(AP) - Today the Jacks showed the Oakland Grizzlies just why they were the Summit League Champs last year. The Jacks today started off conference play the way they finished last season, that is with a win. The Jacks, who were led by Jamaar Gunn shalacked the Grizzlies in 66-43 rout. The Jacks were able to do this while missing starters Troy Kinloch and Jari Zuzak to injuries.
Coaches Corner: Despite having two of our starters out with injury we played pretty well today Gunn really picked up the slack for the injured guys and are bench guys played extremely well against some of the best players they will see all year. Oakland has a bunch of guys back this year and it will be tough to take two from them.
When asked about the scoring inefficiencies of his Small Forwards in the game (Whitworth, 0 and Montrimas, 3) coach Baker had this to say. “Both guys had a rough game, but when the rest of the team is firing on all cylinders you can afford to have an off day, if things don’t turn around and Troy isn’t back I’ll have to take a look at putting (Gerry) Corner in there to mix things up.”
Kinloch is expected back in 5 days while Zuzak is expected to miss the next 20, will their injuries affect the Jacks more than it already has? Up Next: The Jacks stay home to face the 2-4 Western Illinois Leathernecks.
Jacks get to .500 with close win over Leathernecks!
(AP) - Today the Jacks looked very bad shooting from the floor going a total of 18-52 but were able to squeak by the Western Illinois Leathernecks thanks to some help from Jamaar Gunn who scored 26 points and had 10 of those 18 made field goals. Usually potent scorer Vandrell Smithhad only 11 points (6 of them being from the free throw line), and missed 11 of his 13 shots from the field, he made his first shot of the game with 5 minutes to go in the game.
Coaches Corner: That was a scary game, those Leathernecks are a tough team, they had a bunch of young guys but still game out and gave us quite the game. I knew it was going to be trouble when Vandrell came out ice cold. We were down 6 with 8 to play in the first half and were looking terrible, at that point I decided we were going to stick with the starters come hell or high water. Gunn carried us again and to me is a dead lock for first team all conference and maybe even conference player of the year.
Coach Baker was asked what he is going to do to get his squad back firing on all cylinders and had this to say. “Well honestly I’m not going to change anything, Troy (Kinloch) should be back soon and Jari (Zuzak) to follow, I think we have been playing well all year we just need to keep pace with how we have been playing.”
Kinloch is expected back in 3 days while Zuzak is expected to miss the next 19, will their injuries affect the Jacks more than it already has?
Up Next: The Jacks have a week off to get healthy and then face the Big 12 Oklahoma State Cowboys in Oklahoma.
Emergency News Flash: The Box score was lost in a fire at in the sports section of the paper last night, more at 11!
(Computer froze twice while trying to get the box score)
(AP) - This is generally the part where we talk about the game, well all you have to do is look at the score to see how this game went. 114-78 Oklahoma State, that was embarrassing for all Jacks fans, there are now rumors that Coach Baker will be fired after his antics and his press conference.
Coaches Corner: That was embarrassing, not one of our players deserves to wash the shorts of a single guy on the Oklahoma State squad, ya we had some guys score a lot of points, but when you give up 114 points in a game you can’t just play offense. This team has more ups and downs than a game of chutes and ladders. Games like we had against Texas have me never wanting to leave, games like today make me want to go be an assistant coach at a high school the way we played.
The Athletic Director was told about what coach Baker has said and put him on probation reportedly having said, “If he wants to go coach high school then we can give him his wish, no other college will hire someone who acts like that and can’t win big games.”
Will Baker fall from grace or right the team next week? Up Next: The Jacks go back to the friendly confines to face the Iowa State Cyclones (Another Big 12 opponent)
06-25-2011, 10:25 AM
