Musketeer Madness

I realize that we won tonight, but I am concerned about this team. Ever since A-10 play began X has looked like a different team...and not in a good way. Our Defense and rebounding are inconsistent and weak...our offense looks lost...and we look like we are trying not to lose instead of trying to win.

How could we manhandle the teams we played in the non-conf. schedule and play the way we have in conference? I don't get it. The strengths I thought this team had seem average...toughness, rebounding, post play, passing, defense, offensive flow, etc...

What do you people think?

X-Fan wrote:I realize that we won tonight, but I am concerned about this team. Ever since A-10 play began X has looked like a different team...and not in a good way. Our Defense and rebounding are inconsistent and weak...our offense looks lost...and we look like we are trying not to lose instead of trying to win.

How could we manhandle the teams we played in the non-conf. schedule and play the way we have in conference? I don't get it. The strengths I thought this team had seem average...toughness, rebounding, post play, passing, defense, offensive flow, etc...

What do you people think?

I think you should watch SportsCenter and learn that conference games on the road are tough. I think, overall, we looked pretty good today. Great defensive intensity, good effort on the offensive end. CJ came out of his shell. With Stanley penetrating, it looked like we had two PGs on the court. BJ hitting his shots. Love pulling down boards. Duncan and Derrick were solid. In sports you can always find something to criticize if you look hard enough, be we came out of a tough 2-game road trip 1-1. Obviously we'd all prefer 2-0, but I can sleep easy at 1-1.

teams we played in non-conf. part of the schedule, for the most part, don't really know much about XU and their players. They get some scouting reports and watch some film, but still don't know much. Especially true with players like Anderson and Love, whom they have little to go on with. As the season goes on, and they start to play in conference, that changes. Now there is lots of tape to watch, and lots of personal expereince to use when getting ready to play them. Makes conference play A LOT tougher than the preseason....for everyone. Still, X WILL blow some teams out in the future. As the season winds down, and the Seniors realoze that their careers are almost over, watch them rachet up the intensity again.

Over the past 3 conference games, our inside game is weak. Love has to pick up his scoring in the post, meaning we have to get the ball to him for more touches than he's currently getting. Right now the "inside-out" game consists of our guards penetrating and kicking out. However, we need to go deeper in the paint.

Come down to familiarity. When you plays teams twice a year, they see you on tape every other week while preparing for other conference teams. They may not be scouting you but they pick up certain tendencies just by watching tape. On the other hand a non conference opponent my watch 2 days worth of tape and then the game is played... Dan

Fat drunk and stupid are no way to go through life...

Ask the Mighty Butler about conference games? Would you rather lose on the road to Temple or to Cleveland State?

I think the league is much better this year so every game is going to be close. I don't see anyone winning the league with less than 3 or 4 losses. We have to take care of business at home (ie, no losses) and do better than .500 on the road. I don't like to sound like I'm not optimistic about our Muskies. It just isn't going to be easy.

Unrealistic to think we are going to win every road game in the conference. Losing by 20 to Temple is pretty bad, but we are now 3-1 in the conference, awaiting Dayton at home to continue lead in conference. To be honest, if we do better than 11-5 in our conference, I'd be pleasantly surprised. We still have to play at UMass, Dayton, Charlotte, and Rhode Island. Losing all of those road games, that would put us at 23-8 before the A-10 tourney started, which is a lock for the NCAAs considering our non-conference schedule (regardless of what we do in the A-10 tourney).

X-Fan wrote:I realize that we won tonight, but I am concerned about this team. Ever since A-10 play began X has looked like a different team...and not in a good way. Our Defense and rebounding are inconsistent and weak...our offense looks lost...and we look like we are trying not to lose instead of trying to win.

How could we manhandle the teams we played in the non-conf. schedule and play the way we have in conference? I don't get it. The strengths I thought this team had seem average...toughness, rebounding, post play, passing, defense, offensive flow, etc...

What do you people think?

A10 is gonna be tough this year. X, UD, St Joes, Charlotte, URI, UMass could all legitimately win the league this year. Spoilers with an outside chance of winning are temple, duquesne, GW, St Louis...anytime we play on the road in the a10, its gonna be tough because everyone is familiar with these teams, rivalry, were getting other teams best shots, etc. thats why every one of these road games will be tough

We got spoiled by those 25-30 point victories.Don't expect those in league play.These teams know us too well.Lets just be happy with wins.JUST WIN BABY!