There’s no reason to follow Bediako out there though. And I’m sure they know it. Braun tried to shoot an early 3 to convey the threat there but missed badly so I don’t imagine that was very convincing.
Too much of everyone dribbling but to fresno’s credit they aren’t sitting back and letting the ball be moved easily. So they’re forcing some of that dribbling and overdribbling.
We knew a cold shooting period would come. At least when it did, SCU was still able to win the rebounding margin and play good defense. A little mean reversion could make for a decent half for the Broncos here.
If you’re only gonna score 25 in a half against an undefeated team, holding that team to a mere 27 is a pretty good way to go into the half, all things considered.
Really good rebounding… if they can get to the rack they win this easy.
EXACTLY.
It’s like there’s a reason algorithms are taking over the world.
I also wondering if having a short bench and playing heavy minutes and the first 2 in 3 day stretch has had an effect. Good to experience that if so since that’s the usual conference rhythm.
Also the obvious, J Williams spent quite a bit of time on the bench.
Justice has been terrible.
Things are not looking good
Fresno State just wants it more at this point. Justice looks like he doesn’t even want to be on the floor.
Whatever Sendek tried to do at halftime, well, it didn’t work. Someone needs to light a fire under the boys’ rear ends.
Sometimes the why is in the answer itself.
No team is going to shoot even close to 55% for a season. If we didn’t understand that before, hopefully we do now.
Tip your hat to Fresno St defense. They aren’t much offensively aside from Robinson who is a load. I do agree with minutes being played with a 7 man rotation. Herb will have to extend the bench going forward without Josip.
Just unlucky there. Had the ball loose, just couldn’t get it and then they get a 3 on 1 off a bad possession.
2nd time tonight they’ve had a terrible possession and ended up cashing on it. 5 points worth.
This is a game where it would be really nice to have your super senior forward that can score, rebound, pass, and space the floor.
Referees across the game have no idea what a charge is anymore. None at all. Even in the NBA. They think if you are going to the basket and a guy goes down outside the restricted arc, it’s a charge, and have forgotten about all the other things that are supposed to happen.
SCU deserves to lose this unless something changes quickly, but that was a really annoying call.
That’s not a charge either. And now Williams is hurt. This is a nightmare.
Teams always figure out Herb Senek offense . Back to earth with a thud
That has to be a foul.
In spite of everything that has not gone right, and it’s a lot, the difference in the game is 2 lucky scores by Fresno and that non-call.
The defense has been really really good. They have absolutely executed the game plan in that regard and Robinson has made some shots, but they have kept him under control.
Uh, oh, Hayward, you disparaged Sendek – 'noob will add you to the naughty list for talking smack about St. Herb.
Nope. I don’t agree with it but it’s perfectly legitimate. I do think it’s a reflection of how completely ridiculous some people are, though.
I did report your post though, as there was no reason to bring me into it at all and you’re just trolling trying to start something.
Things are usually not as good or as bad as we (humans, people) think they are.
Not a good game and a downright bad one offensively but after making 11 of 16 from 3 and shooting hot for 5 games, it was due and this made sense for the time for it to happen with the other factors (short bench, late start time, 2nd game in 3 days for the first time this year). Players were visibly tired, Stewart played late in the game purely bc he had the freshest legs.
Might have made sense to play the starters a little less against TCU but it was important to get that win and it wasn’t completely in the bag until just a few minutes left.
There’s a difference between playing uptempo and being in a hurry, and tonight SCU played like they were in a hurry a lot and made some silly turnovers. Some of that is mental fatigue though.
It is what it is, if you wouldn’t have taken 5-1 if offered before the season, I don’t know what you want.
Another capable opponent next. Hopefully the guys have some turkey and a good massage, and that Jalen’s ankle doesn’t tighten up.
It’s a fun game, but part of the fun is in the challenge. Very few teams don’t have games like this over the course of a season.
Silver Linings: Both teams struggled all night from the perimeter, but credit both defenses too. Neither had a ton of open looks and there were many forced shots on both ends, but Santa Clara will have to find their way more often to the FT line. Was there a foul against Pipes in the closing seconds? Absolutely. Would it have changed the outcome? Maybe. Fresno St knocked down their free throws too, and I don’t recall them being a great FT shooting team coming in.
Personally, I thought Patrick Braun was the best player on the floor for SCU last night, and his contributions on both ends will have positive impact going forward. A couple of you previously commented that a 7 man rotation isn’t sustainable, and certain starters will be relied upon to log a ton of minutes. I agree. Hopefully, Tongue and a healthy Tomley can soon alleviate that some, to give guys like J. Williams, Pipes, Justice, and Braun a meaningful breather when needed. So, we turn the page and move on to UC Irvine on Sat.
Happy Thanksgiving!
I agree that the defense was quite good. They corrected the blatant issues from the first couple games and went (really) cold and stale on offense to the point that better rebounding and defense couldn’t make up the difference.
Ah well, it’s a bummer to take the L, but 5-1 at this point would have been the most optimistic of any semi-realistic preseason projections of this stretch. They were gonna take a few Ls even in the best of all possible worlds. That it was to this team at this time in this manner may prove to generate many silver linings. The offensive vulnerabilities have been revealed, the team is learning to fight with a short bench and no Josip, and they took the L against a pretty good and undefeated MWC team rather than a mid-tier Big West squad.
One problem is that against a team with a quality scoring big, they run out of floor stretching options quick.
Bediako no, Braun barely, Williams not really (you play him to drive). If you can play Justice at the 4 that changes but Fresno wasn’t the team for that. Tongue isn’t ready. Stewart has the skill level but has a lot to learn.
Regardless of how much some silly people claim otherwise, there is no way that you can lose 5 guys off a basketball team (so, almost half of the actual team) and have it not matter.
Despite all of that, SCU was in the game, stayed in the game, and with a couple of breaks going their way rather than the other way, they probably win it.
Good news is if you go by Torvik or Massey, it didn’t hurt that much.