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jayroon41

Junior
Aug 22, 2024
235
361
63
HymanKaplan said:
Maybe we should just put 5 players out there at the same time that can shoot. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...
-He might have overcompensated with this roster trying to improve the defense and now has combinations on offense that aren't working (like Mo/Oweh).

-I guess you could bench Mo for Jelavic, Noah or Kam but then the defense which is already bad would take a hit. Kam isn't ready to physically guard any 4s yet at least. This roster not having a big who can shoot, which is a mainstay for Pope, is hurting us as well.

-Lowe being out hurts a lot of ways but most importantly because he's the only semblance of a leader this roster has and it desperately needs one on the floor.

-With Lowe out, you've got guys having to play out of position and he's desperately trying to figure out what to do and obviously frustrated about it. I'd rather he be up front and aggravated than act like everything is fine and not share or bs us and the media. I think he'll figure things out like last year but it will take some time.
 
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anthonys735

anthonys735

Heisman
Jan 29, 2004
62,831
51,908
113
-Problem is we don't have 5 that can shoot at least not a month into playing. Hell, we don't have 3 that can shoot. We're shooting 31% as a team and only Chandler seems to be a real threat. Aberdeen and Johnson are the only others over 30% right now and if I'm an opposing coach, I'm letting them fire. Oweh is getting hate, mostly deserved, but he feasted last year because other teams were focused on Robinson or Brea lighting them up. We don't have those guys to open up lanes for him. So, now when he drives, it's into 3 or 4 waiting defenders. Doesn't excuse his lackluster D and rebounding though.

-The team seems to hate each other and it's written all over Pope's face that he knows he's in for a long road.

-We should be a great defensive team. It's not Pope's thing, but I see that is the only way to salvage this **** sandwich. We're not going to be a good offensive team so slow it down, stop jacking shots in the 1/2 court without a pass, concentrate on efficiency then just be killers on D/boards. However, to be a good defensive team you need unity and that seems to be the biggest issue.
 
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HymanKaplan

HymanKaplan

Heisman
Feb 22, 2024
2,390
12,549
113
It's kind of hard to imagine the defense getting worse, so maybe we could at least score at a higher clip, so as not to be on the wrong end of a 30 to 10 run.

I never played basketball, but how does a team come to "hate each other"? Is it one or two bad apples?

Matt Jones saying we need to go get a PG from the G League. I'll be honest, I didn't know that was possible. (I don't know the rules, it would seem)
 
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Century Cat

Century Cat

Heisman
Jan 3, 2003
17,995
11,853
113
Anon1751335390 said:
MoD, Chandler, Aberdeen, and Moreno is our team right now. They are our best, most consistent performers. Maybe Oweh finds his way out of the wet paper doo doo bag to join them.

I will add that those 4 players are lovely, beautiful, and make the world go 'round. Be more like those 4. If we were all more like them, the world would be a better place.
Click to expand...

I would add Jelavic to this. Small sample size, but I like what I've seen from him so far. He seems ready to mix it up. CBB is new to him, I'd give him some clock and see what he can do.

And to a lesser degree, Kam.

And on the flip side, people forget that before BG had that awful stretch where he gave up 2 rebounds, just 10 seconds prior on the offensive end, he drove and clanked a terrible 12 foot shot. Perhaps the worst 15 seconds of basketball I've ever seen from one player.

And Oweh, man. Figured he would build on last year and become one of my all-time favorites. W.T.F. I'm just baffled. He's been a liability to this point. Leader, my ace.
 
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_Blueblood1975_

_Blueblood1975_

Redshirt
Jul 3, 2025
12
26
13
We love to jack up a quick shot, slowly get back on D, and give up an easy basket. I mean Kam Williams hit that one three from an inside out pass and then the very next possession throws up an off balance heat check. It's so frustrating to watch.
 
M

M080470

Sophomore
Jul 10, 2025
52
101
33
anthonys735 said:
I think he overcompensated and missed on a few of his main targets. So, you were left with 12 guys and no real leaders.
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That's the gist of it. There is very little leadership on the floor and to some extent on the sideline, too. I really thought Oweh, arguably our best player last year, would have been the natural leader. Maybe it was time away with the turf toe but the team is going to follow his example. The silver lining is that Oweh is a sharp guy, there 's no knuckle head there. Hopefully Pope can lean on him that you have got to set the tone for.everyone else and we have a lot of games left. Chandler may be a sophomore but with his maturity and because of his mission, he doesn't need to be told, he's a man, he knows. I'm excited about Moreno, too. He makes mistakes but the effort is there. Beyond those two, I'm not really sold on anyone else.

Last year may have been lacking in physicality but Amari, Carr, Butler, and Robinson didn't need to be told to give more effort. I've watched that Duke game from last year probably 30x and Robinson didn't score a point but you watch the other things he did and he was just as important to winning that game as anyone else.

Which leads to Pope. We may have the most cerebral coach in all of basketball and he's got to be true to himself but this is also Coaching 101. If there's no leadership on the floor, you have to provide it until they either get it or they hate your guts and perform so they don't hear it from you. I love positivity but there is also a reason that Hurley, Pitino, a Knight or even a Calipari have success is that they are going to ride you until you get it. There was a point last night when Pope turned and you could see his face look like he was doing everything to keep from exploding. And GDit Mark, let it out! It's not acceptable, let them know it! He's a super smart, he'll figure it out but he's just as much at fault as any of the players right now.
 
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K

k_s_t_a

All-Conference
Mar 12, 2005
2,349
1,243
66
One problem is our 5 best players include 3 non-shooters, and that expands to 4 of our best 6 and possibly 5 of our best 7. Add Quaintance and it's maybe 6 out of 8. It's a very Cal-like problem. I agree with @anthonys735 that probably the best way out is to lean into what this team was ostensibly put together to do, which is be athletic and play defense. Another problem is that our defense sucks and we look really unathletic.

Was going to do an deeper analytical look after 5 games, but don't really feel like it. But here are a couple tidbits:

- our major problems last year, especially early on, were giving up way too many 3s, not forcing turnovers, and giving up too many offensive rebounds. Guess what our problems are this year, despite assembling a roster specifically to address those problems? We also suck on offense and are particularly abysmal in the half court, unlike last year, so we've replicated the same problems and turned strengths into weaknesses. Kind of concerning!

- I don't need to add anything to what others have said about Garrison, but by far our worst player so far in terms of on-off stats is Oweh. We tank when he's on the court, particularly on offense.

Put me down as not thinking this gets fixed. Yeah, it's November, but when every P5 team that takes you seriously absolutely blows you out, you kinda are what you are. The multi-big, defense-and-close-2s approach (which I don't really think we could even pull off successfully) may salvage the season a bit, but really caps the ceiling. Don't see a path to this team winning anything of note. Hope I'm wrong.
 
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S

Strokin' Bandit

Junior
Jul 9, 2025
72
334
53
- It seems like every person's role on this team is different from the role they had on whatever team they were with last year.

The exceptions are:
Chandler - he will serve the same role, but his production has to increase
Garrison - he *thinks* his role has changed; it hasn't
Noah - needs to be the exact player he was last year

That could be a chemistry issue. I don't know. It's time for Pope to have some tough conversations with guys.
 
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A

Anon1751335390

Senior
Jun 30, 2025
292
459
63
Century Cat said:
I would add Jelavic to this. Small sample size, but I like what I've seen from him so far. He seems ready to mix it up. CBB is new to him, I'd give him some clock and see what he can do.

And to a lesser degree, Kam.

And on the flip side, people forget that before BG had that awful stretch where he gave up 2 rebounds, just 10 seconds prior on the offensive end, he drove and clanked a terrible 12 foot shot. Perhaps the worst 15 seconds of basketball I've ever seen from one player.

And Oweh, man. Figured he would build on last year and become one of my all-time favorites. W.T.F. I'm just baffled. He's been a liability to this point. Leader, my ace.
Click to expand...
Yeah sample size with Jelavic. He hasn't hoisted that orange ball at the hoop enough or had a random productive run, like Williams against Louisville, to produce unbridled optimism. He may come along and add some needed skill to the frontcourt. Amari with his passing ability would be fantastic alongside Dioubate. Maybe Jelavic could add a shooting and/or handling dimension from the 4/5.

Oweh practically lost the game on his own against Louisville. He was always a bit limited, but at the very least a few more buckets and less turnovers over the course of the season than last year wasn't too much to ask for. Be the same player and skillset but just better in that mold. He may settle in when his ego recognizes he isn't "The Guy." Leading scorer in a shared scoring effort is about the best it looks we ought to hope for.
 
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anthonys735

anthonys735

Heisman
Jan 29, 2004
62,831
51,908
113
k_s_t_a said:
. I agree with @anthonys735 that probably the best way out is to lean into what this team was ostensibly put together to do, which is be athletic and play defense. Another problem is that our defense sucks and we look really unathletic.
Click to expand...
Lol. No ****.

Just looking at past performances Oweh, Aberdeen, Dioubate, should anchor a tough defense. Garrison, should be in that category but he's past due on making the leap. JQ is an elite defender when/if he returns. Williams, Chandler and Moreno are adequate. Noah and Jasper have been terrrible on D and I'm not sure we have enough evidence on Jelavic.

I'll say this with athleticism, it always awful when you're thinking. Look back at immature Hami Diallo and Justin Edwards. Those dudes are freaks and looked like they had never played basketball at times. Bad basketball pulls you way down. We're not short on athleticism or capable defenders. Defense takes playing as a team, there's no faking it.
 
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btodd0224 n/a?

All-Conference
Jun 14, 2003
1,304
1,545
78
The constant double teaming of the post just leaves a wide open 3, happened all night and put us behind from gate. Would rather give up a contested 2 than a wide open 3. Communication is lacking with this team and it’s costing them.

JQ has to get into the lineup sooner than later, BG is still the BG from last year and maybe worse. Moreno is getting better but has to be stronger going to the rack. Jelavic needs BG.s minutes, he at least plays defense.

Our guards get pushed out farther than they should and can we get rid of the weave up top, just a waste of 10 seconds every possession.
Actual screening and then screening again would help open things up, but we don’t do that.

Need Lowe back to run the offense, but he gets abused on the defensive side, too small and little. Not sure why we’re going through another season without a quality backup PG, especially knowing Lowe had nagging injury problems.

I can just hold out hope that JQ can be a difference maker. The ‘98 team looked completely lost until mid January, but turned it around. I know, that was a tough comparison, but that’s the silver lining I’m left with right now.
 
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HymanKaplan

HymanKaplan

Heisman
Feb 22, 2024
2,390
12,549
113
With JQ in there, the need to double team the post instantly goes away.

and, as btodd said, Moreno's only glaring weakness is having the strength to finish at the rim more consistently.
 
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P

PoapretensisL

Redshirt
Jun 28, 2024
19
23
3
Was told earlier the animosity in the locker room stems from Oweh effing Mo's broad.
The latter found out about it before the UL game and a real brewhaha broke out in the locker room. Extreme dysentary amongst the ranks.
 
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HymanKaplan

HymanKaplan

Heisman
Feb 22, 2024
2,390
12,549
113
If that's true, then send both of them to time out until they can act like adults and stop letting it influence what happens on the court. Or just kick Oweh, or both off the team. Childish and stupid behavior, especially on Oweh's part. Again, IF this IS actually true. (which I doubt)

Good grief...
 
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august-west

august-west

Heisman
May 21, 2002
61,574
18,219
78
PoapretensisL said:
Was told earlier the animosity in the locker room stems from Oweh effing Mo's broad.
The latter found out about it before the UL game and a real brewhaha broke out in the locker room. Extreme dysentary amongst the ranks.
Click to expand...

yeah I saw that on TIKTOK, too. I didn’t believe that dude and I don’t believe it now. I would imagine the Raftard dudes will eat this one up though.
 
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J

jayroon41

Junior
Aug 22, 2024
235
361
63
august-west said:
yeah I saw that on TIKTOK, too. I didn’t believe that dude and I don’t believe it now. I would imagine the Raftard dudes will eat this one up though.
Click to expand...
This might have some legs actually and there was some kind of argument/scuffle with Oweh/Kam before the UofL game. Also, some locker room issues with BG that include him not getting along with some teammates.

After the MSU game, I found it interesting that when Oweh came out to the press conference Pope looked at him like he was the last person he wanted to see at that point.
 
Catman100

Catman100

Heisman
Jan 3, 2003
6,944
10,257
96
So last Friday the wife and I are at LEX for a 7 am flight. I am standing in the TSA Pre line and I see 3 women who look very familiar. They are in the poors line. We get through and are at the Dunkin Donuts when the 3 women walk by and I realize it is Mrs. Pope and 2 daughters. First thing I say to the wife, is wow, how in the heck do they not have TSA Pre with all the flying they probably do?

We are waiting at our gate and I see they are waiting at another gates waiting area. Although we are not going to NYC, the NYC waiting area/gate is right next to our Atlanta gate. I have already speculated to the Mrs. that they are probably going to NYC, but that plane is deep into boarding and they are still way on the other side of the waiting area. The preboarding is going on with our gate and there is nobody standing to enter our gate when all of a sudden all 3 come rushing past 100 people to go to the Atlanta gate. I laugh at the Mrs. and say wow, they are not going to NYC. Turns out the Delta rep tells them they are at the wrong gate and they all 3 embarrassingly laugh in front of 100 Atlanta passengers. Then they hurry off and go through the correct gate.

The moral of the story is we all make mistakes, but POPE sucks at coaching right now.
 
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HymanKaplan

HymanKaplan

Heisman
Feb 22, 2024
2,390
12,549
113
UK Basketball


 
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C

creeksman

All-Conference
Jan 17, 2020
1,166
3,712
113
No idea if Rondo-Sparks part II is legit, but it would make sense that there's trouble that isn't basketball related, with how lost Pope looks and sounds right now. If there was just discontent with minutes or something similar, I trust he'd have a plan to sort it out. Something has him bumfuzzled.

Maybe it's part III if you count BCG-Legion.
 
B

BradyJames

All-Conference
Apr 8, 2024
739
4,998
92
🚀 Scientist is scaring the hell out of me. He seems lost. Also, Pitino can STFU. He wanted us to hire Pelphrey. Had enough of his opinion on our basketball program.

Pope is such a nice guy. He wants it so bad. Unfortunately, his team has looked like ****. That’s on him. Hopefully, he gets it rolling.

I just wouldn’t bet against him. He will figure it out. But it’s scared money.
 
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august-west

august-west

Heisman
May 21, 2002
61,574
18,219
78
jayroon41 said:
This might have some legs actually and there was some kind of argument/scuffle with Oweh/Kam before the UofL game. Also, some locker room issues with BG that include him not getting along with some teammates.

After the MSU game, I found it interesting that when Oweh came out to the press conference Pope looked at him like he was the last person he wanted to see at that point.
Click to expand...

All of that may be true but it has nothing to do with a rumor that was fueled on TikTok. I thought we were better than that in here. Seriously, this is some Raftard level B.S.
 
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J

jayroon41

Junior
Aug 22, 2024
235
361
63
august-west said:
All of that may be true but it has nothing to do with a rumor that was fueled on TikTok. I thought we were better than that in here. Seriously, this is some Raftard level B.S.
Click to expand...
You're right; I think I wanted to believe it because I hoped it would help explain how poorly they've played. I need some sleep and to disengage from this stuff for a while.
 
Btoddisabish

Btoddisabish

Senior
Sep 11, 2025
192
463
63
I hope the blonde haired blue eyed snow bunny that theyre fighting over is worth it because shes sure ruining my favorite time of the year.
 
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