Middle Tennessee State (2/10/18)

[BillySee58]

Really good to see Smart finishing on his drives. That had been his only real weakness offensively. He was shooting the same inside the arc as he was outside the arc until recently. Very good development in his game, and makes defenses respect him when he puts the ball on the floor, where the weren't previously.

[Cooley]

This team is certainly closing the gap within the conference with its hustle. It also helps to have a legit 1^st team All-Conference caliber player in Roosevelt Smart; that can keep you in games throughout games. Additionally, a very good point guard, although outside shot challenged, controlling the action. After these two, I’m just hoping other guys don't hurt us too much and contribute something.  Woolridge's turnovers are somewhat understandable, and to a smaller degree, missed free throws, due to possibly being tired late in games. Our big men need to understand or be reminded, that they don’t have to dunk a poor lob pass. Instead, bring it down and take it back up.   

This team will be much better when AJ Lawson and Allante Holston are further down the rotation or out completely. Additions next year may help this to become a reality. I get Lawson’s hand injury concerns but he commits so many wild ill-advised turnovers before he gets a shot off. I don't think he plays sound defense either.  Its actually unbelievable how you can see the turnover coming when he get the ball most times. Its just so many little things that affect the game that prevents greater success. Hate settling for a moral victory today when this should have been a W.  

 

[GMG24]

35 minutes ago, Cooley said:

This team is certainly closing the gap within the conference with its hustle. It also helps to have a legit 1^st team All-Conference caliber player in Roosevelt Smart; that can keep you in games throughout games. Additionally, a very good point guard, although outside shot challenged, controlling the action. After these two, I’m just hoping other guys don't hurt us too much and contribute something.  Woolridge's turnovers are somewhat understandable, and to a smaller degree, missed free throws, due to possibly being tired late in games. Our big men need to understand or be reminded, that they don’t have to dunk a poor lob pass. Instead, bring it down and take it back up.   

This team will be much better when AJ Lawson and Allante Holston are further down the rotation or out completely. Additions next year may help this to become a reality. I get Lawson’s hand injury concerns but he commits so many wild ill-advised turnovers before he gets a shot off. I don't think he plays sound defense either.  Its actually unbelievable how you can see the turnover coming when he get the ball most times. Its just so many little things that affect the game that prevents greater success. Hate settling for a moral victory today when this should have been a W.  

 

I got in trouble by the wife tonight as I yelled that same thing multiple times... CRAPPY lob!!! Just bring it down and battle through contact!

[Ben Gooding]

Tonight was encouraging. I am definitely not a moral victory type of guy, but tonight was a gutsy performance. 

UNT won the game in everything except the turnover differential (18 to 5) and free throw shooting (7/16). Higher shooting percentage. Higher 3 ball %. Out rebounded Middle and has more team assists. The turnovers and poor free throw shooting has hurt this team all season, and tonight it reared its ugly head once again.

Nevertheless, very good and refreshing competitiveness, specifically on the road vs a March Madness opponent. All I ask of all of our sports programs is competitiveness I have bought in on McCasland. He's a good one. 

[Travis]

WHo had the three point record in a single season before smart broke it tonight? Rogers??

Edited February 11, 2018 by Travis

[golfingomez]

Calvin Watson

[Shark84]

3 hours ago, CMJ said:

Yes....and even if we'd made all the FT's (which rarely happens...about the best one can hope for realistically is 75-80%) that's not as many as we probably lost with all those TOs

That makes the 18 turnovers hurt even more.

4 hours ago, CMJ said:

Honestly, I don't think that hurts nearly as bas as being -13 turnovers.  It might have even been worse than that, but the last I saw I think that was the differential.

Missed free throws are just like a turnover. Especially in the bonus.

[shootermcgavin44]

1 hour ago, golfingomez said:

Calvin Watson

Justin Howerton 

[CMJ]

11 hours ago, Shark84 said:

That makes the 18 turnovers hurt even more.

Missed free throws are just like a turnover. Especially in the bonus.

I hate FT misses as much as the next guy, but let's really look at this.  Let's say we go 12-16 from the line, that's a reasonable 75% clip, with a -13 turnover differential.  We still probably lose that game.  Now for argument's sake we cut our turnovers in half, but still shoot 7-16 from the line.  I'm inclined to believe we would have won yesterday.

Not every game will play out that way....sometimes turnovers seem to hurt less than others.  Yesterday, because MTSU was so good with the ball, every time we turned it over was excruciating.  

Edited February 11, 2018 by CMJ

[Aquila_Viridis]

Occasionally MT showed it could methodically work the ball around to find an open shot. I didn't see much of that from NT. But NT did hit several key outside shots - some prayers - to stay in the game. I don't know exactly what Holston did or didn't do, but coach was after him hard most of the second half; sometimes we thought to the omission of direction for the other players. 

[BillySee58]

37 minutes ago, CMJ said:

I hate FT misses as much as the next guy, but let's really look at this.  Let's say we go 12-16 from the line, that's a reasonable 75% clip, with a -13 turnover differential.  We still probably lose that game.  Now for argument's sake we cut our turnovers in half, but still shoot 7-16 from the line.  I'm inclined to believe we would have won yesterday.

Not every game will play out that way....sometimes turnovers seem to hurt less than others.  Yesterday, because MTSU was so good with the ball, every time we turned it over was excruciating.  

Depending on which free throws we make, we likely get two more because I believe we missed the front end of the one and one two or three times. So that's more like 13-18 which is an additional 6 points, matching how much we lost by.

Your point definitely still stands that the turnovers were a bigger issue, especially considering how well we were shooting, but the free throws were especially detrimental when you factor in missing the front end of the one and one.

Edited February 11, 2018 by BillySee58

[GrandGreen]

Very nice to have fans discussing minor flaws other than horrible coaching.   I am not sure NT doesn't have the best HC in the conference. 

I think Woolridge and Smart are both top line CUSA players.   Woolridge's numbers are not great and his free throw shooting costs NT some wins, but he is the one most often mentioned by opposing coaches and commentators as a dominating player. 

Lawson is being underrated by some, he is a sophomore and injured and is very important to the team.  His play is disappointing based on his first year, but I think the injury is the cause. Lawson is close to averaging double figures and is the team's leading rebounder.  

Neither Woolridge or Lawson are even average outside shooters, but these guys are super athletic and with time hopefully will develop a better outside game.  

Whether you are against moral victories are not, I think the loss to the Muts was very encouraging.   In conference they are now 6-0 at home with an average win of 22 points a game excluding NT.   Not to mention that their current rpi is 28.