Curt has a great point here....

[ZiggyZoomba]

Let's not get complacent as fans... because the team sees, reads, and hears it. Every game is important and every win is going to be tough. We've got a BIG bullseye on our backs right now and these amazing women need to realize it's not going to be easy EVER for them.

"(After OU) We come back to BG, and we've won by nine, and everyone in the community asked us what happened," Miller said. "I got stopped outside of my house and asked what happened. People in our community have lost a little touch of reality, even though we've won 43 of our last 48 games.

"We are finding ways to win. MAC road wins are tough, no matter where you go. ... For the first time in many, many games, I felt that we listened to some of the stuff after the OU game, and it bothered us."

[Jacobs4Heisman]

No doubt -- the West is very tough this year. I can envision us losing any of the road games and BSU at home. Then we still have to travel to Kent when we go back through the East again. The MAC tourney won't be a cakewalk either. As Lindsay Austin showed us, anything can happen out there.

We've seen repeatedly in BG sports that the weight of national rankings and exposure can be too much for a team to handle (read: football). Hopefully this team can push through that with all the seniors. They realize this is their last shot to do something really special, and they'll do everything in their power to take advantage.

[NY-BG-FAN]

No doubt -- the West is very tough this year. I can envision us losing any of the road games and BSU at home. Then we still have to travel to Kent when we go back through the East again. The MAC tourney won't be a cakewalk either. As Lindsay Austin showed us, anything can happen out there.

We've seen repeatedly in BG sports that the weight of national rankings and exposure can be too much for a team to handle (read: football). Hopefully this team can push through that with all the seniors. They realize this is their last shot to do something really special, and they'll do everything in their power to take advantage.

I'd argue the seniors have already done something really special in their careers, but yes a win in the NCAA tourney would be nice. I just can't stand it when fans want teams to apologize for closer than expected wins. Any team, any win, any sport. Especially on the road. It's disrespectful to the opponent, and it trivializes the work of the winning team. Weather we beat OU by 9 or 90, a win is a win.

[Rightupinthere]

But the grass is so greeeeeeeeeeeeeen!

[Jacobs4Heisman]

I'd argue the seniors have already done something really special in their careers, but yes a win in the NCAA tourney would be nice.

I don't think you'd have anyone to argue with there, but talk to the players -- they really want to make noise in the tourney. If they can grab a 5 or 6 seed, they'll have a great shot to do exactly that.

[falconfan1999]

The ladies hoops squad is by far the most positive athletic team we have going! I'm just really pleased with their success and the positive way they represent the university, alumni and fans!

[BGFalconfromCincy]

No one should be going up to Curt or the team saying what happened after a win, not all wins will be blowouts, I didn't hear of anyone doing that after close wins over Delaware or Robert Morris, so why now just because its MAC play. When it comes to any team on campus, football, basketball, volleyball, hockey, baseball, softball, etc. I don't care if they win by one or one hundred because





YOU PLAY TO WIN THE GAME

[Falconboy]

No one should be going up to Curt or the team saying what happened after a win, not all wins will be blowouts, I didn't hear of anyone doing that after close wins over Delaware or Robert Morris, so why now just because its MAC play. When it comes to any team on campus, football, basketball, volleyball, hockey, baseball, softball, etc. I don't care if they win by one or one hundred because





YOU PLAY TO WIN THE GAME

I think the ladies may have pushed expectations to such a high level after such a great non-conference record with the poundings of IU, Temple, Oakland and Delaware , some people might be thinking that the rest of the Mac is way lower than all of those teams and everybody thinks we were gonna cruise through the Mac with blowouts every game and thats not realistic at all. We're not that more athletic or physically talented enough over the other teams that we can expect that in the least. If we had ACC ,SEC type athletes , those people might have a point but regardless the Mac won't be a total cakewalk. We just need to survive the on onslaught of teams that want to be the ones to knock us off.

[Jacobs4Heisman]

I think the ladies may have pushed expectations to such a high level after such a great non-conference record with the poundings of IU, Temple, Oakland and Delaware , some people might be thinking that the rest of the Mac is way lower than all of those teams and everybody thinks we were gonna cruise through the Mac with blowouts every game and thats not realistic at all.

Oakland was an interesting addition to that group, and we didn't pound Delaware any more than we pounded Miami or Ohio.

You're right about the expectations though. I think the recent success has picked up a lot more casual fans that don't know as much about the game. I think those are the people Curt is talking about. I think most around here recognize that the team can play much better than they have recently, but are still ecstatic to pick up 2 tough road wins. That's the exact same state of mind the coaches and players are in.

I think another factor in the lofty expectations, and I touched on this in another thread, is that people remember last year's 19-0 MAC record, and then remember how we were blowing everybody out non-con this year, and think we blew everybody out last year. We had at least 6 MAC games last season that were closer than the Miami and Ohio games this year, and a couple of those were at home.

[ziggy]

http://tinyurl.com/2aklrw

[jacojdm]

http://tinyurl.com/2aklrw

[transfer2BGSU]

What happened?

The bulls-eye on this team gets bigger, and bigger, and bigger with each victory. I'm rooting for another perfect season, but I will be extremely happy with a victory this Saturday against Central Michigan.

[Schadenfreude]

Well, first, Curt Miller's management of expectations is masterful -- worthy of any program in the country. Based on that alone, I have visions of him transforming us into the next Louisiana Tech. His coachspeak is that good -- and I mean that in a good way.

That said, I'm going to be a bit of a contrarian here and simply note that:

1. Miller is correct: The Falcons did have an 18 point at Ohio with two minutes left -- and blew half of it.
2. The Falcons had a sizable lead in the waning minutes at Miami and let the RedHakws work it down to within four.

It is just a bit disconcerting. Now, would I look Ali Mann in the eyes and say that? No. For one thing, I'm much taller than she is.

I do have a bit of concern about the Falcons' ability to finish. Some work on free throws could cure it -- but it is worthy of note.

That Indiana team is a good team. I saw a slice of the game last night, and they were up on Iowa by 20. Bowling Green beat Indiana by 35.

So, yeah, we've come to expect a bit more. This girls are capable of so much. We see that night after night.

And, yes, we ar terribly proud of them.

Does that make sense?

[The Niz]

Part of the issue with the big leads is that in the last few games Coach has been pulling his starters in favor of his young-ins once they have a decent lead established. I quite frankly love this. I think that giving underclassmen minutes is a key part of taking a good program up over the threshold to being a championship program.

[Jacobs4Heisman]

None of the freshman have played in either of the last two games.

Coach sees both sides of it -- he articulated both sides in his quotes last night. We'll be just fine.