The 2 consistent issues throughout the year burned this team

[austinponie]

I thought the turning point was the charge you could see coming from midcourt.

Anyway, I suppose it could have been worse: Minnesota hit only, what, 7 or 8 out of 24-25 threes?

Proud of this team, excited for next year.

[Pony Fan]

They erased a 7 pt. deficit in 1:06 due to our turnovers. That's horrendous.

And they were all due to Manuel being totally out of control. We had the game in our control until this crap.

[Stallion]

They erased a 7 pt. deficit in 1:06 due to our turnovers. That's horrendous.

And they were all due to Manuel being totally out of control. We had the game in our control until this crap.

Not all. Russell had one too.

[StandUp]

Positives
- Everyone bought into LB's team first concept
- Played great team defense
- Played unselfish team offense
- Ran offensive sets
- Showed effort rebounding on offense and defense
- SMU is now relevant in basketball (in Dallas and nationally)
- SMU Alumni are re-energized
- Recruits want to play for LB
- We now have an incredible home court advantage at Moody (student body and Dallas are supporting our team)
- SMU is now a recognized Top 25 Program
- SMU regularly televised nationally
- SMU received regular local and national media exposure
- SMU is now recognized as a Basketball Program
- We now have a "winning" culture at SMU

Areas for Improvement
- Need to attack the basket more consistently
- Need more "go to" options on offense (Nic, MK and who?) Mudiay will add a new dimension to our offense
- Need more consistency from more players on offense (Frazier, Yanick)
- Need more players who are better ball handlers (insert joke here)
- Need to be less careless with the ball, value every possession (We lost by only 2 points to Minnesota)
- Need to develop more options down low (MK and who?)
- Need more outside shooters (Time to give Frazier more playing time)
- Need better free throw %
- Need to defend the 3 better (See Minnesota, UC Irvine, Houston, Temple)
- Need to not play to our competition (see Houston, South Florida)
- Need to start more games with energy
- Need to play with more urgency at the end of games

[PK]

My humble observation. When we were up by 7 late in the game and were able to break the press put on us by the gophers, instead of trying to make the quick points after the break...and thus getting the charges as a result...we should have held the ball longer, go into a half court offense and let the clock wind down. Ahhh, 20/20 hindsight. I'm sure the team was stoked and not thinking too clearly at the time.

[1983 Cotton Bowl]

My wife went to both college and graduate school at SMU. I just went there for grad school, so she's got more bona fides then I do and she loves SMU. However, she has never shown the least interest in SMU athletics. I've had to drag her to football and basketball games for all the years we've been together. . .until this year's basketball season. I've witnessed her transformation into a fanatical SMU basketball fan over the course of the past 5 months. We weren't able to go to any of the NIT games in person, but she made sure we watched every one of them on the DVR after the kids went to bed.

As the game ended last night, my disappointment was palpable. I saw all the things that have been mentioned in this thread. Right after the game, I started to open my mouth and criticize the Ponies for their poor play down the stretch. My wife stopped me mid-sentence and said "I love this team. I'm so proud of them. If you say one negative word against them, I'm going to slap you!" End of discussion.

She was so right. It's been one hell of a basketball season. They didn't close last night. . .but its all good. I've never had as much fun following SMU athletics as I did from Nov. to last night. Can't wait for next season!

[PK]

^^^
Exactly.

[skurtn]

My wife went to both college and graduate school at SMU. I just went there for grad school, so she's got more bona fides then I do and she loves SMU. However, she has never shown the least interest in SMU athletics. I've had to drag her to football and basketball games for all the years we've been together. . .until this year's basketball season. I've witnessed her transformation into a fanatical SMU basketball fan over the course of the past 5 months. We weren't able to go to any of the NIT games in person, but she made sure we watched every one of them on the DVR after the kids went to bed.

As the game ended last night, my disappointment was palpable. I saw all the things that have been mentioned in this thread. Right after the game, I started to open my mouth and criticize the Ponies for their poor play down the stretch. My wife stopped me mid-sentence and said "I love this team. I'm so proud of them. If you say one negative word against them, I'm going to slap you!" End of discussion.

She was so right. It's been one hell of a basketball season. They didn't close last night. . .but its all good. I've never had as much fun following SMU athletics as I did from Nov. to last night. Can't wait for next season!

Thanks for the lift

I told my wife before the game, that I'd be happy if we won or lost. Then the real side of me came out, and I was upset as hell.
My wife calmly said: Didn't you say you'd be happy if you won or lost?
What else you gonna say to that besides eat your own words

[ojaipony]

My wife went to both college and graduate school at SMU. I just went there for grad school, so she's got more bona fides then I do and she loves SMU. However, she has never shown the least interest in SMU athletics. I've had to drag her to football and basketball games for all the years we've been together. . .until this year's basketball season. I've witnessed her transformation into a fanatical SMU basketball fan over the course of the past 5 months. We weren't able to go to any of the NIT games in person, but she made sure we watched every one of them on the DVR after the kids went to bed.

As the game ended last night, my disappointment was palpable. I saw all the things that have been mentioned in this thread. Right after the game, I started to open my mouth and criticize the Ponies for their poor play down the stretch. My wife stopped me mid-sentence and said "I love this team. I'm so proud of them. If you say one negative word against them, I'm going to slap you!" End of discussion.

She was so right. It's been one hell of a basketball season. They didn't close last night. . .but its all good. I've never had as much fun following SMU athletics as I did from Nov. to last night. Can't wait for next season!

Sounds like your wife is a really cool, and wise, lady.

(I got one, too).