So where is this team at?

Tue Jan 30, 2018 1:53 pm

Man this season has been a roller coaster already. It seems like patchy play and coaching at times followed by some grit and shear awesome performances at others. I'm just wondering what the possibilities of this team really are? Can they go on an 7+ game win streak here in conference? Could they push it to the NCAA dream? It seems possible to me but they could also lose to any team in conference anywhere.

This team needs all roster members to step up and bring something more into their game to help the team. All hands on deck moments are going to be coming up from now to the end of the season. I'd like to see a player like Moemeka focus in on getting better defensive movement, protect the rim/boards, and just secure up his game on one end of the floor. Little things like that help to make the push to the top a reality. This goes to all members of the team too, just a quick example. The D in general needs to intensify. Edwards has to do his part as well and run that core 5 of Adams, Dalton, Herndon, JJ, and Maldonado in the big moments.

What do you guys think? It feels like another typical Pokes squad to me. There's def talent there and it can be fun to watch. Let down and pain seem not far away either.....

Please don't lose to CSU again

Tue Jan 30, 2018 3:01 pm

It could go either way as you said but I am choosing to believe in the team so I am getting excited. I can handle disappointment. If we can knock off CSU at home we come home to two more very winnable home games(at least compared to who we have already beaten at home). If we can get those we will have a 6 game win streak going and be sitting at 8-3. IF we get there then who knows where the season can go.
You are right that we need everyone to step up more consistently than they have but I think they will. Could be a fun end of the season.......Or not.

Tue Jan 30, 2018 4:40 pm

Who knows? The only thing I can predict is unpredictability. It's a team that can win any game and lose any game just as well. If some of the players ever show up on the road (cough Dalton cough) it can make some noise. But I'm trying to temper my expectations.

Tue Jan 30, 2018 5:17 pm

SDPokeFan wrote: ↑Tue Jan 30, 2018 4:40 pm Who knows? The only thing I can predict is unpredictability. It's a team that can win any game and lose any game just as well. If some of the players ever show up on the road (cough Dalton cough) it can make some noise. But I'm trying to temper my expectations.

+1

Tue Jan 30, 2018 6:13 pm

I think it's a good basketball team but a fundamentally flawed one. On any given night they are liable to fall completely flat and we have seen as much. The only way I see us in the NCAA tourney is if the team as a whole hits a hot streak shooting from three in the MW tournament, meaning ALL of James, Dalton, Herndon, Maldonado firing on all cylinders,. Many (myself) thought this was a very dangerous team on paper because of length, tempo and spot up shooting. But the reality is we are 10th out of 11 in 3 PT% in the conference. That being said, a top 5/6 regular season finish and a win or two in the conference tournament most likely gets us to the NIT, which is both a more realistic and still forward-moving step for the program.

Tue Jan 30, 2018 8:55 pm

NCAA virtually impossible. NIT highly doubtful with 5-5 split of remaining scheduled games , IMHO, most probable. I'm thinking good old CBI again.

Tue Jan 30, 2018 10:30 pm

Is RPI a determining factor regarding the NIT as well? If so even if we split the last 10 or go 7-3 or somewhere along those lines I believe we get into the NIT. Our RPI is currently 65

Tue Jan 30, 2018 11:22 pm

Reports are CSU is investigating Eustachy for inappropriate conduct. Talk about getting CSU at the right time. We really to get this win in Fort Collins!

Tue Jan 30, 2018 11:43 pm

This team is very fun to watch and also very frustrating to watch. Never really worried when were down double digits. Never really comfortable when up double digits. Whatever happens in the first half typically expect it to be different in the second half. Justin James is making his case for MVP and is ruthlessly smooth. I think he is the best player in tbe MW. I'm excited to see how it plays out. If we some how sneak into the NIT I will be pleased. Conference tourney run is definitely not impossible as well. Go Pokes

Wed Jan 31, 2018 9:36 am

Another amazing thing is the year JJ is having. You guys mentioned it above but he's for sure in the running for conference MVP. So this team has that going on as well in the midst of everything. JJ's game alone gives the Pokes a chance to win every conference game. Even when he's off he finds a way to be ON at least a half. It's a pretty comforting feeling having a player of this magnitude on the squad.

I have question. What's up with Naughton? Is he still hurt? I think the team could really use him down the stretch. That Nevada game had the team running so thin. One extra big banger even for 8 minutes a game at least gets our other guys some time to rest. I like Naughton's game on top of that too. He might be more polished then our other backup bigs and seems like our best paint slugger.

Wed Jan 31, 2018 12:11 pm

Cosmic Cowboy wrote: ↑Wed Jan 31, 2018 9:36 am Another amazing thing is the year JJ is having. You guys mentioned it above but he's for sure in the running for conference MVP. So this team has that going on as well in the midst of everything. JJ's game alone gives the Pokes a chance to win every conference game. Even when he's off he finds a way to be ON at least a half. It's a pretty comforting feeling having a player of this magnitude on the squad.

I have question. What's up with Naughton? Is he still hurt? I think the team could really use him down the stretch. That Nevada game had the team running so thin. One extra big banger even for 8 minutes a game at least gets our other guys some time to rest. I like Naughton's game on top of that too. He might be more polished then our other backup bigs and seems like our best paint slugger.

JJ is a stud can't say enough about the kid. He has really ramped up his level of play since conference started. Already has four 30 point games in conference. He brings that helplessness feeling to our opponents specially in clutch time. Also love watching Adams attack the rim. I even see flashes of the future with Hunter. Edwards has the leash on but that kid is going to be a nightmare in the future. The staff got an absolute steal with that kid.

We actually have a really talented team when they are on.

Oh and Naughton has been battling a back injury for the majority of the season don't know the details though.

Wed Jan 31, 2018 12:51 pm

JJ has been in beast mode for sure lately. Can you imagine what kind of season he would be having if he were shooting even close to his 3pt % from last year? He'd be a 25 ppg-type player.

JJ is only shooting like ~27% on threes this year and was up around ~41% last year. Overall he's shooting more threes than last year, but still has a better overall fg % than last year. Tells me he damn good from anywhere inside the arc. I swear he hits 80% from midrange