Edit (7:00): Yep, we may want to work on that whole offensive rebounding thing.
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Back from the game.... I'm not sure how the officiating looked on TV, but the crowd sure wasn't happy for the majority of the first half. That wasn't the big story, however.
Yet again - just like the Gonzaga game - the Cougs let a close game get away. And then they lost there composure and let it really get away. This game was closer than the final score indicates. But we'll keep seeing final scores like this one, or the Gonzaga one, or the LSU one, etc. because the Cougars need more discipliine.
They need Dick Bennett.
Don't get me wrong, Tony Bennett is a hero to the Cougar Nation, but Dick Bennett had a way of developing players. And he never let up. I'm just seeing a lot of uncharacteristically bad things - silly turnovers, defensive lapses, problems in transition and a complete lack of flow on offense. These were things Dick just didn't stand for - particularly the transition problems.
The real tragedy is that most of these problems fall in the hands of a group of seniors (and 1 junior if you count Nik) who should know better. Derrick Low and Kyle Weaver aren't walking through that door - it's the seniors who have to give us a chance to win.
You're guess is as good as mine as to how to fix this. Credit the Huskies, who are a much better defensive team than I ever would've expected. On the offensive end they beat us the exact same way Oregon used to. High screens, quicker guards and a knack for getting the ball in the basket.
We're all mad about that classless little dunk play at the end. And we're all frustrated this team isn't playing better. The good news is college basketball is more about how you finish than how you start. But we're starting to dig ourselves a hole that seems deeper every game. The postseason looks like it's a long way away.
Most of you didn't get to see the Cougs in their first few games. It's a shame, because they looked incredible. We blew out MVSU by an even wider margin than we did last year. The offense was firing on all cylinders, especially from the perimeter. The defense looked like it hadn't skipped a beat. Surely this type of team can return at some point, right?
I think it's time to dig a little deeper on the bench. Mike Harthun could have been out there for more than the small stretch he played in the first half. DeAngelo Casto should've seen some more minutes in the second half.
Maybe Tony left the upperclassmen out there late in the second half to teach them a lesson: this is your mess, now clean it up.