I firmly believe that the game against Rutgers at home is a must win game. If we lose that game our season is OVER for all intents and purposes. It appears we have hit the wall again just like we do every year. We stop having fun, the bench is shortened, everyone looks depressed, and everyone looks tired, and we limp into March with everyone feeling like we aren't going to do well in the tournament. And then we don't. I mean speaking of fun, when was the last time we even attempted an alley-oop pass for a bucket? Why does this have to happen every single year like clockwork? A wise man once said at a commencement speech; "To get something you have never had, you have to do things you have never done". Can someone close to the program please remind Painter to not do the same thing he has done every year and to figure out a way to change things up. Travis? Why is UConn playing their best basketball right now? Why can't we do that? We play great in November and December and then it is a gradual decline the rest of the way! Come on Paint!
Monday Morning Rant: Thursday's Game Against Rutgers - The Most Important Game of the Season
- Thread starter Purdue0023
- Start date
I just want to know how coaches get their team to get moving downhill the 2nd half of the season so consistently. Hurley got UCONN moving downhill and in the tourney so well last year and it seems to be happening again this year. As much as people dislike Izzo, for good reason, MSU has always started moving downhill towards the end of the year making, deep runs when they really shouldn't be... Is it recruiting? is it practice? Is it just the program? Why does Purdue, every year, go into the tournament with little to no momentum and the players seemingly sapped from their energy and confidence? Deer in headlights look to CMP teams happen all too often and at the EXACT wrong times... How does this get corrected? IMO its just some kind of strange mental block that seems to happen... Like because of the previous years failings we are looking back trying not to repeat and therefore giving too much pressure on ourselves... This, in turn, means we aren't playing freely but instead thinking way too much... That's when the team play goes down the drain... Crazy to see it happen so consistently every year...
Does last nights loss mean this season is over? Obviously not. Would Losing at home to Rutgers mean its over? Obviously not, but it would tell us its happening again and to be severely worried about another early exit in the tourney...
Does last nights loss mean this season is over? Obviously not. Would Losing at home to Rutgers mean its over? Obviously not, but it would tell us its happening again and to be severely worried about another early exit in the tourney...
there was 1 alley oop to Edey yesterday in the 1st half
and an attempted one in the 2nd half that I'm still wondering how it didn't go in.
I’m not settled on us hitting the wall. There has been stretches of complacency and lack of focus. I think some guys are tired and need more rest and we have chances to let others gain some momentum. I was encouraged when I saw Loyer still driving this late in the season. Last year he didn’t.
As far as Rutgers on Thursday, regardless of post season options for them, Pikell will have them ready to play. They are the definition of Jekyll and Hyde, one of the best on defense and worst on offense. We need to be dialed in and focused.
If I’m Painter, we should be ready to bench those who aren’t show effort early. I’m telling Edey to stop playing timid and go hard to the cup or kick it faster. I’m telling Smith to pass the ball to Cam and Myles when they are in the game. I’m also telling Morton to shoot the damn ball. We can get have a 4v5 offense especially against Rutgers.
As far as Rutgers on Thursday, regardless of post season options for them, Pikell will have them ready to play. They are the definition of Jekyll and Hyde, one of the best on defense and worst on offense. We need to be dialed in and focused.
If I’m Painter, we should be ready to bench those who aren’t show effort early. I’m telling Edey to stop playing timid and go hard to the cup or kick it faster. I’m telling Smith to pass the ball to Cam and Myles when they are in the game. I’m also telling Morton to shoot the damn ball. We can get have a 4v5 offense especially against Rutgers.
Fun is an important part. It is a game after all. Offense makes it fun and this team is best when cranking out 40+ pt halves....hard but not impossible against R, as it's been done 7-8 times this year.
Thus, beating an improving R team important. But destroying them with a great offense would be the FUN you are referring to. Hope we can crank out some offense and get Mackey rocking!
While the season will be far from over, the Rutgers game is very important. It's a game that we tend to struggle in. Hopefully we space the floor, get everyone involved, and put them away early. I expect the line to be 10-12, and while we win without question, it will be kinda right on the spread line so beware.
No I meant one to Edey. Not quite an alley oop because he's, you know, tall, but he didn't finish it nonetheless.
Whole heartedly agree; Myles was open on the perimeter several times at OSU and it was like he was being ignored by our players. He wouldn't be out there if the coaches didn't think he could help. He's made his last 4 threes plus 1 blocked...
forgot about that one, I think those 2 series where we had 3 easy ones under the basket and came away w/ nothing clouded my memory on the missed dunk
