Just like I predicted

[LA_Mustang]

a very easy 15 pt......ok, 8 pt win.

Seriously, I dont know anything about basketball.

[Hoop Fan]

I'm not really surprised we struggled up there, that was a weird limb to crawl out on playing up in Montana. Good thing we won, some programs can afford early season letdowns, SMU really can't if we want any real postseason consideration later.

I still think we have a team that doesn't shoot the ball well or rebound well at all. Those are some pretty big weaknesses that will keep showing up throughout the season. We might have some seniors, but experience only goes so far.

[jtstang]

I don't know, I didn't listen to the game, but the stats say we outrebounded them by a hefty margin. Offensive second chance points probably won the game for us. But the lack of killer instinct is what hurts this team time and time again. Tubbs has to work on that. I don't think we are going to see any easy games for this team all year, and frankly I think that's probably a good thing.

[LA_Mustang]

As usual I guess I set my expectations a little high early on. jt, you bring up something I was thinking about, our lack of a killer instinct. I remember when Coach Tubbs was hired one of the first things he talked about was developing a tough mentality within the program. That’s something we’ve been missing on both the basketball and football teams. But as for now, it’s just inexcusable to up by 14 in the second half against a team like Montana St. and allow them to comeback like they did.

[Pony_Fan]

Box Score.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/boxscore?gameId=243270147

Halftime Score 21-16.

MS scores 42 pts in the 2nd half. Hopkins 0-7 in 3pts.

Rebounds SMU 50-23.

22 Turnovers!

[jtstang]

As usual I guess I set my expectations a little high early on. jt, you bring up something I was thinking about, our lack of a killer instinct. I remember when Coach Tubbs was hired one of the first things he talked about was developing a tough mentality within the program. That’s something we’ve been missing on both the basketball and football teams. But as for now, it’s just inexcusable to up by 14 in the second half against a team like Montana St. and allow them to comeback like they did.

Well the main thing at this point is the W and the lesson (hopefully) learned that this team can ill afford to take anyone lightly. Nobody can realistically expect a win against OSU, but a good showing by this team would be a real confidence boost and something to build on as we get ready for WAC play. Fingers are crossed.

[Hoop Fan]

I wasnt saying we got outrebounded last night. Getting key rebounds and holding up on the boards will be an issue against the better half of our schedule though. This has been a soft team both mentally and physically, but mostly physically if you ask me. Playing poorly in Bozeman, Montana is not surprising for anybody. This team will be judged on how it goes and matches up with TCU, Baylor and Tech in the next few weeks and the early part of the WAC schedule.

[Hoop Fan]

the other thing is that Montana State shot 30 free throws to our 14. Thats what they call home cookin.

[EastStang]

I think altitude also can play a part in the fouls and sloppy play. If you started to get gassed, you get sloppy on defense and start making mental mistakes. That may be why Tubbs scheduled the game in order to give them an altitude game early so when they play Nevada and Boise they'll remember the problems.

[jtstang]

the other thing is that Montana State shot 30 free throws to our 14. Thats what they call home cookin.

You got that right.

[gostangs]

I like the direction of this team and they will be really fun to watch - but OSU is a top 5 team, and we don't shoot well enough to stay in it with them, and we are smaller on the boards which means no second looks. Expect a game we will try to forget.

[Stallion]

after watching last year's dunkfest I feel pretty confident that the lack of quickness and jumping ability in the low post will be a lot more important against OSU than the lack of size. A lot of you guys just don't understand that the game is best played by great athletes in the low post-we have no great athletes in the low post except perhaps Simpson who blows hot and cold. Until SMU goes out and gets some great athletes inside we will be sitting on our [deleted] in March no matter how many times you incorrectly predict NIT or NCAA Tourneys. This ain't a Tourney team-never was.

[jtstang]

Well of course we'd be better off with "great athletes" in the low post, Captain Obvious, but both Castro and Simpson are servicable-and we can win with them if we have good guard play and everybody plays good man-to-man D. As for this team being capable of reaching a post season tourney, we aren't getting any more athletes this year, so you may be right. But I think it's too early to know for sure. I am excited about Tubbs, both as a coach and a recruiter, and it's pretty early in his head coaching career to make value judgments about his performance in either category.