Utah State
Williams
Quayle
Newbold
wesley
wilkinson
NMSU
Young
Laroche
gibson
mckines
rahman
USU 21, NMSU 15 10:22
Wilkinson scored eight quick points, but the Aggies zone just got a stop. Aggies ball out of the media timeout
NMSU 23, USU 23 7:45
The Aggies press has been effective. Utah State turned the ball over 8 times in the first 10 minutes and Gillenwater has been good off the bench again
USU 34, NMSU 29 2:38
Wilkinson just made one of the best hustle plays i've ever seen during a USU run. NMSU turned the ball over four times in three minutes. Gillenwater just hit two to make it 34-31
USU 38, NMSU 34 HALFTIME
USU 54, NMSU 45 11:26
Everytime the Aggies make a run, USU answers. They move the ball around well against the Aggies zone and then the Aggies can score on offense to set up the press which has helped cause 18 turnovers.
USU 60, NMSU 53 7:09
young made it 46-45 and then he hit a 3 to make it 54-51. The UtAgs just got an and 1 after two offensive rebounds
USU 77, NMSU 67 FINAL Two tough losses. There is a clear difference between Utah State and the rest of the WAC I think, losing the Nevada game could loom large later on. I think their game on the 22nd i believe at Boise might just be a must win
10 comments:
I'm the person that stated the Aggies are just plain AWFUL this year, and I will stand by what I say...because the Aggies are AWFUL. I didn't go to the Utah State game either and I'm glad. With all the morons on this blog, it's getting easier and easier not to be a NM State fan.
I'm not the only one who doesn't like Menzies, look at the crappy attendance. Something is obviously wrong with what Menzies is doing (or maybe not doing). So everyone on here is more than welcome to kiss my "you know what". Enjoy your evening and another pathetic loss at home for the Aggies.
What exactly do you have to add here Anon 8:04? So you don't support the Aggies, I'm sure there is a UTEP blog where you can hop on their jock, if that's what you want. So good riddance. It takes a big man to criticize a game that you didn't and then call the people that have some real input on the game morons. I don't understand why JG continues to let you post here when you're obviously just trolling.
I was at the game tonight and Utah's passing and high percentage shooting were too much. Rebounding was an issue in the second half again. Wendell is the only one who seems to understand rebounding on both sides of the floor. No one else on the team comes close to matching his intensity going after rebounds. Rebounding continues to be a serious issue that needs to be addressed, and until Menzies figures out a way to fix this problem, every game is going to be an uphill battle. I think another continuing problem was exposed tonight in Gibson's 3-13 shooting. Menzies needs to rein him in and make him understand that shooting that ugly shot from 3 feet behind the 3-point arc shouldn't be his first option. There was way too much "me" play out there tonight (9 assists total all game). The half-court offense sure looked stale, and no rhythm was ever established. It was good to hear Menzies sounding the alarm in his post game comments. They failed to meet their goal of starting conference play 3-1, and you're right JG, Thursday is now a must win....
USU had 34 points in the paint to our 10. Simple. I dont believe that its time to start freaking out and calling for Menzies head or critize what is happening. Yes we lost two games in a row at home but so far we are where we were supposed to be. We were picked to finish third and we just lost to the best two teams in the conference so far. Everyone said that this was not our year, that there would be growing pains and at times it wouldnt be pretty. We also said that there would be times when the team would shine and look pretty good. As fans we are allowed to expect and demand better but we should also recognize the faults and the weaknesses that our team has. I honestly thought that we would be better than what we have shown so far and coaches as well as players have disappointed me. However, I know that there is a process that has to occur and I'm not about to start dissing the team because where the process is at this time. I'm going to support the team because I'm not going start putting a paper bag over my head and take it off when times get good. Go aggies
GS
GS very good constructive comments on the state of the Aggies. I went to the game, Utah State is just in a different class from the rest of the WAC. Smooth ball movement, no hesitation. Wilkinson is pretty much unstoppable. Utah State can penetrate and pop 3's. Teams are able to stuff us inside due to our lack of outside shooting and penetration. I don't know if rebounding can be taught. Mckines has been rebounding since he came on board last year. For all the speed that Gibson has, he makes very many ill adivsed shots. Menzies is working hard with a young group and so long as they continue to improve, that is all you can ask for. How did Utah State and Nevada get to play at NMSU during holiday break? The students could have made a difference at the Nevada game.
I'm not the genius here, but I do see patterns emerging that point to obvious conclusions. As anon 8:04 PM pointed out, attendance is down, and that is the first piece to the puzzle. Next up is the fact that the Aggies continue to lose game after game, and all the post-game chatter is that Menzies wasn't out coached, I'm hearing this after every single loss.
First of all, attendance is down because if you can't finish off UNM and UTEP at home, then the crowds won't come. Losing to Nevada in a game that NMSU was clearly out played, out classed, and, here it goes, I'm going to say it, out coached, is not going to help matters.
At the end of the Nevada game, with 1:20 left in OT, NMSU didn't seem to understand the urgency of the situation, and I watched as Menzies sat on the bench and didn't react.
Last night, against Utah State, they were pounding NMSU from the perimeter and consistently holding NMSU to bad shots. Menzies failed to change either his defensive set or his offensive set.
I know that hindsight is 20/20, but come on, there's talent there, no doubt. McKines, Gillenwater, Young, LaRoche, Rahman, etc. etc. There's too much talent for this team to be playing lethargic, high school shell offense mentality basketball.
Of course, I'm just a dude sitting on his couch whining about this, so what do I know. But I think that it's becoming obvious that Menzies is in over his head.
JG - Look what schools have to pay a Steve Alford or a Nick Saban, versus what you get. Menzies is exactly what NMSU needs for a lot of reasons. The one I will address here is the bucks. How would you like to be UNM shelling out nearly 7 figures for a guy who coaches freakin basketball? For you people blogging here from within NM, do you realize you live in a state with an economy that more nearly resembles Old Mexico or Mississippi than the rest of the country? What gives you the notion that NMSU is entitled to a perennial winner, especially when they can only attract two kids from the state to play on the team? If you lived in Lawerence KS, would you be calling for Roy Williams head this year? JG- I maintain that some of these anti-coach bloggers are chanting a mantra they learned years ago and they're not educated on the subject beyond you or me - - they're simply blogging the same old 'fire the coach' nonesense they've heard in the past.
JG - good analysis of AGGIE shooting this year compared to last.
http://www.aggiesportsblog.com/article.php?article=54
Annon 2:05,
People who are calling for MM's head are disappointed with the guy. Rightfully so (no post-season last year, lack of consistent offensive sets and losing close games this year). I'm not one who has said he should be fired. The guy is barely halfway through his second season. And while we may not be "entitled to a perennial winner", we are certainly entitled to a winner. I hope most people recognize any highly successful coach at NMSU likely won't be in LC long.
Many folks have given up on MM. Prematurely? Maybe, but I feel their pain. If things don't get better after three or four years, it's time to search for a winner. And let me assure you, NMSU can afford a winner. Maybe not for long, but it can be done.
-Aggie Glare
O.K., A. Glare, if that is your real name? The guys who had to bail us out of the Mumme situation are/were/will continue to be the Boosters. I (Anon 2:05) am not one of them because all I have is this NMSU diploma I'm trying to shop around for tickets to hoops games and a few Pistol Pete emblazoned t-shirts. If you and the rest of the Boosters want to buy-out MMs contract, go for it. I read now where Ritchie McKay is coaching Del Curry's other son, Seth, at Liberty. They're 11-6 after losing four close road games. Albuquerque ran Ritchie out on a rail and I just don't want to see the fans in Las Cruces adopt the same mob mentality as our poor, misguided, howling neighbors to the north. I think fans can enjoy scrappy, intensly contested WAC basketball without feeling like NMSU must dominate the league. That wouldn't be any fun. And if you do dominate the WAC, you don't go anywhere in the NCAA tourney. Having Iti and Passos got us pretty far, but both of them had flaws that limited their scoring. Now MM has to find a way to win with different combinations. It's fun to watch. Nothing is guaranteed. And winning would feel that much sweeter if the team first has to overcome some adversity. McKay's teams only won 8 road games in his five years at UNM, so they went and offered Alford a soft landing from getting fired at Iowa. I'll be surprised to see NMSU get forced into a similar decision with Menzies. NMSU could clearly compete while the Lobos had 3 seniors on the floor. Who's getting better value in a coach right now? (A: Liberty)
Anon 2:05 aka 12:31,
I agree with you - Alford is over paid (although I did not think that last year when I saw what he did with McKay's talent minus the injured Dandridge). You don't have to worry about MM going anywhere unless revenue drops like the DOW. And I agree that he should stick around, at least for another year or two. But I understand why people are disappointed; I voiced my frustration with the guy last year but never called for his firing. This year he's a young coach with a young team, and seems to me most people on this blog have unrealistic expectations. Especially with what MM's team failed to accomplish last year.
After watching the UNM/NMSU game in the PAC, one of my colleagues who is a UNM season ticket holder said something interesting. He told me "I'd like to see Alford coach your team." That's exactly why people on this post are frustrated - to date, MM has been largely unimpressive. It shows in his W/L record and in PAC attendance. I'm hoping he can turn things around. But it is sad to think that by Jan 1 our only hope for post season play is to win the WAC tourney.
-Aggie Glare
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