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mrjpark's avatar

We could have two more wins this season if we just had an average number of turnovers per game. The good news is that the number purely stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid stupid. Stupid, turnovers has gone down between UTEP and Tulane.

GlueAndBold's avatar

Per Kenpom Cal is also one of the five unluckiest teams in D1 right now. Three consecutive losses by three points each will do that.

Steve Gillings's avatar

How do I delete te double post below?

Steve Gillings's avatar

Madsen has a LOT of work to do. Another game of WAY too many turnovers (I counted 21, same as Monday night) and fouls (not as many as Monday night, though). Our defense in the paint barely exists. And our offense around the basket is extremely weak. The team was in the game only because of the high number of 3s made. When some good teams shut down our 3s, we will get blown out unless the players learn to get inside. I don't think that being at full strength will help that much if Madsen can't get the team playing basic basketball. It will be another LONG season if the team does not start playing basic basketball.

ShanghaiDave93's avatar

Cal’s close but just can’t make that final push and this was the easiest part of the schedule.

Conference’s first 6 games are brutal for a young team.

As a fan, I have to now suspend game counting and watch each game with a goldfish’s memory.

Jimmy Chitwood's avatar

Would love to get solid minutes for minutes for Brown, Vlad, Larson, even once we’re filull strength…development from them, along with gaining some consistency by Newell and ND, will be crucial as Madsen rebuilds the program.

But the games are entertaining, and despite the defensive struggles and unsustainably high turnover rates, the team is right there.

GlueAndBold's avatar

A frustrating but deserved loss. Tulane is theoretically the best team we've played yet and Cal still led for the majority of the game. Interior defense and turnovers both need work, badly. SDSU's going to score quite a lot on us come Saturday.

KetamineCal's avatar

Turnovers and poor defense can be signs of either a team being new or of poor coaching. They're "out of sync" errors. Right now, it's almost certainly the former so we just have to look for progress as the season goes on.

The key here is that we aren't getting blown out and we can see a path to success. We're better than we were last year.

Jimmy Chitwood's avatar

Hey TD, how did Aimaq win DPOY twice? He’s such a poor defender.

PawlOski's avatar

Really. He doesn't lack effort and he's actually a very solid post defender, but he is a total loss playing help defense and staying in front of anyone off the dribble.

TD_24's avatar

couldn't tell ya, he in addition to everyone else needs to understand their leverage better, be in a position to make a play, and do so without fouling

Jimmy Chitwood's avatar

Exactly. I mean, the kid can definitely board, but this is some of the worst defense I’ve seen in over 40 years of Cal hoops viewing, and unfortunately he’s right in the middle of that. Sure, Kennedy will help, but right now, it’s just way too easy for the opposing teams to get whatever they want. Yikes.

Avinash Kunnath's avatar

He actually wasn't bad today

TD_24's avatar

Need to hone those fundamentals badly

Jimmy Chitwood's avatar

It’s imperative.

GoldenBear88's avatar

That sucked BUT that was way more entertaining than anything I ever saw by a Mark Fox team. We should have won but we just ran out of gas down the stretch. Too many turnovers and some bad defense in the second half doomed us. Madsen really needs to tighten up the defense in the paint. Tulane had way too many easy shots down low. However, this team looks much improved and that gives me hope.

Jimmy Chitwood's avatar

Oh absolutely more fun to watch, plus UTEP and Tulane are good. And the baseline talent is there to compete, unlike at anytime in the Fox era.

Frustrating now, but if they curtail the turnovers, they can win even with the absolutely awful D they play. It’s just impossible to win when you turn the ball over 21 times.

Dominick Damiani's avatar

Good night to all is watching

Jimmy Chitwood's avatar

Don’t like playing for OT…they literally got 2 stops in the final 10+ minutes of the game.

GlueAndBold's avatar

Hoo boy, here comes the last possession of the game

Dominick Damiani's avatar

A ton of long lobbing passes around the court.

Jimmy Chitwood's avatar

Ballgame.

Can’t get a single stop.

Dominick Damiani's avatar

They need a 2 guard offense. Finally inside game

Dominick Damiani's avatar

Again to the inside . Nice

Jimmy Chitwood's avatar

Love Madsen and the direction of the program, and the players are better, but we’ll probably be lucky to win 10 games.

Poor defense + turnovers is an awful combination.

GlueAndBold's avatar

Shoulda called the TO earlier imo. Team needs a reset

Dominick Damiani's avatar

Where is the guard play ????

Dominick Damiani's avatar

They don't have anyone that can drive to the basket.

GlueAndBold's avatar

That first half defense has certainly regressed. Tyson's really putting the team on his back.

Dominick Damiani's avatar

They can't stop that kid Cross.

Jimmy Chitwood's avatar

It’s just too easy. No resistance whatsoever.

But the kids are battling.

Dominick Damiani's avatar

Why is that kid still up at 1130pm ???

I barely keeping my eyes open

Jimmy Chitwood's avatar

Okafor with another force in traffic.

GlueAndBold's avatar

Multiple Aimaq blocks plus a big alley-oop? Yes please!

Jimmy Chitwood's avatar

Should’ve been an and-1 too

Jimmy Chitwood's avatar

Sweet alley-ooooop!!

I can hear Beluomini now…HOW DO YOU LIKE IT!!!

Dominick Damiani's avatar

Wow a inside Dunk finally.. but they love taking 3's .

Dominick Damiani's avatar

Cal doesn't have any inside game . I don't believe I have seen one lay up

Jimmy Chitwood's avatar

This team can’t guard anyone

Jimmy Chitwood's avatar

They have to reign the turnovers in. You can’t win giving the ball away 20+ times a game.

GlueAndBold's avatar

With the inexplicable lack of box score to go off of, my impressions are:

Solid defense

Pretty good rebounding

Ok offense but incredibly careless

Jimmy Chitwood's avatar

Couple of lapses, including Tulane’s last 3, which was just way too easy…but definitely better effort and they’re boarding well. Stripes letting them play - really not much different stylistically from the past few games - the refs are letting some contact go.

Alex Khalifa's avatar

I’m here at my sister’s old high school to watch very long bank shots go in.

Jimmy Chitwood's avatar

12 first half turnovers.

6 point lead.

KetamineCal's avatar

Love seeing a buzzer-beater heave go our way!

Gobears512's avatar

I agree - I cannot wait until the supporting cast comes back from injury. I appreciate the effort from the backups but they struggle.

Jimmy Chitwood's avatar

Newell is high. Seriously, WTF?

Gobears512's avatar

Good shot from Cone - especially drawing the foul. Stupid play from the defender though.

Jimmy Chitwood's avatar

That’s a horrible shot by Okafor. Top of the key jumper with 24 secs left on the shot clock? Yikes.

Gobears512's avatar

I know it's not about appearance or style... but Pavlovic needs to shave his beard and cut his hair... I can't watch that. Having said that - I really enjoy watching the bears play when they're on. SO MUCH more exciting than the last couple of years. Would like to win a few, though.

GoBears's avatar

I think he gives off good vibes with it

Gobears512's avatar

Which vibes are those? Hairy porn star? Guy living in mom's basement?

Jimmy Chitwood's avatar

Tyson’s gotta finish that but a nice out of bounds play.

Jimmy Chitwood's avatar

Nice stroke for Gus Larson.

Nice lead by Tyson.