Game 24: AT University of Rhode Island, Tuesday, February 9th, 7 PM, NO TV

[gmujim92]

Disagree. The Patriot League is nothing like the A10. Yes Bucknell had success bc of DP, and also bc of an NBA player on his roster. Just like HAVOC isnt living well in Austin, and has evolved from caa to a10 to b12, same goes for DP's defensive scheme in A10. It needs adjusting to the higher talent level. We cant leave athletic guards open to drain 3's.


Davidson isnt athletic but can make shots from everywhere. What will the defensive scheme be on Sat? Dare them to shoot while sagging to get rebounds and hope they go cold? Its highly likely bc thats what DP's defensive scheme has been most of his career. Wont work in A10 without some tweaks to frustrate good shooters.

OK assuming you know more about basketball strategy than someone who has been a coach for his entire adult life, what's the alternative to sagging and trying to contain the drive?

We played zone against Dayton and got shredded. The few times we've tried to press, it hasn't been successful. We tried to extend the defense to contest the 3 against St. Bona and gave up a bunch of layups.

I know analytics aren't the strong suit of many of our posters, but DP is playing the percentages that teams will shoot a lower percentage from 20 feet than they would from 2 feet.

It's a sensible approach, given that we do not have players capable of both taking away the 3 and preventing penetration. That's not going to change by wishing it wasn't so.

But please enlighten us with the strategic genius that somehow has eluded our staff of well-compensated and experienced coaches. I'm sure they'd welcome any help they could get at this point.

 

[sleeperpick]

Disagree. The Patriot League is nothing like the A10. Yes Bucknell had success bc of DP, and also bc of an NBA player on his roster. Just like HAVOC isnt living well in Austin, and has evolved from caa to a10 to b12, same goes for DP's defensive scheme in A10. It needs adjusting to the higher talent level. We cant leave athletic guards open to drain 3's.


Davidson isnt athletic but can make shots from everywhere. What will the defensive scheme be on Sat? Dare them to shoot while sagging to get rebounds and hope they go cold? Its highly likely bc thats what DP's defensive scheme has been most of his career. Wont work in A10 without some tweaks to frustrate good shooters.

Watched a handful of Texas games this year.... not sure HAVOC is being played all that much because it is ineffective against teams that can dribble and chew gum at the same time.

 

[sleeperpick]

OK assuming you know more about basketball strategy than someone who has been a coach for his entire adult life, what's the alternative to sagging and trying to contain the drive?

We played zone against Dayton and got shredded. The few times we've tried to press, it hasn't been successful. We tried to extend the defense to contest the 3 against St. Bona and gave up a bunch of layups.

I know analytics aren't the strong suit of many of our posters, but DP is playing the percentages that teams will shoot a lower percentage from 20 feet than they would from 2 feet.

It's a sensible approach, given that we do not have players capable of both taking away the 3 and preventing penetration. That's not going to change by wishing it wasn't so.

But please enlighten us with the strategic genius that somehow has eluded our staff of well-compensated and experienced coaches. I'm sure they'd welcome any help they could get at this point.

Keep fighting the good fight Jim.... Our man is obviously lacking but I am not sure if the other posters are realizing the fact that we have tried other defenses and they do not work half as good as our "relaxed" man to man. The zone vs Dayton was horrible yet people want to play more of that? Come on now.

Sure the defense needs a ton of improvement and we are statistically the worst in the league but what is to be expected currently. Everyone loves Otis (me too) but he possibly plays the worst perimeter defense I have seen at PG for Mason ever. Do you want to sit him out because he gets blown by most plays?

Some people are very unrealistic and I for one am very enthusiastic about the team and am glad Coach Paulsen is helping us look better than I honestly expected his first year.

 

[GSII]

Try and keep up sleeper...

Specifically for the Rhody game, I thought it was needless to sag. Shaq was not playing for them. This created too many open looks from three. And they made them.

As for Dayton and other games, I know we don't have the players right now and I think I've said that over -and over that my comments are not about this current roster. Maybe go back and re-read??

My overall issue is IF we did have the players (which we will in a few years) to defend the likes of Dayton and Rhody, we will need to make slight adjustments to our man to man defense to either get the ball out of the hot shooters hands and/or create some pressure for their offense that could result in easy buckets for us. I like our man defense this year sans the Rhody game. I just hope when we get more players in, DP uses them to defend AND be more disruptive instead of playing the odds like he has most of his career. In other words go at the opponenet. The A10 guard is a superior athlete compared to the Patriot League. Gotta make adjustments. Like Jim said, his defense is the same and worked at Bucknell, but this is a significant step up.

 

[gmujim92]

Try and keep up sleeper...

Specifically for the Rhody game, I thought it was needless to sag. Shaq was not playing for them. This created too many open looks from three. And they made them.

As for Dayton and other games, I know we don't have the players right now and I think I've said that over -and over that my comments are not about this current roster. Maybe go back and re-read??

My overall issue is IF we did have the players (which we will in a few years) to defend the likes of Dayton and Rhody, we will need to make slight adjustments to our man to man defense to either get the ball out of the hot shooters hands and/or create some pressure for their offense that could result in easy buckets for us. I like our man defense this year sans the Rhody game. I just hope when we get more players in, DP uses them to defend AND be more disruptive instead of playing the odds like he has most of his career. In other words go at the opponenet. The A10 guard is a superior athlete compared to the Patriot League. Gotta make adjustments. Like Jim said, his defense is the same and worked at Bucknell, but this is a significant step up.

GS, would you be OK if Mason played the style of defense UVa has employed since Tony Bennett arrived?

His system is conservative in that the players don't gamble for steals -- they pack it in, shut down driving lanes and force you to shoot over them -- but I don't know anyone who says their defense isn't "disruptive."

Louisville looked more than a little disrupted a couple weeks ago when it had 22 points against Virgini with 15 minutes left in the second half on its home floor. And people were talking about Louisville as a potential FF team before they banned themselves from the postseason.

It took Bennett several years to find kids who were capable enough offensively and willing/able to put in the type of effort that he demands on the defensive end. They don't grow on trees, even for ACC schools.

As I posted a couple days ago, if we are still giving up uncontested jump shots in 2 years, I will agree that we have a problem and changes are in order.

Gotta give DP time to build the roster and coach the guys up to defend the way he wants it done. I can guarantee that what we're doing right now is not it.

 

[GSII]

Jim, I agree with your last post. Historically, isn't there clear evidence that DP simply plays straight up 1/2 court man even when he has a legit roster ie Bucknell days? If so, imo, it will be essential to throw a few wrinkles in there to surprise the opponent at times he sees fit. Simple things like, doubling the shooter, denying the shooter etc. I think we can do that today since it doens't require a special skill to double. Unless we have guys with rocks in their head. DP didn't have to do that much with Muscalla on the roster vs Patriot League talent, but in the A10 something more, imo, will be needed vs these excellent guards. It could be something different, I don't know. Sagging into the post and givning up wide open looks vs Rhody was frustrating to watch, yet understood with a limited roster. But the roster won't be limited for long. And there is no adverse effect in teaching guys to deny and/or double team is there?

On offense, I would go Princeton. We can't post up without traveling. Game moves to fast for some younger guys. Slow it down and go pure whiteboy.

 

[gmujim92]

Jim, I agree with your last post. Historically, isn't there clear evidence that DP simply plays straight up 1/2 court man even when he has a legit roster ie Bucknell days? If so, imo, it will be essential to throw a few wrinkles in there to surprise the opponent at times he sees fit. Simple things like, doubling the shooter, denying the shooter etc. I think we can do that today since it doens't require a special skill to double. Unless we have guys with rocks in their head. DP didn't have to do that much with Muscalla on the roster vs Patriot League talent, but in the A10 something more, imo, will be needed vs these excellent guards. It could be something different, I don't know. Sagging into the post and givning up wide open looks vs Rhody was frustrating to watch, yet understood with a limited roster. But the roster won't be limited for long. And there is no adverse effect in teaching guys to deny and/or double team is there?

On offense, I would go Princeton. We can't post up without traveling. Game moves to fast for some younger guys. Slow it down and go pure whiteboy.

The Princeton offense involves a series of highly complex reads. It would be impossible to install during a season even if we had players that fit the system, which we don't.

The ball screen offense that DP is running now was generating plenty of quality shots and points before Marquise got hurt.

The defense will work too once we have players to run it.

This will be my final post in this thread, so I depart with this thought: our coaches are doing the best they can with the crappy hand they were dealt ... but it won't be crappy for much longer.

 

[gmutom]

I'm just happy to see GS and Jim getting along again; now we need to mend the relationship between Jim and Gemini and all will be happy in Patriotland.

 

[psyclone]

Before Marquise was hurt, I believe our FG % was around 41%. I wouldn't say that we're a good shooting team and I believe there is some consensus on that. On the other hand, I also believe that at the same time our defensive FG% was also 41%. So whatever defensive issues we've been having (particularly the last 2 games without Marquise) with DP's system, other teams are, on average, not shooting any better than we are.

And as for expectations for this year, I mentioned earlier this year that DP's first year at Bucknell and Coach L's first year at Mason were 9 win seasons. We're now at 8 and if Marquise gets back we're a good bet to win at least that many.

 

[ephoops]

And as for expectations for this year, I mentioned earlier this year that DP's first year at Bucknell and Coach L's first year at Mason were 9 win seasons. We're now at 8 and if Marquise gets back we're a good bet to win at least that many.

Actually, DP won 7 games in his first year at Bucknell.