VCU Scouting Report | The Boneyard

VCU Scouting Report

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Roster makeup:
  • Play 9 deep and have the size to match our size.
  • Two of their projected starters are out with long-term injuries
    • Their starting PG last year, Ace Baldwin, is out until January with Achilles injury
    • Their starting wing last year, Jamir Watkins, tore his ACL in September
  • Because of these injuries, all three of their true freshmen are in the rotation, including their part-time PG, Jayden Nunn.
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Offense: 242nd in efficiency.
  • 16th highest turnover rate in the country (25.9% of possessions). 5th nationally in turnovers that are not caused by either blocks/steals, so mentally not there
  • Shoot 29.3% from three, and only 30.7% of their shots are from three (299th most in nation)
  • They share the ball well: 60.7% of their FGMs are from assists (30th in the nation)
  • They do an OK job getting to the line (118th in the nation)

Defense: 9th in efficiency.
  • Mike Rhoades’ HAVOC Press: full-court man-to-man pressure. Thanks to this style of defense, opponents have the 6th slowest offensive pace in the nation, averaging 19.1 seconds/possession.
  • Top-11 ranking in both 2p% and 3p% defense
  • 15th overall in turnover % (25.9% of possessions result in a turnover caused)
  • They don’t defensive rebound well (340th defensive rebound rate)
 

8893

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That pressure defense could be a big problem for us because of our glaring lack of ball handlers; RJ is the only one among the starters.
 
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Roster makeup:
  • Play 9 deep and have the size to match our size.
  • Two of their projected starters are out with long-term injuries
    • Their starting PG last year, Ace Baldwin, is out until January with Achilles injury
    • Their starting wing last year, Jamir Watkins, tore his ACL in September
  • Because of these injuries, all three of their true freshmen are in the rotation, including their part-time PG, Jayden Nunn.
View attachment 71379
Offense: 242nd in efficiency.
  • 16th highest turnover rate in the country (25.9% of possessions). 5th nationally in turnovers that are not caused by either blocks/steals, so mentally not there
  • Shoot 29.3% from three, and only 30.7% of their shots are from three (299th most in nation)
  • They share the ball well: 60.7% of their FGMs are from assists (30th in the nation)
  • They do an OK job getting to the line (118th in the nation)

Defense: 9th in efficiency.
  • Mike Rhoades’ HAVOC Press: full-court man-to-man pressure. Thanks to this style of defense, opponents have the 6th slowest offensive pace in the nation, averaging 19.1 seconds/possession.
  • Top-11 ranking in both 2p% and 3p% defense
  • 15th overall in turnover % (25.9% of possessions result in a turnover caused)
  • They don’t defensive rebound well (340th defensive rebound rate)
Great info. VCU was in it the entire game today, a 5-6 point game down the stretch against a top 10 team. Let's hope Whaley is a beast tomorrow because closing out games isn't this team's forte. Yet. We want Hawkins!
 
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Watched the entire game there tonight. They fought Baylor hard. Couple of cheap/bad calls against them in the first half kept them a little too far away from catching Baylor. Their full court press is going to be extremely problematic for us considering how we matched up against Auburns press. Tom Moore and Luke Murray were there watching the game and hopefully scouting VCU and their press and how to beat it. They recover extremely well, so once we beat the press we can’t get stagnant in the frontcourt. This will be a tough matchup and I’m curious to see how the line opens on the game.
 
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VCU has the most head scratching 3-3 record I think I’ve ever seen. Look at some of these horrendous losses and then they come to Atlantis and smack Syracuse around (who I admit may actually be terrible) and then hang in there with Baylor for 40 minutes. Very weird, but regardless we need to come out and go for their throats tomorrow. Statement game for us right here.
 

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We need to get Diggins time on the court. If AJ ever turns an ankle we will be in a bad situation. This is like when we had Marcus Williams as our only ballhandler with a team full of good bigger players. Throwing Diggins in only when the emergency arises is not fair to him and coaching malpractice.
 
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VCU has the most head scratching 3-3 record I think I’ve ever seen. Look at some of these horrendous losses and then they come to Atlantis and smack Syracuse around (who I admit may actually be terrible) and then hang in there with Baylor for 40 minutes. Very weird, but regardless we need to come out and go for their throats tomorrow. Statement game for us right here.
This is not a push over by any means. VCU actually has more wins over Power 6 teams at this point than we do. This would be a solid win, and If you said that before Atlantis started we would win 2 out of 3 with wins over Auburn, VCU, and the only loss to Michigan St, I would have signed up for that.
 

Edward Sargent

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Watched the entire game there tonight. They fought Baylor hard. Couple of cheap/bad calls against them in the first half kept them a little too far away from catching Baylor. Their full court press is going to be extremely problematic for us considering how we matched up against Auburns press. Tom Moore and Luke Murray were there watching the game and hopefully scouting VCU and their press and how to beat it. They recover extremely well, so once we beat the press we can’t get stagnant in the frontcourt. This will be a tough matchup and I’m curious to see how the line opens on the game.
Baylor didn’t impress me especially with Akinjo at point
 
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With their press, I'm thinking RJ and Gaff see a little more time together. Maybe even some Diggins minutes if either gets into foul trouble.

Jackson could be a difference-maker here if he makes good decisions. Havoc is going to try to speed him up and he loves to make boneheaded hero plays. If he plays within himself, he could be in for an amazing game.
 

UConnSwag11

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That pressure defense could be a big problem for us because of our glaring lack of ball handlers; RJ is the only one among the starters.
Eh, IMO, Jackson is a good ball-handler and has good vision. His scoring is bad but he is a viable ball handler. Play Hawkins and have Jackson first off the bench
 

UConnSwag11

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With their press, I'm thinking RJ and Gaff see a little more time together. Maybe even some Diggins minutes if either gets into foul trouble.

Jackson could be a difference-maker here if he makes good decisions. Havoc is going to try to speed him up and he loves to make boneheaded hero plays. If he plays within himself, he could be in for an amazing game.
You would have Gaff and Diggins in over Hawkins?
 
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Hopefully Whaley is OK and will get some minutes. We really missed him yesterday.
 
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You would have Gaff and Diggins in over Hawkins?

He'll play plenty. I hope 20 minutes or more. But he isn't a secondary ballhandler at this stage... let alone the primary lead guard some people were claiming last week.
 

UConnSwag11

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He'll play plenty. I hope 20 minutes or more. But he isn't a secondary ballhandler at this stage... let alone the primary lead guard some people were claiming last week.
What has Gaff or Diggins shown that warrants them to play over Hawkins in that role?

I do agree about Jackson
 
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What has Gaff or Diggins shown that warrants them to play over Hawkins in that role?

I do agree about Jackson

I mean they're both better ballhandlers, clearly. Gaffney isn't great and can't lead a team most nights, but he's generally a low TO guy.

Hawkins is literally dribbling by his nipples because he can't control the ball. I'd like to see him in a role as the 3rd guard or with Andre as the 2nd ballhandler at the 3. Even Rese is probably a steadier ballhandler than Hawkins currently.

We desperately need Hawkins for his half court scoring ability. And I think catching long outlets and scoring at the rim vs the press will be very effective. He isn't gonna break pressure.
 

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