MBB Final: Louisiana 65, Coastal 64

[Hatch]

It happened because we had some outside shots fall. Sometimes it is easier for coaches and players with less guys available. They play loose as they don't have to worry about being pulled when they are not effective quickly. Coach Morris also believes a 9 man rotation is ideal. Now he does not want to ever go into a game with only 9 available again as foul trouble can bite you. Defensive game plan and execution on that end was good in both games as well. Coaching staff had both App and CCU scouted well. Coach Hardin was the scout today and it appeared the team was well prepared. Also, despite not having all our guys, it was key to get Awkuba back as he is a rim protector. If he had been available at La. Tech, maybe we pull that one out as we would have had 2 guys with ability to guard Lofton. Fortunately he got healthy right at conference play time. I know our point guards are not the best in the league. However, having 2 natural point guards does help the offense flow more efficiently. I don't want to see either Williams or Dalcourt have to be in that role going forward. Mike Thomas surprised me this weekend. Hit a big three today and made a great pass to Kobe in transition for the game winner. The team executed very well to make that happen. Strong rebound off missed free throw, good outlet pass, good move by Thomas to get in position to make the pass, good hustle to get to a good shooting spot by Kobe and he released it with confidence. You would swear they have practiced that situation or at least talked about in the last timeout. Worked out well not calling timeout after they got the rebound. I did not get to listen to the post game comments of Coach Morris. I do go back to my favorite aspect of sports which he mentioned after the App game. How do you react when things get rough. They answered the bell when faced with that today. Sorry for the long answer but a win like today can cause me to be long winded.

To me it looks like Akwuba is still a step slow and playing at about 70%. I thought that even in the App St game when he put up the double double. Maybe it was just conditioning from being out for a month but that injury could be something he just has to deal with for the rest of the year. Obviously he can still contribute and was very much needed this weekend, he just didn’t have the same tenacity I saw him play with last year.

I agree on Michael Thomas too, still think he has the ability to develop into a solid starting PG. He just needs to have the confidence/ability to penetrate and dish to a big or draw contact and get himself to the foul line.

[ZoomZoom]

The concerns going forward is getting everyone healthy ASAP. The heavy minutes logged by our main players will add up down the stretch.

[zeppelincajun]

I like everyone else applaud the job Coach Morris has done in the four road games the last two years he has led the team. Obviously he is quite involved in all aspects of the program and was main recruiter for many of the current players. However, he would be the first to tell you that good fortune smiled on the Cajuns in a couple of those wins. Last year we got a steal on an inbounds pass at Texas State. That almost never happens. Today we were fortunate to be benefited by a late missed free throw. When he becomes a permanent head coach somewhere, there will be nights in which his team is not as lucky. Granted he had the players in position to take advantage of the opportunities which presented themselves. He deserves to be congratulated and I bet Coach Marlin would be first in line to do so.

CCU shot slightly above their season average in free throws last night. Seems like a stretch to claim the Cajuns benefited from good fortune just because one of their misses came down the stretch.

[CajunEXPRESS]

The Sand Chicken fans always react badly. We absolutely deserved this win. The zebras are the zebras.

Kobe came up big in the biggest moment. Michael Thomas buried a three when we needed a shot in the arm.

[moorecajun]

How bad is kobe playing,

I was thinking the same thing during a part of the game, it seemed he just couldn't drive to the basket and get off a good shot.

Then, poof, he went 3-crazy!

[zephyr]

I like everyone else applaud the job Coach Morris has done in the four road games the last two years he has led the team. Obviously he is quite involved in all aspects of the program and was main recruiter for many of the current players. However, he would be the first to tell you that good fortune smiled on the Cajuns in a couple of those wins. Last year we got a steal on an inbounds pass at Texas State. That almost never happens. Today we were fortunate to be benefited by a late missed free throw. When he becomes a permanent head coach somewhere, there will be nights in which his team is not as lucky. Granted he had the players in position to take advantage of the opportunities which presented themselves. He deserves to be congratulated and I bet Coach Marlin would be first in line to do so.

Mike, any idea why Joe Charles didn't play much of the second half and his bizarre nature of sitting at end of bench not involved in team at all in second half?

[SlickRick]

I was thinking the same thing during a part of the game, it seemed he just couldn't drive to the basket and get off a good shot.

Then, poof, he went 3-crazy!

Yeah, I know! It was like he got a message I was trashing him on RP! LOL! He was the difference in the second half, that's for sure.

[Hatch]

For those that didn't hear the radio call Jay called it as well. Near the end of the 7 minute scoring drought he said "If the Cajuns are going to win this game Kobe Julien is going to have to make some shots down the stretch". It was almost like Kobe heard him and got ticked off.

[JayWalker]

Happy New Year everyone.

There is always a question as to when to use that final time out. CCU up two, 12 seconds left. Dibba has one more free throw coming. Brock chose to use the final time out then as opposed to waiting to see if he made the free throw. Kid misses, we dont have a time out but the offense had been addressed in the TO which means CCU can't set their defense. Julien hits a big one.

Concerning Joe Charles. He complained of a headache at halftime and tested positive. He was double masked on the bench in the second half.

In addition to playing shorthanded, on this trip you also had the question of what to do when four players (five counting Charles) test positive when you are on a road trip. There's a lot behind the scenes as to how to isolate them, how to get them from one city to another and how to get them home.

I can say the four players who popped positive were done with symptoms by the time we boarded the plane yesterday.

Coach Marlin got his booster a week before testing positive. It's his second bout with COVID. But he was symptomatic only about 36 hours.

I am not sure about player availability vs. Arkansas State Thursday. Even though players are no longer symptomatic there's still a protocol to be followed.

Coach's show tonight at Pete's. We should know more by then.

[CajunEXPRESS]

Happy New Year everyone.

There is always a question as to when to use that final time out. CCU up two, 12 seconds left. Dibba has one more free throw coming. Brock chose to use the final time out then as opposed to waiting to see if he made the free throw. Kid misses, we dont have a time out but the offense had been addressed in the TO which means CCU can't set their defense. Julien hits a big one.

Concerning Joe Charles. He complained of a headache at halftime and tested positive. He was double masked on the bench in the second half.

In addition to playing shorthanded, on this trip you also had the question of what to do when four players (five counting Charles) test positive when you are on a road trip. There's a lot behind the scenes as to how to isolate them, how to get them from one city to another and how to get them home.

I can say the four players who popped positive were done with symptoms by the time we boarded the plane yesterday.

Coach Marlin got his booster a week before testing positive. It's his second bout with COVID. But he was symptomatic only about 36 hours.

I am not sure about player availability vs. Arkansas State Thursday. Even though players are no longer symptomatic there's still a protocol to be followed.

Coach's show tonight at Pete's. We should know more by then.

We’re not sure how many will even be able to perform coming out of the isolation and recovery. Could be weeks.