I wanted to throw this out for discussion. I think our last two games, while both leaving some room for improvement, have been the most complete games we’ve played all year. Beating inferior (but not horrible) opponents comfortably both on the road and at home. All our contributors are contributing. I’ve been worried about this UMass road game since we barely got them at home, but I also think we are pretty close to firing on all cylinders at this point.
What say you all?
I agree that the UMASS game will be a tough challenge. They are very physical, and can get our guys into foul trouble with their aggressive moves in the paint. The kind of team that worries me.
We will need to shoot the ball well to beat them, and hopefully we will be firing on all cylinders with our three point shooting.
With the obvious Ipsaro omission, I think so. Eian really struggled early this year but he has made the leap from last year that everyone hoped for. He’s unbelievable. Much more than a glue guy (see what I did there?).
Almar has been a roller coaster, but the last two games is why I always thought we had to keep him going. He’s a matchup nightmare for most the MAC. He’s struggled against the better MAC teams, so thats something to keep an eye on, but when he’s hitting shots, there’s few MAC big men who can handle him.
Woolfolk, even with his limitations last night, has smashed through his ceiling. I’ll be the first to admit for much of last season, he’s was a “well, he’s the best we got” type player. His passing has become next level, he can score some when we need it (we just don’t ask him to), and its really obvious how much our defense, which already isn’t good, drops when he’s out.
Luke has probably saved our season. I said in a game thread earlier this year, as someone who didn’t know his game from high school, I thought he was just a a deadeye shooter (which is still good). He’s the total package. He still plays like a sophomore sometimes, but he is a diamond in the rough. He can shoot, drive, and pass with the best of the MAC.
I don’t think anything needs to be set about Suder and Byers. They are who they are. I imagine the rest the MAC hates them. Suder chirps. Byers is physical and annoying as hell on the floor. He plays like its a football game out there sometimes. I would not want to spend 30 minutes banging bodies with him. And they are top tier MAC talent.
Yesterday was the perfect game. We continued to build the lead for 40 minutes - our only real bad stretch was around the 5 minute mark. We won both halves by 8.
Everybody contributed- it might have been Kirbys toughest game but he still hit a big three and guarded Paveliski
I am so happy you commented on Almar- that was by far his best defense and rebounding of the season. If he does every time we are a way better team
I agree. And yes, UMass will be tough. The one thing that really causes us trouble is big guys playing bully ball inside. We do seem to be consistently improving, though not dramatically, especially on the defensive side: We seem to be maintaining longer periods of high intensity defense than previously, if not for the entire game. A big strength is that teams can’t just run us off the three point line; when we’re not hitting the three we are very good at driving the paint and using back cuts. Our depth and unflappability combine to wear down the opponent. We win the war of attrition in the second half and pull away. The ESPN announcers saw it last night. Going forward, IMO our biggest goal should be to maintain the defensive intensity for the whole game, especially if we make it to the NCAA Tournament. Coach Steele has emphasized this for the last couple months.
Our guys have put together pretty complete efforts in 3 of our last 4 games. I say pretty complete in that we played at a high level for at least 30 minutes.
Our guys should get a lot of credit for improving as the season goes along, individually and team-wise. I’d say the biggest jumps have been taken by Skaljac, Byers, and Elmer. Kirby doesn’t count for me because by default he had to make the biggest jump to go from high school to redshirt to rotation player on an undefeated team as a freshman.
Skaljac had to make the jump after Ipsaro got hurt and he has, though he showed signs of it before Ipsaro went down. He’s done a great job at playing at his own pace. Elmer’s becoming the player I thought he could. He’s aggressive at both ends and is impacting every game. To our Golden Flash fan, if Elmer transferred to Kent, Safford would be on his way out because the numbers aren’t really that close. Elmer is 39th in effective field goal percentage nationally, 60th from 3 and is a top 200 defensive rebounder. His offensive efficiency rate is significantly higher and ranks 303rd nationally. Byers has become a more versatile scorer and has held up defensively despite other teams’ best efforts to attack him.
Suder and Woolfolk are right behind. Woolfolk may be the key player down the stretch. With our lack of inside depth and the way he can impact games, he’s gotta stay on the floor. I’m not sure what else Suder can do, that’s why his jump hasn’t been as big, he’s already up there.
What this group has done has been incredible. I’m guessing this is what the 2003 football season felt like for those watching from afar or any of the tournament teams from the 90s. I start thinking about the next game almost immediately after the one that finishes. As thrilling as this year’s been, it still comes down to how we play in March for me. I’ve been really impressed with our ability to play loose and handle everything that’s come our way. That and our experience may allow us to do the unthinkable. But I’m not letting myself think about that because these last 6 all have challenges: new road trip to UMass, we got swept in the Eastern/Western road double last year, and we’ll have to play at OU on their senior night while trying to win for the first time there since 2011. We’ll be playing teams that are getting a 2nd look at us, how different will that be. So it’s still 1 game at a time for me with continuous improvement, not worrying about our at-large prospects.
Need to protect the ball better as well. Weren’t an egregious amount of turnovers, but as Steele indicated in his post-game comments, every possession counts. Most concerned about this next game (due to having some issues with strong interior players) and the final game of the season (primarily due to Jackson P. and what will certainly be a raucous environment). Need our fans to travel.
Bump.
That was a man’s road win last night, against a more physical team who suddenly couldn’t miss (again). The buckets we got after they tied the game to put it away required some big balls… one might say we need a wheelbarrow to carry them around. It wasn’t a perfect game but a damn good one.
Excellent post. Thanks.
Bump.
Last night was obviously not our best offensively, but we overcame that not with gimmicks but good defense and patient buckets when we needed them after the lead was cut to 5. Again, no panic and a workmen-like last 5 minutes to put the game away. I believe we are still trending in a good direction despite being ice cold and settling for 3s a good bit last night. We won’t be 5/28 from 3 again.
This is a tough last stretch. Everyone wants to knock off a ranked and undefeated team. Miami has a big bull’s eye on its back. Keep the train moving Miami!
Woolfolk, when not in foul trouble, impacted the game greatly. He continues to trend up. And so is Perry. He got beat off the dribble a couple of times. But when we needed a basket in the 2nd half, he got us one with a really nice move.
Our ball security and lack of a big man in the middle is what’s going to do us in, but I’ll enjoy the ride til it stops
Yes and yes. Perry is graduating to the “I’m no longer a Freshman” stage, which is needed if Miami is to win the MAC tournament.
@MUHawk0810 Ball security? Per Barttorvik we are 37th nationally in turnover%. (Last night we had FOUR turnovers). Seven of last eleven games we’ve been in single digit turnovers including last four games of 4, 11, 7, 9. With the pace we play this is really good. So that narrative is just not true.
And 50th nationally in Defensive Rebound Rate per Barttorvik. Four of last five games we’ve outrebounded the opponent. 17 of 28 we have won the board battle overall.
Woolfolk has been outstanding as a big man this year. We, like most every mid-major, just don’t have the big man depth off the bench that the P5 teams do.
