Completely obvious that there's some animosity towards Newman

[msugolf]

Pretty much the whole team wouldn't even give him the ball in the 2nd half. He took 3 shots and he's our best outside threat yet they wouldn't even look at him. I've never been more ready for a complete purge of a MState team than I have of this one.

[Jacksondevildog]

Yep. There is a clear division. Been that way all year to my eyes.

[defiantdog]

The upper classmen suck. Fred Thomas hasn't scored double digits points since high school. They need to be processed. No way around it.

[msstate7]

Then Howland needs to send a message... Sit em. Play walk ons if you have to

[Commercecomet24]

The upper classmen suck. Fred Thomas hasn't scored double digits points since high school. They need to be processed. No way around it.

I agree. The upper classmen are horrid. It's painful to watch. Gotta be driving Howland nuts with the crap he inherited.

[msualohadog]

Howland needs to run the stupid out of them.

[Jacksondevildog]

Ware has played his ass off all year long. Every other senior has been off and on.

[msugolf]

That's why new coaches typically play their guys over the upper class men when they come in their first year. They usually set the standard from the start to send a message so there won't be a bunch of power ego trips. Don't know if howland was scared of rocking the boat or not, especially the way his last year at UCLA went, or maybe he just viewed this year as garbage anyway. But whatever his reasoning was, he let the seniors and IJ dictate the attitude of the team and that was a mistake. Just need these guys to get out and go soon.

[starkvegasdawg]

Heard reports of that last year, too, with another player. If Howland is worth anything as a coach he ends this.

[Commercecomet24]

Yep Ware the only upper class man that's earned his keep.

[Gatordog]

Pretty much the whole team wouldn't even give him the ball in the 2nd half. He took 3 shots and he's our best outside threat yet they wouldn't even look at him. I've never been more ready for a complete purge of a MState team than I have of this one.

Our best game will be senior day! Can't wait!

[BayouDawg]

Yep I wanted the ball to be in Malik's hands on that last shot but of course ready was there to play hero. Anybody know why we didn't use our timeout there?

[Commercecomet24]

Ready needs to be gone...yesterday. Liability on defense and not clutch at all.

[missouridawg]

Yep I wanted the ball to be in Malik's hands on that last shot but of course ready was there to play hero. Anybody know why we didn't use our timeout there?

We called a timeout before the last free throw was shot when they missed and we were down 1. So Howland set the play up to be either after the free throw miss or on the inbounds after a make.

[Coach34]

I told ya'll this 4 weeks ago

[somebodyshotmypaw]

If there is a problem, playing time, or lack thereof, is a coach's best teaching tool. Bench those that don't do it the correct way and play those that do. That will get their attention.

[BeardoMSU]

I told ya'll this 4 weeks ago

http://31.media.tumblr.com/3106348112ad2769659a114e3689b0ad/tumblr_nmsf43ikYV1tq4of6o1_500.gif

[BayouDawg]

We called a timeout before the last free throw was shot when they missed and we were down 1. So Howland set the play up to be either after the free throw miss or on the inbounds after a make.

Ok gotcha thanks

[Bully13]

Whose running this team? Howland or the loser upper classmen with Malik butt ache?

[BayouDawg]

I told ya'll this 4 weeks ago
Yep. and MS isn't gonna produce that many one and dones. The competition level just isn't great and the coaches don't really run sets. It's just get it to your best player and let them shoot. It's the same in Alabama high school basketball. LA and TX high schools produce much more polished players.

[engie]

The only ones he needs to get on the same page with are Q and Holman. And Stapleton when he's back practicing.

Team absolutely can not graduate soon enough...

[MarketingBully]

I didn't see that tonight as much as I saw no leadership from our seniors. Malik is also in a shooting funk and I am not sure how much confidence he has out there. It's sad though that we have five seniors and Ready and no one really is stepping up. I think what hurts us most is that we are a senior laden team that our younger guys are looking to for leadership and not getting any. We have a lot of talented guys like Ware, Sword, Newman, and Q all guys that we should be able to depend on to get the last shot but who takes those shots, Daniels and Ready. This team has the worst chemistry I have ever seen in any team sport. That IMO is the reason for our struggles mostly.

If Newman comes back, we probably wouldn't recognize him as a player because he would take the leadership role automatically. A role obviously he is more comfortable with. I am very excited to see what next year's team will bring because we will be extremely talented. Newman will play better too because his drives and dishes will result in more threes from players like Peters/Carter/Wright then they do now. He will be surrounded by an infinitely more talented roster next year.

[Dawgface]

Then Howland needs to send a message... Sit em. Play walk ons if you have to


Agree 100%.

[state66]

Haha then dont play them. Who the hell are we gunna put on the court if we dont play the seniors? And do we expect the freshmen to play the entire game? Were forced to play them

[Commercecomet24]

The only ones he needs to get on the same page with are Q and Holman. And Stapleton when he's back practicing.

Team absolutely can not graduate soon enough...

+1000

[chef dixon]

We can just keep blaming it on they don't want to pass to him, but Malik isn't exactly getting open for shots either. He has to work really hard to get an opportunity for his jump shot, which is obviously what he's most comfortable doing.

This team has no steady inside presence. No hopes of drawing the defense in and kicking it out to guys that have potential to light it up. Its on our guards for not providing the entry passes and its on Ware for being out of control and having tunnel vision when he gets it down there.

[fishwater99]

Yep I wanted the ball to be in Malik's hands on that last shot but of course ready was there to play hero. Anybody know why we didn't use our timeout there?

Sword should have gotten the ball tonight for the last shot.
He single handedly kept us in the game at the end.

The bad 3 point shot by Holman and a dumb foul didn't help either.

Malik hasn't been shooting well lately if you haven't noticed. He is not a great outside threat at this point.

[Coach34]

Holman needs to just walk off out of bounds and start doing push-ups next he shoots a 3-ball. He couldnt shoot it through a hoola hoop

[thf24]

He is not a great outside threat at this point.

I don't know what motivation you have for pushing this idea, but it's ridiculous. He had one bad 3 point shooting game since SEC play started against Tennessee (1/7). He shot 50% last night. He's shooting 37% on the year, which may not be the elite of the elite, but that's more than good enough to be an "outside threat." Take away the bad UT game and he's shooting 45% in conference play, and still 37% even with it. He's our best "outside threat" besides arguably Zupp (who is a situational role player and can't be on the court in some situaitons) and a hell of a lot better than anything we've seen the past three years.

[shannondawg]

If there is a problem, playing time, or lack thereof, is a coach's best teaching tool. Bench those that don't do it the correct way and play those that do. That will get their attention.

I bet Howland wishes he had that option.

[Dawg-gone-dawgs]

Ware has played his ass off all year long. Every other senior has been off and on.

I think Ware is the exception. He really is playing his ass off

[defiantdog]

The only ones he needs to get on the same page with are Q and Holman. And Stapleton when he's back practicing.

Team absolutely can not graduate soon enough...

Exactly.... Not only are the upper classmen less talented but they have the attitude as if they are NBA quality players. Hopefully, IJ transfers after the season.

[Maroonthirteen]

Maybe it is more that the seniors are competitors and want the ball themselves. Just because you want to shoot the ball and score, doesn't mean you dislike your teammate.

As for IJ......he was red hot in the first half. The last shot....he got a look from 15ft. It was the shot to take. He just left it short.

[chef dixon]

Maybe it is more that the seniors are competitors and want the ball themselves. Just because you want to shoot the ball and score, doesn't mean you dislike your teammate.

As for IJ......he was red hot in the first half. The last shot....he got a look from 15ft. It was the shot to take. He just left it short.

I completely agree. It was a good look. It just didn't go down.

[tcdog70]

I completely agree. It was a good look. It just didn't go down.

as does most of His shots in the clutch. When was the last time Ready made a shot with the game depending on it. Hell , he shoots 90% from the free throw line unless it is crunch time --then he misses. please don't let Him take the last shot. He has proven time and time again he chokes.

For my Money let Q do it--or Chicken

[Dawg61]

We can just keep blaming it on they don't want to pass to him, but Malik isn't exactly getting open for shots either. He has to work really hard to get an opportunity for his jump shot, which is obviously what he's most comfortable doing.

This team has no steady inside presence. No hopes of drawing the defense in and kicking it out to guys that have potential to light it up. Its on our guards for not providing the entry passes and its on Ware for being out of control and having tunnel vision when he gets it down there.

This. Only person to blame for Malik only shooting three times in the 2nd half IS MALIK. He is NOT A PG!! He handles the ball for 3 seconds coming up the court and then immediately looks to get rid of the ball like it's burning his hands. He is not comfortable at all being the main ball-handler. He lacks confidence in his dribbling and does not appear to want to be the main decision maker.

[chef dixon]

as does most of His shots in the clutch. When was the last time Ready made a shot with the game depending on it. Hell , he shoots 90% from the free throw line unless it is crunch time --then he misses. please don't let Him take the last shot. He has proven time and time again he chokes.

For my Money let Q do it--or Chicken

Yea chicken did great against A&M with the ball in his hands at the end. I think it has to be Q if it's not Ready. You can hate on Ready but he's probably the best on our team at actually getting his own shot without turning the ball over.

[Dawg61]

as does most of His shots in the clutch. When was the last time Ready made a shot with the game depending on it. Hell , he shoots 90% from the free throw line unless it is crunch time --then he misses. please don't let Him take the last shot. He has proven time and time again he chokes.

For my Money let Q do it--or Chicken


Atleast Ready has the stones to handle the ball like a PG should and the stones to shoot it. Malik gets rid of the ball like its engulfed in flames. Ready singlehandedly kept us in the game in the 1st half with his 16 points.

[HSVDawg]

This. Only person to blame for Malik only shooting three times in the 2nd half IS MALIK. He is NOT A PG!! He handles the ball for 3 seconds coming up the court and then immediately looks to get rid of the ball like it's burning his hands. He is not comfortable at all being the main ball-handler. He lacks confidence in his dribbling and does not appear to want to be the main decision maker.

I rarely agree with you but I do on this one. We are going to have a bit of a quandry on our hands next year if we insist on starting Malik at PG to try and honor some promises made in the recruiting process to get him to the NBA and keeping Peters on the bench when he is actually the only true point guard on the team (and by far our best option at the position next year). Malik is a shooting guard, and if we plan to start our best 5 guys then thats where he'll log 90% of his minutes next season.

[Political Hack]

If he benched any of our SR's we wouldn't win any SEC games.***

I've said from the get-go, Q, Malik, Zupp, & Ware should be in our starting 5 and play as much as possible. The 5th man is debatable, but if it's Chicken he needs to play 3. If it's Fred, he needs to play 3 and focus on defense. If we're playing a zone, I'd make it IJ though and make sure he's got the outlet on defense to protect against fast breaks. Don't let him match up man to man. We could win games with those 5 and a little support from the bench... A la John Cheney Temple style.

[BayouDawg]

Sword should have gotten the ball tonight for the last shot.
He single handedly kept us in the game at the end.

The bad 3 point shot by Holman and a dumb foul didn't help either.

Malik hasn't been shooting well lately if you haven't noticed. He is not a great outside threat at this point.

This is true. Sword was ballin the last few minutes. It just pisses me off that we finally get a "1 and done" type player but he always seems to disappear when the game is on the line. But maybe he'll realize he needs another year

[fishwater99]

I don't know what motivation you have for pushing this idea, but it's ridiculous. He had one bad 3 point shooting game since SEC play started against Tennessee (1/7). He shot 50% last night. He's shooting 37% on the year, which may not be the elite of the elite, but that's more than good enough to be an "outside threat." Take away the bad UT game and he's shooting 45% in conference play, and still 37% even with it. He's our best "outside threat" besides arguably Zupp (who is a situational role player and can't be on the court in some situaitons) and a hell of a lot better than anything we've seen the past three years.

I said he is not a "great" outside threat, I never said he wasn't an outside threat at all.
He is in a little slump right now..
Do feel like he is going to make it every time he shoots? I don't right now.
Zupp shoots at 38% and Daniels is at 37.9%...
A great outside threat would be some one who shoots over 45% from 3
There are over 85 players in the NCAA doing that, unfortunately none of them are on our team.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/statistics/player/_/stat/3-points

[Johnson85]

This. Only person to blame for Malik only shooting three times in the 2nd half IS MALIK. He is NOT A PG!! He handles the ball for 3 seconds coming up the court and then immediately looks to get rid of the ball like it's burning his hands. He is not comfortable at all being the main ball-handler. He lacks confidence in his dribbling and does not appear to want to be the main decision maker.

Not sure how Howland wants to initiate his offense, but unless you like to initiate your offense coming off of a pick set for the PG, your point guard getting rid of the ball in 3 seconds would normally be what you want from him and the other players. That means players are quickly getting into their sets and initiating the offense, which gives plenty of time to rverse the ball and put pressure on the D to cover both sides of the court.

[Political Hack]

Not sure how Howland wants to initiate his offense, but unless you like to initiate your offense coming off of a pick set for the PG, your point guard getting rid of the ball in 3 seconds would normally be what you want from him and the other players. That means players are quickly getting into their sets and initiating the offense, which gives plenty of time to rverse the ball and put pressure on the D to cover both sides of the court.

Lol. That's exactly what you want. A PG who can see the floor, distribute the ball quickly and force the defense to continually adjust.

[the59dawg]

Ware has played his ass off all year long. Every other senior has been off and on.

If only Ware could stay in the games. I bet he did not play 15 min yesterday. 2 fouls in first 3 min or so. When he came back in late in game w/ 4 fouls when we really needed him, took maybe 1 to 1 1/2 min for him to get his 5th. No excuses. He just can't seem to control his body. To his credit, he had some great blocks yesterday, but,,,,,,,,,

[the59dawg]

Holman needs to just walk off out of bounds and start doing push-ups next he shoots a 3-ball. He couldnt shoot it through a hoola hoop

Amen. Couldn't said it any better. Why does Holman at this point still think he should be shooting 3's at the critical end to the game. I bet if he does it again, we won't see him much anymore this yr.

[Dawg61]

Not sure how Howland wants to initiate his offense, but unless you like to initiate your offense coming off of a pick set for the PG, your point guard getting rid of the ball in 3 seconds would normally be what you want from him and the other players. That means players are quickly getting into their sets and initiating the offense, which gives plenty of time to rverse the ball and put pressure on the D to cover both sides of the court.

Except Newman doesn't get rid of it to initiate the offense. He gets rid of it because he appears to want nothing to do with handling it like a PG should. After a game is finished a PG should have possessed the ball the longest amount of time on the team. I feel pretty confident that wouldn't be the case for Newman. He gets rid of the ball like its a hot potato and he isn't getting rid of it because he's trying to create offense.

[archdog]

I think Ware is the exception. He really is playing his ass off

Gavin and Sword both have been working hard. The failure to get in position on defense and get rebounds are hurting us. Someone needs to be one the glass. Also the lack of position is leading to a ton of easy to avoid reach in fouls. We have to get in position defensively.