There wasn't a lot of sound to be heard at the conclusion of Stephen F. Austin's first conference loss in 27-games on Monday night. Most of the seats in Burton Coliseum were tarped over, but it didn't matter because even the available sections were hardly burdened by the 531 fans in attendance.
I stood next to the media table talking briefly with Lumberjack Sports Network color analyst Tyler DePascal when a young staffer wearing a McNeese shirt approached. "Is this kind of shooting normal for y'all?" he asked, seemingly dumbfounded. "No," Tyler responded matter-of-factly. "Not since I've been here at least."
Yes, 28% shooting from the floor left everyone, even opponents, mostly speechless. Muffled sounds of SFA personnel quietly loading equipment was the only thing breaking silence in the building. A quick glance at any face in purple made it clear that no Lumberjacks, aside from the white-hot women's team, were having a good day.
Here are some things we learned:
SFA's defense is good, but not good enough for this -
For all the offensive issues that the Lumberjacks have had this season, shooting really hadn't been terrible for the most part. SFA averaged 46% from the floor entering the opening Diamond Head Classic game versus Tulsa.
Since that evening? Even with a decent offensive showing in a loss to Utah, the Lumberjacks are averaging just 36% from the floor. When this team left for Hawaii, they evidently forgot how to put the ball through the basket.
Defensively, SFA has been phenomenal the past few weeks. It has kept them in games they had no business being in - and even won a couple for them (Southern Miss, Houston Baptist). It isn't good enough to make up for the paltry shooting, though. Call it a slump, call it whatever you wish, it needs a solution quickly.
McNeese didn't pass the smell test of legitimate DI basketball, to be honest. That is not a good team in Lake Charles. Until 10 minutes were left in the game, I believed SFA would win by double digits just by watching the physical mismatch.
Want to know how you let a visibly inferior basketball team beat you? Shoot 28% from the floor. That's exactly what happened last night and it's exactly what will continue to happen through conference play if the Jacks cannot find their shot again.
Offensive ball movement was visibly improved -
How ridiculous does this sound after a dismal performance like Monday night? Well, it's true. Offensively, especially early in the game against McNeese, this was probably the best ball movement I've seen all season from SFA. Passes were crisp, good shots were being passed up for better shots, and the beauty of the hi-lo scheme was finally showing up just a bit.
The. Shots. Just. Wouldn't. Go. In.
It's hard to put my finger on why. No doubt, once the Lumberjacks got down big in the second half, there were plenty of wild and ill-advised attempts that kept things from improving. But that wasn't what got them in the situation to begin with.
I like to think I know a little bit of basketball - but I'm not even going to pretend to grasp the cause of this inability to score points. Fortunately, the coaching staff is far smarter than I. If anyone can put their finger on this before the weekend showdown with Abilene Christian, I imagine it will be Kyle Keller.
The Lumberjacks will thrive (or die) with TJ Holyfield -
Part of what makes the hi-lo scheme exciting in theory is the prototypical game of TJ Holyfield to run it. I said last week that Ty Charles is the best player on the team - and I mean that, even if he hasn't shown it yet - but this offensive scheme made famous by Bill Self at Kansas requires a nifty and quick forward to handle the scoring load.
In Kansas, people were used to watching Perry Ellis dominate in that role the last few years. At SFA, although the scheme certainly has its own twist, the burden falls on TJ Holyfield. He's the key to this entire thing.
Holyfield followed up one of his best games of the season against HBU with probably his worst in Lake Charles. His lack of aggression was glaring against inferior post talent at McNeese and as the Jacks rode him to a win on Saturday, the loss on Monday also centered on #22.
TJ has the potential to absolutely thrive in this system. If he can be coached out of his passive offensive tendencies, he has the physical ability to put the team on his back. Lumberjacks fans should be hoping that happens sooner, rather than later.
The Southland Conference race is wide open -
The bad news is, the Lumberjacks still haven't won a true road game all season. The good news? Everything they're after is still in front of them
Would SFA be considered the favorite at this point? I've called them that multiple times this season but I think its probably safe to say the betting odds no longer favor purple. Who cares?
They're 1-1 in a league where the other two top preseason teams are 0-2. This race is open for anyone to take if they get hot. Why not us?
2016-17 is clearly about rebuilding for SFA. This is a season of slow, methodical program construction. This is also the Southland Conference, a league that may be enjoying its best RPI in sometime, but perennially weak enough for a rebuilding program to find success.
Are you buying in? -
I don't want to overuse the word "rebuild." Clearly, we know that's what is going on this season, though. As I've watched the progress, gotten to know this staff, and seen what the coaches are all about, I bought in pretty early. I believe in the process, even through disappointment. Am I alone? There is time for that rebuild to progress far enough to make a nice little run this season, but we know the reality is it may not happen.
After a tough loss like what we witnessed last night, are you buying what this team is selling? If not, why? Discuss below.
