Win #1!

Well, an ugly W is a W. That's all that matters. We're one game better than at this time last year.

It's a win.

We shot 27 free throws to their 9. That played a big part. They actually outshot us from the field.

Angry Axe beer for the win.

Includes presold tickets. Was over 1500 but well shy of 3000. The crowd that was there was into it down the stretch, but no students hurts.

Are we doing pressers any more? I like those almost as much as the game.

I'm totally confused about how the coaches are using (or not using) Jock. He got into the game in the first couple of minutes, played two minutes, and never saw the floor again. I just don't understand that. It's still early, but If they keep that up, they could lose him after this year, the way they lost Fisher by not playing him last year.

PurpleOut said:

---

Veal had 10 points, 5 assists and 10 turnovers. Advantage us.

---

He's playing with a torn meniscus that needs surgery. He's giving us everything he's got but not the same player unfortunately. Congrats on the win. I'm sure we will see you again in the tournament.

Back by popular demand are my post shower game thoughts.

I thought that this would be an interior showdown based on the the way the teams match up, and it basically was. Keller kept pushing the ball inside to Fitz and Seraille. The key seemed to be to stop Greenwood and keep the rebounding game in control. I thought limiting Greenwood under 12 would win us the game, and at nine points 5 rebounds we basically made him a non-factor. Fitz slowly worked his double-double by pounding the boards and go for shot after shot though he couldn't hit anything for the longest. But the slow interior war went our way, and it was the difference in the end. It made for an ugly, ugly half, but credit the coaching staff for not giving up on the game plan even when execution is dying a slow death.

If I can give a strong compliment before I make some criticisms. The criticisms aren't against the player personally - just pointing out the obvious. Mitch Seraille is a better freshman player than TJ Holyfield was. He plays great. His shot blocking is on time. He finds space off the ball. He plays with energy throughout. I'm excited to see him and TJ in tandem next year. Mitch has butter fingers. He cannot control the ball in close and at speed. This is just a function of the much quicker pace of play. He just can't get the ball where he wants to go, and the fast inside breaks are rough. His body is at full speed but the ball is behind. He is as good as you can want out of a freshman, but he's going to get much better when he gets bigger and in more control. Until then, we're going to see a lot of missed shots and turnovers in close. But he will be good.

This is a different team than we have seen the past two years. Obviously we have different personnel, but what I mean, is we are playing a completely different style. Keller has shown an affinity for the hi-lo offense that can lead to some exciting basketball when combined with a stiff man-to-man pressure defense. Jams and stuffs all game long. As we noticed year one, it takes practice and maturity in the system. Unfortunately with our two best inside players in that style, TJ and Sammy on the bench, Fitz and Mitch are struggling picking up the timing. So we're working with what we have. Better players.

Our guys match up better one to one against any other SLC player. That's why we've moved to an isolation game that Isaac loathes. Our team right now is not better than the other teams, so we're playing player on player. Bogues is better than anyone that they want to put up - anyone. Kevon is going to get through most teams. Fitz is better than most big men. Nicholas is going to use his spin move to get by people. Bain is going to jump over everyone, and now John is going to try to run past every set up. If we get teams to play our players instead of our team, we will win. It's not as good as having a good team, but it's what's going to make us get to Aaron coming back. Aaron and John can run a team - especially with a little of Shannon thrown in. We're going to have (please, please) a good team by March, but for now we're just going to roll with the best talent. A million misses from four feet can make that idea look terrible, but it's going to work. Stay with us.

Don't overlook the significance of this game for the rough play. If we had lost, it was going to be another 17 game sprint to the end. We bought ourselves some more time. One week to prep for Nicholls at their home - another big test. Veal and his team are going to wreck shop this year. I hope we don't see them in Katy, but they will be there somewhere. He had 5 assists and 10 turnovers. I'm giving our defense a B+ and theirs a B-. We had execution problems, but they rode our back the whole way.

Kevon is our best defender. I've said it before, but here it is again. He didn't get credited with any steals, but at crunch time in our move ahead in the second he caused four turnovers in four consecutive possessions. He plays inside other people's comfort zones. Comeaux and Bogues are going to rack up steals, but Kevon is the key to our lockdown defense.

Deuce is not moving off the ball well. He runs his rotations, but he's lacking Bogues' innate ability to make the right move to find space. He's planting in the spot he's supposed to be, but by the time the ball gets there, he's got no shot. It's a freshman thing. I don't think it's an insult to him or Oddyst that they aren't getting time. Keller doesn't play freshman (except Seraille - see above). Aaron had to play his freshman year because Cameron just couldn't cover a full game at point, but I bet Keller would have sit him if he could. Hughes will get it, but maybe not this year - definitely not before we get to the "team" style play instead of the "player" style game we have now.

TLDR - We won. Mitch is good. Bogues is the GOAT. 1-0 in conference. Looks good from the top.