Rising, I don't disagree with you. I hope (and even pray) we improve and get better. Next year is JC's 3rd year at the helm. Regardless of what happens this year or next, I think JC is here for 5 years (3 more, only because we can't afford to fire him and pay for 2 coaches at the same time again).
However, the excuses of COVID, being young, etc are starting to fall on deaf ears. Every team in college basketball has the same excuses. Also, we continue to lack depth so transfers and/or injuries will seriously hurt us (and there's no way to prevent either).
I'm looking forward to the St Bonnies game. I don't care about winning or losing at this point, just show some progress. Then JC can get to work on next season. I like JC and wish him nothing but success in getting us back to where we all want to be. I must admit I have concern that he is hitching his wagon (and future) to Bishop (who couldn't make it in the BCS). I think Bishop hurts the chemistry we could have and I believe Bishop may cause one or more of our better players to transfer out due to his style of play (I hope I'm wrong). Best thing that could happen to JC is for some BCS team to grab him because of his ppg without doing their due diligence (fool's gold).

Arm wood and Cavanaugh were important pieces of the team.  As skilled as they were (and Tyler went from undrafted to starting an NBA game based on talent and merit,Armwood was in the G League), the successful teams didn't revolve around them or a single piece,or actually 2 pieces. Their roles were different in a team game than what Joel Joseph referred to as the situation today. It is an ultimate worry,true,but this overdependence prob already cost us some players.
   Not having JNJ or Maceo is not just bad fortune,they could read the tea leaves. Whether or not things were made explicit,it was somewhat predictable. So being  shorthanded may be the result of our priorities, along with Covid.
A couple of observations from the game:
1)Noel Brown looked really good early. Have long seen his raw potential. First half,he showed some intriguing polish. Also can't teach his size. He can provide some deterrence in the paint just because of size and can help clear some space on offense,especially for the aforementioned Bishop. He wasn't dominating the boards,but neither Dean nor Paar was either,as Mason racked up offensive rebound after offensive rebound after offensive rebound.
Seems like Brown was hardly seen at all second half,if he was in at all. Certainly felt like it,as we pointed out during the game and afterward.
2) Battle seemed like he was on from 3 in first half limited sample. Yet we didn't get the ball to him in position to shoot a 3 in the second half. Don't have the stats,but it feels like we didn't use Jamison's considerable outside shooting acumen in the 2nd half. It wasn't just Mason,though they bottled us up in general. We weren't looking for Jamison.
We seem to have done better recently,when Jamison gets the ball (maybe Duquesne,URI?). These frustrations may not bode well for us both
this year and in the long term,as pointed out in another post.
3) Once again,after a good half,the opposing team makes adjustments. It feels like we didn't counter,especially the rebounding problem.
First half,there was more sharing and we looked good,if you want a bright spot before the final score.

Last edited by jf (2/25/2021 10:58 pm)

dmvpiranha, it is my pleasure.  If you branch out next season and make additional content available on the pay-for sites, I feel you should let us know.  I promise I will subscribe to a pay-for service just to read your columns.  I feel it will be a good use of money and it would be my pleasure to help you get your basketball/sports journalism off to a profitable start!  Thank you again.