Marshall Game

[Hoop Fan]

dismal performance. what can you say, it was really bad. Dez played ok and BHop scored, but thats about the best I can say. Bamba had a horrible night. Got in foul trouble, forgot how to be aggressive and missed his free throws. We needed Morris down low tonight. We are missing him more than most people think. Nobody is taking up space and minutes. Ike cant play with bigger guys. Pearson and Roberts, wow I just dont get it. So many airballs and bricks it was unbelievable. Pearson is REALLY struggling right now. Rack had more missed bunnies. Tubbs has to take some blame for the listless effort i guess, but this season has now come down to who he signs in the spring.

[Sam I Am]

Except for Memphis, the C-USA is only an average basketball conferecne this year. The hype has always been that SMU would do better in the lesser mid-level conferences, but we have found a way to play down to whatever level we fall into. When Tubbs got the job, he told the metroplex high school coaches to send him good players to show that he (a minority coach from the DFW) could succeed. So much for the good old boy network or the brotherhood.

[bagice]

I just don't get Pearson. He rebounds so well, and moves well....then he gets to the basket and doesn't even draw iron on his shot. He musta done that 3 times last nigt. Bamba has got to learn to stay on his feet and not jump at every thing. That smaller guy really schooled him tonight. Plus, when Bamba does that wild jump, he is outta position for rebounding. He needs to realize he is plenty tall flat footed.

Scoring was actually pretty decent tonight if you take away that 7 minute stretch which I still don't believe. All those free throw misses cost us this one.

I think those two tough close road losses to UTEP and Tulane really took it out of the Ponies. They have given up now. Before that, we were at least winning the games we should have. No way should we lose to Tulsa and Marshall at home. I guess we don't have the mental toughness to overcome stuff like that. Need an attitude adjustment or new players.

[PonySnob]

In watching the team tonight, one has to wonder why Dement was fired........

[mrydel]

In watching the team tonight, one has to wonder why Dement was fired........

This team does not make his teams any better. It just looks that way.

[PonyTales]

In watching the team tonight, one has to wonder why Dement was fired........

No it didn't.

You can't be surprised that Bamba Fall didn't have a big night -- he has struggled before when facing teams with big guys inside who have the strength to push him around or simply run through his defense. To me, this game again fell to our refusal to attack the rim, either making repeated lay-ups or drawing fouls until the other team is playing the towel boy. We did a lot of things better (see a score about the 50s), but we're running out of time to improve before the C-USA tournament.

[EastStang]

As I said last week without Morris we don't have a tough guy to complement Fall. It reminds me of the old UVA teams with Ralph Sampson (another toothpick). They did fine with a great point guard, shooting guard and three guard and Sampson. But had four great players and still they never won the NCAA championship. We don't have as much talent as that team had. Fall has some limitations, but is a great asset if all the pieces are in place.

[PonySnob]

Fall has some limitations, but is a great asset if all the pieces are in place.

Certainly his free throw shooting at 4 of 11 did not help us last night!

[SoCal_Pony]

As I said last week without Morris we don't have a tough guy to complement Fall. It reminds me of the old UVA teams with Ralph Sampson (another toothpick). They did fine with a great point guard, shooting guard and three guard and Sampson. But had four great players and still they never won the NCAA championship.

One of the most heralded cagers of all time, Ralph Sampson dominated the collegiate game during his brilliant four-year (1980-83) career.

Sampson was the No.1 collegiate basketball player in the country for two years in a row. The center from the University of Virginia won the Wooden Award with a dominating presence on the court: 4th in rebounding nationally with a 12.0 average and an average of 15 points per game.

Leading Virginia to a new level of national prominence and success, the 7-4 center helped guide the Cavaliers to an NIT championship as a freshman in 1980 and to three NCAA postseason tournaments, including the Final Four in 1981. In addition, the Sampson-led Cavaliers won 112 of 135 games and were in the Top 10 in both major wire service polls for an incredible 48 consecutive weeks. The Cavaliers ranked below fifth in either poll for just one week during that span.

The three-time National and ACC Player of the Year also left his mark in the UVa record books. Known almost as much for his unselfish team play as he was for his outstanding athletic ability, Sampson nonetheless finished as Virginia's third all-time leading scorer (currently fourth with 2,228 points) and holds UVa career records for rebounding (1,511), most field goals made (899), most blocked shots (462) and most dunks (253).

Among his numerous accolades, Sampson was a four-time All-American and won two straight Eastman Awards, two John R. Wooden Awards and three consecutive Rupp trophies.

In 1983 he was the FIRST person selected in the NBA draft by the Houston Rockets.



Personally hate these comparisons of great athletes to SMU's. It's like comparing me to Warren Buffett. They both are white males, they like to invest money.....

[EastStang]

Big men are notoriously bad free throw shooters. The only way some teams stopped Wilt Chamberlin was to foul him (or send a few blondes to the locker room at half-time).