JasonS
Football Moderator
Pretty much right on. I would add that part of the reason Wilks can't stay in the game is because he is so slow laterally on defense. Guys just go right around him. His feet are so slow.
First Half Reactions from IPFW game
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Pretty much right on. I would add that part of the reason Wilks can't stay in the game is because he is so slow laterally on defense. Guys just go right around him. His feet are so slow.
psax889906
Well-known member
Yeah I think as his career progressed we realized he wasn't as athletically gifted as he was heralded to be... he's just an incredible leaper. There is a very large difference. As others have said you feel bad for him and Larry because they really do play hard and they seem like good teammates and great guys but they just haven't developed as basketball players.
JasonS
Football Moderator
I don't think Larry ever recovered from the knee injury in high school. He may be physically 100% but I think it put a lot of doubt in his mind and once he started struggling, he couldn't pull himself out.
Some observations:
- I don't know why people are bashing Dixon. The only negative that I remember today was his 3 point shooting, but he was taking open shots in the flow of the offense. Can't blame him for taking those if he's open. Now, obviously if he struggles all year shooting then I don't want him shooting 3s against BE teams, but it's still early.
- I'm not as concerned with our free throw shooting. Yancy and Bishop improved a ton at the line, and Dixon's stroke isn't bad. I saw Kilpatrick drain FT after FT in the summer league and he's pure, although he missed a couple today. I think 80% of Cash's misses have literally been in-and-out. He has good form, just all mental right now. I'm a little concerned about Thomas becuause he gets to the line quite a bit.
- Thomas needs to finish better around the rim, especially against teams like IPFW where he has significant height advantage. He needs to get a mean streak and try to dunk everything around the rim.
- Can't say enough about Yancy. The games against weaker competition were always the games when Yancy slacked off. He always steps his game up against the big boys but struggled against mediocre teams. He had some post moves today where he showed no hesitation and were perfect.
- It's going to be an absolute treat to watch SK for 4 years. Loved his hustle and play making ability. He played good transition D and was diving on the floor.
- I'm a bit concerned that LD was playing down the stretch today with about 4 minutes left.
Next game I just want to them to play a game for a full 40 minutes.
- I don't know why people are bashing Dixon. The only negative that I remember today was his 3 point shooting, but he was taking open shots in the flow of the offense. Can't blame him for taking those if he's open. Now, obviously if he struggles all year shooting then I don't want him shooting 3s against BE teams, but it's still early.
- I'm not as concerned with our free throw shooting. Yancy and Bishop improved a ton at the line, and Dixon's stroke isn't bad. I saw Kilpatrick drain FT after FT in the summer league and he's pure, although he missed a couple today. I think 80% of Cash's misses have literally been in-and-out. He has good form, just all mental right now. I'm a little concerned about Thomas becuause he gets to the line quite a bit.
- Thomas needs to finish better around the rim, especially against teams like IPFW where he has significant height advantage. He needs to get a mean streak and try to dunk everything around the rim.
- Can't say enough about Yancy. The games against weaker competition were always the games when Yancy slacked off. He always steps his game up against the big boys but struggled against mediocre teams. He had some post moves today where he showed no hesitation and were perfect.
- It's going to be an absolute treat to watch SK for 4 years. Loved his hustle and play making ability. He played good transition D and was diving on the floor.
- I'm a bit concerned that LD was playing down the stretch today with about 4 minutes left.
Next game I just want to them to play a game for a full 40 minutes.
cincinnati insanity
Well-known member
Thats why i was saying it dont matter how big and strong you are if you cant shoot your limited to what the defense allows you. These smaller teams always give bigger teams fits, so its not like they are completely terrible. Theres a reason why they gave UC and Xu a game and thats because they play to there strengths and can shoot the lights out.. Jason you are correct also about no transition game because you cant have any fast breaks if they dont miss. The only thing that really bothered me defensively is allowing them to take the uncontested 3 point shots. If you know what there going to do then dont let them shoot, kinda like they knew UC couldnt shoot and forced them to take out side shots. I think this team will make huge noise in there conference and UC just has to get some type of out side shot..-
MDW79
Well-known member
Hard to not be at least a little concerned with the FT and perimeter shooting through the first two games. If they can't improve these a great deal then it's going to be a long year, plain and simple.
Didn't get to watch the game, but listened to it on the radio. Dan Hoard and Chuck do a great job in my opinion. If TV ever becomes non-existent, Cincinnati is in luck with our college and pro sports radio broadcasters. Back to the subject of the Cats. I loved the defense stepping it up and adapting in the second half. The defense basically shut down the 3s for IPWF. It sounded as if Cash and Dixon showed up today. I feel bad for Cash. His only free throw issue is (in the words of Hoard) 'between his ears'. Cronin says in practice Cash and the majority of the team are shooting over 80%. Get the kid a sports psychologist to erase Cash's mental doubts when it comes to free throws. The press is effective, when they have a chance to utilize it. Gates played 36 minutes. His conditioning is out of this world compared to last year. I think we are going to see Cash and Dixon continue to develop with each game. Great start to the season. This season is going to be fun to watch.
JasonS, thanks for putting some of these members (seemingly from another site) in place. Way to support the Cats!
Go Bearcats!
I wouldn't read too much into the score of the game and how the Cats looked. The fact that they didn't panic and relied on their defense to carry them through was encouraging. MC mentioned in his post game press conference that the team didn't let their second half offensive woes affect their intensity on defense. Last year this would not have been the case. Also the Cats seem to play to the level of their competition, and as the schedule toughens, I would expect them to play better. Last year, they looked poor in the first few games, and then went to Maui and played really well. This in my opinion is a better team, and I would expect the level of play to improve as the players start to know their roles, and remain consistent through the season.
Oh I'm very concernd with our perimeter shooting. I don't feel confident with anyone shooting really. I hope Sanders, Davis, Guyn, or Thomas can help us out next year.
I gotta agree with the person who mentioned a sports psychologist. Many of these guys can knock down threes and make FT's. It's all about confidence in game as opposed to confidence in practice. In fact confidence is also contagious. Hopefully we can get one or two of these guys to come out of their shell. Others will feed off of that.
As for turnovers...Mick has to make that HIS priority. He's got to bring kids out of the game after stupid mistakes and really force the issue on TO's. I don't think any of these issues are ability related which is good news...many of them have the ability...they just need the confidence.
If we make just 3 more three pointers (17%...3-17), reduce TO's by 3 and make 3 more FT's...we win by 20 or so. Before you say 3 pointers have been an issue for a while I would point out that we hardly ever shoot THAT bad...17%. FT's will come around...it's just a matter of time...it simply can't get worse. It also shouldn't be that hard to eliminate 3-4 TO's per game...just need to make it a priority.
I actually feel a bit more comfortable knowing we can't shoot worse than we did tonight from 3 point...we can't keep shooting this bad from the charity stripe...and we should be able to easily cut down on TO's. We won the game in spite of all of this. We won the last game in spite of two of those same issues (3 point shooting was better).
As for turnovers...Mick has to make that HIS priority. He's got to bring kids out of the game after stupid mistakes and really force the issue on TO's. I don't think any of these issues are ability related which is good news...many of them have the ability...they just need the confidence.
If we make just 3 more three pointers (17%...3-17), reduce TO's by 3 and make 3 more FT's...we win by 20 or so. Before you say 3 pointers have been an issue for a while I would point out that we hardly ever shoot THAT bad...17%. FT's will come around...it's just a matter of time...it simply can't get worse. It also shouldn't be that hard to eliminate 3-4 TO's per game...just need to make it a priority.
I actually feel a bit more comfortable knowing we can't shoot worse than we did tonight from 3 point...we can't keep shooting this bad from the charity stripe...and we should be able to easily cut down on TO's. We won the game in spite of all of this. We won the last game in spite of two of those same issues (3 point shooting was better).
If you look at these first two games as a tale of two halves...we were confident in the inside outside game in the first half...and the second half we went cold. Maybe it's because we lost our safety blanket of scoring inside IDK. I can't think of any other good reason that we would lose condfidence from half to half. If we were getting good looks from the three against a zone...I don't see it as a lack of coaching adjustments. The shots just weren't falling. In game...a coach cannot make the team make shots...he can just provide a game plan to get open looks. Outside of the game a coach can work on confidence issues. TO's can be worked on in game and in practice.
I think an up tempo game is what we would prefer right now to get our confidence level where it needs to be.
I think an up tempo game is what we would prefer right now to get our confidence level where it needs to be.
As for Dixon not being able to shoot...do we really think the coach would allow players to take 5-6 three point attempts per game if he had little confidence that they could make the shots? Like one person said they are shooting 80% FT's in practice and probably knocking down threes as well. They have the jitters.
My HS coach always told us what range we were allowed to shoot from in the game. We were not to shoot from outside of that range under any circumstance but a shot clock violation. From the looks of things Dixon has the green light from three...and there would only be one reason to give him that green light. He knocks them down in practice at a respectable level.
My HS coach always told us what range we were allowed to shoot from in the game. We were not to shoot from outside of that range under any circumstance but a shot clock violation. From the looks of things Dixon has the green light from three...and there would only be one reason to give him that green light. He knocks them down in practice at a respectable level.
TheLongHaul
Well-known member
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Dixon is a junior. If he still has jitters it's time to send him back to Chicago. His problem is he has a terrible shot.
Cronin doesn't limit what a player can do because it will hurt recruiting. He recruits on the philosophy that he lets his players play. That's fine and dandy except his current players can't play in an open system.
Bearcat_NTS
Well-known member
Basically what I said after game 1 still holds true: Brutal free throw shooting, questionable shot selection, long scoring droughts and weakness at the guard position. Will be a long year if this continues.
Hey, I am not saying Dixon is anywhere close to a lights out shooter. But he did average 30% out of 118 attempts his freshman year from the three. So was that luck? Last year only 20%. This year he is 0%. 30% isn't great...but don't tell me the guy can't make threes. He just needs the light to go on...you can't just flick the confidence switch...let's just hope he stumbles on it somehow.
Same thing with Wright...he shot about 60% from the FT line last year. This year he is 27%. It's gonna come around. Neither Dixon or Wright will maintain those averages for the year and we all know it. One would hope that both would improve this year at least a little...and there is plenty of time to get the ship pointed in the right direction. Of course we all know Bishop won't maintain 100% FT's either...but he is the only guy way above his average from previous years in either category other than Parker who is 2-2 from the FT line.
This year Bishop, Wilkes, Dixon, Davis, Wright, and Parker are a combined 2-18 from three point land. That's 11%. If we combined their averages from the prior years it would be closer to 30% although we would all love it to be 35-40%. Again, It's going to come around at some point...it is impossible to keep this horrible pace up. As for FT shooting we are probably pretty close to past averages since Bishop is way ahead and Wright is way behind.
I don't know what our average for turnovers were but we need to cut those by about 5 per game...that's on the coach.
Actually Dixon, Wright, and Parker are 0-11 from 3 point land. At worst these guys will shoot 25% on the year and at best 35%. So while Dixon is taking a lot of heat for a poor shot it's Wright that is under performing in both categories of FT's and 3 pointers.
Dixon shot 75% from the FT line last year...this year he is 3-5 so he's one off...big deal. If he had hit one of his 3's he would be at 25% instead of 0%. That would be his combined average the last two years. It still sucks but it's better than 0%.
It's early...some things are frustrating to watch...but let's keep it in perspective and wait a few more games until they settle in...then we can start to judge them on overall performance. As long as they win in the mean time...I won't be complaining too much.
I wonder if the fans are part of the reason why our team has a confidence problem. You suck...they suck...we suck! Even if some of the fans don't like the coach it's not the players fault...but the players sure do take a lot of heat sometimes...especially on other boards. This one seems pretty civil.
Dixon shot 75% from the FT line last year...this year he is 3-5 so he's one off...big deal. If he had hit one of his 3's he would be at 25% instead of 0%. That would be his combined average the last two years. It still sucks but it's better than 0%.
It's early...some things are frustrating to watch...but let's keep it in perspective and wait a few more games until they settle in...then we can start to judge them on overall performance. As long as they win in the mean time...I won't be complaining too much.
I wonder if the fans are part of the reason why our team has a confidence problem. You suck...they suck...we suck! Even if some of the fans don't like the coach it's not the players fault...but the players sure do take a lot of heat sometimes...especially on other boards. This one seems pretty civil.
psax889906
Well-known member
This is a program wide issue including the fans. Losing fosters losing and winning fosters winning. Breaking through that ceiling back into a winning attitude takes a certain kind of team. Hopefully with time this team can be that one.
I agree PSAX...I am worried about where the confidence is going to come from on this team. The preseason talk was Dixon and Gates. Then after a while it looked like Jackson and Killa. I don't really care who feeds off who...just that someone steps up to give this team the boost it needs. Cronin...Wright...Bishop...anyone of these guys!
You know I am a golf fan...and I like Mickelson. He's been known to have some issues in pressure situations. A lot of that has more to do with the media and fans that don't like him blowing his "choking" out of proportion. When you are fighting your own demons...you don't need to be fighting everyone elses demons at the same time. Our fans could help this team by not getting down on them so early...don't put more pressure on them than they put on themselves. The seniors on this team have been hearing negatives for the last 4 years...it's time they had more people in their corner to give them the best chance to change this thing around and succeed.
If it doesn't happen by the end of this year...we can all voice our opinions on what that should mean as far as program changes. But we are so early in the season to be dumping on them already. Don't go to the games, rip on them every chance we get, etc etc. It's a recipe for failure. Our 6th man isn't helping as much as it should...it may be hurting the cause. If our players are underperforming...I would give some of our fans an even worse grad.
If it doesn't happen by the end of this year...we can all voice our opinions on what that should mean as far as program changes. But we are so early in the season to be dumping on them already. Don't go to the games, rip on them every chance we get, etc etc. It's a recipe for failure. Our 6th man isn't helping as much as it should...it may be hurting the cause. If our players are underperforming...I would give some of our fans an even worse grad.
JasonS
Football Moderator
Anthony Buford made numerous comments on the attendance and the lack of energy in the crowd, especially after half time. He said when the Bearcats came out for the start of the second, it felt dead in the building. I hear people say all the time that the team needs to give something for the fans to cheer about not the other way around. In my opinion, it works both ways. The team was up double digits in the second half and the crowd should have been pumped up and making it as hard as possible on IPFW. Right now this team is not getting any help from the crowd and that is a shame. This team plays hard and plays together. It is easy to support them.
I am going to the game tomorrow and sitting in the student section with my brother. He got us tickets Wednesday or Thursday and we are sitting in the fourth row of section 129 (middle section of student section). When I was a student (1999-2004), I wouldn't have been able to even think about sitting in 129 or 113 if I didn't get tickets the day they were available and my freshman year, you didn't get tickets unless you camped out. It is sad that there isn't more support from the students. What else are you going to do on a Monday night?
I am going to the game tomorrow and sitting in the student section with my brother. He got us tickets Wednesday or Thursday and we are sitting in the fourth row of section 129 (middle section of student section). When I was a student (1999-2004), I wouldn't have been able to even think about sitting in 129 or 113 if I didn't get tickets the day they were available and my freshman year, you didn't get tickets unless you camped out. It is sad that there isn't more support from the students. What else are you going to do on a Monday night?