Just looked at UNI's starting lineup:
Betz - JR
Duax - FR
Campbell - FR
Anderson - SO
Born - SO
Meanwhile, SIU started 4 SR's and a SO.
I've read multiple comments saying fans shouldn't be surprised bc we always lose "here". If we go by that, then we're in trouble bc under Mullins we are 2 - 14 on the road against Bradley, Missouri St, UNI, Drake and Indiana St. I was hoping this year (year 4) was the time to not accept losing anywhere / anytime (against a non-power school). I can honestly say that I DID expect to win and that I am not happy we lost.
FWIW Northern Iowa fudges the year listings based on the extra COVID year. For example, it’s Born’s third season for the Panthers.
Nonetheless, it’s a young, shorthanded team that should’nt control a game against the veteran Salukis, regardless of venue.
I am beginning to think bringing both back will only delay the development of other players. Yeah, we may get closer to dancing but bringing them both back isn't a guarantee into the NCAA Tournament. To be sure, both of them have been fun to watch these past 4 years, but at the end of the season,let's bid them both a fond farewell and let somebody else carry the torch in the 2023-24 season.This team is way too quick to stop attacking the basket even though a lot of good things happen when they attack the basket.
You don’t win consistently with just chucking up a bunch of 3’s. The offense has to be balanced.
Good points. I really believe Mullins needs to recruit some front court players that can score and rebound.
The frontcourt is fine, the backcourt is the problem. You win with guards in college basketball and Jones is the only guard that can consistently score on this roster.
Unless Domask and Jones come back (5th year), our backcourt scoring will be worse next year. Our only recruit, 6'6 Davis will help but we need more.
Now that is a bold statement…I don’t think they are hindering anyone’s growth…if someone else on this team could create their own shot, Jones/Domask would happily step aside.
Personally, I think we are 2 solid shooters away from being a scary team. If we could hit 3’s at an average clip we would be extremely hard to beat. We miss more open threes than most teams miss all their threes. If Foster can figure out his defense, I am sure he can be one of those guys. Another 6’6/7” forward who can knock down an outside shot would do it. Really bummed we missed out on Schweiger (at Loyola now). Maybe he’ll transfer in next year after Loyola shits the bed this year.
Hopefully, this was the end of Trent Brown in the starting line-up.
If you don't trust Wonders or Newton at the 3-spot, then move Marcus there and GO BIG. We have two true Centers (5-spot) on this team who were highly-recruited and today they saw a combined ZERO minutes of playing time. WTF??
The whole team played like shit today (except for Muila). If we play like this in Terre Haute, we'll get blown out of the gym.
Hopefully, this was the end of Trent Brown in the starting line-up.
If you don't trust Wonders or Newton at the 3-spot, then move Marcus there and GO BIG. We have two true Centers (5-spot) on this team who were highly-recruited and today they saw a combined ZERO minutes of playing time. WTF??
The whole team played like shit today (except for Muila). If we play like this in Terre Haute, we'll get blown out of the gym.
Trent Brown played 5 minutes today . Don’t think a 12 point loss to a totally rebuilt UNI team is on his shoulders. IF this team was coached by anyone else but Mullins I am certain where the blame would lie. When you only have one reliable offensive threat game in and game out a good coach is going to make sure that one guy doesn’t beat you . Jacobsen is one of the best in the league. If I am playing SIU I double team Domask all game and make someone else beat me . Domask leads the MVC in total turnovers so I take my chances and make him pass the ball. Not time to panic after one loss on the road but there are alarm bells everywhere that people want to ignore. This is an extremely down year for the Valley and we should be contending for the title. We have to win one of these important games one of these days don’t we ? On to Terre Haute.
Yeah I don't get the Brown stuff. He did start but he barely played and hasn't played much lately. Brown hasn't been good (he hasn't scored since the Chicago State game) but this team has many more problems other than him on the offensive end.
Brown has started every single game and has been terrible on both offense and defense this year. Nobody is blaming him for today's loss. It's just puzzling that he continues to get starts & minutes over players who could actually help the team more (Newton, Wonders, Ferguson).
FWIW/Currently SIU is one of six teams in the Valley tied for 2nd place with 4-2 records! Belmont, Bradley, Mo State, Murray State and UNI are the others. We and Bradley each have 5 remaining games with the bottom 4 teams (Illinois St., UIC, Valpo and Evansville) who have a combined 3-21 record. The other 4-2 teams have just 4 games remaining with the cellar dwellers. A small bright spot in an otherwise dismal day.
If Wonders, Banks, Ferguson, Cade, and Ebube don’t make a significant jump in contributions this year, then you are watching a slightly over 500 MVC team. Also one that’s pretty easy to prep for; amazingly predictable.
This is a game a veteran team wins. They were out coached and overmatched today. To a mid-pack team
But, you know, you just gotta accept losses now. Or at least that’s what I read on here. Loser talk
Bow Em
Brown has started every single game and has been terrible on both offense and defense this year. Nobody is blaming him for today's loss. It's just puzzling that he continues to get starts & minutes over players who could actually help the team more (Newton, Wonders, Ferguson).
well he does play pretty high caliber defense
Now things are getting stupid on here.
It gets that way after a loss, doesn't it.
Just looked at UNI's starting lineup:
Betz - JR
Duax - FR
Campbell - FR
Anderson - SO
Born - SO
Meanwhile, SIU started 4 SR's and a SO.
I've read multiple comments saying fans shouldn't be surprised bc we always lose "here". If we go by that, then we're in trouble bc under Mullins we are 2 - 14 on the road against Bradley, Missouri St, UNI, Drake and Indiana St. I was hoping this year (year 4) was the time to not accept losing anywhere / anytime (against a non-power school). I can honestly say that I DID expect to win and that I am not happy we lost.
Wish I could like this post x1000. Saying things like "we never play well here" or "we never win here" is just a way of rationalizing defeat. Silly way to look at things. Acknowledging you've struggled in the past at certain venues is one thing; it can help to motivate or get you locked in, but expecting a loss based on historical numbers is not a winning mentality.
Different eras, different teams, different coaches should also equal different expectations. The team and the fans should absolutely be pissed at this, or any loss.
--Insert something witty here--
Up to this point I've blamed our struggles on an anemic offense due to Mullins not recruiting a single player who can reliably knock down a shot, but when you look the numbers, they don't really back that up.
Among our guards, Ferguson, Johnson, and Wonders are shooting around or better than 40% on both FG% and 3P%. Yet, Ferguson is getting 7 min/game and Wonders 9.5 min/game.
I realize we don't have a lot of evidence to back up those numbers, but is it reasonable to wonder why those two aren't getting more minutes? Is it because they're that much of a liability on defense?
Looking at the roster and numbers, it just feels like this team should be winning more, and more convincingly, than they are.
Bucky Dent's article today is spot-on, especially the last couple paragraphs. You apologists may not want to read it.
Brown has started every single game and has been terrible on both offense and defense this year. Nobody is blaming him for today's loss. It's just puzzling that he continues to get starts & minutes over players who could actually help the team more (Newton, Wonders, Ferguson).
well he does play pretty high caliber defense
I agree he hustles. He's just not big or athletic enough to guard the other wing players in the MVC. They go straight at him every time they see a mismatch.
And he's scored ZERO total points the last 5 games. We're basically playing 4-on-5 when he's in there. Nothing against the kid- he's obviously worked his butt off since he's been here, but the talent just isn't there for this level of basketball.
