Someone please make me feel ok about basketball going forward

[engie]

shit-Wiley Peck and Timmy Bowers didn't show much as freshmen.

That should speak even more about not harsly judging Ready yet, should it not? And we certainly can't judge the 2 extenuating circumstance RS guys...

[NewTweederEndzoneDance]

The fourth player I put a ? behind their names. Can you not figure out what that means yourself? And I'll bet you all my VCash Devonta Pollard is better than Ndoye and/or Black.

Yes, the question mark means you are not sure who the 4th should be. But you put 2 players who are currently red-shirting and whom you have never seen play in parentheses right behind your question mark, so my point still stands.

[NewTweederEndzoneDance]

That should speak even more about not harsly judging Ready yet, should it not? And we certainly can't judge the 2 extenuating circumstance RS guys...

In my opinion, unless you are recruiting NBA talent, you have to give players a chance to adapt and develop. Not to mention Ready has had trouble staying healthy this year which can't help his early development.

[Dawg61]

In my opinion, unless you are recruiting NBA talent, you have to give players a chance to adapt and develop. Not to mention Ready has had trouble staying healthy this year which can't help his early development.

That's great. Guess Ray will be looking for a new job under your plan. I think I might be the only one trying to save his job.

[thf24]

That's great. Guess Ray will be looking for a new job under your plan. I think I might be the only one trying to save his job.

I've learned it's useless to try to argue against your various unrealistic, unfounded, obsessive assumptions and ideas, so I'll just say that I'm extremely thankful that you aren't our basketball coach.

[drunkernhelldawg]

How can't it get any worse when we aren't even the worst team in our conference? Yeah, we all know, we aren't in a great spot in basketball right now and it's hard to see right now how exactly we're going to get back to where we're used to being. But this histrionic, doomsday attitude some of you have and insist on maintaining isn't helping at all, and makes you look pretty ridiculous to those of us looking at the situation objectively and rationally.

We're used to being third or fourth best in the SEC, at worst. We were The Basketball School in the State of Mississippi. O well.

To me, there is no difference between 8th and 14th place. I think it's ridiculous to think that 13th place is any better than 14th. Maybe for you, but not for me. I just can't find a way to look at totally sucking "rationally".

[drunkernhelldawg]

I agree but he needs 2-3 years to get it going. He's new to Mississippi, the university, the SEC, etching... that's a lot relationships he needs form in a short amount of time. Those things will happen and hopefully he'll continually improve at managing them. By most accounts the beginning of his tenure wasn't the smoothest transition with a lot of the people he needs to be friendly with, but I think time heals all wounds and we'll get better in the immediate future.

I hate to say it, but I think his sink or swim moment could be based on his ability to pull one specific recruit who shall remain nameless. Win that battle and the program turns. If not, it could be the beginning of the end.

That's a super-long shot. First get the player. Then have the player perform according to plan. That's gone wrong a lot more often than it's gone right.

I'm just amazed that "fans" continue to defend the suicide bombing of our basketball program. Even if getting rid of Stans was the correct decision, which is not the certainty that it once was, the way it was handled by our AD and our fanbase are the biggest reasons that we barely even have a basketball program anymore.

I'd just shut up rather than defend the current state of affairs. Talk about a dumpster fire.

And there are different opinions as to whose fault that is. I'm pretty sure the guy in your mirror never had an incorrect thought.

[tcdog70]

That should speak even more about not harsly judging Ready yet, should it not? And we certainly can't judge the 2 extenuating circumstance RS guys...

Agree, he is a freshman. I did say he is Ray's best recruit. but I was pointing out that He has defensive shortcomings to work on. It is hard for short guards to defend in the SEC. He might be our best shooter, wish we would run some plays for Him to shoot. But he is fragile

[Dawg61]

I've learned it's useless to try to argue against your various unrealistic, unfounded, obsessive assumptions and ideas, so I'll just say that I'm extremely thankful that you aren't our basketball coach.

All is well with our basketball program. I'm sure it'll fix itself. Just wait till next year when we get closer to a full roster right? By then I'm sure Thomas, Davis, Bloodman, Sword and the rest will have learned how to shoot.

[thf24]

We're used to being third or fourth best in the SEC, at worst. We were The Basketball School in the State of Mississippi. O well.

To me, there is no difference between 8th and 14th place. I think it's ridiculous to think that 13th place is any better than 14th. Maybe for you, but not for me. I just can't find a way to look at totally sucking "rationally".

3rd or 4th at worst? Here's our conference standing over the ten seasons preceding the 2012 purge:

2011-12: 6
2010-11: 6
2009-10: 5
2008-09: 6
2007-08: 2
2006-07: 6
2005-06: 9
2004-05: 5
2003-04: 1
2002-03: 4
2001-02: 2

Average of 5th place, with a mode of 6th. We were a middle-of-the-road conference team over that time period, only finishing fourth or better, as you claim was our expected norm, four out of ten times. Yes, we're used to being a pretty good basketball team and the present is definitely a significant low, but we're not an elite, prestigious program that should be able to pull itself back together overnight as some of you seem to think. It was going to take anyone barring a Calipari- or Krzyzewski-caliber hire three or four years to put us back into the mid to upper part of the conference. Just give it some time. At the end of next season, if we still can't score and have a ragged roster, then you can say you were right and that we made the wrong move. But at this point, it's just irrational all around to make those claims.

Edit: excuse me, four out of ten times finishing fourth or better.

[Dawg61]

What's irrational is expecting Ray to fill 13 scholarships and develop any sort of functional shooting amongst his players. He needs help. Lots of it.

[Coach34]

We're used to being third or fourth best in the SEC, at worst. We were The Basketball School in the State of Mississippi.

I see this has been addressed- thanks

[Coach34]

3rd or 4th at worst? Here's our conference standing over the ten seasons preceding the 2012 purge:

2011-12: 6
2010-11: 6
2009-10: 5
2008-09: 6
2007-08: 2
2006-07: 6
2005-06: 9
2004-05: 5
2003-04: 1
2002-03: 4
2001-02: 2

Average of 5th place, with a mode of 6th. We were a middle-of-the-road conference team over that time period, only finishing fourth or better, as you claim was our expected norm, four out of ten times. Yes, we're used to being a pretty good basketball team and the present is definitely a significant low, but we're not an elite, prestigious program that should be able to pull itself back together overnight as some of you seem to think. It was going to take anyone barring a Calipari- or Krzyzewski-caliber hire three or four years to put us back into the mid to upper part of the conference. Just give it some time. At the end of next season, if we still can't score and have a ragged roster, then you can say you were right and that we made the wrong move. But at this point, it's just irrational all around to make those claims.

Edit: excuse me, four out of ten times finishing fourth or better.

In addition to your fine work there- I'll take a 2nd chance to remind people that Calipari signed 6-7 Elite players for 2013, and they finished with a 1st round NIT loss. They went 12-6 in the SEC and won 21 games.

College basketball has changed alot in the last 5 years, it's not like it used to be. Mid Major have gained alot of ground.

[HailState39110]

I think he was referring to the stat where we had the 4th most conference wins COMBINED in a 10 year period behind UK, Fla and Tenn . Not where we finished seperately each year. Two different stats .

[engie]

All is well with our basketball program. I'm sure it'll fix itself. Just wait till next year when we get closer to a full roster right? By then I'm sure Thomas, Davis, Bloodman, Sword and the rest will have learned how to shoot.

Why do you persist on going full f'n retard in every single basketball thread? It's a God-forsakenly dumb idea to assume anyone will improve. After all, you want to pull a guy on pace to be a 37% 3 point shooter's scholarship next year.

2013:
Player GP MIN PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TPG FG% FT% 3P%
Craig Sword 23 28.3 13.2 3.6 2.6 2.0 0.5 3.0 .484 .643 .222
Gavin Ware 23 25.0 10.6 7.7 0.3 0.9 0.3 1.4 .595 .636 .000
Colin Borchert 23 28.1 10.0 4.6 1.4 0.9 1.1 2.0 .409 .778 .314
Roquez Johnson 23 23.3 9.0 4.8 0.7 0.5 0.0 1.6 .437 .575 .000
Fred Thomas 22 30.0 8.4 3.0 1.6 1.0 0.9 1.5 .341 .644 .299
I.J. Ready 16 23.6 6.4 1.6 3.1 1.1 0.0 1.6 .426 1.000 .438
Bloodman 23 23.8 5.7 2.0 2.3 1.0 0.0 1.3 .532 .705 .357
Andre Applewhite 12 17.8 5.5 3.9 1.3 0.8 0.1 1.7 .415 .674 .333
Jacoby Davis 19 10.7 2.2 0.9 0.7 0.3 0.0 0.4 .298 .667 .314
Cunningham 23 8.3 1.8 0.4 0.3 0.3 0.0 0.4 .394 .900 .316
Tevin Moore 9 3.4 1.1 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 .571 .200 .500
Totals 23 -- 68 33 13 8 3 14 .446 .656 .312

2012:
Player GP MIN PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TPG FG% FT% 3P%
Craig Sword 32 26.7 10.5 2.9 2.3 1.7 0.4 4.0 .405 .554 .194
Jalen Steele 18 26.6 10.1 2.9 1.1 0.8 0.1 1.8 .339 .923 .329
Fred Thomas 32 28.7 9.7 3.5 1.3 1.8 0.8 1.5 .328 .795 .238
Colin Borchert 29 27.0 9.0 5.0 1.3 1.1 1.2 2.3 .413 .659 .337
Roquez Johnson 28 26.1 8.8 4.5 0.4 0.8 0.5 2.5 .425 .596 .278
Gavin Ware 32 25.8 8.4 6.4 0.3 0.5 0.8 1.3 .542 .562 .000
Wendell Lewis 8 21.0 8.1 4.9 0.8 0.4 0.4 1.5 .568 .938 .000
Bloodman 32 29.1 6.1 3.3 2.3 1.2 0.0 2.8 .352 .726 .279
Cunningham 32 20.7 2.4 2.4 1.3 0.7 0.1 1.0 .368 .615 .413
Baxter Price 21 4.8 0.0 0.2 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.3 .000 .000 .000
Totals 32 -- 61 33 10 8 4 17 .401 .657 .284

We are better in basically every f'ing facet right now than we were last year. On our current improvement schedule, we will shoot 34% from 3 next year -- and 49.1% overall -- score 75 -- 16 assists per game -- get down to 11 Turnovers.

In 14 years, Stansbury put together a GRAND TOTAL of two teams with a higher scoring average than we will have next year if we simply improve by the same margin we did this year -- and he NEVER had a better overall FG% team.

But the sky is falling -- and there's NO WAY we can go anywhere with these players. Time to SCRAP it and start over** Because YOU don't SEE the improvement**

[Dawg61]

Whose going to shoot .37% from 3 next year? Fred Thomas? You must be joking right. Because he went from putrid .24% to an ugly .30% he's going to magically shoot .37% next year? Engie I like you and you have many fantastic posts but COME ON MAN. Fred Thomas is more likely to grow 6 inches and become a 7footer than he is to shoot .37% from 3.

[Coach34]

I'm pretty sure he is talking about Bloodman

But I will add that Rayyvern Johnson improved his 3pt% by 10% from Fr to Sr year. I wont be surprised to see FTF hitting 34-35% next year with a complete team

[engie]

Whose going to shoot .37% from 3 next year? Fred Thomas? You must be joking right. Because he went from putrid .24% to an ugly .30% he's going to magically shoot .37% next year? Engie I like you and you have many fantastic posts but COME ON MAN. Fred Thomas is more likely to grow 6 inches and become a 7footer than he is to shoot .37% from 3.

No -- I don't think he's going to hit only one of every 300 shots**

Yeah -- I know -- you already told us how we aren't going to get any better and haven't improved. And when I show you the numbers, you roll into an argument that THESE PLAYERS can't improve any more -- although I've already shown you that they have. Tremendously so. But you are stuck applying Stansbury player development to Ray and refusing to "believe".

Thomas has shot 35% from 3 over our SEC losing streak in the past 5. 35.5% from 3 since the beginning of January(11 games). Sky is falling and there is no way he ever learns to really shoot it though. NO CHANCE he can improve another couple of percent on this number next year(which is alot closer to "his" reality -- now that he's starting to find a little confidence). Pull his scholly**

I feel like you are watching basketball from an entirely different planet than I am at this point.

[Coach34]

He's really gonna freak when we have a full team + Staley next year and Bear never sees the floor

[mcdawg]

I'm pretty sure he is talking about Bloodman

But I will add that Rayyvern Johnson improved his 3pt% by 10% from Fr to Sr year. I wont be surprised to see FTF hitting 34-35% next year with a complete team

But Engie insists that nobody improved under Stans, so how could he improve by 10%? Engie, please get off the Stans stuff and just post your info. I know a lot of people are tired of it. I do think Fred will improve, but I don't know if I like him shooting so much from the corner. In the games that I have attended, a lot of his shots aren't even close. He seems to shoot better from other spots closer to the top of the key.