Game thread: MBB at Temple

[PonyTime]

Not only Agunnane, CP, but I feel like Clark is almost Jasey 2.0...clumsy, ineffective, not the same cat he was as he plays only 9 minutes with 2 points...plus, Bando with 6!!?!, are you kidding me, after a six 3’s 20 point plus night V ECU..like shooting a 68 and following it up with an 81....if Smith, Young, and Nutall are all going to play 15 - 20 minutes each, we are going to need more than a combined 2 points from those dudes. Strange night. Still battling for a conference title, but obviously need more UH nights V WSU / Temple evenings. POnyUP! Long Live Eric Longino.

Clark was awful in the stretch run. That is when Temple made their move and they took advantage of his bad play. He was making bad fouls, letting guys run right by him, taking bad shots and not in position to rebound. Can't recall if he was the one who swatted a critical defensive rebound out to the Temple perimeter when he could have just tried to grab the board - but whoever that was also contributed to that mess.

[Charleston Pony]

It's obvious that Clark's injury has affected his abilities. He's not the player he was and is just a step slow out there but I still appreciate his effort in coming back and trying to play again. That game last night was just played at too frantic a pace for him given his physical limitations. Again, that's why I would have liked to have seen Agunnane get some minutes to bang in the post and help Marcus with the dirty work.

[digman52]

Those Michael misses were big, and allowing the freshman Strickland to drive to the bucket any time he wanted was a killer.

[mustangxc]

If Bandoumel and Nutall had hit at least some of their shots we would have put them away early but they were ice cold like much of the season.

[Charleston Pony]

Those Michael misses were big, and allowing the freshman Strickland to drive to the bucket any time he wanted was a killer.

I think the twins were running on fumes towards the end of that game. Didn't get a lot of support but then again they didn't appear to be looking for any.

[Charleston Pony]

If Bandoumel and Nutall had hit at least some of their shots we would have put them away early but they were ice cold like much of the season.

Nutall's offense (or lack thereof) and Bandoumel's inconsistency has been really frustrating but I couldn't help but notice the 2 frosh guards (Phelps & Smith) on the floor together at crunch time. Loved the screen and back door cut Smith/Phelps executed late and I give Smith credit for taking the open three late in the game. He can knock those down but was probably a little indecisive even taking that shot. Can't remember the exact situation but I remember as he let it fly thinking "this could be the dagger" after Temple had fought back so hard to make it anyone's game.

[JasonB]

- Clark was clearly not himself after missing the previous game. It was painful to watch in the first half as he tried his best to give us some minutes.
- Sometimes, when jump shots aren't falling, you have to get to the line and get your touch back. In a game like that, you have to be willing to initiate contact and get fouled hard. Temple, specifically Strickland, did that. He went to the hole hard, accepted the contact, drew fouls, got to the line. Our players aren't like that. Out side of Marcus, we avoid contact as much as possible when going to the rim. Works nicely a lot of the time, but in a game like that, you have to go in hard, and we just don't have that on the team.
- This is the type of game where not having an inside - out game hurts. You have to be able to space the floor, feed the ball inside, draw a double, and kick it out for an open three. Marcus is doing a wonderful job battling at the 5. But the disadvantage is that teams are starting to help from the backside, and then he doesn't have the height to pass over the top to the corner three on the backside, which is the open shot. Frank doesn't have enough offensive skill to draw a double. Clark should, but when he isn't himself, like last night, he can't play that role. Young doesn't have the physical strength to hold the ball on the post, draw a double, and pass it out. It is just a roster limitation.
- Unfortunately, Phelps melted a bit. They left him to go help and he wasn't confident enough to take shots. They probably should have ridden Todo a little bit longer, because he spaced the floor a little bit more than others.
- Nutall doesn't drive and attack the basket as much as I anticipated coming into the year, and it is a little bit of a miss.
- I thought Jank should have switched Band on Strickland. Phelps was getting beat, and weathers wasn't big enough.

Memphis is a must win, and they are going to be an absolute buzzsaw with or without KD. And they are going to travel BIG TIME. I would not be surprised to see Moody split 50-50 on Sunday.