First MAC Loss, WMU a good team
Certainly it was a disappointing result to lose to WMU today. But they are a very, very good team. As I was waiting for the game to start, I was surprised at the blow out wins they have had in the conference. This is a very good team, and far and away the likely team to repeat as MAC Champs.
We shot poorly, only 41% This team cannot win without really good shooting--50% or better.
WMU is a good team. Every time we made a big play and got the crowd cranking, they came right down in the teeth of it and drained a shot. They've won 3 big games on the road, and they are players. Rost is a very good player and strong as an ox, and so is Reed. The FR Reitz also had a big game--killed us on the inside.
They play tough, tough D. They big guys are quick enough they cover our PGs. Reimold only got 3 treys OFF, and only made 1, and that one was under serious duress.
Fitch played a good game. Good D, a couple decent hoops, and a spectacular block. They aren't covering him when we have the ball, though, and he didn't really hurt them. (It was only cramps when he went down at the end, according to DD).
Floyd was uneven, but Robinson played his best game. Lots of energy and very solid. He is going to be a good player. Both our points have a habit of driving into trouble without really creating any space for anyone else, but I expect them to get better. For now, they are not hurting the team, but are not major assets. We only had 8 to's.
Almanson was uneven with 18 (and some BIG shots) but only 3 boards.
We got killed on the boards (40-30)
We shot half as many FTs (24-12)
We committed almost twice as many fouls (23-14)
The officiating was poor, not because we lost or because of the fouls, because the better team won. Put the officials lost control of the game--badly. There was a melee leaving at the end of the first half. There was a hilarious replay watching on a 35-second shot deal that everyone saw, including the ref who called it, but NOT including the guy who kept showing off. There were several other incidents. Its a highly charged environment, and they have to do better than that.
Game flow was something like this. WMU bolted up 17-8 (15:37), but we went on a 9-3 run to get it to 19-20 with 9:42 left. WMU then went 11-5 tgo got up 31-24 with 5:48 left and led at the half with a 4 point lead.
In the second half, we actually led at 40-39 (15:36), but the Broncos took the next two minutes to go back up 7 @ 42-49 with 13:14 left. We battled back and tied the game at 51 with JR's only 3 of the day (10:16). From there, it was over. We only had two times where it was one possession from there on in. At 5:02, Robinsson made a TO when we were down 3. Then, with 1:11 to go, we were down 3, and in position where a stop and we can tie. John Floyd apprently (according to DD) thought that it was a 4 point deficent, and fouled, and from there on in it was all over.
Tough day, nice crowd, disappointing loss. Tough assignment on the road at Ball State Tuesday, but we need it.
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