If roundball is your blood, this is the place to discuss the Flames as they move into the Ritchie McKay era for the 2nd time.

Moderators: jcmanson, Sly Fox, BuryYourDuke

By olldflame
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#521792
LUnpretty11 wrote:
VAGolf wrote:...
Next to Indiana, VCU will easily be the best team we play all year.
Whoa. Bold statement. Are you sticking by this after knowing Indiana beat Kansas in OT to start the year? Also, Indiana has a lottery pick on their team right now.
I think I can safely say he did not mean VCU is better than Indiana, but rather that they are the NEXT best team on our schedule, which very well may be true
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By Cider Jim
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#521793
I was a little embarrassed that VCU had more fans in the padded, reserved seats than LU did. LU fans are mostly a general admission crowd, myself included.
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By Jonathan Carone
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#521794
Cider Jim wrote:I was a little embarrassed that VCU had more fans in the padded, reserved seats than LU did. LU fans are mostly a general admission crowd, myself included.
VCU fans are used to paying $25+ for a ticket. Being able to pay less than $15 and get padded seating was a huge benefit to them.
TerraCottaGamer wrote:I don't know why anyone is complaining about the crowd. It was a good crowd that was into the game for the most part and got really loud when it mattered.
I'm not complaining about the crowd but rather wishing for something we used to have. I want the students as involved for basketball as they are for football. Having three rows across three sections standing and yelling isn't a ton of students but it can make a huge difference in the atmosphere.
By FlameFan11
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#521796
I agree. Besides Indiana, VCU looks to be the best team on our schedule. They are coming off another great year and strong showing in the NCAA tourney while returning most of their key guys. Barring injury, they will be in the tourney again and a team no one wants to face.

Kemrite 34 minutes was surprising. I tried to say in preseason he was going to be out there because he does the things coaches love-talk on defense, take charges, hustle plays, etc....The problem is at 6-4, our lineup can't rebound with him at the 4. Myo and Caleb are only 6-5. His high minutes are the reason we haven't seen Gardner as much so far. Freshman need game reps so McKay will need to find him time. I feel our best lineup will still have him in it late in the season, especially against guys like Xavier Cooks in the BSC. Nice to see Georgie play solid. Agree his game is managing the team and he looks to be a good at it. I also think Josiah will start getting more minutes as the season progresses, probably from his brother and some of ACs minutes. Love the depth with so many young pieces who are going to be here for a while.
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By Purple Haize
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#521797
R i wrote:VCU has one of the nations top signing classes currently. They are not a shell of their former teams.

PH, Coaches turn to the crowd for engagement a lot. Coach K is good for it 10+ times a year.

Georgie earned some playing time, but I noticed in crunch time, he looked to get rid of the ball, instead of making plays for his teammates. I do not think he is a scorer or play maker. I think he is a consistent ball handler, and defender.

I am surprised that Gardner has not come in and been a force, and earned more minutes. As highly rated as he was, and how highly Mckay talked of him, I was expecting starters minutes and double digits.
I didn't say that. I've seen coaches do that all the time. Although my favorite coach just stared at the ceiling
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By Purple Haize
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#521798
Let me be clear. I like where LUMBB is going. Although I would take Kemrite in the shower and beat him with that head band to teach him never to wear it again
My comments were based on a VCU fan of years. In watching them I sort of agree. They are a good team but a level or two below where they were when Smart was there. He just had the 'It' factor. They don't have that now. They are good. They will be a threat to make Tourney. But they are not a Final Four threat
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By VAGolf
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#521802
Purple Haize wrote:Let me be clear. I like where LUMBB is going. Although I would take Kemrite in the shower and beat him with that head band to teach him never to wear it again
My comments were based on a VCU fan of years. In watching them I sort of agree. They are a good team but a level or two below where they were when Smart was there. He just had the 'It' factor. They don't have that now. They are good. They will be a threat to make Tourney. But they are not a Final Four threat
You're just using cliches. Smart was a good coach but that final four run was accomplished in an off-year for elite programs. Since that run, he's only been past the first round twice. VCU went to the second round last year, and they return most of their players. Shaka Smart doesn't have any "It" factor that Will Wade doesn't possess. Shaka Smart isn't a god...just a good basketball coach. Will Wade hasn't done anything to prove he isn't just as good, if not better than Shaka.
By TDDance234
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#521803
Light years ahead of where I expected us to be in year-2 of the rebuild. It's going to be a fun season.
By olldflame
Registration Days Posts
#521804
VAGolf wrote:
Purple Haize wrote:Let me be clear. I like where LUMBB is going. Although I would take Kemrite in the shower and beat him with that head band to teach him never to wear it again
My comments were based on a VCU fan of years. In watching them I sort of agree. They are a good team but a level or two below where they were when Smart was there. He just had the 'It' factor. They don't have that now. They are good. They will be a threat to make Tourney. But they are not a Final Four threat
You're just using cliches. Smart was a good coach but that final four run was accomplished in an off-year for elite programs. Since that run, he's only been past the first round twice. VCU went to the second round last year, and they return most of their players. Shaka Smart doesn't have any "It" factor that Will Wade doesn't possess. Shaka Smart isn't a god...just a good basketball coach. Will Wade hasn't done anything to prove he isn't just as good, if not better than Shaka.

Smart is a very good coach, and what they accomplished the year they went to the final 4 was pretty amazing (even if some of the elite programs were a bit down that year) But that was ONE SEASON Overall his body of work there doesn't support the statement that they are now a "shell" of what they were during his tenure
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By Purple Haize
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#521807
You guys are funny. It's gotta be all or nothing. Wade is a solid coach. He will do well with VCU. But Shaka is a better coach. VCU was a Final Four threat for the years Smart was there after his run. Not going to happen with Wade. If I'm an AD I'm taking Smart over Wade every day of the week. But I'd also look at Wade over a lot of other coaches.
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By jinxy
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#521815
Wade just up one of if not the higgest recruit there program has ever had.
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By Purple Haize
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#521819
jinxy wrote:Wade just up one of if not the higgest recruit there program has ever had.
I saw that. But I'm always suspect of recruitment rankings. Huge pick up though
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By thepostman
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#521826
You said VCU was a shell of itself. Or your cousin said. That is a pretty all or nothing kind of statement so....
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By Purple Haize
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#521829
thepostman wrote:You said VCU was a shell of itself. Or your cousin said. That is a pretty all or nothing kind of statement so....
Well my cousin is a weightlifter and body builder. I'm not in the habit of arguing with him. But I sort of agree. I think they are a solid team who is not trending up. But they have settled in an enviable spot
By olldflame
Registration Days Posts
#521833
FlameFan11 wrote:I agree. Besides Indiana, VCU looks to be the best team on our schedule. They are coming off another great year and strong showing in the NCAA tourney while returning most of their key guys. Barring injury, they will be in the tourney again and a team no one wants to face.

Kemrite 34 minutes was surprising. I tried to say in preseason he was going to be out there because he does the things coaches love-talk on defense, take charges, hustle plays, etc....The problem is at 6-4, our lineup can't rebound with him at the 4. Myo and Caleb are only 6-5. His high minutes are the reason we haven't seen Gardner as much so far. Freshman need game reps so McKay will need to find him time. I feel our best lineup will still have him in it late in the season, especially against guys like Xavier Cooks in the BSC. Nice to see Georgie play solid. Agree his game is managing the team and he looks to be a good at it. I also think Josiah will start getting more minutes as the season progresses, probably from his brother and some of ACs minutes. Love the depth with so many young pieces who are going to be here for a while.
It is looking more and more like you were right about Kemrite and I was WRWRWRWRONG (there, I got it out) :wink:

I expect his minutes will go down somewhat as Gardner and Josiah get acclimated (especially on D) but it looks like there is most def a major role for him at least this year Next year we get Cuffee, and I think he will be SPECIAL, so who knows what will happen then

Speaking of which, someone there in the Burg needs to check out an LCA game and give us a report on Cuffee and Barber
By FlameFan11
Posts
#521837
Haha. I didn't expect over 30 minutes in a game this season. I think you are right that now it seems Kemrite will have a major role. Love his hustle and willingness to the dirty work.

Biggest surprise to me is how often we are going with 2 or even 3 of the Cabbil/Pacheco/Chen combo. That moves Dawson to the 3 and Homesley to the 4 or even 5 when Kemrite is in. That lineup will be outrebounded consistently by any D1 program. Big reason we lost the game last night was the boards 35-26. Only 3 offensive boards the entire game. Kemrite 3 boards in 34 minutes. Gardner 2 boards in 9 minutes. Our leading rebounder last night had 4 - Cabbil, Dawson, Homesley. Maybe I'm old school or someone will know the #s but rebounding is a HUGE key to winning. To me, this is a key area we need to monitor and use the personnel we have that can rebound the ball.

AC Reid has to be one of the toughest decisions for the staff. The guy can catch fire offensively at any moment but really struggles on the defensive end. Last night also had 3 turnovers in 16 minutes. I expect minutes to vary among players every game with this much depth but will be interested to see if we start to let our bigger guys play during this non-conference schedule.
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By TerraCottaGamer
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#521848
Jonathan Carone wrote:
VCU fans are used to paying $25+ for a ticket. Being able to pay less than $15 and get padded seating was a huge benefit to them.

This is very true - but the price of red reserved is only about $5 per ticket if you buy the season package. Cheaper still if you get some kind of discount. The fact that the VCU fans were out in large number was good to see but also upsetting given I was literally surrounded by them in my seat.
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By Cider Jim
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#521854
I know. From my corner seat behind McCracken-the-box, I felt like I was at an away game with all the VCU cheers.
By Chippy
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#521856
I think the VCU fans were great in their enthusiasm and support for their team. Our fans were given a great model of what it looks like to be a fan. The first half I thought our fans thought they were at the Falwell library. Nick introduces the team by asking everyone to stand. I counted less than 5 people in the arena who stood and cheered the introductions - no students!! The second half I guess people got tired of being embarrassed by their lack of enthusiasm and actually almost willed the team to victory. Hopefully we see more butts in the seats and more enthusiasm moving forward, The team certainly deserves this given their effort.
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By Cider Jim
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#521863
Coach McKay's quote merits reading and rereading:
Coach McKay – “I was here when we were getting 6,000 and 7,000. We had a couple games at the end of our 2nd year where it was packed, but that group tonight, full of students, was electric. That crowd helped our team compete like we did tonight. I loved it. It was a blessing. We are humbled and very thankful. I hope they’ll come back because this team is worth it. They are worth supporting.”
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By Jonathan Carone
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#521864
Cmon Doc, you've been around long enough to know coach speak. That's him buttering up a crowd to try to get them to come back. That crowd last night was nowhere near that VMI game he's referencing.
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By Cider Jim
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#521865
All I know is that LU crowd last night was louder than anything I had heard for YEARS in the Vines Center.
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By Jonathan Carone
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#521866
It was a very good crowd when it needed to be in the second half. We just need students there leading it the entire game.
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By TerraCottaGamer
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#521872
Chippy wrote: Nick introduces the team by asking everyone to stand. I counted less than 5 people in the arena who stood and cheered the introductions - no students!!

Probably because the PA was NOT loud enough. His voice does not project well and/or it was not turned up enough. With the background music and everything going he was incredibly difficult to hear.
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