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Post by ptctitan on Mar 10, 2022 19:11:27 GMT -5
Blame the AD for not pushing the agenda to reschedule games. Another reason to replaceMr. Vowels. How do you know that he didn't push it? There are issues that clearly lie with the operation of our Athletic Department and there are issues that require agreement from teams to spend the extra money to come back to Detroit to play games that we had to cancel due to the league's and our own university's Covid protocols. We have a reasonable argument for going to the CBI. We had a 10-7 regular HL season record playing 11 of those 17 games on the road. We won our two home non-conference games. We beat both the regular season league champion and the league tournament champs on our home court. We were 2-1 vs NKU, the tournament runner-up, for the season. We likely would have ended the season at 18-16 or 19-15 if we had been able to play the five canceled home games. We have a positive KenPom rating; that is we score slightly more points per 100 possessions than we give up per 100 possessions. And Antoine is one of the leading scorers in the nation.
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Post by fan on Mar 11, 2022 11:46:14 GMT -5
At the end of the day, front-loading all those road games before HL play caused the Titans to sit home in march. That schedule was completely the AD and/or MD doing.
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Post by friartitan on Mar 12, 2022 13:36:11 GMT -5
Any news? Any rumors? Any thoughts? The board is eerily quite.
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Post by Rogobob77 on Mar 12, 2022 14:06:52 GMT -5
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Post by uofdfan1983 on Mar 13, 2022 12:45:39 GMT -5
We have taken many lumps this season, as we usually do, some self-inflicted and some that are not. As a team, we actually regressed this season (record-wise and toughness-wise). We regressed because we couldn't keep enough roster continuity and enough of the toughness we displayed last year. Don't get me wrong - last year's team also had defensive deficiencies, and was at least one defensive rebound away from making some noise - but when we lost Kuol, Fraser, Rose and Brandon all in the same off-season, we lost some real toughness AND the ability to develop some continuity and figuring out to play with each other.
Some of the blame belongs with the coaching staff, I'm not saying the coaches were too hard on them (not at all). I'm saying they brought in some players who might have physical toughness but not the requisite mental strength to stay the course. Of this group, I have to give Kuol a pass. Here's a guy who probably needed to seize a professional career opportunity to take care of his family. But the others??? The ones who refused to play in a 2nd-tier tournament last season? Come on, it's the chance to play more basketball.
It is the coaches' collective responsibility to create a culture and find the individual pieces necessary to adopt and nurture that culture every day. Davis' crew has had a hard time finding the right pieces, for sure, and alot of it has to do with being forced to try to find immediate impact players through the Transfer Portal. I remember worrying about having too many 2 year Jucos back in the day. Compared to the Portal, Jucos look like a stable stable sometimes...
In effect, we were almost starting over again this year. Combined with our extended road trip at the beginning of the season, the Covid cancellations, etc.....and we got probably got exactly what we should have expected to get.
We all saw the way that AD and Willy play off each other so well. Four years of sweating together and that's what can happen. We haven't had nearly enough of that.
But we've caught a few breaks of late: 1. I won't breathe easy until they are all enrolled for the fall term, but it looks like we will have the core of our team back, except for Willy. If that's the case, this will be the first time in many years that we will actually have the opportunity to build off the previous season. 2. We are about to play in a Tournament. Willy is out due to injury, and I feel badly because he has earned this opportunity as much as anyone else has, but it'll be "Spring Training" for next year's team. We will find out if the guys are just happy to go on one more road trip, or if they actually want to take advantage of this opportunity, get a few more games in while practicing, and build momentum as a unit. 3. The most obvious break is AD's return. Except for this rare collision of circumstances, this just does not happen. We have a scoring machine back for a FIFTH season. Say what you want about AD, but he is mature. He realizes that pretty soon he will probably be facing a dog-eat-dog basketball world where he's probably fighting for (at best) an NBA roster spot somewhere. At worst he's playing overseas. Most guys would choose that opportunity now over coming back, but in this case, why not delay that reality one more year? I don't think he's coming back to pursue the all-time career scoring record. If he is, I say leave now. I suspect, rather, that he's coming back because he loves playing for his dad and brother and knows he hasn't realized that moment yet. I hope he looks at the "Ray & Ray at Valpo" photo every day as motivation for the only thing left that matters for him in his college career -- cutting down the nets for a Horizon League Tourney Championship and leading his team to the Big Dance.
All that said, these guys all need to step up their commitment. Waterman needs to get stronger and improve. Kyle needs to continue his progress. DJ needs to get healthy. McAdoo needs to continue to learn his role when he's out there with or without AD. Akec must be a force again next season.
If we get all of that - we will need two final pieces: 1. Sylla developing his game so that he can be a post presence and a factor in the paint on both ends of the court 2. We find a Ryvon Covile, or at least a Lemarcus Lowe. Realistically, finding another Eli Holman as a D I or Juco Transfer is a longshot, but we don't even need that. We need a Prince Oduro body with the right mindset. These D I transfers are often leaving with baggage. There's a reason he didn't play at (South Florida?) and it showed during the season. When a guy's range is about 3 feet and in and he's 250 pounds of muscle, he should probably focus on putting his time in on the interior. Find a guy who's happy with 30 minutes, 8 pts and 6 boards a game and loves to beast on guys in the paint. Someone who wants to win more than he wants numbers or a chance to "show his game."
My 2 cents. I really hate "wait'll next year." But this time, it might actually be a realistic mantra.
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Post by upbasketballfan on Mar 13, 2022 13:50:05 GMT -5
They are in trouble without Willy probably should stay home and save $. Maybe Akec will be 95% or we can get something out of Phillips.
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Post by uofdfan1983 on Mar 13, 2022 15:16:13 GMT -5
UP, I thought Phillips was out for the year. What do you know about his health status? They are really high on him - would love to see a glimpse of what he can do.
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Post by upbasketballfan on Mar 13, 2022 17:49:17 GMT -5
UP, I thought Phillips was out for the year. What do you know about his health status? They are really high on him - would love to see a glimpse of what he can do. I probably know less about him than you do just know Davis expected him to be a key contributor this year. I noticed him at the NKY game and he looked healthy. I do not know what his injury is or was .
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Post by Rogobob77 on Mar 13, 2022 18:08:19 GMT -5
UP, I thought Phillips was out for the year. What do you know about his health status? They are really high on him - would love to see a glimpse of what he can do. I probably know less about him than you do just know Davis expected him to be a key contributor this year. I noticed him at the NKY game and he looked healthy. I do not know what his injury is or was . Ankle injury, was told he was out for the year.
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Post by Commissioner on Mar 13, 2022 18:54:55 GMT -5
They are in trouble without Willy probably should stay home and save $. Totally disagree with this thinking.
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Post by upbasketballfan on Mar 14, 2022 0:59:59 GMT -5
They are in trouble without Willy probably should stay home and save $. Totally disagree with this thinking. My thought is why pay to play another road game with the hope that if you get really lucky you get two road games. So many criticized the large percentage of road games we played at the start of this season and most of those were games where we made $. Now we have a banged up team with three players we were counting on in the beginning of the season not available and 4 others injured or coming off of injuries and we are going to pay to play one possibly 2 games. Really for what? So we can watch the Titans 2 more times on ESPN+. I realistically can not see where much good comes our way with this. I think there is a better chance of this actually becoming negative result.
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Post by ptctitan on Mar 14, 2022 6:14:05 GMT -5
And the new mercy masking policy starts just in time for lacrosse season at Seaholm HS. Masks are now optional (but encouraged). No statement about concession stands.
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Post by titantarheel on Mar 14, 2022 7:45:19 GMT -5
Totally disagree with this thinking. My thought is why pay to play another road game with the hope that if you get really lucky you get two road games. So many criticized the large percentage of road games we played at the start of this season and most of those were games where we made $. Now we have a banged up team with three players we were counting on in the beginning of the season not available and 4 others injured or coming off of injuries and we are going to pay to play one possibly 2 games. Really for what? So we can watch the Titans 2 more times on ESPN+. I realistically can not see where much good comes our way with this. I think there is a better chance of this actually becoming negative result. A negative? I get saying it’s neutral at best but a negative to the program? Up me thinks you doth protest too much, early and often. We get extra practice time with the coaching staff, a plus to be sure instead of guys scattering about. Perhaps it also helps with retention of the roster as we already see squads losing guys left and right (albeit fringe guys mostly but still). There’s also a bonding of the guys I would think as they keep battling together and for each other. If coach Davis thinks it’s good for the program than so do I. Doesn’t playing in a tourney mean we have that much more practice time and such vs other teams that must cease? I recall that being part of the discussion last year. And if we trust in coach Davis don’t we say hey you make the call? I think it’s nothing but positive - it’s not a panacea or the big dance but it’s good for the program and again
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Post by Commissioner on Mar 14, 2022 8:43:04 GMT -5
Totally disagree with this thinking. My thought is why pay to play another road game with the hope that if you get really lucky you get two road games. So many criticized the large percentage of road games we played at the start of this season and most of those were games where we made $. Now we have a banged up team with three players we were counting on in the beginning of the season not available and 4 others injured or coming off of injuries and we are going to pay to play one possibly 2 games. Really for what? So we can watch the Titans 2 more times on ESPN+. I realistically can not see where much good comes our way with this. I think there is a better chance of this actually becoming negative result. I totally disagree with this thinking.
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Post by motorcitysam on Mar 14, 2022 8:55:14 GMT -5
I have always said if there are games available to play, you play. Shouldn't even be a question in my mind.
I think the school should have made the investment to play in those postseason "pay to host" opportunities we had in the past, during the McCallum era. Years two and three we won 20 and 17 games but didn't play in any postseason. I believe that experience would have helped that team and paid off down the line. That's why I was so disappointed we didn't play in a tournament last year when we reportedly had the chance.
Play, Titans. Play your best, play hard, stay healthy, and enjoy the experience. 🏀
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