Who ARE these guys?

[lcitsh]

I'm still not sold. I do agree that they are playing better, but all of their conference victories have been at home, the losses have been on the road, including to the last place team in the league, Arkansas-Little Rock. They will need to prove that they are playing better on the road and it just so happens that they are going to the league leader, Arkansas State, on Thursday night. That should be a pretty good yardstick of how much better they are playing. And Chris Gradnigo had better be careful. His poor sportsmanship is going to get him in trouble very soon. He's lucky Macon didn't make him eat that basketball there at the end of the game.

[zephyr]

_ I'm still not sold. I do agree that they are playing better, but all of their conference victories have been at home, the losses have been on the road, including to the last place team in the league, Arkansas-Little Rock. They will need to prove that they are playing better on the road and it just so happens that they are going to the league leader, Arkansas State, on Thursday night. That should be a pretty good yardstick of how much better they are playing. And Chris Gradnigo had better be careful. His poor sportsmanship is going to get him in trouble very soon. He's lucky Macon didn't make him eat that basketball there at the end of the game. _

Explain please...

[Boomer]

If I were facing him he would have been on the ground--quickly--no need for that crap!!!!

[Boomer]

I tell you what really gets me upset about this team is that they could be so much better with a decent weight program----Every game that is played against any kind of power team we get slaughtered on the boards---tonight was better but what a waste of athletic bodies not to put the weight and strength that could lead to their vast improvement!!!!

[cjntgr]

For those of us who couldn't watch the game, could someone explain what happened?


igeaux.mobi

[Big Buds]

Lets just hope we make it to Hot Springs this year, we have not even been to the Conf Tourney in three years... _

DING!!! Great point Brad, which makes me wonder how a team with zero Conference Tourney experience will handle it? They did just fine on a neutral court in Hawaii.

[BrockMeaux]

_ For those of us who couldn't watch the game, could someone explain what happened?


igeaux.mobi _

With a little under a minute left, Troy threw in the towel and stopped pressing so we dribbled it out, put up a token attempt, and Troy grabbed the rebound and looked content to hold the ball with about 10 seconds to go. Gradnigo came from behind the Troy player and poked at the ball in what looked like - at least to him reading the look on his face - a joke attempt to steal it, but in doing it caused a little bit of contact with the Troy player, who was none too happy for the attempt or the contact.

It wasn't anything "serious," but I agree that Gradnigo didn't need to be doing that and had the Troy player responded I wouldn't have really faulted him. Gradnigo's a great spot shooter, but there's just something amiss with him when I watch him play. He's very laissez-faire on the court. Doesn't motion a lot, doesn't fight hard for rebounds or position with consistency, and there are moments like the one above where it seems like he's not taking the game as seriously as most of the rest of the team. There were a couple times tonight in the first half where it seemed that Daigle was pretty verbally upset with Chris trying to get a play set up because Chris wasn't moving until Daigle called him by name and motioned.

[lcitsh]

_ With a little under a minute left, Troy threw in the towel and stopped pressing so we dribbled it out, put up a token attempt, and Troy grabbed the rebound and looked content to hold the ball with about 10 seconds to go. Gradnigo came from behind the Troy player and poked at the ball in what looked like - at least to him reading the look on his face - a joke attempt to steal it, but in doing it caused a little bit of contact with the Troy player, who was none too happy for the attempt or the contact.

It wasn't anything "serious," but I agree that Gradnigo didn't need to be doing that and had the Troy player responded I wouldn't have really faulted him. Gradnigo's a great spot shooter, but there's just something amiss with him when I watch him play. He's very laissez-faire on the court. Doesn't motion a lot, doesn't fight hard for rebounds or position with consistency, and there are moments like the one above where it seems like he's not taking the game as seriously as most of the rest of the team. There were a couple times tonight in the first half where it seemed that Daigle was pretty verbally upset with Chris trying to get a play set up because Chris wasn't moving until Daigle called him by name and motioned. _

You explained Chris' actions correctly, but left out that he hit the ball hard twice more, causing the ball to hit Trayce Macon on the chin. When Macon turned around (Gradnigo was doing this from behind), he looked like he was going to hit Chris. Fortunately, he kept his cool, the officials stepped in, and the clock ran out.
This is the second game in a row Gradnigo has shown poor sportsmanship. At the end of the UNO game, there were a few seconds left, all the players were walking off the court, except Chris, who felt it necessary to practice a bank shot (like he didn't have opportunity during the game to do so) and score an uncontested basket when the game had been decided.

[CajunRed]

_ You explained Chris' actions correctly, but left out that he hit the ball hard twice more, causing the ball to hit Trayce Macon on the chin. When Macon turned around (Gradnigo was doing this from behind), he looked like he was going to hit Chris. Fortunately, he kept his cool, the officials stepped in, and the clock ran out.
This is the second game in a row Gradnigo has shown poor sportsmanship. At the end of the UNO game, there were a few seconds left, all the players were walking off the court, except Chris, who felt it necessary to practice a bank shot (like he didn't have opportunity during the game to do so) and score an uncontested basket when the game had been decided. _

Evidently, Gradnigo has some unused energy at the end of the games. Its a shame his laziness keeps him from expending that energy during practice and during actual games times... instead of once they are over.

[playincajun]

Tell you what I am not going to comment on Grandigo's action as I agree that it was uncalled for and this is where the coach should handle it but hey. What I do want to comment on is that the Freshman Andrews has really impressed me. He has taken control of a team full of upperclassmen, become the leader on the floor and apparently showed them that defense is the key to winning. I am seeing the rest of them stepping up and finally working hard on defense. He keeps his cool under pressure and never gives up on a play. His hustle plays have made a real diffence in the outcome of several games. He needs to get in the gym and work on his shooting. When that comes around ULL will have something great leading them for the next 3 years. Hope we don't do anything dumb to lose him like we have in the past.

[zephyr]

_ Tell you what I am not going to comment on Grandigo's action as I agree that it was uncalled for and this is where the coach should handle it but hey. What I do want to comment on is that the Freshman Andrews has really impressed me. He has taken control of a team full of upperclassmen, become the leader on the floor and apparently showed them that defense is the key to winning. I am seeing the rest of them stepping up and finally working hard on defense. He keeps his cool under pressure and never gives up on a play. His hustle plays have made a real diffence in the outcome of several games. He needs to get in the gym and work on his shooting. When that comes around UL will have something great leading them for the next 3 years. Hope we don't do anything dumb to lose him like we have in the past. _

I agree. I can't possibly see, whoever the coach is, doing something that would make Andrews leave. I think Lee realizes that this kid enables us to do so many things on the court and knows that defensively, he will make things happen. It does seem that he has rubbed off a bit on some of his teammates and gotten them to play a little more spirited on that end of the court. I could really care less if he's a good perimeter shooter even though it always helps of course. As long as he runs the offense, handles the ball while limiting turnovers and can penetrate and dish, he probably won't need to be a great shooter. Bo Mcalebb was not a great perimeter shooter but did these things well and created for himself and he was quite a player at the point.