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Just wondering where all the posts are about how we are a horrible shooting team and how it is laughable that DK said that the team worked on shooting in the offseason. Now I'm not saying we are going to set the nets on fire this season. It's just a mere observation how some jump on the opportunity to jump all over any negative after the first loss. We have our issues, but there is no question that this team is fun to watch and definitely has a chance at winning 20 games this season.

Swampy wrote:Nice win against an atrocious team.
Nice to see a lot of the guys lighting it up from outside the arc, but that kind of basketball will get this team nowhere.
I hate live by the three die by the three basketball, but it looks like that is what we are stuck with this year.

Bruiser Flint called three pointer "Fools Gold".

^ Yeah, but if his team didn't go 4-21 in that final against Temple he would probably still be coaching at UMass.

I thought we took more looks at beating the zone by either driving or passing to the top of the key than we have previously, but wished we'd taken the opportunity to do that more when we got up big. The 3 was working great tonight, but that shot will always be there vs. the zone.

My only real complaint is that we kept letting them drive down the lane for easy buckets and never bothered to adjust. I'm not sure what Utah could have done if we'd taken that away. Allowing them to do that really inflated their shooting percentage.

The full court game on the other hand was ridiculously effective. If I was a fan of the other team watching that, I'd have broken every piece of furniture in arm's length. I was feeling a little bad for them towards the end when they emptied their bench and we were still pressing, and couldn't empty our bench because there's nobody left except Big Mystery. Maybe Charleston will give us our first evenly matched game.

I wonder if part of the game plan was to take a lot of threes since we had such a horrible shooting night against FSU. Shooting 8.7% from three and then then next night shooting 50% is a HUGE difference. Although Kellogg said they took too many, he may have let them rip 3's to get the confidence back up. I hope we don't live and die by the three but we have a lot of guys who can hit them and it will be an important part of our game this year.

That said, I will never complain about a UMass offense that shoots 50.7% FG and 50% on 3's. If they weren't falling and we kept taking them, that's an issue, but no one can complain about an offense that puts up 89 points.

Said head coach Larry Krystkowiak:

"but we haven't faced that kind of pressure, length and athletic ability before. You can't simulate that in practice, and it kind of overwhelmed us."

Don't tell Rick Pitino about living and dying by the three...

I still say it is more about shot selection. They took good shots last night. That is the biggest reason they were so successful. They can take 50 3's per night if they are not forcing up off balance crap and spreading it around. That FSU game was exactly what not to do...

I am not sold on a 20 win season yet but I am very much enjoying watching this brand of basketball. So far they have won all the games they "should" win and I would classify today as a toss up game. Let's see what happens.

Jackman wrote:My only real complaint is that we kept letting them drive down the lane for easy buckets and never bothered to adjust. .

That worried me also.

Jackman wrote:we were still pressing, and couldn't empty our bench because there's nobody left except Big Mystery.

Where's Matt Hill? Did he even make the trip?

Matt was in the first pregame interview, so yes, he made the trip, as did, I think, Jordan and Trey. I think Hill is staying ready, if needed, but that DK wants to give the younger guys some time to see where they are.

One thing about which HWSNBN was right - it's all about the long arms.

For the record, if I had been home last night watching the game, the first thing I would have posted here would have been: Nice win, great to see a blowout, but we take too many 3s.


It's a fact. It killed us against FSU, and it helped us against Utah. That is how this season will go as long as DK gives them the OK to shoot whenever they feel from behind the arc.

Been watching more college basketball lately... like the intensity on this team, I'm ok with good threes - especially with the zones they have been seeing. Think there were 5 or so 3's that could have been better looks either contested or way behind the arc.

Its been fun watching them so far this year.

Larry Kristkowiak. I knew I knew that name from somewhere. Had a great career at Montana in the early 80's when I was there.

Hey remember that time UMass stole the ball three times in a row in the backcourt and fed it to Sean Carter for 3 consecutive dunks?

That was cool.

Roadtrip wrote:Matt was in the first pregame interview, so yes, he made the trip, as did, I think, Jordan and Trey. I think Hill is staying ready, if needed, but that DK wants to give the younger guys some time to see where they are.

Laguerre could not have made the trip, same rules as Chaz last season.

Trey I think still has "knee tendonitis", but I don't expect him to dress much this season anyway. Great locker room guy either way.

My theory on Matt Hill is that his knees would never hold up in this fast pace up and down offense. Could have been a mutual thing among coaches and Matt to kind of shut it down this season and save what he has left of his knees for life. I think we can all agree he probably would have trouble finding meaningful minutes on this team anyway.