MBB Game 18 Hampton, Jan 18 (Thu), 7 PM

[cactus]

The team is well aware of the slow starts and needing to play a full 40 minutes.
DiPaolo mentioned it a few times in a short chalk-talk before the game in the pride lounge.
For what it's worth, I don't think they played that bad to start the game.
Hampton is a raw team with good athleticism, they struggled with that defensively, and their shots just didn't fall early on.

It's been mentioned repeatedly by the staff. But when does that message actually sink in to the point it translates ON THE COURT? Anyone with a pair of functioning eyes can see the difference in intensity in the second halves of these games compared to the first halves.

We're crediting Hampton instead of looking in the mirror now? Hampton? The only winless team in the CAA? This is what we're doing now? Hofstra beat Delaware (the one time they bothered to play the entire first half in a CAA game this year) and yet Delaware didn't get down 18 at home against Hampton like Hofstra did last night. They jumped on them 15-4 and 26-7 and coasted to a 27-point win. They didn't need a 59-point second half just to win by single digits.

the game isn't linear. hampton is an athletic team that started out hot. they are not a good team as we saw in the second half.

[Wags]

The team is well aware of the slow starts and needing to play a full 40 minutes.
DiPaolo mentioned it a few times in a short chalk-talk before the game in the pride lounge.
For what it's worth, I don't think they played that bad to start the game.
Hampton is a raw team with good athleticism, they struggled with that defensively, and their shots just didn't fall early on.

It's been mentioned repeatedly by the staff. But when does that message actually sink in to the point it translates ON THE COURT? Anyone with a pair of functioning eyes can see the difference in intensity in the second halves of these games compared to the first halves.

We're crediting Hampton instead of looking in the mirror now? Hampton? The only winless team in the CAA? This is what we're doing now? Hofstra beat Delaware (the one time they bothered to play the entire first half in a CAA game this year) and yet Delaware didn't get down 18 at home against Hampton like Hofstra did last night. They jumped on them 15-4 and 26-7 and coasted to a 27-point win. They didn't need a 59-point second half just to win by single digits.

the game isn't linear. hampton is an athletic team that started out hot. they are not a good team as we saw in the second half.

Hofstra's lack of D had nothing to do with Hampton getting hot? All of a sudden, when Hofstra turned up the energy and effort (don't take it from me, Speedy's words) in the second half, Hampton's athletic team (which hasn't caused any other good CAA teams they've played any trouble at all) magically disappeared? It's okay to admit faults rather than excuse them. It's how you get better.

[cactus]

It's been mentioned repeatedly by the staff. But when does that message actually sink in to the point it translates ON THE COURT? Anyone with a pair of functioning eyes can see the difference in intensity in the second halves of these games compared to the first halves.

We're crediting Hampton instead of looking in the mirror now? Hampton? The only winless team in the CAA? This is what we're doing now? Hofstra beat Delaware (the one time they bothered to play the entire first half in a CAA game this year) and yet Delaware didn't get down 18 at home against Hampton like Hofstra did last night. They jumped on them 15-4 and 26-7 and coasted to a 27-point win. They didn't need a 59-point second half just to win by single digits.

the game isn't linear. hampton is an athletic team that started out hot. they are not a good team as we saw in the second half.

Hofstra's lack of D had nothing to do with Hampton getting hot? All of a sudden, when Hofstra turned up the energy and effort (don't take it from me, Speedy's words) in the second half, Hampton's athletic team (which hasn't caused any other good CAA teams they've played any trouble at all) magically disappeared?

i know what the narrative is that you are trying to continue, but sometimes teams simply come out hot despite their record, and fall back to earth later on. didn't think hofstra came out flat, hampton just happened to knock their shots down early (and get offensive rebounds on the ones they missed). offensively to start, thomas had some questionable shot choices, there were a few turnovers, and their open shots didn't fall. you can contribute those things to effort, but it seemed like execution or lack thereof was the main story. yes, they came out desperate in the second half and adjusted better to hampton's athleticism, but a number of those hampton turnovers that got them back into the game were unforced, and hofstra's shooting fortunes turned around. (and that doesn't have to be because hampton came out in the second half with poor effort!)

[Wags]

the game isn't linear. hampton is an athletic team that started out hot. they are not a good team as we saw in the second half.

Hofstra's lack of D had nothing to do with Hampton getting hot? All of a sudden, when Hofstra turned up the energy and effort (don't take it from me, Speedy's words) in the second half, Hampton's athletic team (which hasn't caused any other good CAA teams they've played any trouble at all) magically disappeared?

i know what the narrative is that you are trying to continue, but sometimes teams simply come out hot despite their record, and fall back to earth later on. didn't think hofstra came out flat, hampton just happened to knock their shots down early (and get offensive rebounds on the ones they missed). offensively to start, thomas had some questionable shot choices, there were a few turnovers, and their open shots didn't fall. you can contribute those things to effort, but it seemed like execution or lack thereof was the main story. yes, they came out desperate in the second half and adjusted better to hampton's athleticism, but a number of those hampton turnovers that got them back into the game were unforced, and hofstra's shooting fortunes turned around. (and that doesn't have to be because hampton came out in the second half with poor effort!)

Of course some teams start hot no matter who they are at times - it just seems to happen almost every time Hofstra plays a CAA game this year (and in several OOC games this year too. So was last night a one-off for Hampton or a Hofstra trend? Seems to clearly be the latter if you've been watch the season.

Again, if you don't believe me, listen to the postgame from last night in which Speedy himself said they came out flat (yet again).

Right, what happened to Hampton in the second half doesn't have to be poor effort on their part - it's because Hofstra is a better team to start with and outplayed Hampton when Hofstra finally played with the effort and focus it should have showed in the first half (which again, has been a continued trend from prior games).

[Pride97]

Will say I thought they were moving slow and settling a lot in the first half when I was watching. Energy seemed much better in the second half. I disagree that they looked fine from the start. Not saying that starting the bench fixes that, but I don’t understand why they look lackluster and not just because their shots weren’t falling. Speedy said they looked like they were in mud at the start - have to agree.


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[Cards]

looked to me like TT was totally gassed the last few minutes. Looked like his legs just wouldn't execute what his eyes wanted to happen. When he walked around during timeouts and foul shots, his feet were shuffling.......there was simply no energy in his step. Last few minutes he was coming in and out of the game on off/def switches, not bc of foul trouble or scoring ability, bc was simply gassed and Speedy saw it.

[joeg1]

Not to get too contentious, but...

Speedy, whom I love, needs to take some accountability. Not once has he ever said we need to prepare/adjust/motivate better. If the team gets off to continually bad starts, maybe he needs to look in the mirror. The presser's are basically unwatchable. I am tired of questions about player's/coach's "feelings". Is there an unspoken agreement that Speedy cannot be asked a difficult question? If so, the line between fan/press has clearly been erased, and I (and probably the other 82 viewers) will stop wasting my time. The staff can just record video releases and say only positive things.

Speedy does not have the talent he did last year, although he certainly cannot say that. TT is not Estrada. We hoped there would be only a minor drop-off, but it has been more pronounced. Estrada made teammates better. TT does not. TT is a fantastic scorer at times, but he is not the playmaker Estrada was. There are limitations with this year's squad. I am, however, disappointed with the staff's ability to adjust.