Back to back games with awesome 2nd halves. Excited for next week--should be some good tests. Hope we get Big Frank's debut.

Lot more fun to watch when we are shooting 3's like tonight!

The Coppin ST affair is now fading away!! even my forecast was almost accurate !! nice job all around RAMBLERS !!!

Great to see Williamson back to his normal self from 3. That’s huge.


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Solid win. The roles are being figured out, the aggressiveness needed in situations has been calibrated more accurately, and the newcomers have a better idea of the pacing and officiating standards in DI ball. Krutwig had a below average game (yes he had 18 points, but the assists were down and the turnovers were high), but Williamson had his best of the year by far.

Paxson Wocjik did some really great things, and added energy and enthusiasm. Yes, he was pulled early in the first half for waiting for a rebound to come to him instead of going after it. But other than that, he showed a steep learning curve, and adds great things to the game. I particularly liked his long pass to Aher deep in the frontcourt that led to a Uguak power dunk.

Marquise Kennedy gets better game by game. I think he can average double digit points and shoot over 50% from the field this year. He is exceptional, and should be on the all freshman team. If he continues to develop, he'll be a star in the league by his junior year.

The path to victory for this year's team is to get the lay of the land in the early going, test out the abilities and tendencies of the opposition, and then put the hammer down on defense. When this team locks down hard on defense, it makes the offense come so much more smoothly and easily. The success on the defensive end creates confidence on the offensive side, and the flow eases up. Muscle memory takes over and players get into shooting rhythm, and the confidence helps players envision the ball going through the hoop.

I love the vibe at Gentile Arena this year. The expectations were lower for this team than last year, and a lot of the not-that-serious fans have fallen off. The ones who are there now (especially after the Coppin State loss) are real fans. They're passionate and knowledgeable. I thought tonight's crowd was good for a non-con Wednesday night game.

My new section this year is the best--- longtime Rambler fans, a lot of alumni, relatives of current and former players, former cheerleaders, and several Ramblermania posters. I think the people in the row in front of me tonight were related to Marquise Kennedy (one had a Brother Rice shirt). The only small downside is the new backboard standard has a thicker arm that sometimes blocks a bit of the court right in front of the Ramblers bench. But-- great people, great view, and very comfortable.

Throwing out the Coppin State game, I’ve been really happy with the way this team is coming together. We know there’s going to be a learning curve, and I’m sure we are going to have some odd nights, but all signs point to this team getting better and better as the year progresses.

Krutwig turned the ball over a few times in that first half, but he has been so consistent in 5 games it’s tough to get down on him for a few I’m uncharacteristic mistakes. I’m guessing he gets his 1,000 point next game. As long as he keeps doing what he’s been doing, he’s gonna be the player of the year in the Valley. There are a ton of great players in our league but nobody is like him. He just creates a lot of problems for defenses and it must be a nightmare to come up with a game plan to defend him. I predict that when we hit valley play we are going to see a lot of teams getting physical with him and will try to foul him hard and slow him down.

Lucas is starting to look great again, and it’s awesome to see his confidence rising. He’s going to have multiple 20+ point games this year.

Wojcik is coming along. I hate comparing guys to the final four roster, but he really does have a Ben Richardson feel to him. I like him a lot coming off the bench and hope he can keep up the momentum and provide our starters relief.

Aher gave us 9 points and 4 assists tonight. Couldn’t be happier with the way he played tonight. I’d like to see more aggressive drives to the basket, but maybe that will come more as the season goes on.

Where did Tate hall go tonight?

I’m excited to see Frank back, but I’m worried that it’ll take him some time to get comfortable and back into the rhythm. At this point I just want to see what he can do in 5 or 6 minutes of play.

Question - who was touted to be better - Clemons or Pipkins? Is Clemons going to be a serious difference maker when we get him back? So far I haven’t been too impressed by Pipkins, but the season is still young.


I really can’t wait to see what we look like in mid-January.

From what I understand, Clemons was set to be our starting point guard. I’m anxious to see what he can do. Pipkins has shown flashes, and a decent shot. Assuming Clemons is able to add what he was projected to, we could be a very deep team. And that could pay big dividends late in the season.

How about this play to end the first half, coming off an IUPUI turnover from some tough Rambler defense....

JCT, I'd like to echo your statement about the crowd. My section (111) is also full of passionate, and informed fans. Towards the back we have some rowdy (in a nice way) what seem to be younger alums and towards the front we have some lifers who are still ready to stand up cheer and stomp their feet for big plays and bad calls. The vibe is excellent.

Clemons was the starting PG for the Juco National Title team and was the higher rated Juco prospect. I think he will start when he comes back...but MK is making a case to stay in the starting lineup IMO.

I really like how Porter has found a role for Pipkins. A few times yesterday he was used as a defensive sub, I believe including that final possession before the half that resulted in a turnover, and I personally believe having a defined role can help build confidence. I was a little concerned when I saw him that he was saw raw and athletic that we might end up with an Adarius Avery type of situation but Pipkins seems to have bought into his role and I am excited to see how he develops.

Looking forward to the tournament, hoping we get a some nice wins and that Frank comes back.

Krut went 8 for 8 from the charity stripe. He's 19-23 for the season, 82.6%.
Big turnaround from last season. [Note to self: check last season's stats before ahunte does.]

Great win. I feel like watching this team is like watching the series Watchmen. The games are like episodes. They are intriguing, fascinating, frustrating and loosely connected. I am not sure how I feel about it. I hope I like the ending.