Final Score: UW-90 UO-86
Oregon made it a 4 point defeat with a last second tip-in following a series of made free throws by C.J. Wilcox. The Dawgs and Ducks battled back and forth all night with 10 points being the greatest differential achieved during the match.
The night started out rough for the Huskies who saw Oregon take another early lead. Slowly, but surely the Dawgs started connecting on their shots and played a little tougher defense, allowing the Huskies to go into half down only 4 points. The second half brought more energy and the crowd, who was already the loudest I have heard all season outside of the WSU and Cal games, got louder and more excited. The players fed off this and highlights plays started accruing. Terrence Ross and Tony Wroten were aggressive all night leading to a combined 46 points from the duo, while Wilcox came off the bench to provide 17 critical points including a stellar 6 of 6 performance from the free throw line, all of which came in the final 30 seconds of the game.
The two teams provided one of the most even match-ups of the season with neither team dominating any one particular category. The Dawgs out rebounded the Ducks 37-34 with a 14-12 advantage on the offensive glass. Both teams made 7 3-pointers, though it took the Ducks an additional 6 attempts to achieve the same results. The Ducks made 3 more field goals than the Dawgs, but the Huskies attempted 13 more free throws than the Ducks and made 10 more overall. Both teams dished out 17 assists and had their steals and blocks combine for 6 each. The Ducks had 7 turnovers and the Dawgs had 8. As I said, an even game.
What makes games like this so exciting and fun to be at is not only the rivalry, but the pace at which the game is played. Teams like Utah, USC, and ASU drive me nuts due to their slow down, mind numbingly boring type of basketball. The Ducks play at a high rate, they love the transition, and can really push this Husky squad to be their best.
This Husky squad played one of their best games of the season and no surprise, a large part of this had to do with the aggressiveness of our guards. Abdul Gaddy had one of his best nights as a Dawg, tallying a double-double with 11 points, 10 assists, and an impressive 7 rebounds. Gaddy helped the Dawgs execute their half-court offense with supreme efficiency. The team as a whole used the shot clock well, but Gaddy excelled in finding the open man after driving into the lane late in the clock. Gaddy also converted 4 shots at the line during 6 attempts. What changed in Gaddy's mind during the last 2 weeks is beyond me, but this aggressiveness and desire to not only play, but to win, has been missing most of the year and, in my mind, is a big reason this team is now winning games they would have struggled through early this season.
Aziz N'Diaye had a quiet night due to foul trouble. He attempted only 2 shots and made 1. N'Diaye was a solid 3 of 4 from the line and collected 7 rebounds during his limited 20 minutes. Tony Woods was next to impossible for N'Diaye to shut down, especially once the fouls started racking up. Thankfully, Austin Sefarian-Jenkins was able to play 15 minutes of relief during which ASJ picked up 4 hard fouls of his own. The man loves to foul and I'm OK with this. ASJ is a back-up player whose fate ultimately lies on the gridiron. Any foul he picks up is one less for N'Diaye. Desmond Simmons played only 5 minutes in the first half and that was all the game time he saw.
Darnell Gant was excellent on the offensive glass tonight picking up 7 total boards and 5 on the offensive side. Gant shot reasonably well hitting 3 of his 5 attempts and finishing with 6 points on the night. After picking up 15 points in the first half, E.J. Singler was held to just 4 points in the second and fouled out, due in large part to the handcuffs put on him by Gant and the Huskies.
C.J. Wilcox saved the game with his clutch free throw shooting, but he should also be recognized for his aggressiveness in the paint and his sharp shooting performance. Wilcox was only 4 of 10 from the field, but was 3 of 6 from deep. Wilcox's shooting allowed his teammates to get open looks by spreading the floor and threatening to shoot. Terrence Ross and Tony Wroten saw many great looks inside the paint due to Wilcox sitting on the perimeter, forcing the Duck defense to stay honest and defend the outside shot.
Terrence Ross had another career night finishing with 24 points on 9 of 18 shooting. Ross' outside shot was a tad below average with only 3 makes on 8 attempts, but his inside drive was as dangerous as ever. It seemed as though any set where the clock was running out, Ross or Wroten had the ball in their hand, looking to drive inside for the basket. Ross finished 3 of 3 from the foul line and also picked up 3 rebounds. With 4 other Huskies grabbing 7 boards, Ross did not need to be as aggressive on the glass. Thus far in the tournament, Ross had averaged just under 27 points per game, 11 points above his season average. This shows just how talented Ross can be when he plays hard during both halves. If Ross stays another season, he may very well be one of the nation's leading scorers.
Tony Wroten now hold the freshman scoring record for UW, surpassing Isaiah Thomas. Wroten now holds a 9 point advantage and will certainly add more as the NIT continues. After a 5 shot game against Northwestern, it was almost a certainty that Wroten would be aggressive once more. Sure enough, Wroten attacked the Ducks early and often leading to 22 points on 6 of 15 shooting. The best part of Wroten's night? 10 of 14 at the foul line, an impressive stat for a player who has struggled throughout the season. If Wroten can come back next season and be a 75% free throw shooter, he will battle Ross for the leading scorer title. Wroten's speed and agility causes supreme difficulty for his opponents and often leads to foul calls. Being able to convert his foul shots is just one more step in becoming a true superstar.
What Needed Improvement:
First Half Defense:
It is really hard for my to criticize much from the game. I thought the Dawgs performed pretty well throughout the night. My only complaint going into half time was about a few lapses in defensive rotation that led to wide open shots by the Ducks. Overall I felt the execution by the Dawgs went well through the nights. The Ducks were often forced to take contested shots and ultimately that is the best you can ask of a team. Good shooters will make shots over their defenders.
What was Good:
Offensive Execution:
The Dawgs were unusually patient in the half-court and found success. The team moved the ball well and Gaddy led the way by finding the open shooter time and time again. The Huskies limited their turnovers, they made smart plays, and took smart shots. There were very few times I found myself asking why a particular shot was attempted. This patience is something the team has lacked all most of the year and again, a big reason why the Dawgs are now winning games that would have been chalked up as losses earlier this year.
Attitude and Aggressiveness:
This team wanted to win. They wanted to play. The first game of the NIT was tough for both fans and players, but after the win I think everybody decided to let bygones be bygones and celebrate the fact that we get to see our team play a few more games, at home none the less. The players came out with smiles on their faces, they pumped their fists, and raised the roof. Just about everyone aggressively attacked the rim and found ways to make their mark on the game. The Huskies need to carry this momentum and attitude to New York.
Final Thoughts:
I know this may be looking a bit too far ahead, but I can't help but get excited for a potentially exhilarating match-up between UW and the University of Massachusetts in the NIT finals. For those who don't know, UW and UMass play one another in the NCAA championship during the movie "The Sixth Man." This movie is about the Husky basketball team winning a national title. If you haven't seen it, check it out. It's awesome and a Husky fan must. The Dawgs have been playing the type of basketball fans have been expecting to see all season and now look to win a championship, though not of the caliber they initially set eyes upon. Regardless, this team now gets another week to play and practice together, a huge asset for a team so filled with youth and inexperience. I am excited to see how this team does in New York and am hopeful that they will bring home the banner.
Go Dawgs!
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Monday, March 19, 2012
University of Oregon Game Preview 3
The Huskies get one more shot at Oregon this season in an attempt to avenge the humiliating defeat suffered in Eugene earlier this year. Oregon is coming off the highest scoring D1 game this season, beating Iowa 108-97 in a defense optional game. The Ducks have been playing some of their best basketball as of late and look to be an extremely dangerous opponent for the Dawgs as they can compete both in the half court and in transition.
Thankfully for the Huskies, Terrence Ross and C.J. Wilcox seems to be getting into shooting rhythm at last and may certainly be the deciding factor in tomorrow's match-up. Tony Wroten will be called upon to attack the middle and open up the perimeter for Ross and Wilcox.
In their game against Iowa, Oregon had 5 players with 15 points or more, 3 with 19 or more. E.J. Singler was an incredible 9 of 10 form the field, missing only a single deep shot. Singler was also a perfect 4 of 4 from the foul stripe. Singler finished with a team high 25 points and 6 rebounds as well as 4 assists and only 1 turnover in 35 minutes.
Devoe Joseph created offense across the board dishing out a game high 8 assists on top of his 15 points on 5 of 10 shooting. While Singler may be the most explosive threat on the Duck's roster, Joseph has been the most consistent averaging team highs in both points (16.9) and assists (3.2) this year. Joseph's seniority has given him the experience necessary to compete and succeed in all sorts of situations this year and to me is the X-factor tomorrow night.
As a team, the Ducks shot out of their minds on Sunday, hitting 59% of their shots from the field (43% outside the arc) as well as making a tremendous 88% from the free throw line. The Ducks accomplished this by moving the ball with skill and precision, connecting with 26 assists on 35 made field goals. The only category in which the Ducks "struggled" was offensive rebounding where they managed only 8 rebounds out of 32 total.
Olu Ashaolu has really stepped it up for the Ducks during the past few weeks. Despite his season scoring averaging sitting at 9 points per game, Ashaolu has show without a doubt that he is a force to be reckoned with in the paint. Against Iowa, Ashaolu put up 22 points on 7 of 10 shooting and made 8 of his 11 free throw attempts. Ashaolu is not necessarily a big guy at 6-7 220lb, but he is exceedingly strong and has great footwork that allows Ashaolu to push his man back or maneuver around the defender.
Where the Ducks find their greatest success is their depth of frontcourt. The Ducks feature 7 forwards and centers, all of whom are strong and capable players in their own rights. This is difficult for the Dawgs where the frontcourt is clearly our weakest section due to our lack of depth. Our bigs will have their work cut out once more trying to avoid foul trouble, while also contributing on both ends of the court. The one plus is that the Ducks' best players are on their wings, much like our own team, our advantage comes in taller, stronger, and more skilled guards.
Overall, these two teams balance out quite well. The battle tomorrow will come down to who can execute better over the entire 40 minutes and exploit their opponent's weaknesses, while capitalizing on their own strengths.
Predicted Starting Line-Ups:
Oregon:
Garrett Sim 6-2 185lb
Devoe Joseph 6-4 180lb
E.J. Singler 6-6 215lb
Jeremy Jacobs 6-8 230lb
Tony Woods 6-11 250lb
Washington:
Abdul Gaddy 6-3 185lb
Tony Wroten 6-5 205lb
Terrence Ross 6-6 195lb
Darnell Gant 6-8 230lb
Aziz N'Diaye 7-0 260lb
Keys to the Game:
Rebounding:
Cleaning the glass is always a big step in shutting down the opposition's offense. Rebounds prevent second chance opportunities and open 3's, while also limiting transition plays and fast breaks that lead to open, easy points. The Dawgs find themselves matched up against a similarly sized team in the Ducks, but overall the Dawgs have shown themselves to be much more capable on the glass than the majority of teams across the nation.
Free Throws:
Put simply, the Ducks tend to make their freebies and the Dawgs do not. Against Northwestern, the Dawgs finally showed some competency. The Ducks, on the other hand, have shown consistency throughout the season, which is a much more dangerous formula for success. The Huskies must capitalize on whatever few opportunities they may get.
Defense:
The Huskies couldn't lock down the Ducks in the last match-up, leading to a complete blow out. The Dawgs have been playing much better defense this week in the NIT and this is promising for tomorrow evening. The Huskies must play tight defense from the baseline to the half-court line as the Ducks have an array of capable 3-point shooters. Our guys need to lock it down from tip off to the final buzzer if they want to get through to the next round.
Final Thoughts:
This will be a huge match-up. A tough match-up. One that our guys will need to be prepared for. While waiting for the last game, I saw several players show up just a few hours before the game. The majority of the players arriving late were freshmen and bench players, but it was somewhat concerning that our team wasn't preparing the way I expected them to. Tomorrow I expect the players to be at the game before myself taking shots, getting warmed up, watching tape, etc. If the Dawgs truly want to scrape something out of this season, they will need to get past Oregon on their way to Madison Square Garden. Unlike the two games thus far, I suspect this will be a close one throughout with both sides throwing punches and going on little runs here and there. I see a potential buzzer beater type scenario heading our way and hopefully the Dawgs are on the right side of it.
Final Score Prediction: UW-80 UO-77
Thankfully for the Huskies, Terrence Ross and C.J. Wilcox seems to be getting into shooting rhythm at last and may certainly be the deciding factor in tomorrow's match-up. Tony Wroten will be called upon to attack the middle and open up the perimeter for Ross and Wilcox.
In their game against Iowa, Oregon had 5 players with 15 points or more, 3 with 19 or more. E.J. Singler was an incredible 9 of 10 form the field, missing only a single deep shot. Singler was also a perfect 4 of 4 from the foul stripe. Singler finished with a team high 25 points and 6 rebounds as well as 4 assists and only 1 turnover in 35 minutes.
Devoe Joseph created offense across the board dishing out a game high 8 assists on top of his 15 points on 5 of 10 shooting. While Singler may be the most explosive threat on the Duck's roster, Joseph has been the most consistent averaging team highs in both points (16.9) and assists (3.2) this year. Joseph's seniority has given him the experience necessary to compete and succeed in all sorts of situations this year and to me is the X-factor tomorrow night.
As a team, the Ducks shot out of their minds on Sunday, hitting 59% of their shots from the field (43% outside the arc) as well as making a tremendous 88% from the free throw line. The Ducks accomplished this by moving the ball with skill and precision, connecting with 26 assists on 35 made field goals. The only category in which the Ducks "struggled" was offensive rebounding where they managed only 8 rebounds out of 32 total.
Olu Ashaolu has really stepped it up for the Ducks during the past few weeks. Despite his season scoring averaging sitting at 9 points per game, Ashaolu has show without a doubt that he is a force to be reckoned with in the paint. Against Iowa, Ashaolu put up 22 points on 7 of 10 shooting and made 8 of his 11 free throw attempts. Ashaolu is not necessarily a big guy at 6-7 220lb, but he is exceedingly strong and has great footwork that allows Ashaolu to push his man back or maneuver around the defender.
Where the Ducks find their greatest success is their depth of frontcourt. The Ducks feature 7 forwards and centers, all of whom are strong and capable players in their own rights. This is difficult for the Dawgs where the frontcourt is clearly our weakest section due to our lack of depth. Our bigs will have their work cut out once more trying to avoid foul trouble, while also contributing on both ends of the court. The one plus is that the Ducks' best players are on their wings, much like our own team, our advantage comes in taller, stronger, and more skilled guards.
Overall, these two teams balance out quite well. The battle tomorrow will come down to who can execute better over the entire 40 minutes and exploit their opponent's weaknesses, while capitalizing on their own strengths.
Predicted Starting Line-Ups:
Oregon:
Garrett Sim 6-2 185lb
Devoe Joseph 6-4 180lb
E.J. Singler 6-6 215lb
Jeremy Jacobs 6-8 230lb
Tony Woods 6-11 250lb
Washington:
Abdul Gaddy 6-3 185lb
Tony Wroten 6-5 205lb
Terrence Ross 6-6 195lb
Darnell Gant 6-8 230lb
Aziz N'Diaye 7-0 260lb
Keys to the Game:
Rebounding:
Cleaning the glass is always a big step in shutting down the opposition's offense. Rebounds prevent second chance opportunities and open 3's, while also limiting transition plays and fast breaks that lead to open, easy points. The Dawgs find themselves matched up against a similarly sized team in the Ducks, but overall the Dawgs have shown themselves to be much more capable on the glass than the majority of teams across the nation.
Free Throws:
Put simply, the Ducks tend to make their freebies and the Dawgs do not. Against Northwestern, the Dawgs finally showed some competency. The Ducks, on the other hand, have shown consistency throughout the season, which is a much more dangerous formula for success. The Huskies must capitalize on whatever few opportunities they may get.
Defense:
The Huskies couldn't lock down the Ducks in the last match-up, leading to a complete blow out. The Dawgs have been playing much better defense this week in the NIT and this is promising for tomorrow evening. The Huskies must play tight defense from the baseline to the half-court line as the Ducks have an array of capable 3-point shooters. Our guys need to lock it down from tip off to the final buzzer if they want to get through to the next round.
Final Thoughts:
This will be a huge match-up. A tough match-up. One that our guys will need to be prepared for. While waiting for the last game, I saw several players show up just a few hours before the game. The majority of the players arriving late were freshmen and bench players, but it was somewhat concerning that our team wasn't preparing the way I expected them to. Tomorrow I expect the players to be at the game before myself taking shots, getting warmed up, watching tape, etc. If the Dawgs truly want to scrape something out of this season, they will need to get past Oregon on their way to Madison Square Garden. Unlike the two games thus far, I suspect this will be a close one throughout with both sides throwing punches and going on little runs here and there. I see a potential buzzer beater type scenario heading our way and hopefully the Dawgs are on the right side of it.
Final Score Prediction: UW-80 UO-77
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Northwestern Game Review
Final Score: UW-76 Northwestern-55
This was the type of game we have been looking for from the Huskies all season. Our scorers got hot, our defense played tough, and our team showed how 40 minutes of solid basketball leads to a solid, decisive victory over an inferior opponent.
Sure, John Shurna racked up 24 points (by the way, he has the ugliest shooting form I have ever seen. I have no clue how he scores), but our defense contested nearly every shot he took. Shurna is simply a great scorer and guys like that will make shots with a hand in the face or not. Look at Terrence Ross for proof of that.
The Dawgs dominated just about every category you can think of. The only disappointing stat was the turnover category. After holding an 11 to 4 advantage in forced turnovers in the first half, the Dawgs finished with 17 turnovers, while forcing Northwestern in only 15 total. Whether the Dawgs got sloppy or Northwestern adjusted properly is somewhat up for debate. In my opinion, the fact that the Dawgs scored only 2 less points in the second half compared to the first indicates that Northwestern didn't really adjust well, the Huskies simply tried to showboat too often leading to silly turnovers.
The Huskies rebounded in force tonight, holding a 42 to 26 advantage at games end. The Huskies pulled in 20 offensive boards and 3 players, Aziz N'Diaye, Terrence Ross, and Tony Wroten, pulled in 7 or 8 rebounds a piece using their superior size and athleticism to extend above the opposition to pull in the board. After the poor rebounding performance against UT-A it was quite refreshing to see our rebounding prowess return.
The 3-point shooting by the Dawgs was a tale of 2 halves. The Huskies started a very poor 5 of 21 outside the arc, but C.J. Wilcox and Terrence Ross turned it on in the second half to light up the court. The Huskies were a much better 6 of 11 in the second half as Ross and Wilcox found open looks and took advantage of it. Wilcox was 1 of 6 in the first half, while Ross was 1 of 7 (I believe, not 100%). Wilcox finished 4 of 9 and Ross went 6 of 14 on his way to a career high 32 points.
Here is a stat I thought I would never seen this season, 8-8. That was the Huskies stat for free throw shooting in the first half. No big surprise, the guys shooting those free throws were the ones who have shied away from the line all year: Wilcox and Ross. The Dawgs finished the night 11 of 14 from the line. Abdul Gaddy and Tony Wroten each missed their lone opportunity at the stripe and N'Diaye split a pair. Outside of those players, the Dawgs were perfect. Man, it was nice to see that.
My favorite stat of the night? 18 assists. That has been the missing ingredient all season long. Both Gaddy and Wroten racked up 7 assists as the Huskies moved the ball well around the court, battling and demolishing the ineffective Wildcat zone defense. Our point guards did exactly what we have needed them to do, distribute the ball. Our top two shooters took the majority of our shots and look how that turned out, amazing.
Aziz N'Diaye could have had a career night, but he struggled to finish at the rim at times. N'Diaye was only 5 of 11 on the night, a lower percentage than his usual. N'Diaye was surprisingly good at defending the small Northwestern guards and did not pick up a single foul. You read that right, not one single foul. Impressive. N'Diaye had 2 steals offsetting 1 turnover and was a solid force down in the block, preventing the dribble drive. N'Diaye played 30 minutes tonight, something that really surprised me as I thought Romar would put a 4-guard line-up on for most of the night with Darnell Gant providing mobile post support.
Tony Wroten and Abdul Gaddy did not have great shooting night, but they had great point guard nights. They moved the ball, the drove and dished, and generally did everything you could ask of a point guard. Both had 5 turnovers, which marred otherwise great nights, but that happens when you try to be too fancy with the ball. Our guards realized our shooters were hot and got them the ball.
Desmond Simmons was quietly effective after getting pulled early in the first half following poor defensive rotations. He finished with 4 points and 2 boards. Austin Sefarian-Jenkins, Shawn Kemp, and Hikeem Stewart provided great relief efforts for the Dawgs with Stewart picking up a high of 5 minutes. Martin Breunig came in and flushed a monster dunk in the lane over a Wildcat defender.
C.J. Wilcox had a stellar performance and finished with 20 points and 6 rebounds. He also had 1 assists to offset his lone turnover. Alongside Ross, Wilcox helped stretch the Wildcat defense thin leading to wide open shots. In the first half, our shooters struggled to finish these open opportunities, but capitalized in the second. Wilcox found his shot and drilled home several great deep balls, while also finding success inside the lane with some nice pull-up jumpers. Loved his play tonight and his continuing improvement as his health improved. Wilcox should be a very dangerous player again next season with his body healed up.
Terrence Ross exploded last night. He found his stroke and kept backing up further and further until the Wildcat defenders were guarding him at half-court at which point Ross would dribble past his man, finishing in the paint. Ross was 10 for 21 from the field and a perfect 6 of 6 from the free throw line. His 8 rebounds were excellent and Ross finished stuffing the stat sheet with an assist, 2 steals, a block, and just 1 turnover. It was a career performance, the type of which exemplifies why he is considered a potential lottery pick in the coming draft. This is how we expected Ross to play all season, but it has taken the last 2 or 3 weeks for Ross to have success in both halves of the game. Hopefully Ross can continue this trend of playing the full 40 through the NIT championship game and throughout next season. I love that Romar kept Ross in late in the game so he could break his career high of 30 points. As soon as Ross got to the line for the final time and sunk 2 free throws to give him a career best 32, Romar subbed Ross out to a standing ovation and chants of "One more year!"
What Needed Improvement:
Turnovers:
I thought the Dawgs were going to finish with under 10 turnovers on the night, but things out sloppy and out of hand at times in the second. A better team would have capitalized on our mistakes, but Northwestern was unable to do so, thankfully. 17 turnovers is way too high and needs to be minimized, especially with a potential quarterfinal match-up against Oregon on the horizon.
What was Good:
Rebounding:
As I talked about before, the Dawgs dominated a clearly inferior rebounding team. Three players racking up at least 7 rebounds a piece is a recipe for success. The guarded well on defense and snatched up their own missed shots to garner 16 second chance points. Great effort on the glass.
Team Effort:
Our point guards passed, our shooting guards shot, and our bigs kept Northwestern out of the paint. There was hustle and effort across the board. Even Romar got involved with a spontaneous post game speech to the crowd, thanking everyone for coming out and supporting them despite the "inconsistent" efforts they displayed this season. It was an emotional game followed with an emotional speech. While it is a little late, this emotion is refreshing to see and hopefully the Huskies can continue to dominate their opposition to send a message to the NCAA that they should have been one of the 68 teams sent to the big dance.
Ross and Wilcox:
The duo combined for 52 of the Huskies 76 points. Damn. That is huge.
Final Thoughts:
The Dawgs will likely face Oregon on Tuesday for the final home game of the season. There is a small chance of an upset, but count on Oregon coming to Hec-Ed one more time. The Dawgs owe Oregon an embarrassment following the dismantling they faced earlier this season in Eugene. The Dawgs can turn a "snub" into at least something by taking home the NIT title, but there are still 3 games left and they cannot ease up on the gas. Hopefully this team saw how well things go when they apply themselves hard on both ends of the court and continue to do so.
Go Dawgs!
This was the type of game we have been looking for from the Huskies all season. Our scorers got hot, our defense played tough, and our team showed how 40 minutes of solid basketball leads to a solid, decisive victory over an inferior opponent.
Sure, John Shurna racked up 24 points (by the way, he has the ugliest shooting form I have ever seen. I have no clue how he scores), but our defense contested nearly every shot he took. Shurna is simply a great scorer and guys like that will make shots with a hand in the face or not. Look at Terrence Ross for proof of that.
The Dawgs dominated just about every category you can think of. The only disappointing stat was the turnover category. After holding an 11 to 4 advantage in forced turnovers in the first half, the Dawgs finished with 17 turnovers, while forcing Northwestern in only 15 total. Whether the Dawgs got sloppy or Northwestern adjusted properly is somewhat up for debate. In my opinion, the fact that the Dawgs scored only 2 less points in the second half compared to the first indicates that Northwestern didn't really adjust well, the Huskies simply tried to showboat too often leading to silly turnovers.
The Huskies rebounded in force tonight, holding a 42 to 26 advantage at games end. The Huskies pulled in 20 offensive boards and 3 players, Aziz N'Diaye, Terrence Ross, and Tony Wroten, pulled in 7 or 8 rebounds a piece using their superior size and athleticism to extend above the opposition to pull in the board. After the poor rebounding performance against UT-A it was quite refreshing to see our rebounding prowess return.
The 3-point shooting by the Dawgs was a tale of 2 halves. The Huskies started a very poor 5 of 21 outside the arc, but C.J. Wilcox and Terrence Ross turned it on in the second half to light up the court. The Huskies were a much better 6 of 11 in the second half as Ross and Wilcox found open looks and took advantage of it. Wilcox was 1 of 6 in the first half, while Ross was 1 of 7 (I believe, not 100%). Wilcox finished 4 of 9 and Ross went 6 of 14 on his way to a career high 32 points.
Here is a stat I thought I would never seen this season, 8-8. That was the Huskies stat for free throw shooting in the first half. No big surprise, the guys shooting those free throws were the ones who have shied away from the line all year: Wilcox and Ross. The Dawgs finished the night 11 of 14 from the line. Abdul Gaddy and Tony Wroten each missed their lone opportunity at the stripe and N'Diaye split a pair. Outside of those players, the Dawgs were perfect. Man, it was nice to see that.
My favorite stat of the night? 18 assists. That has been the missing ingredient all season long. Both Gaddy and Wroten racked up 7 assists as the Huskies moved the ball well around the court, battling and demolishing the ineffective Wildcat zone defense. Our point guards did exactly what we have needed them to do, distribute the ball. Our top two shooters took the majority of our shots and look how that turned out, amazing.
Aziz N'Diaye could have had a career night, but he struggled to finish at the rim at times. N'Diaye was only 5 of 11 on the night, a lower percentage than his usual. N'Diaye was surprisingly good at defending the small Northwestern guards and did not pick up a single foul. You read that right, not one single foul. Impressive. N'Diaye had 2 steals offsetting 1 turnover and was a solid force down in the block, preventing the dribble drive. N'Diaye played 30 minutes tonight, something that really surprised me as I thought Romar would put a 4-guard line-up on for most of the night with Darnell Gant providing mobile post support.
Tony Wroten and Abdul Gaddy did not have great shooting night, but they had great point guard nights. They moved the ball, the drove and dished, and generally did everything you could ask of a point guard. Both had 5 turnovers, which marred otherwise great nights, but that happens when you try to be too fancy with the ball. Our guards realized our shooters were hot and got them the ball.
Desmond Simmons was quietly effective after getting pulled early in the first half following poor defensive rotations. He finished with 4 points and 2 boards. Austin Sefarian-Jenkins, Shawn Kemp, and Hikeem Stewart provided great relief efforts for the Dawgs with Stewart picking up a high of 5 minutes. Martin Breunig came in and flushed a monster dunk in the lane over a Wildcat defender.
C.J. Wilcox had a stellar performance and finished with 20 points and 6 rebounds. He also had 1 assists to offset his lone turnover. Alongside Ross, Wilcox helped stretch the Wildcat defense thin leading to wide open shots. In the first half, our shooters struggled to finish these open opportunities, but capitalized in the second. Wilcox found his shot and drilled home several great deep balls, while also finding success inside the lane with some nice pull-up jumpers. Loved his play tonight and his continuing improvement as his health improved. Wilcox should be a very dangerous player again next season with his body healed up.
Terrence Ross exploded last night. He found his stroke and kept backing up further and further until the Wildcat defenders were guarding him at half-court at which point Ross would dribble past his man, finishing in the paint. Ross was 10 for 21 from the field and a perfect 6 of 6 from the free throw line. His 8 rebounds were excellent and Ross finished stuffing the stat sheet with an assist, 2 steals, a block, and just 1 turnover. It was a career performance, the type of which exemplifies why he is considered a potential lottery pick in the coming draft. This is how we expected Ross to play all season, but it has taken the last 2 or 3 weeks for Ross to have success in both halves of the game. Hopefully Ross can continue this trend of playing the full 40 through the NIT championship game and throughout next season. I love that Romar kept Ross in late in the game so he could break his career high of 30 points. As soon as Ross got to the line for the final time and sunk 2 free throws to give him a career best 32, Romar subbed Ross out to a standing ovation and chants of "One more year!"
What Needed Improvement:
Turnovers:
I thought the Dawgs were going to finish with under 10 turnovers on the night, but things out sloppy and out of hand at times in the second. A better team would have capitalized on our mistakes, but Northwestern was unable to do so, thankfully. 17 turnovers is way too high and needs to be minimized, especially with a potential quarterfinal match-up against Oregon on the horizon.
What was Good:
Rebounding:
As I talked about before, the Dawgs dominated a clearly inferior rebounding team. Three players racking up at least 7 rebounds a piece is a recipe for success. The guarded well on defense and snatched up their own missed shots to garner 16 second chance points. Great effort on the glass.
Team Effort:
Our point guards passed, our shooting guards shot, and our bigs kept Northwestern out of the paint. There was hustle and effort across the board. Even Romar got involved with a spontaneous post game speech to the crowd, thanking everyone for coming out and supporting them despite the "inconsistent" efforts they displayed this season. It was an emotional game followed with an emotional speech. While it is a little late, this emotion is refreshing to see and hopefully the Huskies can continue to dominate their opposition to send a message to the NCAA that they should have been one of the 68 teams sent to the big dance.
Ross and Wilcox:
The duo combined for 52 of the Huskies 76 points. Damn. That is huge.
Final Thoughts:
The Dawgs will likely face Oregon on Tuesday for the final home game of the season. There is a small chance of an upset, but count on Oregon coming to Hec-Ed one more time. The Dawgs owe Oregon an embarrassment following the dismantling they faced earlier this season in Eugene. The Dawgs can turn a "snub" into at least something by taking home the NIT title, but there are still 3 games left and they cannot ease up on the gas. Hopefully this team saw how well things go when they apply themselves hard on both ends of the court and continue to do so.
Go Dawgs!
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Northwestern Game Preview
The Huskies face 4th seeded Northwestern tomorrow evening in the second round of the NIT. The Wildcats avoided a potential upset when the last second Akron 3-pointer fell short of the mark. The Wildcats are 19-13 on the season and went 8-10 in the Big 10 conference.
Last time out against Akron, the Wildcats got major production from a trio of players; all of whom scored at least 19 points. Drew Crawford, a 6-5 205lb G-F, led all scorers with 27 points on 10 of 15 shooting. He was a respectable 3 of 7 from deep and made 4 of his 5 foul shots.Crawford also logged 7 boards, 4 assists, just 2 turnovers. Josh Shurna is a 6-9 220lb forward with some great quickness and a great 3-point shot. He finished with 23 points and 11 boards. Shurna was 8 of 22 from the field and 5 of 11 from deep. JerShon Cobb finished with 19 points on 8 of 10 shooting and at 6-5 provides a potentially interesting match-up tomorrow night.
Josh Shurna is the deadliest weapon on the Northwestern team without a question. At 6-9 he has the size to battle down low for rebounds and easy lay-ins, but it is his 43% 3-point shooting that really scares me. Shurna is quite mobile at only 220lb and has 90 makes on 209 attempts, both are team highs. Shurna is the leading scorer with 19.9 points and is also the leading rebounder with 5.4 per game. Shurna scares me. I'm not sure Darnell Gant will be able to stay with him the whole game as he struggled late against UT-A, allowing back-to-back 3-pointers, and Aziz N'Diaye certainly can't be expecting to defend the block and the perimeter. N'Diaye just doesn't have that type of quickness.
Drew Crawford is the second leading scorer and rebounder on the Northwestern squad. Crawford is averaging 16.5 points and 4.7 boards a night. Crawford is another dangerous 3-point threat with 60 makes on 146 attempts this season. Crawford could be the perfect match-up for Tony Wroten, which should hopefully lead to some nice transition plays from the Huskies. The only downside is that Northwestern handles the ball extremely well, averaging only 10 turnovers per game. Not only player on the Wildcat team averages more than 1.6 turnovers a night. I could also see Terrence Ross getting called upon for this assignment as both show star potential. Great players battling 1-on-1 is always exciting.
After Shurna and Crawford, the scoring drops off greatly. Dave Sobolewski is the third leading scorer for the Wildcats picking up 8.6 a night. He also averages a team high 3.7 assists per game. Sobolewski is a decent shooter from anywhere on the court. He averages a little over 40% from the field, 75% at the line, and a very nice 36% from outside the arc. Sobolewski comes in at 6-1 185lb and will likely be guarded by Abdul Gaddy.
Predicted Starting Line-Ups:
Northwestern:
Dave Sobolewski 6-1 185lb
Reggie Hearn 6-4 210lb
JerShon Cobb 6-5 200lb
Drew Crawford 6-5 205lb
John Shurna 6-9 220lb
Washington:
Abdul Gaddy 6-3 185lb
Tony Wroten 6-5 205lb
Terrence Ross 6-6 195lb
Darnell Gant 6-8 230lb
Aziz N'Diaye 7-0 260lb
Keys to the Game:
Pressure Defense:
The Wildcats can shoot the long ball and shoot it well. They average nearly 40% as a team and have 5 players with at least 35 makes on the year. The Huskies need to defend the perimeter well and rotate well off of screens to prevent wide open, dangerous looks. This means good communication by both players and the coaching staff. If we can get in their faces early and keep their shooters from getting in a rhythm, the Huskies can take over this game.
Rebounding:
UT-A stayed in the game for one big reason, they dominated the glass. All of those second chance opportunities killed the Huskies. At the end of the first half, the Mavericks held a 25-12 advantage on rebounds (13 offensive boards). The Huskies will have a decent size advantage over the Wildcats and are certainly a much better rebounding team. The Wildcats average 64 possessions per game (UW averages 71), but only average 29 rebounds per game (UW averages about 40). The Huskies need to grab every board in sight. As I have said before, offensive rebounds often lead to open 3-pointers due to a majority of the defensive team crashing the glass, leaving the opposing guards wide open at the top of the key.
Play with Attitude:
I realize this team thinks they should have been in the NCAA. I'm upset they aren't as well (look at Cal getting stomped around by USF and tell me why they should have been in ahead of us), but the team did this to themselves and need to suck it up and play with some enthusiasm. They get, potentially, another 4 games together, which is essential with such a large number of freshmen gracing the roster. This team does not have the swagger and poise of last year's squad, but that doesn't mean they can't come out with some ambition and emotion. I am tired of slow starts and effortless play that leads to large first half deficits. I'd like to see the Dawgs take a 10 point lead early in the first half. They haven't done that in god knows how long...
Final Thoughts:
This will be a tough match-up. With Shurna likely being guarded by Gant, N'Diaye could be forced to guard a player standing at a mere 6-5 or smaller. What this tells me is we could see a 4 guard line-up for extended periods of time to adjust. I would not be surprised to see C.J. Wilcox in the starting 5 instead of N'Diaye. N'Diaye has struggled with fouls in the past 5 or 6 games and tends to foul smaller players much more often. The big question is how will our team respond without our enforcer in the middle? Throughout this season, the Dawgs have struggled to prevents drives without N'Diaye scaring off opponents so my confidence is not high in regards to this technique. This is a winnable game. The Dawgs play well at home and may be somewhat motivated for a potential "Elite" 8 match-up against Oregon, who thoroughly embarrassed the Dawgs down in Eugene.
Final Score Prediction: UW-76 NW-69
Go Dawgs
Last time out against Akron, the Wildcats got major production from a trio of players; all of whom scored at least 19 points. Drew Crawford, a 6-5 205lb G-F, led all scorers with 27 points on 10 of 15 shooting. He was a respectable 3 of 7 from deep and made 4 of his 5 foul shots.Crawford also logged 7 boards, 4 assists, just 2 turnovers. Josh Shurna is a 6-9 220lb forward with some great quickness and a great 3-point shot. He finished with 23 points and 11 boards. Shurna was 8 of 22 from the field and 5 of 11 from deep. JerShon Cobb finished with 19 points on 8 of 10 shooting and at 6-5 provides a potentially interesting match-up tomorrow night.
Josh Shurna is the deadliest weapon on the Northwestern team without a question. At 6-9 he has the size to battle down low for rebounds and easy lay-ins, but it is his 43% 3-point shooting that really scares me. Shurna is quite mobile at only 220lb and has 90 makes on 209 attempts, both are team highs. Shurna is the leading scorer with 19.9 points and is also the leading rebounder with 5.4 per game. Shurna scares me. I'm not sure Darnell Gant will be able to stay with him the whole game as he struggled late against UT-A, allowing back-to-back 3-pointers, and Aziz N'Diaye certainly can't be expecting to defend the block and the perimeter. N'Diaye just doesn't have that type of quickness.
Drew Crawford is the second leading scorer and rebounder on the Northwestern squad. Crawford is averaging 16.5 points and 4.7 boards a night. Crawford is another dangerous 3-point threat with 60 makes on 146 attempts this season. Crawford could be the perfect match-up for Tony Wroten, which should hopefully lead to some nice transition plays from the Huskies. The only downside is that Northwestern handles the ball extremely well, averaging only 10 turnovers per game. Not only player on the Wildcat team averages more than 1.6 turnovers a night. I could also see Terrence Ross getting called upon for this assignment as both show star potential. Great players battling 1-on-1 is always exciting.
After Shurna and Crawford, the scoring drops off greatly. Dave Sobolewski is the third leading scorer for the Wildcats picking up 8.6 a night. He also averages a team high 3.7 assists per game. Sobolewski is a decent shooter from anywhere on the court. He averages a little over 40% from the field, 75% at the line, and a very nice 36% from outside the arc. Sobolewski comes in at 6-1 185lb and will likely be guarded by Abdul Gaddy.
Predicted Starting Line-Ups:
Northwestern:
Dave Sobolewski 6-1 185lb
Reggie Hearn 6-4 210lb
JerShon Cobb 6-5 200lb
Drew Crawford 6-5 205lb
John Shurna 6-9 220lb
Washington:
Abdul Gaddy 6-3 185lb
Tony Wroten 6-5 205lb
Terrence Ross 6-6 195lb
Darnell Gant 6-8 230lb
Aziz N'Diaye 7-0 260lb
Keys to the Game:
Pressure Defense:
The Wildcats can shoot the long ball and shoot it well. They average nearly 40% as a team and have 5 players with at least 35 makes on the year. The Huskies need to defend the perimeter well and rotate well off of screens to prevent wide open, dangerous looks. This means good communication by both players and the coaching staff. If we can get in their faces early and keep their shooters from getting in a rhythm, the Huskies can take over this game.
Rebounding:
UT-A stayed in the game for one big reason, they dominated the glass. All of those second chance opportunities killed the Huskies. At the end of the first half, the Mavericks held a 25-12 advantage on rebounds (13 offensive boards). The Huskies will have a decent size advantage over the Wildcats and are certainly a much better rebounding team. The Wildcats average 64 possessions per game (UW averages 71), but only average 29 rebounds per game (UW averages about 40). The Huskies need to grab every board in sight. As I have said before, offensive rebounds often lead to open 3-pointers due to a majority of the defensive team crashing the glass, leaving the opposing guards wide open at the top of the key.
Play with Attitude:
I realize this team thinks they should have been in the NCAA. I'm upset they aren't as well (look at Cal getting stomped around by USF and tell me why they should have been in ahead of us), but the team did this to themselves and need to suck it up and play with some enthusiasm. They get, potentially, another 4 games together, which is essential with such a large number of freshmen gracing the roster. This team does not have the swagger and poise of last year's squad, but that doesn't mean they can't come out with some ambition and emotion. I am tired of slow starts and effortless play that leads to large first half deficits. I'd like to see the Dawgs take a 10 point lead early in the first half. They haven't done that in god knows how long...
Final Thoughts:
This will be a tough match-up. With Shurna likely being guarded by Gant, N'Diaye could be forced to guard a player standing at a mere 6-5 or smaller. What this tells me is we could see a 4 guard line-up for extended periods of time to adjust. I would not be surprised to see C.J. Wilcox in the starting 5 instead of N'Diaye. N'Diaye has struggled with fouls in the past 5 or 6 games and tends to foul smaller players much more often. The big question is how will our team respond without our enforcer in the middle? Throughout this season, the Dawgs have struggled to prevents drives without N'Diaye scaring off opponents so my confidence is not high in regards to this technique. This is a winnable game. The Dawgs play well at home and may be somewhat motivated for a potential "Elite" 8 match-up against Oregon, who thoroughly embarrassed the Dawgs down in Eugene.
Final Score Prediction: UW-76 NW-69
Go Dawgs
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Oregon State University Game 3 Review
Final Score: UW-84 OSU-86
Free throws. Free. Throws. Free throws. If Mel Gibson was here, he would shout FREEEEE THROWS!!!! The Huskies went a combined 12 of 26 from the line and not one player outside of Tony Wroten made more than 1. Unfortunately, Wroten will be remembered not for the 6 straight shots he made to help extend a hard fought Huskies lead, nor will he be remembered for his 29 points, rather he will be remembered for missing 4 straight free throws with the Dawgs down 1 with less than 20 seconds on the clock following 3 straight misses by Jared Cunningham.
All of this drama could have been avoided had the Dawgs played two full halves of basketball. As has happened all too often this year, the Dawgs started the night with a slow and sloppy performance. 10 first half turnovers led to a 13 point deficit at halftime. With 10 minutes to go in the second half, the Dawgs still had only 10 turnovers and a +19 scoring differential. Amazing how that works...Not too long after that stat flashed on the screen and the Dawgs up 4, Abdul Gaddy slipped on the center court logo and turned the ball over to Ahmad Starks who took it home for the easy 2. More turnovers followed, more free throws were missed and suddenly the Dawgs were back in the red.
The Husky defense in the first half was atrocious, allowing the Beavers to shoot 49% from the field and Starks to hit 3 of 6 from deep. The second half was much better and Starks didn't make a shot the rest of the game, until a late 3-pointer put the Beavers within 1. Cunningham was hot in the first half and picked it up again when the Huskies started to commit the silly turnovers that inevitably cost them the game.
Foul trouble kept Aziz N'Diaye from having any type of production in the post. He finished a perfect 2 of 2 from the field with 7 rebounds, but fouled out with 4 minutes on the clock. This absence allowed OSU to penetrate the lanes with much greater ease. N'Diaye was sorely missed during those waning minutes.
Darnell Gant played an effective offensive game garnering 10 rebounds, 6 points on 3 of 4 shooting, 4 assists, a steal, and a block. He also picked up four fouls, limiting his aggression on the offensive end and forcing timid play defensively. With both big men in foul trouble, the Dawgs were forced into a zone defense to compensate lost size. This unfortunately led to way too many open 3 pointers.
Wroten was put in the worst situation a freshman could be in. Late game, tight scenario, and free throws (not his specialty). He made 6 straight and fell apart. MIssing the first two shut down his confidence. The third crushed it. The fourth stood no chance. That kid worked so hard getting inside for shots. He tried so hard, yet his efforts fell short. This game does not fall on him. It is a team game and our team lost. I counted at least 4 possessions where the Beavers missed a shot and proceeded to get at least 2 offensive boards before scoring on a put back. The Huskies failed to box out their opponents all too often and it hurt.
I don't have much else to say about the game. I am too disappointed with the team effort and too nervous for this coming Sunday. The ball is no longer in our hands. We gave up that opportunity two games in a row. We now have to hope all the remaining top seeds in all conferences win their respective tournaments. Any upset will burst our bubble. We may have the distinction of being the first Power 6 Conference regular season title winner to be left out of the NCAA since the field expanded to 64 teams. What an honor.
Go Dawgs
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Oregon State University Game 3 Preview
OSU won its play in game against WSU earlier today with a final score of 69-64. OSU held a huge lead early, hitting several big 3-pointers before Ken Bone coached his team back into a competitive game. Late game free throws sealed the deal for the Beavers, sending the Cougars back to cold and snowy Pullman with their tails between their legs. The biggest surprise of the night? Not that OSU won, but that they won despite Jared Cunningham, the league leading scorer, only managed 4 points on the night with a dismal 1 of 8 shooting performance in 38 minutes.
Devon Collier and Ahmad Starks got the game going early for the Beavers and Joe Burton came off the bench to contribute in a big way. Burton scored 5 of his 15 in the final minutes, 3 coming off of free throws. The Beavers attempted 13 more foul shots and made 8 more than the Cougs. Neither team shot better than 62% from the charity strip, but both did manage 44% field goal shooting.
In the two games against the Beavers this season, the Dawgs have played two very different games. In the first match-up at Hec-Ed, the Huskies dominated from the start and cruised to a 15 point lead. Down in Corvallis the Huskies had to fight and scrap their way to a 3 (would have been 5 if not for a last second, non-consequential shot by Cunningham) point win.
The Huskies will need to keep their eye on Starks tomorrow afternoon as Starks started an amazing 4 of 6 from deep in the first half, but did not score another field goal the rest of the game. UW held Starks to a combined 4 of 12 from behind the arc in the two match-ups, but will need to slightly improve this number to avoid a potential upset or high scoring night from the diminutive guard.
The Huskies were able to hold Cunningham to 7 of 20 shooting in the first meeting of the season, but allowed Cunningham to get to the line for 8 shots, of which he made 7. The second time around, Cunningham was a much better 6 of 9 from the field. The moral of the story is that Cunningham will get his points, especially after the poor performance he had this evening. The Huskies need to aim to control his scoring, rather than try to shut him down completely.
The big men inside have done the most damage to the Huskies. Devon Collier continued to have success against the Dawgs no matter the location and Angus Brandt found himself with a respectable amount of points and boards on both occasions. Joe Burton propped up a huge 18 at home in Oregon, but was held scoreless in Seattle. Expect all three to be working hard inside to get their dues. Aziz N'Diaye and the Husky bigs will be hard pressed to contain all three throughout the game. If Starks is out, don't be too surprised to see the Dawgs drop into a zone to limit the touches inside.
The most comforting part of this match-up is that the Dawgs won both games while their two best shooters, Terrence Ross and C.J. Wilcox, had fairly cold nights. Ross went a combined 11 of 32 from the field (1 of 8 outside), while Wilcox was 8 of 24 (3 of 12 from range). If Wilcox and Ross can get their shots back on track and find the type of success they have had in recent games, the Huskies have a much better shot of getting an early lead and keeping it.
Predicted Starting Line-Ups:
Oregon State:
Ahmad Starks 5-9 165lb
Jared Cunningham 6-4 194lb
Devon Collier 6-7 206lb
Erik Moreland 6-10 201lb
Angus Brandt 6-10 237lb
Washington:
Abdul Gaddy 6-3 185lb
Tony Wroten 6-5 205lb
Terrence Ross 6-6 195lb
Darnell Gant 6-8 230lb
Aziz N'Diaye 7-0 260lb
Keys to the Game:
Get Hot Early:
Too many games this season have been slow starts followed by stellar performances. The Dawgs need to get down and dirty on defense, while also finding success with their shots. The Beavers are a high scoring team that can keep pace with the Huskies run-and-gun tempo. If the Dawgs want to get a shot at the NCAA tournament, they will need to start by proving they are a high octane offense tomorrow afternoon.
Rebounding:
The Beaver bigs are good at throwing their weight around in the post, which results in a fair amount of rebounds. The Dawgs tend to be better than anyone in the league and if poor outside shooting persists, rebounds will be a must. Things have been improving outside for the Huskies as the health of Wilcox improves. That could be huge as the Beavers are known for their 1-3-1 defense, a defense that is prone to 3-pointers near the top of the perimeter.
Free Throws:
The Dawgs need to hit the freebies, plain and simple. OSU can be a solid team at the line and foul shots have won a few games for the Dawgs this season. The Husky guards often get hacked up inside without any fouls headed their way so the team needs to capitalize on the limited attempts they are given. No need to throw away a big lead because we can't hit the easy ones.
Final Thoughts:
It's a good thing the OSU-WSU game stayed tight. This meant more minutes for Cunningham and Starks, two dangerous players, and hopefully more tired legs in the quick turnaround the Beavers face. The Beavers have a mere 24 hours between games whereas the Huskies have been afforded the all important bye that allows more rest and preparation. I fully expect a bounce back from Cunningham regardless of minutes played, but the Dawgs can learn from what the Cougars did well to hopefully limit Cunningham's impact on the game. After losing in somewhat embarrassing fashion to the Bruins, the Dawgs should be looking for blood. The Huskies will likely need to win 1, if not 2, games in this tournament to secure an at-large bid. A slip up here could place the Huskies in the play-in game, if they are in the tournament at all. I think this team is focused and ready for anything. Let's hope they play like it.
Final Score Prediction: UW-84 OSU-79
Devon Collier and Ahmad Starks got the game going early for the Beavers and Joe Burton came off the bench to contribute in a big way. Burton scored 5 of his 15 in the final minutes, 3 coming off of free throws. The Beavers attempted 13 more foul shots and made 8 more than the Cougs. Neither team shot better than 62% from the charity strip, but both did manage 44% field goal shooting.
In the two games against the Beavers this season, the Dawgs have played two very different games. In the first match-up at Hec-Ed, the Huskies dominated from the start and cruised to a 15 point lead. Down in Corvallis the Huskies had to fight and scrap their way to a 3 (would have been 5 if not for a last second, non-consequential shot by Cunningham) point win.
The Huskies will need to keep their eye on Starks tomorrow afternoon as Starks started an amazing 4 of 6 from deep in the first half, but did not score another field goal the rest of the game. UW held Starks to a combined 4 of 12 from behind the arc in the two match-ups, but will need to slightly improve this number to avoid a potential upset or high scoring night from the diminutive guard.
The Huskies were able to hold Cunningham to 7 of 20 shooting in the first meeting of the season, but allowed Cunningham to get to the line for 8 shots, of which he made 7. The second time around, Cunningham was a much better 6 of 9 from the field. The moral of the story is that Cunningham will get his points, especially after the poor performance he had this evening. The Huskies need to aim to control his scoring, rather than try to shut him down completely.
The big men inside have done the most damage to the Huskies. Devon Collier continued to have success against the Dawgs no matter the location and Angus Brandt found himself with a respectable amount of points and boards on both occasions. Joe Burton propped up a huge 18 at home in Oregon, but was held scoreless in Seattle. Expect all three to be working hard inside to get their dues. Aziz N'Diaye and the Husky bigs will be hard pressed to contain all three throughout the game. If Starks is out, don't be too surprised to see the Dawgs drop into a zone to limit the touches inside.
The most comforting part of this match-up is that the Dawgs won both games while their two best shooters, Terrence Ross and C.J. Wilcox, had fairly cold nights. Ross went a combined 11 of 32 from the field (1 of 8 outside), while Wilcox was 8 of 24 (3 of 12 from range). If Wilcox and Ross can get their shots back on track and find the type of success they have had in recent games, the Huskies have a much better shot of getting an early lead and keeping it.
Predicted Starting Line-Ups:
Oregon State:
Ahmad Starks 5-9 165lb
Jared Cunningham 6-4 194lb
Devon Collier 6-7 206lb
Erik Moreland 6-10 201lb
Angus Brandt 6-10 237lb
Washington:
Abdul Gaddy 6-3 185lb
Tony Wroten 6-5 205lb
Terrence Ross 6-6 195lb
Darnell Gant 6-8 230lb
Aziz N'Diaye 7-0 260lb
Keys to the Game:
Get Hot Early:
Too many games this season have been slow starts followed by stellar performances. The Dawgs need to get down and dirty on defense, while also finding success with their shots. The Beavers are a high scoring team that can keep pace with the Huskies run-and-gun tempo. If the Dawgs want to get a shot at the NCAA tournament, they will need to start by proving they are a high octane offense tomorrow afternoon.
Rebounding:
The Beaver bigs are good at throwing their weight around in the post, which results in a fair amount of rebounds. The Dawgs tend to be better than anyone in the league and if poor outside shooting persists, rebounds will be a must. Things have been improving outside for the Huskies as the health of Wilcox improves. That could be huge as the Beavers are known for their 1-3-1 defense, a defense that is prone to 3-pointers near the top of the perimeter.
Free Throws:
The Dawgs need to hit the freebies, plain and simple. OSU can be a solid team at the line and foul shots have won a few games for the Dawgs this season. The Husky guards often get hacked up inside without any fouls headed their way so the team needs to capitalize on the limited attempts they are given. No need to throw away a big lead because we can't hit the easy ones.
Final Thoughts:
It's a good thing the OSU-WSU game stayed tight. This meant more minutes for Cunningham and Starks, two dangerous players, and hopefully more tired legs in the quick turnaround the Beavers face. The Beavers have a mere 24 hours between games whereas the Huskies have been afforded the all important bye that allows more rest and preparation. I fully expect a bounce back from Cunningham regardless of minutes played, but the Dawgs can learn from what the Cougars did well to hopefully limit Cunningham's impact on the game. After losing in somewhat embarrassing fashion to the Bruins, the Dawgs should be looking for blood. The Huskies will likely need to win 1, if not 2, games in this tournament to secure an at-large bid. A slip up here could place the Huskies in the play-in game, if they are in the tournament at all. I think this team is focused and ready for anything. Let's hope they play like it.
Final Score Prediction: UW-84 OSU-79
Friday, March 2, 2012
University fo Southern California Game 2 Review
Final Score: UW-80 USC-58
This game went pretty much how it should have. UW came to Galen Center and stomped around a decimated USC team. Just like that, the Dawgs secure at least a share of the conference title for the second time in 4 seasons and some sort of conference title for the fourth straight season.
The Huskies started with a nice run, quickly jumping the lead up to 8 points before going into half with a 17 point lead. The Dawgs were a tad sloppy in the start of the second half, allowing USC to pull within 9 before going on another huge run to put the Trojans away for good.
Production came from different sources today. Tony Wroten had one of his coldest shooting nights of the season, hitting only 2 of his 13 attempts. He did manage to find success elsewhere by playing shut down defense and cleaning up on the glass. Wroten finished with 7 points, 8 rebounds (4 offensive), 6 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, and 4 turnovers. Not his best night, but I would not categorize it as a bad one either. Wroten successfully shut down Maurice Jones and found his teammates for better shots. The only bad part about his night is that it certainly complicated the Pac-12 Player of the Year award a little more. Hopefully the coaches don't split their votes between Wroten and Ross thus allowing an outside candidate to take home an undeserved award.
Darnell Gant had one of his better performances throughout his career. Gant drilled some nice 3-point shots throughout the night and finished just under a double-double with 14 points and 9 rebounds. Gant was 6 of 8 from the field and 2 of 3 from deep. Hopefully his inspiration and motivation continues through the weekend to give us an additional weapon against UCLA. Loved the fire he brought and the intensity he rubbed off onto his teammates.
Abdul Gaddy continued to play aggressive basketball and boy do I wonder what has taken him so long to get this attitude back. He is so effective when driving the lanes. Gaddy either opens himself up for the easy basket or finds an open teammate on the perimeter for a solid jumper. Gaddy was 4 of 6 from the field and hit the only 3-pointer he attempted. Gaddy finished with 12 points, 2 boards, 5 assists, and 2 turnovers. Nice night, great performance, needs to continue this type of play.
C.J. Wilcox cooled off after his fiery performance against WSU. Wilcox was a measly 3 of 10 from the field, 0 of 4 outside the arc. Maybe his hip was acting up again because Wilcox certainly didn't seem to be himself. Wilcox bobbled two easy buckets at the hoop, one of which would have been a highlight worthy alley-oop from Wroten. The good part about the game was the lead allowed Romar to rest Wilcox, giving him only 24 minutes on the night. We certainly need his shooting skills against UCLA a lot more than we did against USC.
Aziz N'Diaye battled in the paint and came out the overall victor, in my opinion. While Blasczyk did finished with 10 points, he received 4 of those at the line and only managed to grab 3 rebounds. N'Diaye, on the other hand, had 8 points and 7 boards on top of one nice dunk. N'Diaye continues to be a force in the middle. He will need his A-game tomorrow against Josh Smith who was very successful against the Dawgs last time out. Speaking of N'Diaye, my friend Ted Copeland just posted this video from the UA game. Check Ted out on Facebook here. He does good work.
Desmond Simmons returned to better form against the smaller USC line-up. His shot selection was smarter and his aggressiveness in the paint was back to its old ways. Simmons finished with 5 points on a couple of nice put-backs and nabbed 7 rebounds. Simmons also had 2 steals to offset his 1 turnover. Love this type of production from Simmons, it is exactly what we need from him.
The bench got some decent play time tonight with everyone but Alex Wegner getting into the game. Not sure why Romar didn't put him in as well, but too late to worry about it. Martin Breunig had 4 points coming off of a last second, fade away 3-point jumper that drained somehow and also finished an alley-oop pass from Wroten to cap the night off in spectacular fashion.
Terrence Ross was the star of the night for the Dawgs. After foul trouble crushed Ross' ability to contribute against WSU, Ross returned in mighty fashion playing a full 40 minutes of basketball once more. Ross had 11 points at half time and finished with 18 after only 27 minutes of play. That puts him on pace for nearly 30 points in 40 minutes with that type of production. Ross was 8 of 13 from the field and hit 2 of his 3 from deep. Ross also put up 7 rebounds and 1 steal against 2 turnovers.Ross' crossover is really turning into a deadly weapon that opponents simply cannot defend against. He looks a lot like BRoy on the court. 17 different NBA teams had scouts at the game and one can only imagine that Ross was the focus of their trip.
What Needed Improvement:
Free Throws:
What saved the Dawgs in Pullman had a chance to bite them against USC. The Huskies were a miserable 12 of 23 from the line and this allows the Trojans to close the lead at times. Tony Wroten looked ugly at the line, consistently shooting wide and rattling the ball around. Wroten went 3-7 from the line. Not one person was perfect from the charity stripe and even infallible Wilcox was only 2 of 4 from the line.
Defense:
This may seem odd at first, but hear me out. The Dawgs didn't really shut down the Trojan offense. The Trojans average 54 points per game and finished with 58 because the Huskies like to push the tempo, allowing more shots for USC. The Trojans shot a very respectable 45% from the field and 30% outside. The Dawgs only forced 8 turnovers of which 5 were steals. The Dawgs didn't pressure USC into uncomfortable situations where the players would throw the ball away. The Huskies were able to score so much more because they had nearly as many offensive rebounds (18) as USC had total rebounds (20). When you attempt 16 more shots than the oppositions, chances are you will win. As I said in the pre-game write up, the Dawgs average somewhere around 1.2 points per possession, so 16 times 1.2 gives just under 20 extra points. That 20 points is almost exactly the amount we won by. This is a concerning stat when one considers how much better UCLA is than USC. We cannot afford to let UCLA shoot 45% from the field because they will rebound unlike USC and will certainly score more. We have to play better defense tomorrow.
What Was Good:
Rebounding:
Domination on the glass once again. The Trojans do not have the size or talent to compete in the paint with the Dawgs and this was reflected mightily in the stat line. The Huskies outrebounded USC 47-20 and allowed only 3 offensive boards for the Trojans. That is killer.
Ball Control:
The Husky guards got it done pretty well and the team as a whole dished out 13 assists on 31 shots. Not bad. The 12 turnovers are respectable, but I'd prefer if we could keep that number at 10 or lower. The ball control and passing led to many open shots outside the arc and the Huskies capitalized with a 6 of 13 performance from deep. If you exclude Wilcox from the stat line, the Huskies were 6 of 9 from outside. Solid.
Final Thoughts:
The Dawgs did what they needed to to win this game. They weren't incredibly spectacular and had few standout plays. They play consistent, solid basketball and got the win they wanted and needed. After the game their heads were in the right place. USC offered to do a post game celebration for the title if they wanted, but the Dawgs declined and instead kept their emotions in check, realizing the game on Saturday is just as important, if not more so. I suspect the defensive issues will be addressed and kept in check tomorrow. The bigger issue, no pun intended, is how to shut down Josh Smith. Smith killed us last game and will certainly try to do one better this time around. The Dawgs need to get a good game plan going, maybe run some zone to prevent entry passes. If the Dawgs win tomorrow, I believe they will have secured an at-large bid to the NCAA. Down year or not, the Pac-12 has always performed well in the NCAA, unlike the Big East, and a 15-3 major conference record is nothing to snuff at. I would much rather the team goes into the Pac-12 tournament and grabs that title as well to guarantee a bid. It will be a tough run, but this team is figuring things out and I am confident they can pull it off.
Go Dawgs!
This game went pretty much how it should have. UW came to Galen Center and stomped around a decimated USC team. Just like that, the Dawgs secure at least a share of the conference title for the second time in 4 seasons and some sort of conference title for the fourth straight season.
The Huskies started with a nice run, quickly jumping the lead up to 8 points before going into half with a 17 point lead. The Dawgs were a tad sloppy in the start of the second half, allowing USC to pull within 9 before going on another huge run to put the Trojans away for good.
Production came from different sources today. Tony Wroten had one of his coldest shooting nights of the season, hitting only 2 of his 13 attempts. He did manage to find success elsewhere by playing shut down defense and cleaning up on the glass. Wroten finished with 7 points, 8 rebounds (4 offensive), 6 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, and 4 turnovers. Not his best night, but I would not categorize it as a bad one either. Wroten successfully shut down Maurice Jones and found his teammates for better shots. The only bad part about his night is that it certainly complicated the Pac-12 Player of the Year award a little more. Hopefully the coaches don't split their votes between Wroten and Ross thus allowing an outside candidate to take home an undeserved award.
Darnell Gant had one of his better performances throughout his career. Gant drilled some nice 3-point shots throughout the night and finished just under a double-double with 14 points and 9 rebounds. Gant was 6 of 8 from the field and 2 of 3 from deep. Hopefully his inspiration and motivation continues through the weekend to give us an additional weapon against UCLA. Loved the fire he brought and the intensity he rubbed off onto his teammates.
Abdul Gaddy continued to play aggressive basketball and boy do I wonder what has taken him so long to get this attitude back. He is so effective when driving the lanes. Gaddy either opens himself up for the easy basket or finds an open teammate on the perimeter for a solid jumper. Gaddy was 4 of 6 from the field and hit the only 3-pointer he attempted. Gaddy finished with 12 points, 2 boards, 5 assists, and 2 turnovers. Nice night, great performance, needs to continue this type of play.
C.J. Wilcox cooled off after his fiery performance against WSU. Wilcox was a measly 3 of 10 from the field, 0 of 4 outside the arc. Maybe his hip was acting up again because Wilcox certainly didn't seem to be himself. Wilcox bobbled two easy buckets at the hoop, one of which would have been a highlight worthy alley-oop from Wroten. The good part about the game was the lead allowed Romar to rest Wilcox, giving him only 24 minutes on the night. We certainly need his shooting skills against UCLA a lot more than we did against USC.
Aziz N'Diaye battled in the paint and came out the overall victor, in my opinion. While Blasczyk did finished with 10 points, he received 4 of those at the line and only managed to grab 3 rebounds. N'Diaye, on the other hand, had 8 points and 7 boards on top of one nice dunk. N'Diaye continues to be a force in the middle. He will need his A-game tomorrow against Josh Smith who was very successful against the Dawgs last time out. Speaking of N'Diaye, my friend Ted Copeland just posted this video from the UA game. Check Ted out on Facebook here. He does good work.
Desmond Simmons returned to better form against the smaller USC line-up. His shot selection was smarter and his aggressiveness in the paint was back to its old ways. Simmons finished with 5 points on a couple of nice put-backs and nabbed 7 rebounds. Simmons also had 2 steals to offset his 1 turnover. Love this type of production from Simmons, it is exactly what we need from him.
The bench got some decent play time tonight with everyone but Alex Wegner getting into the game. Not sure why Romar didn't put him in as well, but too late to worry about it. Martin Breunig had 4 points coming off of a last second, fade away 3-point jumper that drained somehow and also finished an alley-oop pass from Wroten to cap the night off in spectacular fashion.
Terrence Ross was the star of the night for the Dawgs. After foul trouble crushed Ross' ability to contribute against WSU, Ross returned in mighty fashion playing a full 40 minutes of basketball once more. Ross had 11 points at half time and finished with 18 after only 27 minutes of play. That puts him on pace for nearly 30 points in 40 minutes with that type of production. Ross was 8 of 13 from the field and hit 2 of his 3 from deep. Ross also put up 7 rebounds and 1 steal against 2 turnovers.Ross' crossover is really turning into a deadly weapon that opponents simply cannot defend against. He looks a lot like BRoy on the court. 17 different NBA teams had scouts at the game and one can only imagine that Ross was the focus of their trip.
What Needed Improvement:
Free Throws:
What saved the Dawgs in Pullman had a chance to bite them against USC. The Huskies were a miserable 12 of 23 from the line and this allows the Trojans to close the lead at times. Tony Wroten looked ugly at the line, consistently shooting wide and rattling the ball around. Wroten went 3-7 from the line. Not one person was perfect from the charity stripe and even infallible Wilcox was only 2 of 4 from the line.
Defense:
This may seem odd at first, but hear me out. The Dawgs didn't really shut down the Trojan offense. The Trojans average 54 points per game and finished with 58 because the Huskies like to push the tempo, allowing more shots for USC. The Trojans shot a very respectable 45% from the field and 30% outside. The Dawgs only forced 8 turnovers of which 5 were steals. The Dawgs didn't pressure USC into uncomfortable situations where the players would throw the ball away. The Huskies were able to score so much more because they had nearly as many offensive rebounds (18) as USC had total rebounds (20). When you attempt 16 more shots than the oppositions, chances are you will win. As I said in the pre-game write up, the Dawgs average somewhere around 1.2 points per possession, so 16 times 1.2 gives just under 20 extra points. That 20 points is almost exactly the amount we won by. This is a concerning stat when one considers how much better UCLA is than USC. We cannot afford to let UCLA shoot 45% from the field because they will rebound unlike USC and will certainly score more. We have to play better defense tomorrow.
What Was Good:
Rebounding:
Domination on the glass once again. The Trojans do not have the size or talent to compete in the paint with the Dawgs and this was reflected mightily in the stat line. The Huskies outrebounded USC 47-20 and allowed only 3 offensive boards for the Trojans. That is killer.
Ball Control:
The Husky guards got it done pretty well and the team as a whole dished out 13 assists on 31 shots. Not bad. The 12 turnovers are respectable, but I'd prefer if we could keep that number at 10 or lower. The ball control and passing led to many open shots outside the arc and the Huskies capitalized with a 6 of 13 performance from deep. If you exclude Wilcox from the stat line, the Huskies were 6 of 9 from outside. Solid.
Final Thoughts:
The Dawgs did what they needed to to win this game. They weren't incredibly spectacular and had few standout plays. They play consistent, solid basketball and got the win they wanted and needed. After the game their heads were in the right place. USC offered to do a post game celebration for the title if they wanted, but the Dawgs declined and instead kept their emotions in check, realizing the game on Saturday is just as important, if not more so. I suspect the defensive issues will be addressed and kept in check tomorrow. The bigger issue, no pun intended, is how to shut down Josh Smith. Smith killed us last game and will certainly try to do one better this time around. The Dawgs need to get a good game plan going, maybe run some zone to prevent entry passes. If the Dawgs win tomorrow, I believe they will have secured an at-large bid to the NCAA. Down year or not, the Pac-12 has always performed well in the NCAA, unlike the Big East, and a 15-3 major conference record is nothing to snuff at. I would much rather the team goes into the Pac-12 tournament and grabs that title as well to guarantee a bid. It will be a tough run, but this team is figuring things out and I am confident they can pull it off.
Go Dawgs!
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