Our basketball team is...

[It_Could_Happen]

One shooter away from being good. And I mean a guy who can consistently hit a 3 and free throws. Sword can't be stopped going to the rim. Ware will get better. We just lack a shooter. Maybe IJ can be that guy.

[Political Hack]

and an inside presence. Guys who can handle the rock coming up the floor. another slasher that doesn't have to take the ball up the floor. to rotate the ball more quickly. to move better without the ball. and to be more under control after making a good defensive play and pressing the ball up the floor.

we so that and we'll be pretty good.

seriously though, I think we're just a few good players away. This team looks well coached, but they just don't quite have the horses to run with the better teams yet.

[It_Could_Happen]

They have a lot of fight and they showed that tonight. It was fun to watch.

[Dawgface]

If they were just a good FT shooting team, they would have been in the game at the end. Maybe that will improve.

[maroonmania]

We have some parts but this team can't shoot from the field, can't shoot free throws, doesn't rebound well and doesn't defend the perimeter well. Other than that we are good to go.

[HailState39110]

I honestly think that Ray better learn to bring in a big name or two in his next class or his career will end in more turmoil than the day he was hired. I'm pulling for Ray to succeed, but if he doesn't , the real question we must all ask is if you trust Stricklin again to make another hire? I personally do not and would prefer a search committee made up of a few basketball alumni such as Damp and Shane power mixed in with a few big time donors

[Raytoraid83]

They have a lot of fight and they showed that tonight. It was fun to watch.

We lost to one of the worst teams in the ncaa without two of there top players at home. I don't know what was fun about watching that.

[Coach34]

We were 3-18 from 3 and 10/20 from the Line.

We need more than 1 shooter. Bad thing is- Borchert and FTF can shoot but they arent helping right now. Borchert cant stay on the floor because of foul trouble, and FTF looks scared to shoot.

We are still young and will get better- but we need a shooter and another big man

[msugolf]

We were 3-18 from 3 and 10/20 from the Line.

We need more than 1 shooter. Bad thing is- Borchert and FTF can shoot but they arent helping right now. Borchert cant stay on the floor because of foul trouble, and FTF looks scared to shoot.

We are still young and will get better- but we need a shooter and another big man

Unfortunately we won't have either a shooter or an impact big man next year. Ray is going to have to start hurting some feelings with scholarships if he wants to stick around. We've already got two commitments for 2015 and they're not exactly "game changer" type players.

[bully99]

College basketball has just about become unwatchable. Nothing but a foul fest. One thing I will say about the blackbears is they play with a lot of energy, which is not always the case with Ray. Need better players and better play.

[state66]

Ray claims everyone is focused on there lack of offense but we lost due to our D. Is it just me or did we lose because of missed shots leading to transition baskets. If he's claiming we need to play better in transition then thats extremely hard to due especially without causing foul trouble. Now I agree there were some moments in half court sets where we didnt play the best D but my assumption from the game was all our missed shots led to alot of easy baskets towards the end. This is going to sound obvious as shit but a better FG% and our offense opens up alot better as well as creates alot more half court sets for our D to get in position to defend. Just my overall thought on the game.

[preachermatt83]

I am really pulling for ray to succeed.. There are times I think he is gonna make it happen but there were times tonight that I honestly think we were worse than we were last year.

[Coach34]

. One thing I will say about the blackbears is they play with a lot of energy, which is not always the case with Ray.

This is why you catch shit- most of your responses are very negative or about OM

[CadaverDawg]

I honestly think that Ray better learn to bring in a big name or two in his next class or his career will end in more turmoil than the day he was hired. I'm pulling for Ray to succeed, but if he doesn't , the real question we must all ask is if you trust Stricklin again to make another hire? I personally do not and would prefer a search committee made up of a few basketball alumni such as Damp and Shane power mixed in with a few big time donors

Let's be honest....he can't do worse can he?

I mean, I'm pulling for Ray but he can't have his team playing with less effort in year 2 than in year 1. And our shooting has actually gotten worse, and I didn't think that was possible. I'm still supporting Ray, but the combination of a turd tonight against a bad team, and no sight of any help in the next year or two in recruiting...leaves me wondering if Ray will simply be a bridge between Stands and our next decent coach.

Ray's teams will HAVE to out hustle their opponent and be fundamentally sound to have any success and for Ray to last more than 3-4 years. The horrible free throw shooting, overall shooting, and regression in defense we've seen this season, has me not feeling too well. I felt great when they were scrapping defensively and showing signs of improvement....tonight was a step back though, along with several other games this season so far. We'll see. I'm pulling for him.

[TheRef]

Let's be honest....he can't do worse can he?

I mean, I'm pulling for Ray but he can't have his team playing with less effort in year 2 than in year 1. And our shooting has actually gotten worse, and I didn't think that was possible. I'm still supporting Ray, but the combination of a turd tonight against a bad team, and no sight of any help in the next year or two in recruiting...leaves me wondering if Ray will simply be a bridge between Stands and our next decent coach.

Ray's teams will HAVE to out hustle their opponent and be fundamentally sound to have any success and for Ray to last more than 3-4 years. The horrible free throw shooting, overall shooting, and regression in defense we've seen this season, has me not feeling too well. I felt great when they were scrapping defensively and showing signs of improvement....tonight was a step back though, along with several other games this season so far. We'll see. I'm pulling for him.

Agreed. I hate to say it but I think Ray may be the basketball version of Croom as far as the discipline side.

[rem101]

Free throws = Devon bell

Three pointers = sobiask or however you spell it

[bully99]

Hell everybody on here is negative. That's what message boards are about. They're bitch fests. If you want sunshine up your ass that's what Swindoll is about. Saying Ole Miss plays with energy is controversial.? Wow.

[thunderclap]

That was fuuuuuugly.

[Bark]

We had that consistent 3 point shooter in Jalen Steele. Hopefully things get better, it's only year 2 after starting over from scratch.

[CJDAWG85]

If Sword would've attacked the basket in the first half like he did in the second half, then we probably win the game. That and FT's and 3's are out worst enemy. But not blaming Sword... he played his ass off...

[Dawg61]

Is all left-handed

[Coach34]

Hell everybody on here is negative. That's what message boards are about. They're bitch fests. If you want sunshine up your ass that's what Swindoll is about. Saying Ole Miss plays with energy is controversial.? Wow.

Whoa Hoss- nobody is asking for a bunch of sunshine here. But nothing but negativity plus Rebel praise raises some red flags

In the last 7-8 days you have:

Predicted an Egg Bowl blowout against us
Criticized Cohen's recruiting and said OM's was better
Talked about OM's effort in basketball being better than ours
Been constantly negative


Just find that interesting

[smootness]

Criticized Cohen's recruiting and said OM's was better

This is the one that is just completely absurd and should probably get you banned.

Imagine if Jimbo Fisher loses the national championship game, then pulls in a recruiting class ranked #2 in the country by 247. But then some entity like Under Armour comes out with their own recruiting ranking, and FSU is ranked 16th. It would be like an FSU fan spouting that, 'This recruiting isn't good enough. How can this happen, and how are we supposed to stay ahead like this? Ugh!'

That fan would be ridiculed beyond belief and would probably be banned from every FSU site that exists.

[rabbitthedawg]

For the first time in 10 years I did not renew my two season tickets to the basketball games. Now I know why the decision was made even though it costs me some Bulldog Club points.

[MarketingBully01]

I agree with you 100% Smoot. I dont think there is much we can say bad about the baseball team much less our baseball recruiting. We nearly won a national championship in that sport for goodness sakes, geez.

[MarketingBully01]

Predicting Ole Miss to blow us out when the Egg Bowl is in Starkville is just bad form. Shit, they haven't beaten us in Starkville since 2003 (a really bad Sherrill team that had given up on him mind you). You have to believe that when the game is in Starkville no matter the circumstances we will pull it out. After this year, that should be proven fact.

[MarketingBully01]

We aren't a bad team athletically we just lack a lot of confidence and understanding of shooting technique. Sword is a lot like Jamont Gordon IMO and he needs to get points like Jamont did. Ware is a great player but he needs to understand how to get position on the inside and when to release the ball and when to try to score it. Ray needs to hire some competent assistants if he is going to succeed. People like a Coach Kirby that helped Stans out quite a bit for inside play would be a big start. Hiring back Marcus Grant would be huge too. But I digress, those things probably won't happen but if they did he could probably earn more people's support back and save his job in the long run.

[Coach34]

We had that consistent 3 point shooter in Jalen Steele. Hopefully things get better, it's only year 2 after starting over from scratch.

Jalen Steele demanded to redshirt this year- he wasnt going to play regardless. Cant blame Ray for that

[Coach34]

Predicting Ole Miss to blow us out when the Egg Bowl is in Starkville is just bad form. Shit, they haven't beaten us in Starkville since 2003 (a really bad Sherrill team that had given up on him mind you). You have to believe that when the game is in Starkville no matter the circumstances we will pull it out. After this year, that should be proven fact.

What blew my mind was- Alabama couldnt blow us out in Starkville- but yet someone would think Ole Miss is going to? Seriously?

[maroonmania]

Let's be honest....he can't do worse can he?

I mean, I'm pulling for Ray but he can't have his team playing with less effort in year 2 than in year 1. And our shooting has actually gotten worse, and I didn't think that was possible. I'm still supporting Ray, but the combination of a turd tonight against a bad team, and no sight of any help in the next year or two in recruiting...leaves me wondering if Ray will simply be a bridge between Stands and our next decent coach.

Ray's teams will HAVE to out hustle their opponent and be fundamentally sound to have any success and for Ray to last more than 3-4 years. The horrible free throw shooting, overall shooting, and regression in defense we've seen this season, has me not feeling too well. I felt great when they were scrapping defensively and showing signs of improvement....tonight was a step back though, along with several other games this season so far. We'll see. I'm pulling for him.

Last year I gave Ray a total pass but NOW I'm really starting to have my doubts with him. This team not only is not shooting the ball well from the field or FT stripe, which maybe Ray can't help do much about, but they are not playing with great effort nor are they playing good defense or rebounding. Those ARE things that a coach can greatly affect unless he has players that won't listen to him. If we have guys that aren't willing to put it on the line defensively or play with great effort then their rear end needs to be on the bench especially this year when we have a few more bodies. The efforts we've given and the quality of basketball we've played the last 3 games (Jackson St., Loyola and TCU) against 3 average to bad basketball teams does not bode well for where this program is heading this year under Ray. We already KNOW we stepped back a notch from Stans to Ray in the recruiting world so if Ray can't get his teams to play with more effort than Stans' teams AND play like they are better coached on the floor then we are totally sunk as a basketball program for the near future.

[NewTweederEndzoneDance]

I honestly think that Ray better learn to bring in a big name or two in his next class or his career will end in more turmoil than the day he was hired. I'm pulling for Ray to succeed, but if he doesn't , the real question we must all ask is if you trust Stricklin again to make another hire? I personally do not and would prefer a search committee made up of a few basketball alumni such as Damp and Shane power mixed in with a few big time donors

What in the world makes you think that a couple of former players and some big money donors are even remotely qualified to decide who should be a collegiate coach in any sport? I appreciate anyone who gives money, especially those that give a lot of it, but that in no way should qualify them to make actual decisions. If the AD isn't trusted to do a coaching search himself, there are actual businesses out there that specialize in that sort of thing. I would 1 billion percent rather bring in an outside firm to identify and coordinate a search than let the good old boy network conduct a search.

Shit, I can see it now: "Coach ____, if we hire you, will you make sure your players are available for all my kids birthday parties? And I'm going to need access to the locker room at all times, with whomever I decide to bring with me. Oh, and if I call in the middle of the night, you better answer your phone and give me the gameplan for the next game."

[WinningIsRelentless]

The better question is what is he looking at recruiting these guys? I mean they didn't learn not to shoot over night.

[Coach34]

One problem we have is that Borchert is one of our best outside shooters. The new basketball rules are killing him- he is staying in foul trouble and on the bench. He isnt playing enough to get in a rhythm. He early foul trouble the last 2 games puts us in a hole size-wise also.

But we simply have to start making some shots.

3-18 from 3....10/20 from the Line is awful.- TCU
4-16 from 3....17/28 from the Line is awful- Loyola
4-13 from 3....14/19 from the Line is good- Jackson State

11-47 the last 3 games from 3- 23.4%

You're not going to beat anyone shooting like that

[C222]

delete

[smootness]

The better question is what is he looking at recruiting these guys? I mean they didn't learn not to shoot over night.

Stans recruited Sword and Thomas. Davis seems to be a good shooter, and Ready as well. Borchert can shoot.

Our best shooters seem to be guys that Ray brought in.

[C222]

Stans recruited Sword and Thomas. Davis seems to be a good shooter, and Ready as well. Borchert can shoot.

Our best shooters seem to be guys that Ray brought in.

Dunlap is a great shooter.

[tcdog70]

They have a lot of fight and they showed that tonight. It was fun to watch.

wtf, I haven't had that much fun since I got my dick caught in my zipper

[tcdog70]

Stans recruited Sword and Thomas. Davis seems to be a good shooter, and Ready as well. Borchert can shoot.

Our best shooters seem to be guys that Ray brought in.

to Me Ray is backward in His offense. He has instructed them to not shoot a 3 until the end of the shot clock. He should set up a 3-point shooter early in the clock and if that doesn't work them take it to the hole.I see nothing that gets a shooter to His spot to attempt a good 3 point shot. I think Fred has become afraid to shoot. A bad shot is better than a turnover.

[Drugdog]

Coach,
Send bully99 back to nafoom.

[MadDawg]

We lost to one of the worst teams in the ncaa without two of there top players at home. I don't know what was fun about watching that.

I eventually turned off the tv and turned on the radio. This team is hard to watch. Much better to let the radio guys describe the action than to have to watch it unfold with my own eyes.

Fun to watch? Holy shit.

[fishwater99]

http://www.cdispatch.com/msusports/a....asp?aid=29420

"We need to get (Craig Sword) more help on the offensive end," Ready said. "If we are going to shoot 18 3-pointers in the game, but we have to make more of them. We have to get to the gym and make shots. Some of us aren't getting in the gym and putting the work in."


IJ Ready was pissed after last night, and Sword, Ware and Johnson can play ball. But they need some help. FTF needs to step it up.
I don't think we have seen the real IJ Ready yet, he is still hurt.
We just need a few more SEC players, like a 3 point shooter and another big man.

I think most of us can agree that a change was needed at the Head Coaching position.
Time will tell if Scott made a bad decision or not, is Ray our Croom of basketball, maybe?
Rick Ray needs to learn to recruit and do it in a hurry, or I will be ready for him to leave too.
We need to make room for Pollard and sign a true 3 point shooter and a Big Man ASAP...

We can't live and Die by the 3 Ball...