel in that situation.

Interesting hypothetical.

Firstly, I do NOT want another lame duck season. They hurt 2-3 seasons of your program, and we simply must STOP with that habit. Huger will have had 5 full seasons at the end of the '19-20 year. IF you cannot determine, at that point, whether he's worth an extension then he probably isn't and you should let him go. The lame duck thing must end.

Let's say we finish this season with 20 wins, win our quarterfinal game and bow out in the semis. Then you have us tabbed for a .700 winning percentage and trip to the semis again next year (interesting to note, even this year we're not winning at a 70% clip anymore). If that comes to fruition I fully expect that Huger will get an extension for at least another 2 years added to what would be his one remaining season.

Me personally? I would understand giving the guy an extension in that hypothetical, but I wouldn't be happy about it. I'll be honest, having watched nearly every home game he's coached (and a large percentage of the road games as well) short of making, and winning a game in, the NCAA tournament I don't think there is anything Huger could do to have me real excited about extending him. He has shown some growth this year; made huge changes to the starting lineup that worked out, changed up the rotations, and for a long stretch FINALLY started having the guys run something that looked like an offense. But now here we are, when the chips are down, going right back to dumping into the post, pure isolation basketball. The Xs & Os on this team are maddeningly bad, and have been for the past 4 seasons. I also HATE the fact that he's never once used all of his scholarships. I also seriously question his team building of the scholarships he does use...undersized guards and too many bigs. Not nearly enough long athletes.

So I guess to answer your question, no, I would not want an extension in your hypothetical. If they can put together the consistency required to win the MAC tournament I'll change my tune, but that's what it will take to erase the 3+ years of bad coaching I've watched.

[Globetrotter]

We get 1 more year with Huger to decide. That is perfect IMO. Next year 2-3 things will happen 1) He will have the opportunity to infuse a lineup with an overall better basketball IQ by getting rid of Wiggins and Lillard. 2) He will have to replace the very capable basketball players in Wiggins and Lillard (and Uju) leaving a very large gap at the 5. 3) He will have 3 senior, very capable guards in Laster-Frye and Turner all who may be in their last year at BG (depending on if Turner uses his free agency or not). It's both the perfect time to see if Huger is a good enough coach to create a winner with a different type of team and to potentially hit the reset button.

[hammb]

We get 1 more year with Huger to decide. That is perfect IMO. Next year 2-3 things will happen 1) He will have the opportunity to infuse a lineup with an overall better basketball IQ by getting rid of Wiggins and Lillard. 2) He will have to replace the very capable basketball players in Wiggins and Lillard (and Uju) leaving a very large gap at the 5. 3) He will have 3 senior, very capable guards in Laster-Frye and Turner all who may be in their last year at BG (depending on if Turner uses his free agency or not). It's both the perfect time to see if Huger is a good enough coach to create a winner with a different type of team and to potentially hit the reset button.

Agreed. If Huger can get the '19-20 team to actually grow and be better than this team, that will be a big feather in his cap.

As you've said multiple times, we'll miss Lillard & Wiggins talent, but it is an opportunity to improve the overall IQ.