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View Full Version : Neal by the numbers in conference play,Incredible!



stoopified
2/23/2006, 02:23 AM
I have bragged on him twice before but his numbers are mind-blowing.Since he has been healthy enough to play at full speed (basically conference play).He has played 11 games, is averaging 16 ppg, is shooting 53.3% from 3(48-90) and 52.3% fg(56-107).The first leads the conference and the second is the number two shooting mark in conference play. By contrast Neal was 30-86(34.9% from 3 and 36-116(.310) from the field overall in non conference games. Amazing how good he is now that he is healthy,hmm!Does anyone here think we would have lost to NU and MU if Neal had played?I say no freakin' way.As a team we are shooting 39.7 from 3 in conference( before Neal emerged and started firing howitzer bulls-eyes from 3 we were barely above 30,0%).Our overall shooting % has gone from 42.2 % to 44.8 %.

IMHO the Newcomer of the year race is over and Neal is THE MAN.Not just his numbers but the intangibles he brings to the floor have changed this into a very dangerous team.A two-handed Book and a semi-healthy AJ and we could be the team projected in preseason. Realistically I don't expect the health issues to change significantly for the better, but I can Hope.In any case I look to an exciting conclusion to this season.Bombs away Michael and BOOMER SOONER BABY.

NUSooner
2/23/2006, 02:27 AM
I guess we wouldn't have lost those two games if he was healthy and played, but since he was hurt and was not playing well before he sat out and rested, I think its safe to say that we are a better team now because he sat those games out.

stoopified
2/23/2006, 02:52 AM
I guess we wouldn't have lost those two games if he was healthy and played, but since he was hurt and was not playing well before he sat out and rested, I think its safe to say that we are a better team now because he sat those games out.True but I want a best-case scenario with Neal being healthy for those games .The same way I would like to see a two-handed Book and a s healthy AJ down the stretch.It does not matter to me that it is not rational because I am a fanatic not just a fan and therefore by definition irrational.That does not affect the validity of my view of Neal however as illustarated by the staistics listed.

I guess I should have stated in my original post IF Neal was healthy and had played we would beaten NU and MU but I guess I aasumed (in the middle of the night)that It was a given that I was referring to a healthy Neal.This was not the case in realty but my supposition in a hypothetical scenario.

It is still my contention that with a healthy Michael Neal we would have beaten the Tigers and Cornhuskers and would be in first place in the Big 12.Sue me, I am a fanatic.Given what he has done(by the numbers ) I think my original post stands.Neal has played incredible and DOES make a huge difference in our team .He IS the best NEWCOMER (not freshman) in the BIG12.

NormanPride
2/23/2006, 11:29 AM
I'm just disappointed that with an outside game like Neal provides, that Taj isn't stepping up. If he played like he did early in the season, we'd be nigh-unstoppable.