BASKETBALL Middle Tennessee(10-1) @ VCU (7-3), (ASN), 6pm, Saturday, December 17, 2016
- Thread starter SpaceRaider
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Huge disappearing acts from some players as well. I mean, you can't have a starting guard not score a single point throughout the game (Ed Simpson....0 points). Giddy Potts can only do so much. Feel sorry for the guy he was nearly perfect from 3 but it didn't matter. Turning the ball over 12 times on the road isn't going to help your cause either. Unacceptable.
I suppose. Makes me wonder how good we really are. That's a team who just got their clocks CLEANED by Illinois and Georgia Tech and BARELY scrapped by an average Old Dominion team (ODU only 5-4 thus far this season). VCU is not that good.
If we continue to play like we did tonight we'll be lucky to split the next 2 games.
If we continue to play like we did tonight we'll be lucky to split the next 2 games.
We have not turned the ball over this year, but did tonight. In the key stretch we simple could not score. It was also a hostile environment. Lots of coaching will come from this game. All our goals are before us. Go Raiders.
That's a tough loss and that game didn't go the way I anticipated at all.
I expected the post for MT to come through huge tonight, but Williams struggled for the majority of the game and Upshaw struggled to just get the ball in his hands at times.
Still, hard to get down on this group. That's one of the toughest places to play in the country. Seriously. Giddy is such a gamer, but VCU did a fantastic job of shadowing him late to keep the ball out of his hands. That was some masterful defence being played, and MT still almost pulled it out.
Might wish they had that W when it's all said and done, but that's not a bad loss either.
They certainly "competed."
I expected the post for MT to come through huge tonight, but Williams struggled for the majority of the game and Upshaw struggled to just get the ball in his hands at times.
Still, hard to get down on this group. That's one of the toughest places to play in the country. Seriously. Giddy is such a gamer, but VCU did a fantastic job of shadowing him late to keep the ball out of his hands. That was some masterful defence being played, and MT still almost pulled it out.
Might wish they had that W when it's all said and done, but that's not a bad loss either.
They certainly "competed."
I think read something about Simpson saying he was about 90% from the injury suffered in March a couple of weeks ago. I wondered tonight with his ineffectiveness if he was still not 100%.
Free throws hurt. Five turnovers in the opening minutes hurt, just seven in the last 35 minutes. VCU was uncharacteristic in NOT turning over the ball as they have been a turnover machine to this point in the season.
VCU had a week to prepare. This was the best team they are going to go against the rest of the season. It was their 'superbowl' no matter how much vcu fans were deriding the Blue Raiders as unworthy opponents before the game on twitter. It was at home and they got every bounce and roll of the ball around the rim it seemed, and every benefit of the doubt from referees who must call a lot of A10 games and never have to worry about seeing MT again this season.
I thought Dixon is showing huge progress as a freshman and that's a credit to Kermit taking it slow with him at the beginning of the season.
Georgia State up next and the Raiders need to get right by getting a W before seeing UAB in a couple of weeks.
Free throws hurt. Five turnovers in the opening minutes hurt, just seven in the last 35 minutes. VCU was uncharacteristic in NOT turning over the ball as they have been a turnover machine to this point in the season.
VCU had a week to prepare. This was the best team they are going to go against the rest of the season. It was their 'superbowl' no matter how much vcu fans were deriding the Blue Raiders as unworthy opponents before the game on twitter. It was at home and they got every bounce and roll of the ball around the rim it seemed, and every benefit of the doubt from referees who must call a lot of A10 games and never have to worry about seeing MT again this season.
I thought Dixon is showing huge progress as a freshman and that's a credit to Kermit taking it slow with him at the beginning of the season.
Georgia State up next and the Raiders need to get right by getting a W before seeing UAB in a couple of weeks.
Not upset about tonight. Only thing I am upset about is we lost to a team that their fans give Western fans a run for their money with how obnoxious they are.
On a positive note, Dixon is improving with each game. He is going to be a good one.
On a positive note, Dixon is improving with each game. He is going to be a good one.
It's too bad this wasn't a neutral site or home game for us. We would have boat raced them for sure.
They had to play their best game of the season in front of an obnoxious crowd @ home while we didn't play particularly well and they still only won by 3 points. Not impressed. Not impressed at all.
They had to play their best game of the season in front of an obnoxious crowd @ home while we didn't play particularly well and they still only won by 3 points. Not impressed. Not impressed at all.
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Corey Williams starting the game 2-12 was uncharacteristic and the difference between winning and losing.
I'm guessing VCU played one of their better games this season. It appeared that the VCU Rams were ready for a big game even if their fans were ignorant and obnoxious.
As much as I might have wanted MT to win tonight, VCU is not a slouch program. Packed rowdy home court, a Final Four, and about 6 straight NCAA tourney appearances translates into a proven winner that knows how to win big games. Had MT played a little better, MT likely would have won. As it turned out though, they were up for a big game on their home court. In the end, I don't see the national college bball punditry berating MT for losing by 3 at VCU when March Madness approaches.
The 3 factors that cost MT the game IMO:
Guards, particularly young PG out of sorts in the big hostile environment for the first few minutes of the game. I guess the same could be said for all of the starting players.
Secondly, MT failed to turnover VCU. Maybe that was credit to VCU for cleaning up that part of their game.
Thirdly, and maybe most importantly, MT was not physical and strong around the rim. It was uncharacteristic for the Blue Raiders, but they just weren't at the top of their usual physical and tough selves around the rim and in the paint.
BTW, I think most any team in America would be pretty happy to have only 12 turnovers on the road at VCU.
As much as I might have wanted MT to win tonight, VCU is not a slouch program. Packed rowdy home court, a Final Four, and about 6 straight NCAA tourney appearances translates into a proven winner that knows how to win big games. Had MT played a little better, MT likely would have won. As it turned out though, they were up for a big game on their home court. In the end, I don't see the national college bball punditry berating MT for losing by 3 at VCU when March Madness approaches.
The 3 factors that cost MT the game IMO:
Guards, particularly young PG out of sorts in the big hostile environment for the first few minutes of the game. I guess the same could be said for all of the starting players.
Secondly, MT failed to turnover VCU. Maybe that was credit to VCU for cleaning up that part of their game.
Thirdly, and maybe most importantly, MT was not physical and strong around the rim. It was uncharacteristic for the Blue Raiders, but they just weren't at the top of their usual physical and tough selves around the rim and in the paint.
BTW, I think most any team in America would be pretty happy to have only 12 turnovers on the road at VCU.
Their style of play gives us problems. We aren't an uptempo team as we saw last year and tonight it takes a minute to adjust to that pressure. We can't simulate that in practice because that isn't us. we won't see pressing and trapping teams like VCU the rest of the year. Nothing to be ashamed of with this loss. Hopefully we can run off another 8 game streak
I finally watched that interview after MT lost to them. Was pretty interesting. He seems like a likable enough guy. He made some good points about MT and football. The kind of stuff us diehard fans may have known for a long time, but the casual fan may not be aware. It's a genuine issue especially for G5 programs in allocation of funds and support between 2 or 3 major program in FB, MBB, and WBB. I highly doubt programs like VCU and Belmont would have been able to maintain their level of bball success if they were also trying to be successful in big time football. To me, it's all the more reason to support the job Kermit has done the last 5 and 6 years. Kermit is earning even more of a pay raise so far this season in my opinion.
The total of the turnovers wasn't too bad it was when they happened. We were up 5 with about 10 mins left and got sloppy and really never recovered.
Really unfair assessment. VCU is a NCAA tourney team and had a sold out crowd. VCU played great and had us off schedule the entire game. They are the best team we've faced all year thus far. Great fullcourt/ half court press. That one guy, Mo Alie Cox was brilliant inside. Their game plan was excellent and so was their execution.
Our biggest problem was missing free throws. Giddy missed 2 late and that would have gotten us within 1. We missed a bunch more which would have won it. We will learn and grow. VCU beat us last year and we got better. It will go down as a defining game. Beating Ole Miss, Vandy and Belmont were great wins so we are having a great season. VCU was a matter of us not executing and not hitting free shots when the clock wasn't moving.
Sidelines:
http://mtsusidelines.com/2016/12/vcu-ends-raiders-8-game-win-streak/
VCU ends Raiders’ 8-game win streak
Murfreesboro Post:
MT men fall at VCU
goblueraiders.com:
http://goblueraiders.com/news/2016/...raiders-run-ends-in-richmond.aspx?path=mbball
Raiders' run ends in Richmond
vcuramnation.com:
https://www.vcuramnation.com/2016/12/vcu-pulls-tough-home-win-blue-raiders-80-77/
VCU pulls out tough home win against Blue Raiders, 80-77
AP article via The Virginia-Pilot:
http://pilotonline.com/news/nation-...cle_3789f23f-245f-5304-a9a8-c9682fcfa9b1.html
Lewis scores 20, VCU holds off Middle Tennessee 80-77
Richmond Times Dispatch:
VCU gets past Middle Tennessee
.
http://mtsusidelines.com/2016/12/vcu-ends-raiders-8-game-win-streak/
VCU ends Raiders’ 8-game win streak
Murfreesboro Post:
MT men fall at VCU
goblueraiders.com:
http://goblueraiders.com/news/2016/...raiders-run-ends-in-richmond.aspx?path=mbball
Raiders' run ends in Richmond
vcuramnation.com:
https://www.vcuramnation.com/2016/12/vcu-pulls-tough-home-win-blue-raiders-80-77/
VCU pulls out tough home win against Blue Raiders, 80-77
AP article via The Virginia-Pilot:
http://pilotonline.com/news/nation-...cle_3789f23f-245f-5304-a9a8-c9682fcfa9b1.html
Lewis scores 20, VCU holds off Middle Tennessee 80-77
Richmond Times Dispatch:
VCU gets past Middle Tennessee
.
I watched and listened to the ASN broadcast last night. I want to say those announcers were pretty awful. If they ever called out who a foul was on and what # foul it was on the player I never heard. I had to go to my Score app to get the information the announcers were omitting.
I think the kid from Dickson was really trying to make a point (no pun intended) down the stretch when they needed it. Jaquan is really good. Watched him play as a freshman for them against Belmont.
I went back and watched it too. Interesting last 5 minutes. I am one of those fans that probably wouldn't care tooooo much if MT was a basketball school, dropping football.
Of course, I'd drop football or preds for a MLB team in Nashville...
Of course, I'd drop football or preds for a MLB team in Nashville...
warren nolan live rpi: MT before #7 now #6/ VCU before #48 now #22
Live-RPI.com: MT before #6 now #6 / VCU before #48 now #22
Sagarin: MT before #56 now #56 / VCU before #58 now #59
Pomeroy: MT #65 now #61 / VCU before #50 now #56
KPI: MT before #13 now #16 / VCU before #58 now #26
Live-RPI.com: MT before #6 now #6 / VCU before #48 now #22
Sagarin: MT before #56 now #56 / VCU before #58 now #59
Pomeroy: MT #65 now #61 / VCU before #50 now #56
KPI: MT before #13 now #16 / VCU before #58 now #26
It was a great environment for sure. A lot easier to boast sell outs and create a loud atmosphere in the smaller arenas. Plus, having a student section willing to make noise throughout helps.
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