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 Tothehoopyall1
Posts
#650538
A couple of thoughts on the team 15 games into the 2022-2023 season:
Positives-
1-Things have tremendously improved. Our defense is looking better each week. Lipscomb couldn't do anything against us on 1/2/23.
2-Coach RM has done a great job of pulling the team together and working to figure out a good rotation.
3- Darius has been Darius. Scoring has been great while cutting down on turnovers as the season has progressed.
4- Brody continues to emerge as a scoring threat each night.
5- We are truly tough to score on when we are playing at our best.
6- Winning our first two conference games convincingly as we did was impressive.
7- I can't believe I am saying this, but Blake Preston has been playing much better. (Someone must have told him this is his last year).
8- Kyle Rode has really stepped up of late and been a boost to the team.
Concerns-
1-Still not convinced on Porter (I realize others are). (He is easily scored on by opponents point guards and has turned the ball over too much). Lipscomb's Will Pruitt scored on Porter at will the other night forcing HCRM to pull him from the game. This is not a good combination, but thankfully we have several guys that can handle the ball.
2- Shiloh has faded at times recently. He needs to step it up more and be the threat inside that we desperately need. I like the idea of Preston starting based on recent play.
3- Will we maintain the defensive pressure we have been seeing of late? If so, we will be tough to beat. If not, we could lose some key games in the ASUN.
4- Brody needs more shots. More good shots for Brody helps the team.

Overall, I give us a B+ to a B- through the first 15 games. With a stronger schedule the score might be higher although I don't think a team like ORU wants to play us again. I believe we would/could beat them. How would you rate the team through the first 15 games?
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By Ill flame
Posts
#650541
The emergence of peebles as an above average scoring threat gives me hope for next year when McGhee is gone. Obviously he's not on that level but I think he could average 15+ ppg with starter minutes.

I haven't paid attention to porters defense but it seems like his turn over issues are mostly behind him. He's averaged less than one a game over the last 4 games. Hopefully that continues and he was just adjusting to the speed of college basketball.

I kind of already addressed how I feel about this team the other day. Hopefully we turned the corner and were just having some early season issues. There's always a chance we are just on a nice run against weak competition and we end up going back to how we were playing before. I choose to believe it's the former and this is one of the better teams we've had in a few years.
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By Purple Haize
Registration Days Posts
#650542
Having a consistent knock down shooter makes Darius more effective. That has been the case the last 2 games.
The defense has look more organized and in synch. Not sure how it will hold when it faces teams with better athletes but it’s certainly improved
Hopefully I’ll get to see more games live!
By Chippy
Registration Days Posts
#650548
Ill flame wrote: January 4th, 2023, 8:35 pm The emergence of peebles as an above average scoring threat gives me hope for next year when McGhee is gone. Obviously he's not on that level but I think he could average 15+ ppg with starter minutes.

I haven't paid attention to porters defense but it seems like his turn over issues are mostly behind him. He's averaged less than one a game over the last 4 games. Hopefully that continues and he was just adjusting to the speed of college basketball.

I kind of already addressed how I feel about this team the other day. Hopefully we turned the corner and were just having some early season issues. There's always a chance we are just on a nice run against weak competition and we end up going back to how we were playing before. I choose to believe it's the former and this is one of the better teams we've had in a few years.
Also, in fairness to Porter, Pruitt only had 5 points on 4 shots. I see the opposition consistently trying to take our smallish guards to the hoop and try to muscle up a shot or get fouled. The D has responded to this tactic quite well over the last couple games.
By stokesjokes
Registration Days Posts
#650550
This team will go as Kyle Rode goes. He seemed lost for a bit at the beginning of the year and we struggled because of it. We need him to be a threat to make plays on offense. If he’s shooting efficiently and setting other guys up like he has been the last few games we’ll be tough to beat.
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By Cider Jim
Registration Days Posts
#650559
Ballcoach missed the last game due to some Gretna High School boosters event, but I hope he at least read the box score in his multiple newspapers because LU had
FOUR double digit scorers! :shock: Play Basketball :shock:

https://www.liberty.edu/flames/wp-conte ... MB2315.pdf
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By Liberty_2023
Posts
#650598
Being ranked #53 in the NET is huge. Unfortunately every game left is like a trap game because they are all Quad 3 or Quad 4 (more 4 than 3). Gotta keep winning, and if they do Net could get in low 40-30s range.
#650624
One thing I should have mentioned on the list of postives in my post above.
Joseph Venzant has been tearing it up on the defensive end. He literally plays to the point of exhaustion on the defensive end and is so fun to watch. I feel sorry for the offensive player that he guards. HCRM switched him onto Will Pruitt last Monday and it was lights out for Pruitt. I don't think he scored another basket.
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By jmclaughlin
Posts
#650645
Tothehoopyall1 wrote: January 7th, 2023, 1:00 pm One thing I should have mentioned on the list of postives in my post above.
Joseph Venzant has been tearing it up on the defensive end. He literally plays to the point of exhaustion on the defensive end and is so fun to watch. I feel sorry for the offensive player that he guards. HCRM switched him onto Will Pruitt last Monday and it was lights out for Pruitt. I don't think he scored another basket.
Unpopular opinion alert: JV is the most important player on LU’s roster. Defense travels. Shooting doesn’t.
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By olldflame
Registration Days Posts
#650649
Tothehoopyall1 wrote: January 4th, 2023, 7:49 pm A couple of thoughts on the team 15 games into the 2022-2023 season:
Positives-
1-Things have tremendously improved. Our defense is looking better each week. Lipscomb couldn't do anything against us on 1/2/23.
2-Coach RM has done a great job of pulling the team together and working to figure out a good rotation.
3- Darius has been Darius. Scoring has been great while cutting down on turnovers as the season has progressed.
4- Brody continues to emerge as a scoring threat each night.
5- We are truly tough to score on when we are playing at our best.
6- Winning our first two conference games convincingly as we did was impressive.
7- I can't believe I am saying this, but Blake Preston has been playing much better. (Someone must have told him this is his last year).
8- Kyle Rode has really stepped up of late and been a boost to the team.
Concerns-
1-Still not convinced on Porter (I realize others are). (He is easily scored on by opponents point guards and has turned the ball over too much). Lipscomb's Will Pruitt scored on Porter at will the other night forcing HCRM to pull him from the game. This is not a good combination, but thankfully we have several guys that can handle the ball.
2- Shiloh has faded at times recently. He needs to step it up more and be the threat inside that we desperately need. I like the idea of Preston starting based on recent play.
3- Will we maintain the defensive pressure we have been seeing of late? If so, we will be tough to beat. If not, we could lose some key games in the ASUN.
4- Brody needs more shots. More good shots for Brody helps the team.

Overall, I give us a B+ to a B- through the first 15 games. With a stronger schedule the score might be higher although I don't think a team like ORU wants to play us again. I believe we would/could beat them. How would you rate the team through the first 15 games?
I agree with a lot of this, but have to point out that even though Preston is in his 5th year with the team, it is not necessarily his last. He redshirted as a FR, and still has his "covid year" if he decides to return next season. He is married, and I would imagine will already have a master's degree this Spring, but he is back in the starting lineup and playing better than ever, which might lead him to return if things continue as they have been going. With the development of Cleveland and Southerland coming off redshirt, I can actually see more of a role for Blake next year than for Shiloh.

As far as Porter is concerned, I have to say I was surprised that he started from day one, since a backcourt this small goes against what you typically want in a pack line team (length), but after some early struggles, we are playing better D than we have in at least 2 years. While Caleb clearly can be "Barkleyed" by a bigger guard if he has no help, the best thing about the pack line is that it does provide help to players who find themselves mismatched.
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