Rutgers 55

[UcMiami]

Anybody know why CViv didn't run any of her 55 defense in this game. First Rutgers action I have seen this year so I don't know if she is running it at all this year? Seems like they have a fairly deep bench - lots of substitutions, but almost no pressure except on the first two passes after a made basket. After those two passes they dropped back. Just wierd not seeing Rutgers pressing and trapping all over the floor. I thought their defense was pretty ordinary and the score was kept down more by them using most of the shot clock (or all of it!) on every pocession.

 

[Coler]

Anybody know why CViv didn't run any of her 55 defense in this game. First Rutgers action I have seen this year so I don't know if she is running it at all this year? Seems like they have a fairly deep bench - lots of substitutions, but almost no pressure except on the first two passes after a made basket. After those two passes they dropped back. Just wierd not seeing Rutgers pressing and trapping all over the floor. I thought their defense was pretty ordinary and the score was kept down more by them using most of the shot clock (or all of it!) on every pocession.

We've played alot of it all year. Maybe the reason why we haven't seen it the last few games is that we can't buy a basket. Afterall, you can't set up the press unless you score.

 

[speedoo]

Maybe not having Rushdan?

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

Maybe not having Rushdan?

Could be. Could be the generally "odd" lineups that RU has been using. As was said above, we used it a lot early, as well as a strong effort to score in transition. That has also gone away, lately.

 

[MarieM]

anyone know what up with wheeler and Sykes?

 

[DaddyChoc]

anyone know what up with wheeler and Sykes?

what do you see wrong... have you checked their stats?

 

[MarieM]

yea but their starting freshman are worse

 

[DaddyChoc]

oh ok.. that is strange but I dont follow Rutgers movements that close

 

[Icebear]

I suspect the loss of Rushdan and the use of the freshman as starters severely hampered its use. It may be that CT's ability to break presses with its numerous ball handlers and passers contributed to the decision, too.

 

[UcMiami]

I was just curious because I can't remember ever seeing a Rutgers game where they didn't at least run it once. Rushdan being out may be part of it, and Oliver doesn't strike me as fitting very well into that system defensively (though I was impressed with her play.)
I was also glad that CPTV showed the clip of the Rushdan injury - it looked bad, but I was glad to see it was a 'clean' play, and not the result of hard play. I hope she recovers well - I suspect that even if she had been cleared for the game, with 8 days before the next game, CViv would have held her out to be on the safe side.

 

[easttexastrash]

They were too busy running the 34.

 

[RoyDodger]

I suspect the loss of Rushdan and the use of the freshman as starters severely hampered its use. It may be that CT's ability to break presses with its numerous ball handlers and passers contributed to the decision, too.

Rushdan's injury in Rutgers' game vs. Georgetown had to have had an emotional effect on the team. For the three games prior to the Georgetown game, with Rushdan (who was averaging a little over 12 points a game), Rutgers averaged 64.66 points a game. For the next three games, including the Georgetown game in which Rushdan was injured early in the first half and last night's game vs. the Huskies, Rutgers has averaged 37 points a game. Whatever the competition, for a ranked team with Coach Stringer in charge, that's a shocking deterioration in production.

 

[Buzzyboy]

The facts are that as long as I can remember Rutgers has been a mediocre to poor offensive team, living and dying with their tough defense. These last three games happened to be against a few of the best defensive teams in women's college basketball so I'm not surprised at all with their poor scoring over these games. It obviously doesn't help when you have your key offensive player sidelined with a concussion but even with her in the lineup, they aren't much of a scoring team.

 

[UcMiami]

Rushdan's injury in Rutgers' game vs. Georgetown had to have had an emotional effect on the team. For the three games prior to the Georgetown game, with Rushdan (who was averaging a little over 12 points a game), Rutgers averaged 64.66 points a game. For the next three games, including the Georgetown game in which Rushdan was injured early in the first half and last night's game vs. the Huskies, Rutgers has averaged 37 points a game. Whatever the competition, for a ranked team with Coach Stringer in charge, that's a shocking deterioration in production.

You do have to look at the competition too - playing against the #2 and #3 teams in succession is going to put a dent in your production numbers. All three teams WV ND and Uconn play really tough defense - not saying it hasn't hurt, and especially in the WV game where you watch your teammate being wheeled off the court, but I doubt they were going to come anywhere near their season average in any of those games with Rushdan playing.

 

[RoyDodger]

The facts are that as long as I can remember Rutgers has been a mediocre to poor offensive team, living and dying with their tough defense. These last three games happened to be against a few of the best defensive teams in women's college basketball so I'm not surprised at all with their poor scoring over these games. It obviously doesn't help when you have your key offensive player sidelined with a concussion but even with her in the lineup, they aren't much of a scoring team.

Yes, Rutgers has scored 1398 points in 23 games during regulation time. An average of 60.8 points a game.

 

[Artifact]

As a fan & not a coach, I get the feeling that Stringer's 55 defense stifles the talented offense scoring abilities of her players. Their are times I sense a great deal of frustration on their part.

 

[UcMiami]

As a fan & not a coach, I get the feeling that Stringer's 55 defense stifles the talented offense scoring abilities of her players. Their are times I sense a great deal of frustration on their part.

I think any pressing team runs the risk of wearing out their own players as well as the other team - hard to press with a short bench. I think the 55 is designed specifically to create turnovers and transition offense as opposed to being just a disruptive press to change an opponents rythm (more of what Uconn runs, though they have been good in forcing TOs this year.)
I think most boneyards have always felt that CViv was an offensively challenged coach (same feeling to some degree with TN) who has never installed particularly effect schemes - when they are good they depend on individual talent more than system. I think their offensive woes are more the result of bad half court sets and system than what they have been doing defensively.