Evans is going to be GOOD. He probably has the prettiest and smoothest jumper on the team. Less and less Shaq the deeper we get hopefully and I would love to see Evans starting within the first couple conference games.
Game is on the line with less than 2 minutes to go and Ellis travels then misses the easy pass from TC under the basket. How does he still not understand what a travel is? It blows my mind
Did you mean Ellis and Clark playing better?Ellis is the most disappointing to this point in the season (Clark is a close second). I expected an NBA quality center this year. On the postgame interview, Mick said he is a lottttttttt better than what we have seen. I think this season really hinges on whether or not he plays to his potential, or he continues to be what we've seen to date. I think since we don't have the natural shooters and creators on this roster, that it is critical that our inside guys play to their potential. Only then will we open up higher percentage opportunities for everyone else, and just an extra second or two of time and/or space might be all we need. But, we can't get there without Evans or Clark playing better.
I reallly hope he did...Did you mean Ellis and Clark playing better?
I don't mind Shaq playing 20 minutes at all. He just needs to stop shooting step back jumpers, long 2s, and bad shot 3s. His rebounding has been good this year and he has been more aggressive overall. He could be another guy who could benefit from an emphasis on more spacing in the halfcourt.
Did you mean Ellis and Clark playing better?
i think this has been his best year. I also think he can still get his minutes subbing at the 3 and 4 just feel our spacing and ball movement is much better when Evans is in game. I'd like to pick and choose my spots for his minutes based on what is needed real time.It's funny how many like to bash Shaq. Look at his stats. He had 6 rebounds in 20 minutes, 2 assists to 1 turnover, 2 steals (half of the team's total of 4), and he was 2 of 5 from the field. He has actually shot the ball well all season. He's shooting almost 50% from the field for the season. But, every mistake he makes gets exaggerated in here, and any mistakes by the forum favorites somehow get blamed on others.
that happens when you get old. LolYes, my bad.
Caupain choked on the last play. He knows it. He owned it. Good news for us is that it isn't too late to turn things around. This team still has a chance (if they want it) to be very good by March.
i think this has been his best year. I also think he can still get his minutes subbing at the 3 and 4 just feel our spacing and ball movement is much better when Evans is in game. I'd like to pick and choose my spots for his minutes based on what is needed real time.
Here's a conundrum. We're down 62-60 with the ball, Shaq takes a wide open 3 pointer that misses badly. My first thought is "how can a Senior take such a low percentage shot when they've been so effective at the rim"? Then a couple possessions later, DeBerry takes and makes a shot at the top of the key.
Upon further review, I don't have a problem with Shaq taking that shot. He's capable of making it and you have to have players that are both capable and unafraid of taking that shot. Xavier played pack-line defense. Iowa State had fallen back into the same kind of thing. Is he better at the rim? Sure. But I liked the fact that all our players felt free enough to take the shot when it was the best option. We're good enough rebounding wise to corral a high percentage of the misses.
I still am going back to Cronin's interview after the Butler game and him saying how we all wanted offense for ten years and he says look what wins games...defense. So why can't we have both? Offense is there. We need to start better of course but it is there. Free throws, multiple shooters, and some inside game. This team just needs to wake up and go after balls. The 15 offensive rebounds was the most frustrating thing I have witnessed. Just go and grab the ball, if not knock someone out. Do something instead of watching.
Overall we have lost 3 tough games and one (Butler) we should have beat by double digits. Like Cronin said you play so you can be playing in March. By the time the tourney games come around these games won't matter besides seeding. WE WILL get in. No doubt in my mind. Worse comes to worse we split the two games against SMU and UCONN and I don't see us having any bad losses (ECU Tulane). Looking back last year I almost wished we would have lost another game so we wouldn't have had to face UK in the next round.
I know it's frustrating seeing what we have and knowing how we should be playing but it will come. Still a lot more games to improve. Remember the year with Kilpatrick, we were ranked 7th in the country beating UCONN, then getting smashed to SMU and then losing to UCONN after that. Whether you want to admit it or not we were basically going in the wrong direction. Then getting bounced by Harvard in the tourney. This year we can only go up. Losing to 3 top 10 teams and 2 of them by 2 points each I think it's important to stay positive. Especially being that it is December. Run through our conference with 2 or 3 losses. We will all be ready for March!
Here's a conundrum. We're down 62-60 with the ball, Shaq takes a wide open 3 pointer that misses badly. My first thought is "how can a Senior take such a low percentage shot when they've been so effective at the rim"? Then a couple possessions later, DeBerry takes and makes a shot at the top of the key.
Upon further review, I don't have a problem with Shaq taking that shot. He's capable of making it and you have to have players that are both capable and unafraid of taking that shot. Xavier played pack-line defense. Iowa State had fallen back into the same kind of thing. Is he better at the rim? Sure. But I liked the fact that all our players felt free enough to take the shot when it was the best option. We're good enough rebounding wise to corral a high percentage of the misses.
My issue with that shot for Shaq is that it's what the defense wants in that situation. He has shot better this year. His rebounding is better but if I'm the opposing coach with the shot clock winding down, him with the ball at 3 point line is a good gamble for me. It's not always his fault either. The other Cats can not put him in that spot. Lack of a true go to player is a big weakness for this team. A guy who either makes the hoop gets fouled or shuffles the ball off for a easy hoop by a teammate who's defender dropped off to help. All good teams have such a guy. The one encouraging thing about the game was we may have found that player in Evans. He draws contact,can take you off dribble going strong to hoop, pass it and makes his FT's. If you play off him he can also knock down the outside shot. TC is also growing in that area. Slower then I'd like but he is improving. Hopefully by end of year they will have progressed enough to do some damage in tournamentHere's a conundrum. We're down 62-60 with the ball, Shaq takes a wide open 3 pointer that misses badly. My first thought is "how can a Senior take such a low percentage shot when they've been so effective at the rim"? Then a couple possessions later, DeBerry takes and makes a shot at the top of the key.
Upon further review, I don't have a problem with Shaq taking that shot. He's capable of making it and you have to have players that are both capable and unafraid of taking that shot. Xavier played pack-line defense. Iowa State had fallen back into the same kind of thing. Is he better at the rim? Sure. But I liked the fact that all our players felt free enough to take the shot when it was the best option. We're good enough rebounding wise to corral a high percentage of the misses.
DeBerry's shot was completely different. He was wide open and set. DeBerry has always has a decent looking stroke for a big guy.
Shaq's shot was bad because it was off the bounce when he had a clear driving lane against a guy he had just taken to the rim the possession before. He settled for a really bad 3. Those aren't the ones we want him taking if he's taking 3s.
My issue with that shot for Shaq is that it's what the defense wants in that situation. He has shot better this year. His rebounding is better but if I'm the opposing coach with the shot clock winding down, him with the ball at 3 point line is a good gamble for me. It's not always his fault either. The other Cats can not put him in that spot. Lack of a true go to player is a big weakness for this team. A guy who either makes the hoop gets fouled or shuffles the ball off for a easy hoop by a teammate who's defender dropped off to help. All good teams have such a guy. The one encouraging thing about the game was we may have found that player in Evans. He draws contact,can take you off dribble going strong to hoop, pass it and makes his FT's. If you play off him he can also knock down the outside shot. TC is also growing in that area. Slower then I'd like but he is improving. Hopefully by end of year they will have progressed enough to do some damage in tournament
The way we are playing bodes well for March. We have guys on offense that are stepping up and making big plays in key moments. We have guards that shoot well from the free throw line, we have a dead eye three point shooter (Cobb), we have a wing that can create offense and shoot (Evans), we have a point guard that can control the game (Caupain), we have 3 capable big men. We need to clean up the defensive rebounding, and a few decisions down the stretch. This team is building to win tournament games. Things are not so bleak. If we get to a 6 seed, I like our chances to get to the second weekend.
a weakness in Shaq's game that others have pointed out is that Shaq gets to rim but doesn't finish. Rather then draw contact he avoids it and the shot becomes more difficult and he comes up empty. Also when he goes to the hole it's with his head down and he has little chance of drawing and dishing. He has improved on his FT shooting this year but he still is not the guy I want on line with the game hanging in balance.I get what you're saying and agree to some extent but like Jacob said, it's better to give them a little freedom to take that shot. We'd like efficiency but I'm not averse to a little more volume as well. Driving the ball would be preferred for Shaq but all those guys need to have a plan when they drive to the basket.
