The Offense

[nelsonmuntz]

We used to get 10 points a game off of alley oop dunks to a rolling big. Diarra being hurt and no one outside of McNeeley who can finish at the rim has cut that out of our game. Also, we don't screen as well and if Karaban can't hit a jumper out of a pick and roll, we are limited creatively and overall. Add in we run the shot clock down and don't fast break for easy points either off of rebounds or blocks or steals, it is the perfect mixture for a slog offensively and as a fan to say, this is not appealing and something is wrong.

Are you saying that Johnson can't dunk?

 

[freescooter]

This team doesn't run the motion like the last 2 teams. They don't set strong picks. They don't wait for the pick. They aren't a threat to drive to the rim. And there is only Liam to give the ball to when all else fails.

This. Plus I don’t think they have the athletes. Or defenses have figured them out. Against Seton Hall and again against Villanova Ball in particular was defended much more aggressively than he had been in some earlier games. Same with Karaban and even McNeeley until he started driving and they began feeding Reed inside. That forced Villanova to react and that opened more space for ball. It has been very noticeable this year that we have rarely been able to drive either to score, get fouled or dish. That was a staple of the Newton Cam game and in the second half of 2023 after they moved Jackson inside instead of in the backcourt, that team too. While I sort of get what Nelson is saying, I think the system has broken down a bit this year much like it did in the first half of 2022-23. It took some adjustments, the biggest one getting Jackson away from the 3-point line where teams were basically ignoring him and bating him into taking 3s. This year's team needs to make some adjustments too. Getting McNeeley driving might be part of it. I assume the knee has limited Diarra from doing it as much as he did.

 

[hardcorehusky]

Are you saying that Johnson can't dunk?

No- that is the best part of his offense. Alley Oops dunks.

 

[Hurleyman216]

We missed about 8 or 9 wide open threes last night by my count. The offense is being run to get open looks, the players just aren’t hitting them. When Ball and Karaban are shooting under 30% from 3 we struggle. Karaban being a threat opens things up for Ball and McNeeley, it’s prettt simple. We’ve got 4 guys on our team capable of putting up 10-15 pts per game (Karaban, Ball, McNeeley, Reed). If one or two of them are not playing well we struggle. If 3 of the 4 are on we will beat most good teams. If they all click which I’m not sure has happened yet this year then watch out. This team desperately needs Karaban to get hot and stay hot. It completely changes everything.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Has the team gotten worse athletically in the last two weeks? Because the team was an offensive wrecking ball through the Marquette game.