MBB vs Arkansas State, Sunday, March 10, 6 p.m. ET, ESPN+, Pensacola Bay Center, Pensacola, Fla., Sun Belt semis

[scatman77]

We have 27 wins and people are critical of the way we play. Wow

Exactly. Complaining of "slow play" and no post. I don't know what they've been watching but leading the country in blocks, the second best shot blocker the nation, and many many offensive rebounds does not indicate "no post"

JT this is why I rarely post anything here. Too many pseudo-basketball brains that probably never even heard of Naismith. And the one saying Kerns' offense is the problem weren't saying that when we were beating Auburn, JMU twice, and running of 27 wins.

[appgrad95&97]

This was a tough loss. But this '23-'24 App team is probably the best I have ever seen. Every man on this team deserves credit for what they accomplished this year.

Now, I just hope CJ is the only guy that could come back next year who isn't.

[Seattleapp]

The stretch of kerns not recognizing that mantis was a liability was the sticking point. That was the change. It’s easy to make that substitution in a regular season game up 7 ad hide mantis but Kerns shoulda subbed mantis out asap and he didn’t. Arkansas state rightly feasted on this and we lost by a bucket

[njcarr]

Just saw a video on you tube. The shooter should have been called for a travel violation immediately after catching the pass before drinking. Feet shuffled before ball was dribbled. He was lucky not to be called!!!

[njcarr]

My previous post about travel violation was before dribbling, not drinking (don't know where that typo came from).

[10key2011]

Extremely proud of this team. Teams like this build the foundation of a program and get folks involved who have not been in the past. Personally this was the most engaged I have ever been. Hoping we can somehow keep Kerns and our team together for next year and make a run.

[appstate24]

Last night was rough. Hard to watch those guys walk off with a loss like that. As hard as we take it, nobody will take it harder than them.

Thank you! Thank you to every guy on that team, from the leaders, to the end of the bench. Thank you to Coach Kerns and the whole staff. Incredible season so far, shouldn’t be over. These guys deserve to keep playing. Incredible, record breaking season, thank you for a season that will never be forgotten.

That being said, go win whatever post season tournament we get.

GO APPS!!

[GSUwasGump’sFallbackSchool]

The stretch of kerns not recognizing that mantis was a liability was the sticking point. That was the change. It’s easy to make that substitution in a regular season game up 7 ad hide mantis but Kerns shoulda subbed mantis out asap and he didn’t. Arkansas state rightly feasted on this and we lost by a bucket

Yeah, Mantis has been such a liability for months and Kerns has been adamant about keeping him in even tho he doesn't offset his poor play with 3s all winter.

I know Marsh is small and young, but the effort he gives made him the much better player. Maybe Coach doesn’t think he’s ready for big minutes and the decision making that comes with it, but he was much better than Mantis since UL game (at least).

[pop5app]

Honestly when you look at Kerns offense that is the problem. Our offense is unique and horrible.

Would you mind elaborating?

Didn’t write the comment but I agree. If you actually watch the game- not just the ball- there was an entire half of basketball without one pass and cut. Sometimes possessions, where the ball never went inside the three point line.no pick and rolls. No attacking the basket. Watch the players without the ball. The entire first half was wasted by guys standing around or outside the three point line. I guess they’re hoping someone will throw them the ball so they can jack an ill advised three. Watch the movement without the ball. Second half was the opposite and we played well but we buried ourselves with poor offensive movement in the first half.

[MrCraig]

The stretch of kerns not recognizing that mantis was a liability was the sticking point. That was the change. It’s easy to make that substitution in a regular season game up 7 ad hide mantis but Kerns shoulda subbed mantis out asap and he didn’t. Arkansas state rightly feasted on this and we lost by a bucket

Yeah, Mantis has been such a liability for months and Kerns has been adamant about keeping him in even tho he doesn't offset his poor play with 3s all winter.

I know Marsh is small and young, but the effort he gives made him the much better player. Maybe Coach doesn’t think he’s ready for big minutes and the decision making that comes with it, but he was much better than Mantis since UL game (at least).

You dance with the girl who brung ya.
It reminds me of Brian Snitker after the Braves won the WS a few years ago. Chris Martin and Will Smith had blown multiple leads in relief, but Snitker kept sending them out there, and they both had huge innings in the postseason. Both said it was Snitker's confidence in them that made them pitch as well as they did. I feel confident saying the Mantis situation is probably similar.
In addition, we don't see practice. Mantis might be a practice all-star, and Kerns feels like he should be rewarded with minutes regardless of production. Who knows?

[scatman77]

Why in fu k would any APP fans say the other team deserved to win - Jesus H. Tapdancing Christ - Pathetic excuse for a fan
And stop calling out individual players saying their play cost the game -
Piss poor

Ark St played better than us tonight and exploited matchups. That’s what rational fans do, give credit when it’s deserved.

Thanks, Saint. After their 23 point spanking in Boone there's no denying they had some incentive. ArkState played an exceptional game, our guys being the champions that they are battled back despite stAte's best efforts and we still were in a position to win.

I think the big thing is that in the second half the stink came across a strategy to overcome our offense when they started switching on the picks instead of fighting through. ArkState saw that game and did the same thing.

[hapapp]

What a difference a week makes. Our last two games of the regular season were about as well as the team played all season. I don't know if it was a letdown from winning the regular season title or the pressure of the moment but, it wasn't the same team on display in Pensacola.

Nonetheless, this group ignited excitement throughout the fanbase and deserve our respect and appreciation for their incredible season. In the games I was able to attend, I hadn't witnessed that level of fan enthusiasm in App basketball in a long time. Here's hoping we can maintain it.

That no doubt that will change but in every traditional one bid conference to date, no #1 seed has won their tourney. It just demonstrates the pressure to win in those circumstances is tremendous. Basketball this time of year is a cruel sport as we discovered last night.

[hapapp]

Why in fu k would any APP fans say the other team deserved to win - Jesus H. Tapdancing Christ - Pathetic excuse for a fan
And stop calling out individual players saying their play cost the game -
Piss poor

Ark St played better than us tonight and exploited matchups. That’s what rational fans do, give credit when it’s deserved.

Thanks, Saint. After their 23 point spanking in Boone there's no denying they had some incentive. ArkState played an exceptional game, our guys being the champions that they are battled back despite stAte's best efforts and we still were in a position to win.

I think the big thing is that in the second half the stink came across a strategy to overcome our offense when they started switching on the picks instead of fighting through. ArkState saw that game and did the same thing.

I knew the AState team we faced yesterday would be different than the one we smashed in Boone. They no doubt applied what they learned from that game. Give them credit for making the adjustments. It was almost as if we didn't know how to adjust to their changes.

[Bigdaddyg1]

Look around the mid major programs and see how many regular season champs lost in their tournaments. Happens a lot every single year. I'll bet this happens way more than a team taking both the regular season and tournament. The pressure to not fail is way greater than the "lesser team" playing loose and with a nothing to lose mentality.
Conversely look how many 8-10ish loss power schools don't really care about their conference tournaments as they are already locked into the Big Dance. It's the reality. Some of the complaints about the offense (which were not anywhere all year) are just like football. There is an expectation for the team to be great at all aspects of the game. Our 9 man rotation depended on a small true freshman, a defensive liability who rarely had big games shooting the ball and a very athletic solid defender who gave little offense. Yesterday we apparently lost a solid big early on. Arky has done what teams need to do- play really good late in the season. I'm a big fan tonight. Screw JMU.

[311neers]

Look around the mid major programs and see how many regular season champs lost in their tournaments. Happens a lot every single year. I'll bet this happens way more than a team taking both the regular season and tournament. The pressure to not fail is way greater than the "lesser team" playing loose and with a nothing to lose mentality.
Conversely look how many 8-10ish loss power schools don't really care about their conference tournaments as they are already locked into the Big Dance. It's the reality. Some of the complaints about the offense (which were not anywhere all year) are just like football. There is an expectation for the team to be great at all aspects of the game. Our 9 man rotation depended on a small true freshman, a defensive liability who rarely had big games shooting the ball and a very athletic solid defender who gave little offense. Yesterday we apparently lost a solid big early on. Arky has done what teams need to do- play really good late in the season. I'm a big fan tonight. Screw JMU.

Who did we lose? Injury? Benching? Argument? Pretty sure they all played. Spillers/Huntley just weren't in rotation down the stretch.

[Stonewall]

Long , restless night in Pensacola. Everyone hurting. A lot of arm chair coaching comments here on this Board. Fan support for our team at this tournament was far less than it should have been. Far less. We have a better team , now a better program, than in decades , and this is the level of support?

[RadioNeer98]

I am beyond proud of this team this year. I am nearly 26 years old and this is the BEST App St basketball team I have ever had the ability to watch in my lifetime! It still stings and will for a few days. It feels awful that we will not get a crack at the NCAA tourny but hey such is life as a mid-major. I am hopeful that the NIT sees what Kerns and Co. have done this season and puts us in. Most of what I have seen has us traveling to Wake if we make the NIT.

[WataugaMan]

The team deserves (in my opinion at least) a NIT bid. With that said, hopefully during this tournament sleep walking through half a game will be something of the past. Get rested up, shake it off, refocus and get it done. Move forward.

[BUTCH1991]

There's always 2042! We go to the dance every 21 years - 1979, 2000, 2021.

[311neers]

The team deserves (in my opinion at least) a NIT bid. With that said, hopefully during this tournament sleep walking through half a game will be something of the past. Get rested up, shake it off, refocus and get it done. Move forward.

A bunch of media members and "Bracketologists" loved us as a team and keep mentioning us for the NIT. They think our resume is strong enough for NIT.
This team is too good not to give us a chance at the NIT!