Where We Are Through a Wider Lens

[Ts5034]

The 2006-2007 team that went 17-14, and 6-10 in the Big East, was our worst team in 10 years at the time. I believe that team was top 20 in the nation for field goal % defense, but the offense was bad and they struggled to score points. The 07 team had good young players, never really got blown out, but didn’t have anybody that developed into being that leader who can take over a game. It reminds me of this team in many ways.

 

[mauconnfan]

I'd have to say the player that impresses me the most on the defensive end (other than Akok and AG) is BAdams.

Watching his energy and footwork guarding people is so much fun. He epitomizes a Hurley-coached defense, and it shows why Dan Hurley recruited him.

He plays hard and has improved but he's not close to Gilbert or even Vital ion that end. When he had to guard Grimes the other night he got waxed a couple times. I actually expected him to be nice defensive piece vs the other teams wings or 6'4"-5" scorers and while he's been ok he's just not the same guy who looked very improved early on this year. He's struggling the last 10 games or so.

 

[JB75]

He plays hard and has improved but he's not close to Gilbert or even Vital ion that end. When he had to guard Grimes the other night he got waxed a couple times. I actually expected him to be nice defensive piece vs the other teams wings or 6'4"-5" scorers and while he's been ok he's just not the same guy who looked very improved early on this year. He's struggling the last 10 games or so.

Yeah. Badams has been falling off as of late. Not impressed with him either.

 

[Tenspro2002]

If we are still struggling to close next year, I'll start to get concerned.

This is right. We're losing every close game because our senior leader guards are incapable, either by physical limitation or understanding of the game, from doing anything else.

The expectation is that this will improve when the ball is in someone else's hands, realistically not until next year. If another group of players and leaders are still getting the same results, then it will be fair to questions Hurley.

 

[Excalibur]

Gilbert is not a great shooter, but he gets stuck with a lot of shot clock bailouts because no one else could get open.

I have said this 1,000 times on this board: Vital is a great catch-and-shoot shooter, and can't throw his pull-up 3 into the ocean. Maybe someone should tell him to focus on moving without the ball to get more catch-and-shoot 3's, and spend less time running up to defenders and trying to shoot it in their face.

Carlton needs more touches. He is a serviceable inside player, and he will get more looks for Vital on kickouts and reversals through the paint.

Bouk is a very good playground player against AAC level competition, but he has no idea what he is doing from a team standpoint on either end of the floor. It is almost February. What has he been doing in practice all season?

Nothing I have seen in the last month changes my opinion that we have NCAA bubble talent and will be an NIT bubble team. That is disappointing.

With Polley, the talent level was that of a middle/upper-tier NIT team. Without, NIT bubble is about right.

I said before the season that the NCAA bubble was a stretch goal.

 

[alphasigko]

A little perspective. I just looked at the KenPoms. We rank 33rd in the country in defensive efficiency. We rank 159th in the country in offensive efficiency. We are more than good enough defensively to be an NCAA team. People need to give the coaches, and the players, credit for that. It is not an easy thing to turn around, and the last three games they have worked their butts off -- effectively -- on the defensive end. The two most important players defensively are Gilbert, pressuring the opponent's point, and Akok altering all kinds of shots inside.

Obviously, we are not adequate offensively. 6 more points a game will make us as good a team as anyone in our conference heading into our conference tournament. Where do we get those extra points a game with our currently very limited offensively roster. Because we're not making Gilbert taller or Carlton more explosive or Vital a better dribbler over the next month. I have three thoughts.

1. Just shoot better. Gilbert has to make foul shots. Vital has to shoot 3s like he did last year, or Bouk or Adams has to make 3s like they did before conference play started. Just 2 or 3 more points a game from people hitting more of the same shots we're getting would make a huge difference. This is about confidence and practice. The players have to get this done.

2. Especially with Polley out, and with all the offensive limitations we have, we have to make more of an effort to get Carlton the ball down low. Is he limited? Heck yes. Is he maddeningly frustrating? Yes. But with Polley out, and our limitations we have to see if he can either score, like he did against Nova, or even just draw fouls and double teams like he did in a poor performance against Wichita State. We are too limited to give up on this. And Whalley was great last night, and give him every chance to do this again, but even if he can give us what he gave us last night consistently (and I'll be surprised if he can) he's not a back to the basket draw help player and this team needs that.

3. We have to ride Bouk's talents more in the minutes he can give us before foul trouble, and to do that with as few offensive weapons as we have we have to adjust our offense for him. It's fine to have Vital run around picks out wide because him getting an open pop from 3 is an option. Bouk needs to attack the rim, and he seems to be much more effective going downhill to the rim then attacking from wide. Get him the ball off movement in isolation at the top of the key and let him try to attack.

We're not far away. Losing sucks but we can't have back games that have gotten away. The last 3 games we're doing everything as well as the good teams in the American except winning. Time to find the tweaks, and time for some players to hit some jumpers and free throws.

The bottom line: the players can't shoot and make baskets when they really count... We need a Rip, Gordon, Kemba or 'Bazz. None like that to be had on this team.