|
Post by shorthaircut on Jan 18, 2024 21:42:14 GMT -6
Sigh, another one that gone away unfortunately Tie game, Hittle gets an offensive foul, Mielke makes a god awful cross court pass leading to a run out and that was the game.
|
|
|
Post by shorthaircut on Jan 18, 2024 21:49:32 GMT -6
Last play we don’t even get a shot.
|
|
|
Post by eaglefan on Jan 18, 2024 22:01:50 GMT -6
Sigh, another one that gone away unfortunately Tie game, Hittle gets an offensive foul, Mielke makes a god awful cross court pass leading to a run out and that was the game. Feels like this team is like 2/3 pieces away from actually being decent in my opinion. Maybe around .500 area overall. Can’t wait until the 4-year NCAA jail is over, since I was hoping the proposed 2-year ban could have helped.
|
|
|
Post by eagle87 on Jan 18, 2024 22:39:58 GMT -6
We have lost 5 games by one possession and are 5-14. We are inches away from potentially being 10-9 if those 5 go our way instead of the wrong way. I hate losing, absolutely can’t stand it, but we are more of a .500 team imo as far as competitiveness. We are not losing most games by 20,30 or more points and several of the losses we had a chance to win or tie on last shot. We just need some good luck to go our way a few times. This season is a wash anyway but I still would like to see us get to 10 wins. Won’t be easy as banged up as we are but that’s my goal now.
|
|
|
Post by eagle87 on Jan 18, 2024 22:47:43 GMT -6
Why are they fouling the only good player UALR has? I must have said that 10 times the last 3 minutes of the game. He was the only good free throw shooter for them and we put him at the line 6 straight times. I know we had to foul the last few minutes but they took 37 free throws tonight on our court and we lose by 2 points. Not many teams can a team give up 37 free throws and be within 20 points. A home whistle would be nice in these 2 point games for crying out loud.
|
|
|
Post by shorthaircut on Jan 19, 2024 7:57:19 GMT -6
We have lost 5 games by one possession and are 5-14. We are inches away from potentially being 10-9 if those 5 go our way instead of the wrong way. I hate losing, absolutely can’t stand it, but we are more of a .500 team imo as far as competitiveness. We are not losing most games by 20,30 or more points and several of the losses we had a chance to win or tie on last shot. We just need some good luck to go our way a few times. This season is a wash anyway but I still would like to see us get to 10 wins. Won’t be easy as banged up as we are but that’s my goal now. I thought this one was the most likely of the 3 home games we could win. Been a tough year and going to get tougher.
|
|
|
Post by eagle87 on Jan 19, 2024 8:13:36 GMT -6
Not sure how much anyone can tell by watching on tv but the physical play last night was really evident in person. LR has some muscle and they use it to bump and push out their opponents. Height wise we may have been similar, but they probably had 20-40 lbs per man on us at each position. That’s one area I think we need to get better at in recruiting going forward. The fans around me all were talking about how they looked like a football team and we looked more like a classic basketball team…lanky. Several of the teams that have come to the SEA this year have looked more like an NFL team than a college basketball team. We need 3-4 bruisers going forward if we want to compete in this league imo. AJ looked small compared to half their team last night and he is our biggest guy physically.
|
|
|
Post by letsgoeagles on Jan 19, 2024 9:50:21 GMT -6
Bottom line we don't shoot well as a team. If Lake was on this team we would probably be close to the top in the OVC. Even our bigs every game miss multiple shots point blank underneath the rim. Needless to say, we just don't get consistent production from most of the team. I'd be shocked if USI gets to play in the league tournament.
|
|
|
Post by shorthaircut on Jan 19, 2024 10:07:06 GMT -6
Bottom line we don't shoot well as a team. If Lake was on this team we would probably be close to the top in the OVC. Even our bigs every game miss multiple shots point blank underneath the rim. Needless to say, we just don't get consistent production from most of the team. I'd be shocked if USI gets to play in the league tournament. With the backend of the schedule being brutal, it’s going to take some good fortune to make it. We have dropped 2 homes games that really were must wins. With no USI in the tourney it’s going to be an empty Ford Center for the tournament. OVC won’t stick with a neutral site much longer, which is really unfortunate.
|
|
|
Post by eagle87 on Jan 19, 2024 10:56:15 GMT -6
I think that has probably already been decided to be honest. Beth mentioned last year they were already looking at have first round games on campus since they are not well attended. It’s not just an OVC problem by any means though. Only the top conference tournaments draw well for first and second round games. As much as I would love having it in Evansville, the Ford center is not a “cozy and exciting environment for basketball “. It’s too open and the seating is way too far from the court which makes it feel cold and quiet. What would be a better atmosphere for the OVC tournament would be a 5000 seat arena similar to the SEA which has an intimate feel and even a few thousand give it a good atmosphere. It needs to be a neutral location centered in the conference geography imo. I know Austin Peay plays in a brand new off campus 5 k arena in Clarksville that would be ideal for the OVC. I have no idea if they would be interested in hosting it though. If we can’t find a similar sized arena I think the OVC will follow what most mid majors do and have it on campus of the conference champions home floor. That would undoubtedly increase attendance because the favorite to win would probably have people wanting to see them get to the NCAA.
|
|
|
Post by shorthaircut on Jan 19, 2024 11:52:19 GMT -6
I think that has probably already been decided to be honest. Beth mentioned last year they were already looking at have first round games on campus since they are not well attended. It’s not just an OVC problem by any means though. Only the top conference tournaments draw well for first and second round games. As much as I would love having it in Evansville, the Ford center is not a “cozy and exciting environment for basketball “. It’s too open and the seating is way too far from the court which makes it feel cold and quiet. What would be a better atmosphere for the OVC tournament would be a 5000 seat arena similar to the SEA which has an intimate feel and even a few thousand give it a good atmosphere. It needs to be a neutral location centered in the conference geography imo. I know Austin Peay plays in a brand new off campus 5 k arena in Clarksville that would be ideal for the OVC. I have no idea if they would be interested in hosting it though. If we can’t find a similar sized arena I think the OVC will follow what most mid majors do and have it on campus of the conference champions home floor. That would undoubtedly increase attendance because the favorite to win would probably have people wanting to see them get to the NCAA. We don’t have a Murray State in the league that can carry the attendance. As good as Morehead State has been the last 5 years, they may have had 300 people at their game last night. Reality is attendance in the OVC isnt as good as the old GLVC when we had KWC, NKU , Bellarmine.
|
|
|
Post by eagle87 on Jan 19, 2024 12:53:50 GMT -6
Agree, but to be fair, the GLVC now doesn’t draw 400 to most games anymore. Last time I looked KFW was getting 300-500 for their games. Unless it’s a p5 school, attendance numbers will never be what they were 20,30,40 years ago. If and/or when we start winning more I believe our attendance will increased. I doubt if will ever exceed 3000 average though. Younger people just don’t care as much and they would rather play video games than go to a basketball game…which is sad imo. I read a survey a few weeks ago that showed young people just don’t care as much about sports. In fact, younger people showed the least interest out of every age group they surveyed. Loyalist like many of us on this board are becoming extinct when it comes to supporting your school. I don’t see it getting any better in the future either unfortunately. If younger fans do decide to watch, they choose the streaming route as opposed to getting their happy asses out of their parents basement and actually going to the game lol.
|
|
|
Post by shorthaircut on Jan 19, 2024 13:06:45 GMT -6
Agree, but to be fair, the GLVC now doesn’t draw 400 to most games anymore. Last time I looked KFW was getting 300-500 for their games. Unless it’s a p5 school, attendance numbers will never be what they were 20,30,40 years ago. If and/or when we start winning more I believe our attendance will increased. I doubt if will ever exceed 3000 average though. Younger people just don’t care as much and they would rather play video games than go to a basketball game…which is sad imo. I read a survey a few weeks ago that showed young people just don’t care as much about sports. In fact, younger people showed the least interest out of every age group they surveyed. Loyalist like many of us on this board are becoming extinct when it comes to supporting your school. I don’t see it getting any better in the future either unfortunately. If younger fans do decide to watch, they choose the streaming route as opposed to getting their happy asses out of their parents basement and actually going to the game lol. Case in point in the handful of times the camera was focused on behind the goals, every time the youngsters were on their phones.
|
|
|
Post by letsgoeagles on Jan 19, 2024 15:16:46 GMT -6
I do like the idea of conference champion hosting the championship game. Maybe they should host all the games??? It place more emphasis on the regular season champion like it actually should be. Yeah, it is sad about many kids lack of interest in sports....but I can proudly say my boy is as intense about sports as I am. Despite being raised in St.Louis, he is all about USI (of course Dad had a lot to say about that). He currently is playing basketball at Larry Hughes basketball Accademy....in about 8 years he should be USI's starting point guard, so help is on the way (Sorry for talking about my family so much in this post).
|
|
|
Post by eagle87 on Jan 19, 2024 15:33:04 GMT -6
I do like the idea of conference champion hosting the championship game. Maybe they should host all the games??? It place more emphasis on the regular season champion like it actually should be. Yeah, it is sad about many kids lack of interest in sports....but I can proudly say my boy is as intense about sports as I am. Despite being raised in St.Louis, he is all about USI (of course Dad had a lot to say about that). He currently is playing basketball at Larry Hughes basketball Accademy....in about 8 years he should be USI's starting point guard, so help is on the way (Sorry for talking about my family so much in this post). Glad your son is into sports. Most athletes are…probably why I am interested since I played basketball competitively until I was in my mid 30s. I was a gym rat from about 10 to 35 and spent every weekend in my 20s and early 30s playing as much as time allowed. I don’t expect everyone to be as interested as I am, but I do wish more casual fans would give USI a few visits every season.
|
|