WBB - Season Record Predictions

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BobcatDel
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WBB - Season Record Predictions

Post by BobcatDel » Sun Nov 21, 2021 4:32 pm

First I admit that I have been out of town for nearly 3 weeks and more focused on football when home…so I have yet to see a WBB game except the Blue/Gold Scrimmage.

But based on the comments I read there is widespread disappointment (some comments are using more harsh terms than that) in the WBB team so far this year. Were we just excited for the new season with rose colored glasses on based on last years performance? Has there been a significant material change in the skills, culture, leadership, chemistry on the team? Has Coach Binford finally given up her successful coaching philosophy? Is there no leadership by our senior and junior level returning players? Were we perhaps just too optimistic with a roster with 10 freshmen and sophomores on it? Has our pre-season schedule been too brutal? Is Coach Binford trying to install a new offense or defensive scheme? Are we inept at shooting the ball this year? Is there no passion on the court…have we lost any element of swagger or toughness? Do we just “mail it in for this season?” Will we work through the early season pains and “right the ship”? Are you optimistic or pessimistic about the season now? I am in a quandary and look forward to seeing a few games coming up in December. But let’s see where you are at or how you are feeling about the season now:

1. We play a 31 game schedule not including exhibition. What will be our season ending record?

2. We play a 20 game conference schedule. What will be our conference record?

3. Against the Griz…..will we win, split or lose the two game series?



MSU01
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Re: WBB - Season Record Predictions

Post by MSU01 » Sun Nov 21, 2021 8:06 pm

There's no doubt MSU has had a bad couple weeks, but I trust Binford enough to think she'll have her different pieces playing together better by the time conference play rolls around. I'll guess 13-7 in conference play and a split with UM, which appears much improved under their new coach so far.

Preseason champion pick ISU is also off to a very shaky start. Losses by 57 to Oregon, 30 to Gonzaga (MSU lost by 25), and 28 to Missouri in their three D-1 games.



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Re: WBB - Season Record Predictions

Post by aucat » Mon Nov 22, 2021 11:15 am

I would be curious to know what the heck the new guy at UM is doing? That has been an amazing turnaround based on the season so far, especially when you compare our games against Gonzaga and UND with theirs.



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Re: WBB - Season Record Predictions

Post by MSU01 » Mon Nov 22, 2021 11:33 am

aucat wrote:
Mon Nov 22, 2021 11:15 am
I would be curious to know what the heck the new guy at UM is doing? That has been an amazing turnaround based on the season so far, especially when you compare our games against Gonzaga and UND with theirs.
For one thing, he's using a much shorter bench and spreading the minutes around a lot less than Binford is right now. Nice start for them but there's still a long way to go, definitely appears to be a major step up from Schweyen and her staff (don't sue me please). I get the sense Binford is using the non-conference schedule to do some experimenting with lineups and get minutes for everyone even if it results in an ugly W-L record. It'll be interesting to see how things develop as MSU has six straight home games after their road tournament over Thanksgiving weekend.



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Re: WBB - Season Record Predictions

Post by kennethnoisewater » Wed Nov 24, 2021 12:25 pm

I think sometimes we look at basketball like we do football. In basketball you get exhibition games and in a league where your only chance to make the big dance is through automatic qualification (winning the BSC tournament), even the good non-conference games are basically exhibitions. Sure MSU could have a chance at getting an at large bid with a great season, but that's a long shot. Binford knows that basically the only games where the outcome matters are conference games, so my guess is she's treating this all like preseason because she has a bunch of new pieces that she needs to figure out how to use. She's had some lineups and benched some players where I'm scratching my head, but she's playing the long game IMO. I'm going to say 15-5 for the conference record. I think she'll have them clicking late but it's hard for any college basketball program not to have an ugly loss in the dog days of the conference season. I'll go with 19-11 overall for the regular season.


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Re: WBB - Season Record Predictions

Post by Ilikecats » Wed Nov 24, 2021 4:34 pm

kennethnoisewater wrote:
Wed Nov 24, 2021 12:25 pm
I think sometimes we look at basketball like we do football. In basketball you get exhibition games and in a league where your only chance to make the big dance is through automatic qualification (winning the BSC tournament), even the good non-conference games are basically exhibitions. Sure MSU could have a chance at getting an at large bid with a great season, but that's a long shot. Binford knows that basically the only games where the outcome matters are conference games, so my guess is she's treating this all like preseason because she has a bunch of new pieces that she needs to figure out how to use. She's had some lineups and benched some players where I'm scratching my head, but she's playing the long game IMO. I'm going to say 15-5 for the conference record. I think she'll have them clicking late but it's hard for any college basketball program not to have an ugly loss in the dog days of the conference season. I'll go with 19-11 overall for the regular season.
In the past this was true, but today there’s the need to have good results in the non conference season to get a great seeding if you win conference in the tourney or get invited to other postseason tournaments if you don’t qualify for the NCAA’s. Teams aren’t using the “preseason” to tinker with lineups. They’re trying hard to win each and every game. Binford is an experienced coach and started looking at potential lineups last summer and I will guarantee you that she’s just as upset with how the team is performing. Sometimes when you’re a successful Coach you start to believe your winning formula is in place and you have to just plug in the right pieces. It’s obvious that plugging in pieces isn’t working this season. She might need to shorten her bench versus playing 13 different players in one quarter. A 10 player rotation might be the answer. Also it’s tough to win shooting 33% from the floor. Rebounding isn’t as strong as it’s been in previous seasons.

Hard to predict a regular season record when the only game we won this season wasn’t against a D1 opponent. The team is also missing a leader. It’s time for one of the upperclassman to step up a show this team how to compete at the D1 level. Let’s not forget that our 2019-2020 team had 5 seniors. Last season just Tori Martell. This season all of our starters are underclassmen. We’ve lost our swagger!



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Re: WBB - Season Record Predictions

Post by Bobcat4Ever » Wed Nov 24, 2021 5:12 pm

aucat wrote:
Mon Nov 22, 2021 11:15 am
I would be curious to know what the heck the new guy at UM is doing? That has been an amazing turnaround based on the season so far, especially when you compare our games against Gonzaga and UND with theirs.
Good players that were leaving/had left the team have returned. Re-adding Sylvia Stiles and Sammy Fatkin to a lineup never hurts! With all new quality, experienced coaches (including our Nate ?? if I remember correctly), the band is back together.

BobcatDel, as for our team, two of our coaches have an average of 0.5 years of experience. Is this a weak spot right now?



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Re: WBB - Season Record Predictions

Post by ilovethecats » Thu Nov 25, 2021 12:48 am

Ilikecats wrote:
Wed Nov 24, 2021 4:34 pm
kennethnoisewater wrote:
Wed Nov 24, 2021 12:25 pm
I think sometimes we look at basketball like we do football. In basketball you get exhibition games and in a league where your only chance to make the big dance is through automatic qualification (winning the BSC tournament), even the good non-conference games are basically exhibitions. Sure MSU could have a chance at getting an at large bid with a great season, but that's a long shot. Binford knows that basically the only games where the outcome matters are conference games, so my guess is she's treating this all like preseason because she has a bunch of new pieces that she needs to figure out how to use. She's had some lineups and benched some players where I'm scratching my head, but she's playing the long game IMO. I'm going to say 15-5 for the conference record. I think she'll have them clicking late but it's hard for any college basketball program not to have an ugly loss in the dog days of the conference season. I'll go with 19-11 overall for the regular season.
In the past this was true, but today there’s the need to have good results in the non conference season to get a great seeding if you win conference in the tourney or get invited to other postseason tournaments if you don’t qualify for the NCAA’s. Teams aren’t using the “preseason” to tinker with lineups. They’re trying hard to win each and every game. Binford is an experienced coach and started looking at potential lineups last summer and I will guarantee you that she’s just as upset with how the team is performing. Sometimes when you’re a successful Coach you start to believe your winning formula is in place and you have to just plug in the right pieces. It’s obvious that plugging in pieces isn’t working this season. She might need to shorten her bench versus playing 13 different players in one quarter. A 10 player rotation might be the answer. Also it’s tough to win shooting 33% from the floor. Rebounding isn’t as strong as it’s been in previous seasons.

Hard to predict a regular season record when the only game we won this season wasn’t against a D1 opponent. The team is also missing a leader. It’s time for one of the upperclassman to step up a show this team how to compete at the D1 level. Let’s not forget that our 2019-2020 team had 5 seniors. Last season just Tori Martell. This season all of our starters are underclassmen. We’ve lost our swagger!
You’re right and wrong.

Right about non-conference playing a part in the seeding process. Wrong about what coaches do in these games. Right about coaches and players wanting to win these games.

I know for certain the coaches are playing around with lineups to see what works. Sprinks seems to be getting it dialed in as far as rotation. Binford may be but it’s not as obvious to the casual fan such as myself.

But there is no question they’re both using these games to tinker with the lineups and get an idea of what they want come conference play. All the while trying to win games.



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Re: WBB - Season Record Predictions

Post by Catlady » Thu Nov 25, 2021 12:41 pm

Bobcat4Ever wrote:
Wed Nov 24, 2021 5:12 pm
aucat wrote:
Mon Nov 22, 2021 11:15 am

I would be curious to know what the heck the new guy at UM is doing? That has been an amazing turnaround based on the season so far, especially when you compare our games against Gonzaga and UND with theirs.
Good players that were leaving/had left the team have returned. Re-adding Sylvia Stiles and Sammy Fatkin to a lineup never hurts! With all new quality, experienced coaches (including our Nate ?? if I remember correctly), the band is back together.

BobcatDel, as for our team, two of our coaches have an average of 0.5 years of experience. Is this a weak spot right now?
Interesting! MSU also has two Coaches with a combined 50 years coaching experience! 😂😂😂



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Re: WBB - Season Record Predictions

Post by BelgradeBobcat » Thu Nov 25, 2021 1:45 pm

Bobcat4Ever wrote:
Wed Nov 24, 2021 5:12 pm
aucat wrote:
Mon Nov 22, 2021 11:15 am
I would be curious to know what the heck the new guy at UM is doing? That has been an amazing turnaround based on the season so far, especially when you compare our games against Gonzaga and UND with theirs.
Good players that were leaving/had left the team have returned. Re-adding Sylvia Stiles and Sammy Fatkin to a lineup never hurts! With all new quality, experienced coaches (including our Nate ?? if I remember correctly), the band is back together.

BobcatDel, as for our team, two of our coaches have an average of 0.5 years of experience. Is this a weak spot right now?
Nate Harris going over the dark side is gonna suck for us. I hope he lands a D-1 head job soon.



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