Two games left...looking back/ahead

[307bball]

So...guaranteed top four finish at this point....might end up second depending on how it all shakes out. I was late to the "Cowboy's are legit" train, but they have won me over. The flaws that I saw in this team early in the season are real flaws but Linder has done an excellent job handling them. I thought for the longest time that we were not quite on the level of SDSU, CSU, and BSU this year but I don't think that is true. We went 2-3 against that group...and I didn't see us being out-classed. Just need that third player to step up and deliver.

Barring an 0-2 finish to the season, this looks like the classic Cowboy's exceeding expectations season. The "nobody believes in us" thing is pretty common as a pokes fan. There was a hot minute where it seemed like greatness was in the cards but that didn't pan out. As long as the boys take care of business, I'm pleasantly surprised by this group. For a team with no depth and no production from the bench, this was as good of a season as you could have hoped for.

 

[laxwyo]

Excellent synopsis. I jumped on the “we’re a top 3 team” pretty early and it’s been a great season. We get spoiled fast dreaming about the success that now seems possible. Seems like we’re always that piece away. The most annoying part is no matter how bad it looks SDSU still manages to pull it out and be a top 2 team.

 

[307bball]

Excellent synopsis. I jumped on the “we’re a top 3 team” pretty early and it’s been a great season. We get spoiled fast dreaming about the success that now seems possible. Seems like we’re always that piece away. The most annoying part is no matter how bad it looks SDSU still manages to pull it out and be a top 2 team.

re: SDSU always being good .... soooo annoying. They are physical monsters. They are always so freaking long and athletic.

 

[LanderPoke]

We're totally limping to the finish. Not a fun way to end the season

 

[cowpoke pride]

They aren't going to finish 0-2.

Who would be the ideal conference semi final matchup? Honest question. I can't decide.

 

[307bball]

@LanderPoke...no it is not a fun way to finish a season. The last few weeks of a basketball season are like the late rounds of a championship fight. Any flaws that were covered over in the beginning get exposed and made larger.....and the true great teams show what they are made of. Thankfully the Pokes have put together a body of work that people respect. The issue I see is that we don't seem to have another gear. Is there anybody on this team that can put it into over-drive like Josh Adams did in 2016?

@Cowpoke Pride...It says your in Manderson, WY? Wow...not many people in that area. That is my old stomping grounds. Used to go Catfishing in the Big Horn all over that area.

 

[Itsux2beaewe]

This team has so much talent - they would be unstoppable if they could get it all together, consistently.

The loss last night really hurts, especially if UW doesn’t do well at the MW tournament, as in 1 or 2.

I just don’t see more than 3 teams going to the NCAA from the MW.

 

[stymeman]

We'll see how bad we/they want it..i think playing at T&M just b4 the tourney really helps the younger guys. Hopefully its an arena Drake and JO and X like, because we truly need them to step up big time!!! UNLV are long and athletic almost eerily similar to SDSU, but if we play our game and such, then I'd feel alot better about being a 3 seed over that 4 where that team will hafta play an entrenched 5 seed with the Rebels(always tough way to start)...Cmon Pokes still got lots of work to be done, show us how much u want it!!!

 

[seattlecowboy]

They aren't going to finish 0-2.

Who would be the ideal conference semi final matchup? Honest question. I can't decide.

First of all Wyoming will have to win their quarterfinal game to get to the semi final game, which is no guaranty. Could end up playing Utah St., Fresno St., UNLV or New Mexico.

If we do win, I would want to play San Diego St. again. They aren’t going to hit that many 3’s again and shoot 71% from 3 in one half. Also Ike and Maldo won’t shoot that bad again IMO. We will beat them if we play them again. I’m sure Linder will make good adjustments also. He is good at that.

 

[LawPoke]

With the way the Pokes have played of late, we need to win tonight, Saturday and in our first round game in the MoWest to guarantee an NCAA bid.

UNLV will be a great indicator of whether we have learned and made adjustments or whether we are still being hamstrung by the CSU adjustment that all teams are now employing to beat us.