Nevada Recap

Final 67-64 Nevada.

 

This one hurts. Blow a 15 point lead in the second half. At home. Claw back from down seven in the final minute to tie it up. Play great defense on the final possession except for the last one second. Have a freshman post player hit a 30 footer at the buzzer to beat you. 1-3 in conference. Should be at worse 2-2 if not 3-1.

 

Thoughts on a rough Saturday afternoon in the TAC:

 

Starters
Cooper
Rolle

Guyton
Gibson
Loe

 

*This game had one of those final minutes that took about 15 in real time. Nevada had rallied from down 15 early second half to take a seven point lead with 1:17 left. Then Kyle Gibson gets fouled. Goes to the line. Knocks down two. {Tech Down Five}

 

*Let’s count the missed free throws.

 

*Bulldogs foul Johnson from Nevada (1 and 1). He missed. Gibson drives the ball to the hole. Gets fouled again. Makes first. Misses the second. {Tech Down Four}.

 

*Bulldogs foul Fields from Nevada (one and one). He misses. Gibson drives. Misses. Cooper offensive rebound. Fouled. Goes to line and hits two. {Tech Down Two}.

 

* 32 seconds left. Tech fouls Fields from Nevada (one and one). Miss. Gibson fouled. Misses Two.

 

* Tech fouls Cooke from Nevada. Hits one of two. (Tech down 3).

 

* Gibson drives, kicks to Rolle on baseline. Flies in for tremendous athletic layup and gets fouled. Knocks down free throw. (tie game)

 

* Nevada gets the ball back around 15 seconds left. Great ball pressure on the perimeter by the Bulldogs cause a couple of near turnovers (I swear I saw at least one walk) before a last second pass and catch and shoot from Babbitt that made me curse loud enough to offend the mother of several small children at least a dozen rows in front of me.

 

*Sound familiar? Tech holds Nevada to 32% from the field in the first half then allow over 50% shooting in the second half. As usual Tech’s percentage faded as well. 44% in the first to 33% in the second. Tech build their lead off a 7/11 start from outside the arc. The bulldogs missed their last six attempts from deep.

 

*Second half second chance points – Nevada 11, Tech 2.

 

* Once again Rupp had to play the “big 4” (C,R,G,G) over 30+ minutes. In contrast Nevada only had 2 players play over 30 and no one else over 25. The lack of a bench is hurting.

 

*My wife made the hour and half trip to Ruston with me for the game. This was her first trip to see the Dawgs this season. After watching about five minutes she turns to me and says “Number 40 needs to get more aggressive”. Welcome to what we’ve all been watching all season. Cooper once again claims the prize of the softest player on the court. His numbers look great but he missed several point blank shots and let a freshman push him around the majority of the afternoon and especially in the second half. He can be so frustrating to watch because the tools are there but he just quits when its gets too tough.  Numbers – 3/9 from the field, 6 of 10 from the line, 12 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assts.

 

*This was Kyle Gibson afternoon of redemption for the last week. You could feel it and see it on his face. Started off 4/4 from deep and looked to be having one of his big nights where you know he is going to end up with 25. Then he and the entire team slowed down. And with a chance to make up for Hawaii he missed three free throws in the last minute of game play. Numbers were great but the last minute of this game over shadows them. Numbers – 5/10 FG , 4/7 from deep,  18 points, 4 rebs 4 assists 0 turnovers.

 

*Rolle had a good day. As usual he made a key block late and if Tech would have won this ball game his layup and nothing but net free throw with sixteen seconds left would have been one of the plays of the year for this team. Nice to see Magnum stays out of foul trouble. Numbers – 6/11 from the field, 13 points, 4 rebounds, 3 blocks in 31 minutes.

 

*An actual break without travel can only do Jamel Guyton’s shot good. The Guyton temperature gauge: chilly . 4 for 11 from the field, 2 of 5 from beyond, 12 points, 3 assists. He is shooting a good 15% lower from the field that he did in JUCO. But then he’s due to break out any time. Just ask San Jose.

 

* I would like to institute a “James Loe is only allowed to shoot one three per game rule.” If he makes it its gravy and if not he’s not allowed to shoot another. Anyone want to argue. I’ve got the numbers to back it up.

 

*Speaking of Loe he and Behre combined for 28 turnover free minutes at the point. In fact the team only had 11 all night. If we could have seen that in November we’d have five more wins now.

 

*Ashalou had his mandatory turnovers with two in 14 minutes this afternoon. He did chip in four points and three rebounds. I feel bad that I did not mention Thursday that he wins the award for bad haircut of the year for his Mohawk he is currently sporting.

 

*Jackson seems to be in a slump of his own. Missed both attempts from three he took.

 

* Four WAC games in and three disappointing losses. Tech splits the always tough San Jose/Hawaii trip winning one at the buzzer and losing another. Then the two home games where Tech completely dominates the preseason top two teams in the league on the defensive end for a half and then just falls apart on the offensive end in the second half of both ball games and loses. It’s obvious this Tech team can play with and beat anyone on any night or lose to anyone.

 

*One more game on this homestand and an actual rest for the team before it. It was cruel to say the least for the WAC to have Tech play at Hawaii on Monday and then come home and face the Utah State/Nevada double on Thursday/Saturday. Why not the one game only like next week? Or is this just another friendly reminder from the league that we should be looking for a new home. I’ve enjoyed the competition in the WAC but this stuff seems to happen just a little too often.