Failing to adjust/improve plagued Lions non-conference season

The Lions have failed to make mid-game adjustments this season | Julia Pine

The Lions (6-7) last non-conference game of the season is this Thursday, as the team will face UC Irvine looking to bring their record to an even .500. Heading into this season expectations for LMU were higher than they had been in years, and with a weak non-conference schedule many (including myself) thought the Lions would have a substantially better record heading into the new year than they do now.

With as much talent as last year, if not more, on this season's roster the Lions struggles are unexpected. The team returned two First-Team All WCC players in Drew Viney and Vernon Teel, in addition to adding impressive freshman like Anthony Ireland and Godwin Okanji who have not only played well for freshman but have succeeded most expectations. Yes, the Lions have faced injury trouble again this year, but that is nothing new, and a season ago LMU was able to play through its injury trouble almost flawlessly.

For things to turnaround for conference play it is extremely important that the team's problems be examined, accepted, and hopefully corrected.So far this season, the Lions biggest problem has been failing to adjust and/or improve throughout the course of the game.

Out of LMU's seven losses this season, I would argue that there are five any Lions fan should still be pretty bitter over, especially if you take into consideration the talent of this year's team compared to last. In my humble opinion, I don't think the Lions should have lost any games other than the team's matchups against Florida State and UC Santa Barbara, games that I watched LMU play hard throughout before eventually losing to what is probably just a better team.

The season started off with a brutal home loss to Morgan State, a game in which the Lions led by four points at the half and as many as 14 mid-way through the second period. Seemingly looking content with a large lead, the Lions played with no sense of urgency or toughness down the stretch, allowing Morgan State to shoot 53 percent in the second half after holding them to just 37 percent in the first. The result was a two-point loss, and some may say props should be given to Morgan State for adjusting their offense and finding a way to attack the Lions defense.

After a win over a non-Division I team, the Lions then lost a heart-breaker to Bradley on the road, a game that was tied up at the half. With six minutes to go in the game, and the score tied at 35 (yes, scored tied at 35 in the SECOND half) the Lions failed to make any improvements, while Bradley was able to establish a lead of nine in just six minutes of play. At the final buzzer LMU fell 45-38. After playing them even for a half, you have to wonder how Bradley all of a sudden became seven-points-better in half number two. The answer seems to be that they made defensive adjustments; after having allowed the Lions to shoot 45 percent in the first half they held LMU to just 32 percent from the field in the second half.

After yet another win over another non-Division I team, the Lions dropped a road game to Rider University by ten points. Most frustrating part? LMU held a one-point lead at the half and somehow managed to get outscored by 11 in the second period. Just 11 minutes into the second half the Lions found themselves down by as many as 14. It is obvious that Rider made adjustment to its defense at halftime, as the Lions shot 50 percent in the first half and just 25 percent in the second.

The next loss for the Lions came to a poor Cal Poly team, who beat LMU 55-48. The Lions had only 21 points at the half, and found themselves down by six. LMU never led in the second half, and this loss had nothing to do with failing to adjust or improve. This was flat out the Lions worst game of the season. They played with little energy, and didn't look like they cared to win.

Then, the Lions gave all LMU fans some hope, when they went on a 4-1 stretch including an OT win over Long Beach State. The one loss? A hardfought one against UC Santa Barbara in a game in which the Lions were missing four scholarship players, including three starters.

But just as many of us thought things had turned around, with three straight wins and then a tough showing against Florida State, the Lions dropped a road game against South Dakota by 12 points, a game in which the Lions were winning by SEVEN at the half. Instead of looking to increase that lead to double-digits, LMU instead let the home team go on a 7-0 run to open the half. The result was a tie game just 2.5 minutes after the half. The Lions were outscored by 19 in the second half, and this time it was the result of  either offensive adjustments by South Dakota or a defensive letdown by the Lions, as South Dakota shot 33 percent in the opening period and 55 percent in the closing one.

Some may think it is counter-productive to dwell on these losses, but it's not. If the Lions can't go into the locker room at halftime and figure out a way to attack a team better then they aren't going to win many conference games. Opposing teams are clearly studying the Lions weaknesses at the half, and then making adjustments to exploit them, and LMU needs to do the same.

The blame here can be pointed at Head Coach Max Good and his coaching staff, or even at the players, but placing blame isn't going solve anything. Instead, either Good and his staff, or the players themselves, need to take it upon themselves to make these mid-game adjustments. A seven point halftime lead should never disappear in two minutes, no matter what team you face and especially against a sub par team like South Dakota.

There is one more non-conference game yet and honestly, it doesn't mean much of anything to the Lions. Having already blown their chance at any sort of at-large bid, the Lions last hope for some postseason action depends solely on how they do in conference play and at the WCC Tournament in March. However, I hope LMU takes this next game against Irvine as an opportunity to try and make positive halftime adjustments. If the Lions hold a halftime lead of five, they shouldn't be happy unless they win the game by ten, as that would still show that the opponent made more of a halftime adjustment, but one that the Lions were able to fight off.

I'm a sports optimist, as I wrote here almost one year ago, and I haven't given up on this team yet. I believe if the Lions can win a half, they can win the game, and I hope to see that more times than not when conference play begins Jan. 6.