MBB vs Toledo, 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 10, Holmes Sweet Holmes, MAC/Sun Belt Challenge, be there

[MrCraig]

It's really kind of dumb and pointless debate/argument. We made 21-29 today which is just over 72%. It's like saying a missed FG cost you a football game even if you had 3 turnovers or a bunch of dropped passes or missed tackles. All aspects of the game are important. I think the point some of us have tried to make is that we don't believe missed free throws have or will cost us a game. Don't blow easy opportunities during the game and let it come down to free throws. We left 7 points on the board but rarely does any team shoot 29-29. Gregory makes just one of those and it's a mute point. Great win! Run the table now.

FWIW, we were 65% after he missed. 15-23. Not good. We hit some late down the stretch, thus won the game.

We came into the game at 65.6%, which ranks #325 of 351 teams.

Houston is the #5 team in the nation and their FT% is 68%. #297 in the nation.

[hapapp]

Well we just got a national mention by Joe Lunardi. Did he say that head to head matters or doesn't matter? I think he said that our two wins over JMU don't really matter because their NET is higher than ours.

Yes that is what he said. Why play the game if it doesn’t matter who wins . More ESPN crap!

Can’t lose to NIU Oregon State and Tx State. Just have to win the Belt now!

Basically what Lunardi said.

[Bigdaddyg1]

It's really kind of dumb and pointless debate/argument. We made 21-29 today which is just over 72%. It's like saying a missed FG cost you a football game even if you had 3 turnovers or a bunch of dropped passes or missed tackles. All aspects of the game are important. I think the point some of us have tried to make is that we don't believe missed free throws have or will cost us a game. Don't blow easy opportunities during the game and let it come down to free throws. We left 7 points on the board but rarely does any team shoot 29-29. Gregory makes just one of those and it's a mute point. Great win! Run the table now.

FWIW, we were 65% after he missed. 15-23. Not good. We hit some late down the stretch, thus won the game.

We came into the game at 65.6%, which ranks #325 of 351 teams.

Houston is the #5 team in the nation and their FT% is 68%. #297 in the nation.

The difference in #325 and #80 (based on the average shots we take) is about 2 more makes per game. There are probably 30 teams at 75% (and some percentage points). I'll take the 80 win percentage. If we were 15-10 and were top 10 in free throws nobody would care or say a word.

[BambooRdApp]

Did not go back and read entire thread. Kerns made a great decision going with small line up. Our other bigs were not matching up well with small line up. It was a risk given 15 has hit a couple of 3s. Great coaching decision.

[appgrad95&97]

Look, if two conferences get 19 of the 68 bids, that really doesn't leave much for the other, what, thirty-two conferences.

[QueencityApp]

Did not go back and read entire thread. Kerns made a great decision going with small line up. Our other bigs were not matching up well with small line up. It was a risk given 15 has hit a couple of 3s. Great coaching decision.

100% good decision. You could tell Spillers did not like being on the bench by his body language during timeouts. Great adjustments and exciting game to watch. Thought we would fold when down by 9 with about 5 min to go. Hopefully this boosts momentum as we close out the regular season.

[AppGrad78]

I have to think there was more to the decision to bench Spillers in the second half than simply a favorable matchup. I’m guessing injury or illness. We were definitely gassed in the closing minutes and overtimes. You could argue Spillers has been our most productive player this season and he could have given us a jolt of energy. Did Kerns address the question after the game?

[311neers]

JMU up to 56th from 62nd in NET ranking.

App stays at 81st. Bummer. Would be painful to watch JMU get an at-large.

[Saint3333]

I’m fine with JMU as an at-large, could mean we won the tourney and the conference gets a minimum two NCAA credits.

[Bigdaddyg1]

How about X played 5 minutes. Did he not ever come back into the game after his initial start? Spillars can obviously be dominant but he can't just disappear for stretches on the court especially defensively. It would be nice to see Mantis pump fake and actually drive the ball to the basket once in a while. Every game the announcers talk him up like he's Steph Curry or something but he's made 12 baskets inside the arc this season. Is he simply a decoy to stretch the defense? I've been critical of Marsh being a ball hog at times but he was huge yesterday.

[BambooRdApp]

Mantis is not a dribble and drive type of player. He is not taking anyone to the basketball off the dribble for two reasons..1. he does not have quickness after the said ball fake..and 2. he does not handle the ball well enough for a D1 guard to do it....what I would like to see him do is move more in our offense versus primarily standing with the hope the guy guarding him plays help D on one of our guards that can drive and dish. However, that may be a coach decision on how the offense is run. Not knocking Mantis. Every player has strengths and also things they could improve.

[311neers]

How about X played 5 minutes. Did he not ever come back into the game after his initial start? Spillars can obviously be dominant but he can't just disappear for stretches on the court especially defensively. It would be nice to see Mantis pump fake and actually drive the ball to the basket once in a while. Every game the announcers talk him up like he's Steph Curry or something but he's made 12 baskets inside the arc this season. Is he simply a decoy to stretch the defense? I've been critical of Marsh being a ball hog at times but he was huge yesterday.

Marsh took X Minutes.
It seems Kerns has figured out the true 7 man rotation with Mantis and X playing in role situations or to give guys breathers. Spillers will be fine against smaller bodies, but teams may have figured out that he is very left hand, left side dominant. He will be an important guy for us down the stretch to ease the load of Abson/Huntley.

[311neers]

I’m fine with JMU as an at-large, could mean we won the tourney and the conference gets a minimum two NCAA credits.

Their schedule finish is easier than ours. Georgia Southern/State for 4 and Coastal. They might finish 28-3 ha. If so, not sure how you keep them out of the tourney unless they bomb a 1st round SBCT exit.

Our 2 NAIA games killed our chances to to move up in the NET as they don’t count those as wins.

[fjblair]

That was the best game I have seen in a long, long time.

[BambooRdApp]

I am not sure if Kerns has made a decision on the overall rotation. I believe, for yesterday's game, that it was a necessity due to Toledo top 4 players being good dribble and drive type of players as well as a couple of them being good shooters from outside. We shall see how things play out over next 5 or 6 games. I believe Spillers is important for rebounding and good D around the rim. I think the rotation will depend on the opponents size and strengths. It is great we have flexibility to do either. Play big or small...could help in tourney. For example, a bigger lineup has worked well against JMU... maybe it is better to go small against Troy . .do not know until we play them again. For all the other teams in conference, it seems that our bigger lineup works to get us to this point.
Time will tell. It is awesome to have 20 wins with still 6 games to play.
#AppStIsAlsoABBallSchool

[BUTCH1991]

I have to think there was more to the decision to bench Spillers in the second half than simply a favorable matchup. I’m guessing injury or illness. We were definitely gassed in the closing minutes and overtimes. You could argue Spillers has been our most productive player this season and he could have given us a jolt of energy. Did Kerns address the question after the game?

He just said that Spillers & Xavion didn't have their best games

[WVAPPeer]

I'm not a big fan of Lunardi but all you need to do is look at NC St and Clemson last year - Clemson finished 3rd in the ACC - BEAT NCS (6th) 3 times including by 26 in the ACC tourney and NCS still got the bid over them - ???

[Yosef77]

Something just doesn't feel right about this NET. Both JMU and App beat a quad 3 team (at home) in close games yesterday and JMU moves up 6 places and we don't move at all. Samford beats a terrible quad 4 team and moves up 8 places. Miami losses and doesn't move. I can't make any sense out of some of these.

[hapapp]

JMU up to 56th from 62nd in NET ranking.

App stays at 81st. Bummer. Would be painful to watch JMU get an at-large.

The broadcast crew and Lunardi were really on the JMU bandwagon, almost discounting our two wins over the Dukes.

[hapapp]

I am not sure if Kerns has made a decision on the overall rotation. I believe, for yesterday's game, that it was a necessity due to Toledo top 4 players being good dribble and drive type of players as well as a couple of them being good shooters from outside. We shall see how things play out over next 5 or 6 games. I believe Spillers is important for rebounding and good D around the rim. I think the rotation will depend on the opponents size and strengths. It is great we have flexibility to do either. Play big or small...could help in tourney. For example, a bigger lineup has worked well against JMU... maybe it is better to go small against Troy . .do not know until we play them again. For all the other teams in conference, it seems that our bigger lineup works to get us to this point.
Time will tell. It is awesome to have 20 wins with still 6 games to play.
#AppStIsAlsoABBallSchool

In the postgame, Kerns said they hadn't planned on going with the smaller lineup but as the game progressed he realized they needed to match Toledo's quickness.