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Expectation

Postby Nacho » Mon Jan 27, 2003 1:30 pm

I expect SMU to finish WAC play in 2nd place behind Fresno and therefore be the 2nd seed in the WAC tournament. SMU should then win the WAC tournament and be an automatic qualifier for the NCAA field. Anything less is unacceptable. SMU could finish first in the WAC. This seems realistic for a team with the most talent in the WAC.
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Re: Expectation

Postby Hoop Fan » Mon Jan 27, 2003 2:01 pm

Billy Gillespie, is that you? It sounds like you might still be drunk. Best talent in the WAC? SMU's talent is on par with Nevada and Rice in my book, clearly behind Fresno, Hawaii, Tulsa and probably La Tech in all honesty.
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Re: Expectation

Postby OldPony » Mon Jan 27, 2003 2:18 pm

This team has finally started playing like a team. I noticed in the loss to Fresno that we had stopped the aimless dribbling and had started to pass the ball quickly, working in and out as well as around the circle. The defense also was able to start to put pressure on the 3 point line and let the big guys handled their own responsibilities. If this team continues to improve, this could end up as a fun season. Still too many TO's and occasional defensive lapses but I like what I am now seeing. It appears that Dement has finally gotten his message through and I am starting to have a change of heart about him. Discipline is better and there seems to be a purpose to his offense. I don't know whether that is a change by Dement or whether the players are starting to get it but either way it looks good and a huge improvement from early in the year. Hopkins is still playing like a freshman but a talented one now that he seems to be getting back to physical peak. He needs to get his TO/ Assist ratio in balance but he is at least looking to pass now. We've got a long way to go to be a really good team but it now seems the Ponies are on their way. keep it up Ponies!!
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Re: Expectation

Postby LA_Mustang » Mon Jan 27, 2003 3:37 pm

Nacho, Nacho, Nacho. I realize that you throw out some of this stuff to get a reaction or for shock value, but come on. Hell, why not go ahead and say that we will make it to the sweet 16? SMU has the most talent in the WAC?? I will put our PG and SG against any in the conference but to say we have superior talent is a joke. Considering the circumstances, if we finish WAC play above .500 and continue to improve I would call the season a success. With our talented sophomores and Hopkins we could realistically challenge for the WAC title next year.
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Re: Expectation

Postby Nacho » Mon Jan 27, 2003 4:06 pm

The uneducated masses believe that Fresno has the most talent in the WAC. This simply is untrue. They do hve some good front-line players but their guard play is weak. Fresno has no bench. SMU's starters can match up with Fresno. BHop and IHop are infinitely better than anything Fresno can trot out to play guard. Simpson and Q can match the forwards of Fresno. Fresno gets the nod at center but Castro as he showed at Tulsa, especially in the first half, can play. Neither team has a great bench but Kelley is a good 6th man. Nod to SMU. SMU should win the WAC.
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Re: Expectation

Postby StangEsq » Mon Jan 27, 2003 4:13 pm

I think we could be the best team by the end of the season, but we're not right now. Look how far we've come in the last few weeks... i think Hopkins' maturity and health, along with the emergence of some of the other young guys, has made a big difference.

Guided by a very talented and unselfish point guard, if the team continues to mature, I don't think it's ridiculous to suggest that we could be the best team in the WAC by the end of the year.

[This message has been edited by StangEsq (edited 01-27-2003).]
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Re: Expectation

Postby Hoop Fan » Mon Jan 27, 2003 5:02 pm

Its a mistake to underestimate Tulsa. They are slumping, but those guys will get it together. Watch out when they come to Moody in a few weeks. As for Fresnos guards, Damon Jackson lit us up pretty good didnt he?.. and he has done it to other teams also. Tulsa, Fresno and Hawaii are by far the most physically mature AND talented teams in the league. SMU might have similar raw talent, but not similar strength or experience at this point.
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Re: Expectation

Postby Pony_Fan » Mon Jan 27, 2003 6:02 pm

Nacho, you are completely delirious. First the Rice game wasn't good enough for you and now you say we'll win the WAC tourney? As we know, anyone can beat anyone in this league. For whatever reason, things are looking better than before but I'd like to see a solid homestand.

It's all about consistency...TU will come together, they are a good team and will give us a very tough game at home and Fresno is pretty darn good and beat us at home. They have decent guard play w/ Jackson. IF they hadn't missed all those FT's, they would have easily handled us. Beating FSU at Selland won't be easy at all.



[This message has been edited by Pony_Fan (edited 01-27-2003).]
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Re: Expectation

Postby Charleston Pony » Mon Jan 27, 2003 10:18 pm

I'd love to see the rest of us proven wrong and for SMU to finish 2nd behind Freno, but realistically I'm with the rest of the group that has us finishing behind Freno, Tulsa & Hawaii...but I do hope we can compete with La Tech, Nevada & Rice for the 4th spot. With 2 very big road wins, the schedule suddenly sets up nicely for a possible 6 game run. We really need to take care of business against UTEP, Boise & San Jose and hopefuly come into the Hawaii game playing with a lot of confidence. If we could get it to 8-3 in conference, who knows?
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Re: Expectation

Postby boulevard bum » Mon Jan 27, 2003 11:00 pm

Hoop fan..are you an SMU fan??? We just had a big win and we've got a lot of home games coming our way. Fresno was nothing without that guy you're talking about. If we defend him they've go nothing on us. And as for Tulsa I think everyone's starting to figure them out. They are good and may beat us at Moody but we outrebounded them 50-41. We were by far the superior team in that game. So, basically what I'm saying is we outplayed Fresno if you take out their best player's 3 point shots and we just finished outplaying Rice and Tulsa. Last week everyone was telling me how Rice was going to kill us...not so fast my friend. I think you are underestimating SMU. Don't go against them just so you'll be right. That's not being a fan. That's being an indecisive moron.
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Re: Expectation

Postby Hoop Fan » Tue Jan 28, 2003 12:39 pm

Fresno would be nothing without that one player? What kind of argument is that, where would we be without Q or Hop? Everyone is figuring Tulsa out huh? After 6 or 7 years of sustained success its about time. They are in a mid-season slump, simple as that at this point. And to answer your question, I am a diehard SMU fan, that doesnt stop me from seeing things objectively.
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Re: Expectation

Postby ponyte » Tue Jan 28, 2003 12:48 pm

The way the team has played of late, anything is possible. They have improved and started to be more consistant.

Fresno State could face a different Mustang team next time around.

It is so rare to enjoy a big win at the Hilltop now days that I will gladly drift in Lala land for a short while and enjoy the moment.
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Re: Expectation

Postby SMU91 » Tue Jan 28, 2003 4:30 pm

Yes,we're playing the best ball in long time. But history serves we shouldn't worry about Fresno or Tulsa right now, we should be thinking about UTEP. It's true their not very good, but any one team can win on a given night in the WAC. I hope dement keeps their feet on the ground and has them looking at one game at at time.
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Re: Expectation

Postby Nacho » Tue Jan 28, 2003 4:42 pm

Funny but I was just sitting here thinking that we should beat UTEP, Boise, SJSU and Hawaii.
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Re: Expectation

Postby BTPony » Tue Jan 28, 2003 5:16 pm

It's much better to look back and say we "should have" AND "we did". Until those games are over and we have a W in our column, we cant look past any team. Not even a team coached by a drunk!
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