UMSL Game Thoughts

[cheeseman]

As I said yesterday, with the new offensive and defensive approaches RM was teaching the effort last night would be and was "choppy". A bit unproductive at the beginning and better as the game went on. However, the last 8 minutes of the game became less productive hence a lower point win total than some on the board were predicting. You seldom if ever saw the ball come in the middle as RM said he did not want this year and the man to man defense is still a work in progress. You also saw more steals last night than you saw previously because of the man to man defense which also was something RM wants to happen. That goodness for KL and LM. TL will come around and be fine from what I saw. The new guys for the most played OK and they are still in a steep learning curve. DM did not play - RM says they are trying to redshirt him - does not sound good for DM. BH - has a long way to go to be a major contributor this year - he has time but it is running out on him.

Can somebody please tell Guy Phillips to stop being such an a@@. Where did he come up with calling TL - Tommie Liddell the Third or did I just not hear it last year? Why do our players have to be jabbed by our own PA announcer. I could be wrong but I doubt TL told him he wanted to be called by "the Third". Somebody in the AD dept. needs to put a leash on that knucklehead.

The cheerleader outfits this year - ugh! - who picked those out? Not very flattering and rather bland - oh well hopefully a new AD can address that issue for next year.

As reported earlier, RM's post game interview was not to be due to technical problems - I have no problem with him doing the interview from the locker room. What I do have a problem with is that KFNS was unable to get a line to him to work - what will it be like on the road? They had plenty of time to figure it out. You could hear the dissatisfaction in Rammer's voice when he finally said - "sorry coach but we will get that fixed for next time".

The women's game - I did what Coach Gray asked at the Billiken Club - I came early to watch the women play and not at the end of the second half. I got there to see all but a couple of minutes of the first half and sat through about 2/3 of the second half before I completely lost interest. Sorry, but I was not inspired by their play . She has a lot of work still with this team. The game was sloppy - I know it was the first game of the season but unlike RM, she has been here and none of this was new to most of the players. I am sure things will get better.

Finally, people predicting an upset of BC or Pitt - save your money. We might win but it is certainly not a smart man's bet. Maybe if we played them in January. All in all, it could have been worse - they could have lost or turned it into a nail biter both of which we have seen before although not recently.

[jp18]

Can somebody please tell Guy Phillips to stop being such an a@@. Where did he come up with calling TL - Tommie Liddell the Third or did I just not hear it last year? Why do our players have to be jabbed by our own PA announcer. I could be wrong but I doubt TL told him he wanted to be called by "the Third". Somebody in the AD dept. needs to put a leash on that knucklehead.

I think Tommie wants to be called Tommie Liddell III. It was on the back of his jersey, which I never noticed last season and up on the scoreboard as well. I was wondering the same thing about the name, but I don't think Guy was doing anything out of line.

[slufanskip]

I think Tommie wants to be called Tommie Liddell III. It was on the back of his jersey, which I never noticed last season and up on the scoreboard as well. I was wondering the same thing about the name, but I don't think Guy was doing anything out of line.

except when he pronounces Kevin's last neame as Leesh ... or has Kevin decided we've been wrong the last 2 years and if Tommie can be the 3rd, he can be Leesh.

Kevin started slow last night, but how can a team ever give him an open look. I have this thing about shooting form ... and Kevin's is incredible, he could make a video and sell it to the Jr and Sr High schools.

Imo it is hard to have much to say about the game. TL looked ok offensively when he was in, but his shot from the 3 looked like he was pushing it, one from in the corner in front of the Bills bench had absolutely zero rotation and was flat. I hope he continued to work on what he learned last year and hasn't regressed to his old form ... though he didn't take the ball behind his head.

I thought Bryce played ok, but he has to quit reaching 2 or 3 of his fouls were after he lost or didn't come up with the ball. The very few times they got they got a decent look inside when he was in, was when they took the ball right at him up the middle and then dropped it down on the side, he didn't move laterally quick enough to recover. I hope as he and Adam get more comfortable, we drop the ball down to them more often. Bryce ought to be an easy target to hit.

I was dissapointed in Marcus, after being impressed in the All-Star game (yes, I know it was just an all star game) by his confidence and presence with the ball he looked lost last night. The couple of shots he took looked forced. He doesn't move well without the ball, he just seems to be loitering around. He had no sense of urgency to his cuts or movement.

Anthony Mitchell was the opposite constantly on the move. I was more impressed with him than I was Marcus. Marcus seems to have a higher skill level, but Anthony is a worker. He loves to slash to the hole. On defense he overplays too much and got beat off the dribble a few times.

Adam Knollmeyer looked ok to me also. His footwork down low was better and his freethrow looked good. He still needs to be a little more agressive and work to get better positioning, but he is remarkably improved.

I liked Barry, his points came quietly. Did anyone else notice the neverending grin on his face. He looked like a kid who just won a shopping spree at Toys R Us. I think he was a bit awed by the situation. We haven't had a 4 who can score inside in a while, He will. UMSL's bigs are probably better than quite a few D1 teams.

Luke was Luke ... not much to say.

Dwayne imo needs to be forced out of the starting lineup for this team to be good. To do that we need 2 of the 3 of Adam, Bryce, and Barry to be consistent performers. I think they will. We don't need 13 and 8 from any of them, though it would be nice. Imo if we can get 7 and 5 or 6 from all 3, we will be a better team than we were last year.

[dewey33]

Good buzz at the arena....the guys look like they have bought in to the system!

The just need alot more reps at it...

I agree about the cheerleading uniforms, looked like they should be cheering at some Pop Warner football game.

I am very psyched about this season...

[cheeseman]

I think Tommie wants to be called Tommie Liddell III. It was on the back of his jersey, which I never noticed last season and up on the scoreboard as well. I was wondering the same thing about the name, but I don't think Guy was doing anything out of line.

Interesting - I guess I missed it listed on his jersey - now that you mention it I did see it listed on a roster sheet that was given out at the game. By bad - Mr. Phillips.

[dewey33]

Interesting - I guess I missed it listed on his jersey - now that you mention it I did see it listed on a roster sheet that was given out at the game. By bad - Mr. Phillips.

I need to get a grammar lesson.....shouldn't he be referred to as Tommie III or Liddell, instead of Liddell III?

I never understood why Acie Law IV put Law IV on the back of his jersey last year...

[bball07]

The cheerleader outfits this year - ugh! - who picked those out? Not very flattering and rather bland - oh well hopefully a new AD can address that issue for next year.

I mean ... really?? If you have nothing better to do than to criticize the cheerleaders' uniforms (which by the way, the new AD that you speak of probably couldn't care less if they had new uniforms) then you definitely need to find something better to do with your time.

[billiken_roy]

I mean ... really?? If you have nothing better to do than to criticize the cheerleaders' uniforms (which by the way, the new AD that you speak of probably couldn't care less if they had new uniforms) then you definitely need to find something better to do with your time.

07 i think it is interesting that you pick out one sentence of a very detailed and long report by cheese to comment on. i.e. cheese was trying to completely describe the entire experience friday nite at the scott trade. but you only pick up on one sentence and then act as though that was his only worry. seems to me your sensitivity to the cheerleaders is a little strange. maybe if our cheerleaders indeed did have more of a splash effect on the night instead of showing up in very bland outfits and a very "blend in the background" effect it would make the overall basketball experience better. i think cheese had a point well taken.

[jimbofive]

I mean ... really?? If you have nothing better to do than to criticize the cheerleaders' uniforms (which by the way, the new AD that you speak of probably couldn't care less if they had new uniforms) then you definitely need to find something better to do with your time.

OFF WITH HIS HEAD!!!