I also was disappointed in the fan turnout. Only 100 people? Where the heck was everyone?
Hofstra Pride - 2PM Tuesday
- Thread starter SFspidur
- Start date
Hofstra just straight up beat UR today. They ran some good sets, as Beckwith said, when they needed key buckets and they got them. Their big guy was dominant (16 points and 11 rebounds in 31 minutes and going 7-8. Our defense didn't slow them down one bit as they shot 60% from the field. Going to be tough to beat anyone when you let them shoot 60%.
Hofstra played a zone and basically said - we are not good enough to guard your sets man to man - so lets play zone, give us some 3's and hope UR has a bad night shooting - and we did. Plain and simple. That is where the game was loss. Sure free throws were poor too - but Hofstra shot just as bad from the free throw line as well so not really a factor. But they go 10-20 from deep and we go 7-24.
Cayo was neutralized by the zone because he can't shoot anything outside of the paint. Would have liked to see him crash the offensive boards with all of our misses, but when we fell behind and Mooney saw the zone, he gave more minutes to Crabtree for shooting.
Give credit to Hofstra - they are a good team with experienced guards and a very good big man. They gambled with the zone and gave us open looks from 3 and we missed them and to their credit - when they needed a bucket, they executed perfectly and scored. No excuses - this is a game as a top 25 team on our home floor we need to win - but the key will be the A10 schedule for an NCAA bid. Right now it looks like SLU, Dayton, and VCU along with UR will be competing for the top of the A10. And I think Davidson may surprise some people during A10 play and maybe crack the top 4.
Hofstra played a zone and basically said - we are not good enough to guard your sets man to man - so lets play zone, give us some 3's and hope UR has a bad night shooting - and we did. Plain and simple. That is where the game was loss. Sure free throws were poor too - but Hofstra shot just as bad from the free throw line as well so not really a factor. But they go 10-20 from deep and we go 7-24.
Cayo was neutralized by the zone because he can't shoot anything outside of the paint. Would have liked to see him crash the offensive boards with all of our misses, but when we fell behind and Mooney saw the zone, he gave more minutes to Crabtree for shooting.
Give credit to Hofstra - they are a good team with experienced guards and a very good big man. They gambled with the zone and gave us open looks from 3 and we missed them and to their credit - when they needed a bucket, they executed perfectly and scored. No excuses - this is a game as a top 25 team on our home floor we need to win - but the key will be the A10 schedule for an NCAA bid. Right now it looks like SLU, Dayton, and VCU along with UR will be competing for the top of the A10. And I think Davidson may surprise some people during A10 play and maybe crack the top 4.
When you’re up by 9 with 10 mins to play and you blow it,our D should have clamped down at that point.We played tentatively on offense with their zone defense.We never attacked the zone.
It was pretty clear from their highlight films that they were good at putting up long 3s, which we backed off defending.
They played with more energy than we did.No excuse for that.
I think we were reading our own headlines thinking we were big stuff at #23.We got humbled by our own mediocrity.
It was pretty clear from their highlight films that they were good at putting up long 3s, which we backed off defending.
They played with more energy than we did.No excuse for that.
I think we were reading our own headlines thinking we were big stuff at #23.We got humbled by our own mediocrity.
Ok but what r their fans saying/thinking about us after actually losing to Hofstra at home?
I’d rather have that than the loss to Hofstra.
Like the summary Trap, but not a gamble. Hofstra plays zone all the time. CM knew it and said so in his pregame press conference. So you know you are going to get zone and an experienced team plays like they have never seen it in the first half. Then the Spiders are back to not being able to defend the 3. Very disappointing. Again, better get the act together because the preseason favorite still has to earn the title.
Again a team shoots 60% from the floor and 50% from three? Just bad luck? I don't think so. Is it to easy to shoot over our very short back court? If streak shooting Blake isn't hitting maybe we should sit him.
Our OOC play has once again left us short.
I agree out played but also out coached. Isn't this the umpteenth time we blown a game before the Christmas break?
Our OOC play has once again left us short.
I agree out played but also out coached. Isn't this the umpteenth time we blown a game before the Christmas break?
Definitely no middle ground with Francis. I would love to see Goose start against a team with taller guards, but CM will never do it. CM coaches one way and one way only. Plus Francis would probably refuse to come in the game if he didn’t start. He simply isn’t a team player and that is why he isn’t my favorite player either.
Yes and who is that on? Possibly the coach who has said this is the best team ever over the past 2 years. Maybe Mooney has built them up so much they feel they are so good they can take teams for granted. Or they just arent that good. Man, so sick of this coach. How can a team be that unmotivated and that unprepared?
Switched to zone? You are right but I think CM has switched D three times in the past 8 seasons. The guy is a one trick pony.
think he was reading the press clippings. Press is great team deserves. But the Moon stuff was overboard. Classic case of enabling. if u r gonna get praised for 9 straight years of no NCAAs for *maybe* turning things around and also get rewarded with extensions twice from an original 10 year deal that so far has brought us zippy wouldn’t u feel enabled too? Maybe we can’t fault the guy. 23 is right & also supported by those in the game this is 1 of the cakest jobs in D1 sports.
8legs1dream
Graduate Assistant
all we really needed to do in this non-conf schedule was win the games we were supposed to win and we would be fine but that was too much to ask I guess. kiss the ranking goodbye, the team has to find another gear during conference play or this is going to be embarrassing for our team of the decade
I am not happy with either the loss itself or the way we played. But as far back as I can remember (and that dates back to the Tarrant years) we have always lost one or two that we shouldn't. And one of them is usually either before exams, right after exams, or right before or after the Christmas break.
So this, or the other recent examples previously mentioned, is hardly an outlier.
So this, or the other recent examples previously mentioned, is hardly an outlier.
I didnt say that was the reasom...merely commenting on the lack of support from those in the stands....not shocking.....but, when a team is atrughlingb ike we are, every bit helps.
well u said we may go under .500 at home without it so u sure seemed to make it a big reason.
Has to come from within. If Hofstra bench made a difference where is the UR bench.
not gonna put that on coaches wives scattered across RC.
Can I have your tickets? I’d love to essentially have the entire RC to myself & promise to make my presence known all game long.
This loss doesn't bury our NCAA chances by any means. Especially in a season where some schedules are vastly in-balanced because of COVID and cancellations (example - Fordham has yet to play a single game).
But given the COVID environment and lack of OOC for the A10 - I think we will need to finish regular season in top 2 of league to be in the mix. Someone mentioned on the board leagues may cancel the conference tourney due to money - and just take regular season champ. I can see lower leagues doing that - and it will be interesting to see how mid-major leagues like the A10 handle this as well. I don't think the A10 would cancel it - but maybe they limit the teams invited? Maybe only top 4 or 6 teams make it - to limit games and COVID exposure.
But given the COVID environment and lack of OOC for the A10 - I think we will need to finish regular season in top 2 of league to be in the mix. Someone mentioned on the board leagues may cancel the conference tourney due to money - and just take regular season champ. I can see lower leagues doing that - and it will be interesting to see how mid-major leagues like the A10 handle this as well. I don't think the A10 would cancel it - but maybe they limit the teams invited? Maybe only top 4 or 6 teams make it - to limit games and COVID exposure.
What is your response to the C #32 from Hofstra logging 16 points and 11 rebounds. Or your response to Golden having 8 turnovers vs Loyola. Or do you only watch Francis play?
Good point, I don't feel like Francis is the problem. Mooney is the damned coach, if he needs to reign in some of the shots, do it while still allowing Blake to be Blake, then he has the ability to do so. He is one of the only players that plays the defensive end like his hair is on fire all game. That is a great trait, but can be coached into the other players too. That is why depth is important.
What is your response to the C #32 from Hofstra logging 16 points and 11 rebounds. Or Golden having 8 turnovers vs. Loyola. Or Gustavson only making one three in the last 6 games. Or do you only watch Francis play?
SBU? Every mention of A-10 conference play by the media and the message boards seems to ignore them because they keep missing games...
Personally I subscribe to the theory that a team that loses can have more than one player play badly. The only sports you can pin a loss on one player is tennis or golf.
That man on Hofstra had his way with us. As quality big men who are aggressive on the boards *always* have. You blame Grant for that, I blame Mooney. And honestly can you blame a guy when he just gets out worked by someone who wants it more and is better on the boards?
Blake Francis shoots us out of every single game, with almost guaranteed certainty. Some blame on Mooney here for allowing him to do that, but at some point we have to have the conversation that Francis is a detriment to our team and he hurts us offensively and defensively.
This can all change for conference play, but right now I’m advocating for starting Gustavson over him to teach him a lesson. Feels like we have zero accountability in this program right now.
I'm not blaming one single person for anything. The team lost a 2pm game 3 days before Christmas. It happens. You cannot name one thing Gustavson adds or does well. He is literally just tall. The idea that taller means better is ridiculous. If you ask me Richmond needs to play smaller with 21 in the game to take pressure of Francis and Gilly defensively and put more on Grant/Cayo to be a better rebounder and post defender if they are going to play man defense all game. Its just funny that everytime Richmond loses it's Francis' fault. And you are correct there is zero accountability which is why Golden has not improved as a player over the course of his career. All the talent in the world but everyone including people on here make excuses for his play.
keeping it on purely basketball we can’t defend the PnR right now. I do put a little more of that on the 5 spot than the guards. We r not hedging well & then inside we r getting beat up too. We have regressed defensively overall there is no doubt.
we need to mix in small ball more imo. One issue is we don’t have as much depth inside for Golden too. But we have more guard wing options.
I’ve been advocating for more Goose time since the offseason. Using Goose on another teams good guard more is key imo. He has the length & athleticism. What we give up on O is ok bc we still have 4 other options on court. But I think Goose can also definitely make plays on O regardless given more opportunities. It’s a small sample w his 3s but w way Gilly & Francis r shooting right now it’s a push or could even be an improvement there too.
Obv we r going to need to all our core starters to step up, the PT will be there but I do see a few minutes that can go to Goose instead, and also finding more spots to run a small ball pressing quicker lineup.
we need to mix in small ball more imo. One issue is we don’t have as much depth inside for Golden too. But we have more guard wing options.
I’ve been advocating for more Goose time since the offseason. Using Goose on another teams good guard more is key imo. He has the length & athleticism. What we give up on O is ok bc we still have 4 other options on court. But I think Goose can also definitely make plays on O regardless given more opportunities. It’s a small sample w his 3s but w way Gilly & Francis r shooting right now it’s a push or could even be an improvement there too.
Obv we r going to need to all our core starters to step up, the PT will be there but I do see a few minutes that can go to Goose instead, and also finding more spots to run a small ball pressing quicker lineup.
Well said. Bigs have to be better in PnR. I just don't think Goose really helps in any way. I'm mean UR was up 7 last night, Francis and Golden come out, Hofstra cuts the lead to one in a minute. UR bench just isn't good enough to play 8 or 9 deep. I do think we see a different UR team after the break though.
I didn’t say everything was Francis’ fault. Simply agreed with a post that Francis should see the bench more and be a 6th man instead of a starter. What’s missing is team chemistry , which seems impossible since this is a senior laden team. But guess what, Blake is a transfer who came to a higher level program to prove how good HE is. To me, that is part of the problem. The other more significant issue is the regression on defense and that pretty much comes down to most of the team with special credit to Grant. He plays soft on D and always has, but he is key on the offensive end.
Vandy 2nd half, Loyola 2nd half, Hofstra all game - We don't defend 3's. Won the first two. Had to really hold off Loyola 2nd half. Yesterday got bit by poor 3 point defense. It catches up. Has been a signature of Mooney through the years.
Similar threads
