Myrmidon76

Holt plays bigger than his listed size. I really like how he sits down in the lane to prevent giving up space on defense. Thats a sight for sore eyes. As far as Hartman goes, I really wish he could have gotten some of Etherington's minutes last year...considering that Austins totals are on par at Butler as they were here...would have liked to have seen Hartman more. Dude sells out on the boards and on defense. Glad hes going to be a difference maker. I do hope that Hartman or Holt becomes the fan favorite. This fanbase needs a hustle guy to be the glue.

I refuse to believe Lousiville will settle. Pitino wants to dictate pace, style, and flow of the game. I imagine they will still insist on going after us inside. 1 game doesnt erase a stack of film showing me that the inside will open up if you attack Perea. Holt is the changer here. His interior skills are lot more polished than Perea will ever hope to be, but he is also undersized compared to big men. He can be moved. Regradless of whether or not we can stay in an active zone...only team defense can keep us in the Lousiville game. In the end, I don't think we can overcome what Louisville has on paper and on film, but it will be a good measuring stick to see how we matchup with a top 10 squad. I hope we win every game, but I also know that losses force growth...and humility. In the end, I hope its an unknown bug that gets us...I hate losing the same way twice.

Concentrated basketball. In all seriousness...I find it that I can't focus on the things that "matter" to me (its the whole coach thing again) if I drink alcohol or too much sugar...so I prefer to sip on a coke or have a water. AFTER the game is a whole different story though. If its a weekend game...skys the limit...if its a weeknight game..maybe a beer or 2.

I'll second that. I will say, its getting to a point with Troy where I hope he doesnt get a defensive rebound...because the percentages tilt heavily in the favor of a "Williams coast to coast missed layup/awkard heave/ turnover" scenario.

It's a good win considering how bad our interior defense has been. However, the upperclassmen need to be the teachers in closing games out, not the ones doing everything possible to make more possessions possible by the opponent.

Yogi and Troy displaying how not to close out a game....shameful.

Defense has been really good so far.

More Holt here on out. Until Troy figures out this is a team sport...pine time.

I saw better defense when we went 6-28. Fact.

"They are extremely well coached".....in 5,4,3....

Don't care what the final score is...nothing...NOTHING has changed about the defense. Nothing.

I...well....facepalm.

Get a guy with a ring or rings. No more "Well he made it to the final four once long ago" crap. Maintain the academic level thats in place...and lets be honest...Marnie, Timmy G, and hopefully coach jackson would probably be retained. Go get the guy who can recruit the midwest and nationally to fill the holes. Go get the guy who understands that when a defense gives up 3 straight buckets during a momentum swing, its ok to use a timeout. Go get the guy who sees the bench as a teaching tool instead of a revolving door. Go get the guy who will hate to lose to Purdue AND Syracuse....AND ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING TO AVOID IT AGAIN. Go get the guy who sees this place as a destination job. Go get the guy who keeps coaching even in the postgame interviews instead of reading bullet points. Does that guy exist? Probably. Do I know who that is? Nope.

Glass accomplished stability..but the job description says stability and success. I don't equate success with wins/losses mind you, but to say that any measure of success to this point has been sustained is an out and out lie.

I'd rather collapse inside and deny the open lane running layup and dare a team to shoot. Hell, I am to the point of a box & one with these guys....

Thought Crean did a wonderful job making the case why he can't get it done. Other than that, he didn't say anything that this fanbase isn't aware of already. In regards to the lip thing at the end of the first half...I'd look that way too if my Junior point guard fouled a 3 point attempt with 2 ticks left.

  Not disputing that assessment. I hope it clicks, but that hope diminishes with every game. I have never been sold on McClain as a bigs coach. The guys he has brought in are not D1 ready, nor has he shown an ability to get them up to speed for the D1 game. I like McClain's ideas for defenses across personnel packages, but beyond that...not so much.

Not sure I would throw Holt into it just yet, BUUUUTTTT...the coach in me would use the threat of doing so to force Hanner to make the decision of sinking or swimming. Hanner is option 1 right now, but if things do not improve the closer we get to conference play then a change has to happen. Yes, Holt has better court awareness and a higher basketball IQ, but he doesn't come across as the type of player to come in a make a big impact right away. Work him in, but utilize that period to make it clear to Hanner...improve or your minutes are gone.

If she is as hot as Gretzky's daughter, then I fully understand.

Strangely, this seems applicable to the defense we exhibited last night....even down to the reference of the game on Monday. ***Warning for language....obviously. Bobby Knight - Angry half time speech: http://youtu.be/uMVmhI1SUq0

Since I don't follow Cal or UK basketball, I don't care what he does or doesn't do for his family. Not sure why anyone here should either.

Didn't see much of the "old man" in the second half. Thought he did pretty well though. Looked like he may have hurt himself on the and one at the end of the first half. Of course, he could have played the entire second half without my noticing due to my rage at watching pickup game defense from our guys.

I will say, this actually is something worthy of discussion over emotional ramblings if we had lost! :biggrin:

  Calling a Larry Brown coached team "nominal at best" certainly comes across as a diminishing statement. I do understand your concern, but I have no problem not allowing a freshman coming off a 4 game suspension come in and get minutes against experienced bigs that include a McDonalds All American....regardless of the hype surrounding him. To be honest, I didn't think Holt would get very many minutes just due to the fact he had logged zero minutes in the college game. Now if he doesn't log very many minutes over these next 2 games, I am right there with you in the concern department.

This is a legit concern, but to diminish the win because Holt didn't play is a bit much. SMU isn't a nominal team, they just cant defend perimeter oriented squads effectively yet. I still like SMU to make the tourney and this win looks nice for a March resume...with or without Holt.