Tues Dec 9th, 4 Games...

[Ajay0626]

Artino obviously didn't dominate in the first OT, so shouldn't the 'starting' center get a shot?

[ljay]

Lumpy, bumpy year ahead for CU I'm afraid. I expect head scratching wins and head scratching losses while teetering on the edge of the bubble the entire year. Better buckle up the seat belt.

I do like the grit they have exhibited in tough times but they are too inconsistent so Tums times ahead.

[WaitingPatiently]

Just got back from the game...

Four questions I would like answered from Coach McD:

1) why did our starting center not play a minute in two OTs? If he isn't our best center(which he is in my opinion), why is he starting????

2) why did our starting pf not play a minute in two OTs? I feel like I'm being repetitive...

3) how do we not eat SD alive down low when our center was being guarded by a 6'2 kid? (Goes back to #1) is he not strong enough down low or do our guards lack the passing ability for a post feed?

4) why are we running time off the clock in both OTs on offense when we should be scoring? We set ourselves up to be beaten/tied when we refuse to make any effort to get up by more than 2!!!!!

1. Probably because his inbound pass that was three feet behind Chat that went to USD
2. He's a freshman that wasn't hitting his open looks. He'll be fine. He sat Sun too when he couldn't get a look.
3. Because the guards can't figure out how to throw an entry pass worth a damn. They're either way late, a horrible pass, or the big men spike them into the ground like a volleyball
4. I'm with you there. I didn't understand that. Also did it last 3-4 min of regulation. But I believe in both OT Jays did have a 7 point lead.

[chicagojayfan]

Just got back from the game...

Four questions I would like answered from Coach McD:

1) why did our starting center not play a minute in two OTs? If he isn't our best center(which he is in my opinion), why is he starting????

2) why did our starting pf not play a minute in two OTs? I feel like I'm being repetitive...

3) how do we not eat SD alive down low when our center was being guarded by a 6'2 kid? (Goes back to #1) is he not strong enough down low or do our guards lack the passing ability for a post feed?

4) why are we running time off the clock in both OTs on offense when we should be scoring? We set ourselves up to be beaten/tied when we refuse to make any effort to get up by more than 2!!!!!

1. He may be our best center in many situations and probably the best matchup against 'most' starting centers, but we will continue to have a rotation at this position. Hanson fared very poorly with their small lineup tonight and wasn't converting on offense. More importantly, when they spread the floor he was out of position defensively and way too slow with his help D. That's why he rode the bench for most of the second half. FWIW, Artino was +25 pts while he was on the floor tonight and was important defensively by helping to cut off drives, altering shots and even going up top to hedge and help our struggling perimeter D.

2. Small lineup opposing us. Hegner had a hard time with guarding a 6-2 guard and wasn't hitting his shots. Eventually Mac just decided to go small and even tried Hegner at the 5 for a few minutes and Kreklow at the 5 as well. Neither unit performed well.

3. Poor entry passing. Good job by them of sagging and helping to make it hard for us to get it inside (they also ran a bit of a zone to help themselves and our shooting wasn't good enough to break it). With Chatman's shooting woes in the first half, it allowed them to get away with their defensive strategy.

4. Yes, that was a problem. We need to run our offense and continue to pressure them. Also should have gotten the foul with the clock running down when Kreklow slipped

[Ajay0626]

I know this stat is thrown off a little because Brooks got hurt, but for what it's worth

CU starters played 42% of the minutes

SD starters played 69% of the minutes

[Omahanian]

Wow, Nebraska, whom Creighton beat Sunday, lost to Incarnate Word last night. Sheesh, maybe both the Bluejays and Huskers had hangovers from their Sunday tilt. If the Huskers continue and make this a downward trend, it takes away a quality win for Creighton and the conference. Last night might have been the worst 'bad loss' of the season in the NCAA.

[Irishdawg]

Wow, Nebraska, whom Creighton beat Sunday, lost to Incarnate Word last night. Sheesh, maybe both the Bluejays and Huskers had hangovers from their Sunday tilt. If the Huskers continue and make this a downward trend, it takes away a quality win for Creighton and the conference. Last night might have been the worst 'bad loss' of the season in the NCAA.

NJIT beating Michigan was far worse than Incarnate Word taking down Nebraska. Incarnate Word is about average at this point for a D1 team. Heck, if Creighton loses to South Dakota, that's a worse loss than Incarnate Word.

[Omahanian]

I'm not really in the know enough to argue and it's pretty subjective anyway. But isn't this just the 2nd year of D1 play for Incarnate Word? In any event, it has been an quite a week so far here in the midlands. Hope the Bluejays make good use of their prep time and make a positive statement against St. Mary's Saturday.

[stever20]

Wow, Nebraska, whom Creighton beat Sunday, lost to Incarnate Word last night. Sheesh, maybe both the Bluejays and Huskers had hangovers from their Sunday tilt. If the Huskers continue and make this a downward trend, it takes away a quality win for Creighton and the conference. Last night might have been the worst 'bad loss' of the season in the NCAA.

NJIT beating Michigan was far worse than Incarnate Word taking down Nebraska. Incarnate Word is about average at this point for a D1 team. Heck, if Creighton loses to South Dakota, that's a worse loss than Incarnate Word.

Far worse. For a comparable game- UTEP beat Incarnate Word by only 16 points (81-65).

[bluejayfanatic]

NJIT beating Michigan was far worse than Incarnate Word taking down Nebraska. Incarnate Word is about average at this point for a D1 team. Heck, if Creighton loses to South Dakota, that's a worse loss than Incarnate Word.

I agree that NJIT beating Michigan is worse than Word beating Nebraska, but to call Word "average" is ridiculous. They aren't at NJIT level but are, beyond any serious dispute, in the bottom 10% of D1, and that might be generous. They were D2 two years ago (still schedule mainly other D2 teams in the non-con) and not even in the NCAA at all 20 years ago. Also disagree that South Dakota would have been a worse loss. That would have been a putrid loss, no argument there, but South Dakota is at least in a somewhat respectable conference, has been D1 for at least long enough to be NCAA-eligible, and actually has participated in the post-season before (2010).