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Against my better judgement

And not being completely inundated at work … I decided to take in a game tonight. I’d rather work a double with the second half a graveyard.

Based on body language and that sort of stuff - the stuff you don’t usually get to see on the tube, KK has lost this team. There’s no focus, they don’t care, there’s no trust, there’s no listening, there’s no camaraderie. I wouldn’t say this is the low for UNLV, we had to go through the Marvelous One, but just like him, we get swept by a bad SJSU team. I have no idea how he’s going to resurrect this program next season. This team has zero toughness, they’re ultra wimpy … tbh, I don’t care if any of them come back. Not that it would solve much of anything when we crap shoot the portal.

The crowd was awful, in terms of sighs and mumbles and the sheer lack of fans. No enthusiasm, not that these guys fans reason to get loud. It’s hard to believe this was once a great program. I‘m guessing this would be like marrying the gorgeous love of your life and within a few years she’s a toothless, cracked skin meth freak selling her ass on Boulder Highway for $5 a pop. It’s unrecognizable and just downright pathetic.

Maybe some of the kumbayists can point out something positive about the future that I don’t see. Not a ton of ifs or maybes … not any Hail Mary pitches … no pipe dreams … please name something positive on the horizon, I’m not seeing anything. Seems like we are reduced to closing our eyes and crossing our fingers as our best hope.

Best wins? Dayton and UNM? UNM are the same thing, wins against puffs for a fake record and then monumental collapse.

Reno

1 game behind the Aztecs. Reno has an easier schedule. They could be the conference champ or could tie ( lose in a tiebreaker).

Man-does that suck. But it shows how a good coaching hire can make a huge difference.

Also, something for our guys to play for in the last game. Could bump them out of the conference title.

OT:My nephew made the news..

His old school, Pinecrest Academy penalized him or ratted him out for transferring to Boulder City High School.

Really petty stuff out there. Now he may not play because of a “clerical” error


https://news3lv.com/news/local/boul...or-playoffs-due-to-human-error?mibextid=Zxz2c

The Future…

Finally took a gander..


6-10, 245..

Big kid. Huge kid. Broken foot. Lots of potential here. Rest that foot and heal properly. He is a kid that chose to be here.

23-24 team

Right now 16 and 9 with 4 to go this yr, non conference did not prepare UNLV for MWC. What's worse UNLV road MWC 3 wins against 2 home wins. Pathetic.

Team returning:

With, Gilbert, Hall, Nowell returning and maybe Rodriquez and 2 kids committed, and Thomas if they can get him and transfers transfers, especially up front. Cottrell hasn't played in 2 yrs, so who knows with him?

I have 8 Vegas games, at Dayton, then I assume 2-3 other games?

National schedule, not brutal but better then this yr with 2 name teams and Pitino to vegas. need to prepare for MWC

8 vegas games:
Teams/record/standings in conf.
Eastern Kentucky 17-10, 3rd
St Joseph 13-12, 6th
N. Dame 10-15, 13th Premium Game
Georgetown 6-20, last, Ewing returns against UNLV
Hofstra 19-8, 1st
EWU 20-7, 1st
Iona 17-7, 2nd Pitino Pitino
Toledo 19-7, 2nd
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Now we really need to see

The assistant staff step up in a big way. Whether KK is cut out to be a HC or not, we can argue all day until we are blue in the face. To me it’s an unknown because it’s still early in his career.

Given our glaring issues with depth, skill, overall ability on an individual level, size, roster composition … it’s not the worst situation I’ve seen but recruiting is the only “quick fix” available. Even if every single player returned next year with a year more experience under their belt and a year of familiarity in their pocket, this team isn’t going to compete at anything but mid level of this conference.

I have some serious doubts with the recruiters on staff. I don’t like how we didn’t even take the slightest peek at the kid at UNR (from Gorman). He’s not great, but he’s a solid ass freshman with room to grow. Pretty much what you want at this level. I know UNR drooled over him, UNLV didn’t consider. That’s disappointing.

When they get these high school or portal kids, hopefully the reaction of the staff is clinking beers because they know they got one that helps. Instead, I have a feeling they look at each other and cross fingers with hopes that it works out.

I wasn’t a fan of this AT ALL, but I remember a point where Bayno handed out bonuses to assistants based upon recruiting rankings. What I was ok with was that it promoted high level recruiting and a celebration of success. But the overall feel of it seemed weird to me.

We need players. Not a player that can dribble and do nothing else. Not a player that can defend but nothing else. Not a player that can go for 25 but needs 30 shots to get it. Not a player that can block a shot but can’t catch a pass.

I take that back, you CAN have those players. But they need to be your 8-13 guys, not your 1 through 5 guys. We have too many one dimensional players. It’s just a really bad roster makeup.

"Do something better" says coach.

I'll give him a option. Look at Gonzaga's defense. Four guys normally end up on the baseline when the shot goes up. They are all out guarding the opposite player. The ball goes up and four guys go to the boards, covering the baseline from about half way to half way the other side of the court. Then four guys are grabbing and jumping for the ball. Xavier does the same. Baylor also but teams are using the double screen in the lane to open up lanes to the glass, so a rebound vs Xavier, Marquette, Texas, Kansas is a dog fight. My wife even noticed the complete lack of defensive positioning in the Aztec game. Not the first time, it showed up big vs San Jose and then went down hill from there with the obvious games vs Reno and NM

Rebounding

Offensive rebounds - ranked 283
Total rebounds - ranked 250th

He trusted that Muoka and Iwokor would get it done - or were at least serviceable. He was wrong. We need three slamming rebounding bigs next year. If you are really good at shooting you can get away with average rebounding. But if you totally suck on the boards you're in trouble before you start.

And Cottrell isn't the answer. In his full year at WV he averaged 2.8 rebounds per game.
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