Temporary solutions

[msstate7]

We are all in agreement that Ray will most likely be gone unless he shows improvement.

What's something he can do to hopefully turn this in the right direction?


I think sword should sit until he's healthy. He's a major liability right now. Since swords return, we're 1-4 and regressing big time

[CadaverDawg]

We could go ahead and fire him.*

[msstate7]

We could go ahead and fire him.*

One more loss like last night and I think we should

[Goat from MSU]

The first Thing is THE AD should sit Ray down and TELL him to improve it or He is gone , That meeting should have been this morning . Played Houston more and others who show the will to try. Tell Ready the point is his played him 35 min a game . Play Dunlap more tell him to shoot when he gets the chance. Ray must win the next five games or good chance He is gone .
We are all in agreement that Ray will most likely be gone unless he shows improvement.

What's something he can do to hopefully turn this in the right direction?


I think sword should sit until he's healthy. He's a major liability right now. Since swords return, we're 1-4 and regressing big time

[starkvegasdawg]

I'm not sure what he can do to turn it around. I watched most of that game last night and wondered what could be done. D1 SEC players should not be missing layups yet we missed more than I can count. I'm not sure what kind of coaching you do to make your guys make a layup. How does a 7' center completely miss iron on a dunk attempt?

On defense I would see time and time again where they would just lose focus and track of where the other players were and leave a guy wide open for a three or have an uncontested drive to the lane. Fortunately for us they missed their share of 3's or they would have won by 25 last night.

So to sum up - on offense we can't make a basket right under the goal and on defense we lose track of people and leave them wide open for shots. This program has been set back at least 10 years. There is no way in the world any recruit that has more than a passing knowledge of what a basketball is will want to come here. When we go through this season and only win maybe two SEC games then we'll be lucky to steal players that have more than two stars by their name. Whoever gets the job next is going to have a major rebuild. From the last years of Stansbury to the three years of Ray our basketball team has just become a complete embarassment.

We are so far down in the hole now we have to look up to see hell.

[HoopsDawg]

There's nothing Ray can do to create more offense b/c we aren't good in the half-court and we aren't good in transition. We simply can't shoot the basketball.

One thing he can control is our rotations. We are 9 games in and Ray still has no clue on our rotations. Personally, I would play Houston a ton of minutes simply b/c of his upside. He's one guy that Ray has recruited that at least has the potential to be a good player.

I would start: Ready, Thomas, Houston, Roq, and Ware. Sword would be my first guy off the bench at either the 1, 2 or 3 based on performance and game play. My top 6 would play the majority of minutes. I would spot play everyone else.

[msstate7]

I'm not sure what he can do to turn it around. I watched most of that game last night and wondered what could be done. D1 SEC players should not be missing layups yet we missed more than I can count. I'm not sure what kind of coaching you do to make your guys make a layup. How does a 7' center completely miss iron on a dunk attempt?

On defense I would see time and time again where they would just lose focus and track of where the other players were and leave a guy wide open for a three or have an uncontested drive to the lane. Fortunately for us they missed their share of 3's or they would have won by 25 last night.

So to sum up - on offense we can't make a basket right under the goal and on defense we lose track of people and leave them wide open for shots. This program has been set back at least 10 years. There is no way in the world any recruit that has more than a passing knowledge of what a basketball is will want to come here. When we go through this season and only win maybe two SEC games then we'll be lucky to steal players that have more than two stars by their name. Whoever gets the job next is going to have a major rebuild. From the last years of Stansbury to the three years of Ray our basketball team has just become a complete embarassment.

We are so far down in the hole now we have to look up to see hell.

But then you look at the Utah state and St. Louis games. I know neither are great, but they're both better than ark state. Where is that team that beat St. Louis and Utah state?

[NCDawg]

The first Thing is THE AD should sit Ray down and TELL him to improve it or He is gone , That meeting should have been this morning . Played Houston more and others who show the will to try. Tell Ready the point is his played him 35 min a game . Play Dunlap more tell him to shoot when he gets the chance. Ray must win the next five games or good chance He is gone .

And the next thing is Keenum should sit the AD down and tell him any more hires like this and he's gone.

[starkvegasdawg]

But then you look at the Utah state and St. Louis games. I know neither are great, but they're both better than ark state. Where is that team that beat St. Louis and Utah state?

I am forced to think that those two games are the exception to the rule. That's two decent wins against a mountain of bad losses. May be safe to say we caught them having an off night and got the win.

[DudyDawg]

Whether he turns it around or not, he has a lot to prove as far as can he be a good coach. Last night was a rarity in us being low on effort. We usually play hard. But he needs to show he can create offensive sets that can get us a basket when we need one and that he can teach a motion continuity offense that isn't just standing. Until he shows a vast improvement in what he does offensively I dontnhave faith that he can make MSU a tournament school. I am willing to give him until the end of the year to show some improvement in the win department bc of the dumpster fire he was given

[thf24]

On the surface I feel like this team could still be pretty good if it could just start hitting some shots, but I really don't like the body language and lack of confidence displayed over the past few games, and that's a direct reflection on the head coach. I've been among the most optimistic the past few years, but after last night I really don't see Ray turning this around.


I am forced to think that those two games are the exception to the rule. That's two decent wins against a mountain of bad losses. May be safe to say we caught them having an off night and got the win.

Forget the competition in those games, the thing is we were hitting open and easy shots. I can't decide whether those showed we can shoot and we just aren't executing now for whatever reason (see above), or if it was just luck. I lean towards the former, but that's even more discouraging in a way.

[quickstrike2]

Last night reminded me in similarities of the Croom years. It was almost like the Maine. Basically under Ray, if we out work the other team, play tremendous defense and hit a few shoots we can beat an average to above average team if they don't have their best night. However, if we don't do one of these things we can lose to just anybody and I mean anybody on a given night. I just hate knowing you have to lock down everybody you play because you can't lay the ball in the basketball with any consistency.

[engie]

On the surface I feel like this team could still be pretty good if it could just start hitting some shots, but I really don't like the body language and lack of confidence displayed over the past few games, and that's a direct reflection on the head coach. I've been among the most optimistic the past few years, but after last night I really don't see Ray turning this around.



Forget the competition in those games, the thing is we were hitting open and easy shots. I can't decide whether those showed we can shoot and we just aren't executing now for whatever reason (see above), or if it was just luck. I lean towards the former, but that's even more discouraging in a way.

Same.

We've seen two very different teams play this year. Which is our reality? I'm pretty sure it's better than what we've seen in the past 3 -- but at some point you become what your record says you are.

There's still nothing we can do but let the year play out. The point where we all 100% give up caring will probably be when we see signs of life again and put together some wins, redividing the fanbase. At the end of the day, I just wanted this year to leave no doubt and thus far it isn't...

[scottycameron]

The first Thing is THE AD should sit Ray down and TELL him to improve it or He is gone

That will probably work. I can hear Ray now: "Oh, okay. I didn't know y'all were serious".

[quickstrike2]

I do wonder how this year was viewed by the administration and Ray. We know the first two were not accountable, but is the third accountable enough to possibly be let go at the end of thee year? By me it would be, but who knows with Strick. After all this was this hire was his baby.