Topic: #1 priority IMO

[herdorbust]

Is getting the bigs playing better defense. Bennett is acttually making strides and is trying to get his body under control. But has a lot of upside and his offensive game is coming around. But as a group we play horrible interior defense. Go for the pump fake everytime and will not move our feet and just square up. It honestly srives me freaking crazy. Teams with any athletic bigs will destroy us like maryland if we dont get that fixed. Personally i would work with the bigs on nothing but defense for an entire week. Defense, get a body on someone and block out and rebound. We are terrible in that area. It needs to be pounded in their head no matter how long it takes. JMO!!!

[MicDrass1]

Is getting the bigs playing better defense. Bennett is acttually making strides and is trying to get his body under control. But has a lot of upside and his offensive game is coming around. But as a group we play horrible interior defense. Go for the pump fake everytime and will not move our feet and just square up. It honestly srives me freaking crazy. Teams with any athletic bigs will destroy us like maryland if we dont get that fixed. Personally i would work with the bigs on nothing but defense for an entire week. Defense, get a body on someone and block out and rebound. We are terrible in that area. It needs to be pounded in their head no matter how long it takes. JMO!!!

D struggles.  Poor footwork.   Hand down man down.

[herdorbust]

Guards actually play pretty good. Our bigs just stand straight up, leave their feet and reach. Very poor fundamentals by the inside guys.

[coalherd]

Human nature for some of these kids to hang their heads and slack off on D when their O game is struggling.  Danny has mentioned this before and says his job continues to be, and other coaches too, to emphasize that our O is predicated on CREATING offensive opportunities with our DEFENSE!!!

Glad to see tonight that Jansson's game has snapped back somewhat:  14 points, 8 boards and a couple of blocks or so in playing barely more than a half (23 minutes)!!  Will need that kind of effort, and more, from him and some of our other bigs on the long road trip!!

[parshall2marshall]

Agree. When IB fouled out on the phony moving screen, DD just about lost it. 2 or 3 questionable fouls -just on him tonight.

JW had a good game, hope he can remain aggressive on the road. DG runs hot and cold at both ends of the floor it seems. Took some questionable shots tonight. Beyers I thought played pretty well, we really need him on D and the boards. Sustic was active, as he always is.

Got to help out on the backside when one of our bigs closes in on the the opponent making his way to the basket.

This team needs to really lock in and I think we can win a few on the road.

[herdorbust]

Jannson has had 2 good games in a rowe. George has virtually disappeared. That 5 spot is still not clicking like it needs to for this system. Thing about this system is all 5 spots have to produce for it to run well. One position breaks down and the flow is destroyed. Jannson has to continue to play well and we need george to step up and bennett to keep improving. And hopefully beyers and sustic also get better.

[HoPPy785]

The leaving your feet issue I feel has been a problem for years. It's like the bigs are all trying to be the next big shot blocker. Bennett is the only one to really square up and play defense in the paint. Everyone else is just leaping as high as they can. This usually results in a pump fake and easy basket or leaves them way out of position on a rebound.

Sustic is like the tazmanian devil when he gets in. He just looks out of control to me. It's like a whole games worth of energy is bursting out in 2 minutes. Someone has to calm his nerves somehow.

[Herd72]

I think Sustic is just trying too hard. He really wants to play more so he tries to show his worth in the very limited time he is in there. Playing at 78 in a 33 world for those you old enough to get the reference.

[MidlandKnight]

The leaving your feet issue I feel has been a problem for years. It's like the bigs are all trying to be the next big shot blocker. Bennett is the only one to really square up and play defense in the paint. Everyone else is just leaping as high as they can. This usually results in a pump fake and easy basket or leaves them way out of position on a rebound.

Sustic is like the tazmanian devil when he gets in. He just looks out of control to me. It's like a whole games worth of energy is bursting out in 2 minutes. Someone has to calm his nerves somehow.

Agree with this. With the exception of Bennett, most of our bigs are out of position on help defense. They either do not slide down, or try to block the shot after the ball handler gets by. I thought Janson had a nice offensive game tonight, and his overall game got better the more he played. Not trying to put pressure on the kid, but he is the key to us having a successful year.

[Herdmeister]

Sustic is like the tazmanian devil when he gets in. He just looks out of control to me. It's like a whole games worth of energy is bursting out in 2 minutes. Someone has to calm his nerves somehow.

We see that everyday in practice. Believe me, it has been addressed by the staff. Nobody tries harder but he needs to bridle it.

[Kwherd]

Bennett is not a D-1 player. The quicker they learn that the sooner they become a decent team. Some progress by coach for not starting him last night.

[Herdmeister]

Bennett is not a D-1 player. The quicker they learn that the sooner they become a decent team. Some progress by coach for not starting him last night.

We get it. I have read your thoughts about him enough. You are NOT the coach. Our coach, with decades of more experience than you believes he is. Sorry to offend you but I value his basketball opinion far more than yours.

[GreenWhite]

Once again, Kwherd gives his opinion on Bennett. And, I will say it again, he will not give Bennett a break the whole time he is here. Iran could put up double-doubles every night and it wouldn't satisfy Kwherd. Just keep on believing that. I felt the same about Peneva and I was wrong. I will not go down that road again because, as Herdmeister and others have said, Danny seems to get the most out of players. BTW, don't know if you even listened to coach last night, but Bennett has dropped over 50 pounds in four months. That requires more time to get into game shape. Looking forward to Bennett's play the next few games. Hope to see even more progress.

[wasbarryb]

Once again, Kwherd gives his opinion on Bennett. And, I will say it again, he will not give Bennett a break the whole time he is here. Iran could put up double-doubles every night and it wouldn't satisfy Kwherd. Just keep on believing that. I felt the same about Peneva and I was wrong. I will not go down that road again because, as Herdmeister and others have said, Danny seems to get the most out of players. BTW, don't know if you even listened to coach last night, but Bennett has dropped over 50 pounds in four months. That requires more time to get into game shape. Looking forward to Bennett's play the next few games. Hope to see even more progress.

I think it's fair to say Bennett contributes more to the BB team than Kwherd contributes to this board.

[GreenWhite]

I was wondering if Champ took a new name.

[GCPCOLLINS7]

We get it. I have read your thoughts about him enough. You are NOT the coach. Our coach, with decades of more experience than you believes he is. Sorry to offend you but I value his basketball opinion far more than yours.

Decades coaching high school basketball.....So where are these decades of experience dan has of recruiting and developing Division 1 basketball players ? I have been hard on Bennett too, but he has def picked it up and it’s good to see his energy he has when he knows he is contributing.

[2xBison]

Decades coaching high school basketball.....So where are these decades of experience dan has of recruiting and developing Division 1 basketball players ? I have been hard on Bennett too, but he has def picked it up and it’s good to see his energy he has when he knows he is contributing.

Man...I feel like we just took a time machine back to when DD was hired. 

I guess not, this guy is really going to throw this out there after the continued upward direction of the program and last years final 32.

you go cowboy!!

[MrRobertPruett]

Iran has made strides, they have stopped lobbing the ball up to him and Iran has been using the power dribble to get into his offense comfort zone. On defense I feel our biggest problem is not protecting the paint well enough, when we had Penava it was easy. Now we have no true rim protectors and that’s fine but we also have nobody willing to take a charge. I can’t remember one instance in the last 4-5 games where we have even attempted to take one, as others have mentioned most of our players prefer to leave their feet and attempt to block shots.

[Scottyo614]

I’m in the after Penava development boat I’ll just ride the waves. Dan isn’t and never has played to dominate the out of conference whether he says so or not. Each game just seems more like teaching moments for the younger guys then we see where the chips lie in conference. Makes for a long early season

[MicDrass1]

Cusa is a 1 bid league.  Coach D knows this. He uses ooc as early and late preseason.  Remember when Herd under Herion didn’t get in and win 20 plus games. 1 bid league. Win Cusa tournament.

[Herdmeister]

Cusa is a 1 bid league.  Coach D knows this. He uses ooc as early and late preseason.  Remember when Herd under Herion didn’t get in and win 20 plus games. 1 bid league. Win Cusa tournament.

MTSU last year was a better example. Over 25 wins and no NCAA bid!

[lexkyherdfan]

Cusa is a 1 bid league.  Coach D knows this. He uses ooc as early and late preseason.  Remember when Herd under Herion didn’t get in and win 20 plus games. 1 bid league. Win Cusa tournament.

Sure it is but if the powers to be want to even get considered we have to win OOc games. Priority has to be put in it. The league itself started with the new scheduling philosophy which is a good first step.  Now Coaches must put the effort in winning these OOC games when they should and knock off a major school or two as well.  CUSA would not have brought the consultant in to help with changes if the league office didn’t want to go that way.  CUSA teams need to treat this the same as the AAC focus on the P6 thing.  If coaches don’t emphasize the importance of winning the OOC games then people shouldn’t complain when fans don’t show up for what are basically exhibition games. 

And for those that refuse to give IB credit particularly the one poster are nuts.  You can see glimpses of what he can be when more weight is off of him.  Mix up the offense some and not try lobs to him.  Use his strength and power to an advantage which it seems to be what has happened the last two games for him. I know some people always says DD has a system and he won’t make changes. Well sometimes things have to be tweaked to fit personnel. That is always discussed with football so why not basketball?  We can still press, shoot the three and utilize a big man.  And DD is a smart knowledgeable coach. He can figure it out and be successful.

[herdorbust]

Cusa is a 1 bid league.  Coach D knows this. He uses ooc as early and late preseason.  Remember when Herd under Herion didn’t get in and win 20 plus games. 1 bid league. Win Cusa tournament.

That doesn't mean it has to be. It all comes down to proving you belong. It will be a one bid league again this year. But if someone steps up and makes enough noise they can't deny you. If you are on the border yes they will. Just don't be on the border!!!!!

[Herd2believe]

If you do great they will still move the border on you.

[herdorbust]

If you do great they will still move the border on you.

No they won't. You have to make it to the point they CAN'T do it. If we would have went 29-5 and lost in the finals of the CUSA tournament with the OOC schedule we played this year, There is no way they could have kept us out. PERIOD!!!! First off at 29-4 before the CUSA tournament we would have been ranked in the top 25 and there is no way they could leave out a top 25 team if they wanted to.