Next Up: At St. Bonaventure (5-3), Saturday, Feb. 1., at 4PM.

[tblack33]

Feels like the wrong thing to focus on. We've been under 1ppp in 6 of 9 games in conference. Free throws help, sure, but Bonnies also missed 9. AJ (0-4) and Oduro (1-3) are the only guys who had bad days at the line. Our season average is right about 70%, which would have us make 3 extra today, which wouldn't have made much of a difference.

We are getting MURDERED from 3. 8-27 today and allowed 7-19. Still haven't held a conference opponent to under 35% from deep. That's impossibly bad. We could get away with the crappy shooting out of conference because we actually defended the perimeter pretty well, but now we can't shoot and we're giving up great looks. It's bad all over.

It used to make sense because we played a pack line, not sure why our numbers are like they are now. Too many switches per possession maybe?

 

[GMUgemini]

It used to make sense because we played a pack line, not sure why our numbers are like they are now. Too many switches per possession maybe?

Maybe...it looks like our players get confused when they switch, like, were we supposed to switch and who am I supposed to pick up now that we've switched and do we switch back? It's weird being this late in the season and seeing players confused about what to do -- defense can only work when it's second nature: like if you're supposed to trap when the ball goes in the corner both players have to recognize the ball is going in the corner and get there basically when the ball does, otherwise it's a useless strategy. Switching on screens works only if both players, the on ball defender and the person switching off the screen, work together and know what they're supposed to do after the switch.

 

[gmubrian]

Maybe...it looks like our players get confused when they switch, like, were we supposed to switch and who am I supposed to pick up now that we've switched and do we switch back? It's weird being this late in the season and seeing players confused about what to do -- defense can only work when it's second nature: like if you're supposed to trap when the ball goes in the corner both players have to recognize the ball is going in the corner and get there basically when the ball does, otherwise it's a useless strategy. Switching on screens works only if both players, the on ball defender and the person switching off the screen, work together and know what they're supposed to do after the switch.

The excessive switching was what drove me crazy about Hewitt’s approach. I guess that is why he tried to get a team fill of players that were all 6’7” so they could used interchangeably.

 

[FreeGunston12]

Maybe...it looks like our players get confused when they switch, like, were we supposed to switch and who am I supposed to pick up now that we've switched and do we switch back? It's weird being this late in the season and seeing players confused about what to do -- defense can only work when it's second nature: like if you're supposed to trap when the ball goes in the corner both players have to recognize the ball is going in the corner and get there basically when the ball does, otherwise it's a useless strategy. Switching on screens works only if both players, the on ball defender and the person switching off the screen, work together and know what they're supposed to do after the switch.

It is really weird to watch this year, because I've felt like hedging hard has worked for us in the past. Oduro and Calixte may just not have the foot speed to hedge and recover fast enough.

AJ is quick enough to recover, but then the ball always seems to find it's way out to an open shooter.

 

[GMUgemini]

It is really weird to watch this year, because I've felt like hedging hard has worked for us in the past. Oduro and Calixte may just not have the foot speed to hedge and recover fast enough.

AJ is quick enough to recover, but then the ball always seems to find it's way out to an open shooter.

I mean, Reuter was hedging and recovering, Oduro and Calixte should be able to.

Our 1-2-2 zone press doesn't seem to be helping us get back into our half-court defense and we aren't generating enough turnovers to make it worth-while. It was cool to see us try to change our defensive approach, but it doesn't seem to be working at all in conference play. So, I'd love to see us either throw caution to the wind and tell them to try to turn the other team over on every possession (because our half-court offense sucks), or abandon it and get back on defense and set up and turn every game into a 50-49 rock fight (of course that would also mean not giving up 15 offensive rebounds -- like I don't know who was supposed to box out Welch, but they did a piss poor job of it).

 

[FreeGunston12]

I mean, Reuter was hedging and recovering, Oduro and Calixte should be able to.

Our 1-2-2 zone press doesn't seem to be helping us get back into our half-court defense and we aren't generating enough turnovers to make it worth-while. It was cool to see us try to change our defensive approach, but it doesn't seem to be working at all in conference play. So, I'd love to see us either throw caution to the wind and tell them to try to turn the other team over on every possession (because our half-court offense sucks), or abandon it and get back on defense and set up and turn every game into a 50-49 rock fight (of course that would also mean not giving up 15 offensive rebounds -- like I don't know who was supposed to box out Welch, but they did a piss poor job of it).

Agree. And that's the real point, isn't it? There are plenty of things to try, if we're willing.

I think a 3-2 zone would make a lot of sense for us. It'd be pretty natural to fall into from the 1-2-2 press, and it'd keep AJ and Calixte/Oduro near the paint, ideally.

 

[patriot2000]

I would agree (disclaimer: I'm not an expert and may be seeing things through my "I liked the older version of this game" lens), a simple 3-2 zone might help stop the rain of threes. We don't seem to be able to work any kind of man look against a top 10 A10 team because we just don't have the size or athleticism at all 5 positions. The switching isn't working with our current roster. A 3-2 will make the threes harder to get off and keeps AJ in position to do what he does best