Not directed at you, but some have put on the o/b blinders. Last 5 games 2 losses, both that weren’t as close as the score and 3 games were we struggled or played down to the competition, not covering any of them. If we are struggling agonist JMU and FSU no reason to believe the next 3 (GT Pitt and Cuse, 2 on the road) won’t be a struggle IF the 3pt shooting continues as it has, at or below 30%.
Kihei was a warrior again. The back to back steals and layups turned the game around. Great to see Franklin get his touch back during this game. Good time for Dunn/McKneely even though they didnt produce much the experience will pay off down the road. Also great D the closing couple of minutes of the 1st half through the first 18 of the 2nd half. I think they scored like 8 points or so in that 20 minute period.
The shooting continues to be a problem overall and we need it to improve. No easy answers. Just keep shooting and practicing. What the heck is going on with Shedrick. Just very enigmatic. FT shooting is atrocious again not really sure what to say except get in the gym and practice.
Also have to remember we didnt have Beeks, so obviously we werent our full selves.
GT will be a slog probably. They are a good 3P defense team but not great 2P defensive team. At home they will muck it up and probably make it a challenge. Hopefully Beeks is back.
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To be fair the losses were to a top 5 team and a top 20 team on the road. More or less expect to lose at least one of those so losing both isn’t that far off.
Also it’s all been since Reece got banged up. Don’t think it’s a coincidence. Seems as if the season is going to be as simple as if Reece can get healthy or not
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Indeed, but that’s probably what it’s gonna be the rest of the season. Miami Reece is probably what it’s gonna look like most nights. Need to look at the rest of the season theu that lense
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Team is a bit of a slog without a healthy Reece, tbh.
Big chunk of Vegas success was Reece and Kadin looking like he made the leap. Now, no or dinged up Reece and Kadin looking like he crashed down from the leap (at least a bit)
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We also shot like crap and had a chance to win it on the road against probably a top 3 ACC team. I totally get the concerns but I also feel like we’ll figure out ways to win and the shooting will normalize a little bit.
Overall though I’m less sold on our ceiling in March but fairly confident we still compete for #1 seed in the ACC
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A constant of Bennett teams for the past decade is that we tend to really figure shit out by the middle of conference play. I don’t expect this year to be any different, wouldn’t be surprised to see us drop a WTF game or two before we get there but also have to keep in mind that the ACC isn’t looking too hot this year. Even with our struggles we’re still the cream of the crop in the conference.
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The big win tonight was getting a W without Reece playing a single minute.
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And without JWilly clapping!
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I love Virginia basketball
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Armaan has gotta be SO sick of answering questions about shooting slumps, shooting his way out of slumps, etc. Somebody needs to get him talking about something else – like those couple of crafty athletic inside finishes he had tonight.
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I had the same thought. As a dude who clearly suffers with confidence at times, maybe some questions could have been a little different.
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This team is returning all 5 of the previous years starters. Idk but figuring it out mid-season is a bit wishful.
Think we are what we are at this point. Upside is really going to be…can we hit open shots? Saw what happens when we do (Vegas). When we don’t (pretty much ever other game), it’s going to be a grind and a cross your fingers night.
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Eh, we’ve had teams in the past who returned a lot of minutes but still struggled to find footing. The 2014 team that returned pretty much everyone from the previous year along with adding AG and LP started out 9-4, but then had things pretty much figured out by our 5th ACC game. 2016 team returned 4 starters (if you count Tobey) + most of our bench, but lost to GW and started out 2-3 in ACC play which was then followed by a 7 game winning streak.
I’m not saying you’re wrong or that this team has the ceiling those two did. We do need to make shots from deep in order to beat really good teams going forward. But I wouldn’t be surprised in the slightest if this team hits their stride in conference play and gets back to how they played in Vegas, if not even better at least on the defensive end.
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Just cuz I’m a contrarian:
2014 - added AG and LP and pretty much added Malc, who redshirted with injury the year prior. Whole new dynamic from 2013 (e.g., Nolte from volume gunner to glue guy – everyone forgets Nolte was a pretty decent volume gunner).
2016 - stolen from Seattle Hoo back in the day, but that team had “senioritis”. It didn’t need to find its footing. It showed up when it needed to show up (e.g., Nova game in December, when we beat the natty winner by double digits or so / WVU at the Garden). Except for that short stretch, of course, when it didn’t…
This team … Eh, I don’t know. It’s just a tough team to read post Reece injury. Feels like it’s struggling to find an identity.
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That’s the the kicker right there. And it kind of makes sense. Sure it’s a senior team but, it’s also a transitional team that I’m sure prepped and planned to play around Reece and the opportunities his dribble drive could create. That’s especially true for the first yr guys. Everyone is a bit lost now.
I also can’t help but ask the question “Is there a point of addition by subtraction of sitting Reece?” If Reece is on the court at 75% it’s difficult for guys to wrap their head around that and know what he can and cannot do. So it gums things up even more than if he’s just in street clothes and everyone knows they just have to step up.
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Ah man I dont like to disagree on these things. But I couldnt disagree more
Yeah wait, did we ever get confirmation about why we didn’t have JWilly in the building tonight? Sick? Recruiting?
Word is he’s finalizing the contract to be head coach at Kentucky
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