Young/New Team Trying to Learn How to Win

[MUBurrow]

Yes there is blame to go around to everyone right now, but I think what today showed more than anything is that this team doesn't have that winning mentality/instinct/whatever.  Not that the guys can't or don't, but its not there yet.  This team has come a long way in the past couple weeks, and Buzz should get a lot of credit for that. But situations like today are lessons that you can't teach until the time is upon you, and by then its often too late.
Easing off the throttle would be the right thing to do to wear down the clock at 5 minutes.  Most other teams would have done the same thing and done it effectively.  Problem is, this team is too young and inexperienced to switch modes that way.  They have just finally figured out how to play their own game together, and thats the only way they work right now.  Weeks ago they didn't even have that.  Now in a new situation, it was too much to ask of them to shut the door the way you would have asked a veteran team to shut the door.  But you have to start to instill those lessons and that mentality.  Is there a way that Buzz could have imparted that lesson and still won? Maybe, probably, I don't know.  I would like to think so and am sure that Buzz wishes he would've figured it out.  But I do think that its a lesson these guys must learn.
The only criticisms I can make is that I thought JFB should have been a more focused part of the effort the last 5 minutes.  I thought he should had more offensive opportunities out of time outs and should have been a more primary ball handler when possible.  You have to allow your experienced and trusted guys to show it, and show the new and young guys how to lock it down.  Also I wouldve liked to see Vander play a more critical role down the stretch.  He's a monstrous part of your future, and seems to have that "it" about him that guys like Dwight and DJO, though tremendous ballplayers, might lack right now.
But now my biggest hope is that the progress and lessons learned in this one aren't lost because of the result.  Thanks and sorry to anyone who actually read this whole thing for letting me vent.

[Jam Chowder]

I appreciate your effort to bring perspective, but when do the excuses stop? In 3 years buzz has shown that he absolutely has no idea how to manage close games. He can't coach effective inbounding plays, and he can't teach his players clock management or common sense. I like the guy and he can recruit, but this has continued to happen time and again for 3 years and is clearly a pattern with his teams. This one is on him and there are no excuses to be had.

[CTWarrior]

The thing that gets me is that you KNOW in end game situations our opponent is going to get a great shot from 5 feet or in and we will throw up a prayer.

[T.V. Diener 34]

Is it just me or do we get worse shots out of timeouts than if we had just ran the offense?  It always seems we either take quick outta control shots right out of the timeout or we run the shot clock down to 2 and heave up a prayer.

[mileskishnish72]

Jam, you said it right.

[CTWarrior]

Our main 8 guys today, were 3 seniors, 2 juniors, 2 sophomores (one a 3rd year soph) and a freshman.  We are not young.

[willie warrior]

No Excuses!