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We've all watched this thing for 37 games. This team makes the foolish foolish turnovers that make you want to tear your hair out and scream, "What are we doing?"

So what do we do up 53-46 with about 6:00 to play? Turn it over -- 3 times with 1 or 2 charges. We basically helped Minnesota make the comeback. And you could sense we were about to grab this game by the throat. But funny thing how when you don't value the basketball, and you make stupid decisions with it, how it comes up biting you in the butt.

I love Nick Russell. Definitely a rock and glue guy for this team all year. What I won't miss is sometimes his ability to handle the basketball. He had 6 turnovers. That's your senior. Come on.

Gophers had 21 points off of 14 turnovers. That's on us.

And then our crappy foul shooting was another issue -- 15-22. We were something like 68 percent all year? Just brutal. And some terrible misses when we couldn't finish a couple of and ones.

That's on us as well.

I will never question this team's effort. But the great/cruel thing about sports is that sometimes you can run from your deficiencies. You just can't hide from them.

Things to work on in the offseason. A guy like Mudiay should change a lot of things.

Pony Up!

A 70% FT shooting team is generally considered pretty good. So 68% is not too far off.

SMU 86 wrote:A 70% FT shooting team is generally considered pretty good. So 68% is not too far off.

I definitely saw us shoot worse on the season % wise, but 3 more free throws and we win (hypothetical I know). Both of the points above were good and I feel like we could still close out better on perimeter shooters at times.

The irony is that the one free throw all year that we needed to miss, went in. Has to be some sadistic BB god toying with us on the way to building a national champion.

Young players make young player mistakes. This team was a young team. Next year we will have players with vastly more expereince.

I think when up by 7 our players got all excited that they were going to win and lost some of their intensity. Minn took advantage of over zealous play that lead to mistakes.

Next year, I beleive this team will not make as many mistakes. They have now played a full season in the national limelight against quality teams and that experience will translate to better basketball (mentally) next year.

Great year for a team that wasnt expected to do squat this year.

I agree. I think the highlight reel dunk that Manuel made against Clemson led him to try and do too much on the drives that he made late. That desire to make the spectacular instead of just playing smart will bite you in the butt most every time. Looking forward to next year already.

SMU 86 wrote:A 70% FT shooting team is generally considered pretty good. So 68% is not too far off.

SMU was ranked #230 of 327 teams during the regular season & ranked #106 of 148 teams during the post-season. That places us in the ~Bottom 30% (we actually shot worse in post-season), so there is plenty of room for improvement.

HATED to lose to the Gophers, but admired how they made most of their FTs down the stretch.

SoCal_Pony wrote:

SMU 86 wrote:A 70% FT shooting team is generally considered pretty good. So 68% is not too far off.

SMU was ranked #230 of 327 teams during the regular season & ranked #106 of 148 teams during the post-season. That places us in the ~Bottom 30% (we actually shot worse in post-season), so there is plenty of room for improvement.

HATED to lose to the Gophers, but admired how they made most of their FTs down the stretch.

Stat geeks, I love them. 70% is not bad FT shooting for a team. It's just when you miss them. SMU will get better.

mrydel wrote:The irony is that the one free throw all year that we needed to miss, went in. Has to be some sadistic BB god toying with us on the way to building a national champion.

BTW, I had prayer meeting with Dad about this Wednesday. His response was, "I paid for your education there. Shut up!"

I always hate when the Trump Card gets in the way.

Turnovers is too broad... turnovers in the fast break were a huge issue all year. We took care of it for most of the NIT, but turned it over at least 4 times on the break last night.

Turnovers is not to broad. We had 14 turnovers in the game.

the stats were all close. I think Minnesota had 14 turnovers too

not hitting wide open 3's didn't help either.

B1GPonyFan wrote:

mrydel wrote:The irony is that the one free throw all year that we needed to miss, went in. Has to be some sadistic BB god toying with us on the way to building a national champion.

BTW, I had prayer meeting with Dad about this Wednesday. His response was, "I paid for your education there. Shut up!"

I always hate when the Trump Card gets in the way.

Figured that is the way it went.

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