SDSU v Minnesota

[Kemo]

Re: SDSU v Minnesota

Really too bad about the final score considering how the Jacks played for 2/3s of the game, but Minnesota's depth, length, and athleticism won the war of attrition.

There is some good to take away from this game however, as first half might have been the best I have seen the Jacks play defense and rebound in the DI era (Minnesota did not have an offensive rebound in the first half). Too bad what the Jacks normally do well, shoot and take care of the ball, were facets of the game they struggled with. Ultimately, to beat a Big Ten team, you have to play a complete game.

Looking down the road, someone for the Jacks needs to be able to help out with ball handling duties, especially against a pressure based defense like Minnesota's. It's unrealistic to expect Wolters to continue to expend that amount of energy just to get the ball down the court and keep it when the other team is swapping 3 athletic point guards to cover him.

This game will be a learning experience for the Jacks and this team will be better down the stretch because of it.

[goon]

Re: SDSU v Minnesota

I tought we were suppose to have a good offense. We were up 5. Then what happened. I wasn't able to watch or listen.

[filbert]

Re: SDSU v Minnesota

Very disappointing second half. The usual four-minutes-to-go-in-the-first-half collapse of a less able team against a more talented team didn't occur. That tells me that the talent level is finally starting to get on something like the same level between the Jackrabbits and the Gophers. They'll always have better "athletes" up and down their roster--the best athletes money can buy, so to speak. But they're not blowing the Jackrabbits off the court any more.

Our guys can beat their guys--it'll take a big effort from our guys and a bit of luck but it won't be a huge fluke, either. This is the first time I've listened to a Minnesota-SDSU basketball game and got the impression I was really listening to two solid Division I basketball teams going at it. I guess that's something.

[RowdyRabbit]

Re: SDSU v Minnesota

It's VERY frustrating to year after year play Minnesota very well for the first 30 minutes, only to blow it in the last 10 minutes. We can't ever seem to finish. I suppose though that's the depth thing though.

[Nidaros]

Re: SDSU v Minnesota

I only caught the post game show with Coach Nagy. Its disappointing, but Nagy felt his team could beat the Gophers, and he commented that many of the kids played nervous which you can not do if you want to beat a B-10 school.

[JackJD]

Re: SDSU v Minnesota

Coach noted that the breakdown happened in the first half when we had chances to get up by 10.

We were beating the Gophers on the boards, the Gophers were having trouble hitting shots etc. The talent is there...need a killer instinct. There were some chances to grab the gophers by the throat and squeeze the life out of them but didn't get it done. Credit the Gophers for hanging in there and eventually getting their shooting going.

I still think this is going to be a very good season. We have some very good basketball players.

Sure hope Dykstra's foot gets better soon. We need his size.

[rabbitfarmer]

Re: SDSU v Minnesota

What really killed us was not being able to get Dykstra minutes. Even when he had the ball he wasnt a 100% and wasn't as quick.

It was a very rough game and MN announcers were saying that their should be more fouls called since their hands were all over wolters, carlson, etc. I wouldve like to see horstman and monaghan in the game a little more to spell some players. I know that they might have been scared but they are good ball handlers.

I like prince but sometimes he puts his head down and attacks the basket with 2-3 guys there and is a little wild with the ball.

[HoboJack]

Re: SDSU v Minnesota

Looking at the play-by-play, from 14:36 to go (47-39 SDSU) to 8:16 to go (48-57 MIN) for Minnesota's 18-1 run, it appears as though SDSU only had three official shot attempts, 2 by Wolters & 1 by Carlson (Prince had 2 free throws with 1 made but it doesn't list a shot). Minnesota really dialed up the pressure during this time period, and even the BTN announcers were saying that the Gophers should have been getting called for more fouls, but I don't think we responded well at all. It doesn't speak well for our mental toughness, which I think is an area we lack big time.
http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/playby...80135&period=2

I don't recall that we really ran anything to get White/Carlson/Griff open three point attempts like we often did with Sargent last year. We called just 1 time-out during that run, and with no obvious set plays being run, I don't think the coaching staff handled it very well either. I'm just hopeful it doesn't send us into a funk like our first loss last year did. We play again in two days against another BCS conference foe. Hopefully we see a team with better confidence on the floor for a full 40 mins.

[bigticket1]

Re: SDSU v Minnesota

Mohnegan playing, so now redshirt for him.

It would have been nice to keep the red shirt,but Nate cannot be expected to play 39 minutes a game and not get worn down. According to TV's chat last week,Monaghan has good point guard skills,so he can give Nate a breather when he needs it. Also,Prince will be getting more minutes as we get farther into the season - it wouldn't surprise me if he is starting by the time the new year rolls around.

[6-4-3 Jackrabbit]

Re: SDSU v Minnesota

I was at the game. Struggled with the MN press in the 2nd half. The depth and length of MN caught up with the Rabbits in the 2nd half. As stated in the Argus Leader some of the State players looked intimidated and nervous and I couldn't agree more. In these types of games Nate Wolters needs help and last night he didn't get much from the rest of the squad. It would've been nice to pick up the win, but hopefully the team learns from the game and a successful season is ahead.

[goon]

Re: SDSU v Minnesota

I was at the game. Struggled with the MN press in the 2nd half. The depth and length of MN caught up with the Rabbits in the 2nd half. As stated in the Argus Leader some of the State players looked intimidated and nervous and I couldn't agree more. In these types of games Nate Wolters needs help and last night he didn't get much from the rest of the squad. It would've been nice to pick up the win, but hopefully the team learns from the game and a successful season is ahead.

If we can play well enough to get a lead in the second half I am not sure how nerves kick in the last 15 min. I have to put that on coaching. I watching just a few min online and it looked like we didn't run any sets to get some shots. Mostly looked like guys trying to create one on one.

[JACKGUYII]

Re: SDSU v Minnesota

I was also at the game and I have never seen a Jacks team so "scared" or intimated. You could literally see it on their faces. The gophers were so bad in the first half we had an opportunity to run them out of the gym. Brayden Carlson in particular looked very nervous in that enviroment. Tubby in the post game show was very frustrated they got out rebounded in the first half by over 10 and by a few for the game. We were able to take their bigs off the dribble at will. When the gophers went small and pressed we didn't react well. Dykstra just did not move well in warmups or the game. Heemstra was non-factor and even Nate made some unforced errors you don't normally see from him. This was a very good opportunity to finally knock the gophers off. It was more on us than what they did.

[JACKGUYII]

Re: SDSU v Minnesota

If we can play well enough to get a lead in the second half I am not sure how nerves kick in the last 15 min. I have to put that on coaching. I watching just a few min online and it looked like we didn't run any sets to get some shots. Mostly looked like guys trying to create one on one.

You literally had to be there to see the comments on the nerves. Nagy saw it and couldn't do anything to calm them down. I did not see it at Williams the last few years and last night the crowd wasn't even into the game.

[zooropa]

Re: SDSU v Minnesota

Bear in mind that, typically, the Jacks have played the Gophs near the end of the non-conf season, not right away.

[JimmyJack]

Re: SDSU v Minnesota

Obviously, we need a second, reliable scorer... especially if Dykstra is slowed. Prince looks like he could become a solid scorer. I haven't changed my mind. I think this is a very good team. There is depth there and we won't be overmatched at any position very often in the conference schedule.