Men vs WVU Game Thread

[gravejd 3,270]

Tough loss after a great comeback. One thing you never do is quit on a Bruce Pearl team. Good chance you’ll look silly later if you do. The team this year has left a lot to be desired but I still see potential in them. They took a step back against A&M and another during the first half today but they bounced back. Maybe that’s a turning point maybe it’s a last gasp I don’t know. But every game is winnable and lose-able from here. 

[KansasTiger 3,248]

3 hours ago, 1716AU said:

And whose fault is that?

Bruce either can't identify good guards or he can't develop them.

I am thankful for where Bruce has brought the program, but this type of regression in a year is quite disconcerting...

Imagine where Auburn would have been last seaon with decent guard play...

Im not disagreeing. I was on here last year asking why we weren't going after someone like Nigel Pak from KSU cause we needed gaurds who could shoot and score. Dude was like all Big 12 and had a better 3PT % than Bryce Brown during the final four season. And probably would have cost as much as Traore. But there were many others. Sears cones to mind as someone who was ours to lose and we didn't want him.

The decision to not go after guard help is solely on Bruce. He miscalculated the talent of this core guard group, then I have no idea why he sat pat last offseason. It's like he didn't watch the same second half of the season that I did.

He's Bruce, so I'm not saying fire up the hot seat. But he's clearly not mistake free and these were a series of big ones that cost us.

Edited January 29, 2023 by KansasTiger

[Maverick.AU 13,281]

10 minutes ago, KansasTiger said:

Im not disagreeing. I was on here last year asking why we weren't going after someone like Nigel Pak from KSU cause we needed gaurds who could shoot and score. Dude was like all Big 12 and had a better 3PT % than Bryce Brown during the final four season. And probably would have cost as much as Traore. But there were many others. Sears cones to mind as someone who was ours to lose and we didn't want him.

The decision to not go after guard help is solely on Bruce. He miscalculated the talent of this core guard group, then I have no idea why he sat pat last offseason. It's like he didn't watch the same second half of the season that I did.

He's Bruce, so I'm not saying fire up the hot seat. But he's clearly not mistake free and these were a series of big ones that cost us.

Kicking ourselves bc we don't have a guy like desi sills, that was a Grayson McCall type situation, and the dude is killing it. Smh, dude wouldve made a world of difference on this team. 

[jluvah 665]

2 hours ago, 1716AU said:

Recognize that in the offseason he needs to recruit guards that are good enough to facilitate and shoot and give a couple their walking papers

These "kids" get paid now.  Time to get over the kid gloves and expect more

But I agree with you on Scoot.  But Bruce is the reason that we have the guard play that we do.

Maybe less politics and more coaching and recruiting...?

Man, you said a mouthful here! At least three should’ve been asked to find another place to play, even if asking one would’ve meant his dad had to go too. You’re right. They get paid now. Business decision. Bruce needs to take a hard look in the mirror. This year is on HIM

 

[WillMunny 1,378]

We have no go-to scorer, but I think Jaylin Williams could become one.

Edited January 29, 2023 by WillMunny

[cole256 17,084]

3 hours ago, 1716AU said:

Recognize that in the offseason he needs to recruit guards that are good enough to facilitate and shoot and give a couple their walking papers

These "kids" get paid now.  Time to get over the kid gloves and expect more

But I agree with you on Scoot.  But Bruce is the reason that we have the guard play that we do.

Maybe less politics and more coaching and recruiting...?

We also get too enamoured with stars. When I first brought up Mark on here people laughed at me. Now of course I know I'm going to have the few people that hate me because I said Bo wasn't as good as many make him out to be, so they have to dislike everything I say but there was a bunch who just said it just because he didn't have 5 stars. Just said he wasn't good enough just because.

Did the same thing with the stud that plays for Missouri. I was bringing up how we need to recruit the area better and mentioned him as well somebody said he can play at una or Alabama a&m. I'm hoping the coaches don't do that, I'm pretty sure they don't but I'm just saying we should look at talent not just stars.

[KansasTiger 3,248]

8 minutes ago, cole256 said:

We also get too enamoured with stars. When I first brought up Mark on here people laughed at me. Now of course I know I'm going to have the few people that hate me because I said Bo wasn't as good as many make him out to be, so they have to dislike everything I say but there was a bunch who just said it just because he didn't have 5 stars. Just said he wasn't good enough just because.

Did the same thing with the stud that plays for Missouri. I was bringing up how we need to recruit the area better and mentioned him as well somebody said he can play at una or Alabama a&m. I'm hoping the coaches don't do that, I'm pretty sure they don't but I'm just saying we should look at talent not just stars.

Message boards will be message boards. I didn't know enough about Sears at that time to have an informed opinion but it seems pretty clear now. What matters is the coaches didn't see it, either.

[EagleEye67 1,939]

1 hour ago, gravejd said:

every game is winnable and lose-able from here. 

 

[AURex 2,002]

CBP is doing the best he can with the players he has to work with. Fact is, there is just not a lot of talent on the floor for our Tigers. No matter how CBP does his mix-n-match shuffling, it's just not going to succeed against the better teams in the SEC.

One plus, I suppose, is that the SEC is really weak this season. Tennessee is the most consistently solid. Bama is scary when hot, average when not. Mizzery may be the best team down the stretch and could actually win the SEC tourney. Other than that?

Although I'll be glued to my TV pulling for Auburn every minute of every game, I just don't foresee many more wins for Auburn this season. Might squeak into the NIT to be eliminated early.

CBP's recruiting board looks awesome. My eyes are focused on the future.

 

[KansasTiger 3,248]

20 minutes ago, AURex said:

CBP is doing the best he can with the players he has to work with. Fact is, there is just not a lot of talent on the floor for our Tigers. No matter how CBP does his mix-n-match shuffling, it's just not going to succeed against the better teams in the SEC.

One plus, I suppose, is that the SEC is really weak this season. Tennessee is the most consistently solid. Bama is scary when hot, average when not. Mizzery may be the best team down the stretch and could actually win the SEC tourney. Other than that?

Although I'll be glued to my TV pulling for Auburn every minute of every game, I just don't foresee many more wins for Auburn this season. Might squeak into the NIT to be eliminated early.

CBP's recruiting board looks awesome. My eyes are focused on the future.

 

Hard disagree. I love me some CBP. And I'm sure he is doing the best he can with what he has. But its not like someone else built this roster for him and handed it to him. When Malzahn doesn't recruit OLine for a few years and we start sucking, do we just right that off as him doing the best with what he has? CBP didn't recruit and go after the guards he needed. And he could have.

[Tiger 8,827]

I don't want to see Wendell with the ball in his hands in a last possession/late clock situation ever ever ever ever ever again. He tripped over himself to end the first half and he threw up that ugly BS to end the game. This is an ugly pattern dating back to last year. Absolutely baffling display of unclutch play from Green spanning 1.5 seasons into his AU career when the clock is under 10 seconds. I would literally rather take my chances with anybody else trying to do something with the ball in final shot situations at this point. Yes he hit the game winner vs UGA last year but that is an anomaly as it's not even about making or missing a shot but the decision making and stepping up in the moment have been severely lacking in clutch situations

[Tiger 8,827]

Guys our PG situation is a chain reaction of unlucky breaks. 

Cooper was supposed to be on a 2 year plan. Scoot was supposed to spend 2 years here. You can't be on your 3rd option and expect the results to stay the same. ESPECIALLY at point guard 

Hoping Aden Holloway puts us back on track at PG

[JuscAUse! 1,412]

6 hours ago, Tiger said:

Guys our PG situation is a chain reaction of unlucky breaks. 

Cooper was supposed to be on a 2 year plan. Scoot was supposed to spend 2 years here. You can't be on your 3rd option and expect the results to stay the same. ESPECIALLY at point guard 

Hoping Aden Holloway puts us back on track at PG

Sorry, sir. No common sense or understanding of historical facts are allowed on this thread. We're all PISSED, for goodness sakes! Don't you know how good at basketball AU was before BP?

[KansasTiger 3,248]

7 hours ago, Tiger said:

Guys our PG situation is a chain reaction of unlucky breaks. 

Cooper was supposed to be on a 2 year plan. Scoot was supposed to spend 2 years here. You can't be on your 3rd option and expect the results to stay the same. ESPECIALLY at point guard 

Hoping Aden Holloway puts us back on track at PG

Oh I see. So it was unlucky breaks that made CBP choose to pass on Mark Sears and stick with WG? It was unlucky breaks that made him not approach any other transfer guards last season.

43 minutes ago, JuscAUse! said:

Sorry, sir. No common sense or understanding of historical facts are allowed on this thread. We're all PISSED, for goodness sakes! Don't you know how good at basketball AU was before BP?

I've been singing this same tune since last year. This isn't irrational anger over a loss clouding my common sense. More like some people's inability to admit CBP can actually make mistakes. And he has with this team. That doesn't take away from what he's accomplished and done for Auburn. My hope is he recognizes the situation for what it is (even if its a little late) and fixes it next season.

[AuburnNTexas 7,150]

14 hours ago, cole256 said:

We also get too enamoured with stars. When I first brought up Mark on here people laughed at me. Now of course I know I'm going to have the few people that hate me because I said Bo wasn't as good as many make him out to be, so they have to dislike everything I say but there was a bunch who just said it just because he didn't have 5 stars. Just said he wasn't good enough just because.

Did the same thing with the stud that plays for Missouri. I was bringing up how we need to recruit the area better and mentioned him as well somebody said he can play at una or Alabama a&m. I'm hoping the coaches don't do that, I'm pretty sure they don't but I'm just saying we should look at talent not just stars.

I was one who backed you on Sears. 

[Mikey 16,612]

10 minutes ago, AuburnNTexas said:

I was one who backed you on Sears. 

For whatever reason, Pearl had two different chances to bring Sears to Auburn and chose not to both times. We don't know why, but unless you think message board gurus know more about basketball than Coach Pearl does, we should assume there's a good reason why Sears isn't here.

[cole256 17,084]

8 hours ago, Tiger said:

Guys our PG situation is a chain reaction of unlucky breaks. 

Cooper was supposed to be on a 2 year plan. Scoot was supposed to spend 2 years here. You can't be on your 3rd option and expect the results to stay the same. ESPECIALLY at point guard 

Hoping Aden Holloway puts us back on track at PG

Nobody should have ever thought scoot was going to be a 2 year player

[JuscAUse! 1,412]

1 hour ago, KansasTiger said:

Oh I see. So it was unlucky breaks that made CBP choose to pass on Mark Sears and stick with WG? It was unlucky breaks that made him not approach any other transfer guards last season.

I've been singing this same tune since last year. This isn't irrational anger over a loss clouding my common sense. More like some people's inability to admit CBP can actually make mistakes. And he has with this team. That doesn't take away from what he's accomplished and done for Auburn. My hope is he recognizes the situation for what it is (even if its a little late) and fixes it next season.

My hope is that everyone would read the post I commented on and realize that Bruce has taken steps to fix the problem - and it is a problem - but through an absolutely ridiculous series of events lost at least 3 excellent options at PG. As far as BP not being criticized for mistakes on a message board, I'm probably the worst offender. Especially during game time, which is why I try and stay away from in game posts and look at the bigger picture.

[DAG 33,990]

The SEC embarrassed themselves this weekend lol 

[cole256 17,084]

The lost 3 options is bull to me. We recruited other guards and they left, so you need to go out and recruit more guards. We all love Pearl, well most of us love Pearl but as far as right now he just missed on the guards he picked to be here right now. 

When the other guys left it wasn't left a day before the season started and coop was a surprise but nobody with a brain would be thinking scoot was going to be here. Everybody knew he probably wasn't going to college. And when you recruit those guys you assume it's an annual thing. I know he didn't expect Smith to be here two years. 

Tennessee has been losing guards....you know what he does there? Make sure he has another one. Bammer lost a couple of their best guards, what they do? Went out and got Mark and signed another 5 star guy. It's college, if you don't do anything else you make sure you have an alpha guard on your team at all times

[cole256 17,084]

And because of how it goes you actually should prioritize a couple of not so hyped up guys and stash them. 

I guess what I'm saying is all major programs has to go thru this obstacle. It's not just unique to Auburn

[Tiger 8,827]

1 hour ago, cole256 said:

Nobody should have ever thought scoot was going to be a 2 year player

He wasn't old enough to spend only one year in college. It's why he's doing 2 years in the G League 

[jAUSon 2,836]

1 hour ago, DAG said:

The SEC embarrassed themselves this weekend lol 

Did any teams win on the road besides Kansas?

[DAG 33,990]

2 hours ago, jAUSon said:

Did any teams win on the road besides Kansas?

Good question 

[arein0 959]

4 hours ago, jAUSon said:

Did any teams win on the road besides Kansas?

Texas Tech went to and beat LSU