Topic: No what we know tonight

[goherd24]

Sorry guys, off and spending time with family. Caught very little of the game. Anyone else that wants to chime in on this one, please do! Ill definitely be watching Maryland.

[REL70]

A&T not a good team. But I felt like we came out, especially in the 1st half and just played D’antoni Basketball. Made nine 3 pointers in the first half, boys played aggressive. It was a fun night. The team is getting better playing together. Bennett continues to improve. Kinsey is a blast to watch. We got sloppy late in the game. It happens. Maryland is a very winnable game.

[Herdmeister]

A&T not a good team. But I felt like we came out, especially in the 1st half and just played D’antoni Basketball. Made nine 3 pointers in the first half, boys played aggressive. It was a fun night. The team is getting better playing together. Bennett continues to improve. Kinsey is a blast to watch. We got sloppy late in the game. It happens. Maryland is a very winnable game.

That pretty well describes it.
Iran still has a lot of work to do and he knows it but he has shown over the past couple of games what we have been seeing in practice for the past year.
He has great footwork and soft hands for a big man.

I'm making the trip to College Park on Friday and hope to see us play our game. If we do, we could win it!
They have a couple of 6-10 guys that are being projected as first round NBA guys come spring. It will be a tall task for sure but when we are hitting on all cylinders, we can be a handful

[GreenWhite]

There will be three of us making the trip to Maryland Friday. Can't wait. I really feel when we get all things clicking at the same time, we are going to be really good. We are good now, don't get me wrong. But, when Bennett gets more comfortable and loses some more weight, we are going to be really good.

[Kwherd]

I’m sorry but I just don’t see what you folks are seeing in Bennet. Please remind me if I’m wrong, and I Hope I am, but he won’t last 10 minutes against a competent big man. Much too slow and has no idea how to use his size to position himself to an advantage. I just think he is a liability. Folks watching the last two games with me who aren’t Marshall fans think he is a joke and Marshall is giving him minutes just because he practices. A mop up type of guy. Unfortunately, I somewhat agree.

[Herdmeister]

I’m sorry but I just don’t see what you folks are seeing in Bennet. Please remind me if I’m wrong, and I Hope I am, but he won’t last 10 minutes against a competent big man. Much too slow and has no idea how to use his size to position himself to an advantage. I just think he is a liability. Folks watching the last two games with me who aren’t Marshall fans think he is a joke and Marshall is giving him minutes just because he practices. A mop up type of guy. Unfortunately, I somewhat agree.

Danny says he NEVER recruits a kid on what he sees now but what he sees in them in the future. He says he has the best rand softest hands of any big man he has ever seen with the exception of Shaq. He really knows talent and I trust in him.
Many were saying the same about Ajdin when he came in but Danny saw what he would be.

[GreenWhite]

What I see in Bennett is what was seen with Peneva and that is a work in progress. Danny mentioned last night he is just a freshman. Wait and see. I also heard Bennett is on a 30 carb a day diet. He even mentioned bubblegum has two carbs. Between practice, playing and dieting, he should be losing the pounds as the season goes on. I don't know about him being a joke, I just don't see it. Ask me that question two years from now.

[GCPCOLLINS7]

I think our team defense is better this year then last. We x out, help and get in the passing lanes better IMO. When Bennett is in the game, we struggle with ball screens from the big because Bennett is too slow to hedge and get back to his man. He had a nice breakaway dunk, but that was because he didn't cross half court on offense.

We shot the ball extremely well to start with and then it kind of slowed down. Our guards are really good, even off the bench. WE can pressure the ball non-stop for 40 minutes, which is nice to have.

I think comparing Penava to Bennett is unfair. Penava was long, could jump, and shoot the ball. He was just undersized. Bennett doesn't do ANYTHING good. He turns the ball over the majority of the time he catches it in the post. Has ZERO post moves, doesn't make it past half court. A & T's big man beat him down the floor every time, they just missed getting him the ball.

I don't know what our plus/minus is when Bennett is in vs out and then when Watson/George come in but it has to be a huge difference. Also, Bennett is a red-shirt freshman, with a year of Hargrave. He should be where Penava was last year right now.

[MicDrass1]

George is our X factor.  Tried to tell you all last year he was special.  Should avg. 13-15 ppg if minutes and shots climb.  Same thing with Williams.  Spread the shots around.  Teams will lob over Bennett frequently.  Good player and potential I would never dispute Coach D's judgement.  But Bennett should be playing college football.

[svherd]

Still just a short term concern in the middle. Bennett, Williams, Sustic, Beyers, George - will ALL have to play well and contribute. We can't count on Jon and CJ being on every night. Physical teams will hurt us. It sucks Peneva couldn't stick around for 365 more days in his life to help us and this program. We should be very solid towards the end of the year,but will that be enough for an at large if we don't win the league tourney. Hope so!

Like what DD is doing.

[herdorbust]

I think our team defense is better this year then last. We x out, help and get in the passing lanes better IMO. When Bennett is in the game, we struggle with ball screens from the big because Bennett is too slow to hedge and get back to his man. He had a nice breakaway dunk, but that was because he didn't cross half court on offense.

We shot the ball extremely well to start with and then it kind of slowed down. Our guards are really good, even off the bench. WE can pressure the ball non-stop for 40 minutes, which is nice to have.

I think comparing Penava to Bennett is unfair. Penava was long, could jump, and shoot the ball. He was just undersized. Bennett doesn't do ANYTHING good. He turns the ball over the majority of the time he catches it in the post. Has ZERO post moves, doesn't make it past half court. A & T's big man beat him down the floor every time, they just missed getting him the ball.

I don't know what our plus/minus is when Bennett is in vs out and then when Watson/George come in but it has to be a huge difference. Also, Bennett is a red-shirt freshman, with a year of Hargrave. He should be where Penava was last year right now.

Post saved.

[Herdmeister]

   (Bennett) Has ZERO post moves, doesn't make it past half court. A & T's big man beat him down the floor every time, they just missed getting him the ball.

I guess you see that game completely different than Danny. He sees a big man with excellent footwork...
No offense to you, but until proven wrong, I will go with Dan D'Antoni's evaluation. All he has done is develop NBA players to help them make millions of dollars a year. I guess you stayed in a Holiday Inn Express last night.

[GCPCOLLINS7]

I guess you see that game completely different than Danny. He sees a big man with excellent footwork...
No offense to you, but until proven wrong, I will go with Dan D'Antoni's evaluation. All he has done is develop NBA players to help them make millions of dollars a year. I guess you stayed in a Holiday Inn Express last night.

Excellent footwork? Please show me a video clip of his excellent footwork combined with a basketball move? Better yet, show me one thing that he does that improves our basketball team. He takes up space, and that's all. No offense to you, but get off DD's balls and watch the basketball game. You can clearly see via film and stats that he has no production for us. He is clumsy, can't put the ball on the ground, and loses it out of bounds when he makes a post move. All of this is evidence in our first four games.

[REL70]

A lot of people on this message board gave Penava down the road. He turned out pretty good. Bennett will be fine. He has already shown improvement (at least to me) since EKU. Enjoy the ride.

[herdorbust]

Excellent footwork? Please show me a video clip of his excellent footwork combined with a basketball move? Better yet, show me one thing that he does that improves our basketball team. He takes up space, and that's all. No offense to you, but get off DD's balls and watch the basketball game. You can clearly see via film and stats that he has no production for us. He is clumsy, can't put the ball on the ground, and loses it out of bounds when he makes a post move. All of this is evidence in our first four games.

I cant wait!!!!

[GCPCOLLINS7]

I cant wait!!!!

First play on the video, Bennett just sits back at the foul line while Burks is getting drilled every direction by the screen and he just sit's back there and watches. Literally just stands there.

[goherd24]

GPC, I understand where you are coming from 100%. But be patient. Experience is the best teacher. I dogged Peneva from day 1, about how he shouldn't even have on a D1 uniform, and he developed into a monstet player, that made a bad decision that we should habe gotten two really good years out of by Dan developing him. We as Marshall fans are used to what you see is what you get, in terms of how good a player is from the jump, because we rarely ever have had a good coach to actually improve someone.

I think Bennett is raw as well, but give him another year under Dan, i think he will develop faster than Peneva and we'll be talking about how we hope he doesn't hire an agent in a couple years.

[GCPCOLLINS7]

GPC, I understand where you are coming from 100%. But be patient. Experience is the best teacher. I dogged Peneva from day 1, about how he shouldn't even have on a D1 uniform, and he developed into a monstet player, that made a bad decision that we should habe gotten two really good years out of by Dan developing him. We as Marshall fans are used to what you see is what you get, in terms of how good a player is from the jump, because we rarely ever have had a good coach to actually improve someone.

I think Bennett is raw as well, but give him another year under Dan, i think he will develop faster than Peneva and we'll be talking about how we hope he doesn't hire an agent in a couple years.

I agree with you....I'm just speaking specifically about right now. Some of these folks think because DD say's the ocean is purple, then the ocean is purple and they get upset because you have an opinion that differs from DD's. I honestly hope Bennett plays out, because we could def use him. I had a guy tell me that we we're lucky to get Bennett and if he would have had the grades, he would be in the SEC or ACC. I'm not doubting that he is a high level player, I'm just saying right now he hasn't shown us in the scrimmages or the first four games any of the things mentioned.

[herdorbust]

I agree with you....I'm just speaking specifically about right now. Some of these folks think because DD say's the ocean is purple, then the ocean is purple and they get upset because you have an opinion that differs from DD's. I honestly hope Bennett plays out, because we could def use him. I had a guy tell me that we we're lucky to get Bennett and if he would have had the grades, he would be in the SEC or ACC. I'm not doubting that he is a high level player, I'm just saying right now he hasn't shown us in the scrimmages or the first four games any of the things mentioned.

I dont think what dd says is gospel because i can think and see for myself. Like i said just go back and read ALL my posts. Ive even said bennett is NOT there yet. But i have seen enough practices to know what he can do. The only thing holding him back is the 30-40 more pounds he needs to lose and the experience. Both will come. You can down him all you want, but he will become the best and most dominate player inside Marshall has ever had. Laugh if you want and mark this post. OK?

[parshall2marshall]

Uh-oh. Here comes the free-throw policeman again.

I see IB falling away / moving backward repeatedly after shooting his free throws. The one free throw ( 1-3 ) he made against A&T he did not fall backward. He was doing this in the Bahamas and it still has not been addressed.

It tells me DD does not walk on water, and that he and the staff seem to care little about basic free throw form. It is going to bite us in the @ss, wait and see.

We haven't needed the focus so far on it, but we're 19/35 at the line as a team in our last 2 games, for a sizzling 54.2 %

[GCPCOLLINS7]

I dont think what dd says is gospel because i can think and see for myself. Like i said just go back and read ALL my posts. Ive even said bennett is NOT there yet. But i have seen enough practices to know what he can do. The only thing holding him back is the 30-40 more pounds he needs to lose and the experience. Both will come. You can down him all you want, but he will become the best and most dominate player inside Marshall has ever had. Laugh if you want and mark this post. OK?

I wasn't specifically talking about you. You seem to give an honest assessment each game and I would't argue with you about it, because it is simply your impression of the players/team. That's the great thing about sports and message boards, we all see it from a different point of view.

[GreenWhite]

Uh-oh. Here comes the free-throw policeman again.

I see IB falling away / moving backward repeatedly after shooting his free throws. The one free throw ( 1-3 ) he made against A&T he did not fall backward. He was doing this in the Bahamas and it still has not been addressed.

It tells me DD does not walk on water, and that he and the staff seem to care little about basic free throw form. It is going to bite us in the @ss, wait and see.

We haven't needed the focus so far on it, but we're 19/35 at the line as a team in our last 2 games, for a sizzling 54.2 %

I wasn't looking that closely to see what Bennett was doing. Now that you posted this, I will keep an eye out for it. I will say one thing concerning the coaching staff...maybe they did say something and it is just a habit the Bennett needs to break. It does not happen overnight. I remember Damier Pitts really struggling from the line one season until he moved a little off center and everything started falling for him. It took a few games for that to happen. So, maybe Bennett just needs to get rid of the habit of falling away from the basket.

[Herdalum83]

Bennett has shown a ton of improvement in my opinion. And I honestly don't know how you can't see it. The narrative being painted in this thread is unfair to him. Is he a work in progress? Yes. Does he need to get in better shape? Yes.

But I have seen some flashes from him and oh btw the guy that turns it over every time he touches it had 0 turnovers last time out and 11 points on 5-7 shooting and it was damn near 15 on 7-7 shooting as he had a couple tough lay ups rim out on him. On one of those layups he took the ball from the 3 point line to the cup, using a nice pump fake to freeze a defender before driving by him. How many 380lb kids can do that? Not many. The kid is getting better.

As for his post moves, he doesn't need many, a drop step and power dribble will get it done more often than not and he's demonstrated that a few times as well as a soft touch on hook shots.

[2xBison]

First play on the video, Bennett just sits back at the foul line while Burks is getting drilled every direction by the screen and he just sit's back there and watches. Literally just stands there.

maybe DD wants him to stay in the middle in that situation.  He is big and slower than those players. it makes switching the screen not a good idea, hedging and recovering doesn't work...I'm thinking that Bennet staying in the middle may have been what we wanted given the team we are playing and that situation.  My guess is we won't see Bennet leaving the lane (or at least not be further than 12-15 ft from basket) often on defense unless we play a good five out shooting team like us....and then he will sit while we play small.