What we know after 2 games (Men's Basketball)

[CalallenStang]

Here's what we know after two games (two games against better teams, but still - two games):

1) SMU can hang in with any team for 30 minutes...too bad games are 40 minutes long.
2) Ryan Harp is a starter, despite not being able to contribute ANYTHING on the offensive end or play effective perimeter defense, which means that either a) this team has NO depth, b) Doherty is more stubborn than June Jones regarding the lineup, or both.
3) SMU fans do not care about seeing Big East teams or former SWC rivals any more than they care about watching SMU take on South Carolina Upstate.
4) Kwaitkowski is, once again, not in the plans. If he's that bad, why are we wasting a scholarship on the guy?
5) Barring marked improvement over the course of the season, SMU will finish in the bottom half of CUSA.

[MustangIcon]

We definitely started the season against two better teams. A&M is a top 25ish team this year and USF beat Virginia by 17 tonight.

1. There is no game remaining on our schedule that I would be shocked to win.
2. I think he plays solid D and that is exactly the reason he is out there. I still would prefer him to be replaced by Haynes in the starting lineup, as I mentioned in another thread.
3. 6,700 fans at tonight's game but sounded like a big A&M contingency on channelsurfing.
4. Not all 13 scholarship players will be contributors. Programs like SMU take flyers on 7'1 bigs and hope they pan out. And the benifit of him staying is a big body to use in practice, helps team grades (CUSA academic award), and I would assume he has a good attitude/works hard (something most of the guys that have been run off didn't have).
5. I disagree that we can state that as of yet. A&M would win our conference and USF would finish in the upper half.

[NastyStang]

-I was impressed with Papa tonight, one of the better games I've seen him play.
-Players look timid like last year, they are scared to make mistakes and its obvious.
-Our halfcourt offense is ridiculous.
-I'm sorry but Harp shouldn't be getting these high minutes, he's never a threat to score and got blocked under the basket about 4 times tonight.
-Is it just me or does every team we play hit an insane amount of 3-pointers?
-Depressing seeing that place full of maroon, easily 80-20 Aggies. Moody would be real tough for visitors if we got 3/4 of that crowd tonight.
-Overall they didn't look great. McCoy got his points, Faye was good.

[CalallenStang]

1. I wouldn't be shocked to win any game remaining on our schedule, either. That being said, we've seen this team over the past few seasons play terribly in the final 10 minutes of the game against almost everyone.

2. Harp left his men wide open on the perimeter for great looks at threes several times tonight.

3. Around 5,000 or so A&M fans. SMU fans were badly outnumbered.

4. Don't get me wrong, I like TK, but if we are going to use a scholarship on him, we should at least put him in to rack up fouls and give Dia/Luttman some rest.

5. The team that I saw tonight was very sloppy...we have to improve if we want to compete with the teams in the top half of our conference.

[Oliver]

It was a fun atmosphere tonight, although obviously a big part of that was A&M's contingency, but still, when the game got within 4 points both sides were going wild and it was actually fairly electric. It was the most fun I've had in a loss since the Memphis game last year.

[crazy horse]

I haven't shot a basketball in 6+ years, but I bet I could hit at least 6 of 10 free throws if I went to the gym right now, even after some adult beverages. I suspect most on this board could do that or better as well. Why are we continually missing free throws? They are freakin' free points!

I'm sorry for the rant, but the missed free throws are driving me nuts.

[Wuba]

Everyone see Martellus Bennett sitting behind the Aggie bench?

[CalallenStang]

Everyone see Martellus Bennett sitting behind the Aggie bench?

Yeah

[smupony]

I haven't shot a basketball in 6+ years, but I bet I could hit at least 6 of 10 free throws if I went to the gym right now, even after some adult beverages. I suspect most on this board could do that or better as well. Why are we continually missing free throws? They are freakin' free points!

I'm sorry for the rant, but the missed free throws are driving me nuts.

I agree that missing free throws is ridiculous...No excuse...

On your free throw accomplishments........Go run 30 suicides and then shoot your free throws...You aren't making 3 of 10...

[therack]

I haven't shot a basketball in 6+ years, but I bet I could hit at least 6 of 10 free throws if I went to the gym right now, even after some adult beverages. I suspect most on this board could do that or better as well. Why are we continually missing free throws? They are freakin' free points!

I'm sorry for the rant, but the missed free throws are driving me nuts.

Now I am not defending the fact that we do NEED to shoot the FTs better and that was one of the reasons we lost two games... But based on what you just said, I'd love to see you show everybody how to shoot FTs... It's one thing to go shoot the FTs in the gym by yourself when nobody's around... Try shooting in front of a few thousands of people and then talk to me...!

[Treadway21]

Not disagreeing with anything said about the difficulty in making free throws, but the aggies only missed 3 or 4.

My question regards our three point defense. I am no basketball expert, but our defense seems to give up a lot of easy 3 pointers. I haven't looked at the box score, but what was the 3 point % and what is wrong with our perimeter defense?

If we can ever get to a 5-6k avg of SMU fans in Moody, the atmosphere will be unbelievable.

[Harry0569]

Not disagreeing with anything said about the difficulty in making free throws, but the aggies only missed 3 or 4.

My question regards our three point defense. I am no basketball expert, but our defense seems to give up a lot of easy 3 pointers. I haven't looked at the box score, but what was the 3 point % and what is wrong with our perimeter defense?

If we can ever get to a 5-6k avg of SMU fans in Moody, the atmosphere will be unbelievable.

In my 4 years here, our perimeter defense has always been atrocious. I cannot explain it. Game after game teams seem to shoot lights out from beyond the arc.

[White Helmet]

Thats not just the last 4 years, even when Dement was here people would just stand outside and pour in 3's

[Harry0569]

Thats not just the last 4 years, even when Dement was here people would just stand outside and pour in 3's

Maybe it's something in the water in Moody's visiting locker room?

[PonyDoh]

definitely in the water, cause Dement's teams were horrific at defending the arc.