Musketeer Madness

Time to put on the big boy pants because the second place team is in town and on a roll. If Nate cannot go today. My lineup would be Freemantle, Jones, Welcher, Scruggs, and Odom. Griffin in for Freemantle with a few minutes for Ramsey, If Creighton keeps going inside with their big guy I'd even like to see Miles today(if he is healthy), Carter subbing in for Jones, Kunkel for Welcher, KyKy for Scruggs, and Scruggs for Odom. I think Welcher could be a key because of his size. X is letting teams bully them and Providence is a prime example. In the second half, Providence made X their whipping boy and X let them do it. I give Providence credit for hitting their open shots and also some of the tough contested ones too. Creighton can not be let to run up and down and X needs to play D from tip to bell because they can not outscore them in a shootout.

Senior Scruggs need to get back like he was before the postponements. Carter needs to find an inside game. IF the pack line is not working shelve the hedging because one they have been half-hearted and when they do hedge correctly some of the refs have been calling phantom fouls. Ex, Carter two quick fouls on hedges and both were not fouls.

I am sure when Carter is in they will dare him to shoot the three so he needs to drive in and take a better percentage shot or pass it out and go inside for his opportunities. Passing needs to be crisp and without Nate, the threes should be taken only as a last resort.

While the crowd will not be the typical Cintas crowd(which shows how much a crowd can lift a team) it must be rowdy and loud. X needs this win so badly and the fans have so little hope that this could be a turning point GO X and PS. Guys hands up and in the face of the shooter, no freebies

Other than the Muskies turning this into an early rout of Creighton, here are some things that, if I see early on, will give me hope this season, this team and this program are not circling the drain. Right now, after three very lackluster games, I'm on the verge of ending it all by sprinting out my back door, leaping off my two story back deck and faceplanting into the deer poop in my backyard.

1. Something(s) different from Steele; like a new offensive scheme (say small ball, a sustained press, a fast break offense, etc.). Even if what he tries doesn't work, I'd like to see him attempt new approaches. It would, to me, signal that he recognizes what we have been doing the last few games, simply hasn't worked. Steele seems to be afraid to innovate. His coaching style and strategies seem wooden. I'd like to believe that he knows HE must change.

2. Energy, in a serious amount, from the players and from the opening tap. Specifically, more team-oriented, defensive energy like helping out, diving for loose balls, something far more energetic than the matador defense some players have practiced. I'd also like to see Steele himself exhibit more energy, like direct communication with the players on the bench and with players as they leave the floor. Show me engagement. Show me coaching and show me communication. I want to see this team and this coach demonstrate a desperate desire to win this game.

3. Offensively, a divorce from players attempting incessant three balls particularly early in the shot clock. If I see Creighton invite Carter to take a wide open three, just seconds into the possession and he clunks it and then does it again under the same circumstances, I think I'm going to have a major, acute coronary event.

If I see the above, I think I can stomach a loss. But when this team doesn't show and lacks purposefulness, I lose it.

Steele matches free on Jefferson. Jefferson with 5 straight points. No Contest, but not surprised.

This game, so far, is Scruggs against Creighton. When they shut down Scruggs who is available to take up the scoring> Too many turnovers with easy scoring for CU, so far. I want Scruggs to stay active but I want to see someone make CU think X is not one-dimensional. X needs to stop Zig...from not just scoring but stopping his assists. Kyky sighting

Wilcher in for Scruggs

Freemantle terrible D

Freemantle get blocked and then slowly goes down the floor and forgets to defends Good assist from KyKy to Wilcher

Agree with airjordan, win or lose I like the small adjustments Steele has made. So far I like the game plan.

Big guy fumbles a tip but it goes in and before it goes in he grabbed the basket should have been O goal tending

Odom,

X's worst 3 point shooter chucks up two threes, and two other poor shots. What would happen if Kyky. one of X's best scorers took four bad ones?