Utah State

[RabbitinTea]

Re: Utah State

I'm not sure what it takes to play a complete game, but we've lost a few of these the last couple of years. You'd think one of them would go our way...

[Grizzled_Jack]

Re: Utah State

Kept it close. Good to see Basset and Callahan contributing.

[jackrabbit1979]

Re: Utah State

I'm not sure what it takes to play a complete game

Upperclassmen.

[filbert]

Re: Utah State

Nagy:

I think we scored 3 points in the last 7 minutes or so. Experience was a big difference--we had three freshmen out on the floor. They turned it up and we weren't ready for that. I thought we were a bit flat, a result of playing four games in eight days. I think that's been hard, it's partly our fault for scheduling, and partly because we don't have a choice. We missed layups and freethrows that would have changed the game. Our players are hurt and frustrated. I told them it was my fault I didn't prepare them for the zone--the kids said no, it was our fault, we didn't play very well.

They just killed us on the boards in the first half. Only gave up 2 offensive rebounds in the second half. Late, they make their free throws, we miss ours. We tried to run plays but had inexperience in there and we couldn't get it done.

The one thing Matt has to fight is trying to do too much. He's just so competitive and passionate about the game, he just tried to do too much and ran the other kid over.

Our kids gave great effort, as a coach that's the main thing you can ask from them. I don't think they're satisfied with getting one win on the road.

Utah State runs a lot of stuff, and we run a lot of stuff, we've run each other's plays, we've stolen each other's stuff. I'd like to run motion but we're just not there yet.

Being an independent, you can't get anybody to come here in December, but our kids are hanging in there. I told them to get over yourselves, no hanging your heads. Take tomorrow off, then come back and get ready for Denver.

[NightHawk78]

Re: Utah State

89 in the crowd? Haven't heard him on the radio yet.

I believe that 89 was sitting with SFJack in the upper bleachers.

[RabbitinTea]

Re: Utah State

[quote author=RabbitinTea link=1164815622/45#45 date=1164855416]I'm not sure what it takes to play a complete game

Upperclassmen.[/quote]

Agreed. However, it gets tiring listening to the experience excuse over and over again. I know it's true...just getting tired of it. We need a stretch with no one leaving the program so we can build a little continuity.

[Jacks#1Fan]

Re: Utah State

Tough loss for the Rabbits 56-50.

Gotta learn how to close it out once you've got a good team down on your home court.  I don't think there's any way to be satisfied with being close this time.

Sorry Filbert, I disagree. We played a very good team (ranked 91 out of 318), who kicked us last year, had height and experience on us, beat Drake, Weber State twice and had only one loss. With that said, it is definitely disappointing to have a chance to win and let it get away. This team is showing progress -- four games in eight days is tough on younger players. And Callahan is just starting to contribute after six weeks of no basketball. I think we are going to have to be positive or we will be disappointed many times over this year. We're coming, but we still have a ways to go.

[Haldersham]

Re: Utah State

[quote author=filbert link=1164815622/30#41 date=1164855201]Tough loss for the Rabbits 56-50.

Gotta learn how to close it out once you've got a good team down on your home court.  I don't think there's any way to be satisfied with being close this time.

Sorry Filbert, I disagree. We played a very good team (ranked 91 out of 318), who kicked us last year, had height and experience on us, beat Drake, Weber State twice and had only one loss. With that said, it is definitely disappointing to have a chance to win and let it get away. This team is showing progress -- four games in eight days is tough on younger players. And Callahan is just starting to contribute after six weeks of no basketball. I think we are going to have to be positive or we will be disappointed many times over this year. We're coming, but we still have a ways to go.

[/quote]

++++++++++ Utah State was flat as a pancake, but our young kids were very tense and Nagy mentioned in the post game interview that the young Jacks made forced plays and thats what happened way too often to put us in the win column. We are moving in the right direction even if the win column does not reflect that. There is no doubt about our talent. Utah State plays some very tough defense. Their shooting and ball handling was very sloppy at times and it would have been nice to capitalize on the turnovers, but often this just did not happen. I don't think we can congradulate our guys, but at the same token they had their chances, and the kids know that. They will get better as the season goes on and maybe a complete game will happen several times towards the end of the season.

[NightHawk78]

Re: Utah State

Callahan showed us tonight waht he can do, but he also showed us that he's still getting into game shape and needs to gain experience. Nagy possibly relied on him too much in the second half, but he has to be in there when the game is on the line if he is to be the point guard that most of us (and especially the coaching staff) think he'll become. Hopefully, he'll learn from playing in a close game tonight and be more effective the next time we are in a close game with a truely superior opponent.

It was disappointing to see this game slip away from us, but Utah State is a good team and it helps set the bar as to what we need to do in order to be a contender for the Big Dance when we're eligible in a couple seasons.

[filbert]

Re: Utah State

[quote author=filbert link=1164815622/30#41 date=1164855201]Tough loss for the Rabbits 56-50.

Gotta learn how to close it out once you've got a good team down on your home court. I don't think there's any way to be satisfied with being close this time.

Sorry Filbert, I disagree. We played a very good team (ranked 91 out of 318), who kicked us last year, had height and experience on us, beat Drake, Weber State twice and had only one loss. With that said, it is definitely disappointing to have a chance to win and let it get away. This team is showing progress -- four games in eight days is tough on younger players. And Callahan is just starting to contribute after six weeks of no basketball. I think we are going to have to be positive or we will be disappointed many times over this year. We're coming, but we still have a ways to go.

[/quote]

Oh, don't get me wrong--I'm still positive about where coach Nagy and his players are going. All I'm saying is that it's time to stop being satisfied with close calls and almost-wins, especially at home. I don't think it's negative to be unhappy with losing a game where you have a 6-point lead at home with 7 minutes to play. What that means is that you have to raise your level of play, because your opponent is certainly going to raise theirs. Hopefully, that lesson has now been learned by our young team.

Utah State was ripe for the taking tonight, but we were unable to take advantage of their off night. Another lesson hopefully learned.

We need to remember what Jackrabbit Basketball is. It's not digging yourself a double-digit hole in the first half. It's not losing a 6-point lead in the late stages of the game. This team needs to learn how to come out of the locker room in the first half loose and comfortable and hitting their shots. Until they do that, they will struggle. When they start doing that, they'll start putting the other team back on their heels a bit and the game will be so much easier.

OK, I'm ranting now. (Breathe, filbert, breathe!)

Our guys have the ability to play at this level. They need the experience. They got valuable experience tonight. it's not Jackrabbit Basketball yet, but you can see glimpses of it now.

I'm guessing that none of what I've written here is lost on the players or the coaches. The thing I liked the most about Nagy's post-game comments tonight is when he went into his "It's my fault" act with the team, the team came back at him and said "no, coach, it's our fault." That shows me that they've got character, and made me even more of a believer in this team. These guys will be winners by the time they leave SDSU.

[thebluehatman]

Re: Utah State

It kinda hurts when most of the student section stopped cheering with 4 minutes left in the game after Utah State was getting frustrated. Another game with turnovers cut down. A quiet night on the boards. Not sure why Kai only played 15 minutes tonight but I'm not the coach so there had to be some reason, maybe Mrs. Williams has some insight. Callahan got a lot of experience tonight guarding an all WAC player in Carroll. Missed layups and bad free throw shooting cost the game. Cadwell played good, is becoming a complete player every game, 7 boards, 4 steals, and 3 assists tonight. It's not good when you go the last 8 minutes and 7 seconds with out a made field goal. It sounds like from what I gathered in the press conference this team took the blame for the loss, even though Nagy wanted to. I think what Nagy sees in this team is coming true, they will be good this year. Have faith, the guys know what it takes to win the close games against good teams after tonight.

[Aglicious]

Nice effort tonight Rabbits!

Hey, I wanted to stop by and let you know what a nice effort your kids put forth tonight. Only a few of us Aggies could listen to the web streaming audio as there were too many of us for the small service offered so the rest of us were able to get play-by-play through live chat from those that got through.

It sounded like the Aggies' brains must have gotten frozen up there in the cold weather with the amount of turnovers and the poor shot selection. Good luck the rest of the season!

[bballfan54]

Re: Utah State

I got called out :-/ half way through the game so I cannot shed any light on why Kai only played for 15 minutes....I know Kai is not too comfortable playing the 4 but he will have to suck it up and try to get more aggressive on the boards...he needs to be putting up more shots too...I will be talking to him in the next few days.....I agree with the comment about players making a commitment to the team and giving a full 4 years to the program..consistency is the key to any great program.

[SF_Rabbit_Fan]

Re: Utah State

Tough loss to stomach, but there were spurts of Jackrabbit Bball again.

A few thoughts from my perspective in the cheap seats:

I thought our team defense looked good tonight. Maybe that's why USU played so poorly on offense for much of the game.

Rebounding needs to improve. Kai had a couple monster boards in the first half.

Kai is a natural 3, its really too bad Bobby is out til after Xmas (at least I hope he is back then). That would allow Kai to play more 3 and utilize his skills better. IMO, we are one big guy away from being 2 deep at each position, which would improve our stamina and help close out some games instead of letting them slip through our fingers.

3 point shooting was miserable. Heck, all our shooting was miserable. Sometimes the shots just won't fall.

IMO, Mac is the best point gaurd we have right now. Callahan can score, but he doesn't run the offense as good as Mac...yet. Mac has played with confidence lately, and seems to have a calming effect on the rest of the team. Callahan showed some moments of brilliance, but also made some poor decisions. That's a freshman point guard for you. He has potential.

It was a fun atmosphere at the game when we were making our comeback in the second half. The crowd was into it, we were playing well, just like old times at Frost!

All in all, I feel good about this team, even if the wins/losses aren't reflecting it yet. If we keep everybody around, we'll have a solid team when we start conference play next year.

[bballfan54]

Re: Utah State

Kai's coach at his High School said he is the most natural 3 he has ever coached in 25 years, so yes Kai is more than a little frustrated but Coach Nagy has spoken with us about this and has told Kai it is not gonna be forever so we and he have to accept it.....