+/- for the MTSU Game
by buster_bluth on Dec 23, 2011 11:23 AM EST
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PrintSuffice it to say, that was not the most enjoyable game to sit through the other night. While the offensive struggles weren’t unexpected, particularly with working in more new pieces the last few games, the defensive woes popping up at critical times are inexcusable. The MTSU game was the second straight game that we failed to get back on D in transition. MTSU seemed to beat us to all the loose balls, particularly in the second half.
They also played a very tight, in-your-face, man-to-man defense. When a D is that aggressive, it (theoretically) sets them up for back screens and other team-oriented offense. Of course, we can neither confirm nor deny this hypothesis, because our spacing on the offensive end was terrible and we relied on a lot of one-on-one moves. With Kendrick’s height at the point, I’ll never understand why we didn’t at least run something basic like a UCLA set or some other kind of high-low set that would allow a little more space for him to operate from and distribute out of.
Anyway, on to the numbers…
MTSU +/-
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5 |
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|
3 |
|
|
2 |
|
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1 |
|
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-2 |
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|
-5 |
|
|
Aaron Jones |
-6 |
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Nick Williams |
-12 |
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-12 |
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-16 |
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-18 |
Points of interest:
· Snoop White has played 4 games and topped the +/- chart in 3 of them. If his free throw stroke hadn’t abandoned him early in the first half the other night, his numbers would be even better.
· Another disappearing act for Nick Williams, another Rebel loss. Not a coincidence.
· We were only down one point when Murph sprained his ankle and had given up 42 points in less than 30 minutes of game time. In the final 10+ minutes, we gave up 26 points. Also, not a coincidence.
YTD +/- (Top 10 Players Only)
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Nick Williams |
77 |
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Murphy Holloway |
58 |
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Jarvis Summers |
53 |
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Demarco Cox |
47 |
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Terrance Henry |
28 |
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LaDarius White |
25 |
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Reginald Buckner |
19 |
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Dundrecous Nelson |
18 |
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Aaron Jones |
2 |
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Jelan Kendrick |
0 |
· After being +44 through 2 games (LA-Monroe and Grambling State), Terrance Henry is now -16 over the last 10 games.
This post is a Red Cup Rebellion FanPost. Please don't sue us.
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Excellent points
I especially agree with two points you made in this post. First, I think our biggest issue in our last two losses has been effort. Our transition D has been inexcusably bad the past two games. We have had many issues crop up over the past two games, but if you can’t even get back in transition D, the other issues are really inconsequential.
I also agree with your point about the offensive sets we should be (but aren’t) running. I hate playing armchair QB, but it is perplexing why AK refuses to run any type of offensive sets at all. I’m not even talking about running set plays here, just some type of offensive set that he can go to when we go through these scoring lulls that last for 10-12 mins and cause us to fall too far behind. I’m not a huge Calipari fan- I think he’s an excellent recruiter who’s a mediocre (at best) game-day coach. But if you watch UK play, they drop the dribble-drive and go to a couple of specific offensive sets when they go through scoring droughts. They did it against UNC and got a couple backdoor layups and dunks. AK doesn’t seem to have that in his arsenal. I’d be interested in hearing your thoughts on this.
screens
We never screen away. The only screens we ever seem to set are high ball screens. We never roll the screener to the basket either. It’s so damn frustrating. Especially for a team understandably searching for an offensive identity.
The defensive lapses though have no rhyme or reason. #15 for MTSU hit 3s with no one within 5 feet of him. We hung our head on transition D again and got killed on the fast break.
With our primary ballhandlers freshmen and Dundrecous, we are going to have turnovers in the backcourt. Lollygagging is not an option when they happen.
I listen for the voice inside my head... nothin... I'll do this one myself
by buster_bluth on Dec 23, 2011 3:03 PM EST via iPhone app up reply actions
Re: Screens
The way we use (and do not use) screens is another source of frustration for me as well. While watching the MTSU game, I kept thinking to myself that the way we screen is incredibly ineffective. AK seems intent on using the dribble weave on the perimeter- if he’s going to do that, there’s really no reason to screen at all. Instead, he chooses to have Buck and T Henry setting the screens while the perimeter guys are running handoffs and weaves- it inevitably leads to moving screen fouls called against Buck and Henry. We already know those two have no problem getting into foul trouble, so continually putting them in situations where they pick up cheap, moving-screen fouls is just dumb. I counted three fouls between the two of them that were on moving screens. That needs to be cut out.
I agree with your points on transition D. There’s no excuse to be that bad against the opponent’s fast break- there’s also no excuse for leaving the only player on the other team capable of knocking down a three-pointer wide open multiple times a game.
I could go further with my questions about why AK chooses to sub like he does, but I’ll leave that for another time. Suffice it to say that if I was coaching this team, we’d be running some type of UCLA set (like you suggested) that allowed Kendrick or Snoop to run the PG position with good spacing. I know Snoop has had some bad moments, but the guy has been able to get in the lane any time he wants so far this season. He has also made some nice passes to guys cutting to the basket (though the times we have had guys cutting have been few and far between).
The next time we screen away from the ball will be the first time this year
Even last year, the only screens away from the ball we ran with regularity were baseline screens to free Chris up for a corner 3.
This season, as long and as athletic as we are, even decent spacing on offense would allow for favorable matchups on the block or wings. I was encouraged (albeit briefly) when we realized that USM had no answer at all for Terrance down low, so we continued pound the ball down to him in iso-situations on both blocks and he scored at will. Then, we completely abandoned it when Summers started jacking up off-balance shots from the corner of the FT line. so there’s that.
I listen for the voice inside my head... nothin... I'll do this one myself
by buster_bluth on Dec 23, 2011 11:43 PM EST up reply actions
Yeah, I don't get it either
We seem to abandon whatever is working in each individual game we are in. It also seems like the inmates run the asylum (i.e. anyone is allowed to take any shot at any time). That may help bring in recruits, but it doesn’t help win basketball games. I just get tired of AK throwing the players under the bus and acting like he can’t figure out why we struggle to score in every post game interview. That’s kind of what we pay you to do AK- figure out a way to put some points on the board.
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