NAU Part 1

[n.ogdencat]

So...tell me if I'm wrong, but I believe that NAU is currently on a two game wining streak here in Ogden. :? Also, last season game at the Dee, was the first time in decades that the Cats hadn't hit a 3 in a game. I'm hoping Weber rebounds after the close loss to the Bungles last Saturday. We needed a couple of home games to get the bad taste of that loss out of our mouths.

NAU has struggled this season and really only have three guys who contributed back from last years team: Yanku, Kaluna, and Martin. I'm pretty sure Murphy will have his guys ready. They did take Montana to double OT in Flag earlier in the conference season.

NO MATTER!! The Cats have to protect their house. End NAU's recent success at the Dee.

 

[oldrunner]

Them Jacks are not without athletes. Like ISU, they can beat anyone, at any time, if you don't respect them and prepare well. We need to get our mojo back and this is a good test to do it. We need to play with a lot more urgency.

If we come out with a good measure of desire, this game could be over early. If we don't, it could be a long night.

I think we will have a bit of a chip on our shoulder after that foray into Potatoville. I'm not predicting how our offence might look, but I'm sure that we will see some intense defense.

 

[sacstateman]

Martin has been out all conference season and will not play again this year...

 

[mt jack]

This could quickly get ugly. Be gentle.

There are only 2 seniors, Martin and Neely, on NAU's roster and both are starters who are out indefinitely due to injury. Only 3 juniors on the roster, of which two (Kaluna and Yanku) see consistent playing time. Two sophomores and the other 12 are freshmen/red-shirt freshmen.

The whole team is learning to walk at the same time. It's been a tough season but I can see this paying off in the future in regards to experience. I question my sanity at times but I can't quit watching. That's the "fanatic" part of being a fan.

I'm driving to Flagstaff for the WSU-NAU game on February 20th, if any WSU fans are making the trek down.

- MTJack

 

[oldrunner]

This could quickly get ugly. Be gentle.

There are only 2 seniors, Martin and Neely, on NAU's roster and both are starters who are out indefinitely due to injury. Only 3 juniors on the roster, of which two (Kaluna and Yanku) see consistent playing time. Two sophomores and the other 12 are freshmen/red-shirt freshmen.

The whole team is learning to walk at the same time. It's been a tough season but I can see this paying off in the future in regards to experience. I question my sanity at times but I can't quit watching. That's the "fanatic" part of being a fan.

I'm driving to Flagstaff for the WSU-NAU game on February 20th, if any WSU fans are making the trek down.

- MTJack

I'd love to make that road trip, but the 20th is a race day for me. I love flagstaff. There is a great little Mexican café on the northeast side of town.

 

[Wildcat_Fan]

Also I cant remember who the user was who needed free tickets but the time has come that we have all been waiting for...

https://www.instagram.com/p/BBDndUoloWZ/?taken-by=johnwatsonchev" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[wildkyle]

Also I cant remember who the user was who needed free tickets but the time has come that we have all been waiting for...

https://www.instagram.com/p/BBDndUoloWZ/?taken-by=johnwatsonchev" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It was me but I am back to work now so I have money.

 

[mt jack]

I'd love to make that road trip, but the 20th is a race day for me. I love flagstaff. There is a great little Mexican café on the northeast side of town.

MExican food on the east side of Flagstaff.....if it's off the main drag (Route 66) and back in a residential neighborhood then it's probably La Fonda. This is a sit down type establishment.

Salsa Brava is right on Route 66 and was featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. This is a sit down type establishment.

The only other one I can think of is Tacos Los Altos which is further out on the east end of town near the mall. It's more of a "Fill-in-the-blank-ertos" fast food set up but it's quite tasty.

MartAnne's BUrrito Palace in downtown has top notch chilaquiles.

I'm salivating now, oldrunner.

 

[oldrunner]

La Fonda :rockon:

 

[baller]

My first post during halftime of a game... I see the same thing tonight that happened against Idaho State last week. NAU is packing the middle and daring the 'Cats to shoot outside by leaving them largely uncovered. Its working... just as it did last week.

The Cats are taking the bait but not catching the fish!! Shooting 3/14 in threes or 21%. Shooting 9/24 for the half (38%), which means that there close in shooting is yielding 6/10 or 60% results. Weber needs to start taking the ball inside more and stop taking the bait of shooting open 3's.

Also, Kaluna is overpowering one-on-one defense (Bolomboy) down low and scoring at will. With two minutes left in the half and a half-dozen layins by Kaluna, the Peanut (Rahe) finally decides to double him and stopped him for the first time since the opening minutes of the game. Keep doubling him when he gets the ball or what about throwing in a zone? Is that beyond the Peanuts comprehension?

If Weber isn't careful this strategy by NAU will win the a road game for them. Wouldn't that be embarrassing to lose to a 3-15 team on your home court?

 

[n.ogdencat]

Wow...that was perhaps one of the worst games I have ever sat through. We looked bad. Thank goodness we got to play a team that was horrid. I heard that that was the best they had played all season. Nice to know it happened against us. Also, nice to know that at our worst we can beat a team playing at their best. Interesting watching NAU, they did a lot of the same things that Idaho State did. Pack in the middle and challenge our shooters to hit from outside.

Joel got back on track with 17 and 15...great game by him.

Cannon was pretty dang good last night. He is such a competent point guard and does a lot of things right. I loved how he would drive to the hope and challenge the Jacks. Out of the four layups he had, only one wasn't an and-one. He is tough. Senglin is becoming too predictable. He shoots a lot of threes, but is sooo damn talented. He needs to get back to his other offensive dimensions like driving to the hoop, taking mid-range jumpers.

Lastly, why won't Rahe played Cannon and Baker at the same time?

 

[oldrunner]

Lastly, why won't Rahe played Cannon and Baker at the same time?

I'm not sure that this is your answer, but they keep efficiency stats on every player and every combination of players. Both, in games and in practices. It just may be that the two of them, together, is not as efficient as other combinations.

If we were hitting our outside shots, that would have been a completely different game. For most of the game, we played well on the D. They just need to practice hitting wide open threes. We have the shooters. They just need to clear their heads a bit and not hesitate.

I thought Zack played really well. He just keeps getting better all the time. That makes me a bit more comfortable for next year. He and Hill are showing a lot of improvement. Likewise for Cody and McKay. :thumb: :thumb:

 

[LarrytheFarmer]

Lastly, why won't Rahe played Cannon and Baker at the same time?

I'm not sure that this is your answer, but they keep efficiency stats on every player and every combination of players. Both, in games and in practices. It just may be that the two of them, together, is not as efficient as other combinations.

If we were hitting our outside shots, that would have been a completely different game. For most of the game, we played well on the D. They just need to practice hitting wide open threes. We have the shooters. They just need to clear their heads a bit and not hesitate.

I thought Zack played really well. He just keeps getting better all the time. That makes me a bit more comfortable for next year. He and Hill are showing a lot of improvement. Likewise for Cody and McKay. :thumb: :thumb:

WSU played a total of 8 good minutes of basketball last night, Im just not as optimistic as you today Olds. WSU hasn't played well since their win @ Portland St. Something is off, they just don't look sharp at all. Its not just about hitting open shots, even their body language sucks. I don't know if they are just tired or what. :twocents:

 

[oldrunner]

The way I saw it, they played 35 minutes of good defense and about 15 minutes of good offence. I think that the body language thing is due to shots not falling. They need to bring in doctor feel good, or simplify things to clear their heads.

All teams go through these little slumps. I fully expect our shooting to return soon. Sometimes you just have to work through it.

We are going to see the same defensive tactics from SUU. Our shooters will need to step up and get it done.

 

[UtahPirate]

Hate to return to my rants from earlier in the season, but I'd sure like to see us play some zone with these slippery little guards that rub off the high screen and start penetrating and scoring or dishing.

Just seems like some teams are begging for us to zone them because of their quick guards, i.e. SAC, ISU and NAU.

 

[Skippy]

The way I saw it, they played 35 minutes of good defense and about 15 minutes of good offence. I think that the body language thing is due to shots not falling. They need to bring in doctor feel good, or simplify things to clear their heads.

All teams go through these little slumps. I fully expect our shooting to return soon. Sometimes you just have to work through it.

We are going to see the same defensive tactics from SUU. Our shooters will need to step up and get it done.

Please advise if you spy ANY form of defense from SUU Saturday night in Ogden. We certainly didn't see any in Pocatello. ISU shot 60 percent from the field, despite blowing several lay ups. The T-birds had given up 78 points in the paint combined in their two previous games. They are one of the worst defenses I've seen in a long time.

 

[n.ogdencat]

The way I saw it, they played 35 minutes of good defense and about 15 minutes of good offence. I think that the body language thing is due to shots not falling. They need to bring in doctor feel good, or simplify things to clear their heads.

All teams go through these little slumps. I fully expect our shooting to return soon. Sometimes you just have to work through it.

We are going to see the same defensive tactics from SUU. Our shooters will need to step up and get it done.

Please advise if you spy ANY form of defense from SUU Saturday night in Ogden. We certainly didn't see any in Pocatello. ISU shot 60 percent from the field, despite blowing several lay ups. The T-birds had given up 78 points in the paint combined in their two previous games. They are one of the worst defenses I've seen in a long time.

Robinson probably didn't prepare for ISU. He was just hoping to show up and compete and put most of his time in on Weber. I'm all for ISU being better. Makes teams prepare for both the Bengals and the Cats.

 

[oldrunner]

I fully agree with you Tal. I love it that ISU is stronger this year. Teams will have to prepare for them now. SUU didn't care about losing to them because their season is going to suck anyway and the only way for the coach to keep his job for much longer is to beat Weber. Losing to ISU doesn't hurt him at all. He will keep his job after this season, but one more poor showing and they will start calling for his head.

I'm guessing that they will come out hard against Bolomboy and hope that our guards continue to shoot it poorly.