The Book: Lady Cajuns 2006-07 basketball

[rhineaux]

I believe this team will get better towards the end of this season. With Milsap becoming a 3rd scoring threat and the offense being back in Mouton and Dees's hands I think we will be alright. I never thought we would have that great of a year but the young guys have showed me a lot and I look forward to watching them grow.

It does seem as though, from ilstening to a few games, reading the papers, and reading what's on this board, that Millsap is really coming into his own. Don't forget that not only was he not with the team for those first several games, but he also was coming off of an injury. With Moot and Dees taking more of the offense, that should continue to take pressure (mentally) off of him and if other teams have to focus their better defenders, it should open up some more scoring oppurtunities for him. If he starts scoring and making plays, then that is huge, he's getting some good time right now as a youngen.

What about the others? What about guys like Johnson and Hart at the post, are they still playing with ferocity? How about gray and lago, are they still getting good amounts of time and improving? Or is the whole team just in a funk and trying to get out of it.

[Clutch0364]

It does seem as though, from ilstening to a few games, reading the papers, and reading what's on this board, that Millsap is really coming into his own. Don't forget that not only was he not with the team for those first several games, but he also was coming off of an injury. With Moot and Dees taking more of the offense, that should continue to take pressure (mentally) off of him and if other teams have to focus their better defenders, it should open up some more scoring oppurtunities for him. If he starts scoring and making plays, then that is huge, he's getting some good time right now as a youngen.

What about the others? What about guys like Johnson and Hart at the post, are they still playing with ferocity? How about gray and lago, are they still getting good amounts of time and improving? Or is the whole team just in a funk and trying to get out of it.

This weekend I will be able to watch only my 2nd game this year because of work I can't make games during the week. Johnson is a guy I like just from listening and in the 1 game I have watched but he is raw and if everyone would have been eligible would have been great to redshirt.

[CajunKahouna]

Good win! Congratulations to the team and coaches for ending the losing streak.

Let's pray this marks our turning point!

[Choppie29]

It does seem as though, from ilstening to a few games, reading the papers, and reading what's on this board, that Millsap is really coming into his own. Don't forget that not only was he not with the team for those first several games, but he also was coming off of an injury. With Moot and Dees taking more of the offense, that should continue to take pressure (mentally) off of him and if other teams have to focus their better defenders, it should open up some more scoring oppurtunities for him. If he starts scoring and making plays, then that is huge, he's getting some good time right now as a youngen.

What about the others? What about guys like Johnson and Hart at the post, are they still playing with ferocity? How about gray and lago, are they still getting good amounts of time and improving? Or is the whole team just in a funk and trying to get out of it.

Johnson has been up and down. On one possesion he makes a nice play, the next possesion, he airballs a wide open 3. It is obvious that he has talent, he just needs confidence. Lago has been taking more shots and has been making them. He hasn't been turing it over as much as he did earlier in the year. Rhett Hebert got much more playing time than Lago last night. I don't think Gray got into the game. Hart got some tough rebounds last night as usual, but he missed a couple of put backs that would have been huge. Adam James played tough on the defensive end and got some good rebounds, a few points and a couple of nice assists.

Once we put it all together it will be fun.

There is a lot of promise with all of our freshmen. They will get invaluable experience this year.

[CajunAmos]

Gray did play a little in the second half. Rhett needs to make shots as we need another outside shooter to take the pressure off of Ross and David.

[Cajunsmike]

It does seem as though, from ilstening to a few games, reading the papers, and reading what's on this board, that Millsap is really coming into his own. Don't forget that not only was he not with the team for those first several games, but he also was coming off of an injury. With Moot and Dees taking more of the offense, that should continue to take pressure (mentally) off of him and if other teams have to focus their better defenders, it should open up some more scoring oppurtunities for him. If he starts scoring and making plays, then that is huge, he's getting some good time right now as a youngen.

What about the others? What about guys like Johnson and Hart at the post, are they still playing with ferocity? How about gray and lago, are they still getting good amounts of time and improving? Or is the whole team just in a funk and trying to get out of it.

Not only could Milsap not play early on, he could not even practice. Therefore when he became eligible, they changed the practice routine and plays being run in order to acclimate him as quickly as possible. There is no doubt that set us back both on the court and from a chemistry standpoint. I believe he is the best athlete we have though and you are correct his contributions increase every game. I imagine that is why the coaches made that decision in early December as they knew his potential.Hart's minutes have been cut the most due to Milsap coming on board as we often play with one big man. Johnson is still getting spot play but his lack of weight hurts him. With a year in the weight room, this should be less of an issue. Wallace and Gray are both injured right now and neither played last night. Wallace won't even practice for about a week due to a sore knee.

Back to Elijah Milsap, this whole chemistry setback would not have occurred without that silly NCAA clearinhouse delay. If Elijah could have practiced when his knee heeled, he would have been on board around Nov. 1st and part of the rotation from Day One. In that scenario, guys would not have gottem upset with their minutes cut when he joined us. I have a friend who firmly believes that had this situation involved a school from a BCS league, it would have taken a few days and not six weeks to resolve it. I don't know if that is correct, I do know it affected us. This situation and the injury to Barksdale have played a big part in the poor record. I believe had those guys been available the entire season we would have a winning percentage around 0.500 right now. Robert has made some mistakes with these guys. Those include not having enough patience, changing things too drastically for Milsap, and not realizing Gray can't transfer good play from the practice court to the game court. However, it sure seems he has done something to get on the bad side of the basketball gods. Maybe all the good luck charms his mom has sent him lately will begin to change that.-CajunsMike

[Turbine]

this whole chemistry setback would not have occurred without that silly NCAA clearinhouse delay.

good point.

[Cajunsmike]

Gray did play a little in the second half. Rhett needs to make shots as we need another outside shooter to take the pressure off of Ross and David.

Gray did not play due to an injury. Perhaps you were thinking of Lago.

[Cajun Express]

Gray did play a little in the second half. Rhett needs to make shots as we need another outside shooter to take the pressure off of Ross and David.

Mr. Hebert needs to understand he is not a first, or second option. His job is defense, ball movement, and taking a shot when time is near expiration. He was not hitting his shots and was shooting too early too often last night.

[Mineshaft]

Actually, bonehead, considering the circumstances... it was.

Thats what i said bonehead it was a hugeeeeeeee win. What part of that did you not understand?

[Cajunsmike]

Mr. Hebert needs to understand he is not a first, or second option. His job is defense, ball movement, and taking a shot when time is near expiration. He was not hitting his shots and was shooting too early to often last night.

I agree Rhett shot a little too much last night. In the previous home game, he was making those threes in the first half. He cooled off in the second half against UALR when they paid more attention to him defensively. Rhett is a guy who is great at knocking down threes in warmup, practice etc. He was also proficient at it in high school. Why then is his % not higher in the games. Answer is speed of the college game. He is going at a pace so fast compared to his natural ability that he has trouble squaring on those jumpers. Having said that, he played a good floor game last night as the team had only three TO's.

[Turbine]

Hopefully, this will help give the team some confidence and they can string together a few wins down the stretch.

I'm not ready to call Thursdays win a confidence win.

What I want to call it is a tension relief win.

With that win under their belts I expect the Ragin' Cajuns to play a little looser Saturday and another win (back to back) which I would consider a real confidence booster.

jmo