That's what an exhausted team looks like

[Waquoit]

2.) Gosh Bob Wenzel. I never liked him. But, he was precisely hitting on our deficiencies and was ahead of the curve on that game and the players. He actually did a good job.

I like Wenzel on our games. He knows the program and it's history better than most.

 

[HuskyHawk]

What on earth?

He's been an excellent rebounder from the beginning. He showed solid offensive moves in the post early on, certainly by his sophomore year. His defense wasn't good, and as a result (I assume) he didn't earn much time. Certainly he deserved more minutes last year. I think he was under-utilized.

Look at his per 40 minutes stats and advanced stats. Kentan Facey College Stats | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com

 

[7774]

He's been an excellent rebounder from the beginning. He showed solid offensive moves in the post early on, certainly by his sophomore year. His defense wasn't good, and as a result (I assume) he didn't earn much time. Certainly he deserved more minutes last year. I think he was under-utilized.

Look at his per 40 minutes stats and advanced stats. Kentan Facey College Stats | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com

I'm familiar with his 40 minute stats. He committed 6.7 fouls per 40 minutes last year, and this year it's 3.2. I don't know what "deserved more minutes" means in your mind, but no one is going to play a lot when they average a foul every 6 minutes. You can't play 30 minutes a game when on average you would foul out in 29.9

 

[champs99and04]

Even in the Tournament in 2014. We won on the basis of: 1) suffocating team defense, 2) impeccable free throw shooting, and 3) Shabazz Napier hero ball.

Seriously, watch the highlights. What fraction of our scoring was Shabazz making a contested 22-footer late in the shot clock? Probably 20%? He was unreal, and there's no way we get nearly as far without him hitting momentum-changing and back-breaking 3's that had zero to do with the flow of our offense.

Credit KO for #1 and #2, but 5 years in he still is a mediocre offensive coach, despite this being one of his supposed strengths coming from the NBA.

So you're saying that a championship team generated a lot of their offense from a player scoring one on one? No kidding, that's every basketball team ever.

Coaching defense has been a bigger problem at times over the last three seasons, especially this year.

 

[champs99and04]

He's been an excellent rebounder from the beginning. He showed solid offensive moves in the post early on, certainly by his sophomore year. His defense wasn't good, and as a result (I assume) he didn't earn much time. Certainly he deserved more minutes last year. I think he was under-utilized.

Look at his per 40 minutes stats and advanced stats. Kentan Facey College Stats | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com

Facey has never been, and still isn't, nearly as good as Daniels. Sometimes I struggle to understand why Facey is perceived in such a better light on here than Brimah. He's hit the wall harder than anybody over the last six games.

 

[Tenspro2002]

So you're saying that a championship team generated a lot of their offense from a player scoring one on one? No kidding, that's every basketball team ever.

Coaching defense has been a bigger problem at times over the last three seasons, especially this year.

There's a difference between one player scoring a lot and one player launching contested 3's late in the shot clock after having a useless possession.

If you can't tell the difference between our offense under KO and what our offense used to look like in JC's heyday (granted, with better players), I don't know what to tell you. But the fact is, KO's offensive coaching -- save some nice sets coming out of timeouts this year -- has overall been lacking.

 

[7774]

There's a difference between one player scoring a lot and one player launching contested 3's late in the shot clock after having a useless possession.

If you can't tell the difference between our offense under KO and what our offense used to look like in JC's heyday (granted, with better players), I don't know what to tell you. But the fact is, KO's offensive coaching -- save some nice sets coming out of timeouts this year -- has overall been lacking.

You're just massively exaggerating the amount of our points that came from Shabazz shooting contested 3's late in the shot clock.

20% is comical. There's no way 20% of our points came from Shabazz 3's, let alone 22 ft. contested ones at the end of the shot clock.

 

[Tenspro2002]

You're just massively exaggerating the amount of our points that came from Shabazz shooting contested 3's late in the shot clock.

20% is comical. There's no way 20% of our points came from Shabazz 3's, let alone 22 ft. contested ones at the end of the shot clock.

We scored 60, 63, and 60 from the Elite 8 onward. 20% is 4 3's.

Shabazz hit 4 3's against MSU (exactly 20% of our points).
Only 2 3's against Florida (slightly under 10%, fair)
He did hit 4 3's again vs. Kentucky (again, exactly 20%)

So 2 out of our last 3 games, 20% of our points came on Shabazz 3's. I would be shocked if any of those 8 baskets were assisted.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Writing off the offense of a national championship winning team as being the product of "hero-ball" by Shabazz is about as Tenspro as it gets.

 

[7774]

We scored 60, 63, and 60 from the Elite 8 onward. 20% is 4 3's.

Shabazz hit 4 3's against MSU (exactly 20% of our points).
Only 2 3's against Florida (slightly under 10%, fair)
He did hit 4 3's again vs. Kentucky (again, exactly 20%)

So 2 out of our last 3 games, 20% of our points came on Shabazz 3's. I would be shocked if any of those 8 baskets were assisted.

Why even bother typing this? All it proves is that even cherry picking games, eliminating half the tournament, and pretending 100% of his 3's were contested end of shot clock situations doesn't get you to 20%.

 

[huskymagic]

I am more concerned about the exhausted fanbase than the players. Having to deal with being relegated to ginger conference status and then not even playing like we are above the AAC. It's a travesty I tell you, and here we have rationalizers trying to rationalize Kevin Ollie's ineptitude in the 7th best conference in America. That is vintage stuff going on in here. Houston is not a bad team and its not a bad loss in RPI sense, but these type of losses are occurring about a half dozen times a year now, not once or twice.

 

[Tenspro2002]

Why even bother typing this? All it proves is that even cherry picking games, eliminating half the tournament, and pretending 100% of his 3's were contested end of shot clock situations doesn't get you to 20%.

Because I respect your post enough to actually look up the numbers.

 

[Chief00]

Zone is a problem because it makes it harder for our poor-rebounding team to rebound.

CTBasketball gets the Chief00 award this week. Bingo - you hit the nail on the head.

 

[Chief00]

It ain't exhaustion.

Agreed - Maybe the 6 OT game against Cuse but normally I don't buy the 20 year old being exhausted line unless they are hung over from the night before.

 

[CTBasketball]

CTBasketball gets the Chief00 award this week. Bingo - you hit the nail on the head.

Make this a weekly thing and I'll consider giving you the hat in my avatar.

 

[Tenspro2002]

Why even bother typing this? All it proves is that even cherry picking games, eliminating half the tournament, and pretending 100% of his 3's were contested end of shot clock situations doesn't get you to 20%.

End of shot clock 3's is too specific, but an awful lot of our points (damn close to 20%) came from Shabazz basically creating things on his own.

I went through tcf's highlight videos and noted every play where Shabazz created points on his own. I ignored pick-and-roll type plays, which obviously include help from a teammate, and anything within the flow of an offensive set. Of course I couldn't include anything not in tcf's highlight reel, though I'm pretty sure they include every made field goal, so this should be damn near comprehensive. I also noted, but didn't count, a few hero plays from Boat.

Some games were more balanced than others. Villanova we're probably OK without it, but he inserted and twisted the dagger with some truly absurd 3's in the second half. ISU and Florida included huge games from DD and good ball movement. MSU and Kentucky, arguably, we were dead in the water without some heroic 1-on-1 play and outside shooting by Bazz.

This isn't in any way to discount what this team accomplished, simply to point out that, even in winning a championship, our offense relied heavily at times on one guy bailing us out.

Total points: 430
Shabazz hero points: 82 (19.1%)

St. Joe's (89 points total; 15 Shabazz hero points)
- Jab-step 3 to take 14-12 lead in 1H
- Off the dribble for 2 to cut deficit to 25-20
- pullup 3 to cut deficit to 45-44
- Knifes through the D for 2 to cut deficit to 51-47
- (Boat pullup 3 to cut deficit to 53-52)
- Dribble-drive for and-1 to take 55-53 lead
- Transition bucket for 2 to cut deficit to 66-64

Villanova (77 points total; 17 Shabazz hero points)
- Blowby for 2 to cut deficit to 7-2
- Pullup long 2 to cut deficit to 13-7
- Step-back 2 to take 41-35 lead
- pullup NBA 3 to take 48-40 lead
- pullup NBA 3 to take 51-40 lead
- pullup 3 to take 54-45 lead
- attack off the dribble for 2 to take 58-51 lead

Iowa State (81 points total; 9 Shabazz hero points)
- Pullup 3 to take 5-3 lead in 1H
- Jab-step 3 to take 10-4 lead in 1H
- Jab-step 3 to take 22-14 lead in 1H
- (Boat pull-up 3 at :05 on shot clock to take 25-14 lead)

MSU (60 points total; 19 Shabazz hero points)
- staganant set, slices through the defense on his own to extend 18-14 lead in 1H
- pullup 3 at :04 on shot clock to extend 21-16 lead in 1H
- pullup 3 mid-shot-clock to cut deficit to 32-26 in 2H
- pullup long stepback 2 fouled (made 2 FTs) to tie 32-32 in 2H
- pullup 3 at :05 on shot clock to extend 44-39 lead in 2H
- (not Shabazz, but Boat desperation corner 3 at :02 on shot clock to extend 49-39 lead in 2H)
- pullup elbow jumper to extend 53-49 lead in 2H
- pullup 3 fouled (made 3 FTs) at :08 on shot clock to extend 56-51 lead in 2H

Florida (63 points total; 5 Shabazz hero points)
- knifes through D on his own to take 23-22 lead in 1H
- pullup 3 in transition to extend 31-22 lead in 2H

Kentucky (60 points total; 17 Shabazz hero points)
- pullup 3 to extend 13-6 lead in 1H
- pullup 3 to extend 24-12 lead in 1H
- knifes through D on his own to extend 35-27 lead
- pullup foul-line jumper fouled (made 2 FTs)
- fallaway jumper to extend 48-39 lead in 2H
- pullup 3 at :05 on shot clock to extend 51-47 lead
- (Boat pullup at :02 on shot clock to extend 56-50 lead)

 

[UConn990411]

I thought the first season was "average", they did about what any competent coach would have them do. Second season very good, but I think that team got very lucky, playing great D and winning games with Shabbaz being brilliant. Since then the coaching has been average to below average. Injuries aside, Ollie did a horrible job having this team ready to play going in to the season. Those first games are on him, and they barely scraped out a win over LMU or it would be even worse.

That said, I think his recruiting has been good. I think he's still learning the reality of the modern college game, and developing as a coach. I also think that his personal issues off the court significantly affected him last year.

Not sure how anyone could rate his first season as just average.

 

[7774]

End of shot clock 3's is too specific, but an awful lot of our points (damn close to 20%) came from Shabazz basically creating things on his own.

I went through tcf's highlight videos and noted every play where Shabazz created points on his own. I ignored pick-and-roll type plays, which obviously include help from a teammate, and anything within the flow of an offensive set. Of course I couldn't include anything not in tcf's highlight reel, though I'm pretty sure they include every made field goal, so this should be damn near comprehensive. I also noted, but didn't count, a few hero plays from Boat.

Some games were more balanced than others. Villanova we're probably OK without it, but he inserted and twisted the dagger with some truly absurd 3's in the second half. ISU and Florida included huge games from DD and good ball movement. MSU and Kentucky, arguably, we were dead in the water without some heroic 1-on-1 play and outside shooting by Bazz.

This isn't in any way to discount what this team accomplished, simply to point out that, even in winning a championship, our offense relied heavily at times on one guy bailing us out.

Total points: 430
Shabazz hero points: 82 (19.1%)

St. Joe's (89 points total; 15 Shabazz hero points)
- Jab-step 3 to take 14-12 lead in 1H
- Off the dribble for 2 to cut deficit to 25-20
- pullup 3 to cut deficit to 45-44
- Knifes through the D for 2 to cut deficit to 51-47
- (Boat pullup 3 to cut deficit to 53-52)
- Dribble-drive for and-1 to take 55-53 lead
- Transition bucket for 2 to cut deficit to 66-64

Villanova (77 points total; 17 Shabazz hero points)
- Blowby for 2 to cut deficit to 7-2
- Pullup long 2 to cut deficit to 13-7
- Step-back 2 to take 41-35 lead
- pullup NBA 3 to take 48-40 lead
- pullup NBA 3 to take 51-40 lead
- pullup 3 to take 54-45 lead
- attack off the dribble for 2 to take 58-51 lead

Iowa State (81 points total; 9 Shabazz hero points)
- Pullup 3 to take 5-3 lead in 1H
- Jab-step 3 to take 10-4 lead in 1H
- Jab-step 3 to take 22-14 lead in 1H
- (Boat pull-up 3 at :05 on shot clock to take 25-14 lead)

MSU (60 points total; 19 Shabazz hero points)
- staganant set, slices through the defense on his own to extend 18-14 lead in 1H
- pullup 3 at :04 on shot clock to extend 21-16 lead in 1H
- pullup 3 mid-shot-clock to cut deficit to 32-26 in 2H
- pullup long stepback 2 fouled (made 2 FTs) to tie 32-32 in 2H
- pullup 3 at :05 on shot clock to extend 44-39 lead in 2H
- (not Shabazz, but Boat desperation corner 3 at :02 on shot clock to extend 49-39 lead in 2H)
- pullup elbow jumper to extend 53-49 lead in 2H
- pullup 3 fouled (made 3 FTs) at :08 on shot clock to extend 56-51 lead in 2H

Florida (63 points total; 5 Shabazz hero points)
- knifes through D on his own to take 23-22 lead in 1H
- pullup 3 in transition to extend 31-22 lead in 2H

Kentucky (60 points total; 17 Shabazz hero points)
- pullup 3 to extend 13-6 lead in 1H
- pullup 3 to extend 24-12 lead in 1H
- knifes through D on his own to extend 35-27 lead
- pullup foul-line jumper fouled (made 2 FTs)
- fallaway jumper to extend 48-39 lead in 2H
- pullup 3 at :05 on shot clock to extend 51-47 lead
- (Boat pullup at :02 on shot clock to extend 56-50 lead)

So you're telling me a First Team All America really carried the team at times? Great work man!

This seems like a lot of effort to go to just to avoid admitting how ridiculous it was to say 20% of our tournament scoring came from 22 ft. contested 3's at the end of the shot clock.

 

[Tenspro2002]

So you're telling me a First Team All America really carried the team at times? Great work man!

This seems like a lot of effort to go to just to avoid admitting how ridiculous it was to say 20% of our tournament scoring came from 22 ft. contested 3's at the end of the shot clock.

I don't know what you think you're calling me out for.

I made an assertion. You questioned it. I looked up the numbers, revised my assertion. The conclusion is similar -- that even the best team of the KO era was often not well-coached on offense.

What the **** is your point, beyond ad hominem attack?

 

[Mots010]

So you're telling me a First Team All America really carried the team at times? Great work man!

This seems like a lot of effort to go to just to avoid admitting how ridiculous it was to say 20% of our tournament scoring came from 22 ft. contested 3's at the end of the shot clock.

You could go through this exercise with every one of our national championship teams. Ricky Moore had like 8-10 hero points in the first half against duke. Khalid pulled up 3's all the time, split the double to finish Duke. Ben Gordon basically was a one-man hero ball wrecking crew. Kemba Walker. Why limit to Shabazz? Daniels was going ISO with fade away jumpers all tournament. It's why teams like Cincy are first weekend fodder each year. They have no one who can do that.

 

[champs99and04]

@Tenspro2002 What percentage of those Shabazz threes came against big men in switches? Because that was the entire point of our offense - pick and pop with Giffey/Daniels and Shabazz makes the read based on how they cover the ball screen.

 

[Tenspro2002]

@Tenspro2002 What percentage of those Shabazz threes came against big men in switches? Because that was the entire point of our offense - pick and pop with Giffey/Daniels and Shabazz makes the read based on how they cover the ball screen.

Good question. I'm not sure.

Action directly off of a screen I ignored, but there could have been a few cases where he pulled up for 3 against a big after a switch early in the possession. I don't think it was that many though.