This team began practicing in the summer.I am in shock as to the lack of fundamentals in regard to defense,rebounding,foul shooting, passing etc…etc…In the age of free agency via the transfer portal you can’t struggle to lesser teams prior to A10 conference play. Win because next season you start from scratch. Maybe Coach Joyce will enter the transfer portal  in the spring. I still believe this team has talent. In game coaching High Scool at best.

Styles1229 wrote:

A few points: FT shooting HAS improved. Corbett is just so bad it makes everybody else look worse than they are. I honestly don’t believe I’ve ever seen a worse FT shooter than Corbett. He had a double double last night and did a lot of things right but if he can’t even shoot 60% from the line (he’s barely 40% which just seems impossible) I don’t think he can be on the court. Unfortunately, he’s one of the 7 best players on the team. I really don’t know what I’d do except I for sure would not let him on the court in the last 5 minutes of any close game

Players who have quit: always hard to say as we only see the games but I think Max is done. DRU should be held accountable for starting him each half of every game when he hurts the team almost the entire time he is out there. Eli Wilborn looks unsatisfied only. Not sure it’s the same as quitting. He looks like he has a world of potential but it’s currently untapped. If I had to guess I’d say he’s deep in the dog house for something we’ll never learn. Otherwise, I don’t see “quit”. Just confusion on offense. Those poor passes were inexcusable but I wouldn’t chalk them up to “quitting”. Just undisciplined play. Maybe they know they aren’t going to have to answer for it….

Dru could turn into a great HC someday but it’s clear he wasn’t ready for this and it was a bad hire for the situation. I made it clear at the time I believed experienced, higher profile coaches should have been considered to take advantage of the momentum generated by the tourney runs. If Bronny would have come maybe he’d have been worth it but that is by no means for sure.

Finally, no one has been more vocal about Kareem than I. Both good and bad. He clearly cares and gives 100% every night. It’s unfortunate that he is being asked to do more than he’s capable of and, most nights, the good hasn’t been outweighing the bad. The worst part? Once conf play starts it will only get uglier…

Very fair summation to this point. Kareen would be more effective off the bench in and out instead of starting. It's clear teams prepare for him, and press him  down the court all night wasting time on the shot clock. His size does little in defense and we give up a lot in reach in rebounds. Too much and it adds up.  Yes, he has the heart of a Lion, but as a starter vs coming off the bench, he is less effective in what he can do. As far as where this team is right now. Our last win proved they must push the ball down court to the hoop on every opportunity. Maine ran it down the court in transition and made fast points. We just didn't try this game. Coach Dru must be getting bad advise on slowing the game down. With a very good defensive effort that this team has, you want more trips up and down the court to get more defensive stops, not less.  Taking the whole 30 seconds to then throw up a brick doesn't help a good defensive team really. And standing still in that very bad half-court was made worse by the over-head passing vs chest passing. Over head passes telegraph where and when the ball is going. It's no wonder that a very bad Maine team had a field day stealing the ball. Watch our last win and you can see a different team that beat a better opponent than Maine?  Push the pace. And like last year when KD changed up the line-up, change up the line-up and lets see some of those young guards that haven't seen a minute of play.  Something has got to change. 

I really can't add anything of substance at this point. Everyone on this board is well aware of the situation. I would say that the "basketball IQ" seems totally lacking here. Most of the bad stuff is simply dumb on court actions that defy description! I too think that DJlll can and MAYBE will develop his coaching abilities and skills as he gains more experience but for now what we are seeing is truly a "Nightmare on Forbes Ave." Didn't have season tickets the last couple of years due to my work schedule but picked one heck of a year to re-up!!!

Well, let's face it.  Losing Jimmy and Dae Dae left a huge hole in the team. All the transfer players, with the optimistic projections about their talents, don't come close to replacing those guys.  How many close games did we win in the final minutes last year with Jimmy breaking down a defense with moves to the hoop and Dae Dae getting fouled in the final minute and  actually making his free throws?  This team doesn't have the players to win in those ways. 

We will be lucky to win 5 games in conference.  Focus next year on recruiting better guard play and  look to high schools and jucos as much as the portal.

Last edited by indygjm (12/12/2024 3:34 pm)

S.R.M. wrote:

Just really tough to watch this team right now. I'll continue going to the games and supporting the team but I just don't see how they turn this season around. At least in the past you could hope for underclassmen development over the season but nowadays who knows who will or won't be on the team next year. I hate to say it but Dru looks like a very bad hire at this point. I'm not sure what this team does well. They turn the ball over way too much, don't finish inside, miss wide open jump shots, miss way too many free throws, and the defense and rebounding aren't anything special. The worst thing is that I don't see a lack of effort, just bad basketball. They all seem to be trying but there isn't a returning player that has taken a step forward and the all the transfers look like big recruiting misses. This team needs an identity.

We have an identity and it's not a good one.