Temporary: Don't get too attached

[Wayne23]

12/8: Back and forth. Up 10 at the half after a late run. The refs aren't calling much, which always helps us; Mino has 1 foul. It's close late.

80-78. They missed an open 15 footer at the buzzer. We got lucky.

13, 18, 3, 3 blocks for Mino, 24, 3, 5 for John at the Point, 20, 1, 5 for Joon who has done really well at SF. 11, 6 for Vin Jeff.

After a long meeting the staff decides we're going to keep Joon at SF with Schu as 6th man. We lose a little in RBs but gain on D and in scoring.

I consult with my staff because I trust their judgment. I believe in a team approach. I have no trouble making the final decision, and that's my job, but input helps. My staff will always come up with a different point of view or with something I haven't thought of.

[Wayne23]

12/11: 5-1 Miami is here tomorrow. On paper we're in a lot of trouble. They have very good guards and a world class C. We'll need to be at our best.

12/12: They take an early lead but it's close. Down 1 at the half. Down 1 with 10 left.

73-79. They went on a late run and we couldn't come back.

16, 12 for Mino but he played only 25 minutes due to fouls. 12, 12 for Jeff, 10, 4, 10 for John, 10, 8 for Schu from the bench, 10, 4, 4 for Stey.

+12 RBs, +10 in the paint, +13 on 2nd chances. So how did we lose? They were +9 on the line and +5 on threes. We foul too much; it's a real problem.

But the refs only called 8 fouls on them, which is ridiculous. I pick up my first technical in the last minute when the outcome has been decided.

We're 5-4. We give up more points than we score and we turn it over way too often. Our strength is rebounding.

I'm drinking too much. I still never wake up with a hangover, but the pressure of losing is literally driving me to drink.

[Wayne23]

12/14: UNLV, 3-3, is here. They are yet another team that is strong outside and shoots the three well. We think if we play well we can beat them.

12/15: It's close early. We're not hitting shots.

69-66. We were down 19 early in the 2nd half. I maxed the D and went to man-to-man and we came roaring back. Best win of my short career as a head coach!

17, 18, 3 for Mino; hell of a game and only 3 fouls. 17, 10, 3 blocks for Jeff.

+20 RBs and 3 fewer TOs. They made 12 threes to our dismal 1-15, but we were +12 from the line.

+24 in the paint, +13 on 2nd chances, so we definitely won it inside.

I slept better and drank less after this game.

[Wayne23]

12/18: #25 Michigan, 7-0, is here. Whew! On paper they're better at every position. They give up the fewest points in Div. I. They take care of the ball and they shoot threes. BUT, they haven't played any ranked teams. We'll have our hands full tomorrow.

12/19: They take an early lead. I go to Max and man early. Down 11 at the half. We're playing hard but they're the better team.

72-80. 12, 12, 3 blocks for Mino. 14 for Stey, 12 for Joon, 11, 3 for Burk.

20 TOs. We were -18 in the paint and we made 5 fewer threes. They were just better.

This one doesn't bother me that much. We actually played as well as we could. The talent differential was too much.

I've got some really good frosh coming in. We're going to be thin inside next year but we'll be a better team.

[Wayne23]

12/25: At Oregon ST, 7-2, in our final pre-conf. game. This looks like it will be yet another tough game. They score more points than we do and give up fewer. They shoot the three. Our only edge seems to be on the boards. But they haven't played anybody, so we'll see.

12/26: Down 5 at the half; we're playing catch up which is never good. Late comeback!

74-72. We were down by as many as 16 but we never quit!

17, 14, 5 blocks for Mino, 21 for Joon including the game winner with 2.7 left.

We shot a dismal 32.9% to their 53.1% but we took 24 more shots. We were +7 from the line, which is unusual for us. We showed more discipline than usual tonight.

+15 RBs, 9 fewer TOs.

We end pre-conf play at 7-5, NET #49. -2.1 PPG, +6.6 RBs, +1.1 TOs, so we're not a great team. Fortunately the AAC is relatively weak this season.

Mino leads us with 15.6 and 10.8, with 2.8 blocks. Jay Joon is our #2 scorer at 11.6, despite only having started half of our games. Ked Stey and Vin Jeff both get 10.0. Jeff gets 7.7 RBs.

Let's see how we do in conf. My A. D. Wants us to finish in the top 3. I think that's doable.

[Wayne23]

1/1/2020: At Central FL, 5-6, to open conf. play. We think we're better but we need to play D.

1/2: Close early. Down 5 at the half. Our D is awful and we're not hitting the boards.

80-73. We trailed by 13 with 12 minutes left. Another big comeback.

16, 7, 2, 3 blocks for Mino; when he stays out of foul trouble we're usually in the game. 17, 1, 4 for John, 14, 4, 3 for Joon, 14 for Schu from the bench.

10 fewer TOs. Both teams shot more than 50% but we took 9 more shots and that was the difference.

[Wayne23]

1/4: 8-3, 1-0 Tulane is here. They can play, especially inside. They have trouble scoring but are good defenders. We're much better on the boards.

1/5: Back and forth. We take the lead. 36-20 at the half; our D is excellent so far! 20 point lead midway through the 2nd.

61-44. We didn't score much but our D!

21, 8 for Mino and only 2 fouls. 11, 5 for Joon, 10, 6 for Schu.

A season low 5 TOs to 24. We didn't shoot well but we took 26 more shots, hitting 6 more. +16 in the paint.

9-5, 2-0.

The coach of the women's team, Lu John, drops in often. She's doing a great job here, and she's a hell of a coach. Not sure why she keeps coming to the office. I listen to what she has to say about my team though. As I said she knows her stuff.

[Wayne23]

1/8: At 5-8, 0-2, Houston next. We score more, give up about the same and are way better on the boards. But it's a road game.

1/9: Back and forth. They go on a run and lead by 14 at the half; Mino has 3 fouls. Big comeback and it goes to OT.

77-82 in OT. Mino fouled out near the end of regulation and that was that. He played only 17 minutes. We can't win when that happens.

15, 10 for Jeff, 17, 6 for Joon, 14, 9 for Mino.

They outshot us 48.3% to 33.8%.

[Wayne23]

1/11: 5-9, 1-2 Tulsa is here. This is a team we should beat if we play D and if Mino stays in the game.

1/12: Close for the 1st 10 minutes. Up 1 at the half. Sloppy game on both sides. If only we could shoot... They take a quick lead in the 2nd.

71-69 on Vin Jeff's 17 footer at the buzzer; he had a man right in his face. It was a great shot.

20, 12, 3 blocks for Mino. 12, 6 for Jeff.

-1 RB. We had 18 TOs to their 20 so it was a very sloppy game. We took 8 more shots. +10 in the paint.

We're 4-1 in one possession games.

Lu John is still in my office often. She shows up at our practices sometimes too. I don't mind that; she has good suggestions.

My practice/game assistant, Tre Sall tells me Lu John is coming on to me.

"Really? Not interested. I don't know the first thing about women. Never been in a relationship. Basketball is my life."

"Coach... Basketball is HER life. You two have a hell of a lot in common."

"I don't need this."

"Maybe it's exactly what you need. Think about it."

[Wayne23]

1/15: At 7-8, 1-3 East Carolina next. They have a very good Point but he doesn't get much help.

We're 10-6, 3-1. In a 2 way tie for 3rd, but it's way too early to worry much about that.

1/16: We take an early lead. We widen the lead. Up 18 going to the lockers; 17 for Mino but he's got 3 fouls. Maddening. They get back in it.

71-64. They got it to 2, three times. 20, 8, 5 for Mino. 13, 3, 3 for Joon, 14, 1, 3 for John.

+6 RBs, only 9 TOs. We won it at the line, +9.