This team is good

[MrTbone]

"The same guys have struggled mightily the last two years"

I beg to differ. It is not the same guys. There are many different players. These guys are not dealing w/ their best player getting suspended, 2/3 new freshman getting the starting line up, a torn ACL, etc, etc.

I think that’s a hyper literal interpretation of what I said. All 5 of our starters have been with the team at least a year if not 2-3 years. All bench players but one saw time last year if not starting minutes.

You can’t logically argue that these guys have not struggled mightily these last two years: Grant, Jacob, Nick, Nate. These guys have struggled through last year: Jake, Andre, Sal, Matt and Blake. It’s reasonable to argue why but not empirically that they have, part of the game is dealing with injuries, transfers and the like.

People on here will debate anything and everything related to this team for awhile. I’m merely suggesting it shouldn’t be surprising to anyone, even with an 8-1 start.

 

[LongTimeLurkerFirstTimePoster]

I think that’s a hyper literal interpretation of what I said. All 5 of our starters have been with the team at least a year if not 2-3 years. All bench players but one saw time last year if not starting minutes.

You can’t logically argue that these guys have not struggled mightily these last two years: Grant, Jacob, Nick, Nate. These guys have struggled through last year: Jake, Andre, Sal, Matt and Blake. It’s reasonable to argue why but not empirically that they have, part of the game is dealing with injuries, transfers and the like.

People on here will debate anything and everything related to this team for awhile. I’m merely suggesting it shouldn’t be surprising to anyone, even with an 8-1 start.

I guess my point is that many think no one improves and that our players should come out of the box ready to play in the A10--and play consistently. For the most part over the last 2 years, we were competitive in a vast majority of the games (yes I know exceptions) but the X factor of learning how to win was missing.

The players may be the SAME, but the TEAM is vastly different.

 

[Not-A-Homer]

I guess my point is that many think no one improves and that our players should come out of the box ready to play in the A10--and play consistently. For the most part over the last 2 years, we were competitive in a vast majority of the games (yes I know exceptions) but the X factor of learning how to win was missing.

The players may be the SAME, but the TEAM is vastly different.

The "X" factor of learning how to win is named Blake Francis.

Adding him to another year's maturity (multiple players who have quality time on floor as young players) = different results.

Same reason why next year will be even better.

 

[spider23]

Blake has definitely been an X factor. He gets a little carried away with shot and pass selections sometimes, but I think there is a fine line between letting an alpha dog eat and reigning him in too much. So far he has been eating. Should be a great conference season, need to start it strong.

 

[urmite]

Blake has definitely been an X factor. He gets a little carried away with shot and pass selections sometimes, but I think there is a fine line between letting an alpha dog eat and reigning him in too much. So far he has been eating. Should be a great conference season, need to start it strong.

After the first game we get into the meat of it.
Sun 1-05 A 57 (I) • Rhode Island +4.5, 73-69 32%
Sat 1-11 H 101 (III) • Saint Louis -6.5, 70-64 75%
Tue 1-14 A 77 (II) • Davidson +2.6, 70-67 39%
Sat 1-18 A 121 (II) • George Mason -1.4, 68-66 56%
Wed 1-22 H 124 (III) • La Salle -8.8, 73-64 81%
Sat 1-25 H 10 (I-A) • Dayton +3.4, 75-71 37%
Tue 1-28 A 26 (I-A) • VCU +8.2, 75-67 21%
http://barttorvik.com/team.php?team=Richmond

 

[spider23]

So, assuming SJU is modeling as a W, the computer has us going 4-4 out of the gate in conference? Those rascally FMM guys will not be happy. I think we can do 6-2, maybe even 7-1 but it will be difficult.

 

[PhillySpider]

Blake has definitely been an X factor. He gets a little carried away with shot and pass selections sometimes, but I think there is a fine line between letting an alpha dog eat and reigning him in too much. So far he has been eating. Should be a great conference season, need to start it strong.

This is actually something that has impressed me as a bit of a welcome coaching change. Blake and others seem to be playing very intuitively and naturally this year. We were all very mechanical last two years. They don't seem anywhere near as afraid to make mistakes as the past few years and as a result are freer to actually make plays. This was a big problem for me with CM's approach was all our players played sort of afraid all the time and we were so busy doing the right thing, being in the right place and not making mistakes etc. that no one was making plays either. But Blake's shot selection and judgement at times have been pretty poor but have had no real consequence from the coach and he's also then been able to make a lot of plays. I'd much rather see guys free to make plays because its easier to slowly eliminate mistakes than relearn how to be aggressive and make plays once its been frightened out of you.

 

[MrTbone]

I guess my point is that many think no one improves and that our players should come out of the box ready to play in the A10--and play consistently. For the most part over the last 2 years, we were competitive in a vast majority of the games (yes I know exceptions) but the X factor of learning how to win was missing.

The players may be the SAME, but the TEAM is vastly different.

I think you're casting a wide net, most people here observe that our players have improved and do so each year. There are always hyperbolic statements about certain things not improving (Deion Taylor's free throw shooting or Grant's poor footwork) but I don't think "many" accurately describes the quantity of posters who make those pronouncements.

As far as being competitive the last two years, I would say that you and I have different opinions on what it means to be competitive. Last year, we lost 20 games, 13 of which were by 7 or more points. That means we were only in 7 of the games we lost, to me, that's not competitive. The year before was only marginally better, we lost 10 of 20 defeats by 7 or more points.

At any rate, I digress. Is the team different, yes. Do we have most of the same team back that has suffered through 40 losses the last two years, yes. The team has to change the narrative on that second point beyond 8-1 for a lot of the posters here to come around. They're on the way, so that's encouraging.

 

[97spiderfan]

Like Kevin Anderson, Mooney now has a point guard in Gilly, who can just take over the game with his intuition and just make plays. That also comes with an ability to mask some of Mooney's questionable in-game coaching decisions.

 

[Spider93]

Liberty just received 9 votes in the AP Poll where we received 3. I feel like the AP is lazy outside the top; look at the record, give them some votes. I think we would pound Liberty.

 

[urmite]

So, assuming SJU is modeling as a W, the computer has us going 4-4 out of the gate in conference? Those rascally FMM guys will not be happy. I think we can do 6-2, maybe even 7-1 but it will be difficult.

Here is what Torvik is Modeling as Q1&2:
Fri 3-06 A 71 (I) • Duquesne +3.3, 70-66 37%
Sat 1-18 A 121 (II) • George Mason -1.4, 68-66 56%
Sat 1-25 H 10 (I-A) • Dayton +3.4, 75-71 37%
Sat 2-15 H 26 (I) • VCU +0.9, 71-70 46%
Sat 2-22 A 119 (II) • St. Bonaventure -1.1, 64-63 55%
Sun 1-05 A 57 (I) • Rhode Island +4.5, 73-69 32%
Sun 12-29 A 70 (II) Alabama +3.7, 78-74 36%
Tue 1-14 A 77 (II) • Davidson +2.6, 70-67 39%
Tue 1-28 A 26 (I-A) • VCU +8.2, 75-67 21%
Wed 2-12 A 124 (II) • La Salle -1.6, 69-68 57%

3-7
Plus Previous
8-1
Plus Q3&4
12-0
= 23-8 (-1 upset) = 22-9


I am giving us 2 out of 3 (@ Davidson @ Duquesne and home 2/15)
So 25-6

 

[urmite]

Liberty just received 9 votes in the AP Poll where we received 3. I feel like the AP is lazy outside the top; look at the record, give them some votes. I think we would pound Liberty.

We got 3 because the RVA NPR guy moved us up from #24 to #23...

Their best win might be Radford at home. Their next game is @ Vandy, so that might tell us something.

Many with zero losses are going to get a few votes at this time of year.

It would be an interesting game, their opponents have the 5th fewest assists per possession and 9th lowest 3 pt %...

 

[fatherspider]

After the first game we get into the meat of it.
Sun 1-05 A 57 (I) • Rhode Island +4.5, 73-69 32%
Sat 1-11 H 101 (III) • Saint Louis -6.5, 70-64 75%
Tue 1-14 A 77 (II) • Davidson +2.6, 70-67 39%
Sat 1-18 A 121 (II) • George Mason -1.4, 68-66 56%
Wed 1-22 H 124 (III) • La Salle -8.8, 73-64 81%
Sat 1-25 H 10 (I-A) • Dayton +3.4, 75-71 37%
Tue 1-28 A 26 (I-A) • VCU +8.2, 75-67 21%
http://barttorvik.com/team.php?team=Richmond

I didnt look at the schedule myself and went on the numbers the initial poster put up.... now seeing there are some really tough games and real loss chances.

 

[urmite]

I didnt look at the schedule myself and went on the numbers the initial poster put up.... now seeing there are some really tough games and real loss chances.

You add in @ Bama on 12/29 then St Joe 1/2 and if you count that as January then 5-4 is doing good for that tough month...