GDT: Drake

[Old guy]

The game looked like it was going to be a loss right until the end. Drake got ahead before the half and stayed in the lead for the rest of the game until the last couple of minutes when we got ahead. For some reason they could not get together to get their lead back and lost the game. Hard played game, they were pretty good, the refs were refs as usual, and we managed to win at the end. Feels good to do that. More tomorrow after I can see the box score, it is late tonight.

[CBFan]

11 minutes ago, Old guy said:

The game looked like it was going to be a loss right until the end. Drake got ahead before the half and stayed in the lead for the rest of the game until the last couple of minutes when we got ahead. For some reason they could not get together to get their lead back and lost the game. Hard played game, they were pretty good, the refs were refs as usual, and we managed to win at the end. Feels good to do that. More tomorrow after I can see the box score, it is late tonight.

It was a fun night at the end the crowd was outstanding we were loud.

[Slu let the dogs out?]

Heckuva win, Fordy and co. A few thoughts that no one gives a rat’s a55 about:

Great win let’s build on this and go on a long A10 run (can’t overlook SIUE though)

Think of how much crazier Chaifetz would be if the student section didn’t suffer from Low T at times (no one should ever be sitting in that section)  

I personally really like Ford and thought his halftime adjustments were great. At least the 2nd half 2nd half adjustments. Lockdown d the last 8 minutes. 

Fred Thatch Jr is more of a man at age 22 than I will ever be and I’m okay with that. 
 

 

[VeniceMenace]

54 minutes ago, stmdragons said:

Certainly room for improvement but I’m not sure I’d classify a win against a top 100 team as pathetic. 

The D for most of the game was indeed pathetic. 

[thunderdan]

Free throws were the difference in that game. I think we only missed one all night, while Drake missed 3 straight (to close the first half), and only shot about 60%.

[JettFlight5]

Okoro found his touch around the basket early. Great game from him too.

[Soderball]

This game never should have been as close as it was;

However it throws a bucket of water on the dumpster fire of the last two outings.

The non con schedule has been disappointing for us(and who in the A10 hasn't been disappointing?) Let's hope we do better and rise above this for the conference schedule. We need to get first place. A very realistic goal especially with crippled Dayton. Will that be enough for at large? Probably. Top 4 isn't good enough with this noncon though IMO.

Take care of business against SIUE and get on with it.

[drkelsey55]

4 of our first 6 conference games are on the road. 

We should be in good shape if we handle those.

I know SIUE first.

[CBFan]

Another electric home game.

The crowd participation made it electric.

We stood for the entire time on the defensive end the last 4 minutes.

The loss against Boise was tough but the participation of the fans was outstanding.  Some good feelings about the team and coaches was lost but the games are fun to attend.

We won, came back to beat a good team and earned a quality win.  I do not understand comments that it should not have been that close when most fans knew this was going to be close.

In my opinion Drake had nothing left in the tank in the last 4 minutes of the game.

Giving up wide open 3 point shots is a concern but I will just enjoy attending the game for now.

[cheeseman]

The Billikens did not play good defense until the last 7 minutes. Even in the first half their defense was poor.  Once they started to play defense then the offense turned around.  Up until then we were leaving them open and they were happy to take the shots.  We ultimately won the game at the foul line and with intense defense the last  7 minutes.  At this point we have an older team with lots of experience under the same coach and for whatever the reason they can't put two halves together playing both defense and offense well.  Until they figure that out this will be a frustrating season for them and us.  I am not ready to say this game was the turning point but it can be a step forward.  It takes more than 7 minutes to prove that they have turned the corner.  We started the year out playing well and then things started to spiral downward.  The Auburn game was the light switch that went off and we have been drifting ever since.  As a fan I am ever hopeful but I am not ready to go all in just yet they have more to show me.  

[slu72]

Hard to be critical after a W but I agree with Cheese especially his concerns on D. Ford should show these guys the last 7 minutes over and over until it sinks in that that effort must be sustained for a full 40 every game in order to achieve their goals. 

[slu72]

Still can’t grasp Richmond drubbing Drake by 30. 

[NoCoBillsFan]

9 hours ago, Slu let the dogs out? said:

Heckuva win, Fordy and co. A few thoughts that no one gives a rat’s a55 about:

Great win let’s build on this and go on a long A10 run (can’t overlook SIUE though)

Think of how much crazier Chaifetz would be if the student section didn’t suffer from Low T at times (no one should ever be sitting in that section)  

I personally really like Ford and thought his halftime adjustments were great. At least the 2nd half 2nd half adjustments. Lockdown d the last 8 minutes. 

Fred Thatch Jr is more of a man at age 22 than I will ever be and I’m okay with that. 
 

 

The students are on break so they had to try and fill the section as much as they could

[cheeseman]

3 minutes ago, NoCoBillsFan said:

The students are on break so they had to try and fill the section as much as they could

I thought given the time of the year they did a good job of showing up.

[RiseOfTheBillikens]

Anybody know what happened to the sig eps wearing the animal costumes and dressing up for games? Miss that energy

[Gremio14]

2 hours ago, CBFan said:

Another electric home game.

The crowd participation made it electric.

We stood for the entire time on the defensive end the last 4 minutes.

The loss against Boise was tough but the participation of the fans was outstanding.  Some good feelings about the team and coaches was lost but the games are fun to attend.

We won, came back to beat a good team and earned a quality win.  I do not understand comments that it should not have been that close when most fans knew this was going to be close.

In my opinion Drake had nothing left in the tank in the last 4 minutes of the game.

Giving up wide open 3 point shots is a concern but I will just enjoy attending the game for now.

Crowd definitely impacted final result.  #51 perfect all night at the line….until the last couple of minutes….crowd going berserk…and he misses both.  Flipped the game.

 

[BrettJollyComedyHour]

2 minutes ago, Gremio14 said:

Crowd definitely impacted final result.  #51 perfect all night at the line….until the last couple of minutes….crowd going berserk…and he misses both.  Flipped the game.

 

I still can't believe they missed all three on that three pt foul.

[Billiken Rich]

12 hours ago, CBFan said:

I am sitting by Drake fans and I don’t like it.

Had some behind me.....super annoying till we struggled back......especially whining about the refs......

[billiken_roy]

Got up at 6 am to watch the game.  Imo best game the Billikens have played this year.   I will be shocked if Drake doesn't win the valley.   

Devries and the blonde haired guard (can't remember his name) are really good.   That center was a man.   6 10 and 275!   

Still a lot of good stuff we haven't seen for awhile for the Billiken's.  Best game of the year for okoro.   Pickens was not good for the first 35 minutes, then he owned the comeback.

Jimerson didn't make his 3's but then went to the basket both with and without the ball and was fantastic.

Probably the only thing the Billiken's did bad was guarding the 3 in the first half but they fixed it the second half which let them stay close until that run.   

Very encouraging after the last few games where I questioned the effort and focus.

Like I said, that was a good team.   They play like that vs Iona and Auburn they would have won both imo

We need a blowout Wednesday.  

[BACKHANDtheRICAN]

Reality check: we beat Drake. Calm down.

no at large bid coming to the Bills this year. NIT.

[Fraz]

I believe Perkins looked better?

[billikenbill]

1. Perk looks like it’s coming back. Sounds like him and Ford are on the same page again and Perk’s finding his way into the flow of things. Thought was he’d be back by mid-December but looks like that was off by a few weeks.

2. Switching to zone AND staying with it was the key coaching move. We clearly are neither big enough or quick enough to play man for 40 mins. Ford is determined to play man but if it’s not working, play zone until they prove they can solve it.

3. Fred is a frickin’ man on D and the glass. No Fred last night and no win. Too bad we can’t get Fred and Pickett on the floor at the same time but they’re basically the same player.

4. Franco showed some touch on his shots and owned the glass with 15 boards. We get Perk and Franco going again and we’ll take care of business in the A-10.

5. Only 7 turnovers last night on 68 possessions for an outstanding rate of 10.3%. Even better was only one live ball turnover. 

6. There are reasons to be optimistic at this point. Still got to knock off an improved SIUE team, then put it together over the break.

[BrettJollyComedyHour]

19 minutes ago, BACKHANDtheRICAN said:

Reality check: we beat Drake. Calm down.

no at large bid coming to the Bills this year. NIT.

Dude, I get pessimism, but you're a masochist.

[gobillsgo]

Still not a good 40 minute effort, but I’ll take the win for now. Drake isn’t good, but they’re also not as bad as they looked at Richmond. 
 

Switch to zone later in the game helped a lot. So Ford gets some credit for that. Gibson was getting torched almost every possession in man to man. 

[willie]

Drake had zero turnovers in the first half. Not sure I’ve ever seen that before.