There is stuff that has been going on this season that will become news all too soon. I wish we could all control our emotions better and not make a disappointing season a reason to attack some really good kids and men who coach them. When the news comes out some of you will regret the nasty stuff you've been saying. At least those of you with brains.
In the end, our roster is just too thin and too short. In game strategy can only do so much when you basically have 2 small forwards as your big men, and three guards comprising your rotation. Basketball is unforgiving when it comes to height, and in the absence of height, the lack of depth has been a crusher for us.
When you have to double down, teams with skilled big men will kick it to open perimeter players. One on one, we got crushed by big men who seemed to score at will. In our losses, teams made their open looks when we doubled down. Hard to come up with a strategy to beat that.
There's really only one strategy that could have helped this team win over the past three and that is make your outside shots and make sure you get good looks. They failed in the former, and did okay in the latter. If this team doesn't make shots, they don't win. period.
In terms of roster, I'd take each of our starting 5 in a heartbeat. After that the falloff was radical. There wasn't a single game where our bigs, Keita and Roberts outplayed the opposition, and nearly all the time they were tremendously overmatched either by skilled Euro plodders, athletic and talented bigs, really anyone 6'8 or better. The height differential was too much for our top 5 to make up for considering the lack of depth. In college 2 fouls in the 1st half puts you on the bench, 3 in early 2nd half bendches you again, and 4 anytime above 7 minutes benches you. With just 5 capable players, it was too much to ask our smaller guys to play physical against larger opponents.
The staff greatly overrated what Keita would bring. The knee injury hurt for sure, but he hasn't shown much. Roberts get puched around too easily.
Heron and Ponds injuries hurt a ton.
I didn't go over the top after big wins, and i didn't lose it after we lost winnable games.
Still and all, 10 wins were attainable, and 9 looks like would have locked up a bid - certainly 10 would. Big disappointment, but I'd also remind you guys that just 3 weeks ago, the biggest and nastiest critics right now were singng that they loved this team and it was among their favorite. You can't have it both ways after a 3 game collapse.
Think of our collective mindset. We would have collecitvely been calling for Xavier's coach to be fired after their miserable start. We'd be moaning over Nova and MArquette's late season swoon, and if we were Providence fans, moaning how Cooley can't coach and the team sucks. Forget about being a DePaul fan, who makes our program seem like Duke.
Facts are facts though. We lost 2 to Providence, Xavier, and DePaul, and without inspection makes for an unsuccessful campaign. It's disappointing, and depressing.
I had said a few weeks ago that 9-9 in conference without a bid would make this season a disappointment. 8-10 certainly is a failed season. I'd like for us to have been healthy and see how it went, but injuries are part of the game.
