DavidsonCats.com

Wednesday, 7 pm, ESPN+ (at least according to Duquesne's site. Ours doesn't list a TV option). Go Cats.

The ESPN+ website shows the game on their schedule. Barring some last-minute technical difficulty, that's pretty reliable.

So is Duquesne's site. I'm sure it's on. It would be nice to be able to rely on davidsonwildcats.com, but at least we know not to depend on it.

I will be there. Sitting across court from our bench this time. Usually sit behind the bench. Unless one of their guards go off, I think we are better.

Problem is we can't shoot. Is that a personnel issue? That certainly must be considered. While I don't know the deal with Des, in the few games I did attend over the last years I always expected him to score 20 a game based on his performance in warm-ups. He probably made a good 70% of his 3's. By far the best shooter on the team. The fact that he struggled so mightily come game time is a question I hope our coaching staff is exploring-- because he has seemed to overcome that at Loyola. Are we experiencing something similar with Brizzi? I've never seen him warm-up, but his reputation coming in seemed to be that he could shoot it. Dare I say that his performance so far has been Des-esque?

I chuckled when Matt said in his preseason A-10 interview that we were a much improved 3 point shooting team. Something about Grant really improving his shooting over the summer... maybe he mentioned another player as well. I guess you could say he wasn't wrong. Grant is shooting 30% from 3, up from 25% last year. Connor is shooting it a tad better on a tad more volume. Skogman was shooting it a ton better until.... I guess we can just count our blessings they improved as much as they did. We'd be downright terrible without the improvement.

On a tangential note, I chuckled again when the Loyola announcers mentioned what is clearly a talking point for our coaches--- our not so great record in close games. Bob was 7-4 in points decided by 5 points or less in his final year. Matt is currently 4-6. Last year, he was 5-9.

mccabemi wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 06, 2024 6:48 am

On a tangential note, I chuckled again when the Loyola announcers mentioned what is clearly a talking point for our coaches--- our not so great record in close games. Bob was 7-4 in points decided by 5 points or less in his final year. Matt is currently 4-6. Last year, he was 5-9.

You can place that loss to GW directly at his feet. The timeout called in the endgame with the Cats ahead was a poor choice. The team's poor long range shooting frustrates because it often happens when they've run a good set and get a clean look.

Of late, I've considered that our game against Charlotte is a portent for a season. We've had some really good squads get tripped up against them, while some mediocre ones have walked away with a victory. Not always the case (Exhibit A: Jack Gibbs' tenure) but still.

Our coaches for many years now seem to me to privilege following orders and effort over performance. I’ve seen multiple players with a lot of talent and ability sit in favor of guys who make things look very difficult, which seems to work in their favor because it appears that they’re trying their absolute hardest. They may (and only “may”) make fewer mistakes, but they have a long leash and their mistakes are overlooked because in some sense they’re doing the best they can. And the coaches seem to ignore the opportunity cost of playing less talented guys—even if (and again it’s an “if” for me) they commit fewer sins of commission, their sins of omission can limit the team’s chances of winning. This starts early in the season and the effects get amplified as playing patterns evolve from that. And if the system is so complicated that it takes at least a year to be effective in it, then maybe we should think about simplifying things—particularly in an era when you can’t count on having many players around for four years.

The coaches have earned some deference and the system has been shown to work in earlier seasons, so staying the course should certainly be the default. But effective organizations adjust to changing strategic landscapes. I’m sure the coaches are evaluating lots of short-, medium-, and long-term adjustments.

The biggest adjustment the coaches need to evaluate is recruiting. If they don’t get that right nothing else will really matter.

I continue to be amused by these posts. The story of Chicken Little comes to mind.

Sir Walter Cat wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 06, 2024 8:16 am

mccabemi wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 06, 2024 6:48 am

On a tangential note, I chuckled again when the Loyola announcers mentioned what is clearly a talking point for our coaches--- our not so great record in close games. Bob was 7-4 in points decided by 5 points or less in his final year. Matt is currently 4-6. Last year, he was 5-9.

You can place that loss to GW directly at his feet. The timeout called in the endgame with the Cats ahead was a poor choice. The team's poor long range shooting frustrates because it often happens when they've run a good set and get a clean look.

Of late, I've considered that our game against Charlotte is a portent for a season. We've had some really good squads get tripped up against them, while some mediocre ones have walked away with a victory. Not always the case (Exhibit A: Jack Gibbs' tenure) but still.

I honestly had no issue with the timeout, we executed the inbounds from the time out with an open passing lane to Reed who had the ball wrestled out of his hands. Im sure Matt would do things over if he could from that game, but we lost because of the worst display of free throw shooting ive ever seen from a Davidson team.

I watched the second half of the St. Louis game last night. Of course the main takeaway was how much difference Skog made. Gelo was great, and that bodes well for the future. He looked like we expected him to be. Grant of course was great. Too bad we won’t be seeing that team play again in the near future, if ever. But parts of it can potentially reappear from time to time.

bvgerd wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 06, 2024 10:27 am

Sir Walter Cat wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 06, 2024 8:16 am

mccabemi wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 06, 2024 6:48 am

On a tangential note, I chuckled again when the Loyola announcers mentioned what is clearly a talking point for our coaches--- our not so great record in close games. Bob was 7-4 in points decided by 5 points or less in his final year. Matt is currently 4-6. Last year, he was 5-9.

You can place that loss to GW directly at his feet. The timeout called in the endgame with the Cats ahead was a poor choice. The team's poor long range shooting frustrates because it often happens when they've run a good set and get a clean look.

Of late, I've considered that our game against Charlotte is a portent for a season. We've had some really good squads get tripped up against them, while some mediocre ones have walked away with a victory. Not always the case (Exhibit A: Jack Gibbs' tenure) but still.

I honestly had no issue with the timeout, we executed the inbounds from the time out with an open passing lane to Reed who had the ball wrestled out of his hands. Im sure Matt would do things over if he could from that game, but we lost because of the worst display of free throw shooting ive ever seen from a Davidson team.

Kind of you to say that ball was “wrestled” out of Reed’s hands. I would’ve said “easily taken” instead.

wildforthecats wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 06, 2024 9:47 am

I continue to be amused by these posts. The story of Chicken Little comes to mind.

Wild- You just have a higher threshold of pain than the rest of us.

As an Alsatian-American, I was upset that the other thread got locked before I could complain about a lack of my ethnicity on the team. At least there is one A10 coach.

Of course, this is a disappointing season for everyone who loves our team.

I'm weary, rather than amused, that every recent thread has taken this tangent so quickly.

Maybe start a dedicated "need better shooters / need better recruiting / need stronger players / coulda-woulda-shoulda / . . . " thread. Then at least I'd know what not to open.