These game threads have become a Stephen King-level kind of read. Haha. Just watch the games then read the threads after and somehow after beating the league leaders to pull within one game of the conference lead, 80% of us think the team sucks. As I’ve said before, this year’s team has earned the benefit of the doubt because of all their comebacks. Doesn’t mean we celebrate the bad starts. But this is a really good team. Not an absolute dumpster fire as most people seem to be labeling. Big win! Enjoy it.
A really good team? Did u watch us get our butts kicked by a bunch of freshman at UNI.
The MVC is as weak as I've ever seen it. Beating Indiana state does not mean we're a really good team.
Indiana State got their butt kicked by Northern Illinois at Indiana State.
Yes if we could shoot the three, shoot the outside shot we'd be tough to beat but the fact is we can't shoot that.
As far as I'm concerned I thought this team would be a lot better than they are and I'm hoping we still kind of get that mojo back cuz I think we got some talent and some size this year.
Mullins constantly changing lineups and playing people for just a few minutes and then jerking them out is actually very destructive. I just don't think that's the way you build a team..you got to find 5..6..7 good guys and give them most of the minutes. Teach them how to play together, how to move the ball, how to pass, how to cut, how to screen, etc.
Man In St message board is full of a bunch of whiny bitches 😂. Refs cost them that game evidently.
You got that right. You have a few different groups of thought: 1. The refs cost us the game. 2. We didn't respond well when the refs screwed us. 3. We need to think harder about why we are always getting screwed by the refs. 😂😂
These game threads have become a Stephen King-level kind of read. Haha. Just watch the games then read the threads after and somehow after beating the league leaders to pull within one game of the conference lead, 80% of us think the team sucks. As I’ve said before, this year’s team has earned the benefit of the doubt because of all their comebacks. Doesn’t mean we celebrate the bad starts. But this is a really good team. Not an absolute dumpster fire as most people seem to be labeling. Big win! Enjoy it.
People (myself included) were complaining when they were down. They were down 27-12 at one point Nobody is complaining after the win.
Think they're a great defensive team but not sure they're a really good team. When the defense is clicking like the 2nd halves of the Belmont, Drake, and Indiana State games, this is a really good team. If they aren't clicking on defense, they likely don't have enough offense to pull out wins like you saw in the Northern Iowa game.
Just got home from Terre Haute. I still can't believe we won that game....
KenPom update:
#110 overall
#37 in adjusted defensive efficiency which is incredible. This is getting really close to Floorburn U Salukis territory.
#243 in adjusted offensive efficiency. As good as the defense is, it's really being wasted with this offense.
The main culprit for the offense is they're #314 in 3 point percentage (30.3%) yet are #6 in 3 point attempts per field goal attempts (48.7% of shots are coming from 3). What makes even less sense about the offense is they're #9 in the country in 2 point percentage (57.6%).
The good news is, the Valley is really down this year. There's only one team in the top 100 on KenPom in the MVC right now and that's Bradley at #74. Drake is close at #101.
SIU has played the 4th toughest schedule in the MVC right now which is the toughest schedule outside the bottom 3 teams in the league. Indiana State has played the 11th toughest, Bradley 12th toughest, Belmont 8th toughest, Northern Iowa 10th toughest, Drake 7th toughest.
If you go by KenPom projections, they have Indiana State and Bradley tying for 1st at 14-6, SIU and Belmont tying at 13-7, and Drake at 12-8. There's such a narrow gap between winning the MVC Regular Season championship and playing on Thursday.
These game threads have become a Stephen King-level kind of read. Haha. Just watch the games then read the threads after and somehow after beating the league leaders to pull within one game of the conference lead, 80% of us think the team sucks. As I’ve said before, this year’s team has earned the benefit of the doubt because of all their comebacks. Doesn’t mean we celebrate the bad starts. But this is a really good team. Not an absolute dumpster fire as most people seem to be labeling. Big win! Enjoy it.
People (myself included) were complaining when they were down. They were down 27-12 at one point Nobody is complaining after the win.
Think they're a great defensive team but not sure they're a really good team. When the defense is clicking like the 2nd halves of the Belmont, Drake, and Indiana State games, this is a really good team. If they aren't clicking on defense, they likely don't have enough offense to pull out wins like you saw in the Northern Iowa game.
One addition to your comment. If Jones and the rest of the team are hitting their outside shots, this team can beat anyone in this conference at home or on the road. The caveat being that their defense has to be up to snuff.
@kyle_saluki_17 just their crowd at the game was enough for me, they whined about every single call. one of their posters also kept complaining about the brunette lady ref and I believe she called like three fouls on their team in general. i dont really care for the majority of their fans and care even less for their undisciplined players, it felt good to beat them in that fashion at their place.
The old saying, "it doesn't matter who starts it's who finishes" is wearing a little thin on me at this point. I would suggest it does matter who starts and the pattern I have seen is that we are consistently falling behind early in games and face an uphill battle to get back into the game. I am a fan of TB, but I do think that having him start is limiting us both defensively and offensively at this point in the beginning of games. Personally, I also think X is fairly limited offensively, but handles the point generally well and is at his best going to the basket and dishing or drawing fouls/scoring. I am also in favor of playing two guards with three bigs more. TD has earned more time, recovers well when he gets beat off the dribble, and does many intangibles that don't show up always on the stat sheet. If I could whisper into Mullins' ear I would say start X, Jones, Damosk, Damico, and pickem Mulia/Ruppert and see what happens. Also, I still think Ebube is a difference maker in the post and his playing time needs to increase as he gets back up to speed. Protecting the rim can ignite offense the other way and he has shown some flashes in the limited time of play. Rank order of our guards for me would be Jones, X and Banks (tied), Newton, Wonders, and then Brown. Frankly, I know FW missed a couple of good looks last night, but his upside offensively (for a team struggling to score) is huge regardless of what you lose on the defensive side. But what do I know about any of this I was a wrestler growing up.
@kyle_saluki_17 just their crowd at the game was enough for me, they whined about every single call. one of their posters also kept complaining about the brunette lady ref and I believe she called like three fouls on their team in general. i dont really care for the majority of their fans and care even less for their undisciplined players, it felt good to beat them in that fashion at their place.
I thought after a night's rest, you might see a bit more clarity from the folks on the message board, but nope still just the refs always have it in for us.
I can't really seeing this team going 8-5 the rest of the season. I don't think Ind. State is going to end up in first, either. I think somebody is going on a tear, hopefully SIU, but I am still putting my money on Bradley as the team to beat for the MVC title. A big game for us will be our last home game against UNI on Feb. 22 as I don't think the Panthers are going away.KenPom update:
#110 overall
#37 in adjusted defensive efficiency which is incredible. This is getting really close to Floorburn U Salukis territory.
#243 in adjusted offensive efficiency. As good as the defense is, it's really being wasted with this offense.
The main culprit for the offense is they're #314 in 3 point percentage (30.3%) yet are #6 in 3 point attempts per field goal attempts (48.7% of shots are coming from 3). What makes even less sense about the offense is they're #9 in the country in 2 point percentage (57.6%).
The good news is, the Valley is really down this year. There's only one team in the top 100 on KenPom in the MVC right now and that's Bradley at #74. Drake is close at #101.
SIU has played the 4th toughest schedule in the MVC right now which is the toughest schedule outside the bottom 3 teams in the league. Indiana State has played the 11th toughest, Bradley 12th toughest, Belmont 8th toughest, Northern Iowa 10th toughest, Drake 7th toughest.
If you go by KenPom projections, they have Indiana State and Bradley tying for 1st at 14-6, SIU and Belmont tying at 13-7, and Drake at 12-8. There's such a narrow gap between winning the MVC Regular Season championship and playing on Thursday.
@bpbrown23 i pretty well agree with everything you just said, when the start of the game is a problem the starting lineup is. it is not all on trent, marcus and lance play like zombies in the beginning of games too and that kills us. id like having another shooter/slasher starting to help us grab early points, we clearly have no problem giving up a lot of early points anyway
I can't really seeing this team going 8-5 the rest of the season. I don't think Ind. State is going to end up in first, either. I think somebody is going on a tear, hopefully SIU, but I am still putting my money on Bradley as the team to beat for the MVC title. A big game for us will be our last home game against UNI on Feb. 22 as I don't think the Panthers are going away.KenPom update:
#110 overall
#37 in adjusted defensive efficiency which is incredible. This is getting really close to Floorburn U Salukis territory.
#243 in adjusted offensive efficiency. As good as the defense is, it's really being wasted with this offense.
The main culprit for the offense is they're #314 in 3 point percentage (30.3%) yet are #6 in 3 point attempts per field goal attempts (48.7% of shots are coming from 3). What makes even less sense about the offense is they're #9 in the country in 2 point percentage (57.6%).
The good news is, the Valley is really down this year. There's only one team in the top 100 on KenPom in the MVC right now and that's Bradley at #74. Drake is close at #101.
SIU has played the 4th toughest schedule in the MVC right now which is the toughest schedule outside the bottom 3 teams in the league. Indiana State has played the 11th toughest, Bradley 12th toughest, Belmont 8th toughest, Northern Iowa 10th toughest, Drake 7th toughest.
If you go by KenPom projections, they have Indiana State and Bradley tying for 1st at 14-6, SIU and Belmont tying at 13-7, and Drake at 12-8. There's such a narrow gap between winning the MVC Regular Season championship and playing on Thursday.
I think the top five in some order will be Indiana State, Bradley, Drake, SIU and Belmont. Very impressed with what UNI is doing lately but if a team reliant on three freshmen as core players and a 5-10 combo guard is still in contention for the Valley title by late February, Jacobson's salary should be tripled. I see them eventually tapering off a bit and finishing around sixth, but possibly flirting with the 4-5 range.
Edit: Not implying Born isn't a very good player, he is, I just think it's a lot to ask a kid with a stature like that to carry you to a Valley title through a 20-game league grind with such a youthful supporting cast.
Marcus has struggled more than usual these past couple games at UNI and Indiana State. I think we're pretty quick on this board to jump to the fatigue angle with him whenever he doesn't look quite right - he is entitled to have a shooting slump like anyone else - but nonetheless I hope they err on the side of giving him a little more rest in practice and even in these home games against ISU and Evansville and see if that helps jump-start him, because he had been performing at a POY-type level.
Despite his relative struggles, though, he found a way to make some winning plays in Terre Haute, much to his credit.
And love to see him step to the line and make all those FTs late in the game.Marcus has struggled more than usual these past couple games at UNI and Indiana State. I think we're pretty quick on this board to jump to the fatigue angle with him whenever he doesn't look quite right - he is entitled to have a shooting slump like anyone else - but nonetheless I hope they err on the side of giving him a little more rest in practice and even in these home games against ISU and Evansville and see if that helps jump-start him, because he had been performing at a POY-type level.
Despite his relative struggles, though, he found a way to make some winning plays in Terre Haute, much to his credit.
