Ace Baldwin is a major upgrade

[Ramlove81]

Everyone here seemed surprised when he didn't dress yesterday. Did no one here know there was an injury? Or just good at staying quiet?

Why tell your opposition?

 

[SteveMM]

He needs to join the VCU Rugby club. Tape the thing tight, knock down a few Excedrins and play. That's the Mudkat's take (sorry I let him out of the basement for a moment. Poor Kat needs to get a screw installed in his head. tonight).

If he played hockey, he would have completely denied that he was injured at all.

 

[AlienAiden]

Everyone here seemed surprised when he didn't dress yesterday. Did no one here know there was an injury? Or just good at staying quiet?

I did not know. I don't think it would have mattered if I did though.

 

[Havoc2Ut2]

Ace likely would have taken 15 FT shots if he was playing last night. He'd have had his pick of angles to drive. Kid in a candy store. It would have been very ugly for ASU.

 

[Wolfpack Ram]

I do not fully understand what this means but here are some quotes......

Baldwin was wearing a brace on his right wrist on the sideline, an injury he suffered in Saturday's 69-54 win over Morgan State. Rams coach Mike Rhoades said after the game that Baldwin will get a screw inserted to repair a broken wrist and is expected to miss about three weeks.

Rhoades said the toughest thing about Baldwin's absence was that VCU only had a couple days to prepare to play without their point guard. Michigan transfer guard Zeb Jackson made his first career start in place of Baldwin, but Jackson was limited to 4 points on 1-of-7 shooting.

Doesn't just about every team practice/prepare to some level for a player going down whether to injury or fouling out? That second quote does seem a bit strange. Plus, the coaching staff had to deal with Ace being out numerous games last year so Nunn definitely has backup experience at the point guard position and Jackson has played it in the past. It almost sounds like the coaching staff had all of their eggs in Ace's basket.

 

[rambunctiousrowdyram]

Doesn't just about every team practice/prepare to some level for a player going down whether to injury or fouling out? That second quote does seem a bit strange. Plus, the coaching staff had to deal with Ace being out numerous games last year so Nunn definitely has backup experience at the point guard position and Jackson has played it in the past. It almost sounds like the coaching staff had all of their eggs in Ace's basket.

I mean it felt that way with Evans and then Bones a lot of times. Look at our teams when Evans wasn’t playing well or was injured. We weren’t that good tbh. Bones went out we looked rough except when Ace played out of his mind. It seems no matter how talented we supposively are we always need one guy playing at a super high level consistently. We haven’t been balanced under Rhoades. That’s just fact. We were under previous coaches where multiple players could step up any given night.

 

[AlienAiden]

I mean it felt that way with Evans and then Bones a lot of times. Look at our teams when Evans wasn’t playing well or was injured. We weren’t that good tbh. Bones went out we looked rough except when Ace played out of his mind. It seems no matter how talented we supposively are we always need one guy playing at a super high level consistently. We haven’t been balanced under Rhoades. That’s just fact. We were under previous coaches where multiple players could step up any given night.

I am in wait and see mode right now when it comes to balanced scoring. At this point Ace, Nunn, Jackson, Watkins and Johns can give steady double figure performances. Shriver can also break out. Maybe they will gel and it will begin to be more fluid on that end.

 

[mrgeode]

I am in wait and see mode right now when it comes to balanced scoring. At this point Ace, Johns, Jackson, Watkins and Johns can give steady double figure performances. Shriver can also break out. Maybe they will gel and it will begin to be more fluid on that end.

If you have a Johns clone laying around you better get him on the roster ASAP

 

[AlienAiden]

If you have a Johns clone laying around you better get him on the roster ASAP

Fixed..thanks Tuna.

 

[Half-baked Mcbride]

As long as Ace comes back to the team healthy for the a$$ end of our OOC...we'll be ok going forward. As always, our Rams will have Big Dance consideration as predicated upon our results in conference...provided we don't drop any cupcakes in the next month.

Memphis/Vandy/Temple were/are going to be tough whether Ace was in or not....so go 2-1 in those games and hold serve against the dregs in December? Yea, we'll be ok...get better soon, Ace!

 

[mrgeode]

As long as Ace comes back to the team healthy for the a$$ end of our OOC...we'll be ok going forward. As always, our Rams will have Big Dance consideration as predicated upon our results in conference...provided we don't drop any cupcakes in the next month.

Memphis/Vandy/Temple were/are going to be tough whether Ace was in or not....so go 2-1 in those games and hold serve against the dregs in December? Yea, we'll be ok...get better soon, Ace!

Even 1-3 wouldn't be a disaster. I'm really hoping we can win against Vandy at home. If we manage that either of the other two will be Thanksgiving gravy.

 

[rambunctiousrowdyram]

As long as Ace comes back to the team healthy for the a$$ end of our OOC...we'll be ok going forward. As always, our Rams will have Big Dance consideration as predicated upon our results in conference...provided we don't drop any cupcakes in the next month.

Memphis/Vandy/Temple were/are going to be tough whether Ace was in or not....so go 2-1 in those games and hold serve against the dregs in December? Yea, we'll be ok...get better soon, Ace!

I feel the top part we literally said last year. As long as Ace is back we’ll be fine after the early season. I’m sorry to say I’m not convinced this time. Last year we had a All A 10 Ace and A10 POTY candidate for most of the season. We saw how that went.

 

[Half-baked Mcbride]

I feel the top part we literally said last year. As long as Ace is back we’ll be fine after the early season. I’m sorry to say I’m not convinced this time. Last year we had a All A 10 Ace and A10 POTY candidate for most of the season. We saw how that went.

Until we rip through an OOC schedule that has some teeth....which, feels like, never happens...regardless of coach....that is life in the A10.

We're just not gonna get the opportunities to get those critical Q1/2 wins outside of Dayton/SLU/Davidson...Michigan will have myriad opportunities to improve their rankings after the ASU debacle

it just is what it is....like someone else said recently...VCU is still doing a helluva lot better than two thirds of the entirety of D1....I mean, imagine being in a P6 conference and still being an absolute sh1tshow....South Carolina, Louisville, Northwestern, Georgetown, DePaul....some "used to be" some "never were"....Just gotta survive and advance and improve and get some W's

 

[rammad90]

I mean it felt that way with Evans and then Bones a lot of times. Look at our teams when Evans wasn’t playing well or was injured. We weren’t that good tbh. Bones went out we looked rough except when Ace played out of his mind. It seems no matter how talented we supposively are we always need one guy playing at a super high level consistently. We haven’t been balanced under Rhoades. That’s just fact. We were under previous coaches where multiple players could step up any given night.

I think what people are forgetting is we are talking about 3 players who are elite. ELITE, meaning they literally are better than the other guys and the other guys know it.

Its not just the players physical play we are missing but his teammates mental adjustments that have to be made as well. That is tough to simulacra;ate because if you are preparing and the guy is healthy you know he's sitting right over there you can relax. When it occurs it take s awhile for someone to become the anchor. Remember last year Vince as good as he was had a tough time trying to fill in for AB. It affected his game. I would state with certainty that had AB not come back as good as he was Vince doesnt get to the NBA via the draft.

Look we will be fine and we are very balances. Look how good a bencher such as Banks has filled in. Other than a bit of rust, he hasn't missed a beat. That's balance when you 13th or 14th player can fill in with good play.
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You just do not replace an Evans, Bones, or AB that easily. Just like we were different when KW went down, and when Treveon Graham got hurt.

 

[rammad90]

I feel the top part we literally said last year. As long as Ace is back we’ll be fine after the early season. I’m sorry to say I’m not convinced this time. Last year we had a All A 10 Ace and A10 POTY candidate for most of the season. We saw how that went.

Last year went well. We ran out of gas late but had we not had the AB-less start we wouldnt have had such a razor thing margin of error. We were all good and better than a lot of times that got in. We didnt it happens.