GrandGreen

I guess you are factoring in, that she had four starters returning and that NT was picked high in the pre-season polls. Also I think you may want to check on your comment about her having a better record than her male counterpart in his first suspension free first season. Likewise, I hope Dodge's first two years are not a standard for anything. I don't recall anyone saying her actions were rash or baseless. I am sure that there was rationale to the action. Again, the question is why a first year coach would want to paint herself into a corner and end up suspending anyone right before tournament. Maybe you have seen other coaches that have had to resort to continual suspensions to instil decipline, I have not. In case, you are new, I can assure you that Slinker did not recruit a bunch of problem players.

I'm not sure how you are fine with it, unless you know a lot more than the masses. What are the rules or they reasonable? She apparently ran off arguably the most heralded of Slinker's freshmen recruits before the season even started. A 6'2 player who was also the state high jump champion. Hall missed a great deal of the season on suspension, Escalera has had multiple suspensions, Bailey and other have also be suspended. Now Jackson, who by the way was also suspended before the season, has now been suspended for the last two games of her career. Jackson an almost sure NT hall of fame player before this incident, who not only is the best player by far on this team but also the best student. Yes, you are correct she should be treated like any other player that does not adhere to the rules. The question then becomes why does this inexperienced coach feel it necessary to have so many suspensions. Most coaches even new ones are able to get enough respect through communications and leadership without having multiple decipline issues. If this was limited to one or two difficult players or earlier in the season than I would be able to better understand the need for these actions. Yes I am sure if JJ suspended Tremiel for the tournament there would be no concern among the fan base. Amber is a senior first team all conference player, who is in her fifth year at NT, who has been lauded many times for her effort and character. Who has her career ended under a cloud. From a fan's perspective, one that actually has season tickets, it appears that Stephens was more than willing to throw away the season to establish her program. If she is successful, all will be forgotten by the majority, but this has to make you wonder if RV made the right choice when much more established candidates were available. I still think Stephens will ultimately be successful but IMO she has made a mess of her first year.

I for one think Vito and Phillips should definitely be allowed inside, I see no reason a beat reporter shouldn't have reasonable access to the team and making them stay outside the fence is just foolish. Has anyone ever heard any logic from TD to support his stance? I can understand if the reporters were not allowed to speak to the players but having them stand off in the distance serves absolutely no purpose. I wonder why RV even allows such a silly rule.

It may very well be a tough game, and I hope NT treats it as such: however FAU is the 13th seed. This team went 2-16 in the league with no away wins and has lost their last 5 games by an average 17 points. I see no evidence that FAU is any better than when NT played them earlier and NT is a lot better. It is far from a sure win for NT, but the draw couldn't be better. You are nervous about any team tournament time, but what other team had you rather be playing?

I would put Tramiel on second and McCoy on third team. Most sportwriters and/or coaches voting are only going to base their selections on statistics and how the players did against their teams. Players like McCoy and Tramiel to some extent that came on late are going to be at a big disadvantage. The all conference team has already been voted on and will be released before the tournament. A more important honor would be to have players on the all tournament team which would mean that the team did well and if you have more than one it means that the team probably won.

I guess there is no interest in WBB on this board, or there would have least been a mention of Amber Jackson's suspension. She was suspended for the Denver game and apparently a decision has not been made/announced if she will play in the tournament. Like all of Stephens' many suspensions this year, there have been no details released. What kind of transgression causes a coach to suspend one of the best players in NT history this late in the season in her senior year? Hopefully she will be reinstated for the tournament and this will be all forgotten, but it will be a real shame if Amber's whole career is permanently blemished by this incident. Maybe Stephens had more than enough reason to take the actions, but lets just say that her high number of suspensions should at least raise some questions. I think part of the team's overall poor record this year is due to a constantly fluctuating lineup due to suspensions. I do realize that Stephens has none of her own recruits eligible this year and is she is trying to change the team culture. Discipline is great, but most coaches seem to achieve this without the constant disruption of the team. I do believe that Stephens will be a very successful coach but she has had a rocky first year.

Saw UALR sportswriter (he has official vote) picks and he didn't select any NT men players in the top fifteen in the conference. Hard to imagine that the number 4 seed does not have one player selected in the top 15. Hope NT shows him the error in his judgment in the tournament.

Don't forget best Belt regular season conference record at 11-7 and highest tournament seed at 4. Great statement game against a hot team at the toughest venue in the Belt. Another great game for McCoy and Tremiel. NT absolutely controlled the boards and got good play from most.

NT had two players selected to the pre-season all conference team. White on the first team and Dennis on the second. It would be a stretch for either to actually make the first or second team this year. In fact it is possible that NT will be shut out in the selections. NT is simply too balanced a team for any individual to get a lot of accolades. I think NT best changes are Tremiel and a late charging McCoy. Tremiel though is going through a injury driven mini slump now and that may hurt him, I don't think he will be first team but he should be a second team selection. He should also be a strong candidate for newcomer of the year. McCoy not starting and being a late sensation will probably eliminate him from consideration although he may be the best player in the league at this time. While great teams have all conference players with less than glowing stats, it is not the norm for 4th seeds and lower. Obviously, NT best chance is on the woman's side with Amber Jackson. Although, with the teams poor record, she may not get the first team honors she probably deserves.

Well guys, name one point in recent NT history that you think is better than Johnson. I don't think NT is going to get a Jason Kidd like pg anytime soon. I am not sure what starting two small players at guard has to do with the merit of the point guard. Or for that matter what Dennis and White production has to do with Johnson's play. White is having a horrible shooting year, it is not he is not getting the shots but he can't hit many. Dennis likewise is having a poor shooting year and the point guard has little to do with Dennis's ill advised drives to the basket. I would also like to see a good pg freshman recruit to backup Johnson next year. I guess everyone sees a game a little difference, and it easy to blame the pg for any team deficiencies. If you won't to blame the pg for Dennis and White's shooting, I guess you have to give him credit for the open looks and shooting of McCoy, Thompson and Tremiel. I assume we will continue to disagree but I think the only opinion that matters is JJ's and I think he is happy with Johnson's play. My predictdion is that Johnson will be a premier pg in the league next year.

I keep seeing this reference to poor point guard play. In case you haven't noticed NT has a good getting better point guard in Dominique Johnson. If you can't tell by watching the game, then look at the statistics. Johnson is currently sixth in the conference play with 3.89 assists a game and seventh in assists to turnover ration at 1.73. Not great numbers but far from poor. Also in a comparison with prior NT point guards, Johnson does quite well. When you add the fact that Johnson is also a very good scorer for a point, you can make the case that Johnson is not only a good pg but one of the best at NT in the recent era. year name apg topg 2003-4 Jerome Rogers 2.5 2.0 2004-5 Isaac Hines 3.7 1.8 2005-6 Isaac Hines 2.4 1.6 2006-7 Ben Bell 3.1 2.1 2007-8 Ben Bell 3.4 2.3 2008-9 Dom. Johnson 3.9 2.3

Geez, I am glad you dribbled out the last 30 seconds and played everyone at least 4 minutes. I would have hated for you to lose that 50 point lead. I am sure Stephens appreciated the coaching lesson. There is no way you can justify not taking Clark out for one second until 4 minutes in the game, but you tried. I am sure if she had broken an ankle playing in that 36 minute in a physical game your coach might have got some heat. The NT men's coach had exactly the same scenario against ULL, he took out every starter with a 30 point lead and endured ULL's full court press and hot dog dunks the last 10 minutes and settled for a comfortable win. I am glad he had a lot more class than your coach and didn't decide to teach them a lesson.

I guess the most points ever scored against a team and perhaps the biggest losing margin would qualify as an "big-un" hung on them. People would be calling for the head of the coach if this was not her first year playing with none of her own recruits and yes, gave a hoot about women's basketball. I think JJ did the right thing calling off the dogs with a 35 point lead against ULL. I think the MUTS coach leaving his star player in the game till 4 minutes left in the game with over a 30 point lead for about 20 minutes against a clearly beaten team with a first year head coach was questionable at best. Did you even listen to the game? The MUTs not only left their starters in till almost the very end, but were pressing most of the game. I don't particularly want mercy from the MUTS or care if NT got beat by 80, but I do question why a coach would want to run up a score against a conference opponent and risk having his players hurt while tempers were obviously up on the part of NT. In additon, it seems that the MUTS with a short bench would want to get them as much playing time as possible. I doubt Insell scored a lot of points with most fans and coaches outside of Tennessee by his actions. I assume you would have though it would have been a-ok if Rice had scored over a hundred against NT in football, they did everything but take a knee on every play in the second half to keep from running up the score.

I only listened to the game, so it is hard to tell; but it seems your coach was taken a chance leaving his star Clark in the game for 36 straight minutes in a physical blow out game. I guess he wanted to make sure she remained the top scorer in the nation. Your second team would have won the game today by thirty, running up the score on a first year coach seemed strange.

Not even close, SMU's loses were be an average of 19 points, while NT lost by an average of 30 points.

Well, with 4 minutes to go and a 103 - 50 lead, the MUTs have taking their starters out. I guess they feared NT's great comeback ability.

Another split for NT on Sunday. Lost to Creighton again 3-4 and beat Indiana State 2-1

Behind 29-62 at the half.

Yes, NT really needs to renovate that slum of a basketball arena.

Welcome back the real Josh White.

NT split today, winning the first game 6-0 over Detroit Mercy and losing the second to Creighton 1-5. Ashley won the first game giving up 3 hits, the leading hitter was Mariza Martinez going 2 for 3 with a hr and 3 rbis. Jennifer Smith lost the second game giving up 8 hits and 3 earned runs.

North Texas over A&MCC 4-3. Kayla Lawson was winning pitcher going all seven innings giving up 3 earned runs on only 3 hits.

I think you are searching for excuses, I can't imagine that any players have practices or jobs that start at 8:30 p.m. As far as studying, you are talking about 45 minutes to finish the game; again I doubt many took off early to study. It was just interesting to me that athletes that hope for fan support for their own sports would demonstrate so little for their counterparts in basketball. Even though most were there due to the prodding of their coaches, I think it was bad form leaving early. I would also like to think that the mass exodus was due to players rushing off to study or to the weight room, but I find that very hard to believe.