I’m sure we can make arguments everywhere game-to-game and I also think some - small # - of the individuals have made progress, but overall the team has been getting worse by every objective measure. We lose to good teams and lose to bad teams. All year long.
The offense looked improved, and the defense faltered. We allowed 82-94 points against in 4 consecutive games (Xavier, DePaul, Providence, and Butler). Butler had lost 9 straight games before us, Providence 8/11. We were the get-right. It’s always something. Why we’re 6-13, 1-7. Our total efficiency ratings have dropped like a stone throughout the season across the board regardless of opponent which is probably the absolute best indicator of our level of play.
It’s deeper than only opponent quality and injuries too. We’ve watched this all season. This team has some fundamental issues. It’s a bad job by everyone involved and I hope it’s a one time deal.
But once the OOC played itself out I wasn’t delusional that we were going to have some magical turnaround in the BE with what is on the court. People are still complaining like they expect differently.
I was just looking for some positives with the hopes that we could retain 2-3 players that could have an impact next year. This also goes out on a limb that we can find the money to pay them.
However, Coleman’s OOC vs conference splits are night and day. Middleton and Alibge have improved. Felton is getting some run and Gus brings energy and tends to be in the right sport on the floor. Godswill isn’t horrendous for what I was expecting for a player so raw.
I hate that people believe this was an unknown/ rebuilding year. There is no such thing as a rebuilding year anymore. But I play dumb and think that no one wants our damaged goods and maybe we can bring back the players mentioned above.
If we all we are going to do is complain that we suck and that none of the players we want can be retained…then just wake me up when the season is over. This is the reaction we are getting from the fans, exactly why no one showed up last night, and why they won’t show up for the rest of the year.
Also everyone needs to stop pretending that a reboot next year is going to change anything. It’s like a group 1 public school trying to compete with the parochial schools in NJ hoops. No chance…rinse and repeat, maybe one year you get lucky and 2-3 guys blow away expectations at the time and you have a punchers chance.
So if the die hards can’t try to find a glimmer of hope, then what’s even the point anymore. I am trying to grasp at whatever straw we can at this point. Deep down I am accepting the gloom and doom that our program is done for, in this current state of CBB.
Let me let everyone else in on another little secret, Sha being nice to a bunch of crappy basketball players in the future, doesn’t make them any less crappy. We need talent to start with and we need $$$ to get that talent.
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