PSU BBall is making strides, I do believe that is true.. and winning 3 in a row in conference is a nice accomplishment over these last few games... HOWEVER, this team has a tendency to make FUNDAMENTAL mistakes BEFORE and during their games, that may have cost them a number of wins this year (and in prior years), and may cost them more down the stretch..
I've mentioned their tendency to NOT play hard EVERY game... and I still think there is a tendency to do that. However, a couple nice successes against Indiana and Iowa may have lit a fire under them that COULD take them thru the end of the season... BUT, THAT SAID, nothing can deflate a team quicker than to be UP on an opponent by 17 or more points, and then, to believe the game is in the bag, and LOSE it. THIS has been another recurring problem for PSU BBall over the years... and we were LUCKY to have escaped yesterday.
I KNOW, I KNOW... young team... learning how to win...yaddy-yaddy-yadda... BUT, these are not hard concepts, and you just have to learn them, buy into them, believe them, and LIVE them... they are:
1) EVERY member of the team needs to PRACTICE HARD, and PLAY HARD EVERY day, and
2) A game is NEVER OVER, UNTIL it's OVER
Yesterday, Taylor and Garner played hard, and well...but where was the REST of the team? It looked to me like they TOOK the night off... in the end, Taylor and Garner ran out of steam, and NO ONE was willing, or ABLE, to pick up the slack... it did NOT look like team" effort last night... and THAT is not acceptable no matter HOW old or young you are...
I've mentioned their tendency to NOT play hard EVERY game... and I still think there is a tendency to do that. However, a couple nice successes against Indiana and Iowa may have lit a fire under them that COULD take them thru the end of the season... BUT, THAT SAID, nothing can deflate a team quicker than to be UP on an opponent by 17 or more points, and then, to believe the game is in the bag, and LOSE it. THIS has been another recurring problem for PSU BBall over the years... and we were LUCKY to have escaped yesterday.
I KNOW, I KNOW... young team... learning how to win...yaddy-yaddy-yadda... BUT, these are not hard concepts, and you just have to learn them, buy into them, believe them, and LIVE them... they are:
1) EVERY member of the team needs to PRACTICE HARD, and PLAY HARD EVERY day, and
2) A game is NEVER OVER, UNTIL it's OVER
Yesterday, Taylor and Garner played hard, and well...but where was the REST of the team? It looked to me like they TOOK the night off... in the end, Taylor and Garner ran out of steam, and NO ONE was willing, or ABLE, to pick up the slack... it did NOT look like team" effort last night... and THAT is not acceptable no matter HOW old or young you are...
