This term could mean a lot of things for the men's basketball team this season, both in tough game situations and in the way Coach Menzies is handling his players this season.
First regarding Menzies, I think he did the right thing sitting Gabriel and Gibson for Sunday's game. Both are likely to return to the lineup on Wednesday at Kansas. Did it cost him the game? It's likely the Aggies wouldn't have been in the situation they found themselves in, losing on the road, with Gibson on the floor. But Menzies had already set a precedent earlier this season and to back off that now with a group of young guys could have cost him down the road. It sends a strong message that he is willing to sit a starter for not being where they are supposed to be.
On the court, it was good the Aggies got a close game in. The Aggie women for example, lost a couple close games before they learned how to win one the other night. Maybe against Kansas, but certainly against North Texas on Saturday, the Long Beach game will pay dividends as far as coming out on top in some of these close games.
5 comments:
All this is true JG. But college basketball is a short season and every game is so important to the post season hopes of mid-majors. When selection commitees (NCAA and NIT) look at at large bids, losing to Long Beach doesn't help. We HAVE to win the games we are supposed to win. And I thought Gibson was the leader. That pissed me off when I heard he had missed a practice but I'm glad MM sat him for a game.
Yeah, JG - - it is beneficial to get into a few close scraps during non-conference. Similarly, I was hoping USC or KS would blow the Ags out so they can learn what "no mercy" is like. But they hung with USC and now I hope they hang with the natl. champs. If they get No.TX back for last year's 2nd half in Pan Am (show no mercy), then the close loss at LBSU was worth it. If not, then Menzies just penalized himself and the rest of the team (and the consequent loss in attendance will continue to hurt the team). Heck, he could have just made Gibson and Gabriel work harder when they eventually did come back to practice and everybody would have benefited? I'm not saying that MM is not a principled guy. I'd rather have a Menzies-type disciplinarian in charge (losing) than win and later end up like Indiana - - where the Hoosiers were graduating everybody before getting rid of Bob Knight and Mike Davis (to get more wins, presumably). Good luck to Hal Mumme and Rocky Long, I don't feel the NM football programs should be all about W-L record given the tax base/low population of this state. If people are calling for Menzies head in another year, that will be a shame. Alford sounds like he's already reacting to the critics and coaching change is not what these programs need to be competitive ...
Aggies were robbed! ...they made the same number of field goals in the second half and ended up losing by five. The home-team referee-ing in the 49er's little gym is exactly why NMSU needed to leave the Big West. What a joke!
Heck yes...sit them down. We don't need any "Herbie God Types" on the team.
Last nights game at Kansas was frustrating. Kansas is not that great of a team. We played terrible and were still in the game with ten minutes to go. The discouraging thing is the shot selection in the last five minutes. The Aggies did nothing but jack up shot after shot towards the end. We did not get better last night. The North Texas game is a big "character" game. Gordo and McKines played their asses off though.
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