Late season meltdowns

[SDHoya]

I think its gotta be said. Since Jeff Green has left, we have had three talented teams that wither at the end of the season. Granted, the team with Roy lost to a hot handed Steph Curry, and Ohio couldn't miss today, but do JTIII's teams lack a certain toughness required to win in March? Why have these teams been so inconsistent? Able to beat the best teams in the country, and then get pounded by a middling MAC team? Who's to blame here? The players? The recruiters? JTIII? Do we need JTII to get more involved to convince these kids to play with a bit of hunger?

[NCHoya]

I think we have great kids on this team. Really great for our university, talented and do everything we could ask. However, I think they are too nice on the court. They lack that killer urgency or toughness. Take CW off this team tonight and those other guys were expressionless for 40 minutes and looked uninterested.

[afalcon10]

I just had the feeling the entire game that we would make a run and pull it out, like most higher seeded teams do. The run never came and we lost by 13. We should not be losing by 13 to a 7-9 MAC squad. for our level of talent, it is simply unacceptable. This ones on the coaches...

[afalcon10]

Mar 18, 2010 20:36:22 GMT -5 NCHoya said:

I think we have great kids on this team. Really great for our university, talented and do everything we could ask. However, I think they are too nice on the court. They lack that killer urgency or toughness. Take CW off this team tonight and those other guys were expressionless for 40 minutes and looked uninterested.

Exaclty, they didnt seem upset at all about what was happening (save greg and chris)

[superan]

Plenty of blame to throw around but at some point, the players have to play some ball.

[757hoyafan]

& you know this how? Amazing!

Mar 18, 2010 20:37:01 GMT -5 afalcon10 said:

Mar 18, 2010 20:36:22 GMT -5 NCHoya said:

I think we have great kids on this team. Really great for our university, talented and do everything we could ask. However, I think they are too nice on the court. They lack that killer urgency or toughness. Take CW off this team tonight and those other guys were expressionless for 40 minutes and looked uninterested.

Exaclty, they didnt seem upset at all about what was happening (save greg and chris)

[RDF]

You can't win any championships trying to outscore teams. Contenders play DEFENSE.

[SDHoya]

I agree RDF. Announcers always talk about the GU tradition of hard nosed D, but have we really seen much of that the last few years?

[afalcon10]

Mar 18, 2010 20:42:09 GMT -5 SDHoya said:

I agree RDF. Announcers always talk about the GU tradition of hard nosed D, but have we really seen much of that the last few years?

GU Tradition = Hard nosed D
GU under JT3 = Soft.

[lucky]

I agree with RDF in this case, there was no urgency, this team just let them score and score and score some more. Very disappointing to the end of a season

[RDF]

Mar 18, 2010 20:42:09 GMT -5 SDHoya said:

I agree RDF. Announcers always talk about the GU tradition of hard nosed D, but have we really seen much of that the last few years?

The '08 team played tough defense-but they went to well too many times with the close games--and got burned by Davidson.

This year--this team got full of themselves and only played defense if they were hitting shots--when they were behind, the shoulders shrugged, body language was horrible, and too many guys in this program feel if they get "numbers" that means they played a "great game". Reality is--your points only matter if you aren't getting destroyed on the other end of the court.

Think this year's team surpassed my BET expectations by making the Final--and disappointed GREATLY by not making Sweet 16--which is what I was expecting as a realistic goal prior to season. Very disappointed--but not hurting as you don't deserve to win a damn thing with horsecrap defense and when other team WANTS THE GAME SO MUCH MORE. Hell, look at Groce prior to game in huddle with his team compared to III/Company who try to be too "cool" and that crap is for the birds. There is a reason this team played really well when he lit into them during that timeout in BET against Cuse--and need more of that with this group. Every team is different but this group of players doesn't respond to his calm, quiet "confidence". They abuse his faith and play no defense.

[smittydakid]

I agree were two passive. Teams take the personality of there coach. Really Jeff Green bailed us out that one year. Major disappointment!

[DallasHoya]

RDF makes a great point. JTIII screamed at the team early in the Cuse game for poor D and they responded. But I guess it's a once a year kind of thing.

[757hoyafan]

I bet JTIII was thinking "Damn I am too cool" ... Man, go make Balla's dinner... GTFOH

Mar 18, 2010 20:49:23 GMT -5 RDF said:

Mar 18, 2010 20:42:09 GMT -5 SDHoya said:

I agree RDF. Announcers always talk about the GU tradition of hard nosed D, but have we really seen much of that the last few years?

The '08 team played tough defense-but they went to well too many times with the close games--and got burned by Davidson.

This year--this team got full of themselves and only played defense if they were hitting shots--when they were behind, the shoulders shrugged, body language was horrible, and too many guys in this program feel if they get "numbers" that means they played a "great game". Reality is--your points only matter if you aren't getting destroyed on the other end of the court.

Think this year's team surpassed my BET expectations by making the Final--and disappointed GREATLY by not making Sweet 16--which is what I was expecting as a realistic goal prior to season. Very disappointed--but not hurting as you don't deserve to win a damn thing with horsecrap defense and when other team WANTS THE GAME SO MUCH MORE. Hell, look at Groce prior to game in huddle with his team compared to III/Company who try to be too "cool" and that crap is for the birds. There is a reason this team played really well when he lit into them during that timeout in BET against Cuse--and need more of that with this group. Every team is different but this group of players doesn't respond to his calm, quiet "confidence". They abuse his faith and play no defense.

[dchead]

Whether it's JTIII or an assistant, this team has needed someone on staff to grab these guys by their jerseys and lay into them when they play such uninspired defense. When they play with no passion or fire (e.g. ND game), the staff seems to just sit passively taking it all in instead of getting in their grills. Take your damn hands out of your pockets and start cracking skulls! (figuratively speaking, of course)

[krukster201]

dchead - your avatar just made me throw up in my mouth almost ... smh