(PRE-GAME) @Butler, Sat., Feb. 5, 12 Noon, FS-1

[usguard]

 Can’t see us being favorite against any BE school other than GT and maybe DePaul

 

[Amaseinyourface]

To me this is essentially a repeat of the Creighton game.  On the road in a place with good home-court advantage against a team that usually executes and moves the ball well.  The challenges will be to

(1) get the game at our pace (which I think will be a bigger advantage against Butler than it is against Creighton which can play that way better than Butler);
(2) defend the perimeter against a team that may move the ball faster than we can scramble; and
(3) be efficient offensively (Posh continuing to use and hit the mid-range jumper, Champ carrying over from the Georgetown game, contributions from a third scorer (probably Wheeler) and the bench.

This team wins when it brings defensive energy, gets good looks and converts those looks into points.  If it lacks defensive energy and the offense has too many unproductive drives to the basket or ill-advised 3s, things don't go well.

X-factor in this game is Aaron Thompson, he's good, experienced, and gave Posh (and us) all sorts of trouble last year.  The move may be to try Mathis or Wusu on him and let Posh harass Chuck Harris.

This is not a game I expect to win, unfortunately - but it could be a W if everything goes
well.

Good call. Thompson got his all second half leading the comeback against Posh including the eventual game winner.

 

[Mullins Revenge]

My only prediction is that if we lose Anderson will be eviscerated here and if we win everyone will say so what they are no good anyway.

I don’t believe in making risky predictions.

This is true.  Beat Butler and then Villanova in the Garden and then the fans attitude might start to turn.  You do not wipe out a bad season up to this point because you beat gtown and butler.

 

[NCJohnnie]

Bottom line is this is not a good Butler team. They have already lost to Hall, UCONN & Xavier at home. If we can't beat them  tomorrow we don't deserve to even be an NIT team. 

 

[usguard]

If we did stuff really well ,we wouldn’t be in the position of hoping every games we play great and our opponent plays bad. That’s our game plan and it’s gets old

 

[beast of the east]

Maybe the biggest X factor is Julian.

Posh has been playing off the charts the past 2 games at least.

Wheeler has been a steady solid contributor.

Soriano the past 3 games had 14, 5, and 9 rebounds I believe.   Yes, he didn't score vs. Providence, but he has steadily improved and Ncjohnnie's early assessment of him is looking better and better.

IF you go down the list, there are a lot of potential contributors.   Huge game to win.   If we do, our fans on here will be recollecting the 1st two years of CMA, and not the initial poor play.

Best prediction.   We win and season outlook talk becomes hopeful.    Lose and the replace CMA gets very active again.

 

[SJU85]

Any news on weather and team travel to Indy with these storms that hit the Midwest?

 On either Thursday or Friday they postponed the Butler vs UConn women's game scheduled for today due to travel issues with Butler.

 

[Mullins Revenge]

Coburn played 16 minutes vs gtown.  I believe that was a season high.  Mathis got 22 and wusu 21 minutes.  Id like to see Coburn get up in the 20 range at the expense of mathis/wusu minutes.

Coburns 3 point ability is just too important to not have out there.

 

[beast of the east]

Coburn played 16 minutes vs gtown.  I believe that was a season high.  Mathis got 22 and wusu 21 minutes.  Id like to see Coburn get up in the 20 range at the expense of mathis/wusu minutes.

Coburns 3 point ability is just too important to not have out there.

Coburn is shooting 43% from 3, which is above his career mark of about 40%.     The glaring thing is that over 70% of his attempts are from 3.   That ratio does not put you on the foul line much and points more towards deserving spot minutes than being at the top of the rotation.

I haven't checked the stats, but Wheeler appears to play inside offensively much more than he was characterized here.   

 

[bamafan]

Coburn played 16 minutes vs gtown.  I believe that was a season high.  Mathis got 22 and wusu 21 minutes.  Id like to see Coburn get up in the 20 range at the expense of mathis/wusu minutes.

Coburns 3 point ability is just too important to not have out there.

Coburn is shooting 43% from 3, which is above his career mark of about 40%.     The glaring thing is that over 70% of his attempts are from 3.   That ratio does not put you on the foul line much and points more towards deserving spot minutes than being at the top of the rotation.

I haven't checked the stats, but Wheeler appears to play inside offensively much more than he was characterized here.   

Disagree. There are what are termed 3 point specialists. If I remember correctly Max Hooper after he went to Oakland took all of his shots from 3. Coburn doesn't get many shots but the ones he does take I would prefer were from 3.

 

[Eric]

As stated earlier in thread. We win and many will say. Butler not so good. Its no big deal.  We lose and open season continues on anderson and the guys.  I expect a win at butler today!!!!   Lets keep the possibilities open still!!!!!

 

[matt105]

I just feel that the team has acquired a great deal of confidence over the past few weeks . They now know that they can play at a level with the best of the league .The guys coming off the bench are making positive  contributions very quickly, our big men are not intimidated to be playing at this level . I expect a very positive result today !!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Section9]

This is going to be a game of tempo, so my unscientific predictions:

If we score 75+ we win.
If we score 65-74 I like our chances.
If we score in the 50s or low 60s, we lose.

 

[Sherman Sheridan & Grant]

This is going to be a game of tempo, so my unscientific predictions:

If we score 75+ we win.
If we score 65-74 I like our chances.

such science!
such analysis!
I have not been following the team or this site too much.
But it seems if Julian C plays at his best level a W is possible in any game.

blessings
 

 

[Knight]

This is going to be a game of tempo, so my unscientific predictions:

If we score 75+ we win.
If we score 65-74 I like our chances.

such science!
such analysis!
I have not been following the team or this site too much.
But it seems if Julian C plays at his best level a W is possible in any game.

blessings

 

Welcome back General.

 

[bamafan]

This is going to be a game of tempo, so my unscientific predictions:

If we score 75+ we win.
If we score 65-74 I like our chances.

such science!
such analysis!
I have not been following the team or this site too much.
But it seems if Julian C plays at his best level a W is possible in any game.

blessings



 

Welcome back General.

Knight finger on the trigger to lock thread and open game thread. /media/kunena/emoticons/wink.png/media/kunena/emoticons/smile.png

 

[monte]

This is going to be a game of tempo, so my unscientific predictions:

If we score 75+ we win.
If we score 65-74 I like our chances.

such science!
such analysis!
I have not been following the team or this site too much.
But it seems if Julian C plays at his best level a W is possible in any game.

blessings

 

Blessings to you too SS+G. Hope you're doing well and will be back to posting regularly. We need your positivity and neutrality here, now more then ever.