***OFFICIAL WESTERN KENTUCKY VS MINNESOTA CLEM HASKINS MATCHUP IN-GAME THREAD!!!***



Don't know if this has been discussed, but I like the poise of this team. They stayed calm the entire game. I also like that Johnson stole that possession with about ten minutes left by calling the TO. I don't remember Pitino being that quick thinking on the sideline.
WKU isn't that good, but this has to be considered a big win. Hell, every win this year will be a big win. I like what I have seen so far.
 


2-0!
No one is talking about firing anyone yet or how much better it was under Pitino, that's like 4 wins.
 



From having checked ESPN minutes before the start of the game, I believe it was Western Kentucky by 2.5
Thanks one of the other people mentioned 3-4.
 


This team plays bball the way it was meant to be played...as a team

Unfortunately, they will get roasted in the B10
 




I’ll go out on a limb and say they won’t finish last in conference. I believe that BJ will turn out to be a very good coach.
I like what I am seeing so far from Ben! I hope you are right on avoiding the cellar. Still staying out of last is going to be tough.
 





They really play hard on defense. I actually thought Loewe was decent on defense but in the last 10 minutes of the game you couldn't breathe on the WKU without a foul being called. Then he started hitting shots. Then it got close.

All in all, it was an encouraging performance. I don't think we'll be a good team, but we won't be an easy win most nights. Our guards have played a lot of basketball and it makes us a tough out.
 

They really play hard on defense. I actually thought Loewe was decent on defense but in the last 10 minutes of the game you couldn't breathe on the WKU without a foul being called. Then he started hitting shots. Then it got close.

All in all, it was an encouraging performance. I don't think we'll be a good team, but we won't be an easy win most nights. Our guards have played a lot of basketball and it makes us a tough out.
If Ben doesn’t do something to prep a couple more guys to actually see the floor, they will get massacred in the last eight minutes of a lot of games they keep close. I obviously am not in practice but the super short bench I just don’t get in a rebuilding year. There needs to be some nod to the future now. If I’m doing the math correctly only Sutherlin and Battle are eligible to return of the guys actually playing. Bench needs to be developed. Have we heard that before? He’s adapted the play 8 trust seven to play 7 and trust 4 or 5.
 



If Ben doesn’t do something to prep a couple more guys to actually see the floor, they will get massacred in the last eight minutes of a lot of games they keep close. I obviously am not in practice but the super short bench I just don’t get in a rebuilding year. There needs to be some nod to the future now. If I’m doing the math correctly only Sutherlin and Battle are eligible to return of the guys actually playing. Bench needs to be developed. Have we heard that before? He’s adapted the play 8 trust seven to play 7 and trust 4 or 5.
I don't disagree, but I'm not jumping to conclusions yet. Let's face it, there are going to be a lot of ugly games to build experience for the younger guys (and hopefully a couple large leads in a couple guarantee games). He's probably trying to win the games he can for now. That said, at the very least Thiam and Thompson/Ogele should be seeing at least a few minutes.
 

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The fix is in. We're losing to Princeton and USC is going down to WKU.
 

I don't disagree, but I'm not jumping to conclusions yet. Let's face it, there are going to be a lot of ugly games to build experience for the younger guys (and hopefully a couple large leads in a couple guarantee games). He's probably trying to win the games he can for now. That said, at the very least Thiam and Thompson/Ogele should be seeing at least a few minutes.
I’d say Ben isn’t just trying to win, he’s also trying to build chemistry between the heart of our lineup. This is an entirely new team playing together (except for Willis+Curry). But I’m not sure how much those two even played together.

I agree that we need to build more depth eventually, but our starters +2 bench guys need as much game experience together as they can get right now.

The progress so far is encouraging.
 

Sometimes when a man and a woman love each other very much, they share a special hug…well…you can see an example by searching the internet.

I think you mean a very tall man and woman sharing that special hug.
 


There are a handful of games before conference play that should present an opportunity to see an expanded bench.

All we've played so far is our home opener and a mid-major opponent with Top 100 potential on a neutral court.

I'm not going to fret about our bench unit (or lack thereof) just yet.

Beat Princeton tomorrow with whatever it takes, i.e., 7-man rotation, and then we can start talking about getting Thiam and Thompson minutes.
 

There are a handful of games before conference play that should present an opportunity to see an expanded bench.

All we've played so far is our home opener and a mid-major opponent with Top 100 potential on a neutral court.

I'm not going to fret about our bench unit (or lack thereof) just yet.

Beat Princeton tomorrow with whatever it takes, i.e., 7-man rotation, and then we can start talking about getting Thiam and Thompson minutes.
Thompson appeared to be on sweats yesterday at the end of the bench with Ihnen and Fox for whatever that’s worth.
 

Don't know if this has been discussed, but I like the poise of this team. They stayed calm the entire game. I also like that Johnson stole that possession with about ten minutes left by calling the TO. I don't remember Pitino being that quick thinking on the sideline.
WKU isn't that good, but this has to be considered a big win. Hell, every win this year will be a big win. I like what I have seen so far.

Agree with your comments. The second half of the WKU game was my only exposure so far this year. My initial observations are:

1) yes, they are poised;
2) these guys are smart and mature players who play as a team; I didn't see anyone last night who seemed particularly interested in individual heroics or earning athletic style points for making difficult plays;
3) they're good shooters (better than we're used to recently) probably in no small part because they work for good shots.

I think this style of play may do wonders for Eric Curry as his physical limitations won't be as much of a handicap in this sort of system. WKU definitely had some size, athleticism, and talent in the front court but we out rebounded them 39 to 34. It's very encouraging to see the team out rebound a team with more size and athleticism and demonstrates that good fundamentals can compensate for physical deficiencies.
 

Agree with your comments. The second half of the WKU game was my only exposure so far this year. My initial observations are:

1) yes, they are poised;
2) these guys are smart and mature players who play as a team; I didn't see anyone last night who seemed particularly interested in individual heroics or earning athletic style points for making difficult plays;
3) they're good shooters (better than we're used to recently) probably in no small part because they work for good shots.

I think this style of play may do wonders for Eric Curry as his physical limitations won't be as much of a handicap in this sort of system. WKU definitely had some size, athleticism, and talent in the front court but we out rebounded them 39 to 34. It's very encouraging to see the team out rebound a team with more size and athleticism and demonstrates that good fundamentals can compensate for physical deficiencies.
Time to build a bench.
 




Playing time is earned,not given just because someone thinks we should build a bench.
 




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