The Aggies fell tonight in a terrible defensive effort. Postgame I asked Coach menzies what practice was like this week and he said the energy and attitude was good.
I don't know how you play that type of defense in the 15th conference game of the season with something at stake. Now the Aggies could realistically drop to as low as fifth with a first-round game against Idaho on a neutral court? Yikes. I guess to me that's what stood out the most, because lets be honest, the Aggies haven't guarded all year, but they have played hard and found a way to scratch and stay in games, but there was a stretch there when Mark Sanchez and Kurt Cunningham of all people, looked like the twin towers. Talking to the Idaho Statesman reporter, both guard Jamar Greene and Zack Moritz each had career games. Moritz had 12 points in 15 minutes after scoring 1.6 per game in 6 minutes per game. My point is that they laid down when there was something to play for.
I honestly thought they would win this game and lose in Hawaii. I could see that. At any rate, it was an ugly loss at a horrible time.
20 comments:
JG. I'm usually positive and still support Menzies. But excellent work and an excellent post. This game was terrible.
Besides the defense I think that the biggest reason why we lost this one and many others is because of our centers. Hamidu and Gabriel havent won games for but they have lost them. We have no inside game whatsoever with either of them and it showed tonight as we got outscored by 18 in the paint. Gabriel looks just like a big bumbly high schooler out there and Hamidu has had last year to bulk up and this season to gain experience but nothing. We do have the most athletic team in the WAC but if we have no one to compete with other teams big men, we cant win. It was pathetic seeing how they just ran circles around them and even Gillenwater couldnt compete. I honestly think that they are the biggest reason why we had such a mediocre season. We can run up and down but when our bigs can defend we are extremely vulnerable. And unless they mature next year it will be the same story.
GS
This was the most attrocious defensive affort I've ever seen this year!!
Th team came out flat and had no desire to win. If you can't get up for your last home game, then when?
I really thought the team was moving in the right direction but, I see I was wrong.
Sorry guys but I predict a "One & Done" in the WAC tournament!!
It was a terrible effort and a bad loss but when you look at the way the WAC is turning out, the Aggies are better off with the four seed. Louisiana Tech is a very dangerous team right now who will probably end up with the 6 seed and will probably beat Boise St in that first round game. At this point in the season, I would rather the Aggies play Idaho in the tournament over La Tech. Blessing in disguise maybe? Either way, the Aggies better step up the defenesive intesity if they want to compete for the automatic big to the dance.
Many have said this year that the Aggies were a young team and I totally agree this year. The up and down nature of this season proves that out.
Some of my thoughts from last night:
- General lack of energy. Yes Wen played his usual energy. His shots weren't falling tho. One problem when Wen shoots... if he misses a mid to long range shot, that means he is not underneath to get the rebound (his forte). I thought Hernst and JY played their regular good game. I thought Gibson had a great game (more on that later). But a lot of the rest of the team seemed listless.
- lack of defensive thinking (duh!! wasn't that obvious!!). Really some of it was due to the lack of energy, but some of it was due to lack of thinking. Some of it was due to a lack of flow of the game.
- For the first time this year I feel like I have to put alot of blame on the coaching. I agreed w/ Menzies during the season when he felt like he had to develop Rahman and Gabriel, even tho Troy was the better athlete because in the long run we need good bigs. But Rahman and Gabriel could not keep up with Boise big men and Boise had NO answer to Troy's play last night. I don't know if he was just giving Troy a breather, but even I recognized that Troy was dominant in the middle last night. But only on offense. He has got to improve his defense. ALso I think the disruption of defensive flow in the game was alot due to Menzie's substitution and his lack of recognition on how the defensive sets were not working. But I think his biggest blunder was towards the end of the game when he sat Gibson (who was in a groove) and exclusively played Gordo (who only scored 1 basket). Gibson's defense is WAY better than Gordo and I felt that Gibson was playing good team ball and not taking the silly shots like he has done all year. This move totally killed any comeback effort we were mounting in the last 6 minutes of the game.
Definitely agree with you Groves. What happened to the concept of playing D during this game? It was amazing how much ease BState had in getting open looks for 3's, how easy is was the Sanchez and Cunningham to do LAYUPS! ... what the $&!**%%
I think it is 100% accurate to say that NMSU was OUTCOACHED during this game. Yeah, the players made some really stupid mistakes, but they do that every game, even in wins. The difference here was the COACHING.
I agree with Anon 6:27. I didnt understand why Gibson, who was on a pretty good roll for once, was being substituted for Castillo who only had 3 points. It seemed like we were just replacing a shooter for another shooter. Only that one is more athletic, can actually drive the ball and plays better defense.
GS
All I can offer is that If you look back at recent games, Gordo has been on the floor more at the end of games recently. Lastnight was certainly one of Gibson's better games in a while offensively. It seems like Menzies still doesn't trust Gibson's erratic play
I think Menzies has been out coached every game. It is just the aggies pure athleticism (except for Ramadu and Gabriel)and some other teams lack of athleticism that has enabled the aggies to win a few games. I really miss Neil McCarthy and his super defensive coaching ability. Just imagine the aggies, except the "bigs", with McCarthy coaching. Anyone remember the big come from behind wins with only a few minutes to play in the McCarthy days based on outstanding defensive play. Sorry, but I got spoiled watching Aggies games coached by McCarthy. As far as the aggies lacking fire and enthuasium---I have yet to see any from the laid back Menzie. I say keep Menzies as a recruiter and get a good coach that can coach defense and get the most out of the players that we have. By the way, I see that more bloggers are finally coming around to my view about playing the slow clumbsy "bigs" instead of the faster more athletic players. By the way, why has Lumpkin been stuck on the bench? He is fast, athletic, can rebound, and can score!
Coyote
Best Athletes in the WAC
Worst Defense in the WAC
Worst Coach in the WAC
All players LOVE to play Offense.
Most Players DISLIKE playing Defense.
Defense comes from the COACH!!!!
Haskens, McCarthy, Henson,,,,,,
The above coaches would keep 2 maybe 3 current Aggies.
Until this teams starts playing DEFENSE,,,,,,,Just forget about any chances of having a successful basketball program at NMSU anytime soon................15-16 in 2008/09
40 year highlights of the Pan Am, NONE FROM THIS YEAR
All you guys coming out of the woodworks to pick on coach are just naysayers. Where are you when he obviously out coaches another coach? Don't say it hasn't happened this year, because it has. You can't just focus on the bad and overlook the good. Not if you want any credibility.
And for the FOOL who wants McCarthy back...Why? According the NCAA we had to vacate our sweet 16 appearance under his regime. Talk about no sense of history and short vision.
Defense wins championships but, our defense STINKS! We aint winning anything, any time soon! Defensive attitude starts with a an attitude at the top. Menzies has none!
Reggie believed that it all starts with our bigs. Well, our bigs have been non-existent.
I think we need to bring in a couple of JUCO big men during the off season to fill the void!
Coming out of the woodworks??? I know many of the regular contributors, including myself, have been saying the same things about Menzies all season. From my experience, each time I say that Marvin Menzies is a true Assistant Coach getting paid as a Head Coach; I get bashed by people like you. It doesn't bother me at all however. Menzies gets outcoached way too often. We get our wins on the backs of our athletic players; but if trouble arises, for example, with defensive formations and changing up schemes and having to make adjustments, we FAIL and that is because of poor coaching. We needed to make some major adjustments versus Boise, and the coaches failed.
And one more point about our BIGS. I could see from a mile away that Chris Gabriel was horrible. The only reason he is playing basketball in the first place is because he's big. ONLY REASON. He lacks any skill whatsoever. Why wasn't Marvin Menzies and his staff putting ALL of their recruiting efforts into bringing in a skilled big man??? If they did, the could simply pull Gabriel's scholarship and give it to a player who is a difference-maker.
We still haven't heard anything about new recruits signing with NMSU. And don't say "Well, we don't have any scholarships to give out." That is a sh*t excuse. It is common for coaches to pull scholarships from student-athletes if a recruit is better. And it shouldn't be difficult to find a better BIG than Gabriel.
I hope our Coaches learn a few things about coaching so they don't waste the last two years of McKines and JY.
You gotta know where the ball is to defend it. In that stretch that JG mentoins, Sanchez and Cunningham had unobstructed interior passing lanes and Aggies had no idea where the ball was. Why weren't they in more foul trouble by that point??? I'd go to 1-3-1 if any zone at all, so that Rahman and Gabriel don't have to move laterally. Saw William Benjamin at the game and he could tell 'em a thing or two about McCarthy's "Web" D. Sounded gimicky at the time but got the level of effort out of the players. Good post from Anon 2:34
All I read is negative talk about our bigs and our coach. What about the first round match-up against Idaho or SJSU or La Tech? I said it before on this post. The Boise loss is a blessing in disguise. We do not want to play La Tech first round. They are hot.
And who are any of you to bad mouth two extra large, very young kids (Rahman and Gabriel) who are out there learning and working hard at getting better. Give them a little time. Two years from now you'll be loving those kids.
It really bothers me to say this, but I've got ABSOLUTELY NO CONFIDENCE in this bunch of misfits that has the audacity to call itself a team.
This collective group of stiffs has no desire, no heart, and nothing going for themselves. At this point of the season, this is NOT a young team any more, just a bunch of losers with an atrocious, pathetic batch of alleged coaches that should be selling insurance or bagging groceries somewhere.
Here we are less than two years removed from a WAC championship team and this is what we are faced with. I'm ashamed and embarrassed, as I'm sure many others are, with this travesty.
I've lost any faith in this sham of a team or coach. It's worse than Aggie football. I thought I'd never say this about Aggie basketball, but I wish the season was over. From my perspective, it already is!
Now What?
This is where Boston Gives Menzies a 2 Year Extension on his contract for doing such a fine fine job.
Then 2 years from now when we are 6 and 24 again Menzies is fired but walks away with about 600K because of the 2 years remaining on his Extension.
As for the WAC Tourney: We do not have a chance, and it pains me to say that. MM was the wrong choice and I made that clear to my family and friends last year. We are now seeing what he will do on his own.
He was provided a Silver Platter Last year and FAILED......
If all we have for next year, is what we have now,,,,,,,then look for the same result!!!
Another Sub-500 record and NO DEFENSE
Gillenwater scored 19 points, and 7 rebounds in 23 minutes. What does Troy have to do to get hisself in the starting line-up. Menzies needs to wake-up, and start Gillenwater.
Prediction: We"ll probably lose at least 3 players in the off season. Gillenwater will probably be one of them. Hopefully JY and Big Wen stay or we'll be in real trouble next year.
I agree; Gillenwater is the most sure student-athlete to depart. He does not mesh well with Menzies or Menzies' staff, and being a freshman with a ton of talent/skill, he'll have other schools ALL OVER him.
I think JY is outta here if Theus gets a head gig, either at UofA or some other big-time program.
I think McKines might try to transfer back to San Francisco or St. Mary's. He wanted to go there outta highschool, but didn't have the academic scores to get in. He tried to go there this past summer; but again didn't have the scores to get in. He'll try again this summer, but this time, his grades are much better.
Watch out ... NMSU men's basketball is about to implode.
Menzies has to realize his job security is getting weaker and weaker. Because Mr. I-Have-A-Plan isn't going to have a plan when these three transfer.
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