VCU @ Umass on ESPN2 Tonight

[SwiftyClown]

SLU has an easy road to the A10 championship. No contest.

I think we'll win our game at home but that's about it.

[Clock_Tower]

VCU has an offensive strategy, problem is they aren't* executing. The Rams missed 18 "layups" last night and shot 45.5% from the free throw stripe. Those...are...killers. Good news is they still had a chance to tie the game with 10 seconds to play in front of yet another sellout road crowd.

Look, I understand there are some fans on here who's job it is to talk crap to every opposing fan, but for those of you who are interested, in VCU's struggles, check the schedules. Here are how teams have faired against the top 7 teams in the league and I have included all losses as well.

VCU

Losses

@ GW by 10

@SJU 7

@ SLU 2

@ UMass 5

Good Wins

@ Dayton 14

v UofR 11

v GW 17

SJU

Losses

@UofR 15

v SLU 6

@umass 4

Good Wins

@Dayton 3

v UMass 5

v VCU 7

UMass

Losses

@UofR 3

@BON 13

@SJU 5

v Mason 11

Good Wins

v SJU 4

@ GW 6

v VCU 5

UofR

Losses

@SLU 20

@ VCU 11

v GW 8

@BON 14

Good Wins

v Dayton 9

v UMass 3

v SJU 15

Dayton

Losses

v SLU 8

@UofR 9

v VCU 14

@URI 12

v SJU 3

Good Wins

v GW 10

SLU

Losses

none

Good Wins

@ Dayton 8

v UofR 20

@ SJU 6

v VCU 2

Tough to win on the road in the A-10, and your chances of winning are greatly increased with a favorable schedule. VCU has been in every road game they've been in, they've just had the toughest schedule so far. Sure, you have to win those games, but the conference tournament won't be played on any teams home court, so I'm encouraged by the Rams having had a chance to probably win all but that GW game. (Side note: all of VCU's road losses have been in front of sellout crowds...which other team in the conference has had to deal with that?).

Sorry, but we expect a little higher basketball IQ on this Board than you VCU fans are showing. First, I didn't watch your game against UMass (just not interested in watching your team play) but you did NOT miss 18 layups. If you did, then my son's 6th grade team also has a good chance of beating you guys. At best, and as has been pointed out to you, you guys missed 18 short but contested shots. Second, the percentage of completion for a layup by a good D1 player is approaching 100%. Contested short shots is probably closer to 50%. Third, acknowledge that opposing defenses have something to do with your bigs not making 100% of their "layups". Fourth, and while you're at it, put the Kool-Aid down and take another look at your players and you will find that they don't have the talent you think they have. There is a reason you have lost the games you have and it is not the fault of the A10 scheduler.

Maybe you prefer our Board because we not only read each other's posts, but we respond to each other's posts. If you won't leave this Board, then respond to Taj79.

[SwiftyClown]

Sorry, but we expect a little higher basketball IQ on this Board than you VCU fans are showing. First, I didn't watch your game against UMass (just not interested in watching your team play) but you did NOT miss 18 layups. If you did, then my son's 6th grade team also has a good chance of beating you guys. At best, and as has been pointed out to you, you guys missed 18 short but contested shots. Second, the percentage of completion for a layup by a good D1 player is approaching 100%. Contested short shots is probably closer to 50%. Third, acknowledge that opposing defenses have something to do with your bigs not making 100% of their "layups". Fourth, and while you're at it, put the Kool-Aid down and take another look at your players and you will find that they don't have the talent you think they have. There is a reason you have lost the games you have and it is not the fault of the A10 scheduler.

Maybe you prefer our Board because we not only read each other's posts, but we respond to each other's posts. If you won't leave this Board, then respond to Taj79.

Yep. ESPN's play-by-play listed damn near everything as a layup lol. We missed quite a few tip ins, lay ups and hooks in the paint.

[The Wiz]

Neil Stephenson ....tech expert and sci- fi writer on arguing with trolls..........

Arguing with strangers on the Internet is a sucker's game because they almost always turn out to be--or to be indistinguishable from-- self-righteous 16 yr olds possessing infinite amounts of time.

[Bizziken]

Look, I understand there are some fans on here who's job it is to talk crap to every opposing fan, but for those of you who are interested, in VCU's struggles, check the schedules. Here are how teams have faired against the top 7 teams in the league and I have included all losses as well.

VCU

Losses

@ GW by 10

@SJU 7

@ SLU 2

@ UMass 5

Good Wins

@ Dayton 14

v UofR 11

v GW 17

Tough to win on the road in the A-10, and your chances of winning are greatly increased with a favorable schedule. VCU has been in every road game they've been in, they've just had the toughest schedule so far. Sure, you have to win those games, but the conference tournament won't be played on any teams home court, so I'm encouraged by the Rams having had a chance to probably win all but that GW game. (Side note: all of VCU's road losses have been in front of sellout crowds...which other team in the conference has had to deal with that?).

This favorable schedule crap irks me to no end. After today, the ONLY 'advantages' that SLU has had over VCU is that VCU has played SLU at home (so far), @ GW, and @UMass (so far). We both played @LaSalle, @SJU, @Dayton, and vs Richmond (who is so depleted at this point that it doesn't even matter). Even IF we drop games @VCU, and @UMass, we STILL win the league, so I don't understand your argument. Stop with the nonsense. If you want to discuss EASIEST schedules, look at UMass. They don't have to play @SLU or @VCU...coming into the season, that was HUGE, and they still crapped it away.

At the end of this season, it is very likely that SLU will have played the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 6th place A-10 teams on the road. Not too shabby.

And another thing that bothers me...VCU hit a completely uncontested put-back layup with 1 second left to MAKE it a 2 point game. In reality, we were ahead by at least 2 possessions for the last 1:30 or so. AND up by 7 with 37 seconds left. It was a close game, I'm not arguing that it wasn't, but you guys are making too much out of this 2 point/one possession loss thing.

[Natty]

Sorry, but we expect a little higher basketball IQ on this Board than you VCU fans are showing. First, I didn't watch your game against UMass (just not interested in watching your team play) but you did NOT miss 18 layups. If you did, then my son's 6th grade team also has a good chance of beating you guys. At best, and as has been pointed out to you, you guys missed 18 short but contested shots. Second, the percentage of completion for a layup by a good D1 player is approaching 100%. Contested short shots is probably closer to 50%. Third, acknowledge that opposing defenses have something to do with your bigs not making 100% of their "layups". Fourth, and while you're at it, put the Kool-Aid down and take another look at your players and you will find that they don't have the talent you think they have. There is a reason you have lost the games you have and it is not the fault of the A10 scheduler.

Maybe you prefer our Board because we not only read each other's posts, but we respond to each other's posts. If you won't leave this Board, then respond to Taj79.

I put "layups" in quotes because those 18 shots were listed as "layups" on ESPN's play-by-play. I didn't watch the game with a scorebook checking how far every player was from the basket and how much each shot was contested.

I also didn't say teams bigs have had nothing to do with our poor shooting. I think our poor shooting sucks. But despite our poor shooting VCU still has the second highest scoring offense in the league. I posted the schedules of the teams to show you just how all the top teams have faired against other top teams, where they won, how much they won by, etc. That stuff matters and is a great indicator of how teams may fair on the oppositions home court or on a neutral court.

I never once said VCU was the best team in the conference, cause we aren't. What I did point out, is the Rams have been in every single road game in a BRUTAL conference schedule, including losing to your beloved SLU Billikens...by 2, in front of the biggest crowd your arena has ever hosted. If you won't admit that home court advantage has something to do with schedule results, and that that has in fact had an effect on this season's A-10 standings, then I question your hoops IQ as well.

[Natty]

This favorable schedule crap irks me to no end. After today, the ONLY 'advantages' that SLU has had over VCU is that VCU has played SLU at home (so far), @ GW, and @UMass (so far). We both played @LaSalle, @SJU, @Dayton, and vs Richmond (who is so depleted at this point that it doesn't even matter). Even IF we drop games @VCU, and @UMass, we STILL win the league, so I don't understand your argument. Stop with the nonsense. If you want to discuss EASIEST schedules, look at UMass. They don't have to play @SLU or @VCU...coming into the season, that was HUGE, and they still crapped it away.

At the end of this season, it is very likely that SLU will have played the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 6th place A-10 teams on the road. Not too shabby.

And another thing that bothers me...VCU hit a completely uncontested put-back layup with 1 second left to MAKE it a 2 point game. In reality, we were ahead by at least 2 possessions for the last 1:30 or so. AND up by 7 with 37 seconds left. It was a close game, I'm not arguing that it wasn't, but you guys are making too much out of this 2 point/one possession loss thing.

Dude...I have not once said SLU isn't the best team in the conference, deserving of the top spot, any of that. I posted them in a schedule comparison of ALL the top seven teams in the conference so you can see just how tough each team has had it. You apparently jumped to the conclusion that SLU has had the easiest road of the group.

[MUDKAT]

Lol. I get such a kick out of all this. Mudkat, thanks for having thick enough skin to keep coming along... At what point do you just admit, you've become a bigger bills fan because we're that awesome?

Billiboarders, ill be there tonight ( thanks again to larry) to watch more of our clinics

My skin is thick from being beaten up and smacked down on my own board. This one's a piece of cake in comparison. At least you can say something here, catch some hell and not get the infamous instant ban. Trolls get banned very quickly there. It takes a little while longer before we eat our own (can you hear me Natty?).

That being said, I'm the biggest bills fan in the East tonight. Don't let us all down.

[pjjack]

I'll give the vcu fans credit, they continue to act like no one wants to play them. Blah blah blah excuse excuse excuse no one wants to play us!!!!

It's getting to the point no one does want to play them because beating them is no longer a good RPI game, VCU is fading fast.

[MUDKAT]

It's getting to the point no one does want to play them because beating them is no longer a good RPI game, VCU is fading fast.

VCU RPI was 25 this morning...