I am totally ok with losing to Florida State for several reasons:
1. We were down 15-2 to start the game and battled back to within 21-19 at one point. Last year we would have started chucking up 3's and looking out for #1 instead of the team. Instead, our guys kept battling.
2. Jordan Dartis grew up BIG TIME in this Paradise Jam. I still think it's ok to start Khari or even Block and bring Jordy off the bench. But Jordy will be Freshman of the Year in the MAC (mark it!).
3. The 3 teams we played in this Paradise Jam were more athletic than any team in the MAC and we hung with them. We are not an athletic team but we do have toughness. How were we even within striking distance of them in rebounding tonight!?
4. I was skeptical of Wadly after Game 1 but he is showing he will be a great bench player. Laster looks good off the bench. So do Jorday and Gavin. And Gollon is serviceable as well.
5. We still have more options than any other MAC team. Kaminski for 3...Jaaron gets to the rim...Jaaron gets to the rim, Tony gets inside looks...Tony gets inside looks..we get 3 pointers.

LOVE THIS TEAM!

3-2 is ok but defense wins championships and in the two losses we've given up 90 in each. I don't care about the 30 second shot clock this team MUST do better than that!

I'd like to see the stats which take into account pace. Where is the Dragon when you need him??

Some interesting numbers as I glance at the season stats here: http://www.ohiobobcats.com/sports/m-baskbl/stats/2015-201...

Encouraging:
* 4 players averaging in double figures
* Plus-4.0 rebounding average
* Shooting 48% as a team
* Kaminski is 16-of-16 on FTs
* Kaminski could be the league's best 3-point shooter... and so far he ranks sixth on his own team in 3-point percentage (minimum 10 attempts). He'll get better.
* 40 assists for Jaaron
* Nine players averaging more than 10 minutes per game

Concerning:
* Tony is averaging 4 fouls a game
* Jaaron is averaging 34 minutes -- and that'd be more if not for foul trouble
* 31 turnovers for Jaaron

Overall, this seems like a really nice start. Lots of seasoning against good opponents, and the next couple weeks has some more nice tests before a brutally easy four-game homestand leading up to MAC play.

I'm OK with 3-2 as well. Honestly, they're a couple bounces from possibly being 5-0.

We knew this was going to be a young and inexperienced team, but (outside of that collapse vs. Tulsa) their inexperience hasn't showed too much.

Albeit against a terrible team in TSU, they showed some real grit pulling that out. And after getting down 13 to FSU...to battle back and have the lead in the 2nd half wasn't something you typically see from an inexperienced team.

The real question is...can this team win three straight games in March?

The more I watch them, the more I think that are playing themselves into possibly having a chance to do that.

I agree...the two most concerning things that I hope start trending in the other direction is defense and turnovers (mainly Simmons)

If this offense can continue to be as efficient as they've been....watch out! Not sure a lot of MAC teams can get up and the down the court with them (especially if Ohio is shooting well)

But Simmons 4-3.1 assist-to-turnover ratio has got to improve. Turnovers will kill us in the long run.

I think we go 5-2 these next 7 before MAC play starts at worst. Marshall, St. Bonnie and CleveState should be good challenges....but the next four should be automatic Ws....honestly, those four games will show me a lot. How does a young team handle playing bad teams....do they come out and just take care of business and win handily....or do they make it a struggle and somehow let one slip away.

Should be fun.

I don't think there's much to be added to this thread about the pluses and minuses of this group so far.

I'll just add this: I'm really enjoying watching these guys right now. There was a point last year when I wasn't enjoying watching. For now, that's enough for me.

Well we are going to win at least three games and probably more.

Last year we finished our non-conference schedule with a record of 5-6. There were 3 common opponents with this year's schedule-

L @FGCU 79-62
L St Bonnie 80-70
W Ark-Pine Bluff 69-60


At 3-2 we will have to finish 2-4 against the following D1 opponents to match last year's results-

Marshall
@ St Bonnie
@ Cleveland St
Jackson St
Ark-Pine Bluff
UC Riverside

At this point I feel confident we can find 2 wins from that list.

You seem to always miss the pre-season record prediction threads - or maybe you only prognosticate in hindsight - On Mondays?

http://www.bobcatattack.com/messageboard/topic.asp?FromPa...