Why we aren't very good (but its still fun basketball to watch)

[watertown 1987 guy n]

There is only so much a coach can do w these guys. We have 2 complete players on the team at their positions. The rest have significant deficits on at least one end of the floor that have been easily exploited by the other teams and they don't have the athleticism to offset those weaknesses. Mathieu and Mason are good players on both ends of the floor at their respective positions. All other players have serious weaknesses.

King works his tail but has only so much to work with.
Hollins just an ok offensive player, defense awful again tonight
Ellison has minimal offense and defensive skills, good effort tonight
Mo pretty good on offense and lacks on defense
Morris an offensive "surprise" but defense stinks
Buggs minimal offense and defense stinks

If this team can improve its half court defense we wil win some games but right now there are some real defensive knuckleheads on this team. We will have some good games, because we shoot the lights out but I fear consistency will be a challenge. All that said, this is a fun an entertaining style of basketball - let's get some recruits in here that can play on both ends!

 

[bga1]

It is a fun style to watch and the future should be bright. It could be that the lousy non-conference schedule did not toughen up this team in time for the Big Ten season we got used to bullying little squads without much effort. Now we still aren't offering much effort and getting beat. We lack all around players but worse yet we lack toughness. We got beat to most every loose ball tonight.

 

[Otis]

Joe Coleman would be so helpful right about now.

 

[Winasota Gopher]

Joe Coleman would be so helpful right about now.

Joe Colemen was Carlos Morris v1. Not saying he wouldn't help because we need a body, but he likely wouldn't be much of an improvement, maybe I'm reading into your comment too much.

Another issue is we cannot play above the rim at all. Teams like OSU will give us fits until we have an athlete that can get a rebound above the rim. At least 2 or 3 put back dunks where our guys were jumping for the ball and an OSU guy just dunked on them.... Transition defense is futile when the other team can jump over you and is extremely confident coming in on a 2 on 1 and the opposite is true with transition offense. Our best threat in transition is our 5'9" PG because he's able to use the rim as protection, everyone else would be better off chucking 3s in transition.

Scary thing is not a whole lot of that is going to get fixed next year as I don't see Dorsey playing above the rim, Jarvis has hops but hes smaller, I don't recall McBrayer being a dunker/high flyer either. Wonk Woo is a bigger big, not so much an agile rim runner.

I've still got faith in the system, I think it can work in the B1G 10. There were moments tonight where we started turning OSU over at the rate we are accustomed to. But you cannot do it with guys that were recruited to play in a high low system at the B1G 10 pace. It's sooo important for us to remain patient until we get the right type of players in here. Unfortunately thats probably 2 or 3 years away and I don't think this fanbase has the patience and we aren't sure if Pitino can recruit with a bad product on the court.

 

[BJN]

That sums it perfectly: Not good but fun to watch.

 

[goldy93]

It's sooo important for us to remain patient until we get the right type of players in here. Unfortunately thats probably 2 or 3 years away and I don't think this fanbase has the patience and we aren't sure if Pitino can recruit with a bad product on the court.

Well, if Pitino showed some sign he could recruit top quality players I think people would have hope, but I am not blaming him. He missed out on so many high quality recruits last year, local ones and national, that I really am not convinced he can recruit with what we have for facilities, which is one of the same issues Tubby had. I know in his introductory presser Pitino said we had a lot to sell here, but I think he is now discovering the limitations are not so easy to overcome. If we had the facilities Nebraska has, I think Pitino would be able to pull in a top 20 class right now. Without upgraded facilities, I think we need to realize that this is about as good as it is going to get.

 

[Rodney's Open]

Well, if Pitino showed some sign he could recruit top quality players I think people would have hope, but I am not blaming him. He missed out on so many high quality recruits last year, local ones and national, that I really am not convinced he can recruit with what we have for facilities, which is one of the same issues Tubby had. I know in his introductory presser Pitino said we had a lot to sell here, but I think he is now discovering the limitations are not so easy to overcome. If we had the facilities Nebraska has, I think Pitino would be able to pull in a top 20 class right now. Without upgraded facilities, I think we need to realize that this is about as good as it is going to get.

That's completely unfair. It's tough for a high school player to commit to a young coach when he hasn't seen his style of play or what he will do at that school.

If Pitino would have been here for 2 years he would have landed some of those prospects.

 

[Winasota Gopher]

Well, if Pitino showed some sign he could recruit top quality players I think people would have hope, but I am not blaming him. He missed out on so many high quality recruits last year, local ones and national, that I really am not convinced he can recruit with what we have for facilities, which is one of the same issues Tubby had. I know in his introductory presser Pitino said we had a lot to sell here, but I think he is now discovering the limitations are not so easy to overcome. If we had the facilities Nebraska has, I think Pitino would be able to pull in a top 20 class right now. Without upgraded facilities, I think we need to realize that this is about as good as it is going to get.

Because he just recruited one of our best classes since Tubby's super star studded class of '09(?). HYPERBOLE!!!!!!!

R.E.L.A.X. Gopher Nation, RELAX!!!!

 

[Golden_Sloth]

Because he just recruited one of our best classes since Tubby's super star studded class of '09(?). HYPERBOLE!!!!!!!

R.E.L.A.X. Gopher Nation, RELAX!!!!

+1. According to 247 composite ratings our LOWEST rated 2015 commit (Johnson, 88.12) is rated higher than our our HIGHEST 2014 commit (Mason, 87.75). Facilities will be built sooner than most are expecting. Pitino will continue to recruit better plays, and more importantly players that fit his system like a glove. I'm not saying we'll be a perennial national power, but pretty soon we will be a team that routinely makes the tournament.

 

[scher215]

+1. According to 247 composite ratings our LOWEST rated 2015 commit (Johnson, 88.12) is rated higher than our our HIGHEST 2014 commit (Mason, 87.75). Facilities will be built sooner than most are expecting. Pitino will continue to recruit better plays, and more importantly players that fit his system like a glove. I'm not saying we'll be a perennial national power, but pretty soon we will be a team that routinely makes the tournament.

Agreed. And let's not forget, one of those big 3 was on the brink of committing as well. If you believe the rumors of a fairly last minute change of heart. I know almost doesn't get you wins, but recruiting isn't dire by any means.