I have to confess that I actually went to school at UNC, although they weren't Division I when I was there. Unfortunately for NMSU, they aren't that great of a Division I team now. They have seniors and they can shoot the 3 which can help you win games, but they scored 82 points at the Pan Am against a second place team in a better league.
I think that NMSU is capable of putting together a run in Vegas to win the tournament. But I wouldn't bet on it. I doubted them last year as well, but this team doesn't have the same will that team had. As UNC cooled from 3-point range, missing all 11 attempts, the Aggies should have been able to take advantage but couldn't keep the Bears off the glass. There hasn't been a consistent play at the 5 all year, which is cause for concern down the stretch as well.
Gordo Castillo said the NMSU players were upset after losing at home. I don't know that they looked past UNC. Typically the Aggies have done a good job taking it one game at a time, but it's too late to be learning lessons this time of year. If UNC can make it that easy at the Pan Am, what is Utah State and Nevada going to be like. That's only if the Aggies get to the final weekend in the same situation they are in now.
20 comments:
Pathetic play by the Aggies. They do not have the will to win the WAC championship.
Might as well stay home and save the money if they are going to play like they did tonight.
I saw a conference champion: Northern Colorado. The other team, not so much.
Rebounding is often said to be a matter of will. Clearly, the more athletic and bigger aggies had no will to rebound. There lack of toughness keeps them from reaching their potential? Can toughness be coached?
I'm an avid aggie fan who is fed up with this team.
I don't normally bash the coach, but I wonder what this team would accomplish with a better coach. One who demands defense, and can actually draw up plays on offese.
I want to go to Vegas badly for the tournament, but as inconsistant as tis team is, I wouldn't be surprised by a first round loss. Yes, I said first round because this team will not hold on to 2nd place, and will have to play on Thursday. Our league is just awful though. Its hard to believe the aggies are still in 2nd place. Everytime they lose, so do the teams below them.
I'm extremely frustrated.
Jason, how about MM putting Troy in with a minute to go in the half and him picking up his 3rd foul? That was a killer!
I'm not happy the Aggies are doing awful but I'm relieved that people are waking up and seeing the reality of this situation. I'm glad I'm not the only one frustrated and fed up with Menzies' really bad coaching. I have said all along that NM State can get a better coach.
RT
Thank you Marvin Menzo for embarasing our once proud basketball program.
We are staying away because we detest the way you coach.
Your a dumb@ss, your teams are never prepared, they have no heart, can't rebound or play defense.
The teams attitude comes from the coach. This team is a mirror image of you....LOST!
I have a choice of spending the $1,000+ I think I'll drop going to Vegas in March or buying myself a toy.
My decision? Let's just say I've spent the day looking at electronics and motorcycle accessories.
Jason,
You know that I have always defended Menzies when others bash him here. Its not that I love that guy but I dont think arguments and comparisons have made sense. I remember at the start of the season that the excuse of being young was always used. Then injuries. Then getting back to basketball shape. What is the excuse now? It seems that the team has run out of excuses and as hard as it is for me to say it, I just dont think Menzies has the team going in the right direction. There is no excuse for losing against UNC on our home floor without anyone out. We should have beaten them and without being in danger of losing. We continually play down to the opponents and never play up to our competition. Menzies is starting to lose grip in my mind.
GS
Hey, man, Chaminade once toppled Ralph Sampson's VA Cavaliers. Big deal, second half showed who the better team was. What worries me is how UTags were able to come back on St. Mary's while the NMSU was going on. If you're somebody attacking Menzies because you saw the score and didn't attend the game then everybody discounts your statements for what they are: ignorant. (like the 7:19 poster) I bet if the rest of you 5,000 quote unquote fans show up that ref swallows his whistle on the Hernst L. player control foul. So blame yourselves for supporting a selfish, towel-sucking clown like McCarthy (oh, right - he invented that independent of J. Tarkanian). Boy, those NCAA violations sure did not help the once proud program!
I think part of Menzies' recent winning formula for the WAC tourney has been playing 3 tough games in March - sure. But don't forget losing nearly all fan support each year has been an even greater motivating force and from these posts he's definitely got that going for him again in 2010-11.
That was a tough one to swallow. We played well, especially in the second half. CK and the bunch stepped up when His Troyness was on the bench with 4 fouls.
Yes we lost in the Pan Am...yes we lost to Northern Colorado(tip of the hat to them, they came into LC with a mission to beat us and show they are for real)...yes we lost a close game...yes, we lost. I'm not going to ramble trying to make you change the way you look at things. I've done that before. I'm just hoping two things:
1.) That you all can understand this game and understand what to take out of a season. Use your brain a little more and try to understand what coaches like Coach K, Roy Williams, Rick Patino, Lon Kruger, Steve Fisher, Marvin Menzies, and all the other college coaches take out of a season.
2.) I hope you all are going to watch our Aggies on ESPN2 Wensday night (yes I spelled it right) as they defeat the San Jose State Spartans!
GO AGGIES!!!!
Coach I found you a true point guard for the season after Laroche. Tyshawn Taylor from Kansas they just cut him and would fit perfect.
I think it was coach Mike Knoll who often said, 'well, but we won the fourth quarter' after Aggie losses on the grid iron.
Keith, keep the faith brother. Good long range perspective. Aggies kicked some A in the second half and I liked that they walked off with heads held high (CK was one for sure). No shame in losing that meaningless game by one possession if you advanced another step towards your ultimate goal, which I think both the Bears and the Aggies accomplished.
Wensday, dude!
get rid of Menzies.... go overpay a guy like steve lavin to come back and pack the pan am. Menzies has no presence on the court or as a marketer of the program. NONE.
Remember Theus shaking hands a bennigans? McCarthy's fiery charisma lighting a cig in the pitt? come one. what are we doing. seriously.
Well its almost football season again. oh wait we're the worst D1 team.
ridiculous.
GS, you're saying what most others were saying a long time ago...and it was you, yes you that was calling me and others idiots for stating the obvious about Menzies...dude, at this moment you really should just keep your mouth shut. You were obviously wrong about everything you said before and now you are playing it off like it's ok for others to voice their displeasure with Menzies just because you say so. What an annoying, arrogant little punk. You need to put your foot in your mouth. It's fine that you stood up for Menzies but you were so arrogant and insulting to others about it...don't try to back track now. It's pretty clear at this time that you really don't know anything about basketball. You are the last person that should be making any comments right now.
RT
Ah yes, the good old days...McCarthy with trays of warm, saltwater soaked towels trying to out 'gum' Jerry Tarkanian in the terry cloth suck off. Research it JG, it's in the Sun News vault.
That's how fiery the coach's charisma was ...
His wife's comments to Mary Henson during he airport altercation were all class, too.
Thanks for the memories and the NCAA violations so we could see Lou get 700 wins twice after they took it away from him under school sanctions (due to Neil).
A return to the McCarthy or Theus era through a fast-talking slickster like Steve Lavin, as a prime example, is exactly what NMSU does NOT need at this point so I don't think you'll see that happening, Anon 8:21.
The sky almost falls as hard in Cruces as it does in Albuquerque after a bad loss.
This is still a proud program. Stay home for the tournament if you see fit...but if the dust settles and NMSU is a conference tourney champ again, I hope you at least celebrate that at home rather than point out all that's wrong with the coaching from your couch. I can see it now, "Yeah, we made the NCAAs, but Menzies still sucks."
Funny thing is, if NMSU wins the tournament (and yes, they can), and UNM doesn't win theirs (which is probable...the MWC is tough), Marvin will have earned NMSU two trips to the dance to Alford's one...at half the price.
Does Marvin have work to do to get attendance up in the early season? Absolutely. Gotta win from start to finish. But the season isn't over and folks are already cashing in their chips.
If March 12 comes along and the season ends with a whimper, then I'll gladly eat crow. But a chance is still there. We're still in sole possession of second in conference. Lots to play for.
Jason,
I couldn't agree more with your comment that it's too late to be learning lessons this time of year. Our players are not boxing out - something that is taught in junior high/middle school. CK, our second in line point guard hasn't been taught to look across the court to see who's open. Ham seems to be afraid to go up strong and chance another injury. Everyone, including our "coach" acts as if Troy is our only hope. I feel for these players. They deserve better coaching than they've gotten from Menzies. I'm sure he makes them feel good about themselves with his life coach approach, but if he's still around next year (and I'm sure he will be) you can count on more empty seats, despite the talent we have on the team. If the NCAA actually saw how many "fans" were in attendance, we could kiss our D1 rating goodbye. You have to be a real fan to continue going to games where the coach has no fire and even less personality and enthusiasm.
whatever... all you haters can say what you will, but the McCarthy/Theus type energy is what makes a program like ours succeed.
Henson is a sweet man. A huge heart and good guy. But hell even when Don Haskins was hanging on to his job he did it with PRESSENCE and CHARISMA. He would chew a kids ass and you would hear it accross the gym. He put people at the games... Come on. Maybe the true villian here is Boston who doesn't know what a winning program even smells like. Great, so Menzies may get the stars to align once a year and we win one game against UT St. to make it to the tourney. Super. Then we have 5 throw away months for two games. Silly. Groves what is average attendance of our 13k seat areana that we just did all these renovations to? How many phone calls did i get from the athletic department looking for donations? at 8 bucks a ticket? really... Its not like there is a ton of other crap to do in cruces. Its friggin free for the students and they no show!
Keep sweating Menzies people. Doing all of our degrees proud....
Go Aggies.. wup wup.
Anon 8:21
Anon 8:21
Steve Alford will chew his team's ass almost as good as his mentor, Bob Knight. And the Lobos are 5 and 7 in conference prior to hosting the Runnin Rebs tonight.
Maybe Steve should throw a chair across the Pit floor or something, but I'd rather pay Marvin a reasonable salary than pay that "charisma" premium when NMSU came up just shy of sending Tom Izzo packing last March. Knight always graduated his players and I assume Alford follows that principle. That's the biggest part of college coaching and not sure of Lavin's UCLA record prior to landing his exciting St. John's gig.
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