Lol, we’re only going to lose by 10.
I’m not certain if it’s better, but it certainly is a snapshot in time of our program. Who the hell is in charge of this cluster f.
BTW, I had a negative test yesterday and was on the mend until this.
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We dominated in the second half!!
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Yep, I just added that to our excuse list in the other thread.
This is why we won the second half, right?
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Holy moly. I apologize in advance for the stream of consciousness but here’s what I saw from my in-person viewing experience.
Brown had a hard ankle brace on, not an air cast. So I would imagine that he’s out at least 2 weeks.
Lairy was running like his back was bothering him. But with that, I question why he’s hoisting 25-footers, which is harder on your back (speaking from experience), and since he came in only shooting 33% from 3.
Etzler’s 4 minutes felt like 15. I can’t believe that he wasn’t taken out earlier and that he played over Williams. If he’s not 100%, he shouldn’t be playing, we have enough forwards that can play his position. But his defensive ability and awareness looked pretty similar to last year, which was nonexistent.
When everyone’s healthy, these would be the guys that get minutes: Lairy, Grant, White, Brown, Ayah, Avance, Harrison, ICL, Williams. It’s not a coincidence that we looked better in the 2nd half with leaving Etzler, McNamara, and Beck on the bench.
We’re obviously not good defensively, but we’re really poor in defensive transition after a miss. After #25 Scott got hot, it was incredible how poor our recognition of where he was on the floor persisted. Multiple players had the look of, “Oh yeah, he’s mine” and if that happens, it’s too late. But why would we run back on defense with urgency if there’s no accountability, which there was none today because just about everyone was guilty, which means it’s not emphasized in practice.
Lastly, the lack of urgency, especially from our older players is concerning. This is the last chance to do anything for some of these guys and you wouldn’t know it by how they play or their demeanor. I’m happy that the younger guys got to play most of the 2nd half because they looked like they wanted to play and they did some good things, especially Avance and Harrison. They have a chance, but I wish I had more confidence in the staff that they would help their development.
After today, now only 8 teams in Division 1 rank worse than us in 3 point field goal percentage defense. And we now rank 312th in defensive efficiency. But again, if there’s no accountability from coaches or players, this will continue.
Overall, it’s a mess. COVID or not, it’s a mess. Improved numbers doesn’t equate to development. Numbers should increase as you get experience because almost by default, you’re playing against less experienced players. I equate development to doing something different when you get the ball and with greater success: Examples: When Beck and McNamara get the ball in the post, I know what they’re going to do. McNamara: dribble back down to the left hand hook. If I know that defensively, I can play that side and stop it. With Beck, it’s catch, drop step, and load up, which means there’s time to jump and challenge since the load up is slower. Example of development: Harrison’s move to the basket in the 1st half, which was very nice. Strong, confident, and he finished it.
I hoped to be pleasantly surprised today. Instead, it was what I expected and worse.
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I did use past tense! Farrakhan impressed me with the elevation he got on his jumper as well as his quickness. He gave Eastern another dimension today. Eastern was making playground-like moves in the 2nd half, their focus definitely wasn’t there like it was in the 1st half. And not surprisingly after you roll 55-28 in the 1st half.
In his post game interview, Coach O said that because EMU has been a poor perimeter shooting team, our strategy was to tighten up inside and make them shoot from outside, and then they went 12 for 20 on threes in the first half.
I told the guys that I sat with at Ball State that we should not be playing McNamara, Etzler, and Beck at all and White’s minutes should go way down. Williams should be the starting 3-man, Harrison should start now with Brown out and eventually those 2 guys should rotate with Ayah in a 3 man rotation at 4 and 5. At the guard spots, with Lairy playing hurt, Avance should be playing with Dae Dae and ICL. Yesterday reinforces that, and I am glad to see it is exactly what mz343 thinks after watching them yesterday.
Etzler and Beck are not in basketball shape or sharpness. It is probably not their fault, Etzler missed all summer, all fall, and most of this season before he even returned to practicing. Beck got hurt this fall and has tried to come back several times but keeps reinjuring himself. Neither is near the level they played at last season. Coach O knows Eli is playing terribly, he gives him a couple of minutes in the first half and then he does not return in the second half because he was bad. Just eliminate those couple of minutes.
The biggest problem is that with Dalonte out, who do you play when Precious or Harrison are on the bench. There is no real answer. Eller is simply not a D-1 power forward, Beck and Etzler are not ready, Eli hurts us every game.
Probably Eller or just play 4 guards.
It was good that Harrison and Avance and Williams got good minutes and produced. They are athletic and all of them can put the ball on the court and create something. That is what we miss with White in particular and to an extent Coleman-Lands.
The best game we played all year was at Buffalo and Williams and Avance were a big part of that. White has gotten great minutes over the last couple of years, but he really does not do enough to justify those minutes. Williams is better now, and if he plays he will keep getting better. Play the best athletes, they are hungry and will get better. Too much loyalty to the older guys who have plateaued and are not as talented. Time to change the lineup and rotation.
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If you go to the game story on MURedHawks.com and click on the boxscore it is there. Pretty revealing.
I agree with Dick. Jack doesn’t “owe” anyone playing time or starts.
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This is Wil Stevens and Jackson Kenyon’s team now.
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A couple things to note with the +/- numbers:
More than two thirds of Eller’s minutes have come in garbage time of the Ohio and EMU games.
Harrison had brutal performances his first couple times back from Covid, but has been excellent since then.
Dae Dae has played close to 90% of the team’s minutes, so his +/- is more a reflection of the team than his personal play.
Those are interesting stats; you did not say but I quickly noticed that these are not season totals. So I am guessing these are MAC only totals?
Correct. MAC only.
For the time being I would limit the rotation to everybody ICL and above.
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