MBB: RPI #236 ASU at RPI #304 Tx State 5:30 PM Strahan Coliseum

[asu66]

The Apps (5-6, 0-0 SBC) open conference play versus Tx St (7-5, 0-0 SBC) late this afternoon. Tx State has a winning record against a so-so schedule; the Apps are almost back to .500 against a much tougher schedule. Both teams are on two-game win streaks.

A road win for the good guys would be a great confidence-builder and allow for what could be a tough night at RPI #19 Tx Arlington on Monday.

[T-Dog]

Ladies just took a 66-64 win on Madi Story's bucket with 3.9 seconds left. Huge win for the ladies, who have been one of the worst Sun Belt road teams in the last two years.

[AppinVA]

25-15 bad guys with 7 and change before the half.

[AppinVA]

35-19 at the break.

[AppinVA]

Closing in. 46-40, them, with 12:30 to play.

[AppinVA]

52-48 them. A little over five to play

[AppinVA]

57-48 at the under four.

[AppinVA]

Lost 67-58. Dammit.

[MAD Doctor]

19 points in the first half against a team with an RPI of #304? How does one even do that?

[hapapp]

This game sort of typifies where we are right now--consistently inconsistent. We had an awful first half, played lights out for much of the second half, and then faded down the stretch. We face a much better UTA team tomorrow.

[asu66]

19 points in the first half against a team with an RPI of #304? How does one even do that?

You do it by bringing in kids who can fix the APR/academic problem but can't make shots from the perimeter and can't finish inside. You do it by missing 26 of your 34 shots from the floor in the first half. You do it by missing three of your seven free throws.
You do it by bringing in transfers from D-II, junior college/community college and low D-I programs. You do it by bringing in star Class A players to go against star AAA and star AAAA players. You do it by having one of the eight youngest teams in D-I.

Fox won't say it but if he were to be granted a do-over, he'd fight for salary to hire different assistants in the two lower slots. We have two guys who are great young men but may be in a bit over their heads.

[app97]

Also, you do it by playing a team with one of the best defenses in the conference with veteran players who used WCU's blueprint for beating us. Slow, methodical tempo, control pace, because they knew they couldn't run with us. They saw that we have potential to score lots of points and that we shoot lots of threes and like to push tempo. Gotta give credit where it's due. Their coach even said in the post game interview that we would beat lots of teams this year and that he was very proud that his team was able to hold a team like ours to 58 points. He said he would take that any day. There's a lot more to college basketball than computer RPI rankings, largely based on who they've played. Coaching an effective game plan and players executing based on the scouting report is pretty important.

[asu66]

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