Bobcats on the Bubble

By: Tyler Stevenson

“As the men’s basketball team prepares to host Troy tonight, the Bobcats are in the midst of a four game losing streak.With a five and eleven conference record, the Bobcats are one game behind Appalachian State for the eighth and final spot in the Sunbelt tournament. However, Coach Kasper says there’s no reason to panic, “With a break here or there we would have two or three more wins, and that would make our season look a whole lot better at this point,” Kasper said. We try to get them to work hard in practice, believe in themselves, and take it one game at a time. “

A big reason for the losing streak is that the Bobcats have been in an offensive slump this month. They’ve shot just under 35 percent from the field. Coach Kasper says if the Bobcats are going to turn things around the offense has to get back on track.“I’ve emphasized to the team we need to work to get better shots,” Kasper said. “I don’t think we’ve taken a lot of bad shots, but I think we’ve taken enough to make a difference in a close game.”

Since the outside shooting is suffering, it allows teams to key in on and double team the Bobcats best offensive post player, Emani Gant. “We do want Emani to score but he has to understand that when he’s being doubled or triple teamed he has to repost and find the open man,” Kasper said. It is frustrating for him and for us that we’re not able to free him up with our outside shooting. ”Besides Gant, Kasper says there are two other players the Bobcats that can provide a spark for the Bobcats offense. “When D.J. Brown and Ethan Montalvo are playing well offensively, we’ve won some games people didn’t think we would,” Kasper said.

We’ll see if the Bobcats can get out of their offensive slump tonight, when they host Troy at 7:30.