Next Up: NAU

[sacstateman]

I watched a good part of the game and I couldn't understand why Whitney wasn't playing the second half. Things make more sense now that I know he was ill.

Outcome likely would have been different if he had been there to guard Cone, who was basically unstoppable at the end.

That said, I thought Vazquez looked great on defense with 5 steals and 2 blocks (I honestly don't remember if he was guarding Cone or if someone else was) and he was really efficient on offense with 17 points on 5-8 FGs and 4-4 FTs.

Martin didn't do anything in particular to impress.

Griz, as many have pointed out, have a thin bench. Doesn't give someone like Bannan much of a chance to rest.

If we have such a thin bench, why aren't we playing some of these red-shirted players? If they are going to be solid players in the future, as hoped, and we need them now, they should play now. In today's college world, good players are asked to contribute as freshmen, if not as starters, certainly as bench contributors. It bothers me that Travis feels that these red-shirts are incapable if helping a thin bench now. If not, are they really going to be that good next season???

I think another thing to look out for is if the red shirts even stay around for another year....Grass looks greener theory....Kids want to play and if they don't think they are getting a fair chance to play it's bye bye time....The portal makes it too easy...

 

[grizonbob]

I watched a good part of the game and I couldn't understand why Whitney wasn't playing the second half. Things make more sense now that I know he was ill.

Outcome likely would have been different if he had been there to guard Cone, who was basically unstoppable at the end.

That said, I thought Vazquez looked great on defense with 5 steals and 2 blocks (I honestly don't remember if he was guarding Cone or if someone else was) and he was really efficient on offense with 17 points on 5-8 FGs and 4-4 FTs.

Martin didn't do anything in particular to impress.

Griz, as many have pointed out, have a thin bench. Doesn't give someone like Bannan much of a chance to rest.

If we have such a thin bench, why aren't we playing some of these red-shirted players? If they are going to be solid players in the future, as hoped, and we need them now, they should play now. In today's college world, good players are asked to contribute as freshmen, if not as starters, certainly as bench contributors. It bothers me that Travis feels that these red-shirts are incapable if helping a thin bench now. If not, are they really going to be that good next season???

Interesting thought.

I wished some of the younger guys got a chance earlier in the season to show their stuff. But the Griz didn't have a lot of blowouts when freshmen get in to play in actual game situations.

Nap has played a fair amount of minutes, and shows some promise, but hasn't really asserted himself. Maybe they just want him to relieve guys at this point without making a lot of mistakes, and it is too early to expect a lot from him.

Haven't really seen the redshirt frosh John Solomon. Maybe someone who has seen him in practice can say if he has potential to stick at the D-1 level . Same for junior Trey Lawrence.

I also have been puzzled by the absence of junior Jonathan Brown. He had a couple games where he looked like he had a good offensive threat; at other times he looked kinda lost. Lately he's been stuck on the bench.

 

[AllWeatherFan]

Did I see that Dorell Thomas was suited up for NAU? Anybody else notice that?

 

[grizonbob]

Did I see that Dorell Thomas was suited up for NAU? Anybody else notice that?

I didn't. Could be an interesting development.

How do redshirt rules work in basketball as compared to football? In football, freshmen can play a couple games and still not that year count against their four years. Is the same for basketball? Or if they play in one game (excepting exhibition games) do they have that count as one of their four years?

 

[oldrunner]

Did I see that Dorell Thomas was suited up for NAU? Anybody else notice that?

I didn't. Could be an interesting development.

How do redshirt rules work in basketball as compared to football? In football, freshmen can play a couple games and still not that year count against their four years. Is the same for basketball? Or if they play in one game (excepting exhibition games) do they have that count as one of their four years?

Unless it has changed, the rule has been playing in one game took away the RS year. The exception to that is if the player had a season ending injury and then they could have played in up to 1/3 of the season's games and get a medical RS year. I wish they would change it to be similar to football. It seems like the fair thing to do. I suppose they are looking out for the HS kids entering the system.

 

[HookedonGriz]

For as good as Bannan is, he absolutely pissed down his leg for us in those final minutes. Missed a big free throw, missed a wide open 12 footer, missed 3-4 bunnies at the rim, and had a big turnover. Gotta step up there, not shrink. .

 

[dbackjon]

Just for something different to talk about, I took a look at the next opponent for the Griz, Northern Arizona. Turns out, there's not much you can say.

Yes, at 4-11, the 'Jacks are bad ... But, how bad are they? Answer: Really bad. Two of their wins were against NAIA opponents. I suppose we should spare a bit of sympathy for them. The Saturday after they face the Griz, they have a home game against the kitties. They've already lost two conference games, and it's hard to see when they might actually win one.

Turns out, Thursday

 

[dbackjon]

Bigger question: how many games have DeCuire coached teams lost games in which they had 15+ point leads in the last 3-4 years? Why does something work for 30 minutes and then NOT work for 10 minutes?

Why do DeCuire-coached teams go through long stretches without scoring?

I know, I know, basketball is a game of “runs”….but it’s also a game of adjustments. What is DeCuire doing (or not doing) that’s causing these lulls and losses in games that appear to be in hand?

Yep. As you know, I am not a fan of DeCuire. When we lose to a pathetic NAU team, whose only four wins are against basically YMCA teams, you realize how far Montana basketball has declined. I see us being a middle of the pack in the Big Sky this season.

NAU DI Wins:
#89 UCSB
#194 Montana
#219 Pacific

Montana DI Wins:
#168 St. Thomas
#209 South Dakota State
#248 Prairie View
#272 NDSU
#275 Idaho
#350 Merrimack

Whose OOC was YMCA teams?