When that happened I thought it was a mistake, way too early. That extended the game, giving Ohio a chance to make two free throws ( which they did) with enough time to get another possession. Also, Ipsaro, our best free throw shooter fouled out. He was the guy we wanted to handle the ball and get fouled.
So Terry Bridge asked Coach Steele about that move on the postgame radio interview. Coach Steele said something I had never heard before. He said that statistical analysis says with a 3 point lead foul around midcourt if the clock is anywhere from 11 to 3 seconds and Ipsaro was following that rule.
He did say that he made a mistake in not taking Evan out and subbing someone else in to commit the foul because he ( Coach Steele) was not aware that Ipsaro had 4 fouls).
Even if this is true, you have to consider the following:
That was Ipsaro’s 5th foul. If we had gone to OT, we’d have been without Suder, Woolfolk, and then Ipsaro. Elmer would’ve been playing with 4 as well.
This also disqualified Ipsaro, who is easily our best FT shooter, from going to the line to build the lead back up to 3. Ultimate it was Byers - a good FT shooter but still a RS Frosh - at the line in a big pressure spot. Byers went 1 for 2 and OU probably should’ve tied the game with a clean look at a layup on the other end.
If Steele says the analytics say 3-11 seconds, I won’t question it because I don’t know better. But, I just watched the replay and Paveletzke was slowing down near mid court and may have actually been about to call time out. Also, the defense was set. We could’ve easily killed another 2.5-3 seconds and maybe more. Analytics notwithstanding, it seemed we could’ve done better to burn clock before fouling in that specific situation, which would’ve allowed OU to not get such a good look for the tie.
I was screaming about it in my basement- obviously everyone agrees (including Steele) that Ipsaro wasnt the right guy to make the foul
But I appreciate the analytics of it and can respect that. Personally on that day I probably would have played defense and see if they can make a 3 against a set defense knowing all that happens is they tie if they make it. Maybe with 3 seconds I agree
I think the idea was good. Obviously Ipsaro cant be on the court there as Steele pointed out. I also agree it was probably a few seconds too quick but that is splitting hairs.
We’ve been killed many times with past coaches with allowing teams to shoot a 3 there. Its the right call to not let them get a shot at tying, but the execution was a bit shaky.
Good to get the scenario worked out in case it matters in Cleveland.
In his post game presser Steele repeated the point about analytics but also said the staff needs to communicate better so that he would have been informed that Ipsaro had 4 fouls.
I was more upset with us sitting on the lead, as Bake pointed out multiple times we were just milling about on the perimeter to kill clock without running much of an offense and it nearly burned us. With how the refs were calling the game we could’ve stood to work the inside and force more foul trouble instead of mostly chucking from the outside for what felt like the last eight minutes.
There’s a lot to learn as we look to improve for the stretch run.
Ps, I hate to see the lack of foul awareness but I have to laugh as from what I can tell this is happening at all levels. Yesterday, I was running the clock at my son’s game. It’s abject chaos as they are pretty little still and there’s a lot to keep track of. The team we played only had five kids then one of theirs got sick and left and it was 5 on 4. Our center fouled out but neither the scorekeeper, coaches, bookkeeper or AD realized. We had to stop the game long after to discuss and then both teams were issued uncontested foul shots which is pure comedy since no one can make them. Basketball is a complex game with a lot of details to follow. It’s easy to get lost in it and miss stuff.
I have said it before in the football thread and it bears true in basketball also. A coach who relies too much on the analytical book is delving into the category of fiction. That book does not fit every team and every situation. It’s like relying too much on the weather guy when he says only 30% chance of rain. You better realize he is not always right. Yep, the situation was set to foul, but wrong guy and a couple of seconds early. Even if they called time out it would have taken an extra half second or more off the clock and given us a chance to remind our team of our plan. It also would have given an assistant opportunity to remind the head coach about who had four fouls.
Larry David learned that lesson the hard way on a Curbed episode. Weatherman kept predicting rain but it was only to scare golfers away so he had the course to himself. Funny shit.
10-11 seconds is a perfectly reasonable time to start fouling if you have a 90% FT shooter (like Ipsaro). 10-11 seconds is way too early to start fouling if you’re going to be relying on a 75% FT shooter (like Byers/Craft).