Game 31, 2018-19: at Rhody (3/9)

[Berkman]

RI 94 - 75.

[69MG]

So what was the final of this debacle?

The less you know the better you'll be able to sleep tonight. If you really want to know, you can click on this link.
http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basket ... =401086337

[econalum]

No wins on the road in the A10 speaks volumes on lack of caring, intensity, and effort.

And the A10 might have only 2 teams in the NCAA's, a down year.

The good news is that hockey and lax are rising.

[vanmeter]

I was at the game today and only recognized 2 people in the stands. One being Jason Germain who works for the athletic department.

Very little effort today - players going thru the motions. As bad as this team is - what players give you optimism for next year. I think wholesale changes in both players and staff.

McCall gambled on along of transfers and they did not pan out. He'll get another year but if there is not significant improvement he will be out.

[Juice Stand]

As bad as this team is - what players give you optimism for next year. I think wholesale changes in both players and staff.

Pierre is at the top of that list. Not just because he can shoot, but because it sounds like he does everything right on and off the court. I love watching that dude play. Aside from him, it's hard to say because roster turnover can be hard to predict, but if they stay, Laurent, Clergeot, and the three freshmen are all positive players to build on. I won't comment on the incoming recruiting class because I don't follow that closely at all.

[kd68]

Not much to look forward to, except the surprise win every now and then. I am hoping for a new coach, but doubt if this will happen. Unless we get some surprise talent in, next year could-be even worse, if that is possible.

[Juice Stand]

I read the postgame comments by McCall in the Gazette and they were depressing. There's a section where Walfish mentions they were breaking timeout huddles early because McCall had nothing to say to the guys, and he himself admitted that he's sounding like a broken record. Woof ... I need my coach to be able to deliver a message and motivate players. If the message isn't getting across, change the way it's delivered; you have to be able to get through to your players.

The second-year coach didn’t take one (timeout) the rest of the way and UMass often exited its huddles well before the buzzer sounded for teams to return to the floor. McCall said some of that is not knowing how much time is left in a break, but a large part is the message wasn’t complicated and eventually McCall was sounding like a broken record. “You burn a timeout and you’re saying the same exact things in the timeouts, the medias you’re saying the same thing,” McCall said. “‘Where’s our intensity level? Where’s our energy? Where’s our fight? Our resilience?’ … You end up saying the same thing and you keep burning timeouts and we’re just going to end up saying the same thing.”

https://www.gazettenet.com/UMass-falls- ... d-24024586

That quote just flat out sucks to read. Do a better job.

[Roadtrip]

Have been behind McCall from the start, but yeah, that is not a good sign. Earn your bucks, buddy. This team can play good basketball, it's up to the HC to see that it does. Every game. Zero lazy ass passes this late in the year. None, that is what is acceptable. Play defense or park it. The message should be simple, but loud and clear.

[NilesGold]

I read the postgame comments by McCall in the Gazette and they were depressing. There's a section where Walfish mentions they were breaking timeout huddles early because McCall had nothing to say to the guys, and he himself admitted that he's sounding like a broken record. Woof ... I need my coach to be able to deliver a message and motivate players. If the message isn't getting across, change the way it's delivered; you have to be able to get through to your players.

McCall is certainly not without blame, but at this point in the season I think you just have to accept that it might not matter what McCall says or does, some of the players can't be coached by him. Some players, especially this late in the season in a meaningless game, are simply not going to be coachable, and this is certainly not isolated to UMass. Yeah, McCall recruited most of the current players, and he should've done a better job getting the right guys, but I think we need at least one more season before we can figure out if the core problem is McCall's inability to motivate and connect with players, or if it was simply a correctable short-term error in recruiting.

https://www.timesrecordnews.com/story/s ... 064228002/

[uz2b-len]

It's on the coach to get his team ready to play every game.

[minutefanjsf]

I read the postgame comments by McCall in the Gazette and they were depressing. There's a section where Walfish mentions they were breaking timeout huddles early because McCall had nothing to say to the guys, and he himself admitted that he's sounding like a broken record. Woof ... I need my coach to be able to deliver a message and motivate players. If the message isn't getting across, change the way it's delivered; you have to be able to get through to your players.

McCall is certainly not without blame, but at this point in the season I think you just have to accept that it might not matter what McCall says or does, some of the players can't be coached by him. Some players, especially this late in the season in a meaningless game, are simply not going to be coachable, and this is certainly not isolated to UMass. Yeah, McCall recruited most of the current players, and he should've done a better job getting the right guys, but I think we need at least one more season before we can figure out if the core problem is McCall's inability to motivate and connect with players, or if it was simply a correctable short-term error in recruiting.

https://www.timesrecordnews.com/story/s ... 064228002/

I think there is an issue with ownership on the coach and players. It sounds to me that McCall thinks the entire issue is will to win and effort. It looks like the players are looking for more than that. When things aren’t going well, like yesterday, the players don’t want to hear try harder, they want to be told what to do differently on the court. Change defense, press, etc. neither the coach nor the players own the mistakes/losing while they are being made. McCall takes ownership after, but can’t figure how to own it while it’s happening as evidenced by him saying all the kids need to do is try harder.

[kd68]

I sense from the above posts that McCall cannot relate to his players. Time to suck it up Umass, admit you made a mistake, and do the right thing.

[UMassHoops]

It's on the coach to figure out how to relate to today's new breed of pissant, entitled, anxiety ridden, self isolated and social media driven player. Seems like this is a common issue nowadays all the way up through the pro's. But yet some teams continue to win anyway and some teams continue to lose. Coach can't use it as an excuse because every coach is dealing with the same basic societal raw materials and some still craft winners out of it.

If he's given up, then it's time for a change. (although not realistically happening until end of next year)

edit: by cutting off timeouts early he's basically giving up on the players, it's kind of passive-aggressive and is not going to work

[rayers]

Agree with all of the above. It should always be about the coach first. It is his job to earn the players’ trust and respect as a coach. Players play hard when they know it is absolutely demanded. The way they responded to the perimeter pressure had absolutely nothing to do with playing hard. The team did not seem to have an approach to the pressure. As a coach, you have to have wrinkles in the offense that are designed to attack pressure especially in the half court. Two or three simple rim attacking quick hitting plays could have neutralized the pressure and it was definitely not about “slowing down” as Pierre suggested and I assume McCall was saying in the huddles. And McCall is wrong about the use of timeouts IMHO. He should have used every damn one because the game was lost in the first half. I have been unwavering in my support of Coach but I really believe his inexperience is a really huge factor and issue with the team’s presentation and performance. He needs some help and I hope he succeeds but I’m not optimistic he will if he continues the same approach with his glaring level of inexperience.

[Jackson96]

I don’t particularly care about yesterday’s effort (a depressing thought on its own) — last game of the year in a lost season and they played like it.

Big picture the only clear thing to me is that in the mad scramble to put together a program, McCall failed. Because it was just that - a mad scramble - McCall has another shot here. It is up to him to get it right - from the staff to the players to the actual coaching.

Next year I will settle for a program that is reading the same book, let alone being on the same page or “connected” in shitty coachspeak. That is another depressing thought, but for me at least it is reality. It would be an improvement. Improvement is all I want. Maybe I am just a beaten down dog, I don’t know.

Is McCall up to the challenge? I have my doubts but I’m willing to remain open-minded and give him a chance.

Let the makeover begin.