MBB Game 23 - TOWSON - 1/31/15, 8 PM

[ProudofPride]

just finished listening to the post game press conference. Coach Mihalich has to stop blaming the losses on our lack of toughness. Yeah, that's part of it, but the main problem is our defense. We're not going to win any game with the percentages we're allowing teams to shoot. It's been the same story every loss, and still nothing has changed. This team is becoming more difficult to watch with every game. We're playing like a team that actually wants to play on Friday night in Baltimore.
JAM comments on Walker, and basically says that he hasn't shown he's better than Kone and Gustys, so he's not going to play.

Also worth noting, Drexel just beat UNCW.

[ZMAN3]

Was the tech at the end really necessary?
Anyway, awesome student turn out today, I've don't think i've ever seen them on the upper tier like that, but after this pitiful loss, who knows how many students will come now.

They gave away Hofstra hats - anytime school gives something for free students show. It was pretty subdued for most of night - but then again didn't have much to cheer for!

[Jojogunne]

Question for Evan or one of our other data specialists: Tonight Bernardi didn't score until there were about 10 minutes left in the game. Is that some kind of a team record? How often does a starter who plays major minutes go 30 minutes before scoring?

I was glad Tanksley wasn't seriously hurt tonight. He went down hard in the second half and seemed to have injured his left shoulder, but was able to return to the game and play hard till the end.

Count me among the faithful who would like to see Walker get some playing time. If he doesn't, I wouldn't be surprised to see him transfer.

[Polito]

What can be said... Another pitiful loss at home to a sub average team...and in the exact same fashion as the rest - fans have nothing to keep coming out for, nothing to get excited about - this team and staff aren't learning, improving, and/or are simply refusing to adjust - I do agree somewhat, this team displays no toughness at all, but also the whining has to stop

Not paying Walker is horsesh!t - your team needs post help in the worst way, plays zero defense, is getting owned in the paint, AND is losing conf games to below avg teams, but you don't see the need to play your 3* 6'10 big man who is a defensive presence and shot blocking deterrent????

Oh yeah, smart move - he hasn't shown you he can add value yet?? Hey NEWSFLASH COACH: NO ONE ELSE ON YOUR TEAM HAS EITHER

This team has quickly lost its mojo - wouldn't be such a big deal if they all were leaving everything on the floor...don't believe they are - I have almost zero patience for teams that cry like babies, are too lazy to play D, too careless to improve, or too foolish to make adjustments

Think I'm done until the tourney folks - I'll tune in on that Sat to see if they've pulled their heads out of their rears by then - I don't have the time patience or energy to invest in watching some hot mess that makes excuses instead of finding reasons

They've played themselves right out of anything of significance until then anyway - barely a mid pack CAA team - been saying for a couple of games now, this team isn't winning the conf tourney like this - and still no change, so my re-assessment of this squad stands: they will be hard pressed to find enough wins to hit 18-20 the rest of the way, and they have no shot of winning 3 games in 3 days playing like that

Alas, fans can move on to other things quickly - they will be the ones sitting at home in March watching the teams that improved, played hard, adjusted, and performed in all facets of the game - and they should have no question whatsoever about what will have put them in that predicament - it's clear as night and day.

I hope to high heaven that this staff is recruiting their A$$ES off - this team needs MAJOR help - either bring in guys that never miss a friggin shot, or some guys that no how to play 101 DEFENSE...and actually give a sh!t about it

S A D.

[Hofstra]

This team is crap. No heart what so ever. Started off so well, and we faded HARD.

Coach Michalich looks like he is just running through the motions. Is he even a coach? I have not seen a single in game adjustment all season long. Its just pitiful to watch this team.

I will still be in Baltimore, but it seems more and more likely that it will be a short trip filled with horrible basketball and booze.

[dutchiedoright]

That's just ridiculous. This team is far from "crap" .

Also, last night, if you knew what you were watching, we went small, we went big, we played zone, we played man, we fronted, we doubled....please know what you are talking about before you jump off the wagon.

We didn't shoot well and our bigs are just not that good. When we shoot well, we are a tough match-up.

It looks to me that our guys are "pressing"....they seem tight.....if we can get a few run-outs and a few lucky breaks....we will be dangerous in Baltimore.

Poll the conference.....who "wants" to play us.... NE, UNCW, W&M ....???? No, they do not.

This is our year to be the sniper....

[Jojogunne]

From the post-game press conference, starting at 4:02:

"Q. Coach, any thoughts about playing Walker a few minutes and going bigger at times?

"A. Believe me, I think about every single guy on that roster and who should be in there. And what you guys don't see is what we see every day, and he doesn't show us every day that he's better than the two guys we got right now. Great kid, but I see him every day, and if he were to show that he should play at all, he would be in there, just like a couple of other guys."

http://www.gohofstra.com/news/2015/1/31 ... 53531.aspx

At this point, what do we have to lose? From what I saw early in the season, Walker has good instincts and can block and disrupt shots. He doesn't have to play a lot, just try him in in the rotation.

[dutchiedoright]

This team is far from "crap" and, if you knew anything about the game, you would have seen man, zone, zone press, man press, off-ball fronting, doubling the ball, small line-up.....there were 100's of in-game adjustments. Just because they didn't work doesn't mean they were tried.

This team gives effort...sweat, and diving for loose balls, and boxing out, and calling out screens....that's what I see.

Now, admittedly, these things haven't shown up in the "W" column......but they are there. Yes, we do have to shoot better and we can. Don't forget we blew out Drexel BY A TON who has since beaten NU and UNCW. This team has firepower. We are just in a bad patch. Coach will fix this.

So, if you want to call this team "crap" and that they "suuuuuuck", well, go ahead, but when the play on Monday night in Baltimore, wear a green shirt so we know who you are !!!!

[hualum]

I will preface this by saying I don't pay attention to which of you says what....BUT I DO find it funny how you were all IN LOVE with JAM the last 1yr+ and HATED MO.
now we hit a major road bump and it's "CAN JOE EVEN COACH"
you guys are so fickle.
This is EXACTLY what I expected this year. It is a MAJOR improvement from last year. We are disappointed because of the strong start. I too was at the game sat night and will tell you my thoughts.
This team has no fire, none. I sat right behind bench and listened to coaches "begging" for the guys to get "tough and fired up". . .nothing.

That is a huge part of sports that I never get. My 10yr old's AAU team shows a TON of emotion (1/2 cried yesterday after losing a Championship game in OT) and are 11-3. My 8th graders team has NO emotion and are .500. There is something to be said for it.

[Polito]

will say again, that is horsesh!t -

I've seen the guy play live a couple of games, and yes he is raw because he's a FRESHMAN, but he made a positive impact in those games and he was a defensive presence in the post - he moves well, is athletic, has great height/wingspan, and his major shot blocking threat forces teams to alter their plan - you cannot tell me that is not useful

this team is lost and losing - HE NEEDS TO PLAY, PERIOD.

and quite frankly, Rokas is also VERY raw...because he's a FRESHMAN - that's a bogus excuse.

again I really like this staff, but this is a foolish decision, or just a bad cop-out for some other reason to not play him. If the team was winning I totally get it - but they look terrible - that is exactly when you play a guy like him - what are they so worried about?!?!?! Losing??? I mean c'mon...

[dutchiedoright]

This team is not "crap" and they do not "suuuuuuck".
Anyone watching who knows a hill of beans about the game saw man, zone, man press, zone press, fronting the ball, doubling the ball, big line-up, little line-up....there were hundreds of in-game adjustments. They may not have worked, but they were there.

Jump off the ship if you want, but be fair!!!

I see a team that is pressing and not shooting well....we have to shoot well to win. That's it in a nutshell.

We can still be ready for Baltimore.

[ProudofPride]

Here's the sights and sounds video from the CAA. It includes footage of the men and women. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUIazXn ... e=youtu.be

The features on Dion Nesmith and Krystal Luciano should be posted at some point.

[HU87]

LONG time fan (season tickets since the Darius Burton days), long time visitor to this board/CAAZone, but a very seldom poster here.

As a whole, I agree that we need to take a step back, take a breath, and let this season play out before we start getting on JM's case. The fact of the matter is we came out of the gates scorching hot (albeit against questionable competition) and skyrocketed our own expectations. This year is nothing but icing on the cake. Don't get me wrong-- I want to win badly, and do still expect that we'll turn it around and finish around 20 wins. But even if we don't, this season has already brought an air to the program that we haven't seen since Charles carried this team on his back 4 years ago.

There are two critiques that have been driving me crazy. First, Juan'ya has been taking a LOT of heat lately. Yes, he's more inconsistent this year than we'd like. But it has to be taken into account that he is truly the only player we have who can (and does) consistently create his own shot. Ameen started off hot, but most of his scoring came from spot up 3's and playing inside-- He doesn't often take people off the dribble or create his own looks or looks for others. Bernardi is a great shooter, but he doesn't have that dimension to his game either. Dion would be our next best shot creator, but doesn't show much consistency at it this year and has found more success as a spot up shooter too, despite some nice drives to the basket here and there.

This leaves Juan'ya as the guy who is taking contested shots as the shot clock runs down, or forcing drives to the basket. Does he need to step up and become more of a vocal leader? Yes. Do I hate his body language sometimes? Yes. Did I expect his shot to be more consistent from 3 this season? Yes. But he's head and shoulders the best player we have, and I guarantee he'd be the reason we make the NCAA's either this year or next. This is a team that we all love when their shots fall, and he is the one creating those shots for everyone.

Lastly, I'm as excited about the potential of Andre Walker as much as anyone. I think he'll be a force in the CAA over his 4 year career, and I think he made the right choice coming to a place like HU, where he doesn't have to be forced into the limelight day 1 or wait 4 years for an opportunity. I certainly wouldn't be against seeing him on the court a bit more (especially for defensive reasons). However, JM is with this kid practically EVERY DAY. We just don't know enough about the situation to question his judgement on this one. JM wants to win as much as/more than any of us, and has decades of experience. Those two factors together, and I can't see how we don't trust his decision on Walker.

I also have to trust that this isn't just a doghouse situation, as Walker transferring would be a heavy hit to the program. I feel that it's more likely that JM sees this as the best way to get this kid ready to step up, whether that be this year as our 3rd string center, or next year when his role will expand greatly.

[joeg1]

I'm not jumping off board yet, and I like JM, but he is not above criticism. IMO he is being a bit stubborn. And if the team lacks toughness that is on him.. he's as much to blame as anyone. Having said that, I agree, the ship can be righted.

[Hofstra]

I just see no improvements from game to game. I think there is too much talent on this team for us to be laying eggs like this.

I want to see a change, or an adjustment.

[dutchiedoright]

This ship will be righted.

They are pressing and feel the real need for a win. The best thing for them will be to get to Delaware and have some fun.

[EvanJ]

Question for Evan or one of our other data specialists: Tonight Bernardi didn't score until there were about 10 minutes left in the game. Is that some kind of a team record? How often does a starter who plays major minutes go 30 minutes before scoring?

Without looking at a play-by-play of each game I don't know how to find how many points a player scored in the first 30 minutes. In 2007-2008, Greg Johnson averaged 26.3 minutes and 3.7 points. He played five scoreless games that season and the most minutes he played without scoring was 27 on January 12, 2008.

[Wags]

I will preface this by saying I don't pay attention to which of you says what....BUT I DO find it funny how you were all IN LOVE with JAM the last 1yr+ and HATED MO.
now we hit a major road bump and it's "CAN JOE EVEN COACH"
you guys are so fickle.
This is EXACTLY what I expected this year. It is a MAJOR improvement from last year. We are disappointed because of the strong start. I too was at the game sat night and will tell you my thoughts.
This team has no fire, none. I sat right behind bench and listened to coaches "begging" for the guys to get "tough and fired up". . .nothing.

That is a huge part of sports that I never get. My 10yr old's AAU team shows a TON of emotion (1/2 cried yesterday after losing a Championship game in OT) and are 11-3. My 8th graders team has NO emotion and are .500. There is something to be said for it.

Derek Fisher recently said that one thing that surprised him the most during his rookie season as a coach is how much he had to motivate guys to play hard, considering how much of a self-starter he was over his 18-year NBA career.

It's just a different generation for (not all, not even most, but) a lot of guys today.

[HUSID80]

LONG time fan (season tickets since the Darius Burton days), long time visitor to this board/CAAZone, but a very seldom poster here.

As a whole, I agree that we need to take a step back, take a breath, and let this season play out before we start getting on JM's case. The fact of the matter is we came out of the gates scorching hot (albeit against questionable competition) and skyrocketed our own expectations. This year is nothing but icing on the cake. Don't get me wrong-- I want to win badly, and do still expect that we'll turn it around and finish around 20 wins. But even if we don't, this season has already brought an air to the program that we haven't seen since Charles carried this team on his back 4 years ago.

There are two critiques that have been driving me crazy. First, Juan'ya has been taking a LOT of heat lately. Yes, he's more inconsistent this year than we'd like. But it has to be taken into account that he is truly the only player we have who can (and does) consistently create his own shot. Ameen started off hot, but most of his scoring came from spot up 3's and playing inside-- He doesn't often take people off the dribble or create his own looks or looks for others. Bernardi is a great shooter, but he doesn't have that dimension to his game either. Dion would be our next best shot creator, but doesn't show much consistency at it this year and has found more success as a spot up shooter too, despite some nice drives to the basket here and there.

This leaves Juan'ya as the guy who is taking contested shots as the shot clock runs down, or forcing drives to the basket. Does he need to step up and become more of a vocal leader? Yes. Do I hate his body language sometimes? Yes. Did I expect his shot to be more consistent from 3 this season? Yes. But he's head and shoulders the best player we have, and I guarantee he'd be the reason we make the NCAA's either this year or next. This is a team that we all love when their shots fall, and he is the one creating those shots for everyone.

Lastly, I'm as excited about the potential of Andre Walker as much as anyone. I think he'll be a force in the CAA over his 4 year career, and I think he made the right choice coming to a place like HU, where he doesn't have to be forced into the limelight day 1 or wait 4 years for an opportunity. I certainly wouldn't be against seeing him on the court a bit more (especially for defensive reasons). However, JM is with this kid practically EVERY DAY. We just don't know enough about the situation to question his judgement on this one. JM wants to win as much as/more than any of us, and has decades of experience. Those two factors together, and I can't see how we don't trust his decision on Walker.

I also have to trust that this isn't just a doghouse situation, as Walker transferring would be a heavy hit to the program. I feel that it's more likely that JM sees this as the best way to get this kid ready to step up, whether that be this year as our 3rd string center, or next year when his role will expand greatly.

Well said HU87...the voice of reason! Joe and crew are pros they know what they are doing and I agree on Green, as I have been saying on other posts. He is the guy who makes things happen and he will continue to do so...I think we are pressing a bit and you are exactly right...we look like world beaters when we are hitting our threes and we look horrible when we don't. and as opposed to some of you there is effort being put out on the floor...I agree and believe that when all is said and done we will be fine this year.

[HUSID80]

I just see no improvements from game to game. I think there is too much talent on this team for us to be laying eggs like this.

I want to see a change, or an adjustment.

What do you suggest?