The value of a great point guard.

[gibhunter]

Last year UNC looked pedestrian. Coming off of NIT season they were 7-4 OCC with losses to Minnesota, Vandy, Illinois and Texas. Mid-season their point guard Larry Drew left the team. Kendall Marshall took over running the team and they ended up in the elite 8.

Last year UConn won the national championship, this year we had the same team except for the point guard and suddenly we can't run offense, have 2 less rebounds per game, two more turnovers per game and score 3 less points per game. So we give our opponents 4 more possessions (-2 rebounds, +2 turnovers) and score fewer points per game. Recipe for disaster.

Granted not everything is Napier's fault, but when opponents' scouting report calls our point guard a chucker and his idea of zone offense is passing the ball around perimeter then take a desperation 3 (same goes for last 30 seconds of 1st half possession) then you have a problem.

Napier is only a sophomore so hopefully he can learn, but if he doesn't then UConn is destined for a repeat performance next year.

Ps. Napier's sophomore year stats vs. Larry Drew's sophomore (NIT year) stats:

Napier ppg 12.7 @ 38% apg 5.8 to/g 2.8
Drew ppg 8.5@40% apg 5.9 to/g 3.2

 

[jfuchs91]

I agree to an extent, but it's not like we exactly tore up the regular season with Kemba last year either. On top of that, Shabazz usually played point when he was in to allow Kemba playing off the ball.

I think these comparisons are more a testament to how good Kemba was and how good of a fit Marshall is for North Carolina.

 

[WestCoastHusky]

PG guard to be is the most important position in college and in the NBA. The team will only go as far as your PG can take you unless you got a forward that can create and pass too. If Naiper has a huge game for us we will win against IOWA ST and Kentucky.

 

[tzznandrew]

Last year UNC looked pedestrian. Coming off of NIT season they were 7-4 OCC with losses to Minnesota, Vandy, Illinois and Texas. Mid-season their point guard Larry Drew left the team. Kendall Marshall took over running the team and they ended up in the elite 8.

Last year UConn won the national championship, this year we had the same team except for the point guard and suddenly we can't run offense, have 2 less rebounds per game, two more turnovers per game and score 3 less points per game. So we give our opponents 4 more possessions (-2 rebounds, +2 turnovers) and score fewer points per game. Recipe for disaster.

Granted not everything is Napier's fault, but when opponents' scouting report calls our point guard a chucker and his idea of zone offense is passing the ball around perimeter then take a desperation 3 (same goes for last 30 seconds of 1st half possession) then you have a problem.

Napier is only a sophomore so hopefully he can learn, but if he doesn't then UConn is destined for a repeat performance next year.

Ps. Napier's sophomore year stats vs. Larry Drew's sophomore (NIT year) stats:

Napier ppg 12.7 @ 38% apg 5.8 to/g 2.8
Drew ppg 8.5@40% apg 5.9 to/g 3.2

Shabazz has been injured. We should probably keep that in mind.

Last 10 games:

11.8 ppg
37-95 (38.9%)
17-44 (38.6%)
6.6 apg
2.4 tpg
1.6 spg

Assists are up, turnovers are down (2.75 A/T). 3 point shooting up, but a poor overall shooting percentage. I think this is because he has struggled to finish at the rim due to injuries.

That said, he is much better than drew.

 

[Palatine]

Shabazz actually seems like he is healing. He looked darn quick against WVU. I hope he is spending some of this down time just resting.