Baylor Post Game Thread

[TheShot1990]

Liam McNeeley is a total package

Points in the paint differential was telling in first half. No dribble penetration other than Liam. The rest of the team is content to pass the ball around the perimeter and settle for 3s. Robert Write III smoked us too many times.

Early on, Baylor was able to set screens and allow their guards get to the hoop consistently and either score or draw the foul

Much better defense

Danny took a vacay from crazytown

Better officiating – but the no call on Liam was bad

Ross had a tough game, just not relaxed

Aidan … much better but like my toast, still gets burned sometimes

Reed was terrific

Hass solid

Samson Johnson almost had a game without fouling out, but…didn’t.

The 2 bigs was fun but don’t see how we can do this against a team with a legit center

Someone on the team other than Liam needs the confidence to take it right to the hoop with the attitude “you can’t stop me. “ Stewie? Solo?

Shot clock violations need to be treated like “advantage” in soccer. Don’t stop play when the other team has a break away

 

[Umami Zen]

A W is a W.. Style points are overrated right now. New guys/Young guys showing up. Would not want to be Ball in the next film session re: second half D on Wright. Diarra has to tighten up his passes .Thought our help D was much improved over previous games. Important W for the resume.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I think pairing Johnson and Reed really helped Johnson as he didn't have to be a physical defender all the time he was in the game.

Johnson's last foul was BS. Ojianuwa pushed him to get the rebound.

 

[MilliniumPrince]

Tough physical win against a very good team. Big deposit in the confidence account.

McNeeley is better than I thought he would be at this point.

 

[Peacefrog]

Is it safe to come back in here ? Really nice gut check win for the team. Hopefully it portends continued improvement. I'll pile on the question of how a guy as athletic as Ball can be such a poor defender. Yeesh.

 

[BugsyCT]

Still much to work on, but they played hard, looked better, and got a much needed confidence-building W. Props to the Gampel crowd too.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Agree, and have Ahmad be first PG off the bench. How come he went from ~20 mins to nothing?

Nowell? He hasn't played 20 minutes in a game yet. I would have been in favor of him getting some of Hassan's time today but the most minutes he's played this year was UMES in a blowout.

 

[upstater]

Doesn't really matter but I always thought smacking the rim was automatic goaltending.

 

[TheHorde]

Major needed win. Huge game for Mahaney's confidence. He even guarded. Liam was all over the place all game. He guarded well too and is our smartest player out there. Samson big first half. Reed big second half. The two bigs worked. Jaylin had big plays near the end and saved our hide with the steal.

Defense was so much better second half, it was actually really good for a long stretch until the wheels fell off very late with the Baylor coast to coast drives. It's no coincidence our D was much better for all the time Solo was sitting. He's our worst defensive player by far, it doesn't make sense how he can't stay in front of people and he often has no clue what he's doing out there on that side of the ball. He doesn't know where to be, he turns his back to dribblers. He's a great three point shooter but he's far too athletic and physically gifted to just be a lights out three point shooter. He's a major negative in all other aspects at this point. Ross isn't ready for real competition.

Would've liked to see some Nowell minutes with Hass struggling but Mahaney picked up the slack. Good game for Hurley, loved seeing him putting his arms around the refs and chatting them up with a smile. That's a part of the game and they aren't his mortal enemies even though they still gave Baylor three points they never should've had even after review. Glad Hurley kept his cool, a blowup there would've unraveled the team.

The Baylor big touched the rim, right? That’s what it looked like. Doesn’t the rule say you can’t touch the ball or the rim/net, otherwise it really should be waived off?

 

[jorge34]

I don’t get it since he’s a top percentile athlete. I really don’t.

He doesn’t move his feet. At all

 

[superjohn]

I think this is the role for Mahaney. I've been one of his biggest defenders, and it's probably not the role Hurley envisioned, but this was the best he's looked. Bring him in for bursts of offense off the bench like Joey Calcaterra. The stretch in the 1st half had shades of Calcaterra against Georgetown. That's still an extremely valuable piece and if he develops into more that's a bonus

He's a natural born scorer and one of our only guys who can score off the bounce. He won't turn it over but he's not going to create much offense for others either, he just isn't a point guard. That one pass to Jaylin was really slick though.

I liked seeing Hurley building Aidan and Samson up tonight.

 

[LIuconn]

Good one for the resume

 

[superjohn]

The Baylor big touched the rim, right? That’s what it looked like. Doesn’t the rule say you can’t touch the ball or the rim/net, otherwise it really should be waived off?

Yep and yep.

 

[El Obrero]

2 best things about tonight:
1) Mahaney is figuring it out.
2) The crowd looked insane on TV. (Y’all made me feel ashamed I wasn’t there!)

 

[TheHorde]

Johnson's last foul was BS. Ojianuwa pushed him to get the rebound.

The and one foul on Stewart under the basket was a really phantom foul. He barely touched him at all. If there was ever a play on, that was it.

 

[navery12]

Agree, and have Ahmad be first PG off the bench. How come he went from ~20 mins to nothing?

If this game was in February or March I think he would have. Seems like Hurley still doesn't quite trust him for big games. He didn't play against Memphis and then had 13 minutes against Colorado and 6 against Dayton

 

[Scoe]

Great team win against a tough Baylor team. Battled through adversity and pulling out wins against good teams is a skill set that you have to develop. Maybe Hurley does know what he's doing he kept his cool communicated well with the officials he went double bigs and it worked.

All I want this season is for this team to have a fun season. We still have a lot to play for ranked teams will be going down left and right. Would I pencil us in for a FF he'll no but let's have fun with the unknown.

 

[3rdbass]

I loved how Hurley kept Diarra in even Mahaney came in at times as we needed at least one guard who an play d. Diarra is the only guard who ran the offense well. I just wish his offense will come back. I wonder why Nowell didn't see the floor? I still think he is our best guard. Ball is just so bad on D it isn't even funny anymore. Also, big props to Samson for playing great d but of course fouling out. LOL! Win is a win but our guard situation has to get straighten out as we can win with the uneven play we are getting out of them now. McNeeley is really developing his game. Playing better D and also driving to the paint. He is special.

 

[IndyLives]

Danny wins a close game!

 

[TheHorde]

He doesn’t move his feet. At all

It’s like the lateral quickness isn’t where you’d think it should be given the kid’s physique. I don’t know if instincts and anticipation not being where you’d like them to be play a part or not, but it’s somewhat strange.

 

[uconngb]

That actually resembled a defense in the 2nd half. Our guard play is atrocious. Solo Ball is the new Rodney Purvis…..that is not a compliment.

 

[RuffRuff]

I think pairing Johnson and Reed really helped Johnson as he didn't have to be a physical defender all the time he was in the game.

Question now, is it something that DH will employ at all with AK back? Agree taking Samson Johnson out of the primary 5 role really played into his strengths. Anything that helps minimize Solo on the floor could be useful. Solo and his 1 rebound and 2 turnovers and 0 assists in 30 minutes, along with series of bonehead plays in crunch time, are killers.

 

[JustbrewitMan]

Man if we could somehow get our perimeter defenders to just stop 50% of the dribble drives they let happen each game (mainly Solo, but they’re all guilty), we’d be cookin

 

[temery]

Think to yourself, he’s not a Xmas carol.

It is pronounce Noel though, I think.

 

[Sibeerian]

It's a partial lobotomy without Karaban on the floor. Good to see them adjust over the course of the game and turn it around. Should pay dividends.