Pitino post game after SDSU loss - When they're not prepared, that's on me.

[GopherLady]

Nothing too positive to report here. There's a lot of frustration, and Pitino accepted the blame in his post game press conference.

As always, these are just quick notes, not verbatim:

Richard Pitino:
• They were really good and they were really bad. Communication was not good in transition, especially in the beginning of the game. We need to find a way to scratch and claw out of this rut, I sound like a broken record. We were a little better in the 2nd half, not a lot. They deserved to win, we did not.
• This was different (than USD), this is a very good team. I was very concerned about this, not that I wasn't about USD, but they were the better team.
• I told them, listen, you started to compete in the middle of the 2nd half. The guys that competed and fought, that's what we need to see.
• I was concerned because I knew this was a good team, and they'd throw a punch and we'd have to sustain it. We didn't handle it great. Rebounded a little better in the 2nd half. I need to do a better job of getting them prepared mentally and physically. When they're not prepared, that's on me.
• That's a physical slap down team, ball movement has got to get better, it all does. I'm not happy with a whole lot right now.
• I was playing the guys that I thought were really competing. Carlos didn't play as much in the end, but that's because I was playing the guys that gave us a chance to win.
• Not a whole lot to be positive about tonight. Getting them to learn from a lot of these mistakes, and figure them out. Just working, understand it's not going to be easy. We have to play a very good Ok. State team on Saturday. This is different than a losing streak in the Big 10, we were never down 23 points at home, that I can remember. Not like this.
• Confidence - not real good. Gotta get better. We just have to figure it out as a coaching staff. Just have to continue to get better.
• Could they be good defensively - they could be better. In the 1st half, the communication wasn't great. Communication is a huge part of defense. You can't lay an egg like that at home. When you give up 45 points like that, that's on the head coach.
• We were helping a little too much in the post, over compensating, didn't do a good job on Bittle, and a lot of those guys.
• You've got to be open for anything. What we're doing isn't working, so I need to look myself in the mirror and figure this out, be open to anything.

 

[fan of Ray Williams]

Thanks a lot for posting.

 

[GopherLady]

Thanks a lot for posting.

Thanks for not killing the messenger!

 

[SelectionSunday]

It's a stretch for Richard to call Oklahoma State "a very good basketball team." Cowboys are 5-3 with losses to George Mason and Missouri State, the same Missouri State team the Gophers beat.

 

[Moonlight]

I think everyone we play had better be considered "a very good basketball team" until we prove otherwise.

 

['13Gopher]

It's a stretch for Richard to call Oklahoma State "a very good basketball team." Cowboys are 5-3 with losses to George Mason and Missouri State, the same Missouri State team the Gophers beat.

In all my time in Athletics I never had a coach say "Alright, we've got ___ coming to town but it's OK they're just mediocre."


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[bga1]

Tonight was as bad as it gets. I am a Pitino fan, but this one is on the coach. They didn't play defense until part way through the second half and the offense - well there SDSU was getting any shot they wanted - wide open. I could see this happening once. But this is twice in a row and worse tonight. Our leaders- just are not leaders. No nasty take charge guys on this team- maybe Dorsey and Murphy in the future.

Positives? Dorsey and McBrayer had decent nights. That's it.

 

[cjbfbp]

Positives? Dorsey and McBrayer had decent nights. That's it.

Don't get me wrong, I thought this was a thoroughly miserable performance on the whole, but I thought there were a couple of other positives. Mason shot better tonight than he has most of the season and when Bakary got extended playing time in the second half, he went after rebounds with more determination than I had seen before. Bakary fought harder than usual in that second half and I liked seeing that.

 

[Ewert86PC]

If they're not prepared, WTF are you gonna do about it? They weren't prepared against USD and they were less prepared against SDSU. How much less prepared will they be for the B1G schedule?

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

 

[underground629]

Dorsey and McBrayer had decent nights. That's it.

I was very encouraged by both of them. Dorsey took over the game in stretches. I think he really feeds off of his defense--that's a great attribute. He really can be a pest with his pressure and he will clearly be a great player in transition. He gets a lot of steals, he's super fast, he has very good leaping ability, and he's already pretty good at drawing fouls as a freshman. I'm sure his finishing will improve. It was great to see he is capable of very good shooting. It's been frightening at times. The other biggest thing for him to improve on is his composure. Fortunately, he will learn pretty quickly in the BT that he will get eaten alive if he plays too loosely with the ball.

As bad as we look right now, I really think the young core of Mason, Murphy, McBrayer, Dorsey, Coffey, and Curry, (and maybe Hurt and Gilbert?) will get the program back on the right track (along with several other players, a practice facility, and improved coaching). I like McBrayer's aggressiveness on defense and going to the hoop, but he's one of many players not playing within the system and jacking up too many terrible shots. It was very encouraging to see how much he got to the line today. I also think he's gotten screwed on a lot of charge/block calls. He can look a little out of control at times but the defenders are usually moving on his charges. It will be nice when his shooting improves. I think we will see a lot of growth in his game as the season progresses.

 

[underground629]

Don't get me wrong, I thought this was a thoroughly miserable performance on the whole, but I thought there were a couple of other positives. Mason shot better tonight than he has most of the season and when Bakary got extended playing time in the second half, he went after rebounds with more determination than I had seen before. Bakary fought harder than usual in that second half and I liked seeing that.

You're right. Mason really turned that into a nice performance and as bad as Konate looked at times, he did still have a solid rebounding and block percentage. His game is really just all over the place. He has tools to be a good defender, rebounder, and finisher super close to the rim, but his feel for the game and coordination are just nowhere close to where they need to be. I think we will see a different player as an upperclassmen. It's unfortunate that he couldn't redshirt last year since he needed to play big minutes this year. He really could've benefited from an extra year. You can tell he just needs a ton of reps but absolutely will improve quite a bit.

 

[fan of Ray Williams]

Pitino is right. They were not ready to play. That game was lost in the first 11 minutes. Bittle had 17 points in that span. Buggs was responsible for him when in the game and then the assignment went to McBrayer when replacing Charles in that time span. Charles needed someone to yell in his ear "Hey Charles, he's HOT, you HAVE to FIND him and Stay with him!" Game was pretty much even after that, in fact slight edge to the Gophers.

 

[alchemy2u]

Could it be that they didn't pre-scout these teams and assumed that their talent would be able to overcome what ever is thrown at them? I am hoping that is the case, it would be an obvious coaching mistake, but is more correctable than just not being able to coach a team to beat the likes of SD.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[cjbfbp]

Could it be that they didn't pre-scout these teams and assumed that their talent would be able to overcome what ever is thrown at them?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

If they thought that about SDSU, especially after the USD game, then they are truly delusional. SDSU isn't some obscure little team having a surprising early season. They've had five straight winning seasons prior to this one, 24 or more wins in three of those years, and are 8-1 this season.

 

[StCroix]

Who's our floor general? What player pushes this team with a "mental toughness" on the court? Right now...I see no one. I do not see a floor "general" or a player the other players rally around. This is a young team...no one is stepping up to be a floor leader. They need a tough guy out there and this team has none...now anyway.

 

[bga1]

I was very encouraged by both of them. Dorsey took over the game in stretches. I think he really feeds off of his defense--that's a great attribute. He really can be a pest with his pressure and he will clearly be a great player in transition. He gets a lot of steals, he's super fast, he has very good leaping ability, and he's already pretty good at drawing fouls as a freshman. I'm sure his finishing will improve. It was great to see he is capable of very good shooting. It's been frightening at times. The other biggest thing for him to improve on is his composure. Fortunately, he will learn pretty quickly in the BT that he will get eaten alive if he plays too loosely with the ball.

As bad as we look right now, I really think the young core of Mason, Murphy, McBrayer, Dorsey, Coffey, and Curry, (and maybe Hurt and Gilbert?) will get the program back on the right track (along with several other players, a practice facility, and improved coaching). I like McBrayer's aggressiveness on defense and going to the hoop, but he's one of many players not playing within the system and jacking up too many terrible shots. It was very encouraging to see how much he got to the line today. I also think he's gotten screwed on a lot of charge/block calls. He can look a little out of control at times but the defenders are usually moving on his charges. It will be nice when his shooting improves. I think we will see a lot of growth in his game as the season progresses.

Good post. I feel the same and this is what is keeping me afloat in what will be a bad season in terms of wins and losses. I need to see this coaching staff make progress with the younger talent- get them to play team defense and team offense with toughness. That's all I expect. If that happens and the culture is rebuilt that way- we will have a really good year next year.

 

[bemidjigopher]

It's a stretch for Richard to call Oklahoma State "a very good basketball team." Cowboys are 5
SDSU also lost to UMKC that clearly didn't matter

 

[howeda7]

Who's our floor general? What player pushes this team with a "mental toughness" on the court? Right now...I see no one. I do not see a floor "general" or a player the other players rally around. This is a young team...no one is stepping up to be a floor leader. They need a tough guy out there and this team has none...now anyway.

I was counting on Mason to be that guy. He hasn't been. Maybe it wasn't fair to expect of a sophomore. But there is no one else.

 

[Twinsfan007]

We really just looking like a jv team playing the Varsity. You could tell that we pretty much just had Frosh/Sophs out on the court. Guys need to step up there game.

 

[Gold Vision]

We really just looking like a jv team playing the Varsity. You could tell that we pretty much just had Frosh/Sophs out on the court. Guys need to step up there game.

I don't see it that way, talent wise their isn't that big of a gap between us and SDSU and certainly not USD.

To me it looks like veteran teams vs our 5 random guys playing a pick up game. I don't see any vision of what Pitino has preached defensively and no signs of a competent transition or secondary offense.

 

[fan of Ray Williams]

My big hope for this team is learn to play defense. Embrace making big stops. Learn to play that part of the game. That is what I want to see.
Pitino himself said it in the press conference immediately after the game, "it starts with defense".

 

[Bad Gopher]

My big hope for this team is learn to play defense. Embrace making big stops. Learn to play that part of the game. That is what I want to see.
Pitino himself said it in the press conference immediately after the game, "it starts with defense".

I'm glad to hear him say this, but it's easy to say. We can all agree that it starts with defense, but how many of us can teach it and get results?

 

[scher215]

I'm glad to hear him say this, but it's easy to say. We can all agree that it starts with defense, but how many of us can teach it and get results?

Agreed. The fact he is willing to adapt and to adjust and get creative is very promising. But still need to see results from it.

Maybe he spends time watching film of our other coach, Shaka Smart

 

[rsgopher]

Coach Nagy is a great coach and has been yielding great results from average teams for quite some time. Pitino just got out coached last night. I hope things turn around soon but to see this kind of stomping really leaves a sour taste. Its been a pretty tough year to be a G-holer!!!

 

[fan of Ray Williams]

I really want to see how Buggs performs in the next match up. Sitting for about 30 minutes straight should, at the very least, get his attention.

 

[cjbfbp]

I really want to see how Buggs performs in the next match up. Sitting for about 30 minutes straight should, at the very least, get his attention.

We'll see. It's not like he hasn't sat for significant periods of time before. So far, I would say that Pitino's chosen strategy of sending players to the bench after mistakes hasn't been as powerful of a tool as he imagined.

 

[Ski U Mah Gopher]

We'll see. It's not like he hasn't sat for significant periods of time before. So far, I would say that Pitino's chosen strategy of sending players to the bench after mistakes hasn't been as powerful of a tool as he imagined.

It's not mistakes that get you benched, it's laziness.

Being slow to close on a shooter is laziness. That's what benched Buggs.

 

[JackJD]

Coach Nagy is a great coach and has been yielding great results from average teams for quite some time....

Coach Pitino should be studying the video of the first half and watch what the Jacks were doing.

 

[Bad Gopher]

Coach Pitino should be studying the video of the first half and watch what the Jacks were doing.

I love watching good basketball, so I found myself getting some perverse pleasure out of watching the Jackrabbits do their thing to us. Isn't there a song about a fine line between pleasure and pain? It reminds me of sneakily admiring what Winona State did to Monson's team back when.