Dayton game thread

[The Falcon]

Both teams played very good defense and that will cause poor shooting.

We would have lost the Illinois State game and the Dayton game last year.
These guys are hustling and playing both ends of the floor. This is a team and not a one man show - they play together well - and they will shoot better - even though they are not a great shooting team. I hope Epps comes back because he could help our shooting.

Don't know if you noticed but the short ref made horrible calls under the
basket and in the paint all night long and it put Bamba, Ike, and Rack all in foul trouble which definitely impacted us. Dayton was pushing, grabbing, and hacking all of the inside guys ala Mich State style and not getting called for it.

Crowd was good for non-conference game - last year it would have been
1,000 - 1,500 and they were loud and into the game. Doh's work with the student body brought more of them out and I liked their involvement.

I still predict 17+ wins, and that could be conservative if this team can continue to gain confidence and stay healthy.

[RunningStang]

I'd also like to add that there is no comparing Dement to Doherty. I'm sorry, but Dement had Jeryl Sasser and Quinton Ross on the same team and all he could do was get the team to the NIT once. Doherty is the real deal and may very well get this team without a proven scorer into the mix in terms of some type of post-season play. I'm excited about this team and this program.

[bagice]

I'd also like to add that there is no comparing Dement to Doherty. I'm sorry, but Dement had Jeryl Sasser and Quinton Ross on the same team and all he could do was get the team to the NIT once.

That is an excellent point. That was my biggest gripe against Dement's coaching abilities. I look at someone like Sasser who was at SMU four years and he was no better a player walking off the court for the last time as he was four years earlier walking on the court for the first time. The coaching staff never improved his game. Plus Dement was such a negative person and a screamer. He was always on someone and had the players afraid to make a mistake.

I agree that it is far too early to crown Doherty the savior of all our problems, but he was a national coach of the year and has played and coached at a level Tubbs or Dement can only dream about. Plus he brings energy and excitement which is something that Dement or Tubbs could not do. Neither have the same personality as Doherty.

[crazy horse]

I was thrilled to see Fall make those last two free throws. His first attempts were some of the ugliest shots I've seen in a college game (Shaqs in the early games of the NBA championship were far worse). Love his hustle and defense and offense seems to be coming along.

Is someone taking him home for Thanksgiving and feeding him 3 or 4 traditional Thanksgiving meals - some afternoon free throw shooting/horse/21 games might be fun too.