Why there is still hope for this team

[RayIsTheGOAT]

It's been a frustrating, up and down season. There has been a lack of improvement over the course of the season, and lack of an offensive gameplan game in and game out.
However, we are underestimating the importance of defense in even keeping us in these games. Look at our national defensive statistics... (I apologize if this has already been made known)

Scoring defense-12th in the country
Team defensive efficiency- 8th
Opponent's FG %- 3rd (!)
Opp. 3PT %- 33rd
Opp. true shooting %- 6th
Def. Reb per game- 33rd
Opp. FG made per game- 9th
Team blocks per game-23rd, even w/o Brimah for an ext. period of time

The NCAA field is so wide open this year. UNC might be starting to pull away as the clear best team in the country, but anyone can beat anyone (more than ever, IMO). Our defense is among the best in the country, and who knows, perhaps with even average offensive play, our experience can pull us through big games late in the season. After all, we could easily have come out on the other side of those Cuse, Zaga, Temple and Cinci games and be 18-2 right now. Not that we should have won all of those games, but it could easily be a very different story right now, talking about if we should be a 2 or 3 seed rather than if we should even be in the tournament...

 

[BoatShow]

Not a big fan of the " few plays from such and such" line of thinking. Making plays the last two minutes means more the whole first 38mom IMO. I see what you mean though.

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

Valpo is #1 in defensive efficiency per Ken Pom. What are your thoughts?

Alec Peters would probably be our go to guy.

 

[gtcam]

Valpo is #1 in defensive efficiency per Ken Pom. What are your thoughts?

Good For Valpo
Congrats

 

[CTBasketball]

Valpo is #1 in defensive efficiency per Ken Pom. What are your thoughts?

Alec Peters would probably be our go to guy. lol

Good For Valpo
Congrats

Kind of strengthens the ongoing point that defensive statistics do not tell the whole story.

 

[sledog]

The BY must be finding that the effects of those raspberry colonics are astounding for the psyche!

 

[Jerry1714]

Valpo is #1 in defensive efficiency per Ken Pom. What are your thoughts?

Alec Peters would probably be our go to guy.

Valpo is good, what are your thoughts?

 

[RayIsTheGOAT]

Not a big fan of the " few plays from such and such" line of thinking. Making plays the last two minutes means more the whole first 38mom IMO. I see what you mean though.

Right, all I'm saying is that we were not outmatched and very close to winning in all games this season except the Maryland game. And even then we outplayed them in the 2nd half and nearly came all the way back.

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

Good For Valpo
Congrats

The prob is Vashil Fernandez (although Horizon DPOY) unfortunately is an offensive liability most of the time.

 

[RayIsTheGOAT]

Valpo is #1 in defensive efficiency per Ken Pom. What are your thoughts?

Alec Peters would probably be our go to guy.

My thoughts are that Valpo have played nobody and are a very good team.

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

Valpo is good, what are your thoughts?

I wouldn't want to play them as a high seed if they scored an At-Large or won the Horizon League Title. If you watch them though it is still hard to make the case they are the best defensive team in the country. Even top 10. They are VERY good though no doubt. S16 good probably.

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

Kind of strengthens the ongoing point that defensive statistics do not tell the whole story.

I think stats have great value but you are correct...there always are exceptions.

 

[CTBasketball]

My thoughts are that Valpo have played nobody and are a very good team.

Valpo is good, what are your thoughts?

19-4 overall with a SOS of 163. Losses to Oregon, Belmont, Ball State, and Wright State. Best win is @ Oregon State.

They shoot 50% from the field and average 75 pts/game. I think they are a classic case of a mid-major team who schedules poorly, has an experienced team, and gets labeled as a bracket buster only to get ousted by a P5 first round in March.

 

[RayIsTheGOAT]

The BY must be finding that the effects of those raspberry colonics are astounding for the psyche!

I'm not really sure what the hell you are talking about, assuming a suggestion that I am on drugs, but I basically stated facts above. We were very close in every game we've played this year, and are statistically one of the best defensive teams in the country. Therefore, there's hope, esp. with a handful of upperclassmen on our side. I never said we are going to win the national championship, I just think our last game of the season will be a close game no matter who it's against.

 

[Jerry1714]

19-4 overall with a SOS of 163. Losses to Oregon, Belmont, Ball State, and Wright State. Best win is @ Oregon State.

They shoot 50% from the field and average 75 pts/game. I think they are a classic case of a mid-major team who schedules poorly, has an experienced team, and gets labeled as a bracket buster only to get ousted by a P5 first round in March.

all losses on the road and lost at Oregon by 6, at Ball state by 3 and at Belmont by 4. winning at oregon state is a good win, they have wins over Cal and USC on their home court (they also beat Tulsa something we could not do)