HOWLAND - please listen

[cheewgumm]

You have a long athletic team, and you have 10 or so players.

They can not shoot.

PRESS, PLAY D and RUN.

Quit running half court offense, and tell them to run and go to the rim. Think 40 minutes of hell.

Don't let this year turn into last year 2.0.

[Leeshouldveflanked]

Howland is still stuck in 1980s Big East style of play.

[MetEdDawg]

This team under no circumstances should ever score less than 60 points. Ever.

Howland is about to waste the best collection of talent we've had in over a decade.

[CadaverDawg]

Howland sucks. Our hoops program, much like our football program, has a coach that is stuck in the past, and that is why neither will ever win big here. The game has changed.

[PGHBulldogBG]

I?m not a Howland fan but its early in the season. Let?s see what he can do with this team before we start the criticism

[Bothrops]

Surprised, I'm not. Just another season to hope for the NIT.

[HoopsDawg]

If our plan is to turn Brooks into our primary 4 then I'm very concerned.

[msstate7]

I had a great thanksgiving up until around 730 pm. I'm gonna say last night's was just the universe making me pay for a baseball natty and a braves' WS. Hopefully the total kick in the nuts (egg bowl butt kicking, saints getting destroyed, and basketball reincarnating Rick ray) was enough of a sacrifice, and MBK bounces back today

[Saltydog]

I tried telling some of you guys that Howland would effing blow it. He's a bad coach. He just is. Stansbury part deaux. Good recruiter, poor coach.

[Saltydog]

We're going to win the NIT this year...........

[msstate7]

Effin howland didn't go undefeated!

Maybe we should at least see us play 5-6 sec games before we make judgements

[msstate7]

I'm willing to be patient bc we have so many new pieces. Hell, Smith just played his first game last night.

Brooks leading the team in 3-pt attempts (0-5) isn't a winning formula.

Molinar and Moore shot horribly last night, combined 9-29. I think this is sorta flukish.

Before sec play, I have a feeling howland is gonna have to hurt some feelings and start with smith or brooks at the 5. Matthews needs to start imo

[Cowbell]

Effin howland didn't go undefeated!

Maybe we should at least see us play 5-6 sec games before we make judgements

The reason criticism is warranted is the same reason you worried about lashley blocking 7 earlier in the week. History repeats itself when their are no changes. Anybody that expects (vs hoping) this team to be special is disregarding how bad howeland has coached at times.

[NCMSTFAN]

It was 1 bad shooting game, I wouldn't get too concerned just yet. If it continues then we have issues. But I relate to what some of you are saying, Howland has the most talent he has had at MSU right now... its now or never for him

[Saltydog]

The reason criticism is warranted is the same reason you worried about lashley blocking 7 earlier in the week. History repeats itself when their are no changes. Anybody that expects (vs hoping) this team to be special is disregarding how bad howeland has coached at times.

WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER.........

[msstate7]

The reason criticism is warranted is the same reason you worried about lashley blocking 7 earlier in the week. History repeats itself when their are no changes. Anybody that expects (vs hoping) this team to be special is disregarding how bad howeland has coached at times.

I don't think we're a 33% shooting team. Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm chalking this one up to a bad night.

[CadaverDawg]

The reason criticism is warranted is the same reason you worried about lashley blocking 7 earlier in the week. History repeats itself when their are no changes. Anybody that expects (vs hoping) this team to be special is disregarding how bad howeland has coached at times.

Truth hurts

[msugolf]

It?s just another missed opportunity to get fans enthusiastic about the mens basketball program under Howland. At some point you have to show signs of beating teams with a pulse when the spotlight is on you. Otherwise youll have a Humphrey Coliseum that?s half full in February with a border line bubble team

[THE Bruce Dickinson]

Surprised, I'm not. Just another season to hope for the NIT.

We have the worst fans in college basketball. Sure it was a bad loss, but everyone has bad losses in college basketball. Period.

#10 ranked Alabama lost at home last night to Iona.

[NCMSTFAN]

The reason criticism is warranted is the same reason you worried about lashley blocking 7 earlier in the week. History repeats itself when their are no changes. Anybody that expects (vs hoping) this team to be special is disregarding how bad howeland has coached at times.

We shot 49% from the field and 38% from three against Morehead, 59% from the field and 50% from three against Detroit, 52% from the field and 50% from three against Montana, and 48% from the field and 33% from three against North Alabama.... I know those teams are lesser competition but we have shooters and scorers on this team.. it was a bad shooting night, it happens, if it continues going forward we have issues but I would chalk this one up as a bad shooting night

[CadaverDawg]

We have the worst fans in college basketball. Sure it was a bad loss, but everyone has bad losses in college basketball. Period.

#10 ranked Alabama lost at home last night to Iona.

It's not the loss. Like everything else MSU, it's how we looked doing it. We have too much talent to be a boring assed team that can't break 60. It is what it is.

[Lord McBuckethead]

Effin howland didn't go undefeated!

Maybe we should at least see us play 5-6 sec games before we make judgements

Maybe just maybe, early indications that follow years of the same ole issues we face on offense, is a clear indicator to how the season is going to play out.

[Lord McBuckethead]

I don't think we're a 33% shooting team. Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm chalking this one up to a bad night.

Bad nights, that fit the time proven criticism of his coaching style is an issue.

[msstate7]

Maybe just maybe, early indications that follow years of the same ole issues we face on offense, is a clear indicator to how the season is going to play out.

We've just added smith and rocket to a basic overhauled roster. Basketball requires guys to play together some to figure it out imo

[Joebob]

The bad shooting last night doesn't really bother me. I think that was probably a fluke. It was our inability to solve their defense or to compete in the paint that took the air out of my sales. That reeks of past years under Howland, and as many people have pointed out, I see no reason for that to change. He is what he is. Maybe the players will figure it out for themselves, but that's asking a lot. That's the coach's job. It just kills me to think about this team underachieving the way so many others have just because we have a coach that can't figure out how to make the most of what he's got. But that said, I really do like these players, so maybe there's still hope.

[HoopsDawg]

We shot 49% from the field and 38% from three against Morehead, 59% from the field and 50% from three against Detroit, 52% from the field and 50% from three against Montana, and 48% from the field and 33% from three against North Alabama.... I know those teams are lesser competition but we have shooters and scorers on this team.. it was a bad shooting night, it happens, if it continues going forward we have issues but I would chalk this one up as a bad shooting night

You must not have watched the whole game. There was way more going on than just bad shooting. And there was a reason for the bad shooting.

Tolu hasn't played a game in a about a year. Why start him in his first game back against a quality opponent? That's a poor coaching decision. I'm very worried about forcing Tolu and Brooks on the floor together. Those guys are 5's.

[Coach34]

If our plan is to turn Brooks into our primary 4 then I'm very concerned.

That’s been the plan all along and the reason he transferred. We were always going to play him at 4 and Tolu at the 5

[HoopsDawg]

That’s been the plan all along and the reason he transferred. We were always going to play him at 4 and Tolu at the 5

Then it's the NIT for us.

[NCMSTFAN]

You must not have watched the whole game. There was way more going on than just bad shooting. And there was a reason for the bad shooting.

Tolu hasn't played a game in a about a year. Why start him in his first game back against a quality opponent? That's a poor coaching decision. I'm very worried about forcing Tolu and Brooks on the floor together. Those guys are 5's.

I watched the 1st half, it was a bad game period, games like this happen but you can't shoot the ball like that and win no matter who you are playing against. As I said in another post I'm not sold on Tolu and Brooks playing together yet either... I have to see more games before I make a decision on that. But they can both score and rebound and that can be a problem for other teams. Howland just has to figure a way to make it work, that's why he gets paid what he does

[msstate7]

Dayton, who lost to umass Lowell, lipscomb, and Austin peay, just beat #4 Kansas. Perhaps judging teams by 1 game early in the season isn't an exact science

[R2Dawg]

If our plan is to turn Brooks into our primary 4 then I'm very concerned.

It appears that way. I think that is how we get these players. Howland promises to make Jeffries a guard and Brooks a 4. Why do big men want to play like small players? That seems to be the trend with top players coming here.

[NCMSTFAN]

Dayton, who lost to umass Lowell, lipscomb, and Austin peay, just beat #4 Kansas. Perhaps judging teams by 1 game early in the season isn't an exact science
Exactly, I know we played bad, missed a ton of shots and basically got bullied around.. but its one game.. learn from it and move forward. We still have a ton of talent on this team

[THE Bruce Dickinson]

Dayton, who lost to umass Lowell, lipscomb, and Austin peay, just beat #4 Kansas. Perhaps judging teams by 1 game early in the season isn't an exact science

Bill Self is obviously stuck in the 80s and the game has passed him by.

State needs to hire the next young and upcoming coach that never loses a game. I am sure when we get him he will be impressed with our fan base that doesn't care about basketball yet bitch about it every time we lose and our impressive 4/5 empty arena for big home games.

[yjnkdawg]

The game was played in Baha Mar Convention, Arts & Entertainment Center with a low ceiling. Maybe our players, unlike Louisville, could not adjust to that venue? Howland has a lot of pieces to work with and last night none of our players actually had a good game. One early season loss to a good team, does not mean fire Cohen and Howland, but some will probably have that mentality.

[yjnkdawg]

It appears that way. I think that is how we get these players. Howland promises to make Jeffries a guard and Brooks a 4. Why do big men want to play like small players? That seems to be the trend with top players coming here.


Because that is apparently where their best potential is at the next level. If Howland hadn't made those promises, neither would have transferred here.

[NCMSTFAN]

Because that is apparently where their best potential is at the next level. If Howland hadn't made those promises, neither would have transferred here.
I agree and certain players get promises in the recruiting process all the time. Its not uncommon

[CaptainObvious]

The game was played in Baha Mar Convention, Arts & Entertainment Center with a low ceiling. Maybe our players, unlike Louisville, could not adjust to that venue? Howland has a lot of pieces to work with and last night none of our players actually had a good game. One early season loss to a good team, does not mean fire Cohen and Howland, but some will probably have that mentality.

I?d be willing to keep Howland another year if we could fire Cohen. But we have to replace him with someone who understands the importance of the Full Fan Experience!

Smoot for AD!!!

[sleepy dawg]

It's not the loss. Like everything else MSU, it's how we looked doing it. We have too much talent to be a boring assed team that can't break 60. It is what it is.

It's also not just this loss. It's that we do this sh*t every year. This is a consistent pattern under Howland. This team will probably start playing up to their potential at the end of the season, but by then we'll have ruined our chances for the tournament, or at least a good enough seed to have a good run in the tournament. The early season matters in basketball too, and we're never prepared.

[PGHBulldogBG]

Howland is not getting fired anytime soon. He would need to really blow it and go like 6-12 or worse in the SEC which I don?t think will happen just based on talent alone. I think we go 10-3 in non conference and 10-8 in SEC and we get in as about a 9 or 10 seed.

[chef dixon]

Bottom line is losses like the ones to Louisville are what keep you out come selection Sunday.

[PMDawg]

We got blown out by a pretty average team. Playing on Thanksgiving day, far from home may hold a little blame. We'll see. But getting blown out in our first game against a decent team is like deja vu all over again with Howland. I expect to be a couple of spots on either side of the bubble (no clue which side), but I'm hoping for a 5 or 6 seed. We'll see.

[Ari Gold]

Bottom line is losses like the ones to Louisville are what keep you out come selection Sunday.

And that shitty Louisville team just beat Maryland . Who scored 53 points..
they should shut down the Maryland basketball program..!!!!

[chef dixon]

And that shitty Louisville team just beat Maryland . Who scored 53 points..
they should shut down the Maryland basketball program..!!!!

Didn't say any of that. You know better than anyone not getting quality wins in the non conference keep you out. Look at our one appearance in the last 10 years.

[Cooterpoot]

Howland teams are all over the place every year. I don't even care til late in the season. It seems like it could go either way every year. Hard to get excited about basketball til you feel like you can trust them.

[Ari Gold]

Howland teams are all over the place every year. I don't even care til late in the season. It seems like it could go either way every year. Hard to get excited about basketball til you feel like you can trust them.


When Have we ever trusted them ?
We haven’t made it past the second round since 1996