For This Cerebral Bunch to win at the Tourney

[Paul B in the Burg]

I don't want to be the voice of doom, but I think its time everyone got right with Field Hockey and just forget this basketball tomfoolery.

[TribeRising]

I still stand by the belief we will have to be smarter to win close games like this. We can't count on refs to bail us out, we are usually somewhat smaller and sometimes slower, and in crunch time, we have to be more cerebral than the other team. I don't "blame" Brown for throwing the ball in, but it begs the question, why does it have to go to Schneider only? Were not 3 other guys in the frontcourt? If Schneider's going to start in the back court, at least 2 guys in the front court need to be coming to the ball, setting their own picks, and giving Brown a frontcourt outlet. To have a single option on a play like that (this is where I got to mention coaching decisions) and not anticipate bringing other inbound choices removes some of the best options (get shot up, rebound, try again, ala Delaware).

Schneider is not a 50% 3 pt shooter, and certainly wasn't this night. The problem I see is (through no fault of his own--he's had some amazing shots, but also had plenty not so amazing) he's become the "only resort" when there are times I believe he'd be just as valuable as a decoy. IMO, he should never have even stepped foot in the backcourt--a lineup or pick inside 1/2 court where Brown was would have served us much better.

How about a thread about why the NIT might be a better post-season opportunity than the big dance? The fact we're even talking about this is pretty remarkable!

[Big'nTribe]

Agreed Big Green. When did Paul or anyone on this site see this team beating the ACC twice, Richmond, split with VCU and still have a chance at the conference championship at this point in the season. OK, we rely on the 3 too much and the guy many see as our "answer" JML, is another 3 point shooter. Our high risk offense shoots blanks some nighrs, but there is no question our inside game is better than at any time in the recent past. Both Hess and Kitts have had tough nights lately, but they have also had real strong performances we have hoped for. Kitts had five dunks at VCU, two that were very impressive. We have talented youth and hopefully a strong incoming class built upon an increasing fan interest. Thanks to our fans and a little dose of winning we can celebrate a renewal of hoops in the burg.

[Paul B in the Burg]

Agreed Big Green. When did Paul or anyone on this site see this team beating the ACC twice, Richmond, split with VCU and still have a chance at the conference championship at this point in the season. OK, we rely on the 3 too much and the guy many see as our "answer" JML, is another 3 point shooter. Our high risk offense shoots blanks some nighrs, but there is no question our inside game is better than at any time in the recent past. Both Hess and Kitts have had tough nights lately, but they have also had real strong performances we have hoped for. Kitts had five dunks at VCU, two that were very impressive. We have talented youth and hopefully a strong incoming class built upon an increasing fan interest. Thanks to our fans and a little dose of winning we can celebrate a renewal of hoops in the burg.

I was perfectly fine with another 10 win season, and they had to go ruin that!

[TribeRising]

Paul was probably perfectly fine before the invention of the telephone too!

[Wren Building]

Schneider is not a 50% 3 pt shooter, and certainly wasn't this night.

I didn't claim Scheinder has a 50% three-point percentage overall. I put forward that the type of wide-open looks he got on our second to last possession he hits about half the time. Take out all of this shots with a hand in his face, shots he takes with the shot clock running out and times he decides to launch it from 5 feet behind NBA range, and I bet his percentage would be about 50%.

I still say you are over-analyzing one play to say we don't play cerebrally. Respected poster Marshall-Wythe, who was sitting beside me at the ODU game, looked at ODU when they came out for the opening tip and said, "how in the world are we going to play with these guys?" What he meant, and his point was well-taken, is that if you throw out what you know about our records, etc., and just looked at how the two teams compared physically, you'd take ODU everyday of the week and twice on Sunday. We are making up that difference somewhere, and I don't think it is a stretch to say that one of the ways is being more "cerebral" on the whole.

[Sleepy]

I think the poor play of both teams kept the game close and WM slowed the pace. WM had too many turnovers and defensive breakdowns, including blocking out. WM may generally be more "cerebral" than their opponents, but the ODU game was not one of their most "cerebral" moments.

[socal frank]

Well said; you sound like a voice of reason. Start thinking NIT and hope for a home game to start. Home attendence from this point out will be key in that regard.