OOC Grade is in!!! No surprise, it's an F

[brooklyn brownstone]

I said preseason that if Moon couldn't find his way to 12-1 against this garbage OOC schedule, it would be an F grade from me.

Little did I know he'd turn in his work early. Totally freed up my holidays and for that I'm thankful. Also prevented me from making an ill-advised trip to Lewisburg, PA.

F.

Stay leafy.

 

[spider23]

Yes, we are back to SCREAMING "We are a mediocre program with low goals and adverse to executing winning basketball plays like defense and rebounding"

 

[MrTbone]

I posted this in another thread. It’s thoroughly demoralizing to start the season off this poorly. I know the whole argument about “we’re never getting an at large with this schedule so it doesn’t really matter”, but it totally matters.

Early losses like this set the tone for whether students come out, for fans making or skipping games, for travel to away games, etc.

Gotta do better.

 

[spiders13]

will we win against D1 competition this year, LOL. unbelievable.

 

[spiderfriend]

Very good reason we have this weak a$$ schedule.

 

[97spiderfan]

I'm beginning to think our OOC was more of an intentional decision by the coaching staff, rather than the message we have been told, that they couldn't do any better.

 

[spiderman]

 

[spider23]

So far my worst fears coming through: Last year was an abberation - Mooney had three tough minded athletic/defenders/rebounders in Dji, Bigs, and Harris - which drove the defensive mindset. Which seemed to have been instilled somewhat by Boyden the year before.
Now our team seems to have zero identity - other than Hunt - and he can't do it all. Hunt and King were tough hard nosed defenders last year too - and Quinn used his size well.
It's early, but the interviews and messaging I hear from our fearless mooniocrity scream lack of urgency.

 

[brooklyn brownstone]

there are a lot of good players and good teams in Division 1, 23, and they compete nightly.

 

[VT4700]

So far my worst fears coming through: Last year was an abberation - Mooney had three tough minded athletic/defenders/rebounders in Dji, Bigs, and Harris - which drove the defensive mindset. Which seemed to have been instilled somewhat by Boyden the year before.
Now our team seems to have zero identity - other than Hunt - and he can't do it all. Hunt and King were tough hard nosed defenders last year too - and Quinn used his size well.
It's early, but the interviews and messaging I hear from our fearless mooniocrity scream lack of urgency.

I wouldn't worry too much about what you hear from interviews. Mooney will always be a player's coach and we have heard from guys that he does show urgency and does get on guys. He just doesn't do that during interviews. Never has and never will. His interviews have no effect on how we play because he likely tells the guys something else in the locker room.

No doubt we miss the defense we lost a lot, but I think we miss the offense we lost a lot more. King averaged 18 a game and shot 41.4% from 3 on with high volume ( 80 made 3s). Bigs averaged 11.2 a game and made 48 3s at 37.2%. Their games allowed Dji to drive to the basket and average 10.2 a game.

 

[Captain Anderson]

I heard Bob Black mention on the radio broadcast last night that we haven't won a (true) non-conference road game since December of 2021? Is that true? Coach Mooney keeps mentioning that this is a really good shooting team and I wouldn't be surprised if we see that on Saturday against Bucknell...at some point this season more of those open looks will fall so I'm actually less "sky is falling" after last night. Most basketball teams cannot overcome absolutely terrible shooting but with our program we really have no other options or hope if our outside shots aren't falling...Charlotte's weren't falling either last night so they aggressively drove to the basket, drew fouls, and hit the offensive glass. I would love to at least have that option in play but at this point we all know what to expect and can't even be upset when those things don't happen.

 

[whampas]

I heard Bob Black mention on the radio broadcast last night that we haven't won a (true) non-conference road game since December of 2021? Is that true? Coach Mooney keeps mentioning that this is a really good shooting team and I wouldn't be surprised if we see that on Saturday against Bucknell...at some point this season more of those open looks will fall so I'm actually less "sky is falling" after last night. Most basketball teams cannot overcome absolutely terrible shooting but with our program we really have no other options or hope if our outside shots aren't falling...Charlotte's weren't falling either last night so they aggressively drove to the basket, drew fouls, and hit the offensive glass. I would love to at least have that option in play but at this point we all know what to expect and can't even be upset when those things don't happen.

Oh, captain my captain. Crash.

 

[VT4700]

We won @ No Iowa in Dec, 2021. Since then, we have lost on the road to Charleston, Toledo, W&M in 2022 and BC, Wichita St, and No Iowa last year. So, last night's loss was the 7th straight road OOC loss.

 

[GKiller]

I'm beginning to think our OOC was more of an intentional decision by the coaching staff, rather than the message we have been told, that they couldn't do any better.

Eh, I think Mooney is even embarassed by this schedule & also the two non d1 games. I said this before, but if you schedule hard and take some lumps some year, who cares. No need for Moon to worry, he's lifetime coach. Better to lose against good national teams than the dregs too. But the biggest thing is you set a precedent u set a culture with schedule. And u get connections for future, maybe u get into a 2 for 1 deal for instance. So if we did do that it's actually hurting u for future when u do have a team that can win.

 

[GKiller]

We won @ No Iowa in Dec, 2021. Since then, we have lost on the road to Charleston, Toledo, W&M in 2022 and BC, Wichita St, and No Iowa last year. So, last night's loss was the 7th straight road OOC loss.

8th. Remember we got blasted by Va Tech on road in NIT. Not a traditional Nov or Dec OOC game but a true road game that counts.

 

[brooklyn brownstone]

Eh, I think Mooney is even embarassed by this schedule & also the two non d1 games. I said this before, but if you schedule hard and take some lumps some year, who cares. No need for Moon to worry, he's lifetime coach. Better to lose against good national teams than the dregs too. But the biggest thing is you set a precedent u set a culture with schedule. And u get connections for future, maybe u get into a 2 for 1 deal for instance. So if we did do that it's actually hurting u for future when u do have a team that can win.

This. 100% this.

Lose by 20 to Charlotte or lose by 25 to a good team, same, but one has a high upside in scheduling and the other not so much.

 

[SpiderTrap]

Eh, I think Mooney is even embarassed by this schedule & also the two non d1 games. I said this before, but if you schedule hard and take some lumps some year, who cares. No need for Moon to worry, he's lifetime coach. Better to lose against good national teams than the dregs too. But the biggest thing is you set a precedent u set a culture with schedule. And u get connections for future, maybe u get into a 2 for 1 deal for instance. So if we did do that it's actually hurting u for future when u do have a team that can win.

I thought we were setting up a 2-1 with Mount Olive?

 

[Captain Anderson]

I thought we were setting up a 2-1 with Mount Olive?

We visit them twice in return for their generosity this year.

 

[97spiderfan]

Eh, I think Mooney is even embarassed by this schedule & also the two non d1 games. I said this before, but if you schedule hard and take some lumps some year, who cares. No need for Moon to worry, he's lifetime coach. Better to lose against good national teams than the dregs too. But the biggest thing is you set a precedent u set a culture with schedule. And u get connections for future, maybe u get into a 2 for 1 deal for instance. So if we did do that it's actually hurting u for future when u do have a team that can win.

Good points and can't disagree. But, what I think we will now pivot too is if we go .500 this year, he can say, rebuilding year, we still were a .500 team despite the youth/new pieces. And enough people will accept that at face value, without looking into the fact that most of the wins will be Quad 3/4 wins as the result of our OOC and probably beating a few of the other bad teams in the A-10.

Of course, right now, if you lose to Marist at home and then 17 to a very mid Charlotte team, tough to see .500. And as you say, no need for Mooney to worry, he just signed his extension, his check cashes whether we win or lose. He could probably run 2 maybe 3 below .500 seasons off in a row before he begins to feel a tiny bit of pressure. He doesn't even know what pressure is at this point. The admin doesn't give it to him, the fan base doesn't, the media doesn't. All he has to do is show up and punch the clock and he is golden.

 

[SpiderTrap]

But can any coach these days use the words "rebuilding" when its all about portal and transfers and less about developing HS players.

In the old days (like 5 years ago) you could say rebuilding if you had an older team who made a run and they graduated. Then you might have had some younger players or inexperienced players asked to play major minutes that they never did before - so you expect a rebuild year to get everyone up to speed and hopefully by the next year - your back at it again.

But now with the portal - I don't know if rebuilding exists. Since your not relying on players within your school anymore to progress. Look at our roster this year. Your relying more on transfers to step in and play right away and keep everything moving.

 

[fan2011]

Attitudes here will change when we beat Auburn.

 

[spider23]

Good points and can't disagree. But, what I think we will now pivot too is if we go .500 this year, he can say, rebuilding year, we still were a .500 team despite the youth/new pieces. And enough people will accept that at face value, without looking into the fact that most of the wins will be Quad 3/4 wins as the result of our OOC and probably beating a few of the other bad teams in the A-10.

Of course, right now, if you lose to Marist at home and then 17 to a very mid Charlotte team, tough to see .500. And as you say, no need for Mooney to worry, he just signed his extension, his check cashes whether we win or lose. He could probably run 2 maybe 3 below .500 seasons off in a row before he begins to feel a tiny bit of pressure. He doesn't even know what pressure is at this point. The admin doesn't give it to him, the fan base doesn't, the media doesn't. All he has to do is show up and punch the clock and he is golden.

This is what's frustrating. Hell, we extended him when we did not have an AD. Zero pressure to win. Which I don't agree with since you are getting around $1.5 million per year.