Huge Game Today

[dbieon12]

Our guard play tonight looked like HS freshman ball. This team is all a bunch of shoulda coulda woulda's. If you look at the box score its down right comical, its so pathetic. Sadly it makes me not give to chits about this team when you put product like that on a court.

Here's what happens:

When Mick puts 2 bigs and 3 guards on the court you end up in the half-court offense. Any smart team that can play zone will play zone. It is devastating to this team's offense when we go 2 forwards, 3 guards. We end up in the half-court because when we inbound of rebound the guard slows the offense down, lets the forwards run the court. We all know that none of the forwards really work for good positioning.

When we are in the half-court, the guards pass the ball around the perimeter. Back and forth. Sometimes trading positions. Ticking away the shot clock until they force a jumpshot (usually contested). Keep in mind that we're lucky to get a shot off if we haven't turned the ball over on a lazy or stupid pass around the perimeter (tonight is exhibit A).

Here's what happens when you substitute a guard for one of the bigs:

The guards run the court, are capable of running the court. They press early and often, they cause turnovers. We get much better offense in the half-court as well. Those turnovers give us un-contested shots.

 

[ready2go]

Concerns over the course of a couple years:

inconsistency

scoring droughts

no identity

The beginning of this season we hear about Mbodj and Gates being the difference. They get suspended, then we turn to a 4 guard offense and tear it up. They come back and we go back to the struggles. Stop playing chess games to other teams. Saying they are small so we go big. It should be this is who we are and this is what we do.

I will say it doesnt help when they bank in a 3 from the corner and we can't throw it into the ocean standing on a boat. But you have to work to get high percentage shots

 

[rallie25]

This team doesn't have BEAST talent! No BBALL IQ, NO Big Man that plays aggressive, No guard that can create of the dribble!

 

[TheLivingLegend]

Looks like ill be back to yelling RUN RUN RUN at the shoe.. good lord.

Its mind boggling how a team can look so good one game and like a HS JV team the next.

My starters btw are.

Cash, Dion, SK, Parker, Gates. Go small and start running people out of the gym.

 

[Eternal E]

Looks like ill be back to yelling RUN RUN RUN at the shoe.. good lord.

Its mind boggling how a team can look so good one game and like a HS JV team the next.

My starters btw are.

Cash, Dion, SK, Parker, Gates. Go small and start running people out of the gym.

can't play defense or rebound with that line up

 

[TheLivingLegend]

can't play defense or rebound with that line up

Thats okay. We cant win with 2 bigs.

UC completely abandoned what gave them success. 4 guards, fast tempo, spread the floor.

Im tired of bending to other schools strengths. Mick couldnt do that when he had no bench, and now it reverts back.

 

[ready2go]

Couldnt agree more

Run the floor. When we were putting up 90 people were on cloud 9

 

[dbieon12]

can't play defense or rebound with that line up

I agree that rebounding is hampered by that lineup. But tonight I wasn't impressed with Rutgers rebounding ability either. Also Kilpatrick,

When you go small, you may take more jumpshots (but they will be open) but the rebounds will generally be longer. We also won't have those horrible missed layups and putbacks.

Check out the box scores for some of the No-Gates, No-Mbodj games, the rebounding difference was picked up by Kilpatrick, Parker, and Dixon.

.

I'm curious to why Guyn gets more playing time than J. Davis. Davis made that clutch shot in the corner as time was winding down. He's shown he's not afraid to attack the basket against a zone. Guyn on the other hand commits all the basketball sins: lazy passes, bad turnovers and dumb fouls -- not to mention his shooting hasn't been impressive.

They're both freshmen but Guyn has shown less promise (including games prior to the injury and the XU game).

 

[Bearcat04]

Thats okay. We cant win with 2 bigs.

UC completely abandoned what gave them success. 4 guards, fast tempo, spread the floor.

Im tired of bending to other schools strengths. Mick couldnt do that when he had no bench, and now it reverts back.

If your guards can't make a shot to save their lives then I don't see a reason to stick with it when you are down. They got outplayed today by a bunch of freshmen.

I'd be more inclined to stick with 4 guards if they were more versatile. This roster doesn't have many guys that can't beat tight man defense off the dribble and make something happen. More often than not it ends with a bad shot, turnover, or charge when our guards try to attack.

 

[ready2go]

If your guards can't make a shot to save their lives then I don't see a reason to stick with it when you are down. They got outplayed today by a bunch of freshmen.

I'd be more inclined to stick with 4 guards if they were more versatile. This roster doesn't have many guys that can't beat tight man defense off the dribble and make something happen. More often than not it ends with a bad shot, turnover, or charge when our guards try to attack.

Thats why you go to the 4 guard offense to create a transition game and not have to watch their pitifull half court offense

 

[Who Dey Time]

can't play defense or rebound with that line up

Didn't rebound tonight with a 3 small-2 big set and against a relatively small Rutgers team.

Having said that, Rutgers isn't as terrible a loss as some want to make it out to be although I am highly pissed off at the moment. Still, UC is in a solid position to make a 6-3, 7-2 type run these last 9 games and, if that happens, their NCAA status would be a matter of when and where as opposed to if.

 

[ralph1950]

I expected the Cats to lose tonight. I thought it was the typical trap game and it was.

 

[ralph1950]

RPI will ballon to over 100 again

100 on the nose per live-rpi.com

 

[ready2go]

I expected the Cats to lose tonight. I thought it was the typical trap game and it was.

And you call yourself a fan?

 

[Eternal E]

Thats okay. We cant win with 2 bigs.

UC completely abandoned what gave them success. 4 guards, fast tempo, spread the floor.

Im tired of bending to other schools strengths. Mick couldnt do that when he had no bench, and now it reverts back.

I agree, was just saying why that line up wasn't used tonight or against Syracuse, it worked well against WVU.

 

[Amberlycolonel]

Didn't rebound tonight with a 3 small-2 big set and against a relatively small Rutgers team.

Having said that, Rutgers isn't as terrible a loss as some want to make it out to be although I am highly pissed off at the moment. Still, UC is in a solid position to make a 6-3, 7-2 type run these last 9 games and, if that happens, their NCAA status would be a matter of when and where as opposed to if.

Could someone explain to me how losing to a team ranked 143 in the nation is NOT a bad loss? Rutgers is a bad team with 0 ball control ability. This WAS a bad loss. I am pissed also to be honest. The team really was gelling and I felt, finally, Cronin had found his niche and good times were here again. So much so that I was becoming a B-Ball fan. Rough day but the Sun comes up tomorrow. However, lets not sugarcoat the game and call it what it was. Horrible loss. Move on.

 

[greenhills bearcat]

It is just a matter of talent. Dixon and Parker are not high Big East quality. When wright st. and chicago st come calling they are world beaters. Say what you want about Yancy but he is a coach killer. It is just not in him to reach his potential.

 

[ready2go]

It is just a matter of talent. Dixon and Parker are not high Big East quality. When wright st. and chicago st come calling they are world beaters. Say what you want about Yancy but he is a coach killer. It is just not in him to reach his potential.

It wasnt just those teams. They were playing good ball and showed chemistry on the court. If they had played that style they beat Presb by 30 and Marshall by a dozen

 

[greenhills bearcat]

Granted, they should have won those games. The Big East is on another level. Chemistry only gets you so far.

 

[ready2go]

Granted, they should have won those games. The Big East is on another level. Chemistry only gets you so far.

I dont have time to argue with you. The ice in my rum and coke zero is melting, but chemistry can't hurt, esp when your team is throwing the ball all over the place or conducting the 3 player weave at the 3 point line