**USC vs. Texas A&M GAME Thread**

[ds401]

Originally Posted by CockTail

We are not good enough to suck.

[Spurrier_Superior_One]

Originally Posted by b381l

First, let me say I didn't watch the game. I just can't anymore. I looked at our box score and saw Smith played 26 minutes and didn't score. Then Damien
played 10 minutes and had 3 turmovers. I just don't see how this can happen. If our starting guard can't score and another guard comes in and turns it over like that, there is no way we can beat anybody. I'm not trying to bash these guys because I guess they are trying, but this is the end of the season, no points and constant turnovers.....I just don't know what to say. This is about the same every game. What in the world did horn see in these guys to offer them. I watched the Miami - Duke game tonight......we would lose to either of them by at least 40. Did you see Larkin's quickness. We could put 3 guys on him and we couldn't stop him.

There are players who just don't care and aren't putting forth the effort that's why the backups and walk ones are getting playing time.

[gamecockphan]

The school should file a law suit against Horn to recoup some of his contract. Any judge would see he misrepresented himself as a coach and is guilty of negligence in the recruiting dept.

[thumpin big]

Originally Posted by Spurrier_Superior_One

There are players who just don't care and aren't putting forth the effort that's why the backups and walk ones are getting playing time.

I thought that for a while, but I don't think that is the full story. Martin wants things done his way, and the players who do things closest to his way in practice are the guys who play most in the games. He also likes guys who talk a lot and that is just not the personality of someone like Brenton Williams. Williams is the most offensively talented player on the team, but Frank only played him 7 minutes tonight (and he scored 9 points in those 7 minutes). Shane Phillips played 13 minutes and Smith 26.

If Martin can recruit players that have a personality he likes, and who do things in practice the way he wants, and who also have the talent to play SEC basketball, the program will soon be good. But expect players to leave the program every year he is the coach.

[SECgamecock453]

I feel like putting in the walkons would have been a statement in a game where we were destined to lose from the beginning.. but I really feel like we could have won this game, well at least after halftime anyway. **** it I'm done caring.

[brat]

The game was over once A&M went to the zone. We don't have the shooters to force them out and we don't have the ball handlers to make the passes in close or many times the players to catch those passes cleanly in order to get a decent shot off. Then there is our lack of height when we are near the bucket and being contested.

Anyone that plays us should start in the zone and stay there until we prove we can handle it.

Our talent level is such that we have near zero room for error to win.

I think Frank has done all he reasonably can to give us a chance to win, but in reality, this season is more or less a practice run for those that stay around for next year. Hopefully by the tipoff for 2013-2014 the kids will fully grasp what he wants and act upon it. If they do, they will be able help the new kids coming in adjust sooner and fit in.

[cockypanther]

Originally Posted by brat

The game was over once A&M went to the zone. We don't have the shooters to force them out and we don't have the ball handlers to make the passes in close or many times the players to catch those passes cleanly in order to get a decent shot off. Then there is our lack of height when we are near the bucket and being contested.

Anyone that plays us should start in the zone and stay there until we prove we can handle it.

Our talent level is such that we have near zero room for error to win.

I think Frank has done all he reasonably can to give us a chance to win, but in reality, this season is more or less a practice run for those that stay around for next year. Hopefully by the tipoff for 2013-2014 the kids will fully grasp what he wants and act upon it. If they do, they will be able help the new kids coming in adjust sooner and fit in.

Zone is this team's bugaboo. Whenever we have to face a zone defense it is bad news. The players don't move around at all and our guards pass the ball around the perimeter like that will fake the D out or something. We never pass the ball to the high post and our "offense" just collapses.

[Emery]

Originally Posted by cockypanther

Zone is this team's bugaboo. Whenever we have to face a zone defense it is bad news. The players don't move around at all and our guards pass the ball around the perimeter like that will fake the D out or something. We never pass the ball to the high post and our "offense" just collapses.

I think this all stems from one commonality with our team--they just overall lack talent and skills related to the game of basketball.

[gsgp]

Currently we just don't have big conference players. We would do ok in say the southern or big south conferences but SEC, ACC, Big East, Big 10, 12 ect we are a non factor. I believe coach will start to get "his" players and we'll get successful. This was a learning year for everyone. We hoped for better and got it just not to the level we mostly wanted. Next year with a full recruiting session and possible departures Coach should begin the real retooling of USC men's basketball program. Remember HBC had to purge lou's underachieving guys to get his in place.

[U-Dub Gamecock]

It's frustrating... But what Martin did last night(playing guys deep on the bench) tells me more than a few of these guys won't be around next year... Which I am good with that...