Ball movement

[HooperScooper]

Where has that kind of ball movement on offense been most of this season?

 

[superjohn]

The ball movement was way better than it's been, it's funny how shots start going down when you make the extra pass. Except for not boxing out at all early on that was a very good half, we. are also getting in the passing lanes without overcommitting.

 

[RuffRuff]

Was great in the first half - then they come out in the second and let the shot clock wind down to under 5 seconds on three possessions in first 5 minutes and have to rush bad shots. Needless to say a 14 pt lead dissolves to 5 in 8 minutes. It's like they don't know how to play with a lead.

 

[HooperScooper]

Then they revert to what they've been doing all season in the 2nd half. Frustrating.

 

[GlastonTim]

Back to the old dribble offense. Let's see some more ball movement.

 

[yankeewc]

I was at the game and thought it was going to be a PC repeat. I must say, watching the movement on offense of Pitt was impressive when compared to the lack of movement for much of the game by Uconn. Also, can't we box out. A Pitt shot would go up and Pitt would have the inside position. Also, a lot of open 3's for Pitt. After all this, however, we managed to pull one out.

 

[bobbygt]

Not to be negative, the ball movement was really good at times, but the passing was not crisp enough to take advantage of it.​

 

[mauconnfan]

Where has that kind of ball movement on offense been most of this season?

I'm pretty consistent, one in the morning and maybe one at night.................



Oh "ball movement"!!.............yeah they started really well today but backed it off a little. Problem is when the balls goes in not a lot of positive happens unless they shoot it...very hard for this team to play outside-in with the bigs......they don't get it back in shooting position!

 

[Dogbreath2U]

It's interesting that the Huskies come out and pass the ball very well for a few minutes, look great, then it just stops for long stretches. I don't know if the defense adjusts, or out guys just lose patience.

 

[Kitaman]

Sorry but I think we have to wait for next season to see a change in ball movement. It is what it is and not much changes in March. What struck me is that we had a lot of success in the paint but reverted to jumpers. Our bigs (AD and AO) can be game changers if the guards worked with them more.

 

[Dogbreath2U]

Sorry but I think we have to wait for next season to see a change in ball movement. It is what it is and not much changes in March. What struck me is that we had a lot of success in the paint but reverted to jumpers. Our bigs (AD and AO) can be game changers if the guards worked with them more.

I think the only time our bigs score is when Bazz or Boat (occasionally others) either hit them for alley oops or break down the defense and drop the ball off for an open shot. Passing into them with their back to the basket rarely results in p0ints.

 

[mauconnfan]

I think the only time our bigs score is when Bazz or Boat (occasionally others) either hit them for alley oops or break down the defense and drop the ball off for an open shot. Passing into them with their back to the basket rarely results in p0ints.

So true...black hole for the most part.

 

[Danzz]

The ball movement was way better than it's been, it's funny how shots start going down when you make the extra pass. Except for not boxing out at all early on that was a very good half, we. are also getting in the passing lanes without overcommitting.

They just don't get it. The ball has to move quickly on ther perimeter and except for a few possessions they didn't do it.

 

[tzznandrew]

So true...black hole for the most part.

AO scored well on the first two possessions, and then rarely touched the ball again.

 

[Fishy]

Not to be negative, the ball movement was really good at times, but the passing was not crisp enough to take advantage of it.​

How is the ball movement good if the passing isn't crisp.

One doesn't happen without the other.

I wasn't impressed with the offense at any point today, at least not in the halfcourt.

I would not want to be the point guards on this team. The bigs literally have no idea how to present themselves and Jeremy Lamb has one move - he gets pinned against the left sideline. If he receives the ball, he makes one fake pass inside and then he sends it back to the point.

If this was November and we had a cupcake or two to play with, I would tell the point guards that for every possession that the post and wing players acted like they were nailed to the court to fire up a 27' three-point shot.

And that would be the offense for the game - either move or get ready to rebound 30 Hail Mary's.

 

[DogMania]

Then they revert to what they've been doing all season in the 2nd half. Frustrating.

It's not just the ball movement, it's the player movement off the ball that IMO is the key to this team being a good team compared to a bad one. In much of the first half, I was very please with the multi-player movement I've been talking about. As one player screens for a teammate, the next sequence begins with another screen and movement.

When they went into their funk a few times during the game, I noticed 3 scenarios:

1. One pounding the ball looking to dribble drive while 4 stood around

2. One pounding while watching one player, usually Lamb, trying to run through screens. When that didn't work, they'd try it again or try another player run through a screen while everyone else just stood around expecting to miraculously get open.

3. Coming right down the floor and taking a quick do-or-die shot with no one under the glass.

If this team is going to make the tournament, the players and the coaching staff absolutely needs to recognize that they are at their best when they run through their multi-player movement sets when teams play man against them. I'm not saying they don't do some dribble drive, but that should be the exception not the norm. For a team that is prone to standing around, the best remedy is to run stuff that gets most of them moving. Like that's not obvious! The other thing is to play tougher D with greater focus and intensity. Unlike last year during their impressive 11 game run when they gave up very few good looks to their opponent, this years group gives up a ton of easy looks throughout the game, especially via dribble penetration. I kept on saying during that stretch where they gave up the lead, make Pitt work for their points and they would either give up some easy stuff or foul early (such as the bazz foul late in the game). To their credit, they buckled down and won the last 3 1/2 minutes of that game and came away with the W.

 

[bobbygt]

How is the ball movement good if the passing isn't crisp.

One doesn't happen without the other.

.

That makes sense.

I meant that for a part of the game, the guys seemed to be trying to pass and they were hitting the spots and teammates well, but the passes were either lacking in pace, not to the chest, or just a few feet off.

 

[DrewDog85]

Sorry but I think we have to wait for next season to see a change in ball movement. It is what it is and not much changes in March. What struck me is that we had a lot of success in the paint but reverted to jumpers. Our bigs (AD and AO) can be game changers if the guards worked with them more.

Yeah I agree "not much changes in March" If we're bad all year we'll be bad in March... I can't think of any March turnarounds.....