This team will be a tough out come tourney time

[intlzncster]

They each had talented yet mercurial guards who struggled to take charge when we needed them to. We love Ben Gordon, and he was great, but he was getting killed on this board in 2002-03 for his inability to step up early. He looked sleepy, and he didn't really pick it up until later in the year. Calhoun had difficulty finding an appropriate rotation as well: Anderson was barely in the game long enough to establish rhythm, and only really got playing time after helping them come back from the brink against a really bad UMass team (down some absurd margin at half). And Marcus White never got in the game for any long period of time until much later in the year.

We don't have an Okafor. He was better both offensively and defensively than Brimah. But the 2003 team had Okafor flanked by a raw Hilton or Mike Hayes. Suffice it to say, we weren't overly intimidating there. And Taliek still couldn't shoot, and so they struggled early in the year (IIRC) with ball movement. There was a lot of dribbling and end of shot clock action that didn't work well for us.

Later in the year, when the rotation shortened, they figured themselves out, and Gordon began to be who we knew he was.

IIRC, Marcus White only started getting burn because JC went out for a few games, and Blaney played him. My memory could be faulty but that's what I'm pulling out of the vault.

Maybe Ollie needs to get ill for a couple games, have Miller step in with a different mix, and then have Ollie's eyes be opened to new possibilities upon return.

 

[Matrim55]

They each had talented yet mercurial guards who struggled to take charge when we needed them to. We love Ben Gordon, and he was great, but he was getting killed on this board in 2002-03 for his inability to step up early. He looked sleepy, and he didn't really pick it up until later in the year. Calhoun had difficulty finding an appropriate rotation as well: Anderson was barely in the game long enough to establish rhythm, and only really got playing time after helping them come back from the brink against a really bad UMass team (down some absurd margin at half). And Marcus White never got in the game for any long period of time until much later in the year.

We don't have an Okafor. He was better both offensively and defensively than Brimah. But the 2003 team had Okafor flanked by a raw Hilton or Mike Hayes. Suffice it to say, we weren't overly intimidating there. And Taliek still couldn't shoot, and so they struggled early in the year (IIRC) with ball movement. There was a lot of dribbling and end of shot clock action that didn't work well for us.

Later in the year, when the rotation shortened, they figured themselves out, and Gordon began to be who we knew he was.

Great post. Everything about that team - including the way it was coached - screamed "We're a year away from being really damn good, but are also capable of being utterly terrible on any given day!" Remember the back-to-back 20-point losses to BC and Virginia Tech? Christ.

But the good news is that they grew and improved and gave a really good Texas team a scare in the Sweet 16, which set the groundwork for title No. 2 the following season. I'm not sure this team is that good, but if everybody who should return actually does, and Adams's improvement curve continues to bend upwards, I do like our chances.

 

[ktuck911]

We need a tenacious energy guy in the frontcourt (ala Roscoe), but I don't see one. I think that's what we are lacking most.

Time for Brimah, Nolan, and Facey to stand up... crash the boards... don't try and focus on anything else right now.. protect the rim on defense... all hands on deck...

We start out lacks, but I believe we can fix it... Way too much talent on this team.

 

[intlzncster]

I'm not sure this team is that good, but if everybody who should return actually does, and Adams's improvement curve continues to bend upwards, I do like our chances.

I hate to say this, but simply losing Calhoun and Nolan will be huge benefit to next year's team, as Ollie won't have the option to play them.

Purvis (Europe) and Hamilton need to come back for the team to reach it's ceiling next year. Brimah is not going anywhere.

 

[tcf15]

@Matrim55 @tzznandrew good stuff - thanks for sharing.

 

[Matrim55]

I hate to say this, but simply losing Calhoun and Nolan will be huge benefit to next year's team, as Ollie won't have the option to play them.

I still think Phil has his uses if we stop asking our bigs to hedge all the way to China on the pick and roll. We definitely need a more conservative scheme, a la 2014.

Purvis (Europe) and Hamilton need to come back for the team to reach it's ceiling next year. Brimah is not going anywhere.

Yes to all of the above. I'm obviously the most worried about Hamilton, who could end up having a tremendous February & March then head for the exit (and I wouldn't blame him).

 

[intlzncster]

I still think Phil has his uses if we stop asking our bigs to hedge all the way to China on the pick and roll. We definitely need a more conservative scheme, a la 2014.

I'm not a big Nolan hater by any means. He is a useful replacement for Brimah defensively, when Amida commits his inevitable 2nd/3rd fouls early. I just feel Ollie needs to have less options to shorten the rotation. Ideally, he could simply choose to shorten it, but for whatever reason, he doesn't seem willing to. I would also like to see Enoch get more time, if only for developmental purposes. He also provides something none of the other bigs possess: the combo of size and athleticism.

Yes to all of the above. I'm obviously the most worried about Hamilton, who could end up having a tremendous February & March then head for the exit (and I wouldn't blame him).

Yep. I'll never knock a kid pursuing an opportunity if it's available to him.

 

[Excalibur]

The margin for error in conference play is going to be very small, especially if we don't beat OSU, Georgetown and Texas. There's at least a 30% chance we don't qualify for an at-large bid. We probably can't afford more than 3 conference losses.

 

[intlzncster]

The margin for error in conference play is going to be very small, especially if we don't beat OSU, Georgetown and Texas. There's at least a 30% chance we don't qualify for an at-large bid. We probably can't afford more than 3 conference losses.

Are you basing that on something or did you make that up?

 

[Excalibur]

Are you basing that on something or did you make that up?

Rough estimate based on the conference's performance and past treatment by the committee.

 

[willie99]

OK, sign me up

10 toes in