Incredibly exciting game

[Billikan]

This had to be one of the most exciting games in years. As I was watching in the first half I came to the same conclusion I always do in college basketball--a team that shoots the ball well can look really good even if it isn't a good team and one that does not shoot well can look like a bad team even if they are not. They fired in wild long three pointers one after another in the first half and we could not hit anything. It made me sick to watch. When Luke went to the bench with 2 fouls and when Tommie went for a rest the result was an absolute disaster. JJ made three horrible plays in a row that lead directly to 3 consecutive baskets on the other end. Overall the best thing in the first half was Luke's last second tip in that got us over 20 points!

Even I was a doubting Thomas at that point. The turnaround in the first ten minutes of the second half was fabulous. The credit early goes to Luke who just put the team on his back and hit 7 points in 2 minutes. We then started to play some better defense and they were not raining in the threes and we cut the lead to 2. From then on it was a dogfight and they hit two incredible shots late to stay in the game when we were pulling away. The crowd was alive and loud and the team seemed to just gut it our for a very tough win against a very good team.

For those of you who were not there, Mississippi had a bunch of huge big guys and a group of hot shooting athletic and taller guards. Their big guys fouled Ian on virtually every shot and the refs called almost nothing. Ian was the man on defense in that he blocked 5 shots and altered several others. He hung in there even though the refs did him no favors.

Luke Meyer was absolutely fantastic. He was playing against a guy that looked like he could start at power forward in the NBA. Yet the guy did not dominate Luke at all on the offensive end and the guy had trouble guarding Luke on our end. When Luke is in the game we are a much better team on both ends. His help defense is great and his ballhandling in the middle of the defense is wonderful. I would like to hear from Cheese and Drew and others who say that Luke should not be playing. Without him today we would have lost by double figures.

I have noticed the naysayers have disappeared like they always do after a win-- no big props to the team for a tough victory, etc.-- but in 24 hours we will no doubt hear about our lousy recruiting and how bad a coach we have etc. This was a great hard fought college basketball game and we won. Congrats to the team and the coaches. Our team does have to realize that we need to play with intensity on the defensive end from the opening tip. It seems like they are like an old car that has to take time to warm up. When we are playing well, our defense is excellent. Go Bills!!

[smitty]

I would wager to bet that when our starting 5 were out on the floor we had a 25 point advantage. They were fantastic. DB and JJ absolutely need to get better or minutes need to go to Knollmeyer, Husak and Maguire. While Knollmeyer and Husak do not do anything spectacular out there, they seem to be smarter role players and less prone to turnovers.

Offical Billikens.com sponsor of McGlother Irvin

[cheeseman]

I posted my thoughts in another thread - I could not agree more about Luke's play today in the second half. He was key and the team's overall defense in the second half was very important.

[courtside]

Had Ole Miss gotten anything out of their big men offensively, would have been different outcome. They struggled finishing near the basket on good looks. Meyer found ways to get open for an in-between game, to be a 3rd offensive contributor to Liddell and Lisch. Surprised at just how open Lisch got in 2nd half of of the pass many times, and to his credit hit his shots. Poor decisions by Ole Miss last 5 minutes, not running offense, forcing bad shots. SLU definitley defended much better in 2nd half as well. Polk with another poor game, doesn't make quality decisions in transition...what few chances he gets in transition and in the half court. Liddell the only player to get easy baskets for SLU based on his ability to take it to basket and finish and play in the lane. Full court pressure once again hurt the Bills, but Miss got away from it in 2nd half. Any win is a good one, and SLU had just enough at home against a similar level club.

[RealisticBilliken]

Billikan, you really are becoming a joke on this board. You can't even enjoy one win without a jab at the "naysayers'.

I would like to know exactly who you are talking about when you say that? You really need to grow up.

As far as the game...

Great 2nd half, we sounded fantastic!!! If we play like we did in the 2nd half every game, there's no doubt we are a top 25 team. We sounded that damn good. Luke played incredible again, and Lisch finally found his shooting stroke. Great win for momentum into the A-10 season.

[Billikenbooster]

Billikan does say that a bit, but it is a point that needs to be made a number of times. I appreciate the folks that don't only come aboard when we do well or do poorly.

These players are our guys, we know them and support them (even JJ). With the loss of two 4s in the past few days, the future is even more tenuous. Let's see how the spring signing period goes. I would have hoped we wouldn't have needed to go for the diamond in the rough any more, but an NCAA bid will help tremendously for recruiting. Win, baby, win.

Steve, wish I could have come down and said hello to you again, but I had a guest at the game and couldn't leave my seat. Good luck in the next semester.

Go Bills.

mhg

[Billikan]

would qualify you as the joke! I notice you have posted many times today. I wonder if you could go one day without saying something negative about the team, the coach, the recruiting or anything else?