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Post by ptctitan on Dec 10, 2020 10:34:00 GMT -5
I hope this can be played. Kent State played UVA last Friday. UVA just canceled its MSU game due to positive COVID tests. So far, we've avoided it with one exception, the support staff person.
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Post by motorcitysam on Dec 10, 2020 10:54:30 GMT -5
ESPN's Basketball Power Index currently gives WMU as 52.2 % chance of getting the victory. Makes sense. They're at home and their two losses have been a four point setback to Butler and an 18 point loss to Michigan State in which they played pretty well for long stretches. www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/game?gameId=401264460
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Post by udballer on Dec 10, 2020 15:00:44 GMT -5
It appears from WMUs past couple box scores that one of their starters (Jason Whitens) may be injured? He started all last year and game 1 of this season, but hasn't played since... unless it's Covid related.
Either way, he wasn't even good enough to receive an offer from us. We'll crush this team. 😉
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Post by Commissioner on Dec 10, 2020 19:49:27 GMT -5
Preview: Western Michigan
When: Saturday, Dec. 12, 2:00 p.m., Covid-19 permitting Where: Kalamazoo TV: ESPN 3 Radio: WLQV 1500 AM; 92.7 FM. Also Bronco Radio Network, 1660 AM Kalamazoo
The Broncos of WMU are one of the Titans' oldest foes. The Titans and Broncos have met 53 times, with the Titans holding a 27-26 edge. Not counting conference opponents, the only teams we've played more often are Marquette (88, 84 non-conference), Eastern Michigan (78), Xavier (95 total, but only 62 non-conference),(Michigan State (61), Toledo (60), and Notre Dame (55 including last weekend), and Loyola (125 total games--most against any team--but only 54 non-conference). The Titans have played Dayton 64 times, but only 52 as non-conference games. The series goes back to 1917, when the Titans beat Western 26-21.
The Broncos are rebuilding this year under first-year head coach Clayton Bates, and the results haven't been much different than Detroit's. Predicted by some to finish last in the MAC, the Broncos lost a close one to Butler, 66-62, and to Michigan State 79-61, in a game that was closer than the final score suggests. Their third game, however, was against D-3 Adrian, resulting in an easy 20 point win. I think we could have done that on Tuesday night.
Probable Starters: PG: Artis White, 6-0 Soph. White started 30 games as a freshman, averaging 7.3 points. White was the prize of Steve Hawkins' last recruiting class, an all-state "dream team" selection at Canton. White is leading the Broncos in scoring (14.3 points per game) and assists (3.7 per game), and also grabbing 5.3 rebounds. He's hit 7 of his 13 three point attempts. But he sat out much of the Adrian game, his numbers are actually better against the tough competition, Butler and MSU: averaging 18 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 4 assists, while making 6 of 10 treys.
SG: Rafael Cruz, 6-1 Senior. 10.3 ppg. 6-1 junior William Boyer-Richard started the season opener against Butler, but has not played since. Don't know if he'll be ready on Saturday.
SF: Josiah Freeman, 6-4 Freshman. Like Cruz, Freeman moved into the starting lineup after the Butler game. He's averaging 4.7 points and 2 rebounds. The regular starter is Jason Whitens. Whether Whitens will play Saturday is unknown. Last year Whitens averaged 4.6 points and 4.3 rebounds, but he's a very solid all-around player who contributes more than the stat sheet tends to suggest.
PF: Greg Lee, 6-9 Senior. Lee is a transfer from Bakersfield, where he averaged 6.7 points and 3.9 rebounds last year. So far this season he's at 6 points and 5.3 rebounds. For a low post player, he's been remarkably poor at finishing, shooting just 30.8%. Having just described him as a "low post" player, he can step out and hit the occasional three, but he's really just not a good shooter.
C: Titus Wright, 6-8, 250 lb. Sophomore. Wright is averaging 13.7 points and 6.7 rebounds on the young season. He started 23 games last year as a freshman. Wright is big and tough, and could be a real handful, especially if the Titans are still sans Brandon and Waterman and Taurean Thompson remains MIA. Right now, that appears to be the case.
Bench: If Whitens and/or Boyer-Richard plays, Western gets a lot deeper right away. So far, Bates has been using 6-9 soph Chase Barrs in the forecourt. Barrs is built a lot like Kuol. He doesn't score much, but has proven himself a decent rebounder and defender. 6-5 soph Jaylin Holmes is a juco transfer who's been getting minutes, and 6-3 freshman Daylon Hamilton played 10 minutes against MSU and 12 against Adrian. 6-6 junior forward Patrick Emilien had 11 points against Butler but hasn't played since.
Basically, there's not much to say about this WMU team. Who knows if Whitens, Boyer-Richard, and Emilien, three key rotation players, will start, or even play. I don't think two games against P6 teams and one against Adrian is much to go on in figuing out Coach Bates' style. But the Broncos have some size; they've played pretty well against Butler and MSU; and White and Wright are very good players. Like Detroit, Western was picked near the bottom of its conference, but if they're really the worst team in the MAC, it's going to be a helluva good year for our midwest mid-major neighbors.
This ain't no walkover. But we really need a win after Tuesday's dud against Kent State.
Go Titans!
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Post by Rogobob77 on Dec 11, 2020 19:09:17 GMT -5
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Post by nctitan on Dec 12, 2020 12:31:43 GMT -5
WMU a 1-point favorite. That's basically a tie with a point going for the diminished home-court advantage.
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Post by Commissioner on Dec 12, 2020 14:34:25 GMT -5
Is there a point at which you pull AD, or do you just have to ride this out?
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Post by udballer on Dec 12, 2020 14:40:34 GMT -5
You absolutely pull him, at least for stretches, if Pink or Liedel or Legreair are D1 players.
He needs to get into rhythm for us to win games but he doesn't need 40 minutes when he's struggling.
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Post by udballer on Dec 12, 2020 14:47:13 GMT -5
Sounds like he got a few layups to go at the end of the half. Hopefully he can build on that in the second half. God knows he's not coming out.
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Post by upbasketballfan on Dec 12, 2020 15:00:45 GMT -5
Is there a point at which you pull AD, or do you just have to ride this out? I’m wondering what Calipari is doing on the floor when we are having trouble at the D end. If we do not have another guard who is capable of playing as well as Brad then we should send them all home. On defense you have to have your hands above your waste and you must move your feet and not play like your feet are encased in cement. We. can’t expect AD to lead us and then kick him when he try’s.
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Post by titantarheel on Dec 12, 2020 15:18:56 GMT -5
AD still shooting badly, but he’s changed up his approach in the last few mins of the first and so far here in the 2nd - he’s definitely trying to get to the rim more (thus a few layups he’s poured in), and he’s doing more to move the ball to other guys on offense (thus some open looks from 3 for Fraser/rose/Willy).
Calipari doesn’t do much with his spot mins. It does seem there’s option to get some younger kids out there but not approach Coach is going with season-to-date.
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Post by JDetroitTitan on Dec 12, 2020 15:23:31 GMT -5
Joey has played one minute all season and has more points then Calipari just saying. I think I would be giving Calipari minutes to Joey
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Post by titantarheel on Dec 12, 2020 15:42:01 GMT -5
It’s been a good past 10 mins or so. Western can’t score (good d, missed shots) and we pulled away.
It’s been everyone but AD scoring which is good news in many ways, bad news that AD still can’t shoot straight. He is facilitating the offense more so definitely a big positive to see that. Perhaps the offense gelling a bit together.
Time to close it out...
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Post by ptctitan on Dec 12, 2020 16:04:31 GMT -5
Is there a point at which you pull AD, or do you just have to ride this out? I think coach should tell AD to drive the hoop more and then we should switch to a 1-3-1 zone in the second half.
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Post by titantarheel on Dec 12, 2020 16:06:46 GMT -5
This was a nice win for Titans. You could envision alot of Horizon games playing out like this one. If this team is indeed starting to learn to play together as it seemed to demonstrate today, than that bodes well.
BUT BUT BUT...the short roster will be an achilles at some point. You just can't make it thru a hoops season giving all your minutes to 6 guys (starters + Rose), albeit with 5 mins per game for Calipari. We seem to have 1-3 guys in foul trouble in every game. I didn't see the MSU game but that seems to have made the key difference at the end as guys fouled out. This will also mean we'll have guys timid to play as they are constantly thinking about foul trouble. At some point fatigue also works with so few playing so many. Do we want to throw in Pink/LeGreir in a crunch time game in the HL when they haven't logged any minutes all season long? You just know thats bound to happen. Foul trouble, injury, heck even just getting the flu will mean we need more than 6 guys. Anyhow, this will a a season long talking point I'm sure.
Nice win Titans. Really nice job by AD to adjust his game today, and to further trust his teammates to make plays and shots - which they did! Happy Saturday everyone, time for a beer!
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