This team is bad...

[Stanzi]

16 turnovers, 11 steals by KC and only +2 in rebounds. that pretty much tells you what happened. Lets hope we can correct that stuff and win more than we lose.

Yup those stats just scream lazy/lackadaisical effort. There’s zero reason to have only a +2 edge in rebounding. Zero. They did way too much just watching the ball and not following their shots. We had a lot of dumb turnovers as well.

 

[smhawk]

Hopefully team looks better Sunday. Wonder what the spread will be for the Oregon game....

 

[HawkPrdatr40]

Was Garza the one that had surgery? I hadn't heard what it was for or when hen he would be back. Must not have been that serious? Glad he's back if it WAS him, like his hustle!

Yes Garza has Cyst removed.

 

[HawkeyeTech]

I'm just not a very talented poster. It is what it is.

Fixed it for ya.

 

[earlkoppelman]

Three thoughts:

1. It's a first game. I think it's hard for fans to gauge where a team is at, so I try to reign in my skepticism and temper my enthusiasm, depending on the performance.

2. Garza didn't play. He may not be our best player, but, I honestly believe he has quickly become the heart and soul of this squad. The team feeds off his hustle and enthusiasm. On a team that's devoid of leaders, his absence will always hurt.

3. I've said it before, but I think one of the biggest issues is that Fran has recruited himself into a corner. He has had his most success running a motion offense using screens and slashes in the halfcourt, and an uptempo running style in the open court. He had some solid success with other programs when he had the right body types for that style. The problem is, his recruiting the last few years has resulted in several bigs - Garza, Kreiner, Nunge, Pemsl, etc., and none of those players suit his preferred style. Combine that with some misses (Moss) and transfers (Williams), and Fran is left with a squad where he's trying to fit square pegs into round holes.[/QUO Agree 99%

 

[HawkGold]

Yup those stats just scream lazy/lackadaisical effort. There’s zero reason to have only a +2 edge in rebounding. Zero. They did way too much just watching the ball and not following their shots. We had a lot of dumb turnovers as well.

They can also scream lack of speed.

 

[#1DieHardHawk]

Garza did play he played 17 minutes along with 10 others.


Think the Team Mgr got in a couple minutes as well.

Garza played 17 minutes.

Sorry. I didn't see the game, but thought I had read that he wasn't quite ready yet.

Either way, I'm sure he wasn't his usual self. The team feeds off his energy.

 

[#1DieHardHawk]

Concur...they are soft, a team that is easily wounded, beaten, head hangers, blamers, excuse makers. No Leadership!

Perhaps JW is the change agent that can lead them.

This is what I kept harping on last season. The lack of on-court leadership with this team is almost stunning, and, it's not something that can be developed to an effective extent. Garza has that trait to a point, but our biggest names - Cook and Bohannon - are terrible on-court leaders.

Lack of leadership always translates to lack of toughness and resolve, and, vice versa, teams that have a lot of it, are the ones that generally end up at the Elite Eight level. The impact can't be understated.

 

[tksirius]

Sorry. I didn't see the game, but thought I had read that he wasn't quite ready yet.

Either way, I'm sure he wasn't his usual self. The team feeds off his energy.

People that watched the game commented that he was hustling a lot.

 

[lightning1]

Fixed it for ya.

Source considered...source rejected.

 

[seepig]

The perception is that we have talent, because we have some guys who can throw the ball in the bucket. The problem is there is more to basketball than scoring. Looking like another long season.

Agree I did not see the game but looking at the stats JBo too many TO's same with Tyler Cook. Pemsl unfortunately has not improved in 2 years. I'm willing to be told I was wrong later in the year but I think it's a bottom 3 conference team again this year. Minnesota is better, Nebraska will be good..it sucks.

 

[GotTimDodge]

Yes JBo and Cook’s first year they had a tough non conference and finished strong down the stretch almost making the dance. I think it happened a few times in the early years as well.

But then got destroyed by Indiana in B10 tourney 1st round and then losing at home 2nd round NIT.
That is not a strong finish.

 

[lightning1]

This is what I kept harping on last season. The lack of on-court leadership with this team is almost stunning, and, it's not something that can be developed to an effective extent. Garza has that trait to a point, but our biggest names - Cook and Bohannon - are terrible on-court leaders.

Lack of leadership always translates to lack of toughness and resolve, and, vice versa, teams that have a lot of it, are the ones that generally end up at the Elite Eight level. The impact can't be understated.

That's because in order to be a leader, you have to be working harder than everyone else. In practice and in the games. That does not describe Cook or Bohannon. Be honest, how are you going to respond to either of those 2 telling you to get your shit together and try harder?

 

[deanvogs]

I expect this team to improve. I expect this team to be better than last season's team. How much better is another question.

Once again I agree with you. I think Jordan and Garza were both really rusty, and the team is going to be better. Fran is going to determine how this season goes with the use of the bench. For the past 2 years Fran has pretended like he has some deep bench and plays 10, 11, 12 guys. The fact is he has 4 high quality players on this roster, and he needs to ride them. I get that UMCK was a weak team, play your guys, get them ready as you do need a decent bench. I just hope Fran realizes that come B1G play he is going to have to play Jordan, Wieskamp and Cook 35+ MPG. Garza is going to need 25-30 MPG (tougher to play him more minutes as a big guy like he is). Give Moss/Dailey the minutes at the 2 depending on who is playing better that night.

If Fran insists on sitting any of the big 3 for more than 10 MPG our chances of winning are going to diminish dramatically. Those guys are just so much better they have to be on the floor as much as possible. Same with Garza, but with a little more Kriener sprinkled in as it is tough to play that many minutes as a big guy.

 

[Robowe]

Once again I agree with you. I think Jordan and Garza were both really rusty, and the team is going to be better. Fran is going to determine how this season goes with the use of the bench. For the past 2 years Fran has pretended like he has some deep bench and plays 10, 11, 12 guys. The fact is he has 4 high quality players on this roster, and he needs to ride them. I get that UMCK was a weak team, play your guys, get them ready as you do need a decent bench. I just hope Fran realizes that come B1G play he is going to have to play Jordan, Wieskamp and Cook 35+ MPG. Garza is going to need 25-30 MPG (tougher to play him more minutes as a big guy like he is). Give Moss/Dailey the minutes at the 2 depending on who is playing better that night.

If Fran insists on sitting any of the big 3 for more than 10 MPG our chances of winning are going to diminish dramatically. Those guys are just so much better they have to be on the floor as much as possible. Same with Garza, but with a little more Kriener sprinkled in as it is tough to play that many minutes as a big guy.

I agree with what you are saying here. Unfortunately, I don't see Fran changing his substitution pattern now, but I could be very wrong (actually, I hope I am).

 

[revkev73]

This is what I kept harping on last season. The lack of on-court leadership with this team is almost stunning, and, it's not something that can be developed to an effective extent. Garza has that trait to a point, but our biggest names - Cook and Bohannon - are terrible on-court leaders.

Lack of leadership always translates to lack of toughness and resolve, and, vice versa, teams that have a lot of it, are the ones that generally end up at the Elite Eight level. The impact can't be understated.

And the "experienced leadership" that isn't leadership quality, makes it known, that no one under them dare be leaders either. Soft, dysfunctional, self seeking individuals that fold quickly under duress.

 

[Stanzi]

That's because in order to be a leader, you have to be working harder than everyone else. In practice and in the games. That does not describe Cook or Bohannon. Be honest, how are you going to respond to either of those 2 telling you to get your shit together and try harder?

What evidence do we have that Bohannon doesn't do that? I've never personally questioned his effort or hustle.

 

[lightning1]

What evidence do we have that Bohannon doesn't do that? I've never personally questioned his effort or hustle.

Did you sleep through last season?

 

[Stanzi]

Did you sleep through last season?

There's a difference between not hustling and simply not being fast enough or athletic enough.

 

[lightning1]

There's a difference between not hustling and simply not being fast enough or athletic enough.

I know the difference and I'm saying he didn't hustle. I can show you lack of effort on a play from the highlights of last night's game, if you want. He wasn't much worse than the rest of the players on the team from last season. He just happens to guard the hardest position to guard on the court. Any thing less than 100% effort will get you exposed, if you aren't very athletic.