ECU takeaways.

[RichZ]

I still can't generate any feelings of like, dislike, camaraderie or rivalry for this team. I just don't care about them one way or the other. At least most of the rest of the AAC are somewhat familiar teams that I've seen before. But ECU? If we weren't playing them, I'd never even look at the score of one of their games. But of course it would kill me if we lost to this nonentity.

That having been said, here's what I noted today.

1. DHam. 16 boards, 5 dimes and 3 steals. And, oh yeah, a dozen points. 50% from the field. I'll take those numbers every damned game.
2. Zangari. It's not often your big run is fueled by a guy on the opposing team, but that was pretty much it today. The guy has 12 made threes this season, and 14 in his career (he's a senior). WTF was the thinking behind having him chucking it up like that? He didn't get yanked, so I have to assume he had the coach's blessing to launch at will.
3. Both teams had 7 made three pointers. It took us 19 attempts to do it. It took them 22. Of course if Zangari wasn't out there chucking them up for no gain in the 2nd half, they would still have 7 makes, but on only 16 attempts. But he was and he did. And he kind of fed DHam's rebounding total while doing it. Sounds like a wn-win to me.
4. Any game where you have more steals than turnovers is a good game.
5. Jalen. 33 minutes, most on the team. 7/8 from the field. 4 steals, 4 dimes, and unfortunately, 4 turnovers. How do you play the kind of D that gets you four steals and not get called for a foul? Conversely, how do you drive as much as he did today, and not draw a foul?
6. Enoch. 6 minutes. 2 Boards, 1 assist and one very emphatic garbage time dunk! That kind of play at the right time in the game can be a crowd energizer and momentum changer. Hope to see more of that kind of enthusiasm in upcoming games.
7. Shonn shined. Again. Except for that rather ill advised three point shot with just under 8 to go. Fortunately, it was quickly followed by one of Zangari's 3 point attempts and another DHam rebound, so it was kind of a wash. Shonn finished 16, 7 & 2. Mr. Consistent.
8. Amida has had 2 games to work the rust out. Starting with Temple, he needs to be back in form.
9. Rodney. His failure to finish on a few of his drives was more than offset by him shutting down Williams after the two quick ones at the start of the 2nd half.
10. Not too often you see both teams with 80% or better from the line.
11. We only took one more shot than them in the game, but made 13 more! 56% to their 37%. That's impressive.
12. Lebo. Not an impressive in-game coach from what I can see. But he did graduate from NC with like an 85% FT rate for his career. So he's got that going for him.

 

[Edward Sargent]

In response to # 2, Prince Williams should have taken all those shots even if contested. He was pretty good.

 

[RichZ]

I saw this yesterday, but didn't include it in the original post because I wasn't sure, until I watched tcf's replay. About 4:50 left in the half, Barklay made a move along the baseline and put up a shot that went over the rim, but touched neither the rim nor the backboard. He continued past the rim and "rebounded" the ball on the other side. DHam knocked t away from him, it went out of bounds, and they said out off UConn. But how the hell did they (and the announcers) miss that he couldn't touch the ball on the errant shot in the first place, and as soon as he did, it became UConn's ball. Ended up being a shot clock violation anyway, but it was just another blown call in a game that was full of them.

 

[tcf15]

Enoch. 6 minutes. 2 Boards, 1 assist and one very emphatic garbage time dunk! That kind of play at the right time in the game can be a crowd energizer and momentum changer. Hope to see more of that kind of enthusiasm in upcoming games.

 

[Excalibur]

I saw this yesterday, but didn't include it in the original post because I wasn't sure, until I watched tcf's replay. About 4:50 left in the half, Barklay made a move along the baseline and put up a shot that went over the rim, but touched neither the rim nor the backboard. He continued past the rim and "rebounded" the ball on the other side. DHam knocked t away from him, it went out of bounds, and they said out off UConn. But how the hell did they (and the announcers) miss that he couldn't touch the ball on the errant shot in the first place, and as soon as he did, it became UConn's ball. Ended up being a shot clock violation anyway, but it was just another blown call in a game that was full of them.

You can catch your own airball provided that it is a legit shot attempt. When you shoot, you give up control of the ball. Control is required for a traveling violation. I think only the NBA varies from this.

 

[MexicoHusky]

Adams and Enoch seem to like each other. Which is a good sign for the future.

 

[SubbaBub]

Ecu stinks. It was good to see them put down rather handily. Dham still having trouble with his decision making and too many fouls inside, but overall a nice effort.

The zone offense looked pretty good early on.

 

[huskyharry]

Finally saw the game today, thanks to TCF!
@RichZ good analysis overall. I loved seeing the progression of Jalen's game, especially seeing him confidently shoot 19 footers...when this team plays with pace the offense is so much more effective.
Shonn was outstanding. I actually did not think that report it was a bad shot, he was in perfect rhythm and it just happened to rim out. I think he would hit at least 50% of any similar shot in the future.
In contrast, Daniels three taken a few minutes later was rushed and not taken in rhythm and was not a good shot.
Great game... OK bring the same confidence in pace on the road at Temple.

 

[OkaForPrez]

Ecu stinks. It was good to see them put down rather handily. Dham still having trouble with his decision making and too many fouls inside, but overall a nice effort.

The zone offense looked pretty good early on.

ECU had beat Memphis and Temple and
Played Houston to the wire coming into this game. They weren't a doormat.