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Post by yotemeal on Mar 7, 2011 14:55:41 GMT -6
I was fortunate for this year's Summit League tournament to have a nice in on some really good lower-level corporate tickets. Had a real nice view of last night's first game between SDSU and IPFW. I'll be back again tonight. Oakland is good, and I'd definitely still call them the favorite, but make no mistake, this is a HOME game for SDSU, and Vegas knows it. Oakland is only a 2.5-point favorite.
It's been interesting to watch these games not just as an all around fan of D-I college hoops, but also as a study on what's to come for USD. I mentioned in a different thread that USD needs to get longer and a bit more athletic; I find this particularly true when watching Oakland, Oral Roberts and, from what I gather, IUPUI (I couldn't stay for that game). But even where a static eye test suggests USD would match up reasonably well (e.g., NDSU, SDSU, IPFW), I've observed more than one potential problem area. On a more macro level, our defense will really need to step it up a notch. While the intensity of a conference tournament game undoubtedly elevates the level of play, I've witnessed a good deal of above-the-rim basketball and desperation offensive and defensive rebounding. I don't think we'll be happy with the results of our inaugural Summit League campaign if the plan is to simply try to outgun our opponents; it won't work. On a more individual level, SDSU's sophomore point guard, Nate Wolters, is really, really good. I used to consider it hyperbole when people suggested the Gophers missed the boat on him as their point guard. I don't anymore. That kid is, unfortunately, worth the price of admission. He'll be a huge challenge for us.
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Post by Coyote Fan on Mar 7, 2011 16:08:30 GMT -6
I watched the first year of the Summit tourney but haven't been back since. My impression is the same as it's always been. These teams are good and USD can compete if they play well. Problem is the Yotes are WAY to inconsistant. Other than maybe against Benson (who will be gone anyway) Gruis will be a good player in the league.
This is the way I look at it. USD has no choice but to step up their game because if they don't they will be left in the dust faster than I can get home from the Sioux Falls arena and that is a quick drive for me. I am just happy that for both football and basketball that USD will either be forced to up their level or make the necessary changed to get to the next level. It's really all that simple. A new basketball arena would be a great way to start a program resurgance.
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usdlaw
Senior Member
Posts: 930
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Post by usdlaw on Mar 7, 2011 16:59:22 GMT -6
Agree with you on Nate Walters, the kid is good.
SDSU women just pulled off a nail biter.
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Post by sdsportsfan2010 on Mar 7, 2011 21:56:15 GMT -6
I watched the first year of the Summit tourney but haven't been back since. My impression is the same as it's always been. These teams are good and USD can compete if they play well. Problem is the Yotes are WAY to inconsistant. Other than maybe against Benson (who will be gone anyway) Gruis will be a good player in the league. This is the way I look at it. USD has no choice but to step up their game because if they don't they will be left in the dust faster than I can get home from the Sioux Falls arena and that is a quick drive for me. I am just happy that for both football and basketball that USD will either be forced to up their level or make the necessary changed to get to the next level. It's really all that simple. A new basketball arena would be a great way to start a program resurgance. That is the 2nd time youve posted that "USD can compete if they play well". Dont you think that every team can say that. USD will be just fine when they come into the Summit. Oakland, Oral Roberts and IUPUI are always going to be tough. SDSU, NDSU and IPFW are going to be good in the next couple years and UMKC isnt too bad either. Lets hope Sioux Falls will get it for 2 more years.
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Post by yotemeal on Mar 7, 2011 22:22:46 GMT -6
Hope my previous post didn't scare anyone off an Oakland bet. They controlled start to finish. I was relatively impressed with SDSU in their opening round game against IPFW, and they still deserve credit, but they had no business beating Oakland tonight. It wasn't simply a matter of SDSU underperforming and Oakland playing out of their minds. Oakland is significantly better. Scary good. If they get a decent seed in the NCAAs, they should be a trendy upset pick.
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Post by wrj on Mar 7, 2011 23:19:11 GMT -6
WRJ I sent you a personal message. Come say hi at the games. I didn't read your message until I got home after the game. Coyote Fan came out and we watched half of tonight's final game together. I enjoyed the visit. Thanks CF. I plan to be at the Tuesday afternoon game, maybe the night game too if the weather holds. Perhaps we'll meet up. It will be an awesome atmosphere when USD is playing in this tournament too, even if we don't end up playing against each other right away. It will happen. I hope it happens in Sioux Falls.
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Post by Coyote Fan on Mar 8, 2011 0:36:42 GMT -6
I watched the first year of the Summit tourney but haven't been back since. My impression is the same as it's always been. These teams are good and USD can compete if they play well. Problem is the Yotes are WAY to inconsistant. Other than maybe against Benson (who will be gone anyway) Gruis will be a good player in the league. This is the way I look at it. USD has no choice but to step up their game because if they don't they will be left in the dust faster than I can get home from the Sioux Falls arena and that is a quick drive for me. I am just happy that for both football and basketball that USD will either be forced to up their level or make the necessary changed to get to the next level. It's really all that simple. A new basketball arena would be a great way to start a program resurgance. That is the 2nd time youve posted that "USD can compete if they play well". Dont you think that every team can say that. USD will be just fine when they come into the Summit. Oakland, Oral Roberts and IUPUI are always going to be tough. SDSU, NDSU and IPFW are going to be good in the next couple years and UMKC isnt too bad either. Lets hope Sioux Falls will get it for 2 more years. Blah, Blah, Blah "don't you think that any team can say that". No I don't, insert Centenary. USD has not made good progress this year for the most part. USD needs to step up their game more consistantly if they are to compete. The way this years USD team played they are a 8th or 9th place team in the conference and would get beaten soundly by many of the teams.
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Post by Coyote Fan on Mar 8, 2011 0:49:41 GMT -6
I watched the IUPUI vs Oral Roberts game. They are #3 and #2 respectively in that league. I noticed a couple of differences between the Yotes & the Great West vs those two teams. Both but most especially Oral Roberts had athletic 6'6" bigs that would repeatedly beat USD on the inside. Almost every shot was challenged in the lane. The length on the interior was better than what the Great West has. The guards are about equal in talent but I see more poise from the guards from those Summit teams. Both teams were smoother and made good plays with what seemed to be greater ease than I see in the Great West. The athletisism is a step up in general. USD is a medicore rebounding team the way it is so they are going to need a major crash course in rebounding to be ready for this type of challenge. Both teams really crashed the boards which is something USD frequently does not do. Another thing that was very noticable is that both IUPUI and Oral Roberts both had patience in trying to work the ball inside instead of settling for shots like USD often does in games.
USD will only be OK if they show a much better ability to improve than what they did this year. I am a tad disappointed in this season because I thought the compimentary parts and the roster depth would be better by now than what it is. 7-5 compared to 11-1 is quite the dropoff especially considering that USD should be getting better every year through transition. We need better players to consistantly be able to beat the Summit teams as a whole. I think the Yotes are probably looking at somewhere around 6th-8th in the conference next year.
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Post by Iceman on Mar 8, 2011 1:03:42 GMT -6
Not enough talk on the board for you right now Coyote Fan? Need to start some more controversy I see!
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Post by Coyote Fan on Mar 8, 2011 1:06:15 GMT -6
Not enough talk on the board for you right now Coyote Fan? Need to start some more controversy I see! I just simply think that USD is going to need to up their game to compete. I don't think there is anything overly controversial in that. It was amazing after I called out all of Coyote Nation how many people came in here to post but unfortunately a good number of those people have conventiently disappeared again, but is that really all that surprising. You may agree, disagree, hate it, love it but controversy simply sells and interests people more than the status quo hunky dory never say anything to rock the boat crowd. I am not trying to be controversial this time but I have no problem bringing out that card again if that is what it takes for people to post because the normal going-ons are not enough to inspire people properly.
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Post by Iceman on Mar 8, 2011 1:10:39 GMT -6
Why can't you ever think positive? I know you like to be realistic. So do I, but the coyotes haven't played any of these teams, so there is no way in knowing if they would finish 8th or 9th in the league.
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Post by Coyote Fan on Mar 8, 2011 1:17:47 GMT -6
Why can't you ever think positive? I know you like to be realistic. So do I, but the coyotes haven't played any of these teams, so there is no way in knowing if they would finish 8th or 9th in the league. It's not that I don't ever think positive, it's that you choose not to see the positive big difference. I see reality and reality is that USD is not as good this year as they were last year. They are not a disaster but have gone downhill a bit this year. OK STOP HERE, the rest not worth reading anyway It's been a rough year for the big 2 at USD. The football team regressed big time and the basketball team regressed a little. The season will probably be extended by one game against Chicago State but after that it's all very likely coming to an end, no matter what you say, I say or anyone says. The Yotes are simply not good enough to have better than a 10-20% chance to beat Utah Valley on their home court. It's just very unlikely. It's simply the objective non biased analysis. You aren't getting the suger coated predictions from me, you are getting what I truley believe. Maybe if everyone else would actually look at things objectively we wouldn't be having to go through the dumpster fire of a football season that we are likely about to experience in the fall of 2011. Again, not what I want to happen just what likely will happen. I knew you couldn't resist reading the rest
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Post by Iceman on Mar 8, 2011 1:20:55 GMT -6
Wow and now you're bringing up the "fire Ed" slogan again! Wow, give it a rest!
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Post by Coyote Fan on Mar 8, 2011 1:24:12 GMT -6
Wow and now you're bringing up the "fire Ed" slogan again! Wow, give it a rest! Why not, fire Ed, fire Ed, Fire Ed, Fire Ed. There I know you feel better now and you knew I couldn't resist and you were right. I am already getting you to continue to post so something is going well. That's a positive thing.
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Post by Coyote Fan on Mar 8, 2011 1:26:40 GMT -6
I can actually see this happening
I say fire Ed at the end of 2010, doesn't happen, everyone says give it a rest
I say fire Ed at the end of the 2011 season, doesn't happen, everyone says give it a rest
same thing in 2012
same thing in 2013
finally happens in 2014 and everyone then realises that it should have happened back in 2010 afterall if not back in about 2008.
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