https://calbears.com/news/2003/3/20/207748213.aspx

What are our chances today on the road?
Reposting from another thread:

Today's match against the Wolfpack is a gut check game for the team. NC State might be the easiest team to beat for the rest of the schedule other than Miami. For those of us who still think 14 wins is possible, this is the game that either infuses hope or begins a steep nosedive.
NC State is beatable.
https://kenpom.com/team.php?team=N.C.+State
98th in Ken Pom. A terrible rebounding team (179th while on offense, a whopping 318th off. rebounds allowed while on defense.
We can do this, the players just have to believe. Fans can stop the Madsen-bashing and the "who killed the team" murder mystery stuff and just be Cal fans.
Good ACC OT game Clemson vs Pitt happening right now.
Go Bears!

barsad said:

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https://calbears.com/news/2003/3/20/207748213.aspx

What are our chances today on the road?
Reposting from another thread:

Today's match against the Wolfpack is a gut check game for the team. NC State might be the easiest team to beat for the rest of the schedule other than Miami. For those of us who still think 14 wins is possible, this is the game that either infuses hope or begins a steep nosedive.
NC State is beatable.
https://kenpom.com/team.php?team=N.C.+State
98th in Ken Pom. A terrible rebounding team (179th while on offense, a whopping 318th off. rebounds allowed while on defense.
We can do this, the players just have to believe. Fans can stop the Madsen-bashing and the "who killed the team" murder mystery stuff and just be Cal fans.
Good ACC OT game Clemson vs Pitt happening right now.
Go Bears!

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Sissoko is key ... nationally ranked in offense rebounds, and he's been able to score on put backs and dunks

HoopDreams said:

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barsad said:

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https://calbears.com/news/2003/3/20/207748213.aspx

What are our chances today on the road?
Reposting from another thread:

Today's match against the Wolfpack is a gut check game for the team. NC State might be the easiest team to beat for the rest of the schedule other than Miami. For those of us who still think 14 wins is possible, this is the game that either infuses hope or begins a steep nosedive.
NC State is beatable.
https://kenpom.com/team.php?team=N.C.+State
98th in Ken Pom. A terrible rebounding team (179th while on offense, a whopping 318th off. rebounds allowed while on defense.
We can do this, the players just have to believe. Fans can stop the Madsen-bashing and the "who killed the team" murder mystery stuff and just be Cal fans.
Good ACC OT game Clemson vs Pitt happening right now.
Go Bears!

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Sissoko is key ... nationally ranked in offense rebounds, and he's been able to score on put backs and dunks

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Sir Richard Midgely. Espn says we have a 12% chance of winning

HoopDreams said:

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Sissoko is key ... nationally ranked in offense rebounds, and he's been able to score on put backs and dunks

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Agreed… I like his aggressiveness lately, but can he really not learn a step-in move or a baby hook - anything, really - to make him more of an offensive threat? I thought Madsen was going to run a Big Man Academy and get Mady and Dort to Mad Dog status. But it never materialized.

barsad said:

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HoopDreams said:

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Sissoko is key ... nationally ranked in offense rebounds, and he's been able to score on put backs and dunks

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Agreed… I like his aggressiveness lately, but can he really not learn a step-in move or a baby hook - anything, really - to make him more of an offensive threat? I thought Madsen was going to run a Big Man Academy and get Mady and Dort to Mad Dog status. But it never materialized.

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yes, he can improve his offensive moves, but so far he hasn't learned the footwork

however you are right that Madsen is the perfect coach for him as Mark didn't have an NBA career from his athleticism

some players can quickly learn these advanced moves, and then use them naturally, but most need to learn these skills over years before they can use effectively in games

barsad said:

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HoopDreams said:

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Sissoko is key ... nationally ranked in offense rebounds, and he's been able to score on put backs and dunks

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Agreed… I like his aggressiveness lately, but can he really not learn a step-in move or a baby hook - anything, really - to make him more of an offensive threat? I thought Madsen was going to run a Big Man Academy and get Mady and Dort to Mad Dog status. But it never materialized.

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Still a chance with Mady. Lee - that looks like a long term project.

Bears vs Chris Washburn's alma mater. Two questions:

1. Is he a Top 5 Worst # 3 Overall Pick of All Time? and

2. Does he hold the record for the shortest NBA career of a # 3 overall pick?

ACCN didn't care enough about the first 4 min of the game to switch from the late ND-Syracuse game. Or was it me who didn't care enough to fumble through the ESPN app?
Either way, we're tied at 6, I'll take it.

Blacksher started, grrrr-ah

barsad said:

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Blacksher started, grrrr-ah

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Blacksher is getting abused

Terrible pass by Andrej and then a dumb foul on the other end. Zero points… what's going on with him?

barsad said:

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Terrible pass by Andrej and then a dumb foul on the other end. Zero points… what's going on with him?

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2 on 1 and Andrej throws a lazy lob pass. No points. Had he given it up earlier, JOJ gets a dunk. I'm starting to question his basketball IQ.

Michael O'Connell?!? Isn't that that guy who was mediocre for Furd for 6-7 years?

I'm surprised he hasn't moved on to his professional career, playing the mean frat guy in lousy movies.

7 turnovers is keeping the Pack close… we need to take care of the ball, NC State isn't that good on D. I wish we had another scorer step up, JW or JOJ.

Not that I'm surprised, but we look the same. Poorly coached. Lots of turnovers already. The only reason why we are down only 1 at this point is that NC State is also not very good.

Makes no sense not to start Wilkinson and JOJ over Blacksher and Petraitis. So long as Blacksher is in the game, we will be digging out of a deficit.

If Bears win this one and Lions beat Commanders, it will be Cal Nirvana.

If Bears lose this one, a Goff win will provide a soothing salve.

If Bears lose and Lions lose, it may be an interesting evening playing games of chance:

So I don't post all negative stuff, it was nice to see guys running to help Petraitis up when he got knocked down on the illegal screen.

I do love Petraitis ability to "take a punch" and make it look good for the refs. It's a real skill.

Cal positives so far: 55% FG, 50% 3pt, outrebounding the Pack 15-11.

barsad said:

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Cal positives so far: 55% FG, 50% 3pt, outrebounding the Pack 15-11.

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This is actually a bit problematic because we won't continue to shoot this well and we only lead by 4. Hopefully we cut down on the turnovers when our shooting % declines as it most likely will.

I love cal basketball

But this team is soooo hard to watch.

how many bunnies has Andrej missed today?

he also didn't block out shooter, who got the rebound and scored

those types of plays drive a coach crazy

Blatantly pro-NC State announcer, what a joke. I'll take a 2-pt halftime lead, keep fighting Bears.

Can NC State miss all their threes forever?
Very shaky lead for the Bears. 31-29 at the half. Andrej once again struggling to score.

Since they are heading so hard and forcing us to start our offense so far out, it would be nice to go back door. It doesn't appear we practice that. The other option is to run slip screens, which we do, but only with our big. Unfortunately, when we pass them the ball, they don't know what to do with it other than to jack it up. I'd prefer to see us run the high pick and roll with Petraitis instead as he is a pretty savvy passer.

ducky23 said:

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I love cal basketball

But this team is soooo hard to watch.

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Word

If we were doing the "little things" we'd have a 6~8 point lead right now.

All of a sudden NC State can't miss.

Since I've been dumping on him, I will point out that Blacksher hit a big 3 from the corner. Interesting that Madsen is going small with Blacksher, Wilkinson and Campbell.

Yes, and Wilkinson is 3-4 from 3-pt line. Yet Madsen still hands the minutes to Blacksher (they are both on the floor now, something new). Madsen's stubbornness on Blacksher is hard to explain.

Bear8995 said:

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Since I've been dumping on him, I will point out that Blacksher hit a big 3 from the corner. Interesting that Madsen is going small with Blacksher, Wilkinson and Campbell.

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I'm ok with it cause our ball handling is just so sloppy

This team is talented but it plays like a team that absolutely hates each other

ducky23 said:

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This team is talented but it plays like a team that absolutely hates each other

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Agree. No joy. They play like an AAU team. That's the best way I can explain it.

What they have now should probably be their starting 5;
Campbell
Wilkinson
Stoja
JOJ
Dort

I don't know how the refs allowed that contact on Dort when he went up for a put-back, really inconsistent on body fouls.

Embarrassing that we can't even inbound the ball against a press. ***

They've found one of our (many) weaknesses.