WSU comes into the season with many more seasoned players than last year. The 2010-2011 WSU roster had zero seniors, but they did have three RS juniors and six regular juniors. This year WSU has four seniors and three juniors, but are without two key components of last years team. WSU finished 22-13 overall and 9-9 in conference. WSU also broke the streak of four straight wins by UW by winning two straight themselves before losing to UW in the Pac-10 tournament. WSU took part in the NIT where they won three games before losing to Wichita State 75-44. That's a whomping right there.
Key Losses:
DeAngelo Casto 6-8 255lb
WSU's best and only real legitimate post option. Casto was third in scoring at 12 points and first in rebound at 7 boards per game. Casto chose to take his talents overseas after his junior year due to financial reasons (he had a kid, good for him for stepping up and taking care of it). A much better choice than Venoy Overton...Casto provided depth and security down low that opened up the perimeter for Klay Thompson to do his thing. He was only of the few Cougars who could bang in the post with guys like Aziz N'Diaye and Josh Smith. While a tad undersized for a true 5, he gave his all and certainly had success. I have a feeling the Cougars will miss him more than Thompson soon enough.
Klay Thompson 6-6 202lb
After struggling 2 straight years against UW, Thompson found his own and opened up in all three games, scoring 43 in the tournament. Thompson could shoot lights out from nearly anywhere on the court. He was selected with the 11th pick in the NBA draft by the Golden State Warriors. Thompson was a decent defender, though what he did was mostly overshadowed by his extreme offensive capabilities. Faisal Aden and Reggie Moore will need to step their scoring up to help replace him.
Incoming Freshmen:
Greg Sequele 6-7 210lb
Sequele is an athletic 4 with great endurance, hustle, and tenacity. He needs to put in work developing his offensive game, but the Cougars should be happy with what he can bring on the defensive side of the ball. He attacks the glass well and is solid in transition plays. He is a good backup for Brock Motum and the other more senior players.
Davonte Lacy 6-3 190lb
Lacy is a combo guard with a great shot. He can penetrate the lane as well as drop back to the arc and hit. Lacy has the passing skills necessary to not only make the right decisions, but execute them as well. Lacy is known for occasionally forcing too fast of an offense and taking shots early, but that is something that good coaching can quickly amend.
Returning Players:
Reggie Moore 6-1 180lb
Marcus Capers 6-4 185lb
Faisal Aden 6-4 185lb
Will DiIorio 6-5 188lb
Mike Ladd 6-5 190lb
Abe Lodwick 6-7 208lb
Patrick Simon 6-8 214lb
Dave Wink 6-8 245lb
Brock Motum 6-10 230lb
Charlie Enquist 6-10 235lb
Moore, Capers, and Aden will likely be the backbone of the team's scoring ability. Lodwick and Motum will shore up the center with Enquist providing relief.
Predicted Starting Line-Up:
Reggie Moore 6-1 180lb
Faisal Aden 6-4 185lb
Marcus Capers 6-4 185lb
Abe Lodwick 6-7 208lb
Brock Motum 6-10 230lb
This seems like a decently sized line-up though it does make the 3 a tad smaller than some teams might like. Overall, these five players should have enough talent to keep the game close for the first two minutes until their thin depth begins to hurt them.
What to Expect:
WSU is going to be missing Thompson and Casto a bunch this year. They were the biggest reasons the Cougars were able to be so competitive last year. Just look at the Wichita State game or and of the WSU losses versus UW. In 90% of those games, Thompson and/or Casto struggled to get going offensively. WSU has a roster of secondary players outside of Aden and Moore. By that I mean, they would be coming off the bench for teams like UCLA, UA, and UW. Cal could use some of these guys to fill out their own bench, which is lacking in my mind. WSU will finish in the bottom half of the conference, likely somewhere between 7th and 10th. Maybe 6th if they can develop a solid post. Their perimeter will be their best threat.
Showing posts with label Conference Preview. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Conference Preview. Show all posts
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
University of Utah 2011-2012 Preview
Utah comes into the Pac-12 looking much worse off than they did in football. A 13-18 season, 6-10 in the Mountain West Conference, does not bode well in what is definitely a stronger conference. Utah comes in missing a lot of past seasons players. Let's look quickly at a list of everyone they lost and then we will pursue a more in depth look at the key losses for the Utes.
Players Lost:
Jay Watkins 6-8 215lb
Chris Kupets 6-0 175lb
Antonio DiMaria 6-6 195lb
Will Clyburn 6-7 200lb
Shawn Glover 6-7 195lb
Seth Tippetts 6-8 235lb
J.J. O'Brien 6-7 215lb
Neal Monson 6-10 230lb
Dominique Lee 6-4 205lb
Michael Hodgman 6-1 175lb
Preston Guiot 6-0 185lb
Josh Fuller 6-7 210lb
Count it, 12 players down. 12. Wowza. Somehow they have managed to fill their roster back out with members from each class, including 5 freshmen. With only 4 returning players, not starters mind you just players in general, Utah is far and beyond the team with the most work to do. Anything better than a last place finish in the Pac-12 should be considered a success. Heck, I'd be amazed if they pull off 10 wins total with this kind of turn over. Sure they are bringing in players with some experience, but the Utes will be missing a lot of team cohesion and chemistry that is extremely important in winning close games and staying in what could otherwise be complete blowouts. If Utah and Colorado thought they were being stepped on in football, just wait until basketball season when UW, UA, and UCLA come marching in to greet them properly. Utah missing playing UW and WSU on the road as well as UCLA and USC at home. So Utah will play UA and Cal twice as well as UW and UCLA once, which most fans on either side of the ball should chalk up as 6 losses for Utah. The opposing team must be certain to never overlook a team, even one as beat up as Utah. Anyone can be beaten on a given day. Just look at SPU who beat Arizona by 1 in Arizona. Arizona was also down 12 at one point to Humboldt State in their most recent exhibition and only pulled out the win in the final 4 minutes or so when foul shots allowed Arizona to keep their lead. With that in mind, let's look at who the key losses are this off season.
Key Losses:
Will Clyburn 6-7 200lb
With a team leading 17 points and 8 rebounds a game, Clyburn was the heart, soul, and star of the Utah basketball team. He also led the team in steals per game and 3 point shooting percentage. Keep in mind Clyburn also made twice as many 3 pointers than anyone else on the roster, so it was not just a "fluke" or low attempt number that gave him such a good percentage. He will be greatly missed.
Jay Watkins 6-8 215lb
Older brother of returning leading scorer, Josh Watkins, Jay was third in scoring at nearly 15 points per game and had a team high 3.5 assists per game. Unfortunately, he also had a team high 3.4 turnovers which essentially negates whatever good he did for the team.
J.J. O'Brien 6-7 215lb
With 7 points and 6 rebounds a game (good for second on the team) O'Brien was another solid wing lost by the Utes this past year. I can't comment too much on what any of these players brought to their teams outside the statistics I've found as I really didn't watch them play last year. All I know is that Utah will be hurting in a very bad way.
Incoming Freshmen:
Kareem Storey 6-0 190lb
Storey is known to be a solid scorer with the ability to hit inside with a good driving attack as well as outside with a decent 3 pointer. He does force a lot of shots, hordes the ball, and often lacks the court vision to see open teammates. Storey could be more of a hindrance than an asset for Utah, but he is a college level player, which Utah would have been severely lacking otherwise.
Anthony Odunsi 6-3 195lb
Odunsi is a combination guard, much like Isaiah Thomas, but not nearly as skilled and lacking a consistent 3 pointer. He is a solid rebounder with the strength to bounce around in the lanes. He seems like a much more reliable point guard prospect for Utah.
George Matthews 6-6 190lb
Matthews has a great scoring skill set. At 6-6 he can shoot over players in the lane and at the post. He can also finish outside the arc, which forces defenders to stay honest at all times. He energy level can waver at times on offense and defense, occasionally forcing shots or letting the opposition blow by him.
Utah also brings in 3 JC transfers, plus 7 other transfers/redshirts.
Returning Players:
David Foster 7-3 255lb
Josh Watkins 6-0 200lb
Jason Washburn 7-0 230lb
Chris Hines 6-0 195lb
Well that was easier than usual.
Predicted Starting Line-Up
Josh Watkins 6-0 200lb
David Foster 7-3 255lb
And that's about as far as I can guess. They have so many incoming players I can't even begin to ponder who will be in their starting 5 outside those two. It's anyone's to take.
What to Expect:
Don't expect Utah to come close to competing. Even ASU and WSU should be able to make Utah look bad. Utah does return some size in a pair of 7 footers, but neither has shown too much offensive promise yet. Defensively they are a dangerous duo, especially if they could play on the court at the same time. Utah will be lucky to win 3 or 4 games in conference. If they manage to string together some sort of consistent starting 5 and find some decent enough bench players, Utah could struggle out of the basement to maybe 11th or 10th place. Higher than that would be asking far too much of the players and coaching staff. Utah won't be competitive in conference for at least another 2 or 3 year, in my opinion.
Players Lost:
Jay Watkins 6-8 215lb
Chris Kupets 6-0 175lb
Antonio DiMaria 6-6 195lb
Will Clyburn 6-7 200lb
Shawn Glover 6-7 195lb
Seth Tippetts 6-8 235lb
J.J. O'Brien 6-7 215lb
Neal Monson 6-10 230lb
Dominique Lee 6-4 205lb
Michael Hodgman 6-1 175lb
Preston Guiot 6-0 185lb
Josh Fuller 6-7 210lb
Count it, 12 players down. 12. Wowza. Somehow they have managed to fill their roster back out with members from each class, including 5 freshmen. With only 4 returning players, not starters mind you just players in general, Utah is far and beyond the team with the most work to do. Anything better than a last place finish in the Pac-12 should be considered a success. Heck, I'd be amazed if they pull off 10 wins total with this kind of turn over. Sure they are bringing in players with some experience, but the Utes will be missing a lot of team cohesion and chemistry that is extremely important in winning close games and staying in what could otherwise be complete blowouts. If Utah and Colorado thought they were being stepped on in football, just wait until basketball season when UW, UA, and UCLA come marching in to greet them properly. Utah missing playing UW and WSU on the road as well as UCLA and USC at home. So Utah will play UA and Cal twice as well as UW and UCLA once, which most fans on either side of the ball should chalk up as 6 losses for Utah. The opposing team must be certain to never overlook a team, even one as beat up as Utah. Anyone can be beaten on a given day. Just look at SPU who beat Arizona by 1 in Arizona. Arizona was also down 12 at one point to Humboldt State in their most recent exhibition and only pulled out the win in the final 4 minutes or so when foul shots allowed Arizona to keep their lead. With that in mind, let's look at who the key losses are this off season.
Key Losses:
Will Clyburn 6-7 200lb
With a team leading 17 points and 8 rebounds a game, Clyburn was the heart, soul, and star of the Utah basketball team. He also led the team in steals per game and 3 point shooting percentage. Keep in mind Clyburn also made twice as many 3 pointers than anyone else on the roster, so it was not just a "fluke" or low attempt number that gave him such a good percentage. He will be greatly missed.
Jay Watkins 6-8 215lb
Older brother of returning leading scorer, Josh Watkins, Jay was third in scoring at nearly 15 points per game and had a team high 3.5 assists per game. Unfortunately, he also had a team high 3.4 turnovers which essentially negates whatever good he did for the team.
J.J. O'Brien 6-7 215lb
With 7 points and 6 rebounds a game (good for second on the team) O'Brien was another solid wing lost by the Utes this past year. I can't comment too much on what any of these players brought to their teams outside the statistics I've found as I really didn't watch them play last year. All I know is that Utah will be hurting in a very bad way.
Incoming Freshmen:
Kareem Storey 6-0 190lb
Storey is known to be a solid scorer with the ability to hit inside with a good driving attack as well as outside with a decent 3 pointer. He does force a lot of shots, hordes the ball, and often lacks the court vision to see open teammates. Storey could be more of a hindrance than an asset for Utah, but he is a college level player, which Utah would have been severely lacking otherwise.
Anthony Odunsi 6-3 195lb
Odunsi is a combination guard, much like Isaiah Thomas, but not nearly as skilled and lacking a consistent 3 pointer. He is a solid rebounder with the strength to bounce around in the lanes. He seems like a much more reliable point guard prospect for Utah.
George Matthews 6-6 190lb
Matthews has a great scoring skill set. At 6-6 he can shoot over players in the lane and at the post. He can also finish outside the arc, which forces defenders to stay honest at all times. He energy level can waver at times on offense and defense, occasionally forcing shots or letting the opposition blow by him.
Utah also brings in 3 JC transfers, plus 7 other transfers/redshirts.
Returning Players:
David Foster 7-3 255lb
Josh Watkins 6-0 200lb
Jason Washburn 7-0 230lb
Chris Hines 6-0 195lb
Well that was easier than usual.
Predicted Starting Line-Up
Josh Watkins 6-0 200lb
David Foster 7-3 255lb
And that's about as far as I can guess. They have so many incoming players I can't even begin to ponder who will be in their starting 5 outside those two. It's anyone's to take.
What to Expect:
Don't expect Utah to come close to competing. Even ASU and WSU should be able to make Utah look bad. Utah does return some size in a pair of 7 footers, but neither has shown too much offensive promise yet. Defensively they are a dangerous duo, especially if they could play on the court at the same time. Utah will be lucky to win 3 or 4 games in conference. If they manage to string together some sort of consistent starting 5 and find some decent enough bench players, Utah could struggle out of the basement to maybe 11th or 10th place. Higher than that would be asking far too much of the players and coaching staff. Utah won't be competitive in conference for at least another 2 or 3 year, in my opinion.
Monday, October 31, 2011
University of Southern California: 2011-2012 Preview
USC is coming off a tipsy turvy year. USC was part of the 8 teams who had to play their way into the NCAA tournament where they lost to the miracle VCU team who shocked college basketball like Butler last season. USC finished 19-15 overall and 10-8 in conference, one game back from UW.
Unfortunately for USC, the Trojans look to be taking a huge step backwards after graduating 4 seniors and junior, Nikola Vucevic. Alex Stephenson and Nikola Vucevic combined for 27 points and 20 rebounds a game in what was one of the best frontcourt duos in the nation. Stephenson was .2 points and .8 rebounds from averaging a double-double along with Vucevic.
After losing so much size, experience, and talent the Trojans will have a lot of work to do, especially in the frontcourt. Their backcourt was looking fairly solid until Jio Fontan, last season's second leading scorer, blew out his knee during their Brazilian tour. He had season ending surgery and will not return until 2012-2013. The Trojans will likely be without Curtis Washington this season as he suffered a torn labrum (shoulder injury). The Trojans' new 7 foot center, Dwayne Dedmon, suffered a broken hand in mid October that has kept his practice limited for the past few weeks (common recovery time is 2-3 weeks for the injury he suffered, so he should be back to full mobility in his hand quite soon).
As you can see its been a rough off season for USC, so much so that during the Pac-12 media day Trojan coach, Kevin O'Neil, made this statement: "If Mo gets hurt we can't really play the game. ... We'd have to start a freshman point guard and that would be a disaster. ... I need him (Jones) to do more all the time. ... His impact on our team is unbelievable. If he's in trouble or gets hurt, don't come to our games because it will be ugly."
Key Losses:
Alex Stephenson 6-10 250lb
A big man with a big game. The second best rebounder in the conference behind teammate Nikola Vucevic, Stephenson was a big, talented body who helped USC battle their way to the NCAA. Stephenson had a strong inside game, but his shooting from range struggled a bit in comparison to his counterpart.
Nikola Vucevic 6-10 240lb
A top prospect in the Pac-10, Vucevic was drafted with the 16th overall pick in the NBA draft. He averaged 17 points and over 10 boards per game. Dominating is the only way to describe him. He could push his weight around inside and drop the long ball every now and then. USC will be missing him greatly.
Jio Fontan 6-0 170lb
Fontan has a terrific junior season. Second in scoring at 11 ppg and first on the team with 4 assists per game, Fontan was the guard they needed after losing a lot of backcourt talent the previous seasons. He was going to be the saving grace for the Trojan until his knee injury. He'll be back next season.
Incoming Freshmen:
Alexis Moore 6-2 180lb
Moore adds some much needed depth at the PG position. He is a solid passer who has been developing his shooting game with relative success. His biggest problems lie in his form when passing and a tendency to take too many shots. Moore will have to quickly learn how to play at the collegiate level because Maurice Jones is going to need a hand.
Byron Wesley 6-5 210lb
Wesley will be a terrific 2/3 for the Trojans if he can add a 3 point shot to his arsenal. He has a solid mid-range game that is tough to stop with his strength and height. He strikes me as a less talented, but stronger Terrence Ross. Regardless, the backcourt is USC's weak point Wesley could find himself getting immediate play time.Haven't heard or seen much about his defensive skills so I can't comment on what type of impact he could have there, but at 210lbs he can bang with the best of them on the outside.
USC also added two JC transfers in 7-1 260lb, James Blasczyk, and 6-3 180lb, Greg Allen. Both players could bring in much needed experience to an underdeveloped team.
Returning Players:
Maurice Jones 5-7 155lb
Tyler Sugiyama 5-10 150lb
Daniel Munoz 5-10 175lb
Eric Strangis 6-4 190lb
Daniel Dragovic 6-5 195lb
Aaron Fuller 6-6 235lb
Garrett Jackson 6-6 225lb
Evan Smith 6-7 225lb
Curtis Washington 6-10 245lb
Not a whole lot of big name talent coming back for USC. Like O'Neill said, if Maurice gets hurt then the Trojans are in for a world of hurt. The talent coming in doesn't come close to replacing the talent going out and honestly, the talent remaining is far from spectacular with all the injuries they have sustained. That being said, USC should not be the worst team in conference. They have enough size and "veteran" players win against teams like Utah and ASU, maybe even WSU.
Predicted Starting Line-Up:
Maurice Jones 5-7 155lb
Alexis Moore 6-2 180lb
Garrett Jackson 6-6 225lb
Curtis Washington 6-10 245lb
James Blasczyk 7-1 260lb
Look at that line-up. Recognize anyone from last season? Jones is the only player who had an impact last season for USC at nearly 10 points and over 3 assists per game. Jackson played in all but one game for USC, though he only averaged 3 points.
What to Expect:
USC is going to have to do all it can to keep its guards healthy as well as find a way to get the frontcourt developing. Not a lot of talent to be seen here and they'll be scrapping for every win they can get. USC has a tough match-up as their last non-conference game against Kansas. They also face Georgia (who UW beat in the NCAA last season) and New Mexico (who UW beat two season ago in the NCAA). USC will have a losing record and finish in the bottom four of the conference. I'd be surprised if they finished higher than 8th. Utah will keep USC out of the basement, but not far from it. Keep your heads up Trojan fans. There is always football to look forward to.
Unfortunately for USC, the Trojans look to be taking a huge step backwards after graduating 4 seniors and junior, Nikola Vucevic. Alex Stephenson and Nikola Vucevic combined for 27 points and 20 rebounds a game in what was one of the best frontcourt duos in the nation. Stephenson was .2 points and .8 rebounds from averaging a double-double along with Vucevic.
After losing so much size, experience, and talent the Trojans will have a lot of work to do, especially in the frontcourt. Their backcourt was looking fairly solid until Jio Fontan, last season's second leading scorer, blew out his knee during their Brazilian tour. He had season ending surgery and will not return until 2012-2013. The Trojans will likely be without Curtis Washington this season as he suffered a torn labrum (shoulder injury). The Trojans' new 7 foot center, Dwayne Dedmon, suffered a broken hand in mid October that has kept his practice limited for the past few weeks (common recovery time is 2-3 weeks for the injury he suffered, so he should be back to full mobility in his hand quite soon).
As you can see its been a rough off season for USC, so much so that during the Pac-12 media day Trojan coach, Kevin O'Neil, made this statement: "If Mo gets hurt we can't really play the game. ... We'd have to start a freshman point guard and that would be a disaster. ... I need him (Jones) to do more all the time. ... His impact on our team is unbelievable. If he's in trouble or gets hurt, don't come to our games because it will be ugly."
Key Losses:
Alex Stephenson 6-10 250lb
A big man with a big game. The second best rebounder in the conference behind teammate Nikola Vucevic, Stephenson was a big, talented body who helped USC battle their way to the NCAA. Stephenson had a strong inside game, but his shooting from range struggled a bit in comparison to his counterpart.
Nikola Vucevic 6-10 240lb
A top prospect in the Pac-10, Vucevic was drafted with the 16th overall pick in the NBA draft. He averaged 17 points and over 10 boards per game. Dominating is the only way to describe him. He could push his weight around inside and drop the long ball every now and then. USC will be missing him greatly.
Jio Fontan 6-0 170lb
Fontan has a terrific junior season. Second in scoring at 11 ppg and first on the team with 4 assists per game, Fontan was the guard they needed after losing a lot of backcourt talent the previous seasons. He was going to be the saving grace for the Trojan until his knee injury. He'll be back next season.
Incoming Freshmen:
Alexis Moore 6-2 180lb
Moore adds some much needed depth at the PG position. He is a solid passer who has been developing his shooting game with relative success. His biggest problems lie in his form when passing and a tendency to take too many shots. Moore will have to quickly learn how to play at the collegiate level because Maurice Jones is going to need a hand.
Byron Wesley 6-5 210lb
Wesley will be a terrific 2/3 for the Trojans if he can add a 3 point shot to his arsenal. He has a solid mid-range game that is tough to stop with his strength and height. He strikes me as a less talented, but stronger Terrence Ross. Regardless, the backcourt is USC's weak point Wesley could find himself getting immediate play time.Haven't heard or seen much about his defensive skills so I can't comment on what type of impact he could have there, but at 210lbs he can bang with the best of them on the outside.
USC also added two JC transfers in 7-1 260lb, James Blasczyk, and 6-3 180lb, Greg Allen. Both players could bring in much needed experience to an underdeveloped team.
Returning Players:
Maurice Jones 5-7 155lb
Tyler Sugiyama 5-10 150lb
Daniel Munoz 5-10 175lb
Eric Strangis 6-4 190lb
Daniel Dragovic 6-5 195lb
Aaron Fuller 6-6 235lb
Garrett Jackson 6-6 225lb
Evan Smith 6-7 225lb
Curtis Washington 6-10 245lb
Not a whole lot of big name talent coming back for USC. Like O'Neill said, if Maurice gets hurt then the Trojans are in for a world of hurt. The talent coming in doesn't come close to replacing the talent going out and honestly, the talent remaining is far from spectacular with all the injuries they have sustained. That being said, USC should not be the worst team in conference. They have enough size and "veteran" players win against teams like Utah and ASU, maybe even WSU.
Predicted Starting Line-Up:
Maurice Jones 5-7 155lb
Alexis Moore 6-2 180lb
Garrett Jackson 6-6 225lb
Curtis Washington 6-10 245lb
James Blasczyk 7-1 260lb
Look at that line-up. Recognize anyone from last season? Jones is the only player who had an impact last season for USC at nearly 10 points and over 3 assists per game. Jackson played in all but one game for USC, though he only averaged 3 points.
What to Expect:
USC is going to have to do all it can to keep its guards healthy as well as find a way to get the frontcourt developing. Not a lot of talent to be seen here and they'll be scrapping for every win they can get. USC has a tough match-up as their last non-conference game against Kansas. They also face Georgia (who UW beat in the NCAA last season) and New Mexico (who UW beat two season ago in the NCAA). USC will have a losing record and finish in the bottom four of the conference. I'd be surprised if they finished higher than 8th. Utah will keep USC out of the basement, but not far from it. Keep your heads up Trojan fans. There is always football to look forward to.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
University of California: Los Angelas 2011-2012 Preview
UCLA finished second in the conference last season with a 13-5 record and 24-11 overall. The Bruins will be a scary team this season. With 6 returning seniors, Josh Smith, and the Wear Twins, UCLA will have a lot of talent especially in the front court. They will be tall, strong, and skilled. A very dangerous combination that makes them the clear front runner in the Pac-12 and likely a top 20 to top 15 team. Their guard play may be slightly weaker than in previous seasons with the early departure of Malcolm Lee (he went in the second round to the Chicago Bulls and then was traded to Minnesota) and Tyler Honeycutt (picked in the second round by Sacramento).
UCLA brings in 3 new freshmen as well as gaining the eligibility of the Wear twins to pump up their roster. They have 6 players standing 6-8 or taller, including 4 players at 6-10. No one is shorter than 6-0 on the team.
Key Losses:
Malcolm Lee 6-5 200lb
Lee was a great PG and SG talent for the Bruins. He was second in scoring behind Reeves Nelson at 13 points per game as well as dishing out 2 assists per outing. His outside shot was a little suspect at only 30%, but he had a dangerous slashing drive attack that gave him a lot of opportunities in the key. Lee had great ball handling and defensive skills that made a huge mismatch for opposing point guards. He had the height to shoot over smaller guards and the speed to move around stronger opponents. Big loss for the Bruins. Lazeric Jones and Jermine Anderson will have to step up their games to fill the gap.
Tyler Honeycutt 6-8 188lb
Honeycutt was third in scoring for the Bruins at nearly 13 points per game. He was second in rebounding behind Reeves Nelson and ahead of Josh Smith. In my mind, Honeycutt could have used another year to develop his game, but he and the NBA decided he was ready and it probably has a lot to do with his height. Honeycutt did struggle at times against solid defenders and against UW he had trouble getting open shots (he went 4-12 and 0-6 from the field in two games against UW). Honeycutt is very similar to UW's Terrance Ross in that he has a wide skill set from outside shooting to driving the lane and crashing the boards. Brendan Lane and Tyler Lamb will likely try to fill the hole left by Honeycutt.
Incoming Freshmen:
Khalid McCaskill 6-6 190lb
A new walk-on for the Bruins, replacing Alex Schrempf who has transferred to UW but will not play this season. McCaskill is known for his driving abilities, but also possesses a decent jump shot. I suspect McCaskill will redshirt or see very little if any play time. Even with a lack of talented depth in the backcourt, McCaskill is a ways back in the line-up.
Norman Powell 6-3 200lb
Powell is a slash and drive guard first and foremost. His mid-range and 3 point shot are still in development, but with his speed and athleticism he can create opportunities for himself and other in the open court. Powell will play the 2 as his ball handling skills are rough when going to his left, something that a 1 guard needs to be able to do. Give Powell a year or two to fine tune his game and he'll be a much better guard for the Bruins.
Returning Players:
Kenny Jones 6-0 190lb
Lazeric Jones 6-0 187lb
Tyler Trapani 6-0 190lb
Nick Kazemi 6-0 175lb
Jermine Anderson 6-2 183lb
Larry Drew II 6-2 190lb
Matt DeMarcus 6-3 203lb
David Brown 6-3 185lb
Tyler Lamb 6-5 200lb
De'End Parker 6-6 215lb
Reeves Nelson 6-8 235lb
Brendan Lane 6-9 223lb
Anthony Stover 6-10 235lb
David Wear 6-10 225lb
Travis Wear 6-10 220lb
Josh Smith 6-10 305lb
Parker is a JC transfer who averaged about 12 points and 6 rebounds per game. A solid prospect with two remaining years of eligibility, Parker should contribute almost immediately at the 3 position. Smith still remains to be overweight and out of shape, which greatly limits his ability to contribute in transition plays and often led to sloppy fouls when defending outside the post. Between Nelson and the Wear twins, the Bruins have the strongest 4 and 5 possibly in the nation. A lot of rebounding and post scoring ability to be sure. Nelson is a work horse who is the returning leading scorer for UCLA at nearly 14 per game and a team high 9 rebounds. Nelson will likely average a double double next season much like former UW star Jon Brockman. I like Nelson for a possible Pac-12 Player of the Year candidate.
Predicted Starting Line-Up
Lazeric Jones 6-0 187lb
Jermine Anderson 6-2 183lb (After his two game suspension for theft)
Tyler Lamb 6-5 200lb
Reeves Nelson 6-8 235lb
Josh Smith 6-10 305lb
What to Expect:
Smith and Nelson will be the leading scorers and rebounders this season without a doubt. Smith uses his weight to make up for his lack of agility in the post to score against defenders. Aziz N'Diaye will need to keep his foul situation under control against UCLA to prevent Smith from dominating inside. UCLA has a tough tournament ahead in Maui (which UW participated in last year). UCLA's success will largely depend on how well the backcourt can move the ball around to feed it inside where their true strength lies. Expect UCLA to dominate a lot of smaller teams and even in conference they should find a few teams they can push around at will. Teams can beat UCLA by excellent guard play and defense, preventing the ball from moving inside. UW should be able to compete, but I expect a series split this season with each team winning at their home court. I can't see UCLA losing to many games in conference and should finish no lower than third, though finishing lower than second in conference should be considered disappointing considering the talent on the team.
UCLA brings in 3 new freshmen as well as gaining the eligibility of the Wear twins to pump up their roster. They have 6 players standing 6-8 or taller, including 4 players at 6-10. No one is shorter than 6-0 on the team.
Key Losses:
Malcolm Lee 6-5 200lb
Lee was a great PG and SG talent for the Bruins. He was second in scoring behind Reeves Nelson at 13 points per game as well as dishing out 2 assists per outing. His outside shot was a little suspect at only 30%, but he had a dangerous slashing drive attack that gave him a lot of opportunities in the key. Lee had great ball handling and defensive skills that made a huge mismatch for opposing point guards. He had the height to shoot over smaller guards and the speed to move around stronger opponents. Big loss for the Bruins. Lazeric Jones and Jermine Anderson will have to step up their games to fill the gap.
Tyler Honeycutt 6-8 188lb
Honeycutt was third in scoring for the Bruins at nearly 13 points per game. He was second in rebounding behind Reeves Nelson and ahead of Josh Smith. In my mind, Honeycutt could have used another year to develop his game, but he and the NBA decided he was ready and it probably has a lot to do with his height. Honeycutt did struggle at times against solid defenders and against UW he had trouble getting open shots (he went 4-12 and 0-6 from the field in two games against UW). Honeycutt is very similar to UW's Terrance Ross in that he has a wide skill set from outside shooting to driving the lane and crashing the boards. Brendan Lane and Tyler Lamb will likely try to fill the hole left by Honeycutt.
Incoming Freshmen:
Khalid McCaskill 6-6 190lb
A new walk-on for the Bruins, replacing Alex Schrempf who has transferred to UW but will not play this season. McCaskill is known for his driving abilities, but also possesses a decent jump shot. I suspect McCaskill will redshirt or see very little if any play time. Even with a lack of talented depth in the backcourt, McCaskill is a ways back in the line-up.
Norman Powell 6-3 200lb
Powell is a slash and drive guard first and foremost. His mid-range and 3 point shot are still in development, but with his speed and athleticism he can create opportunities for himself and other in the open court. Powell will play the 2 as his ball handling skills are rough when going to his left, something that a 1 guard needs to be able to do. Give Powell a year or two to fine tune his game and he'll be a much better guard for the Bruins.
Returning Players:
Kenny Jones 6-0 190lb
Lazeric Jones 6-0 187lb
Tyler Trapani 6-0 190lb
Nick Kazemi 6-0 175lb
Jermine Anderson 6-2 183lb
Larry Drew II 6-2 190lb
Matt DeMarcus 6-3 203lb
David Brown 6-3 185lb
Tyler Lamb 6-5 200lb
De'End Parker 6-6 215lb
Reeves Nelson 6-8 235lb
Brendan Lane 6-9 223lb
Anthony Stover 6-10 235lb
David Wear 6-10 225lb
Travis Wear 6-10 220lb
Josh Smith 6-10 305lb
Parker is a JC transfer who averaged about 12 points and 6 rebounds per game. A solid prospect with two remaining years of eligibility, Parker should contribute almost immediately at the 3 position. Smith still remains to be overweight and out of shape, which greatly limits his ability to contribute in transition plays and often led to sloppy fouls when defending outside the post. Between Nelson and the Wear twins, the Bruins have the strongest 4 and 5 possibly in the nation. A lot of rebounding and post scoring ability to be sure. Nelson is a work horse who is the returning leading scorer for UCLA at nearly 14 per game and a team high 9 rebounds. Nelson will likely average a double double next season much like former UW star Jon Brockman. I like Nelson for a possible Pac-12 Player of the Year candidate.
Predicted Starting Line-Up
Lazeric Jones 6-0 187lb
Jermine Anderson 6-2 183lb (After his two game suspension for theft)
Tyler Lamb 6-5 200lb
Reeves Nelson 6-8 235lb
Josh Smith 6-10 305lb
What to Expect:
Smith and Nelson will be the leading scorers and rebounders this season without a doubt. Smith uses his weight to make up for his lack of agility in the post to score against defenders. Aziz N'Diaye will need to keep his foul situation under control against UCLA to prevent Smith from dominating inside. UCLA has a tough tournament ahead in Maui (which UW participated in last year). UCLA's success will largely depend on how well the backcourt can move the ball around to feed it inside where their true strength lies. Expect UCLA to dominate a lot of smaller teams and even in conference they should find a few teams they can push around at will. Teams can beat UCLA by excellent guard play and defense, preventing the ball from moving inside. UW should be able to compete, but I expect a series split this season with each team winning at their home court. I can't see UCLA losing to many games in conference and should finish no lower than third, though finishing lower than second in conference should be considered disappointing considering the talent on the team.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Pac-12 Men's Basketball Predicitions
Well, I ordered my Dawg Pack tickets today making me realize how close the season is to starting and that means getting this blog back up in running order again. What better place to start than with a final standings prediction?
This year we have Colorado and Utah joining the fray and, in my opinion, Colorado is the stronger addition as opposed to football where Utah is clearly a superior team. For those who don't know, Colorado is from the Big 12 and Utah from the MWC.
Last season Colorado was a 1 seed in the NIT tournament, losing by 1 point in the semi-finals to also 1 seeded Alabama of the SEC. They finished with a record of 24-14 (8-8 in conference). Their star, Alec Burks, led the team in scoring (20.1) and assists (2.9) as well as being second in rebounding (6.4). He was taken in the first round with the 12th pick by the Utah Jazz. Their second leading scorer, Cory Higgins, was a senior and has graduated as has their third leading scorer, Levi Knutson. This leaves SLU transfer, Marcus Relphorde, as the returning leading scorer with 11.5 points per game. Andre Roberson returns as the leading rebounder with 7.8 boards per game. Nate Tomlinson has the highest assists per game returning with 2.4 assists per game.
Utah finished 13-18 (6-10 in conference), losing in the quarter finals of the conference tournament to Nationally ranked San Diego State. Will Clyburn returns as the leading scorer with 17.1 ppg. Josh Watkins returns as the number 2 scorer at 14.5 ppg. Clyburn also lead the team in rebounding with 7.8 rpg. Josh Watkins returns as the leading assist member with 3.5 apg.
Colorado appears to be entering a rebuilding year after losing so much scoring, but the Huskies are in a similar situation and I feel like we are a much stronger team. Some might look at the above stats and argue that Utah will be a better contender in the Pac-12, but the Big 12 is much stiffer competition than the MWC.
I'll cover each of the Pac-12 teams in more detail in separate posts, but I thought a quick introduction would help make understanding my placement of each team more reasonable.
In reverse order:
12. Utah
11. ASU
10. WSU
9. OSU
8. Stanford
7. Colorado
6. USC
5. UO
4. Cal
3. UA
2. UW
1. UCLA
Right now, I think UCLA has a lot of size and skill that will be tough to beat. I believe we will split the series with each team winning at home. UW will hopefully make the competition a close and fun one.
I may amend this list as I go through the team stats, incoming players, etc., but at a first glance this was my gut instinct. The top 5 I'm pretty confident about. USC and Colorado could be flipped around. The bottom 5 are a mess in my opinion and could be tossed about in a few arrangements with Stanford nearer the top than the other 4.
This year we have Colorado and Utah joining the fray and, in my opinion, Colorado is the stronger addition as opposed to football where Utah is clearly a superior team. For those who don't know, Colorado is from the Big 12 and Utah from the MWC.
Last season Colorado was a 1 seed in the NIT tournament, losing by 1 point in the semi-finals to also 1 seeded Alabama of the SEC. They finished with a record of 24-14 (8-8 in conference). Their star, Alec Burks, led the team in scoring (20.1) and assists (2.9) as well as being second in rebounding (6.4). He was taken in the first round with the 12th pick by the Utah Jazz. Their second leading scorer, Cory Higgins, was a senior and has graduated as has their third leading scorer, Levi Knutson. This leaves SLU transfer, Marcus Relphorde, as the returning leading scorer with 11.5 points per game. Andre Roberson returns as the leading rebounder with 7.8 boards per game. Nate Tomlinson has the highest assists per game returning with 2.4 assists per game.
Utah finished 13-18 (6-10 in conference), losing in the quarter finals of the conference tournament to Nationally ranked San Diego State. Will Clyburn returns as the leading scorer with 17.1 ppg. Josh Watkins returns as the number 2 scorer at 14.5 ppg. Clyburn also lead the team in rebounding with 7.8 rpg. Josh Watkins returns as the leading assist member with 3.5 apg.
Colorado appears to be entering a rebuilding year after losing so much scoring, but the Huskies are in a similar situation and I feel like we are a much stronger team. Some might look at the above stats and argue that Utah will be a better contender in the Pac-12, but the Big 12 is much stiffer competition than the MWC.
I'll cover each of the Pac-12 teams in more detail in separate posts, but I thought a quick introduction would help make understanding my placement of each team more reasonable.
In reverse order:
12. Utah
11. ASU
10. WSU
9. OSU
8. Stanford
7. Colorado
6. USC
5. UO
4. Cal
3. UA
2. UW
1. UCLA
Right now, I think UCLA has a lot of size and skill that will be tough to beat. I believe we will split the series with each team winning at home. UW will hopefully make the competition a close and fun one.
I may amend this list as I go through the team stats, incoming players, etc., but at a first glance this was my gut instinct. The top 5 I'm pretty confident about. USC and Colorado could be flipped around. The bottom 5 are a mess in my opinion and could be tossed about in a few arrangements with Stanford nearer the top than the other 4.
Friday, December 24, 2010
The End of Non Conference: A Look Back Part 1
So I will continue to call this the end of our non conference schedule because plainly, having to continually reiterate to myself and others that we still play Seattle University in February is annoying and unnecessary. With Pac-10 play beginning in less than a week I thought this would be the opportune moment to look back on our 11 games thus far and talk about what was good, bad, ok, as well as do another player by player review based on their seasonal performance thus far and discuss what we need from them/would like to see from them.
We saw two distinct teams from the Huskies through our non conference schedule. We saw the dominant home team that put up 4-100+ point games and a few 90+ point games as well. We led the nation in scoring for quite some time as well as some other stats including assists and three point shooting. After the season opener against McNeese we were first in 6 of 8 categories: PPG, OPPG, RPG, ORPG, Assists, and OAssists. We were second in shooting percentage and opponents shooting percentage. The second team we saw was very strange. They struggled against top 10 teams, yet would be within 2 points in the final minute. This team couldn't close out and win close games. C.J. Wilcox had two opportunities to hit game winning shots, but was unable to convert. IT got blocked on a last second shot that could have won the game when there was a wide open Gant and semi open C.J. on the perimeter. For one reason or another our shooting shut down against good opponents. We couldn't buy a shot and it killed us. On the other side of that, we saw stellar defense throughout the non conference schedule that allowed us to stay in those tough shooting nights until the draining seconds. So while the 8-3 finish is disappointing considering the very possible 11-0 start we could have had, things could have been worse. We could have lost by 20 to teams like UK, MSU, and TAMU on the road. Instead we lost by 7, 4, and 1. Small margins. The 7 and 4 point loses were amplified by free throws at the end of the game. We effectively lost to MSU by 1 point as MBA missed a game tying free throw (just shoot me please...). The worst part of the MSU loss was blowing a 10 point halftime lead. Another interesting fact: We have led at half every game this year. Every single game. A slow start to the second half has been our Achilles Heel.
Now then, a quick recap of all the games. McNeese was complete domination and the revealing of several future super stars for the Huskies. C.J. Wilcox showed off his shooting touch, Terrence Ross brought out his athletic skills and wowed all. Aziz was beastly down low grabbing 10 boards and 15 points despite 3 for 15 shooting from the FT line. This same trend continued until the Maui Invitational. At Maui we opened up with a thorough whomping of the Tony Bennett coached Virginia team. We score 108 points on a coach whose highest score against had been something like 84 points, in double OT mind you. We hit 17 three pointers and could not miss plain and simple. Even Antoine Hosley, a walk on, came onto the court, jacked up a three, and drained it like it was shooting practice back home. We looked and played like a National Championship team that would go undefeated with no opponent being able to match us in any aspect of the game. Then reality hit home. We played Kentucky, somewhat of a blood feud and newly found rivalry after the defection of two highly touted and skilled recruits in Enes Kanter, currently ineligible to play due to NCAA infractions concerning his amateur status as a basketball player, and Terrence Jones, a possible POY candidate in my opinion and the missing piece to an uncontested shot at the Final Four and Title. Things started well for us in that game, taking the early lead. Next thing we know we are down 14. We battle our way back to the lead slowly but surely. We get with 2. Overton gets called for a technical after an official review, something I was unaware could happen. We keep the game within two. Then the unthinkable. Overton is called for a foul despite being elbowed in the face, a violation of a newly heavily enforced rule concerning player safety. UK is given two free throws and the ball. Romar yells for a review and gets it. The UK guard is called for the technical, yet UK is allowed to keep the two points and the ball. Had the ref called the right play originally it would have been our ball and two free throws, instead we are down four and UK has the ball. We end up giving up several key offensive rebounds and lose by 7. We beat ourselves with poor shooting and some holes on defense, but the refs buried us. Then came MSU, our chance for redemption against the #2 team in the nation. We got up by 10 at half, confidence was high once again. We were still shooting poorly, but our defense was keeping us well ahead as our transition game flourished. MSU's coach, Tom Izzo, came out of half time and just out-coached Romar. He set up several inbound plays that led to killer 3 point shots that got them back in the game and eventually took the lead. We had a chance to tie with less than a minute left as MBA went to the line for two shots and the Huskies down two points. He nailed the first. Stress was high, prayers were being spit out as fast as a person could say them. His second shot goes up and out. MSU rebounds. They pick up two offensive rebounds that drain the clock to the point where we are forced to foul. We get the ball, down three. Romar brings in C.J. Wilcox, the three point prodigy, to win the game. At this point he has only played 2 minutes in the game thus far. His cold arm showed as he air balled with 14 seconds left. MSU rebounds and goes on to win by 4. Hopes are crushed. The Huskies drop from 13 in the polls down to 22. The fans and team know we will recover at home and we do, going on to dominate several more mid major programs. We look forward to our final test of the non conference schedule. A match up on the road against Texas A&M who had not lost in 69 straight non conference home games. Rebounding kills us throughout the game as we again struggle to shoot. We force 20 turnovers while causing 20 ourselves. Our defense kept us close. TAMU inbounds the ball with 14 seconds left. We choose to go for the steal rather than the foul, down only 1 point. Isaiah gets the miracle steal with 5 seconds or so left. He dribbles down court, pulls up and half hesitates as he shoots somewhere between the free throw line and the three point line. His shot is swatted away as the buzzer sounds. Another season with road struggles early on. Stress is high to say the least. IT takes heavy criticism. The team moves on and crushes their final home opponents. We dropped out of the AP and Coaches polls, sitting somewhere between 26 and 30 in the rankings. Kenpom still has us at number 5 in the nation. We could fill this position very well if we lived up to our potential and talent, yet we struggled to finish the tough games. We still lack signature victories, but have played several close games to top tier opponents and crushed everyone else with much more expertise than most people predicted.
We now enter Pac-10 play with several schools having picked up wins against ranked opponents, something we did not manage. Yet at the same time, those schools lost by large amounts to teams they should have beaten USC beat number 19 Texas and number 19 Tennessee after losing by 20 at home to Rider. UCLA beat number 18 BYU, but lost to several mid major programs as well. WSU and UA are the only teams with losses to quality opponents. WSU is currently on a roll beating a few solid teams including Baylor. This spices things up for the conference title race as things are not so clear cut in who will take the title. I still feel as though it is ours to lose, but we could see UA, WSU, and possible UCLA or even USC compete for the title.
So what have we done well thus far.
Shooting
For the most part we have been a lights out team. Our home game average is somewhere around 100 points with a margin of victory over 30 points. Against Virginia we shot arguably our best game, hitting 17 three pointers. On the road and in neutral sites our shot struggled. Even in our last two homes games our shots seems to be avoiding the net for one reason or another. We have 8 legitimate three point threats. IT, Holiday, Gaddy, C.J., Ross, Suggs, Overton, and Gant. MBA is said to be able to shoot the long ball a bit as well, but that is not something I want to test. The Huskies have had 4 players score 20+ points thus far. Holiday has had two 20 point games this season. IT has had two 20+ point games. MBA had a 28 point game to start the year. C.J. Wilcox hit 20 as well. With the new starting line up with MBA at the 4 and Aziz at the 5 our post scoring has greatly improved over the last two games and I expect we will continue to see this line up especially against bigger teams like USC and UCLA. There is no doubt we can score and do it in bunches when we get going. The trick is being able to win games when we can't find the long ball and so far that has been pretty iffy at best.
Defense
This has probably been one of the most solid and consistent aspects of the Husky team thus far. Game in and Game out our team has played solid defense. We have had lacking moments and have been taken advantage of, but personally I would rather our defense take its lumps now and learn the mistakes early versus in February and March. I want a deep run this season. I want it bad. So bad. With Justin Holiday and Venoy Overton being recognized as two of the best defenders in the nation along with IT becoming a monster on defense and Aziz in the post as the Great Wall of Sengal we have proven to be a tough team for guards to excel against. Our defense is currently forcing 18.3 turnovers per game. That's pretty darn good. We are only turning the ball over 11.5 times per game, but in the last two games we have committed a total of 9 turnovers (4 against USF, 5 against UNR). If it weren't for our defense UK, MSU, and TAMU would have killed us. This will be what allows us to win close games when our shots just won't fall.
Passing
This is another part of our game that has been stellar the entire year. We are averaging over 19 assists per game and holding opponents to under 10 assists per game. Our 19 assists a game is good for an assist percentage of almost 57% (56.9). That is incredible. We are currently 2nd in the nation for assists per game. The Huskies have been really exceptional at taking an extra pass or even two and three to find the open shooter. Abdul Gaddy, Isaiah Thomas, and Venoy Overton have been absolutely killing it on the assist to turnover ratio. Against USF they had a combined 19/1 ratio. Against UNR Abdul and Isaiah combined for 9/1. Could have been better had MBA not dinked some easy shots next to the basket. We score so well because our team is unselfish and has not only great court vision, but the talent to use it effectively over and over again. Abdul throws passes like no one else can. He finds holes that surprise even our players who are on the receiving end. IT has greatly improved on his ability to dish out on the drive from inside the lanes and has often found MBA and Aziz with waiting arms for an easy lay-in or dunk. Continuing our passing excellence will greatly help our cause. When our team stops passing that is when you can see we are panicking and will lose games.
What has been improving/needs improvement
Rebounding
Slowly, but surely the Huskies have been improving on the glass. Against UNR we finally brought back the A-game we saw against McNeese. After only leading 22-21 at half the Dawgs came out and won the board battle 56-42. MBA finished with 11, Aziz with 10, Holiday with 9, and IT with 8. Man, if IT was 6 inches taller could you imagine what kind of rebounding numbers he could have. Give him credit though, the kid has a nose for the ball and the hops and strength to get after it. Aziz's work ethic on the boards seems to be rubbing on finally on MBA and Gant. With the taller line up, opponents have to make a choice who to box out as they won't be able to get both if MBA and Aziz are doing their jobs right. This is showing in the increased rebounding numbers for both players, though admittedly Aziz's increase is more due to more play time than anything. Aziz plays a tough and rumble game very similar to Brockman, only with the advantage of being 7 feet tall versus 6'7''. Ross, Suggs, and Wilcox have been good on the boards thus far, grabbing a few a game each. Gant started the year soft, but he has been better about getting tough on the boards especially after the TAMU game where he let A&M pick up two costly offensive boards off missed free throws that were put back in. He was lazy on the box out and let his man move him around. He picked up 4 offensive boards in 15 minutes against UNR. MBA had 7 offensive boards against USF. Its still a work in progress, but Romar has them heading in the right direction, I think. Getting 45 boards a game would keep us on top no doubt in my mind, well, assuming the other team doesn't out rebound us even when we grab 45 ourselves. Of course that means a TON of missed shots, which will hopefully not be our fault.
Opening the Second Half
We start so slow coming out of half it seems like. More often than not, the opposition is able to cut down whatever lead we took into half usually within a few minutes as we struggle to make changes to counteract whatever the opposition changed about their play style. To me this is a coaching issue more than a player problem. If the coach sees his players aren't adjusting call a time out. I don't care if its 15 seconds into the game or 4 minutes. The coach's job is to see what the players don't and tell them how to identify and correct it. Our team needs to find its source of inspiration and come out all cylinders firing. Maybe leave the 5 on who ended the first half rather than returning to the starting five? I'm not sure. Romar has been able to address the half court offense pretty well and is developing some great baseline cut plays and backdoor screens. I am hopeful he will be able to address and solve our slow start problem. Obviously it can be done because the other teams always seems to manage a nice run to start the second half. Why can't we do the same?
Speaking of it
Half Court Offense
This was the nagging problem that caused us so many problems against MSU and UK, even TAMU. When we couldn't find out shot we seemed lost to do anything else offensively. We didn't seem to have a plan or an ability to run plays. It came down to mostly lazy screens, some sloppy pick and rolls, and a hope that some one could get themselves open. Running an offense is on the coach completely. The players need some direction, especially at the college level where they are still learning and perfecting the game. Romar is addressing this issue pretty darn well and it is showing our decreased turnovers and increased post efficiency. Our half court offense is definitely in its infant stages still, but it is better than nothing. We have a lot of talent that can benefit from a solid half court offense if we can get it rolling.
I think I'll continue this discussion in another post I'll try to put up tomorrow. Being on break is nice. I have time to write about more than just the games. More later! Peace.
We saw two distinct teams from the Huskies through our non conference schedule. We saw the dominant home team that put up 4-100+ point games and a few 90+ point games as well. We led the nation in scoring for quite some time as well as some other stats including assists and three point shooting. After the season opener against McNeese we were first in 6 of 8 categories: PPG, OPPG, RPG, ORPG, Assists, and OAssists. We were second in shooting percentage and opponents shooting percentage. The second team we saw was very strange. They struggled against top 10 teams, yet would be within 2 points in the final minute. This team couldn't close out and win close games. C.J. Wilcox had two opportunities to hit game winning shots, but was unable to convert. IT got blocked on a last second shot that could have won the game when there was a wide open Gant and semi open C.J. on the perimeter. For one reason or another our shooting shut down against good opponents. We couldn't buy a shot and it killed us. On the other side of that, we saw stellar defense throughout the non conference schedule that allowed us to stay in those tough shooting nights until the draining seconds. So while the 8-3 finish is disappointing considering the very possible 11-0 start we could have had, things could have been worse. We could have lost by 20 to teams like UK, MSU, and TAMU on the road. Instead we lost by 7, 4, and 1. Small margins. The 7 and 4 point loses were amplified by free throws at the end of the game. We effectively lost to MSU by 1 point as MBA missed a game tying free throw (just shoot me please...). The worst part of the MSU loss was blowing a 10 point halftime lead. Another interesting fact: We have led at half every game this year. Every single game. A slow start to the second half has been our Achilles Heel.
Now then, a quick recap of all the games. McNeese was complete domination and the revealing of several future super stars for the Huskies. C.J. Wilcox showed off his shooting touch, Terrence Ross brought out his athletic skills and wowed all. Aziz was beastly down low grabbing 10 boards and 15 points despite 3 for 15 shooting from the FT line. This same trend continued until the Maui Invitational. At Maui we opened up with a thorough whomping of the Tony Bennett coached Virginia team. We score 108 points on a coach whose highest score against had been something like 84 points, in double OT mind you. We hit 17 three pointers and could not miss plain and simple. Even Antoine Hosley, a walk on, came onto the court, jacked up a three, and drained it like it was shooting practice back home. We looked and played like a National Championship team that would go undefeated with no opponent being able to match us in any aspect of the game. Then reality hit home. We played Kentucky, somewhat of a blood feud and newly found rivalry after the defection of two highly touted and skilled recruits in Enes Kanter, currently ineligible to play due to NCAA infractions concerning his amateur status as a basketball player, and Terrence Jones, a possible POY candidate in my opinion and the missing piece to an uncontested shot at the Final Four and Title. Things started well for us in that game, taking the early lead. Next thing we know we are down 14. We battle our way back to the lead slowly but surely. We get with 2. Overton gets called for a technical after an official review, something I was unaware could happen. We keep the game within two. Then the unthinkable. Overton is called for a foul despite being elbowed in the face, a violation of a newly heavily enforced rule concerning player safety. UK is given two free throws and the ball. Romar yells for a review and gets it. The UK guard is called for the technical, yet UK is allowed to keep the two points and the ball. Had the ref called the right play originally it would have been our ball and two free throws, instead we are down four and UK has the ball. We end up giving up several key offensive rebounds and lose by 7. We beat ourselves with poor shooting and some holes on defense, but the refs buried us. Then came MSU, our chance for redemption against the #2 team in the nation. We got up by 10 at half, confidence was high once again. We were still shooting poorly, but our defense was keeping us well ahead as our transition game flourished. MSU's coach, Tom Izzo, came out of half time and just out-coached Romar. He set up several inbound plays that led to killer 3 point shots that got them back in the game and eventually took the lead. We had a chance to tie with less than a minute left as MBA went to the line for two shots and the Huskies down two points. He nailed the first. Stress was high, prayers were being spit out as fast as a person could say them. His second shot goes up and out. MSU rebounds. They pick up two offensive rebounds that drain the clock to the point where we are forced to foul. We get the ball, down three. Romar brings in C.J. Wilcox, the three point prodigy, to win the game. At this point he has only played 2 minutes in the game thus far. His cold arm showed as he air balled with 14 seconds left. MSU rebounds and goes on to win by 4. Hopes are crushed. The Huskies drop from 13 in the polls down to 22. The fans and team know we will recover at home and we do, going on to dominate several more mid major programs. We look forward to our final test of the non conference schedule. A match up on the road against Texas A&M who had not lost in 69 straight non conference home games. Rebounding kills us throughout the game as we again struggle to shoot. We force 20 turnovers while causing 20 ourselves. Our defense kept us close. TAMU inbounds the ball with 14 seconds left. We choose to go for the steal rather than the foul, down only 1 point. Isaiah gets the miracle steal with 5 seconds or so left. He dribbles down court, pulls up and half hesitates as he shoots somewhere between the free throw line and the three point line. His shot is swatted away as the buzzer sounds. Another season with road struggles early on. Stress is high to say the least. IT takes heavy criticism. The team moves on and crushes their final home opponents. We dropped out of the AP and Coaches polls, sitting somewhere between 26 and 30 in the rankings. Kenpom still has us at number 5 in the nation. We could fill this position very well if we lived up to our potential and talent, yet we struggled to finish the tough games. We still lack signature victories, but have played several close games to top tier opponents and crushed everyone else with much more expertise than most people predicted.
We now enter Pac-10 play with several schools having picked up wins against ranked opponents, something we did not manage. Yet at the same time, those schools lost by large amounts to teams they should have beaten USC beat number 19 Texas and number 19 Tennessee after losing by 20 at home to Rider. UCLA beat number 18 BYU, but lost to several mid major programs as well. WSU and UA are the only teams with losses to quality opponents. WSU is currently on a roll beating a few solid teams including Baylor. This spices things up for the conference title race as things are not so clear cut in who will take the title. I still feel as though it is ours to lose, but we could see UA, WSU, and possible UCLA or even USC compete for the title.
So what have we done well thus far.
Shooting
For the most part we have been a lights out team. Our home game average is somewhere around 100 points with a margin of victory over 30 points. Against Virginia we shot arguably our best game, hitting 17 three pointers. On the road and in neutral sites our shot struggled. Even in our last two homes games our shots seems to be avoiding the net for one reason or another. We have 8 legitimate three point threats. IT, Holiday, Gaddy, C.J., Ross, Suggs, Overton, and Gant. MBA is said to be able to shoot the long ball a bit as well, but that is not something I want to test. The Huskies have had 4 players score 20+ points thus far. Holiday has had two 20 point games this season. IT has had two 20+ point games. MBA had a 28 point game to start the year. C.J. Wilcox hit 20 as well. With the new starting line up with MBA at the 4 and Aziz at the 5 our post scoring has greatly improved over the last two games and I expect we will continue to see this line up especially against bigger teams like USC and UCLA. There is no doubt we can score and do it in bunches when we get going. The trick is being able to win games when we can't find the long ball and so far that has been pretty iffy at best.
Defense
This has probably been one of the most solid and consistent aspects of the Husky team thus far. Game in and Game out our team has played solid defense. We have had lacking moments and have been taken advantage of, but personally I would rather our defense take its lumps now and learn the mistakes early versus in February and March. I want a deep run this season. I want it bad. So bad. With Justin Holiday and Venoy Overton being recognized as two of the best defenders in the nation along with IT becoming a monster on defense and Aziz in the post as the Great Wall of Sengal we have proven to be a tough team for guards to excel against. Our defense is currently forcing 18.3 turnovers per game. That's pretty darn good. We are only turning the ball over 11.5 times per game, but in the last two games we have committed a total of 9 turnovers (4 against USF, 5 against UNR). If it weren't for our defense UK, MSU, and TAMU would have killed us. This will be what allows us to win close games when our shots just won't fall.
Passing
This is another part of our game that has been stellar the entire year. We are averaging over 19 assists per game and holding opponents to under 10 assists per game. Our 19 assists a game is good for an assist percentage of almost 57% (56.9). That is incredible. We are currently 2nd in the nation for assists per game. The Huskies have been really exceptional at taking an extra pass or even two and three to find the open shooter. Abdul Gaddy, Isaiah Thomas, and Venoy Overton have been absolutely killing it on the assist to turnover ratio. Against USF they had a combined 19/1 ratio. Against UNR Abdul and Isaiah combined for 9/1. Could have been better had MBA not dinked some easy shots next to the basket. We score so well because our team is unselfish and has not only great court vision, but the talent to use it effectively over and over again. Abdul throws passes like no one else can. He finds holes that surprise even our players who are on the receiving end. IT has greatly improved on his ability to dish out on the drive from inside the lanes and has often found MBA and Aziz with waiting arms for an easy lay-in or dunk. Continuing our passing excellence will greatly help our cause. When our team stops passing that is when you can see we are panicking and will lose games.
What has been improving/needs improvement
Rebounding
Slowly, but surely the Huskies have been improving on the glass. Against UNR we finally brought back the A-game we saw against McNeese. After only leading 22-21 at half the Dawgs came out and won the board battle 56-42. MBA finished with 11, Aziz with 10, Holiday with 9, and IT with 8. Man, if IT was 6 inches taller could you imagine what kind of rebounding numbers he could have. Give him credit though, the kid has a nose for the ball and the hops and strength to get after it. Aziz's work ethic on the boards seems to be rubbing on finally on MBA and Gant. With the taller line up, opponents have to make a choice who to box out as they won't be able to get both if MBA and Aziz are doing their jobs right. This is showing in the increased rebounding numbers for both players, though admittedly Aziz's increase is more due to more play time than anything. Aziz plays a tough and rumble game very similar to Brockman, only with the advantage of being 7 feet tall versus 6'7''. Ross, Suggs, and Wilcox have been good on the boards thus far, grabbing a few a game each. Gant started the year soft, but he has been better about getting tough on the boards especially after the TAMU game where he let A&M pick up two costly offensive boards off missed free throws that were put back in. He was lazy on the box out and let his man move him around. He picked up 4 offensive boards in 15 minutes against UNR. MBA had 7 offensive boards against USF. Its still a work in progress, but Romar has them heading in the right direction, I think. Getting 45 boards a game would keep us on top no doubt in my mind, well, assuming the other team doesn't out rebound us even when we grab 45 ourselves. Of course that means a TON of missed shots, which will hopefully not be our fault.
Opening the Second Half
We start so slow coming out of half it seems like. More often than not, the opposition is able to cut down whatever lead we took into half usually within a few minutes as we struggle to make changes to counteract whatever the opposition changed about their play style. To me this is a coaching issue more than a player problem. If the coach sees his players aren't adjusting call a time out. I don't care if its 15 seconds into the game or 4 minutes. The coach's job is to see what the players don't and tell them how to identify and correct it. Our team needs to find its source of inspiration and come out all cylinders firing. Maybe leave the 5 on who ended the first half rather than returning to the starting five? I'm not sure. Romar has been able to address the half court offense pretty well and is developing some great baseline cut plays and backdoor screens. I am hopeful he will be able to address and solve our slow start problem. Obviously it can be done because the other teams always seems to manage a nice run to start the second half. Why can't we do the same?
Speaking of it
Half Court Offense
This was the nagging problem that caused us so many problems against MSU and UK, even TAMU. When we couldn't find out shot we seemed lost to do anything else offensively. We didn't seem to have a plan or an ability to run plays. It came down to mostly lazy screens, some sloppy pick and rolls, and a hope that some one could get themselves open. Running an offense is on the coach completely. The players need some direction, especially at the college level where they are still learning and perfecting the game. Romar is addressing this issue pretty darn well and it is showing our decreased turnovers and increased post efficiency. Our half court offense is definitely in its infant stages still, but it is better than nothing. We have a lot of talent that can benefit from a solid half court offense if we can get it rolling.
I think I'll continue this discussion in another post I'll try to put up tomorrow. Being on break is nice. I have time to write about more than just the games. More later! Peace.
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