Still disappointed with anything less than Sweet 16?
- Thread starter Woof Man Jack
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We smoked a Pac-10 team (Stanford), then took #1 Duke to the wire. And thanks again Gary Ervin for that critical turnover with the game tied at 50-50 with less than a minute to go.
We can do it but we have to get back the team that had Vandy on the ropes in Nashville, not the one that has stunk it up the last 3 games.
We can do it but we have to get back the team that had Vandy on the ropes in Nashville, not the one that has stunk it up the last 3 games.
.....team now. Oregon, as I'm sure you've all discussed already, is no pushover. Memphis will thrash us if we're lucky enough to face them.
This is what you get for not taking care of business in a game you absolutely should win., yet another post-season flop.
This is what you get for not taking care of business in a game you absolutely should win., yet another post-season flop.
I think we match up well against Memphis. They are soft and overrated. Not saying we'll win, but we can match up and on a given night beat them.
I think we can hang with the Tigers for most of the game (as in not get blown out). But I would be shocked if we actually beat them. I say we lose that game by about 10 points or so (assuming we get there).
I think Memphis is the only #1 seed we really have any realistic chance of beating, and if we had been a 7 seed our 3 choices of #2 seeds would have been Texas, Georgetown, and Duke: also all terrible matchups for us, with maybe except Georgetown if they were cold shooting.
I think there are a few ways for us to have a chance to beat Memphis (e.g. guard them really hard and accept the fouls and let them have their ~55% free throw shooting points), but they have some serious athletes, and I just don't see our guys having the discipline to do what is needed there.
And that's if we get passed Oregon, who's team is apparently comprised entirely of RAT candidates.
I think there are a few ways for us to have a chance to beat Memphis (e.g. guard them really hard and accept the fouls and let them have their ~55% free throw shooting points), but they have some serious athletes, and I just don't see our guys having the discipline to do what is needed there.
And that's if we get passed Oregon, who's team is apparently comprised entirely of RAT candidates.
MSU gets past Oregon, the Memphis matchup is not as foreboding as the media will make it out to be. The only time Memphis played a team with comparable athleticism all year was UT, and they struggled mightily. And UT doesn't play half the defense MSU does. If the late season MSU shows up and not the SEC tourney MSU shows up, MSU can beat Memphis.
Why do people think UT is the only good team we've played? We played Oklahoma, USC (who I thought was the most athletic team we played this year), Arizona, Georgetown, Gonzaga, and UConn.
Also, as far as matching up well. It seems like your style is similar to ours. We tend to do worst against teams that play a slow-down, grind it out style of ball and teams that zone alot. From what I've seen, you like to run and gun too. The elite athletecism teams, like UT, can play our style of ball and make a game out of it. But we tend to beat teams pretty badly that try to play our style without the athletes to do so-- it usually gets ugly. Most athletic teams that play us very rarely play zone defense, so we just run them ragged man to man and then they have nothing to switch to. It's difficult for a team in the tournament that plays man to man all season, and then gets into the tournament where playing man only works against teams of equal and lesser athletecism. Has MSU played zone much this season?
Also, as far as matching up well. It seems like your style is similar to ours. We tend to do worst against teams that play a slow-down, grind it out style of ball and teams that zone alot. From what I've seen, you like to run and gun too. The elite athletecism teams, like UT, can play our style of ball and make a game out of it. But we tend to beat teams pretty badly that try to play our style without the athletes to do so-- it usually gets ugly. Most athletic teams that play us very rarely play zone defense, so we just run them ragged man to man and then they have nothing to switch to. It's difficult for a team in the tournament that plays man to man all season, and then gets into the tournament where playing man only works against teams of equal and lesser athletecism. Has MSU played zone much this season?
We get home last night, I ask the wife to flip to ESPN to see what seed we got. Immediately they show our bracket and what do I see, us as an 8 playing Oregon and opposite Memphis. Ugh. If we somehow manage to make the Sweet 16 this year the ragging of Stansbury should stop, seriously. Beating Oregon and Memphis in the course of a weekend would be a huge accomplishment. Hopefully this team will remove head from sphincter before heading to Arkansas for the first round game because otherwise we will be one and done. Our shot selection, breakdowns defensively, and poor rebounding from this past weekend will get us a quick exit from the Big Dance, especially given our draw. Oregon and then Memphis. Wow. Gotta love being a State fan.
Making the Sweet Sixteen as an 8 seed is highly difficult.
That said, I think you match up well with Memphis. Their offense is a dribble drive offense. And you have the best shot blocker in the nation waiting for anyone that comes into the lane. That allows your defenders some leeway if they get beat on the dribble.
Also, if you look at Memphis's one loss, they lost because UT played strong defense and rebounded well. UT outrebounded them by 16 in that game, and UT isn't as strong of a rebounding team as MSU. I'm not saying I'm picking you to beat Memphis (if you beat Oregon of course), but if I was a Memphis fan I'd be concerned about that possible 2nd round match up. There are a lot of other teams that Memphis would rather face.
That said, I think you match up well with Memphis. Their offense is a dribble drive offense. And you have the best shot blocker in the nation waiting for anyone that comes into the lane. That allows your defenders some leeway if they get beat on the dribble.
Also, if you look at Memphis's one loss, they lost because UT played strong defense and rebounded well. UT outrebounded them by 16 in that game, and UT isn't as strong of a rebounding team as MSU. I'm not saying I'm picking you to beat Memphis (if you beat Oregon of course), but if I was a Memphis fan I'd be concerned about that possible 2nd round match up. There are a lot of other teams that Memphis would rather face.
The answer is yes. We have played zone a lot this year, unlike previous years. I haven't seen y'all enough to know whether it could "get ugly," but State fans really believe that this team can hang with anybody. Our defense is ranked second in the nation, featuring the nation's number one shot blocker Jarvis "SWAT" Varnado. We also uusally out rebound our opponents. Jarvis has also developed some impressive offensive moves in the last few months. We have a strong big man in Charles Rhodes who gets help off the bench from Elgin Bailey, a talented freshman. Everyone has heard of our point guard Jamont Gordon, in the elite of college basketball players.
We do struggle to get the ball inside to Rhodes, and our outside shooting is streaky. Hopefully Tyler's brother Ben and our other outside shooters will be on the positve streak when we play y'all.
The other thing we've proven is that we can lose to anybody, so the Oregon game is no gimme. My bet is that the Memphis fans will be pulling for the Ducks. I think we'll be seeing you Sunday. Somebody's gonna have to lose. I'm hoping it's you.
We do struggle to get the ball inside to Rhodes, and our outside shooting is streaky. Hopefully Tyler's brother Ben and our other outside shooters will be on the positve streak when we play y'all.
The other thing we've proven is that we can lose to anybody, so the Oregon game is no gimme. My bet is that the Memphis fans will be pulling for the Ducks. I think we'll be seeing you Sunday. Somebody's gonna have to lose. I'm hoping it's you.
"Why do people think UT is the only good team we've played?"
Because most people don't pay attention to college basketball until February. So, to them Tennessee is the only team you've played.
"From what I've seen, you like to run and gun too."
Then you haven't seen us much. If anything, we slow it down to a fault.
Because most people don't pay attention to college basketball until February. So, to them Tennessee is the only team you've played.
"From what I've seen, you like to run and gun too."
Then you haven't seen us much. If anything, we slow it down to a fault.
At least know what you're talking about. You say you struggle against teams that slow it down? One of the main reasons our fans think we can hang with Memphis. There has been times I was afraid Jamont wouldn't get the ball across half court before the 10 second count with no pressure simply because we are constantly slowing the game down. There have been a couple games we scored high numbers (less than 5 probably) and ran alot and if those were the games you watched then ok. You struggle against teams that play zone? Possibly point #2 as to why we think we match up ok. We went to the zone almost exclusively in the late part of the SEC schedule when we were playing our best basketball, so we aren't a team that has just played man all year and will attempt to play zone in the tournament. Look, I'm realistic. I wouldn't place money on MSU, but I wouldn't start punching my ticket to the Final Four if I was Memphis either. People are going to doubt Memphis until they do something to show otherwise. The wins in early December are great, but March is what counts. We'll see if this years team is different.
It isn't the fact that Memphis hasn't played good teams, they have. It's the fact that, aside from UT, they haven't played any lately. Now, playing tough teams recently isn't a guarantee to a late Tourney run, and I'm certainly not saying our recent schedule will lead to a victory. What I am saying is we don't really know how Memphis will respond to a tough, tight, hard fought game against a good opponent. They could respond well or poorly, leading to either a victory or defeat. It's the uncertainty that has people concerned about picking Memphis. They could make it to the Final Four or lose in the second round and noone would really be surprised.
Looking past Oregon? I'm afraid that Stansbury is too. If so, look for another grinding and ugly game. Oregon's three pointers will be the difference.</p>
where we're supposed to lose in the NCAA tourney.
Obviously, if you go by the odds and assume that the seeding is correct, an 8-seed should beat the 9-seed and lose in the 2nd round to the 1-seed. Duh! But, I think it's time for Stans to pull some strings, do some unorthodox "stuff", find an opponent's soft-underbelly, .... just do something to get us past a much-higher seed for once.
Obviously, if you go by the odds and assume that the seeding is correct, an 8-seed should beat the 9-seed and lose in the 2nd round to the 1-seed. Duh! But, I think it's time for Stans to pull some strings, do some unorthodox "stuff", find an opponent's soft-underbelly, .... just do something to get us past a much-higher seed for once.
until we get out of that 8-9 seed pick, we are never going to make it out of the first weekend. That's what helped the '96 team.
would be an accomplishment. We should beat Oregon at Little Rock where we have a chance to have a much better crowd. I fairly certain that Nebraska beat Oregon earlier in the season. Beating Memphis would be a huge accomplishment, but not inconceivable. Having said this, I won't be surprised if we lose by 10 to the ducks.
Well, Stans has been in both positions. He's been a 2 seed and lost to a lower seed. And he's been an 8 or 9 seed and lost to a 1 seed.
I think a lot of it just has to do with the "anything can happen" principle for a 1 game set up. The R.A.T. comes into play, and a team can shoot 60%. He's had good teams, and while I don't think he's the best floor coach in the country, the reason he hasn't gone further in the tourney has more to do with just not catching the right side of those breaks in the tourney.
I think a lot of it just has to do with the "anything can happen" principle for a 1 game set up. The R.A.T. comes into play, and a team can shoot 60%. He's had good teams, and while I don't think he's the best floor coach in the country, the reason he hasn't gone further in the tourney has more to do with just not catching the right side of those breaks in the tourney.
the teams that take it to the basket. Its the outside shooting teams that give us fits. That's why Oregon scares the mess out of me. Do the names Shan Foster, Marcus Thornton, Miami guard?, the USA guard? that all lit us up for 30 points plus ring a bell. I don't remember anyone who has eaten us alive taking it to the rack. That's why I feel like if we survive the Ducks (and that's a BIG IF) then we will match up with Memphis as well as we could any top tournament seed.
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