Commodores Improving Under Stackhouse Despite Mounting Losses
I'm not a North Carolina Tar Heel alum or fan so bear with me as I explain this thought which I'm sure will have many of you thinking I'm crazy or I'm simply being a Jerry Stackhouse homer.
If you look beyond the wins and losses at what is going on with this Vanderbilt men's basketball team as it stands today in the wake of another lopsided loss, this one to Alabama, you can see areas where this team is actually improving.
Let's be honest here, I know wins and losses are the ultimate indicators of success in sports and in that area, this team under first-year head coach Jerry Stackhouse is failing miserably, especially in conference play and there's no denying that fact.
However, when you consider the fact that Stackhouse has lost his best player in Aaron Nesmith and another starter in Clevon Brown to injury, leaving him with little depth to play with and forcing him to give significant minutes to, and even start a walk-on, you should understand the losses mounting up.
I'm not excusing losses, but if we are being honest about things, the injuries and lack of quality depth on this roster shouldn't fall at the feet of Stackhouse.
When you take a closer look at this team outside their record you can see some areas of improvement beginning to emerge.
Dylan Disu is a talented player who has started almost every game as a true freshman in a Power-5 conference. He was a role player and outside shooter originally before the aforementioned injuries.
Without his injured teammates, Disu's role has changed and increased and he is beginning to show signs of breaking through that freshman stage and developing into a player that can truly help this team in the future.
Yes, I know, I said that word, future, but again if we are being honest this team isn't going far this season so Stackhouse and his staff must look to the future and try to build for it.
Disu broke out last night in the Commodores loss, scoring a career-high 21 points and shooting 50% from the floor. He also added six rebounds, an assist and a steal for good measure in 29 minutes of action.
Fellow freshman Scottie Pippen Jr. did not start against Alabama, it was the first time all season he has not been on the floor for the opening tip. He is averaging 11.0 ppg and finished with 10 off the bench against the Tide in 29 minutes.
Pippen Jr. has been consistent and has improved in ball security, turning it over just twice last night and had a turnover-free game earlier this season at Auburn.
Keeping with the freshman theme, Jordan Wright started the season coming off the bench and still does, but because of injuries, he has seen his minutes increase. He logged 22 last night while scoring six points, grabbing two rebounds, three assists, and four steals.
Those aren't superstar numbers by any means, but those are solid numbers in a sport where you need role players to provide that type of production off the bench.
Saben Lee was already an established presence with the ability to score before the start of this season. He was the perfect Robin to Nesmith's Batman on this team.
Since Batman has been out, Lee in his new role as the leading offensive option struggled against Texas A&M but has bounced back with two solid efforts in a row while learning how to play as the primary scoring option, and not just for a few minutes when Nesmith was getting a rest, but for the entire game.
Then there is the fact that despite the struggles and losses, this team as it stands today has not quite. They've not quit in any game, on you the fans, their coaches or themselves. They continue to battle regardless of the situation or score.
If that doesn't matter to you then maybe you need to reexamine your thought process, because it would be easy to simply "mail it in" from here on but that's not what's happening. That could of course change but for now, it hasn't and honestly, I don't think it will because I believe this team believes in what their coach is selling.
I get it, losing is no fun, not for fans, players, coaches, administrators and even media covering the team that have to go ask coaches and players the same questions over and over after repeated losses. It's not what any of us want to see twice a week for four-plus months, but it is where the Commodores are right now.
That doesn't mean that's where they will stay in the future.
I'm also not saying buy this as a moral victory, but rather look at things with a clear lense and see them for what they are, dissecting things and digging deeper than just the wins and losses and see that while the team as a whole is not good right now, there are things that should give at least some hope that this thing will turn for the better in the future.
