Game 15, 2024-25: Richmond (1/4/25)

[MakeMullinsGreatAgain]

With this loss UMass is now ranked #225 in Kenpom - lowest since 2019

[Upstate10]

Problem is I don't want Bam Bam anywhere near the next hire

[69MG]

Anyone hear me thanking Bamford for extending Frank???

Yes, I did hear you. By the way, Frank was up with 30 seconds left in the first half waving 1 finger and yelling instructions. This may be the most disjointed team I have seen since before the Cal era. I'll post more about the game in general later, if I have the strength.

[Floyd]

Matt McCall was horrible. But I will swap him back for Frank Martin in a heartbeat

Fuck no.

[TheInsider]

^^ I wouldn't swap.. but we are not on pace for a McCall season... even worse.. we r on pace for a Lappas season.. that's if we do ok... if not.. we have to go back all the way to Ronny G..

[bobolink]

bad teams just find a way to lose. Finally a game where Curry, Diggins and Ndjigue all shot well, on 3s and FTs, but 9 turnovers by them, several that just looked like lack of attention. DHS has great heart, but his 1 for 6 from the field and 1 for 4 on FTs (2 of which were front end of 1-and-1s) hurt. Perhaps desparate tries to right the ship, but they didn't work.
Team finally shot pretty well, but the defense stunk and getting nothing from the center position will lose except against very weak teams, and there are none left on the schedule. I'm with most of the posters here in being fine with anyone and everyone leaving after this season, including the coach.

[Upstate10]

Anyone hear me thanking Bamford for extending Frank???

Yes, I did hear you. By the way, Frank was up with 30 seconds left in the first half waving 1 finger and yelling instructions. This may be the most disjointed team I have seen since before the Cal era. I'll post more about the game in general later, if I have the strength.

I genuinely believed this was a team of "his guys" and it's unbelievable how far wrong I was. Disjointed is the perfect word. It's a total disaster.

[NilesGold]

Anyone hear me thanking Bamford for extending Frank???

Yes, I did hear you. By the way, Frank was up with 30 seconds left in the first half waving 1 finger and yelling instructions. This may be the most disjointed team I have seen since before the Cal era. I'll post more about the game in general later, if I have the strength.

I genuinely believed this was a team of "his guys" and it's unbelievable how far wrong I was. Disjointed is the perfect word. It's a total disaster.

It is a team of "his guys", that's a big reason why Frank needs to go.

[Upstate10]

Yes, I did hear you. By the way, Frank was up with 30 seconds left in the first half waving 1 finger and yelling instructions. This may be the most disjointed team I have seen since before the Cal era. I'll post more about the game in general later, if I have the strength.

I genuinely believed this was a team of "his guys" and it's unbelievable how far wrong I was. Disjointed is the perfect word. It's a total disaster.

It is a team of "his guys", that's a big reason why Frank needs to go.

Yupp. Worded my post poorly. Completely agree. And he doesn't appear to take any accountability.

[Billybuck]

When does bammy have to answer for always hiring the wrong coaches? He is 0-3 in hoops, counting being left at the alter. 0-2 in football. Cover up to keep greggy!

[doubledribble]

Anyone hear me thanking Bamford for extending Frank???

Yes I heard ya. I sit just to the right of you & 1 row in front.
Also, I heard Frank’s wife yelling 4 or 5 times during the game. I never heard her do that before and couldn’t hear what she was yelling nor do I know who her screams were directed at. I just know she was very upset at something.
Anyone know who she was directing her frustrations towards or what she was yelling?

[69MG]

OK, here's my take on the game. In general, we did a lot of things right in this game. We shot better than them in every category but FT%, and that was minor. We also outrebounded them.

What cost us the game was turnovers, no other reason. They had 22 points off of our 17 turnovers, many of which were unforced. We had 8 points off of their 8 turnovers. That's a 14-point spread. You can criticize certain players for certain plays, but as a team, for me turnovers were today's issue.

Now, for the long-range synopsis. Frank mentioned on the post-game interview that we are getting dominated at the center position every single game and he is right. We did get 10 boards today between Shahid and Malek, but only 2 points. Richmond got 13 points and 11 boards from their 2 centers.

What does everyone think of Shahid's potential? I am starting to come down from my former optimistic view of him. Malek will only be here for this year unless the JUCO rule gets passed. I'm about ready to start rotating Luka and Doumbia at center. Let's see what they can do and also get them ready for next year, assuming they stay. I don't know if we have anything to lose by doing this. Last game, our 2 centers had 6 points, 4 boards. Frank had DHS playing center for parts of both games, but he can't handle 6'10 or 6'11 guys and he can be a force at the 4.

One last thing about our offense. It looks like schoolyard ball out there and that doesn't work unless you have extremely skilled players.

That's all I've got. I will still go to every game and hope, but the only light I see at the end of the tunnel is a train heading my way.

[doubledribble]

OK, here's my take on the game. In general, we did a lot of things right in this game. We shot better than them in every category but FT%, and that was minor. We also outrebounded them.

What cost us the game was turnovers, no other reason. They had 22 points off of our 17 turnovers, many of which were unforced. We had 8 points off of their 8 turnovers. That's a 14-point spread. You can criticize certain players for certain plays, but as a team, for me turnovers were today's issue.

Now, for the long-range synopsis. Frank mentioned on the post-game interview that we are getting dominated at the center position every single game and he is right. We did get 10 boards today between Shahid and Malek, but only 2 points. Richmond got 13 points and 11 boards from their 2 centers.

What does everyone think of Shahid's potential? I am starting to come down from my former optimistic view of him. Malek will only be here for this year unless the JUCO rule gets passed. I'm about ready to start rotating Luka and Doumbia at center. Let's see what they can do and also get them ready for next year, assuming they stay. I don't know if we have anything to lose by doing this. Last game, our 2 centers had 6 points, 4 boards. Frank had DHS playing center for parts of both games, but he can't handle 6'10 or 6'11 guys and he can be a force at the 4.

One last thing about our offense. It looks like schoolyard ball out there and that doesn't work unless you have extremely skilled players.

That's all I've got. I will still go to every game and hope, but the only light I see at the end of the tunnel is a train heading my way.

I’m with you .. turnovers KILLED us!
I’ve been saying for a while now give Luka a chance to see what he can do. I don’t believe Luka can do worse than some of the other big fellas.
I too will go to every game as I have for years.

[69MG]

^ With your handle, that should have been obvious. Although, I didn't see that one called today.

[Juice Stand]

Yeah 69, I agree with your synopsis. It's unreal how bad the centers have been and I'm completely on board with sitting Malek and letting Doumbia or Damjanac play.

I'm still not giving up on Shahid though. His problem is inexperience and mass. Due to his inexperience, he frequently doesn't know where to be. That can be fixed with practice time and playing time. And he needs to put on some muscle in the weight room. Opponents back him down with ease, he almost bounces off of them he's so thin. His ability to block shots is next level, evidenced by the fact that he gets so many goal tending calls reversed. Even the refs don't think he can do the things he does. I'm not giving up on that, and he actually has a pretty nice looking shot. Smooth at the FT line.