They definitely seem to be figuring out their roles. The players give me confidence in CBJ even though he looks like a deer in the headlights sometimes.
And call two quick bogus fouls at the start of the half.
If he can't coach now, I don't think he'll suddenly learn while coaching in the B1G.
I don't know what to tell you on that. He is going to be our coach for several more years. So I am hoping he gets better at it. He can recruit so that's a start. Hopefully better players will help him make better decisions. His schemes on both ends stink.
Three years AFTER this? I doubt that's a given. Next year will have to show major progress.
Ideally you are correct. If next year is bad- let's say 6-14- his future in the Big Ten is done for, but they won't fire him.
Recruiting doesn't equal winning. Don't get me wrong, I like the fr. However I Just don't know if they are good enough.
Absolutely needed a three at the end and never put Carrington in. Needed to double team Walker and never did. Henley taken out when playing well but kept Battle in almost the whole game. Lots of wtf moments.
They are not. If we want to finish as an 8-10 seed in the B10 they are fine. If we want to be higher, we need more 5 stars (evans is a start) and four stars (Christie is nice)…but Ben also needs to realize that college basketball is a guard dominated sport…we have no guards and still don’t next year…then in 2024-25 even if we get our guy, it’s not like he is a Derrick rose level prospect (1 and done 5 star PG)
I want to see what these guys ( the young guys) look like if they are paired with competent guards.
JOJ needs to work on positioning and getting his body on someone when a shot goes up. He relies too much on his athleticism to get defensive rebounds. Today it cost him and the Gophers a few times, one of them being the critical tip in after a Walker miss the put the lead at 3 in OT. Had he bodied up his man either he or Samuels gets that rebound and we have a chance to go down and take the lead.
I'd agree, but I have always said the dumbest play in basketball is when the offensive player can just lower the shoulder and bull you over as you aren't set.
I too had a blast. Went with a friend and his young’n. Arrived early and saw the pre-teen/future Deja Vu dancers perform their routines b/4 the game and then met Goldy with the kid for a picture. Good crowd! Good game (it took the Gophs an OT period to lose and I guess that’s progress)! Good beer! No better venue for watching basketball than The Barn. Highly recommend.
That was Spencer's judgment, too (radio). He said there isn't a ref alive who'd reward you for what Garcia did.
True, but again, the Nebraska guy just lowered his shoulder and ran him over whether he was set or not.
I'm counting this year's class and next year's class as Ben's first two years. Last year was basically one and done except for Battle and it wasn't close to a full recruiting cycle. You have a good point but I think it will be close.
The rules are the rules. It was a block.
I agree with most of this. I am very on record saying that I think CBJ is an absolute train wreck coaching offense. I think the only way we could have a decent offense is to have an Uber elite PG who can just make everyone better. I can't think of a good NCAA comp (probably Pickett at PSU) , but I'd compare it to the PHX Sun's. They had Booker Ayton Bridges etc so young physically talented guys, but were a below average team. They added 1 piece, Chris Paul, an ELITE pg and everything fell into place. Booker took better shots, Ayton became efficient, Bridges/Johnson turned into elite shooters in big part because the guy pulling the strings highlighted their strengths will hiding their weaknesses. I think of we want any shot to be .500 next year, CBJ needs that spot filled. I don't mean by a Cooper type, I mean a Tyrese Hunter, Baylor Schierman, Zakai Zeigler type stud. Do I think he can do that, no I don't but that's the only path to me
Maybe......he dipped his shoulder are bulled him over
I'm a homer but the baseline rep replay showed otherwise. No in position/not even close to square or decent defending position, embellished/flopped/flailed some contact. I was okay with the call after I saw that. Now, there were probably 10 other calls I was livid over
2 of 3 isn’t bad as Schierman isn’t a pg.
I am coming to the conclusion that we have the talent to win now - this year. The players are not holding this team back right now - the problem is with Ben's ability to coach ingame and to help players make adjustments. I feel like we are back to the early Pitino years where the asst coaches huddle to tell Pitino what is happening and then Pitino calls the players in to speak during the timeout. The last 2 games were in the W column if Ben has another 10 years on his resume.
