Mark Few made it to the championship game, didn’t he? And Few didn’t lose to Oral Roberts, but arguably one of the best teams in the country. And definitely not Texas Southern. Additionally, Few looks like he will have good odds to get a second chance at that championship this year. Not so much for White. So compare apples to apples. The deepest White has gone in the NCAAs is an Elite 8 appearance which required a Cheese miracle to achieve. The Cheese miracle was required due to, stop me if this sounds familiar, a White led team losing a lead in the final minutes due to letting the air out of the basketball. Billy lost a championship game before he won a championship two years in a row. But he made the championship games, which is required to have a chance of winning anything. Again, those losses that keep getting brought up are part of a pattern of multiple games where Mike White has let the air out of the ball, loses momentum, and then loses the game.
I’m sorry, but those are terrible arguments down the line. Few requires a miracle shot by Suggs to reach the championship game. I don’t think that is a hit against him, so it shouldn’t be a hit against White. I’m sure he had some questionable losses in his career as well, plus he’s in year 20+. White is in year 7. Most coaches will never get there in their careers. The fact that White list to Oral Robert’s last year is inconsequential. Oral Robert’s was a good team that beat the #2 seeded OSU before beating UF, who mind you, was playing without it’s best player Keyontae Johnson last year.
And BTW I thought that Applyby had a bad game yesterday in spite of hitting a crucial three point shot late.
Do we really know why Lane wasn't playing at all?? A lot of conjecture here, but no real facts that I've seen. Maybe it was coach's decision, maybe it was an injury, maybe some kind of suspension? I have no idea, but it's hard for me to believe it was solely coach's decision that took him from no playing time to starting. I suspect on the back end, his starting is more a message to other guys to up their game.
It is all ultimately a coach's decision. Where or not the coach made a good decision is up in the air. Seeing what we are seeing from Lane's play lately is up for discussion.
Not really. If a guy is hurt or has a university suspension it's not the coach's call. (again not saying thats the case).
I don’t see him using 10 different line ups voluntarily. I see shuffling as a result of injuries and lack of availability. I don’t expect him to play everyone, but I am disappointed when we’re in a slump/ funk and he trots out the same guys. I will say, Lane improves our perimeter defense. Our starters are prone to letting folks get to the rim. I was surprised he went with Lane. I really thought he would have went with someone else. I’m glad he did, he’s paid his dues, and I’m glad he’s getting some positive minutes. Either way, it’s just a discussion/ observation, about how he uses his bench. We’re in the stretch run, and I’m hoping he pushes all the right buttons.
I am guessing that you haven't watched Glover play this season. In my estimation, he is as good a player as Erving Walker was at Florida. Pick out any Samford game on YouTube and watch the highlights, and you will get some insight into Glover's game. Appleby is not a good point guard, although my guess is that he would be solid as a 2-guard if he was on the floor with a legitimate point guard. Glover is a point guard who can score. He looks for his teammates before he looks to score. He usually doesn't score many points in the first 15 minutes of the game because he is trying to get his teammates involved. Then, he takes over. As for the volume shooting, I believe that your facts are wrong. Yes, Glover's 3-point shooting has dropped way off since earlier in the season. His form on the 3-pointer is excellent, but he has run out of gas to some extent with respect to the 3-pointers. He is playing aggressive on-ball defense all over the court. I don't think that he has the legs under him right now to make 3-pointers. However, he is not shooting many of them. Glover is taking 3.3 3-pointers per game and 11.0 2-pointers per game. Compare that to Appleby who is taking 5.3 3-pointers and 2.2 2-pointers per game or Jones who is taking 5.9 3-pointers and 2.5 2-pointers per game. As for the volume shooting, Glover has taken 230 of the team's 815 2-pointers. That is 28.3%. He has taken 70 of the team's 667 3-pointers. That is 10.5%. So, I don't know where your 37% number is coming from. Glover is shooting 52.6% from the 2-point line. He also is making 4.2 free throws per game on 85+% free throw shooting. He is averaging 18.4 ppg while playing a little less that 30 mpg. As for your comments about the team, Samford was 6-13 last season and 2-9 in the conference. This season, it is 15-9 for the season and 5-7 in the conference. It also has won 4 of its last 5 conference games, including wins over Mercer, Chattanooga and Wofford, who are all tough teams. Samford also had earlier wins on the road over Oregon State and Ole Miss. Samford is light years better than it was last season, and the driving force for its resurgence has been Ques Glover. We could have used him this season and would be a way better team if he was our point guard.
I would take Appleby. He's getting better at PG and will be even better next year. Yes he's a PG not a 2 . You say Glover being bad from 3 is because he is tired. Come on he is not a good shooter from deep. Appleby if starting for Samford would have as good or better averages no question.
Glover is a decent player playing on a bad team in a bad league. The fact that he has OK stats is not indicative of him being a great player. He is an OK player.
Very wise post. It’s easy for fans to say “we should have played this guy or that guy” or “imagine how great our team would have been had this player gotten PT earlier this year or last year” or “how could any good coach not have this player on the court/field the way he’s playing?” The answer, sometimes (most times), is that the breakout hadn’t happened yet. The light wasn’t on yet for the player. But now it is on and we as fans act like it was there for years when it wasn’t. Coaches in good favor get a “that a boy” for coaching up a kid. Coaches not in good favor get criticized about it
She me of you guys have the combo of being stubborn as a mule and not having a clue. I’m not naming names.
Not sure how if I would characterize it is a bad game, when Appleby comes up money down the stretch and is automatic from the free throw line. A week earlier, Appleby had a "double double" with 10 points and 10 assists, despite going just 1-10 from the field. One could argue that his 8-9 from the free throw line was the difference between winning and losing, despite the 1-10.
I do have a floater that I don’t think about. But I believe that my assessment of Mike White is dead on.
Do you really think that I don’t get it? You’re missing my tongue in cheek response. Back to the actual issue, Appleby is not a good point guard. He had the chance when he was the point guard at Cleveland State, and the team stunk with him at the point. Samford would not be a good team with Appleby at the point. He is not a guard who initiates the action for his team. He is the action, and it doesn’t work. He might win a game for you, but he is not going to win 2 or 3 in a row for you. I love that you are not surprised that I don’t get it. Thanks for the put down. I have tried to be pleasant to you, but you just don’t know much about basketball.
