this game is 100% on collins and staff

[haywood jahblowme]

just kidding. i completely disagree and have all year when people have said that.

based on the 1st half i think CCC and staff did a fantastic job getting an undermanned team ready to play.

however, in crunch time, players need to make plays, not lock up, and not get scared when a team makes a run. while there have been different circumstances at other games - the team that played the first half could have been playing all year. their inability to bring a consistent level of high play has doomed this season. and in my opinion that is on the players and not the staff.

i feel bad for both the players and coaches as i am sure none them figured their season would go this way. but as other posters have mentioned hopefully this is a learning season for the staff and players moving forward.

 

[Sec.112]

You got me. My fingers were ready for the response.

 

[VirginiaWildcat]

just kidding. i completely disagree and have all year when people have said that.

based on the 1st half i think CCC and staff did a fantastic job getting an undermanned team ready to play.

however, in crunch time, players need to make plays, not lock up, and not get scared when a team makes a run. while there have been different circumstances at other games - the team that played the first half could have been playing all year. their inability to bring a consistent level of high play has doomed this season. and in my opinion that is on the players and not the staff.

i feel bad for both the players and coaches as i am sure none them figured their season would go this way. but as other posters have mentioned hopefully this is a learning season for the staff and players moving forward.

Good post. They certainly came out ready to play. The lack of a true PG in run things in the 2nd half hurt badly. Well, that and the bs foul calls on Pardon that removed him from the game.

 

[Aging Booster]

just kidding. i completely disagree and have all year when people have said that.

based on the 1st half i think CCC and staff did a fantastic job getting an undermanned team ready to play.

however, in crunch time, players need to make plays, not lock up, and not get scared when a team makes a run. while there have been different circumstances at other games - the team that played the first half could have been playing all year. their inability to bring a consistent level of high play has doomed this season. and in my opinion that is on the players and not the staff.

i feel bad for both the players and coaches as i am sure none them figured their season would go this way. but as other posters have mentioned hopefully this is a learning season for the staff and players moving forward.

Good for you for posting this. I have been confused and dismayed by all of the criticism of Collins. The guy has done more for our program than anybody in the history of the school and posters are ready to jettison him. Good to have people sticking up for him.

 

[DaCat]

This season is just a speed bump for Collins and the NU program. Being an NU fan is not for the faint of heart.

 

[Wrestlerneverdiesasacatfan]

This season is just a speed bump for Collins and the NU program. Being an NU fan is not for the faint of heart.

I agree. We are on a positive trajectory

 

[willycat]

This season is just a speed bump for Collins and the NU program. Being an NU fan is not for the faint of heart.

Agree and hope he's in it for the long haul. I'm a big CC fan and then only criticism I have toward him are some of recruiting choices but guess even the best guys make them. Vassar is the obvious outliner but it also appears that brown may be heading that way as well. Also wish NU could always have a pretty good LG available every season. if another spot just happens to open up for next a PG/LG should be a priority, possibly with a 5th year transfer.

 

[freewillie07]

Agree and hope he's in it for the long haul. I'm a big CC fan and then only criticism I have toward him are some of recruiting choices but guess even the best guys make them. Vassar is the obvious outliner but it also appears that brown may be heading that way as well. Also wish NU could always have a pretty good LG available every season. if another spot just happens to open up for next a PG/LG should be a priority, possibly with a 5th year transfer.

Totally agree. Point guard (lead guard) play is so vital in today’s game that it’s nice to have two who can play at the same time on occasion. BMac has been such a rock for the past few years that it masked the glaring problem of NU not having many competent ballhandlers.

 

[Medill90]

just kidding. i completely disagree and have all year when people have said that.

based on the 1st half i think CCC and staff did a fantastic job getting an undermanned team ready to play.

however, in crunch time, players need to make plays, not lock up, and not get scared when a team makes a run. while there have been different circumstances at other games - the team that played the first half could have been playing all year. their inability to bring a consistent level of high play has doomed this season. and in my opinion that is on the players and not the staff.

i feel bad for both the players and coaches as i am sure none them figured their season would go this way. but as other posters have mentioned hopefully this is a learning season for the staff and players moving forward.

I think after 7 or 8 field goal misses, most from long range, you've got to do something that puts a point on the board. Keep going in to Pardon, ask Scotty to put his shoulder into a smaller guard and take it to the hole or pull up for a mid range jumper. Eventually, Pardon got fouled, but it was very late in MSU's run. That is on coaches and on the senior players.

NU was undersized in the paint. In addition to the misses, did not show much discipline on offense. Vic is a nice player but he doesn't have the size or the handle to put it on the floor and create a high percentage shot.

The only NU player other than Pardon who took it to the hole with confidence and strength was Gaines. He's a freshman with pretty raw shooting skills so that's a problem.

 

[VirginiaWildcat]

Keep going in to Pardon,

Pardon wasn't in the game. The refs had made certain of that.

 

[purplejustice]

The first half was the best half of basketball we played the entire year. The lack of depth due to injury, foul trouble and lack of a strong back up point guard came back to haunt us in the second half. Izzo has shown how important it is to have 8-10 players you can trust to play at least 10 minutes a game over a long season. We are not there yet but we are moving in the right direction. There were a number of positives to take away despite blowing a big lead. A solid incoming class should help create better depth.

 

[NJCat]

Izzo has shown how important it is to have 8-10 players you can trust to play at least 10 minutes a game over a long season. .

I agree with the point you are making. But interestingly enough, Izzo only played 7 guys more than 10 minutes yesterday. Yes, 11 MSU guys got into the game. But after the first 7, the other 4 played 6, 4, 3 and 2 minutes. No doubt those extra guys helped, but the game was won with just 7 key guys.

 

[cometclear]

Agree and hope he's in it for the long haul. I'm a big CC fan and then only criticism I have toward him are some of recruiting choices but guess even the best guys make them. Vassar is the obvious outliner but it also appears that brown may be heading that way as well. Also wish NU could always have a pretty good LG available every season. if another spot just happens to open up for next a PG/LG should be a priority, possibly with a 5th year transfer.

I wouldn't cite Brown as the most obvious questionable scholarship offer. I hate to be harsh, but Benson, Ash, Skelly and Falzon aren't guys I would want to be turning to for extended minutes in the Big 10 competition. Gaines, though, is a pleasant surprise. Athletically, he can cut it. I really like him as a prospect for the future.

 

[freewillie07]

I wouldn't cite Brown as the most obvious questionable scholarship offer. I hate to be harsh, but Benson, Ash, Skelly and Falzon aren't guys I would want to be turning to for extended minutes in the Big 10 competition. Gaines, though, is a pleasant surprise. Athletically, he can cut it. I really like him as a prospect for the future.

I'm not in the camp that's given up on Falzon and expecting Nance/Kopp to overtake him immediately next year. He's been looking much healthier as of late. Doesn't look completely out of his element anymore taking it to the hole, either. I'd expect him to play 15-20 minutes a game at a minimum next year.

 

[olshin]

I'm not in the camp that's given up on Falzon and expecting Nance/Kopp to overtake him immediately next year. He's been looking much healthier as of late. Doesn't look completely out of his element anymore taking it to the hole, either. I'd expect him to play 15-20 minutes a game at a minimum next year.

If Falzon is healthy, he's probably the best option.

 

[olshin]

In a season where we've fallen short of expectations, EVERYONE deserves SOME of the blame. Collins did not to a good job of fighting through the raised expectations to provide the players with an edge. The combinations haven't been right all year. He probably trusted the seniors too much and ultimately it's a team-wide failure.

But anyone who wants to get rid of Collins is a short-sighted moron. He has learned from all of his other head coaching experiences, and I'm sure he'll learn from this year. He's too bright not to do that.

And yea the depth thing. Let's hope next year starts to solve that issue.

This is a tough bump to handle, but it's just a bump nonetheless.

 

[NJCat]

But anyone who wants to get rid of Collins is a short-sighted moron.

Has anyone actually said Collins should be fired? I can't recall....

 

[DaCat]

Has anyone actually said Collins should be fired? I can't recall....

Yes

 

[Sec.112]

If Falzon is healthy, he's probably the best option.

Falzon is a test for me next year. If he gets starter's minutes in conference games, it's going to be another tough season.

But you never know with freshmen. Well, except for my excitement over Gaines in the exhibition game. BRILLIANT!!