observations from todays game

[USF Colby]

I attended the game at the forum today, my first of the year. I have watched a few on TV and listened to a few on the radio, but finally seeing a game in person helped me more accurately judge this team.

Someone needs to get Kentrell a free throw coach, the guy scored over 20 points but could have had over 30 if he just made some free throws and if he made the free throws at the very least the game would have been closer. We would have been shooting the free throws in the final minutes instead of West Virginia thats for sure. Kentrell isn't alone though, Jones and Howard each missed free throws as well. I don't think anyone else shot for us though, it appeared the Kentrell was taking all the shots from the charity stripe which isn't a good thing. At times it seemed like West Virginia was trying to foul him because it basically meant a defensive stop for them as long as they got the rebounds.

Second, where the **** did D. Jones go? He had 11 points halfway through the first half, but didn't score for the rest of the game. I don't remember him attempting a single shot in the second half, he wasn't even getting open. Maybe he was tired, if so Heath needs to get him off the court. He can't just fade away in the second half like that, he is one of the Bulls' top offensive weapons. The Bulls got destroyed in the second half because Kentrell was basically forced to take the scoring load on his shoulder. D. Jones has got to take some of that pressure up and hit some 3's so that Kentrell can get open inside. If Kentrell is covered everytime he will have a tough time scoring, partly because of my third point.

That third point is that the Big East officials do not just suck in football, they do in basketball and probably even water polo and field hockey. What the hell were these guys thinking? There were so many offensive fouls that went uncalled for WVU yet fouls were being handed out to USF players like candy and everytime the ball went out it seemed to go to West Virginia. So many ******** calls, I was hearing and participating in ******** chants there more than at a football game which is saying a lot. That dark haired younger official pissed me off, he walked around with a smirk on his face I wanted to throw things at him so bad but I consider myself a classy fan so I just kept talking about doing it but didn't act.

Fourth point is partly tied to the officials and that is the technical foul on Heath. It seemed that from there any momentum that USF had was effectively sucked away and from then on the Mountaineers were in control. Even worse, the officials seemed to turn even more against USF and when WVU wasn't connecting on field goals offensive fouls were being called. We went from no fouls to being in the bonus in a matter of seconds, it was ******* crazy. We led with less than 10 minutes remaining yet to anyone looking in the paper tomorrow it looks like we got our clocks cleaned.

But the officials aren't all to blame, Heath and the coaching staff need to keep the Bulls from collapsing like that. Late in the second half the Bulls went cold, and for the final 10 minutes of the second half nothing went right for the Bulls. We wont be able to win Big East games if we have long cold stretches like we did in this game. Teams like West Virginia are just too good and they will capitalize and put the game out of reach if we give them chances.

After seeing this game, I just don't know. Obviously the officials are partly to blame but I didn't like what I saw from the team either. Still a good way to spend my Sunday though, was fun I wish they had more games at the forum enjoy is much more there than at the Sun Dome.