Opening night: Colorado State

[ORU40]

1 hour ago, Old Titan said:

I get the distinct impression everyone may be simply doing what they've been told to do:  "Take every open three."

I have no doubt OT that Coach Mills has told the team, if you have the open 3 take it.

But, just because the coach says you can take the shot doesn't always mean you should!  

I go back to Carlos, 15 points on 6-9 from the field and 3-3 from the line... he did not take a 3 and he had some open looks, but he was disciplined enough to stay within what he does well!

Not everyone is going to be Max, players (as Carlos is doing) need to know their strengths and maximize those and also know their weakness's and minimize those!

It's early in the year and we need to learn from games like last night and continue to improve! 

[Old Titan]

56 minutes ago, theeagleman5 said:

A very disappointing loss for sure but that's a tough place to play and it's just one game....let's see how we adjust over the next six weeks....Coach Mills isn't stupid....things will change....and opponents won't be as challenging except for OSU, TU and TCU.....glad to hear the President Wilson was at the game....that impresses TheEagleman who has never been a big fan of his but i may have to re-evaluate....40 three point shots....12 made....not gonna cut it....109 points allow is just unconscionable....gotta tighten it up or it's going to be a tough season...In Mills We Trust!  

I don't think ORU will play in a similar environment against as capable an opponent until they visit South Dakota State on Dec. 22.

Interesting comments Dr. Wilson made to Keenan Henderson.  He is by all accounts now the most invested president re: basketball since the founder himself.  Which any coach, ORU or otherwise, will tell you is a mixed blessing, particularly with a new, young AD as the only intermediary between the two.

I've heard some wild stories over the years of halftime and postgame locker room incursions by Oral and Richard alike; here's hoping things don't lead to anything like that this season.

 

[ORUTerry]

I thought we were in a decent position at halftime only down seven points. If I remember correctly, we were even on rebounds and only had one turnover. (I think we ended with 5 turnovers for the game; three by McBride.) Our shots were not falling, that could have changed. 
 

We continued to miss shots in the second half and they made theirs. Our defense was suspect, but they also made some tough shots. We settled for jump shots when the score was getting away from us. Needed to drive to the bucket or get the ball inside to score or get to the free throw line. Our three guard set did not allow for this option. 
 

The team needs to figure out lineups and get used to each other on the floor. Weaver was open most of the night (when he wasn’t on the bench with foul trouble) on the pick & pop - but didn’t make the shots. Herron showed some flashes of his skills; have to think that Mills did not want to throw him into the deep end this early. 

We need the right guys taking the right shots. Lacis is open on the perimeter because they are leaving him open. Maybe he should head fake and drive to the basket. I think Thompson’s strength is the mid range shot & drive to the basket - with an occasional three pointer. Jurgens should have touched the ball more in the second half. 

We need to tighten down the defense, which means adjusting who is on the court, and be a bit more selective in choosing shots. 

Anyone else notice that Mills pulled the starters (except for Jurgens) with about 8 minutes left in the game? I assume he was sending a message. 
 

[Keenan Henderson]

President Wilson said he does not go to all the games (especially the road ones) but that last night was a special one, after the Sweet 16 run.  He just comes across as a big fan but not someone who tries and runs the team.  He was funny, yelling at the refs and really getting excited about the game.  President Wilson came across as very personable and answered a few questions.  I just told him I was a former student and he was very friendly.  The new athletic director was also at the game and I believe Mike Carter was too.  At least it looked like Mike from the side and back but never got a great look at him.  

[titansforever]

Yes, Mike was there.

[TrueBlue82]

After 36 hours to process my thoughts from attending our season opener, here is my recap...

 

The team came out confident and relaxed, and seemed to have good chemistry from the opening tip.  The first half was very well played by both teams, and while CSU gained some separation before halftime, you could feel the tension in the arena as the outcome was very much in doubt as the second half began.

 

After ORU stopped CSU on their first possession after halftime, Max pulled up to shoot a transition three, and it bounced out.  I know that it makes no sense given the final margin, but I truly believe that if Max had hit that shot  (cutting the lead to four), it would’ve likely given him the confidence to drain a few more threes, and the game would have taken a very different course from that point forward.  Momentum is a fluid (and fickle) variable in a competition like this - and (to me) that one miss was a significant turning point.  

 

There were some positives and one very glaring negative (as others have already noted in this thread).  

 

POSITIVES: 

 

We took care of the ball very well, with only five turnovers despite a very fast pace. 

 

Our offense moved with a better flow than I remember from early last season (when the guys often seemed to pass the ball around with no apparent strategy in mind). 

 

I thought our rebounding effort was decent.  Yes, we were out rebounded by 9, but the number of missed shots by each team was a big factor in that difference.   CSU had 8 Off Reb and we had 24 Def Reb, a 1:3 ratio.   We had 12 OR, and CSU had 37 DR, so if CSU had picked up one less rebound, it would’ve been an equal 1:3 ratio.  That is VERY even.  I know that many of us were concerned with rebounding after KO’s departure, but I think we were quite successful in boxing out the Rams on the defensive end and limiting second chance points. 

 

The atmosphere was electric.  This was CSU’s first home crowd since COVID, so the fans were definitely engaged in the game and wanting to celebrate.  They got that opportunity.

 

 

 

 

NEGATIVES:

 

Defense, defense, defense.  We looked lost at times, and Kareem and Issac were both exposed on multiple occasions.  However, it wasn’t as bad as the final score indicated.  Yes, the Rams got some open shots due to our defensive blunders (and they made most of them), but they also threw up shots that were well-contested - and they ALSO went in!   It was just their night….  On several occasions, ORU's defense would force them into a shot attempt where I would think “Yes, that’s the kind of shot that we want them to take” - and it would scorch the nets. Very, very frustrating (and I’m sure very deflating for the team).  

 

I was surprised that Max didn’t play later into the game, but my assessment was that Coach Mills thought that the margin was too significant, and wanted to give everyone a chance to play, and to see how different groups would work together in that environment.  A good move in the long run, and I was glad to have the opportunity to see some of our new team members.

 

First impression of newcomers:  

McBride has an opportunity to average double digits this year as he is a versatile scorer, but his playing time will likely be limited unless his defense improves.  

 

Phipps looks like an eighth grader playing a man’s game.  But, if he’s an eight grader that can light up the scoreboard, I’m fine with that!  Once again, his defense will likely determine how much time he can stay on the court.  

 

Herron is a great prospect.  Normally, you would bring a kid like that along slowly to allow the skills to grow to match his athleticism.  But, with our lack of an inside presence, he may have to endure “a baptism by fire” this season.  But, for some kids, that is just what they need to really jumpstart their careers.  He is definitely a keeper.

 

Overall, to plagiarize one of ORUTerry’s favorite mantras, CSU is not as good as they looked on Tuesday night, and ORU is not as bad as they showed on the court.  ORU will be fine, but it was a missed opportunity, and will douse (for a couple of days, at least) some of the positive momentum that carried over from the Sweet Sixteen frenzy.   But, ORU fans should be comforted by knowing that last season’s opener at Missouri was strikingly similar to the CSU loss, and last season turned out pretty well when all was said and done.  

 

As an aside, I spoke with President Wilson at halftime.  His attendance at the game was very intentional, as he and Lisa had planned a short getaway around the game, and had spent the prior weekend touring in Rocky Mountain National Park, etc.  I say this to echo Keenan's comments that President Wilson is highly invested in the basketball program and understands its value.  In my prior conversations with him, he had always voiced his support for OR's vision for Division 1 athletics, but I sense that his advocacy has stepped up further with the tangible benefits that came from ORU's Sweet Sixteen run.

[Old Titan]

1 hour ago, TrueBlue82 said:

After 36 hours to process my thoughts from attending our season opener, here is my recap...

 

The team came out confident and relaxed, and seemed to have good chemistry from the opening tip.  The first half was very well played by both teams, and while CSU gained some separation before halftime, you could feel the tension in the arena as the outcome was very much in doubt as the second half began.

 

After ORU stopped CSU on their first possession after halftime, Max pulled up to shoot a transition three, and it bounced out.  I know that it makes no sense given the final margin, but I truly believe that if Max had hit that shot  (cutting the lead to four), it would’ve likely given him the confidence to drain a few more threes, and the game would have taken a very different course from that point forward.  Momentum is a fluid (and fickle) variable in a competition like this - and (to me) that one miss was a significant turning point.  

 

There were some positives and one very glaring negative (as others have already noted in this thread).  

 

POSITIVES: 

 

We took care of the ball very well, with only five turnovers despite a very fast pace. 

 

Our offense moved with a better flow than I remember from early last season (when the guys often seemed to pass the ball around with no apparent strategy in mind). 

 

I thought our rebounding effort was decent.  Yes, we were out rebounded by 9, but the number of missed shots by each team was a big factor in that difference.   CSU had 8 Off Reb and we had 24 Def Reb, a 1:3 ratio.   We had 12 OR, and CSU had 37 DR, so if CSU had picked up one less rebound, it would’ve been an equal 1:3 ratio.  That is VERY even.  I know that many of us were concerned with rebounding after KO’s departure, but I think we were quite successful in boxing out the Rams on the defensive end and limiting second chance points. 

 

The atmosphere was electric.  This was CSU’s first home crowd since COVID, so the fans were definitely engaged in the game and wanting to celebrate.  They got that opportunity.

 

 

 

 

NEGATIVES:

 

Defense, defense, defense.  We looked lost at times, and Kareem and Issac were both exposed on multiple occasions.  However, it wasn’t as bad as the final score indicated.  Yes, the Rams got some open shots due to our defensive blunders (and they made most of them), but they also threw up shots that were well-contested - and they ALSO went in!   It was just their night….  On several occasions, ORU's defense would force them into a shot attempt where I would think “Yes, that’s the kind of shot that we want them to take” - and it would scorch the nets. Very, very frustrating (and I’m sure very deflating for the team).  

 

I was surprised that Max didn’t play later into the game, but my assessment was that Coach Mills thought that the margin was too significant, and wanted to give everyone a chance to play, and to see how different groups would work together in that environment.  A good move in the long run, and I was glad to have the opportunity to see some of our new team members.

 

First impression of newcomers:  

McBride has an opportunity to average double digits this year as he is a versatile scorer, but his playing time will likely be limited unless his defense improves.  

 

Phipps looks like an eighth grader playing a man’s game.  But, if he’s an eight grader that can light up the scoreboard, I’m fine with that!  Once again, his defense will likely determine how much time he can stay on the court.  

 

Herron is a great prospect.  Normally, you would bring a kid like that along slowly to allow the skills to grow to match his athleticism.  But, with our lack of an inside presence, he may have to endure “a baptism by fire” this season.  But, for some kids, that is just what they need to really jumpstart their careers.  He is definitely a keeper.

 

Overall, to plagiarize one of ORUTerry’s favorite mantras, CSU is not as good as they looked on Tuesday night, and ORU is not as bad as they showed on the court.  ORU will be fine, but it was a missed opportunity, and will douse (for a couple of days, at least) some of the positive momentum that carried over from the Sweet Sixteen frenzy.   But, ORU fans should be comforted by knowing that last season’s opener at Missouri was strikingly similar to the CSU loss, and last season turned out pretty well when all was said and done.  

 

As an aside, I spoke with President Wilson at halftime.  His attendance at the game was very intentional, as he and Lisa had planned a short getaway around the game, and had spent the prior weekend touring in Rocky Mountain National Park, etc.  I say this to echo Keenan's comments that President Wilson is highly invested in the basketball program and understands its value.  In my prior conversations with him, he had always voiced his support for OR's vision for Division 1 athletics, but I sense that his advocacy has stepped up further with the tangible benefits that came from ORU's Sweet Sixteen run.

100% agree!

One thing I might add is that the offense AND the defense both went off the rails at the same time early in the second half, combining for very short possessions on both ends of the court, leading to far too many opportunities for the hot-shooting Rams, and thus the eye-popping total of 189 points (Vegas had predicted 154; I doubt they miss many totals by 35 points).

[ORUJason]

Thanks for your perspective on the CSU game TrueBlue82.  It is simply frustrating that every year it feels like for the last 20 years, whether under Sutton or Mills, ORU lays an egg in their season opener.  There is always an excuse like this year where we lost Kevin, the other big men are inexperienced, and it was a tough opponent on the road.

Those are legitimate reasons, but it would be nice for ORU to start 1-0 or 2-0 sometime against legitimate D1 opponents rather than having to wait until February for the team to get their record above .500.

I am very excited about this season and this team, just simply being honest about recent history.  You have to play the games when they are scheduled.  I hope ORU gets some things figured out soon because OSU and TU games are coming up soon.

[theeagleman5]

Correct, Jason....ORU NEVER plays well on the road in season openers.....can't verify exact numbers but fairly sure ORU has only opened the season with 3 maybe 4 road wins in 50 years of D-1 ball.....perhaps we should just open at Mabee every year.....

[titansforever]

I went back to the beginning (1965-66), and if you include exhibitions and non-D1 teams, ORU has a win/loss record of 4 and 16 when opening the season on the road (plus one win on a neutral court). 

[Old Titan]

1 hour ago, titansforever said:

I went back to the beginning (1965-66), and if you include exhibitions and non-D1 teams, ORU has a win/loss record of 4 and 16 when opening the season on the road (plus one win on a neutral court). 

This may be true for most teams in the country.

The lesson to be learned:  don't open on the road.

[titansforever]

Somebody has to open on the road, right!  

[ttowncount]

On 11/9/2021 at 4:47 PM, Old Titan said:

That's easy!  Tune to 99.9FM on your radio dial and listen to the dulcet tones of Adam Hildebrandt.

It didn’t work tonight. Was hoping to hear the post-game show on the way home. 

[Old Titan]

44 minutes ago, ttowncount said:

It didn’t work tonight. Was hoping to hear the post-game show on the way home. 

Tonight was an exception; the by-product of playing a Friday night basketball game in November:  high school football playoff broadcasts bumping everything off the air all across the dial. 

[ORUTerry]

Except OSU basketball…. We listened to the last seconds of the game as an Oakland player made 2 of 3 free throw and OSU missed a late shot to lose 55 to 56 

[ttowncount]

15 hours ago, Old Titan said:

Tonight was an exception; the by-product of playing a Friday night basketball game in November:  high school football playoff broadcasts bumping everything off the air all across the dial. 

We got nothing. No sound.  No static.  Nothing. 

[Dr. Cornelius]

16 hours ago, ttowncount said:

It didn’t work tonight. Was hoping to hear the post-game show on the way home. 

I can't ever seem to pick up that station either... I just watch the post game on the ORU Sports Network.

The SWC game is available to watch along with Coach Mills after game interview.