Houston: Round 2: The Battle for Everything

[cincrulz11]

I also get a kick out of the fans claiming the NCAA tourney is largely random in results. That randomness should have resulted in just as many over achieving teams as the opposite. Having one of the longest streaks in the nation in making the dance...you would expect UC to have benefited from randomness at some point.

Even if we were under seeded or our opponent was under seeded...randomness should have seen us defying odds in a good way just as often as we have in a bad way.

Everybody talks about the 9 years and the teams that have made it 9 straight years.


Nobody seems to talk about what those other teams did in the tournament over those 9 years.

 

[waterhead]

Everybody talks about the 9 years and the teams that have made it 9 straight years.


Nobody seems to talk about what those other teams did in the tournament over those 9 years.

Without looking I will assume randomness got the best of them

 

[cincyguy13]

I also get a kick out of the fans claiming the NCAA tourney is largely random in results. That randomness should have resulted in just as many over achieving teams as the opposite. Having one of the longest streaks in the nation in making the dance...you would expect UC to have benefited from randomness at some point.

Even if we were under seeded or our opponent was under seeded...randomness should have seen us defying odds in a good way just as often as we have in a bad way.

This. If it’s truly random, we’d luck in to something over 25 years. Maybe we were doing something wrong. No one wants to entertain this idea though. Or at least the cronin defender,

 

[waterhead]

This. If it’s truly random, we’d luck in to something over 25 years. Maybe we were doing something wrong. No one wants to entertain this idea though. Or at least the cronin defender,

Multiple play makers is what we are missing. We could defend the hell out of the ball but we need guys who can put it in the basket or create a play on demand. We have always had at least 1 guy...but other than the 2 seed team we haven't had enough "players" to keep pace.

 

[cincrulz11]

Multiple play makers is what we are missing. We could defend the hell out of the ball but we need guys who can put it in the basket or create a play on demand. We have always had at least 1 guy...but other than the 2 seed team we haven't had enough "players" to keep pace.

even when we had multiple guys, we didn't use them. we always would just use 1 guy last 10 minutes.


im ready to see a team on offense.

 

[cincyguy13]

Multiple play makers is what we are missing. We could defend the hell out of the ball but we need guys who can put it in the basket or create a play on demand. We have always had at least 1 guy...but other than the 2 seed team we haven't had enough "players" to keep pace.

Completely agree. When a team starts making hard shots, like good teams do, you have to be able to match them. Like Sunday against Houston. We came back, got within 5, Houston made 5 straight jumpers that were defended well. Good team have those guys. If your whole philosophy is turnovers and rebounding, good teams don’t let you have those things.

 

[waterhead]

even when we had multiple guys, we didn't use them. we always would just use 1 guy last 10 minutes.


im ready to see a team on offense.

True. From SK to Troy to Evans to Jarron. We were going to live or die on a single life raft in the end most of the time. The 2 seed team had options where no single player really stood out over and above the others and so did the S16 team. We didn't have to live or die with 1 player.

Houston gave us the business (or at least could) from multiple angles. Mills, Sasser, Jareau etc. There is only so much one man can do

 

[justinhub2003]

even when we had multiple guys, we didn't use them. we always would just use 1 guy last 10 minutes.


im ready to see a team on offense.

Do we know that John Brannen will do that?

For the last 3 years he rode 2 players (Holland & McDonald)

And in his final year, he rode just one player.


he is a guy who like to put the ball in his best players hands.



I also am a firm believer that the best teams in the country, generally know who their best player is.

 

[cincrulz11]

Do we know that John Brannen will do that?

For the last 3 years he rode 2 players (Holland & McDonald)

And in his final year, he rode just one player.


he is a guy who like to put the ball in his best players hands.



I also am a firm believer that the best teams in the country, generally know who their best player is.

but the best teams don't have 1 player iso the last 10 minutes of close games if they have a bunch of other good players. and they especially don't do it with a guy that isn't capable of doing it.

Also brannen used 2 guys last year as well.

 

[justinhub2003]

but the best teams don't have 1 player iso the last 10 minutes of close games if they have a bunch of other good players. and they especially don't do it with a guy that isn't capable of doing it.

Also brannen used 2 guys last year as well.

Hmmm I just watched Houston Light us up with straight up nba iso plays.

 

[cincyguy13]

Do we know that John Brannen will do that?

For the last 3 years he rode 2 players (Holland & McDonald)

And in his final year, he rode just one player.


he is a guy who like to put the ball in his best players hands.



I also am a firm believer that the best teams in the country, generally know who their best player is.

No, we don’t know if brannen will do this. No one can tell the future. We are hoping he does. Hopefully he can get to the point where that is an option. Where we have enough players to choose from

 

[cincrulz11]

Hmmm I just watched Houston Light us up with straight up nba iso plays.

with the same guy every play the last 10 minutes?

Sasser got hot and made 4 straight, 3 of them very tough

And then Grimes made a tough one, and then Mills made a tough one, and then Hinton made a layup.


4 straight possessions 4 different guys did it.


that sorta seems like exactly what we're talking about.

 

[waterhead]

Hmmm I just watched Houston Light us up with straight up nba iso plays.

With multiple players capable of carrying that out. UCF did the same thing with guys who could handle the rock a little.

Put Keith or Harvey (right now) or Jaevin or Tre in the play maker iso and see what they can do. None of them have the ball skills (nor does Jarron) to get themselves open for a good shot. Jarron does it with brute strength and getting his man off balance. He can't use the cross over or quickness to blow by someone.

Keith has some potential if his ball skills get better. MAW is next in line. Harvey has some work to do. Gabe and Saunders have some promise. Probably even Eason if he is guarded by a 4.

 

[sedziobs]

This. If it’s truly random, we’d luck in to something over 25 years. Maybe we were doing something wrong. No one wants to entertain this idea though. Or at least the cronin defender,

We did. We lucked into a sweet sixteen in 2012 when we were 23rd in efficiency. We lucked into the round of 32 in 2015 when we were 44th in efficiency. We lucked into a sweet sixteen in 2001 also. Most seasons we performed to expectation.

Overall we have underperformed in the NCAA tournament. But our results are not even close to significant enough to dismiss random variation.

 

[cincrulz11]

Also I dont think sampson is a great coach on offense. And I dont think doing what he did is smart. He also did it here and it cost them the game.

Iso'ing for midrange jumpers is terrible offense. I hope he doesn't develop more of an offense than chuck it up and go rebound with all these stud athletes.

Imagine what houston could be if they weren't 222 in eFG% and 254 in 2 point shot %.

They have the talent to be a lot better than that.


But they are 22 in overall offensive efficiency cause their offensive rebounding is so crazy.

 

[waterhead]

We did. We lucked into a sweet sixteen in 2012 when we were 23rd in efficiency. We lucked into the round of 32 in 2015 when we were 44th in efficiency. We lucked into a sweet sixteen in 2001 also. Most seasons we performed to expectation.

Overall we have underperformed in the NCAA tournament. But our results are not even close to significant enough to dismiss random variation.

I think luck is the best way to put it because we didn't have a coach who regularly exceeded expectation. If we did have that...it would not be considered luck anymore...it would be contributed to the coach for having that certain something that trumped randomness. A coach that knew how to get his guys ready to play AND perform on the biggest stage.

We can go on and on about luck and randomness but the best coaches can out perform random variations IMO. And most of them don't or won't attribute results to it...or they will have lost the battle before playing. I don't think the movie Hoosiers was about luck..it was about the idea of opportunity meeting preparedness...and adding some motivation that other teams can't replicate.

 

[sedziobs]

I think luck is the best way to put it because we didn't have a coach who regularly exceeded expectation. If we did have that...it would not be considered luck anymore...it would be contributed to the coach for having that certain something that trumped randomness. A coach that knew how to get his guys ready to play AND perform on the biggest stage.

We can go on and on about luck and randomness but the best coaches can out perform random variations IMO. And most of them don't or won't attribute results to it...or they will have lost the battle before playing. I don't think the movie Hoosiers was about luck..it was about the idea of opportunity meeting preparedness...and adding some motivation that other teams can't replicate.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I think March specific coaching ability has almost nothing to do with March success. I think random variation/luck explains results more than any narrative. Movies are made about narratives. Real life isn't so predictable.

 

[cincyguy13]

We did. We lucked into a sweet sixteen in 2012 when we were 23rd in efficiency. We lucked into the round of 32 in 2015 when we were 44th in efficiency. We lucked into a sweet sixteen in 2001 also. Most seasons we performed to expectation.

Overall we have underperformed in the NCAA tournament. But our results are not even close to significant enough to dismiss random variation.

Didn’t dismiss it here wasn’t some randomness. But to blame everything on randomness is an excuse. Go win some games and make a run once in 30 years. Same with the bengals and reds. Do something in our lifetime. Not sure that asking too much. Maybe it is

 

[sedziobs]

"Blame" and "excuses" only exist in narratives. They're fun to talk about, but are little more than pareidolia in my opinion.

 

[cincrulz11]

i had to look up a word