Away from the net. How

[DenPony]

did the game go tonight?

[DenPony]

Nevermind. I just saw a 98-77 score on SportsCenter. The Ponies aren't very good. I think its a bottom half of the WAC finish even though I think, other than Tulsa, the WAC is weak. This team is not too good nor is its coaching.

[Pony_Fan]

DP - I agree, the WAC is whack - REALLY not a good conf this year. I think we'll be about .500 in WAC play which isn't exactly what I had hoped for. I see the top teams being Tulsa, Fresno, Rice and Hawaii followed by Nevada and then maybe SMU.
You can't win with the way we shoot the ball. The ball is not being passed around enough. When Hopkins has 1 FREAKIN assist, that tells you something is seriously wrong with this offense.

[This message has been edited by Pony_Fan (edited 01-05-2003).]

[Charleston Pony]

The fact that the WAC has no dominant teams is a good thing for SMU. We just have to hope this team keeps improving as the year goes on and come tourney time, who knows? While Tulsa, Hawaii & Fresno seem to be the best of the bunch, it looks like Nevada, Rice & La Tech will be very competitive (let's hope SMU joins that category) and Boise St looks like they will be tough at their place.

Once again, SMU had more turnovers than assists in last night's game. That tells ne we are a team that doesn't move well without the ball. Another disturbing trend from last night's game is that once again (seems like EVERY game this happens), La Tech's 3 pt shooting percentage was almost 10 pts better than their season average. I'm not sure whether we play that poor a perimeter defense, or whether our opponents have just played better competition before playing us.

[Ringer]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Charleston Pony:
<B>The fact that the WAC has no dominant teams is a good thing for SMU. We just have to hope this team keeps improving as the year goes on and come tourney time, who knows? While Tulsa, Hawaii & Fresno seem to be the best of the bunch, it looks like Nevada, Rice & La Tech will be very competitive (let's hope SMU joins that category) and Boise St looks like they will be tough at their place.

Once again, SMU had more turnovers than assists in last night's game. That tells ne we are a team that doesn't move well without the ball. Another disturbing trend from last night's game is that once again (seems like EVERY game this happens), La Tech's 3 pt shooting percentage was almost 10 pts better than their season average. I'm not sure whether we play that poor a perimeter defense, or whether our opponents have just played better competition before playing us. </B></font><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Not a good loss. The team has got to find a way to be more consistant. Hope Isham's wrist will be o.k. This road thing is really beginning to stink. This mustang team should have been able to beat LA Tech. Where are the players's heads? Don't tell me that they are beaten down by the coach because that just won't fly. I think the players need to start having more confidence in each other. Maybe a little team building excercise would help. Something has to. Geez.

[Blunt Pony]

It seems to me that it is not coincidence that teams seem to have their best 3 point shooting games against us. Our perimeter defense is soft. I did not see the game last night, but the San Diego game was a contrast in halves. In the first half our perimeter d was soft and San Diego hit some threes and had a lot of good looks from beyond the arch. In the second half we contested most of those 3's and it really paid off. I feel like our defense is going to determine our success this year. We may not be a good shooting team all year, but if we can play D like the second half of the San Diego game and the entire Baylor game than we could do all right. Defense is all about hustle and desire and this is something that seems to be lacking with this and previous teams.

[Pony_Fan]

I'll have to agree with you about the Defense. Previous years and part of this year, our opponents players are getting *career high* games in pts. I don't think this is a coincidence. The 1-3-1 leaves the wings wide open with great looks. I don't think I have seen a 2-3 zone yet this year.
The trap works ok full court and has caused a few TO's by our opponents.

[This message has been edited by Pony_Fan (edited 01-05-2003).]

[Charleston Pony]

Our opponents low post players have always done well because we don't have the big physical players to defend the low post. I think that's one of the problems with our perimeter defense, i.e., we have to drop our guards down to help deny the ball to the low post...and that leaves the perimeter open for too many good looks. Hopefully, we can bring some bigger bodies in here the next couple of years and things will improve.

[Pony_Fan]

That makes sense, but I still think adjustments can be made.