Game 16 @ Dayton 1/13/19

[Roadtrip]

Just getting this started. Hope the team brings it all.

[Juice Stand]

I always like reading pre or post game from the opponent's point of view, and this is a fun one: http://www.blackburnreview.com/2019/01/ ... n-umass-3/

[69MG]

^ Pretty funny stuff and mostly correct. However, Clergeot is far from a "skinny ass" guard. For me, he's a freight train with faulty brakes.

[vanmeter]

Really good/funny read.

I agree Clergeot is more like a fullback than skinny.

[Battle Ax]

By referring Clergeot as a “skinny ass guard” just diminished every other thing he says but overall a funny read.

[Slapthefloor93]

We need Pip to show up for this game if we want to win. Dayton is flat out better than us up and down the roster this season but we have a chance if he plays to his ceiling (not just in terms of his shots going in, but also his shot selection, decision-making with interior passes, protecting the ball, etc.). As far as just his shooting slump goes, I think he's too good of a shooter to keep it up all year, and he's eventually going to have a 6 or 7 3-pointer game where he gets his mojo back. This would be a perfect time for it.

[UMassHoops]

Funny stuff, although he did miss the mark on Keon completely who is not skinny and scores like a runaway truck on an 8% downhill grade (scores big and crashes big). MM does look like a nerd and I've long wished he'd get a cool factor makeover. He looks like an office manager in a suit and tie. Pip takes 1/3 of our shots was an eye opener, despite being our best player I really feel we need to double the amount of passes we make and have Pip free for less but higher quality shots. Single points of failure aren't good in many system designs. Dayton is what we ought to be, expectations for top 4 in the A10 every year. Maybe tomorrow starts the turnaround!

[Berkman]

Dayton is favored by 10.

[LS71]

Hate to say it but all too often Keon crashes big and the ball rolls off the rim.

[UMassHoops]

Bumping this above the trash threads...

[uz2b-len]

One advantage Dayton has over us is they have a real point guard in Jalen Crutcher. The strange thing is that he could have easily ended up with us last year. We could have really used him last year and we could really use him this year, too. As most of you know probably know, he signed a letter of intent with Chattanooga. According to reporting in the Dayton newspaper, after McCall got the UMass job he phoned Cutcher and said, "Sorry, I'm leaving." It seems he made no effort to recruit Crutcher to UMass or even help him to land somewhere. Dayton got wind of the situation and the rest, as they say, is history. I never understood McCall's choice with this. It looked like a mistake to me last year and still does. Maybe Crutcher doesn't have the athleticism he's looking for in his players, but we could have had him instead of Heyward. That would have worked nicely. Maybe, anyway. I suppose there's some chance he wouldn't have wanted to come here.

[Juice Stand]

I don't see a game preview anywhere on the Gazette site today. Are we that irrelevant?

[Berkman]

Get back to top. What does these junk post have an automatic post to screw up out site?

[minutefanjsf]

9.5 underdogs. That is bigger than I expected.

[Almontis]

According to reporting in the Dayton newspaper, after McCall got the UMass job he phoned Cutcher and said, "Sorry, I'm leaving." It seems he made no effort to recruit Crutcher to UMass or even help him to land somewhere.

That bothered me a bit, but I think McCall addressed the situation in a subsequent interview.

I think we put together a complete game and take this one, especially if Laurent's good to go. Let the guys who lack focus daydream on the bench, keep the ball moving on offense, and stay focused on the other stuff. It's time to start putting things together if they want to salvage the season.