Game 6, 2021-22: vs Ball State (11/21)

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Game 6, 2021-22: vs Ball State (11/21)

Post by MikeUMA » Fri Nov 19, 2021 6:00 pm

UM vs Ball State for the first time ever. Sunday at 2:30 on CBS Sports Network. (No Patriots conflict.) Put a little extra time on the DVR, as they're the second game of the afternoon at the Jersey Mike's.

Ball takes on Weber State, now on CBS Sports Network. At this moment, they're 1-2 on the season.
Road loss at Georgia Southern, 82-71
Home win over Omaha, 73-69
Lost yesterday to FIU, 73-60

They're in the MAC, but we never crossed paths with them in the years we played MAC schools. This season, they were picked 8th out of the 12 in the MAC pre-season poll.

Coach James Whitford got 21-win seasons out of them in 2015-16 and 2016-17, but they're coming off a 10-13 season last year. They last danced in 2000.

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Re: Game 6, 2021-22: vs Ball State (11/21)

Post by 69MG » Fri Nov 19, 2021 6:14 pm

There's no such thing as a "must win" this early, but I declare this a "must win". Coming home 4-2 vs 3-3 seems so much better.

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Re: Game 6, 2021-22: vs Ball State (11/21)

Post by Juice Stand » Sat Nov 20, 2021 7:14 am

I have no problem calling tomorrow's game a must win. We're at a point in McCall's tenure where UMass should win these games against bad opponents. This year's squad doesn't have the typical "they're young" excuse. This is a veteran team with outstanding guard play, and frankly, Ball State stinks. They have to develop some consistency and win this game heading into a tough week of home games vs Lowell and Rutgers.

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Re: Game 6, 2021-22: vs Ball State (11/21)

Post by 69MG » Sat Nov 20, 2021 11:32 am

Memo to Matt McCall: Start Dibaji Walker at the 4.

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Re: Game 6, 2021-22: vs Ball State (11/21)

Post by m626t » Sat Nov 20, 2021 12:15 pm

Juice Stand wrote: Sat Nov 20, 2021 7:14 am They have to develop some consistency and win this game heading into a tough week of home games vs Lowell and Rutgers.
I am having a tough time wrapping my head around the fact that Lowell is considered a tough game for us. Goes to the fact that Lowell has made progress as a D1 program, and we are who we are right now.
All due respect, and I mean that from the bottom of my heart, I'm gonna pass.

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Re: Game 6, 2021-22: vs Ball State (11/21)

Post by Floyd » Sat Nov 20, 2021 1:00 pm

^ Paulie, I thought the same thing
Time to Win

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Re: Game 6, 2021-22: vs Ball State (11/21)

Post by 69MG » Sat Nov 20, 2021 1:09 pm

I realize it seems improbable that Lowell would be a tough game. However, they are 4-1 with their only loss to OK State. They won on the road at Dayton and GW. That's more than we have done.

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Re: Game 6, 2021-22: vs Ball State (11/21)

Post by PreecherJenkins » Sat Nov 20, 2021 5:08 pm

Let us keep our eyes on the Ball (State)

MAC games used to be gimmies when we had to play 4 a year due to the football deal. McCall hasnt been as good against the MAC. They sholud win this game by 8 plus.
"You are what your record says you are" Coach Bill P.

JUST SAY NO TO THE MAC

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Re: Game 6, 2021-22: vs Ball State (11/21)

Post by JoleonLescottsHair » Sat Nov 20, 2021 7:03 pm

PreecherJenkins wrote: Sat Nov 20, 2021 5:08 pm McCall hasnt been as good against the MAC.
And what is his record?

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Re: Game 6, 2021-22: vs Ball State (11/21)

Post by 69MG » Sat Nov 20, 2021 7:35 pm

As far a I can tell, McCall is winless against the MAC. I think he's only played 1 MAC game, a loss to Akron so I wouldn't call that a trend. :)

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Re: Game 6, 2021-22: vs Ball State (11/21)

Post by capezona » Sat Nov 20, 2021 7:41 pm

PreecherJenkins wrote: Sat Nov 20, 2021 5:08 pm Let us keep our eyes on the Ball (State)

MAC games used to be gimmies when we had to play 4 a year due to the football deal. McCall hasnt been as good against the MAC. They sholud win this game by 8 plus.
From what I can see he's only had one MAC game (Akron in 19-20 where we lost).

Edit: you beat me to it 69.

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Re: Game 6, 2021-22: vs Ball State (11/21)

Post by Steve81 » Sat Nov 20, 2021 7:52 pm

MikeUMA wrote: Fri Nov 19, 2021 6:00 pm
They're in the MAC, but we never crossed paths with them in the years we played MAC schools. This season, they were picked 8th out of the 12 in the MAC pre-season poll.

Coach James Whitford got 21-win seasons out of them in 2015-16 and 2016-17, but they're coming off a 10-13 season last year. They last danced in 2000.
So 75% of the MAC is better then this team. We should blow them out. If it's not a double digit win then we are crap.
Go UMass!!

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Re: Game 6, 2021-22: vs Ball State (11/21)

Post by Old Cage » Sat Nov 20, 2021 10:41 pm

^ We might want to hold off on judgement until we see what Mr. Steadman contributes.

From our site: "Averaged nearly 10 points a game while shooting better than 54% from the floor (80-of-146) in 22.6 minutes of action per game ... Added 5.4 rebounds per game and recorded two double-doubles on the season, highlighted by a 19-point, 10-rebound effort against Northern Colorado on Jan. 4 where he shot 9-of-17 from the floor and also added two blocks."

No, I don't expect to see him play tomorrow, but I had to respond to the Mayor of North Quabbin. :)
"Jack didn’t have any envy in him," Calipari said. "He was the greatest coach to ever coach here."

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Re: Game 6, 2021-22: vs Ball State (11/21)

Post by 69MG » Sat Nov 20, 2021 10:55 pm

We are favored by around 8 in most of the opening lines. If we are going to live and die by the 3, we better hope that 3 or 4 of our guys are on. Ball state also shoots a lot of 3s. Almost half of their shots are from behind the arc (113 out of 231).

They have balanced scoring, with 8 players averaging 5.5 or more with the highest at 12.8. We can't have guys losing their man on D and giving up uncontested shots.

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Re: Game 6, 2021-22: vs Ball State (11/21)

Post by JoleonLescottsHair » Sat Nov 20, 2021 11:37 pm

69MG wrote: Sat Nov 20, 2021 7:35 pm As far a I can tell, McCall is winless against the MAC. I think he's only played 1 MAC game, a loss to Akron so I wouldn't call that a trend. :)
Yep, I knew the answer before asking. The only trend seems to be PreacherJenkins absolutely determined to bash McCall even if it requires making shit up.

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