Tuesday Question - 02/09/10 - Red Cup Rebellion

Tuesday Question - 02/09/10

by Ivory Tower on Feb 9, 2010 2:00 PM EST Comment 9 comments

More photos » Ricardo Arduengo - AP

I'm biiiiiiiiiig. (AP Photo/Ricardo Arduengo)

Generally, we are the "authors" of "content" around here - "here" being a blog and not a message board. Recognize, we do, that you've come here not to contribute, but to consume. Nevertheless, there is the sporadic occasion where, either for our benefit or for to exercise the thinkifiers of the masses, we ask you a question. Today's question is ...

Can the Rebels win in Starkville without Reginald Buckner?

Not to take anything away from DeeAunDray' Cranston (who doesn't need anymore taken away from him) and Murphey Holloway, but we all know that this team is about as strong in the middle as a Cadbury Egg. Sure, they have their talents, but none of them are complete players. That's why it's important to have all of them.

I don't know if you all noticed, but Terrance Henry was playing the role of big man on Saturday against Alabama - and doing great at it. But that's probably just him getting hot. And Mississippi State is a more fundamentally sound and talented basketball team than Alabama.

Of course, this all further obscures the fact that the real reason we beat Alabama on Saturday was we drove well. Driving the lane disrupts the zone and opens up shots. If we can drive well, we can win. And Reginald being in or out does not really impact our ability to drive.

Winning at State is going to be a tall order (that's what Jarvis Varnado said lol). And it'd be nice to have our full complement of paint players.

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Can we win with Deaundre Cranston?

We’re doomed.

by Thile on Feb 9, 2010 2:05 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

No, we cannot.

the real reason we beat Alabama on Saturday was we drove well.

…in the second half. We drove well in the second half. You nailed what is important, IT, but we have never done well going to the hoop for an entire game or even more than half of one. We have won games because we were more athletic and we could afford to go to sleep for a large portion of the game. Unless we drive consistently and aggressively drive at Varnardo (i.e. not stopping to avoid contact and throw up some BS excuse for a shot that gives him another check in the "altered shots stat line), we’ll probably lose because MSU is as athletic, if not more so, and they will be driving at us all day.

That being said, I hope the Rebels prove me wrong.

Stawp g’tin tuchee-feelie, zzzEmoGoestzzz. I dun’t lyke noin ur Emoshuns!

by Role Player on Feb 9, 2010 2:32 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Can they?

Yes. Will they? No.

Red Cup Rebellion - An Ole Miss Blog
Blame the Baptists.

by Juco All-American on Feb 9, 2010 3:21 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

by asking that question,

you are making the assumption they would win it WITH Reginald Buckner in the lineup, which I am not even sure they would.

by bovice on Feb 9, 2010 3:48 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Riley deserves more PT with Buckner hurt

by RebelFIL on Feb 9, 2010 4:05 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Well...

Henry should do fine guarding Varnado. I don’t see that as being a huge problem. The problem comes on offense, and whether or not we can beat them when they go into a zone (which I’m sure is something they are likely to do for long periods, as its the best way to absolutely confound our offense). Role Player is right about driving the lane, but I think what we are really going to need is White, Warren, and Graham hitting outside shots. If they can hit outside shots we can draw them out of a zone and in to man. Once we have done that, we can put Holloway or Murphy on the wing, let the other sit at the elbow, and draw straws between White, Warren, and Polyniece to see who is going to drive the ball to the basket. That was one of our most successful offenses against State in the first half, before they went into a zone defense.

by Mitch Planey on Feb 9, 2010 5:04 PM EST reply actions 0 recs