Creighton at Drake

[Jays26]

When I see the players on the floor for Creighton, I don't see how they can't be in first place in the Valley. there is no way they should have over 3-4 losses. Before the season I picked them for second. I guess I forgot the McDermott factor.

Exactly why not many will miss this Sr. Class. Teams should be led by your Sr members and we have nothing. But the future is bright I believe and who knows, not counting on it but maybe they get things together for St. Louis.

[valleychamp]

Welcome to a February team coached by big GMac. CU fans are starting to realize why UNI fans dreaded the last half of the MVC season during the GMac era. Playing freshman 30+ min/game and your pt guard 35+ min/game is a recipe for a late season collapse.

+1

And he is a disaster in close games.

[shockball]

Congrats Bulldogs.

[WSUbballer]

One reason to be happy tonight.

Congrats Drake!

[Jet915]

When I see the players on the floor for Creighton, I don't see how they can't be in first place in the Valley. there is no way they should have over 3-4 losses. Before the season I picked them for second. I guess I forgot the McDermott factor.

I agree, this team is defintely underachieving. It's MACs job to get the most out of the team and he is definitely striking out. He gets a pass this year, but next year, with the talent we have coming back and the loss of this senior class, we "should" be much better.

[Jet915]

Congrats to the Bulldogs.....very tough loss for the Jays. Would have been great to get this one on the road. Not sure of the final stats but sounds like if we just hit a few of our 3's we probably get out of there with a "W".

I think we were around 18% from downtown and the Bulldogs were over 30%.

That's the point, we chuck over 20 3's a game atleast and that is usually a recipe for disaster. The coach, this team doesn't get that they can't shoot worth a lick and yet every game we fall in love w/the 3 pointer when our inside game is our strength.

[MacGuyver]

Bottom line:

Ethan Wragge makes this team much different. Teams would not be able to double (triple) team our post. Also addition by subraction. Good bye Seniors --- hello healthy Wragge, Artino, Gibbs and 4 freshman. Influx of 7 new players.

[cu8493]

When I see the players on the floor for Creighton, I don't see how they can't be in first place in the Valley. there is no way they should have over 3-4 losses. Before the season I picked them for second. I guess I forgot the McDermott factor.

You obviously have not watched these seniors much over the last 3.5 years. They are not now and never were average D1 talent. Look at their shooting percentages. I throw Josh Jones in that category, because he has never really done much except a short spurt here and there. Look at how easily these guys are beat on the dribble penetration. Look at the complete inability of anyone on this team except Antoine Young to take his man off the dribble and shake free for a shot? How many other teams in the MVC have only ONE guy on the whole damn roster that can make a move one-on-one and get any kind of a shot off? How many teams have ONE guy on the whole roster shooting better than 40% from three point? How many guys on CU's team can leap over someone and steal a rebound? Maybe Antoine? (McDermott just because he has such a knack for being in the right place) Its not just this year and its not underachieving, and its not bad coaching. You can't win a thoroughbred race with a bunch of quarter horses.

This roster has three legit quality good MVC level players, with a fourth out for the year with a foot injury. The rest of this roster would have made a very nice DII or maybe even a good Southland Conference team. They are not underachieving this year. They just are not a very talented team. They are far down the list in this league in terms of athletic ability/basketball skill. It is not possible to win consistently in this league with three good players. Frankly, Dana left the cupboard bare when he skated, and he knew it. McDermott is going to need time to rebuild the talent pool. Fortunately for us, Echinque, McDermott, Young and Wragge give us a good base.

[Jet915]

I agree that our bench is pretty pathetic but AY is probably the second best PG in the league, McDermott is all-valley and Echenique is one of the top big men in the league (probably behind Durley). 7-7 w/those 3 players in a DOWN MVC this year isn't very good IMO.

[cu8493]

Down year in the MVC or not, you can't win with only 3 quality players. You have to have 2 or 3 outstanding players and the rest have to be quality players. You can get by with one guy who fills a role, but thats about it. The MVC is too good even in a down year. As big and physically gifted as Echininque is, when he can't stay on the court because of foul trouble, he isn't helping. Further, when your wings have lower shooting percentages than your average high school basketball player, opposing team can doulbe and triple team the post and cave in on AY when he tries to penetrate without any concern that our wings will make them pay for doing so. It doesn't matter how good AY, McDermott and Echinique are, and it doesn't matter how well coach draws up plays. You can not win consistently at this level with the cast we have. To me, the fact that McDermott can even put a team on the floor that has a chance to win with Runnels, Korver, Ashford, Lawson and Jones as regulars is a feat itself.