Reality setting in...

[BeaverPoke]

Wow, that was a hard loss last night.

We are facing 2-6 in the MWC through the 1st half of games. We have got to bounce back and beat NM and take it from CSU in Foco. If we don't we are screwed.
We gotta hope that we get to .500 and win our final OOC game.
Then...just hope we stay at .500 in the MWC through the remainder of the season, maybe getting to 9-7.

IF we can do that, either be 22-8 or 23-7 going then we have a chance at the big dance, depending on how we do in the MWC tourney.

Wow, this season is hurting now.

 

[PokePride.com]

I posted this on Poke Pride what is killing us is the 3, you know the old saying live by the 3, die by the 3. Over the last two losses we have hit only 8 of 44 3-pointers about 18%. Another way to look at it is out of a possible 132 points we have scored just 24 points.

If we could have taking and converted only a 1/3 of those 3's that were missed into 2-point buckets we would have won both of those games.

It is simple when you lose your best player from downtown you rework your game plan to play on your strengths, and right now The Pokes strengths are big men down under the basket.

 

[BackHarlowRoad]

I posted this on Poke Pride what is killing us is the 3, you know the old saying live by the 3, die by the 3. Over the last two losses we have hit only 8 of 44 3-pointers about 18%. Another way to look at it is out of a possible 132 points we have scored just 24 points.

If we could have taking and converted only a 1/3 of those 3's that were missed into 2-point buckets we would have won both of those games.

It is simple when you lose your best player from downtown you rework your game plan to play on your strengths, and right now The Pokes strengths are big men down under the basket.

I agree completely with you. I feel that our shooting % on 3's is so poor lately because of the quality of 3 we are choosing to shoot. If we held off the trigger on half of those shots and worked for a better shot, any shot, we'd have at a minimum of 10-15 more points per game.

 

[J-Rod]

When facing the big boys in the MWC, staying healthy is imperative. Wyoming lost Martinez, Boise lost Elorriaga, and both teams are now in a tail-spin. Only a few weeks ago both teams we're getting crazy hype, now it appears the Big 3 and CSU are just playing ball by themselves. If any of the underdogs want a shot at the MWC title, staying 100% is an absolute necessity. It didn't happen, and now? Pfft.....even the NIT is in question.

 

[Wyo2dal]

When facing the big boys in the MWC, staying healthy is imperative. Wyoming lost Martinez, Boise lost Elorriaga, and both teams are now in a tail-spin. Only a few weeks ago both teams we're getting crazy hype, now it appears the Big 3 and CSU are just playing ball by themselves. If any of the underdogs want a shot at the MWC title, staying 100% is an absolute necessity. It didn't happen, and now? Pfft.....even the NIT is in question.

Wyoming will be back in the CBI with Boise just like last year. But you know what I'm fine with that, I''m fine that the team is rebuilding, I understand you don't win conference titles overnight. We upset SDSU and we could pull it off against UNLV or UNM at the AA.

We have to beat Fresno, CSU and Nevada @ the AA if we give up any of those games were are as good as done. We aren't likely to beat UNLV or SDSU on the road and we will be in a shoot out with BSU on the road. If we finish beating the teams we think we should beat and taking 1 or 2 from the 2 big boys left then we aren't exactly out of it. But I'd prefer we be in the NIT or CBI over getting shit stomped in the first round of the NCAA.

 

[BackHarlowRoad]

If someone else manages to beat UNLV at the MWC Tourney, we could pull off some upsets on the neutral court and earn our way in that way. If we play UNLV at any point though, I don't foresee a win.

 

[WyoBrandX]

That was a tough loss last night. Just shows how shallow the depth on the team is. We needed to mix it up - take it inside and crash the boards a bit, and get outside and drop a few 3's. It was tough to do both. Martinez did a good job of neutralizing the offense and helped us deliver solutions.

Now we have only one threat - take it inside. Easier to defend against.

I hope Shyatt figures something out soon. He's put together a great season so far - I'd hate to see us go downhill from here....

 

[BeaverPoke]

I think McManamen needs to come in more and be an outside shooter specifically.

We really do have a chance to get to 8 or 9 wins in the conference and win 1 or 2 games in the mwc tourney, if not win it all, considering the mwc tourney seems to be totally unpredictable.
But for now, we just gotta hope we beat nm

 

[Adv8RU12]

I'm thinking 20 win season, and MAYBE the NIT. Look at the last few games. The opposition has it well figured out - just zone-pack the paint and drive inside on offense. Washington, as good as he is, hasn't been able to effectively feed it back to an open man. And if he can, it doesn't seem to matter.

The only solution , in my opinion, is to free up the offense with more motion, more driving to the hole and not the predictable (often desperation) shots only near clock end. Come on, Pokes, surprise some teams.

 

[BeaverPoke]

Even going back to the smu game, they pretty much stopped us, we just got lucky and out talented them...
We gotta figure it out quick. But all is not lost yet... we have 2 chances this week to let the rest of the mwc that we are still legit.

 

[cheypoke]

I posted this on Poke Pride what is killing us is the 3, you know the old saying live by the 3, die by the 3. Over the last two losses we have hit only 8 of 44 3-pointers about 18%. Another way to look at it is out of a possible 132 points we have scored just 24 points.

If we could have taking and converted only a 1/3 of those 3's that were missed into 2-point buckets we would have won both of those games.

It is simple when you lose your best player from downtown you rework your game plan to play on your strengths, and right now The Pokes strengths are big men down under the basket.

I agree completely with you. I feel that our shooting % on 3's is so poor lately because of the quality of 3 we are choosing to shoot. If we held off the trigger on half of those shots and worked for a better shot, any shot, we'd have at a minimum of 10-15 more points per game.

Actually I think the opposite. Its not that they are shooting too soon. They are passing up open shots early in the shot clock in favor of running time. Then getting down to the end of the shot clock and are having to take a desperation 3.

 

[stymeman]

truly disappointed with Saturdays fiasco, and yes if it doesn't turn we'll lose the next 3

 

[Adv8RU12]

Actually I think the opposite. Its not that they are shooting too soon. They are passing up open shots early in the shot clock in favor of running time. Then getting down to the end of the shot clock and are having to take a desperation 3.

It was 1998. It was either just before or just after a football game. Anyway, the Poke basketball team was scrimmaging and the public was invited to watch. I decided to take it in. The only thing I remember was McClain grabbing the ball from Brett McFall and angrily kicking it up into the stands. Why? Because McFall had an open shot and he didn't take it. After McClain's tirade, everybody had a good laugh and the players were afraid NOT to shoot when open.