vs UT Martin (2/10/24)

[4EverPurple&Gold]

To me this loss was tough... but first positive. Good to see us on ESPNU - had some friends said they saw my school play and good to get on something outside of streaming.

Trying to build support from students is hard when you keep losing games when you ask them to come out. Its hard I know to get students out. Even when I went my friends cared more about other schools. Half of the time they didn't know we had a game.

Awful final possession... should of called a timeout when nothing was there.

[wiu712]

Tennessee-Martin wins the game 62-59

UT-Martin went on a 10-3 run in the last 5 minutes of the game.

Jesiah West led the Western scoring with 19 points.

Drew Cisse had 11 rebounds.

Western was 8 of 15 on free throws.

Attendance at Western Hall = 1,448


Current Standings:
Morehead State  11-1
Western  8-4
Tennessee-Martin  8-4
Tennessee State  8-4
Little Rock  8-4
SIU-Edwardsville  6-6
Eastern Illinois  5-7
Southern Indiana  4-8
Southeast Missouri State  3-9
Tennessee Tech  3-9
Lindenwood  2-10
 
 
 
 

[sealhall74]

Tennessee-Martin wins the game 62-59

UT-Martin went on a 10-3 run in the last 5 minutes of the game.

Jesiah West led the Western scoring with 19 points.

Drew Cisse had 11 rebounds.

Western was 8 of 15 on free throws.

Attendance at Western Hall = 1,448


Current Standings:
Morehead State  11-1
Western  8-4
Tennessee State  8-4
Little Rock  8-4
SIU-Edwardsville  6-6
Eastern Illinois  5-7
Southern Indiana  4-8
Southeast Missouri State  3-9
Tennessee Tech  3-9
Lindenwood  2-10
 
 


 

UTMartin is also 8-4.  One hell of a log jam now for that #2 seed position with 4 teams at 8-4.  I assume head to head record is part of the tie-breaker scenario.  Here are the tiebreakers a couple years back.  I assume still valid.  Of the 4, IMO Martin looks the strongest from the games I have seen.  They have two really good big men and a strong PG.  But we were in it to the end against them even without our best effort.

https://ovcsports.com/news/2021/1/6/men ... eaker.aspx
 

[meganeck]

Last three losses could of been fixed with around 70% free throw average. Which from what I can find is still just below the avg for all D1 teams. 

 

Telecast said they are the 3rd worst free throw shooting team in D1, that is definitely a problem.

[meganeck]

To me this loss was tough... but first positive. Good to see us on ESPNU - had some friends said they saw my school play and good to get on something outside of streaming.

Trying to build support from students is hard when you keep losing games when you ask them to come out. Its hard I know to get students out. Even when I went my friends cared more about other schools. Half of the time they didn't know we had a game.

Awful final possession... should of called a timeout when nothing was there.

 

Coach was frustrated he said they ask the community to come out and support them and then they lay 2 big eggs at home. He said its hard to expect them to keep coming out when they lose at home.
 

[sealhall74]

The season is long, lots of ebb and flow to it.  Stilll plenty of games left (last 4 of them at home) to be playing your best ball heading into the tournament.   I also think there is still time to get a little more productiviity from the bench, both minutes AND other stats areas.  I thought Lamar gave us little spark in the first half.  
 

[Neckfansince71]

I would agree, still plenty of games left and as Seal Hall has stated.  Freethrows are basically mechanical repetition and confidence.  Flex at the shoulder, flex at the elbow, extend at the wrist, pointer finger in the middle of the ball, legs bent a bit,  3 dribbles, find the from of the rim with your eyes, Extend elbow, extend shoulder, flick the wrist aiming for the front of the rim, straighten knees.  Repeat!  You want the shoulder, elbow, and writs to be aligned with the middle of the ball and your pointer finger.  But just relax and shoot with confidence.  You wonder, hey Neckfan have you over shot free-throws at the end of the game when it was on the line and the answer is yes.  I would have been better than i was if I had gone to a clinic as a high school student instead of waiting to go as a Freshman coach.  

Just remember one thing.  The goal is to be playing at your best level at tournament time.  There is truly a reason for the season!  Can also work the other way, there truly is a season for a reason.  

jc

Got to get the guards more involved in the offense at this point.  Myer and Cesse had a back and forth three times with out taking a shot, we needed a good 3 at that point.  Nice passing but did not count on the scoreboard.

PS  I love the OVC.  I love the press coverage and games televised for each team on Thursdays and Saturdays.  Its the bomb.  Much better than being lost on the prairie somewhere in Dakota country.
 
 

[sealhall74]

I would agree, still plenty of games left and as Seal Hall has stated.  Freethrows are basically mechanical repetition and confidence.  Flex at the shoulder, flex at the elbow, extend at the wrist, pointer finger in the middle of the ball, legs bent a bit,  3 dribbles, find the from of the rim with your eyes, Extend elbow, extend shoulder, flick the wrist aiming for the front of the rim, straighten knees.  Repeat!  You want the shoulder, elbow, and writs to be aligned with the middle of the ball and your pointer finger.  But just relax and shoot with confidence.  You wonder, hey Neckfan have you over shot free-throws at the end of the game when it was on the line and the answer is yes.  I would have been better than i was if I had gone to a clinic as a high school student instead of waiting to go as a Freshman coach.  

Just remember one thing.  The goal is to be playing at your best level at tournament time.  There is truly a reason for the season!  Can also work the other way, there truly is a season for a reason.  

jc

Got to get the guards more involved in the offense at this point.  Myer and Cesse had a back and forth three times with out taking a shot, we needed a good 3 at that point.  Nice passing but did not count on the scoreboard.

PS  I love the OVC.  I love the press coverage and games televised for each team on Thursdays and Saturdays.  Its the bomb.  Much better than being lost on the prairie somewhere in Dakota country.
 
 

 

Agree on the guard assessment.  One troubling stat that I see is our top 2 assist guys are  Cisse and West.  My two cents, but that is like your top tacklers in football being your DBs.  If either one of those 2 take more than a couple of dribbles with the ball, its probably not going to work out well. 

[vatusay]

The team does lack a true PG.