Xavier

[TheLongHaul]

Originally Posted by skyblade

We had one loss to a team outside the kenpom top 50 last year. We weren't a great team, but last year was expected to be a down year, this year was supposed to be the we'd be great. Cronin consistently was able to win with teams like this and consistently beat bad teams.

We don't have a bad loss so far this year. But we have two OT wins and one one point win against teams below 150 kenpom. It doesn't inspire confidence that we are going to win once we start playing good teams (the stretch of our next four games).

Diarra was at least +6 in the first half versus Xavier. He came in and we went on a run that was largely because of him (his defense and rebounding). He's our best defensive player and best rebounder.

It's hard to explain how hard I'm laughing at this one.

Why and when did anyone think this year was the year we were going to be great. I think a lot of people had concerns this was going to be probably an average at best year. Even with Cronin it would have been the same as last year: ride Cumberland as far as possible. Maybe Brooks would have helped, but I don't think one recruit who is now transferring because he can't get PT at Nebraska and a pg who did nothing his freshman year and isn't garnering PT at St Mary's was going to be a game changer.

As I mentioned this year was going to go as Cumberland goes, and so far he has been shit. Maybe it's injury, I don't know, but every time Brannen has isolated him he has either turned it over or forced a bad shot. He simply can't get by anyone this year and his shot is broke. The best coach in the world wouldn't be winning with Cumberland playing the way he is.

[TheLongHaul]

Originally Posted by TheLivingLegend

There are people on this roster who cant play at this level... Thats on Mick. Talent not being there is on Mick. Brannen needs time to get talent.

Tre Scott was a complete disaster yesterday. Jarron cant continue getting a pass. If hes hurt then sit. He had multiple good looks and threw up straight bricks.

Why didnt Brannen put length on Naji? Thats the one thing Tre could provide

There were quite a few times Trey was on Naji, and Trey got abused. Trey has gotten abused horribly in the two top 25 games this year. That's your 5th year senior. Agree completely on the first paragraph, the recruiting had been dreadful for a few years now.

[cincrulz11]

Originally Posted by TheLongHaul

There were quite a few times Trey was on Naji, and Trey got abused. Trey has gotten abused horribly in the two top 25 games this year. That's your 5th year senior. Agree completely on the first paragraph, the recruiting had been dreadful for a few years now.

Scott can’t play man defense. Even against bad players he can’t stay in front of them, he’s got no shot vs somebody good.


Scott has been a bigger disappointment than jarron, at least jarron is hurt.

[MDW79]

Originally Posted by skyblade

Diarra gave excellent minutes last night and has the potential to be a great player.

Note to self: Skyblade knows nothing about basketball.

[justinhub2003]

Originally Posted by MDW79

Note to self: Skyblade knows nothing about basketball.

Thing Is... he does have all kinds of potential. Just a matter of if he is able to reach it.

He can shoot, he can run, he can jump


What he lacks is real basketball experience and a feel for the game. It takes time for that stuff to happen.

This is literally his 2nd year of playing D1 basketball. The game is moving too fast for him.

Just like it moved too fast for Keith Williams his freshmen year.

Rule of thumb is to always give big men 2 full seasons of playing before you can a judgement on them

[justinhub2003]

I mean I hope to god we don’t run him off because we have zero bigs committed.

And Eason is not a lock.

[justinhub2003]

As for Vogt, I just think he needs to be a 1 man zone. And that he doesn’t leave the paint at all. Especially against bigs like tyrique Jones who can’t shoot.

They drug him out of the paint and he is one of the slowest D1 players I have ever seen.

He has zero ability as a help defender.


He needs to just stay in the paint. There isn’t s a defensive 3 seconds so literally just stand at the rim

[waterhead]

Originally Posted by cincrulz11

Imagine blaming brannen for Cumberland missing all his shots and turning the ball over all the time.


Brannen is putting the ball in Cumberland’s hands, Cumberland just isn’t producing. He’s basically playing on 1 leg, but Cumberland is being put in a spot to succeed.


When we came into last season we all said Cumberland would have to play like SK for us to make the tournament. He did and we made it.


It’s the same exact scenario this year. Only Cumberland is playing at the lowest level of his career.


He has to turn it around for us to save this season. There was nobody else left in the program to get the job done. This is what happens when you build entire teams around 1 guy and then that player gets hurt.

Really think we’re using him wrong right now. It’s probably time to just let him run in Brannen offense and skip the iso. He’s struggling while Williams is thriving. Keith is using the system to his advantage and Cumberland is not.

[waterhead]

Originally Posted by justinhub2003

As for Vogt, I just think he needs to be a 1 man zone. And that he doesn’t leave the paint at all. Especially against bigs like tyrique Jones who can’t shoot.

They drug him out of the paint and he is one of the slowest D1 players I have ever seen.

He has zero ability as a help defender.


He needs to just stay in the paint. There isn’t s a defensive 3 seconds so literally just stand at the rim

Vogt is not the problem. He was scored on but they were not easy points. He’s not in a position to foul with Sorolla out.

[UCats329]

Originally Posted by cincrulz11

Scott can’t play man defense. Even against bad players he can’t stay in front of them, he’s got no shot vs somebody good.


Scott has been a bigger disappointment than jarron, at least jarron is hurt.

None of these guys can play man to man defense, because they've all been playing zone. Brannen's insistence that they play man is ******* ridiculous because it's not even accomplishing what it's supposed to--which is to deny jump shooters--while they're also giving up an ungodly number of wide open layups.

Brannen doesn't have a clue.