Question for Donatas Rackauskas

[Buddha]

Donatas - how does a team that looks so bad Monday come back with maybe its best performance of the year two days later? Yeah, we added Mo Faye, but is this kind of turnaround the result of coaches working the players harder, or internal motivation between the guys on the team? Or both? Or something else entirely?

[Stallion]

Its really not an excuse- more of an observation after watching SMU BB for 40 years. Any game played during exam week especially the December 15th type game is very likely to be one of the worst performances of the year with only a few exceptions. Of course, I admit it would be easier to overlook that debacle if they hadn't laid a turd in Ft Worth too. But generally I wouldn't judge a team by the way they look in a game immediately after final exams. It still sucks I'll admit.

[therack]

It's a combination of things. First, on Monday we played a team that was 0-7. So the team expects an easy game (believe me, I know that feeling). And there are not enough experienced players on this team to make sure that doesn't happen. A loss to a team like Arkansas Pine-Bluff is a rude wake up call for everybody (coaches and players). The team realizes that it can't just show up and expect to have an easy game even against the team like UAPB. Second, anytime you play on the road, especially against Big 12 team, you have an additional motivation. I am sure the coaching staff did their part to prepare and motivate the team (like a few dozens of sprints). Also, even most of you don't think too highly of Mo, I think he might be the key to this year's team. The guy can play and I say that because I watched him a few times in practices.

At the end of the day, Monday's loss sucked really bad. But maybe that's what this team needed to get going. I sure hope so!!! We will see what happens next game.

[Cadillac]

Its really not an excuse- more of an observation after watching SMU BB for 40 years. Any game played during exam week especially the December 15th type game is very likely to be one of the worst performances of the year with only a few exceptions. Of course, I admit it would be easier to overlook that debacle if they hadn't laid a turd in Ft Worth too. But generally I wouldn't judge a team by the way they look in a game immediately after final exams. It still sucks I'll admit.

You're such a sunshiner.

-CoS

[Stallion]

Its just that it happens year after year and hits SMU especially hard under multiple Coaches. I wonder if it might be influenced by some policy that SMU has during the exam period. SMU rarely plays many games from December 1-15 and usually schedules a very weak opponent for the December 15 game.

[StangBry]

I don't get how this is an excuse...are we the only school that has finals? don't the teams we play have them too..

[The Falcon]

I don't know why it happens but it happens in spite of who is coaching.

I have also been watshing SMU BB for 40 years and have seen many
bad games directly after final exams.

One in particular still makes me mad. Don't remember the final
score but it was something like 22-21 UTA beat SMU in one of the
worst games ever played.

It also used to irk me that back in SW Conf days - they would schedule
UT (at times) to start conference play during the early part of JanuAry
with no SMU students here and UT fans would take over our gym and
of course we played like we were sleep walking.

I think the reason for the UAPB loss can be laid more on the fact that
most of these players (like us) thought we would just show up and win
by 30 points. It shouldn't happen but it does.

[gregkinzer]

it was 1989, SMU won 36-31.....Shumate had us practice at 5am in order to allow us to take final exams.....awesome time.

I was there, not proud of that fact...but it was a W!!!!!