Bear Down Wildcats

Reffing has been a bit shit so far.

phxcat23 wrote: Sat Mar 01, 2025 7:48 pm Getting tired of the inconsistent calls….regardless of them killing us on 3s

Yep - just want some consistency

We can’t guard the 3 to save our lives tonight

No effort on defense unlike ISU. Not sure what Lloyd is doing

Getting blown out is the fucking worst. Let’s get this close before the half, huh? Go inside and guard the goddamn three.

We lose this game even if the refs were kind to us. Look at the dime rate disparity. Ugh

KJ gotta be in the running for most foul on a 3PT shooter this season

And KJ picks up 3 not even a second after his 2nd… man he’s gotta rein that in

Really wish Bradley was better from 3. Seems like he misses a lot of wide open chances

phxcat23 wrote: Sat Mar 01, 2025 8:02 pm Really wish Bradley was better from 3. Seems like he misses a lot of wide open chances

Him and KJ can not shoot 3s to save their lives and I'm OK with never seeing them shoot a 3 the rest of the season. I'd rather Veesar or Awaka take that shot before they do.

pretty nasty half

Fishclamps wrote: Sat Mar 01, 2025 8:04 pm

phxcat23 wrote: Sat Mar 01, 2025 8:02 pm Really wish Bradley was better from 3. Seems like he misses a lot of wide open chances

Him and KJ can not shoot 3s to save their lives and I'm OK with never seeing them shoot a 3 the rest of the season. I'd rather Veesar or Awaka take that shot before they do.

So frustrating especially because Bradley has a good shot from mid range

So does KJ, but when they both get outside the arc...

Their hot. If they shoot the same in the second half, tip your hat. KJ having 3 fouls is going to be a problem. Need to get a few easy ones and see what happens.

Iowa State coeds very pasty so UA will always win that

This one looks like it’s going to be over in short order

Really poor effort tonight….Iowa St is scrimmaging against us now. Put in a few more of our bench players to give them some PT. I think this is the first game where we were never in it.

MrKyle wrote: Sat Mar 01, 2025 8:26 pm This one looks like it’s going to be over in short order

Its already over

Can Love stop swiping at the ball? Can't recall any POY fans not excited he came back.

Merkin just because you didn't want him doesn't mean the majority of fans didn't.

TheCat wrote: Sat Mar 01, 2025 8:30 pm Merkin just because you didn't want him doesn't mean the majority of fans didn't.

Great topic of discussion. Love will never get you 4 or 5 good games in a row.

TheCat wrote: Sat Mar 01, 2025 8:30 pm Merkin just because you didn't want him doesn't mean the majority of fans didn't.

I didn’t want him back. I feel like he holds the team hostage with his atrociously inconsistent play on both offense and defense.

Surprised Awaka has played so poorly today. He’s a step slow.

LuteIsGod wrote: Sat Mar 01, 2025 8:33 pm

TheCat wrote: Sat Mar 01, 2025 8:30 pm Merkin just because you didn't want him doesn't mean the majority of fans didn't.

I didn’t want him back. I feel like he holds the team hostage with his atrociously inconsistent play on both offense and defense.

I’m in the same boat - didn’t really want him back. He does carry team at times but also loses games with poor shot selection and inconsistent play.

Would have preferred to see what we could do without him

Think it’s time to get role players some minutes

Throw in the towel Tommy your team doesn't care

just painful to watch

Merkin wrote: Sat Mar 01, 2025 8:32 pm

TheCat wrote: Sat Mar 01, 2025 8:30 pm Merkin just because you didn't want him doesn't mean the majority of fans didn't.

Great topic of discussion. Love will never get you 4 or 5 good games in a row.

To be a good contributor you don't have to put 5 good games in a row. Of course you had us as second in the Big 12 so I give it to you. I had us as 4th, the coaches had us at 5 but you knew.

If they are going to mixup us with ASU tonight would be a good time to do it.

TheCat wrote: Sat Mar 01, 2025 8:41 pm

Merkin wrote: Sat Mar 01, 2025 8:32 pm

TheCat wrote: Sat Mar 01, 2025 8:30 pm Merkin just because you didn't want him doesn't mean the majority of fans didn't.

Great topic of discussion. Love will never get you 4 or 5 good games in a row.

To be a good contributor you don't have to put 5 good games in a row. Of course you had us as second in the Big 12 so I give it to you. I had us as 4th, the coaches had us at 5 but you knew.

Love is a 9th year Senior. I think that with his experience, he should be consistently playing solid defense and using his intelligence to draw fouls on the opposition, even when he’s not hitting shots. Plus he should be looking for the easiest shot every possession.

Conrad providing a nice little spark

banners for cael sanderson and jake varner

KaibabKat wrote: Sat Mar 01, 2025 8:42 pm If they are going to mixup us with ASU tonight would be a good time to do it.

I think they did that the first time they said the first game in the arena was between 'these two teams... ASU won that game...' I didn't hear it a second time and I MAY have heard it wrong in the first place.

Keep playing win or lose. Just keep swinging. They haven't hit as many 3's this half but that is to be expected because they couldn't miss.

carter!

single digits!

Finally calling some fouls on drives

At least we aren’t going down without a fight. This should build some confidence that Martinez can contribute good minutes.

At least the final score is slightly more respectable?

Is what it is, let's just beat the brakes off ASU and make Bobby's head explode

Guess I'm not sorry I missed this one

Their shooting in the first half on 3's was a huge factor in being down 24. Showed some fight but this team has had the same problem all season. Just no reliable 3 point shooter that can get their own shot. Glad Martinez got some run. Undersized but played with heart and effort.

2 - 4 over our last 6 games? Guess you can pick up "momentum" if you are going down a hill backwards.

Glad I didn’t end up going to this game which was my plan up until a few weeks ago.

How was ADO?

Good comeback, I had turned it off with about 9 minutes left, but couldn't keep it going, last FG: 03:03 LAYUP #0 BRADLEY,J (63-73)

ISU's defensive intensity was too much for ADO, and in reality the rest of the team too. ADO didn't even get a shot attempt.

The contrast in perimeter defense was quite striking.

3 PT shooting
UA 4/22 18.2%
ISU 11/21 52.4%

Merkin wrote: Sun Mar 02, 2025 8:22 am Good comeback, I had turned it off with about 9 minutes left, but couldn't keep it going, last FG: 03:03 LAYUP #0 BRADLEY,J (63-73)

ISU's defensive intensity was too much for ADO, and in reality the rest of the team too. ADO didn't even get a shot attempt.

The contrast in perimeter defense was quite striking.

3 PT shooting
UA 4/22 18.2%
ISU 11/21 52.4%

Their defense took THE ENTIRE TEAM OUT OF ITS OFFENSIVE PATTERNS, not just ADO.

And. any team that can extend it's defense that far out, and double team that effectively will likely do the same. Our backcourt, whether ADO was in or not, spent more time dribbling away from the basket than passing the ball around; when they stopped their dribble, they could seldom even find an open player for a "first pass", let alone make two or three quick passes.

THIS is why we had so few assists - our team was forced into creating their own shots, and, unfortunately, we really don't have the personnel for that.

And, on defense most of our own attempts to extend the defense similarly, were defeated by excellent passing to find open threes - and. unfortunately, they were really hot from three.

I credit Martinez for his PG skills defeating some of those pressures and traps and opening things up for our passing game.

I feel good about the 'Cats' persistence, and, but for a few bad breaks, we might have actually contended in the final minutes.

I think we're a likely second-weekend team, and if we make it there it will be all about matchups - and I like our chances against several of the higher-ranked teams that should still be around. But, any team capable of this kind of defense and hot from the perimeter will scare the shit out of me...

pc in NM wrote: Sun Mar 02, 2025 9:51 am Their defense took THE ENTIRE TEAM OUT OF ITS OFFENSIVE PATTERNS, not just ADO.

Since you were replying to me, I said the same thing.

Merkin wrote: Sun Mar 02, 2025 8:22 am ISU's defensive intensity was too much for ADO, and in reality the rest of the team too.

ISU was right in the faces of the UA 3 point shooters. Seemed UA defenders were playing 6"-12" more off the ISU shooters than ISU was on the UA players.

pc in NM wrote: Sun Mar 02, 2025 9:51 am I credit Martinez for his PG skills defeating some of those pressures and traps and opening things up for our passing game.

Think he had the best +/- on the team.

Tommy on Martinez

https://www.azdesertswarm.com/basketbal ... P9RDnRweCQ

On playing Conrad Martinez: “Listen, Conrad is an amazing kid. I love that kid, high character, incredible player. I just haven’t given a lot of opportunities in the way that game was going. You never know. You throw a curve ball in there and see what happens and and I thought he really, really, really impacted the game. His stat line won’t show it, but I thought he really impacted the game, and it was a spark. So that that definitely something I could put in my back pocket going forward.”

On whether there was any hesitation playing Martinez: “I mean you’re down 20 points. I mean, you got to try something, you know what? You got to try something. And the kid deserved an opportunity. If we were down four, I probably wouldn’t have did it. So the way the game played out, I thought it was an opportunity for him to come in and if it went well, it gives me a good look. I don’t want to put him in those situations sometimes we’re down two or four because what if it goes bad? You know, I’m trying to build the kid’s confidence and and he was great today. So we’ll see what happens to going forward. But I’m really proud of Conrad and his character.”

Build his confidence by not playing him? Interesting stategery.

I agree this game was as much about ISU's defense as it was about there 3 point shooting. I think in the second half they shot 25% from 3. Their defense reminds me a lot of Houston's. This team was third in the country till their injuries piled up. They have a great team and I think they and BYU will both surprise a lot of folks. BYU is suppose to be a 8 seed. I would not want to be the 1 seed in their bracket.

I agree with the thought about BYU being better than their projected seed. They are talented and it’s starting to show.

Last night we just never had a chance when you looked at our effort defensively and our always inconsistent perimeter shooting. Teams that can defend the paint like ISU does will always give us trouble