Basketball receives 0 votes in latest AP poll

I'm disappointed with our play so far this season. Hoping it's just a young team learning to play together and adjust to the college game.

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Wade's all talk so far.

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Wut

The close loss to FSU was forgivable. But getting stomped by an ok, but not great OSU team wasn't. We can talk about poor shot selection; the refusal of Reid to play down low, etc., but until the defense improves, this is going to be an inconsistent team. We are a long, LONG way from March, but right now this isn't a NCAAT team (ranked 50th in Kenpom)

The Grambling game and next game (Incarnate Word) won't tell us too much. Both teams are bad. But starting with the 12/12 game AT Houston, we should start to know where this team is really headed. If they struggle (and lose some/all) of games vs. Houston, St. Mary's and Furman, then this is going to be a repeat of the Simmons' season and all of Wade's benefit of the doubt will be shot. If they can get it together on defense and the glass and beat those teams, then they will be ok going into SEC play.

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I swear, the AAU game is messing these kids up. They play the AAU circuit their high school years, no one plays defense, no one plays team ball and when they enter college they are shocked. Defense? WTF is that. Offensive plays? What? Ball screens? Huh? Defensive communication? Say what?

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True. But LSU isn't the only team having to deal with that issue. My confidence in Wade has been shaken because of the poor defense thus far. And it's the same issues game after game. Last year LSU wasn't a very good defensive team. Lack of talent was the excuse. Well, the talent is there now and they still are a poor defensive team. At some point you have to look at the commonalities between the two years and with only 3 returning contributors from last season, it ain't the players.

Duke starts 4 (albeit extremely talented) true freshman. They are 5th in total defense. Now, no one is saying LSU's freshmen are as good as Duke's OR that Wade is anywhere close to as good a coach as Krzyzewski. But the "young talent" argument alone doesn't account for that big of a gap between defensive ability (LSU is ranked 116 and Duke has played a much tougher opponents). The true freshman Duke is bringing in aren't playing in a significantly more fundamentally sound AAU league.

IMO, I don't know if Wade's approach is the best thing for this team. He obviously wants to create a lot of turnovers. But in the process, if his guys don't create the turnover they generally end up giving the opponent a pretty good look. Right now Michigan is the #1 ranked defensive team. Yet, they are 203rd in turnovers forced per game. They make their hay on forcing teams to almost always take contested shots.

I understand that Wade wants to create turnovers to allow LSU's studs to get out and run in transition, but they have to find a happy medium. You can't continue to give up 4-5 good looks at the basket for every turnover you create. That stresses your offense on nights you can't force turnovers.

Relax guys it's early.

The team will come around. There aren't 10 basketball games. There is time.

At this point Bigby is outplaying Naz.

Starting 5 should be

Tremont
Skylar
Emmitt
Days
Bigby Williams.

Play big boy basketball. Inside out.

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Starting 5 should be Tremont Skylar

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Tremont is playing the worst of the three guards getting regular times.

Edwards has been abysmal so far. I wonder if that mask is bothering him that much

The biggest disappointment to me so far has been Reid. He’s treating this year like an extended all star game.

He had way too much hype.

Wish we would have had Reath for another year.

If he concentrates on getting better in the paint I feel he can be a 12 and 7 kind of player. But it doesn't look like he wants to play down low.

I still expect NCAA

We have 2 losses.

One to an extremely talented Florida State team which we should have won.

My starting 5 for now...

Smart PG
Mayes SG
Taylor SG/3
Williams 4
Bigby-Williams 5


Bring Naz and Tremonte off bench for spark.