UL vs DU

[raginsaints]

We just really need a shooter. I think Marlin has been concentrating on trying to get us a post player and now we're good on the frontcourt. We really need a guard or a forward who can make a big shot consistently. I thought AMT would be that guy but he hasn't done it yet.

[jumboragncajun]

What??? Denver is a pleasure to watch. A team that can actually shoot a jump shot, run an offense and a smooth transition game. I only wish UL played this kind of basketball instead of the crap we play.

CRAP WE PLAY?? We had a bad game. I am wondering how many games you have seen this year from your perch over there in Houston? You are more occupied with blasting the administration about why they havn't notified the local paper in Kalamazoo or Timbukto how we are identified. Have you seen Raymone and Mbamalou rape people on the perimeter d? Did you see the defensive clinic Darshawn put on against the best player in the league?
Our defensive fg% is 40% for 2nd in the league. (was first until last night)
Our defensive 3fg% is 33%, was league leading 28% about a week ago
Defensive Rebounds 2nd in league, Marlin sacrifices some offensive rebounds from the backcourt so we don't give up fast break points.

Considering how good of a defense we have, and the reputation of our defense, everyone here is talking about how horrible our offense is. Let's take a look:
Scoring 69.5 PPG, League Leader is 71.7...Not bad for a defensive team
FG% 43.7%, Third in league
3FG% 35.2%, good for fifth of 12..not bad for a HORRIBLE shooting offense.

We suck at FT and we turn it over too much, but by NO MEANS is this CRAP basketball, and BY NO MEANS should Robert Lee or Ricky Bustle be compared to in ANY kind of way with this team.
For those griping about standing around? Watch a game from 3 years ago and THAT is standing around. We had a 'one pass n jack' offense with absolutely NO movement. We actually run some sets in the motion that are a variation of the Princeton offense and depends A LOT on familiarity with your teammates on the court. With all the new players, it takes time. We just don't have 5 Jimmy Chitwoods raining 3's all day. Marlin actually has one of his former players here as a grad assistant to help all the newbys learn get familiar with what he did for 4 years. This is a GOOD brand of basketball. We WILL be better next year.
How we respond to the thrashin last night will have more to do with attitude than ability. I hope they don't pack it in for the season.

[Turbine]

CRAP WE PLAY?? We had a bad game. I am wondering how many games you have seen this year from your perch over there in Houston? You are more occupied with blasting the administration about why they havn't notified the local paper in Kalamazoo or Timbukto how we are identified. Have you seen Raymone and Mbamalou rape people on the perimeter d? Did you see the defensive clinic Darshawn put on against the best player in the league?
Our defensive fg% is 40% for 2nd in the league. (was first until last night)
Our defensive 3fg% is 33%, was league leading 28% about a week ago
Defensive Rebounds 2nd in league, Marlin sacrifices some offensive rebounds from the backcourt so we don't give up fast break points.

Considering how good of a defense we have, and the reputation of our defense, everyone here is talking about how horrible our offense is. Let's take a look:
Scoring 69.5 PPG, League Leader is 71.7...Not bad for a defensive team
FG% 43.7%, Third in league
3FG% 35.2%, good for fifth of 12..not bad for a HORRIBLE shooting offense.

We suck at FT and we turn it over too much, but by NO MEANS is this CRAP basketball, and BY NO MEANS should Robert Lee or Ricky Bustle be compared to in ANY kind of way with this team.
For those griping about standing around? Watch a game from 3 years ago and THAT is standing around. We had a 'one pass n jack' offense with absolutely NO movement. We actually run some sets in the motion that are a variation of the Princeton offense and depends A LOT on familiarity with your teammates on the court. With all the new players, it takes time. We just don't have 5 Jimmy Chitwoods raining 3's all day. Marlin actually has one of his former players here as a grad assistant to help all the newbys learn get familiar with what he did for 4 years. This is a GOOD brand of basketball. We WILL be better next year.
How we respond to the thrashin last night will have more to do with attitude than ability. I hope they don't pack it in for the season.

Except for the Ragin ape in the corner comment I want to thank you for proper perspective.

This team is deceptively good. Once Marlin gets his teams past the FT-TO
problems watch out.

[BBOYD]

man, i wish we could go back to ____ about the team not wearing the same shoes when we were winning 24-25 games with Evans guys. I think marlin is the man to get us there, but it just aint happening yet.

Just got to get better players in... With Marlin's coaching ability, better players will take us back to the top...

[RaginFan2]

All very humerous, but in fact that is exactly what Marlin is being paid to do.

Bring in better players, win more games. Not exactly rocket science.

This is basketball not football you do not need 3-5 years to build. You do need a couple of special players to go with role players. Right now we have a bunch of role players. Second full recruiting class coming up so lets see what happens then.

That's one of the things that made the situation with Pancake Thomas so odd. Seems like something is starting to fester in this program. I'm hoping not. But just looking at the circumstantial things that appear (from the outside) to be going on, it doesn't look good. Maybe it's all just a coincidence. I don't know. Just wondering out loud ... I will be glad when we finally get back to playing Ragin' Cajuns basketball. That is exciting, winning basketball.

[ManAboutTown]

Marlin is not the problem, but I do have a strange feeling the he and the staff are frustrated. Generally speaking. At any rate, there are strange things about this team that are hard to understand. For some reason, the more I see the guys play, the more I'm thinking the fan base is having a hard time endearing itself to this brand of basketball perhaps. Someone mentioned "exciting and winning" basketball when defining Ragin Cajun basketball, but the two are not always synonymous. Granted, this brand is better than the Lee brand, but better doesn't necessarily pack the arena and get the community pumped up like the Evans days.

Specifically, there are a few concerns. Blame youth, inexperience, team turnover, what ever you like: The talent is not there. JJ Thomas, a tweener who snuck up on the league last year has been inconsistent. I realize his health has been a question, so I'm not crucifying the guy; but this team depends on him tremendously. Andrews, whom a love, is a one trick point. Great on ball defender, but you're starting PG needs to produce SOMETHING on the offensive end. Free Throws and Turnovers are "character flaws" of a basketball team in my opinion. You can preach hustle, defense, ball movement, etc. But fundamentals at this level are things that you possess, or you don't. We do not. Lastly, we are not that athletic. Josh Brown can jump out of the gym, but other than that, this years squad reminds me of the Celtics; Old and Lumbery. Which is completely absurd because a lot of these guys are babies.

I was at the game last night. DU played at a different speed than we did, in all phases, all night long. No shooter, no fundies, no athleticism, no poise = average team. If you ask me, the effort of this group has allowed them to over-achieve.

[Just1More]

Except for the Ragin ape in the corner comment I want to thank you for proper perspective.

This team is deceptively good. Once Marlin gets his teams past the FT-TO
problems watch out.

I think jumbo wrote up a pretty good summary.

[awadelewis]

Specifically, there are a few concerns. Blame youth, inexperience, team turnover, what ever you like: The talent is not there.

There's a specific talent that's missing from this team: a healthy Travis Bureau. Well, not specifically Bureau but a player like him that is a 2 or 3 that, while being able to create off of penetration, is a strong enough outside threat that you have to respect his shot enough to play him honest. It's a major component of the offense that Marlin wants his teams to run that we've not had on this year's team.

But this season isn't over and I'm really interested in seeing if this group will man up enough to sneak a win out of the Super-Pit.

[Cajunsmike]

Marlin is not the problem, but I do have a strange feeling the he and the staff are frustrated. Generally speaking. At any rate, there are strange things about this team that are hard to understand. For some reason, the more I see the guys play, the more I'm thinking the fan base is having a hard time endearing itself to this brand of basketball perhaps. Someone mentioned "exciting and winning" basketball when defining Ragin Cajun basketball, but the two are not always synonymous. Granted, this brand is better than the Lee brand, but better doesn't necessarily pack the arena and get the community pumped up like the Evans days.

Specifically, there are a few concerns. Blame youth, inexperience, team turnover, what ever you like: The talent is not there. JJ Thomas, a tweener who snuck up on the league last year has been inconsistent. I realize his health has been a question, so I'm not crucifying the guy; but this team depends on him tremendously. Andrews, whom a love, is a one trick point. Great on ball defender, but you're starting PG needs to produce SOMETHING on the offensive end. Free Throws and Turnovers are "character flaws" of a basketball team in my opinion. You can preach hustle, defense, ball movement, etc. But fundamentals at this level are things that you possess, or you don't. We do not. Lastly, we are not that athletic. Josh Brown can jump out of the gym, but other than that, this years squad reminds me of the Celtics; Old and Lumbery. Which is completely absurd because a lot of these guys are babies.

I was at the game last night. DU played at a different speed than we did, in all phases, all night long. No shooter, no fundies, no athleticism, no poise = average team. If you ask me, the effort of this group has allowed them to over-achieve.

Denver has five seniors who play significant minutes that have been there four years. That is a big plus for them and it may allow them to advance in post season play this year. As far as our team goes, effort last night was the most disappointing of the year. It seems they did not compete well when they got punched in the mouth early. For most of the season though they have fought hard to overcome their limitations. In comparison to Denver we have four seniors with two playing major minutes. Three of the four have been here two years, one only this year, and none for four years. This needs to be a rare occurrence in the future.

[Cajunsmike]

Situation with Pancake has nothing to do with this team. Simply put, I believe some folks have convinced him he can play at a higher profile school than here which is why he will likely end up in prep school. That is risky as what happens if he gets injured and loses a chance at a scholarship. JJ said earlier in the week that he loves it here and has no plans to leave. He just needs to get healthy so as he can be back to his former self next season. Shortcomings pointed out by FooFooChaisson are things that are issues but many of us have known that for some time. I also agree that for most of the season they have had great effort. Let's hope that putting that much sweat equity into the season has not caused them to hit a wall.