Central Michigan

[goldenshower]

This is just getting sad...
One high/decent point is Thornton's offensive stats in only 10 minutes of play:

34 Thornton, Ryan...... TOT-FG FG-FGA: 3-5, 3-PT FG-FGA: 3-4, FT-FTA: 4-4, TP: 13, Min: 10

Thought that I had to find something positive. I am doubting that they will pick it up by conference play though.

[panthertrax]

Maybe Thornton could get a little more playing time, but he is not the answer either. Chucking up shots everytime the ball is in his hands is not the answer either. He has no idea yet what a team concept is. He alone can not win games.

[truwarier]

Lets start Zach Holt and bring back Hoelzel while we're at it.

[formerseasonticketholder]

keep your chins up Panther fans. everybody who was being realistic knew this would be a tough row to hoe for this year's club.
Although you may not be impressed by Central Michigan, the Panthers are in the midst of the toughest non-conference schedule since the team went to D1.
Coach Jeter is in the early stages of his second season with the program and he's working with a roster that has been almost entirely turned over since he took the job - Al Hanson is the only scholarship holdover from the Bruce Pearl era isn't he?
How could we expect a smooth transition from last season's team?
Kevin Massiah had a good game tonight. So did Thornton and Gentry. Avo and the coaching staff seem to be back on the same page after whatever happened in the Tennessee Tech game and Paige Paulson, Charlie Swiggett, Ricky Franklin, Marcus Skinner and Sam Mauldin also continue to progress, gaining valuable experience in Coach Jeter's system as we move toward the conference season.
This team is working hard. I hope our fans won't jump off the bandwagon just yet.
The final will make this out to be a worse loss than it was. The Panthers were in the lead with 4:39* to play before the wheels came off, but this club doesn't have the physical or mental stamina to close out a road game just yet, not to mention the experience they need playing with one another to have the faith in their teammates that will come later in the year. I hope you'll all keep believing and cheering on your team.

EDIT 11-30: I could swear Bid said that was 4:39 on the post-game last night, but the MJS article this morning put it at 4:27.

[pnthr97]

The season is going pretty much as I expected. With all new players and no senior leaders, a team will struggle a lot. This team is matching every cliche there is about a young, inexperienced team. Inconsistent. Can't close out a game. Poor decision making. No floor leader. At the same time, there are a lot of positives. I think Charlie is asserting himself as the better player between him and Franklin. The competition between those two in practice every day will only help matters. Mauldin's play and it allowing Paulsen to play the 3 is helpful, as Paulsen is uncomfortable playing on the blocks. The lack of depth in the frontcourt really hurts though, but that's where next year's recruits will make a huge difference.

As long as strides are made and positives can be pulled from each game, I'm happy. I knew this was going to be a long, long year. The freshmen simply need to get their feet wet.

Positives from last night - Massiah's continued strong play. Thornton's play, including what sounded like decent defense. Swiggett's ability to get to the basket - now he just needs to finish.

It will take time, and in the case of this year, all season, but this is going to be a much better team come mid-January than it is now. I think 12-14 wins is very possible.

[brewtownbrian]

pantherfan said:

geez, you know we've really fallen off the map when we're worried about the Oakland game!

OR when they lost to friggin' Parkside!!!

[brewtownbrian]

pantherfan said:

they're at least two years away from being a decent team. unless Torre proves to be that big of a game changer, i wouldn't expect a miracle turn around next year. that's not to say it can't happen... this current team, in particular the freshman just need to get much better in a short period of time.

Going off of that...I know what Torre did at OSU, but look at how long it's taking guys like Paulsen and Franklin to "shake off the rust" after sitting out for a year or more.

I don't think we can expect a miracle turn around next year either, but we'll see.

I'm just trying to stay focused and positive about this season. Guards are getting experience. Players are learning how to play with one another. What else? Help...please.

[brewtownbrian]

teddyp00 said:

I think Jeter needs to shake the lineup some more. I was a huge Franklin fan coming into the year but he just has yet to do anything to justify him being in the starting lineup at this point. I'm not really sure what I would do right now if I were coach of this team but I think my lineup and depth would look something like this:

PG - Swiggett; Al
SG - Smith; Franklin
SF - Gentry; Thornton
PF - Paulsen; Skinner
C - Mauldin; well we dont have anyone

I think there's gotta be a spot for Massiah. He's arguably one of the most consistent players on the team and I think he's a leader by example.

I never see him being overly vocal to the other players, but his play can be counted on game in and game out. If he could shoot from outside of 15 feet, he'd be deadly.

[brewtownbrian]

In looking over the box score, I can't help but ask a couple of questions and notice some things that are glaringly obvious...

-How does Mauldin only grab 1 rebound?
-Ricky, Charlie, Al and Avo were a combined 7-32 from the field. That's not going to get it done.
-Al held scoreless.

[famouspnthrfan]

What if they went with a starting lineup of:

G - Swiggett
G - Avo
F - Massiah
F - Paulsen
C - Mauldin

OR

G - Swiggett
G - Franklin
F - Massiah
F - Paulsen
C - Mauldin

Massiah had a great game according to the box score and it's obvious we need more height and physical play. Why not give it a shot? I really think a lineup of that first one for a good chunk of the game would be most beneficial...in my mind, but then again that's why I'm not the coach and Rob Jeter is.

[famouspnthrfan]

you can't let your opponent consistently shoot 10 - 15% better than you from the field and expect to win. That seems like a big problem to me.

[Deleted]

We will get blown out against Oakland either way. Its time to work with the future. I'd only play 7 players. Every game is a practice, it has been all year.

Thorton, Gentry, Franklin, Swiggett, and then also Paulsen, Mauldin, Massiah. No future with the junior guards.

[TBone]

Don't forget these players are all learning a new offensive system as well. Not only are they young and inexperienced, they're trying to learn a new system. I think midway through the season, they'll feel more comfortable in the system and start playing with more confidence. As that occurs, I think we'll see someone emerge as the go-to person to take "the shot" when we need to end a run, need a big bucket, etc.

I'm not worried. I never had aspirations of us being top 3 in the conference. I still think .500 in conference is attainable if all the pieces come together.

With the expected additional experience gained this year and the people we have coming in next year, I think we'll be in a good position to contend or at least be competitive next year.

I think too many people had too high of hopes for this season and are now unfortunately realizing that this was a tough situation for Coach Jeter. He made a big-time commitment to stay at UWM knowing that. (or whatever the result of the Iowa St thing was)

T

[PANTHERfan]

i just don't see .500 in conference happening. that would mean winning a couple road games. winning on the road this year will be a tall task at best. and let's face it, there's no way we're winning all our home games.

not trying to be a downer, just realistic. i guess the good news is the bulk of our conference road games happen at the end of the season. maybe by then things will be looking brighter.

[milwsport]

If anyone wants to jump off the bandwagon, that's fine. They can rejoin those of us who have faith in these guys later on.

Keep in mind they have a combined 9 D-1 starts going into the season and all of those came from one guy, Paulsen. That's the lowest by far of all D-1 schools.

Yes, they are inexperienced but Jeter (and others) saw something in these guys when they were recruited. As long as they keep working hard, the pieces will come together. It might be later than we'd like but it WILL happen. And when it does, it will be all the sweeter for those of us who kept the faith.