Every team needs a star and perhaps just as important is the X-factor player. The guy who doesn't always produce the most impressive stats in every column, but does the type of work that turns a potential loss into a win. Many times the X-factor is the first man off the bench who supplies tough defense, a steady hand, and killer instinct.
Last season, C.J. Wilcox and Desmond Simmons often appeared to be the X-factor as both supplied their own unique brand of basketball support. Wilcox was an efficient scorer and solid defense player as well as shot blocker, while Simmons was more known for his rebounding and sheer tenacity in getting down and dirty after loose balls.
This season presents a more interesting challenge in identifying who will step his game up in a special way to supply the team with that extra oomph that is needed to keep the scoring margin in our favor. With our best talent now in the NBA there is plenty of room for players to step up and become the stars of the hardwood. In turn, this leaves room for players to become the new X-factor, but exactly who is tough to nail down after experiencing such a shallow bench this past year.
Desmond Simmons is an easy early pick as next season's X-Factor. While Simmons' production on the glass slowed during conference play, the potential and talent was clearly displayed in the non-conference games and will most certainly be improved upon by the start of 2012's non-conference schedule. Simmons reminds me a lot of Jon Brockman, an undersized power forward with great strength and hustle. Simmons knows how to use his body to gain position and snatch rebounds up left and right and is more than willing to sacrifice his body diving on the floor and fighting for every ball out there. Simmons showed signs of an excellent mid range to long range shot in early season games, but strayed away from shooting the ball as the year went on. With the departure of Darnell Gant, the team could really use a consistent touch between 10 and 15 feet and Simmons may be just the guy to do it. What makes me believe in Simmons as the X-factor next season is his motor and drive. Not many players work as hard as he does day in and day out. Add in his extra experience due to his redshirt season and Simmons has all the makings of a game changer.
Aziz N'Diaye should also be considered in this discussion due to the offensive upside that remains on his side. N'Diaye will (more than likely) be a three year starter for the Dawgs, all without having much of a developed offensive game. Everyone knows the type of contribution N'Diaye makes on the defensive end with his massive body sucking up the paint and his rebounding efforts make him a very valuable force in the middle. N'Diaye can become an X-factor by turning his inability to shoot free throws into a passable aspect of his game. With N'Diaye standing taller and stronger than a majority of his opposition, playing above and through contact should not and has not been too much of a problem. What has been a problem is his production at the foul line following the contact. With a career average just over 40%, N'Diaye has missed, quite literally, over 100 free opportunities at easy points. I expect no player to be perfect at the line, but as Gilles Dierickx has shown, big men can shoot the ball well from the foul line if they are willing to work at it. Averaging 4 foul attempts per game this past year, N'Diaye is missing 2 to 3 points per game. Perfecting his shot suddenly jumps N'Diaye's 8 point average right into the double digit range and gives him a chance to put up a double-double in every game. A summer's worth of work should be enough to get him near the 75% any player should consider the minimum, it only comes down to whether N'Diaye is willing to put in the work necessary to fix his shot. UW has been well known for its string of proficient outside shooters and wings. If N'Diaye can become an offensive force in the paint, his presence can be a deterrent to defenses wishing to cheat outside. However, this will only work well if N'Diaye proves he can hit the free ones. Should N'Diaye continue to miss his foul shots, the opposition should have no problem instituting a "Hack-a-Shaq" policy and the defense will be freer to spread the floor and prevent the deep shots.
Mark McLaughlin is another intriguing choice, though for different reasons than the two mentioned above. McLaughlin was a dominating scorer at the junior college level averaging nearly 30 points per game. The biggest question surrounding McLaughlin is "Can he produce at such high levels against Division 1 defense?" The likely answer is that McLaughlin will continue to score in droves, though his possession numbers will not be high enough to rack up 30 points a night. Personally, McLaughlin strikes me as a guy who will produce much like Wilcox has these past two years. McLaughlin sizes up well next to Scott Suggs and Wilcox and could very well be the 6th man of this team and the first sub off the bench. What made the 2010-2011 Huskies so dangerous was the bench depth and scoring potential of so many players. That season featured a rotation of nearly 10 guys, all of whom could have started for any team in the Pac-10. They all could score and as such, substitutions did not mean a dip in scoring. McLaughlin should be a big help in that same vein. When Suggs or Wilcox need a breather, McLaughlin could offer up a third deadly hand to maintain a high team scoring average. McLaughlin needs to establish himself early in the preseason games in Europe and Africa to gain the confidence of his coaches and teammates.
A fourth choice is Jernard Jarreau, the 6-10 forward with point guard skill. Featuring a 7-7 wingspan, Jarreau is a lanky guy with huge potential to disrupt on the defensive end and play above the rim on both sides of the court. A comparison to Anthony Davis is likely farfetched, but Jarreau strikes me as a similar player due to their build and back stories. With N'Diaye beside Jarreau with a 7-6 wing span, the duo more than covers the 12 foot paint and take up 30% of the court's width. That type of length is tough to beat and will certainly help ail some of the defensive issues that plagued the Dawgs off and on last season. Jarreau must do more than play tough, preventative defense. Jarreau must also supply some sort of scoring potential, preferably from the high post where he can see above the defense to create plays through himself or with a pass to an open teammate. Jarreau could be the first man off the bench for the Husky frontcourt to provide Simmons with a breather. Jarreau's thin frame prevents him from subbing for N'Diaye, but that is where Shawn Kemp Jr. comes into play.
Go Dawgs!
Showing posts with label UW. Show all posts
Showing posts with label UW. Show all posts
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Who will take over in 2012-2013?
The title of best player is always up for debate in the world of sports. Sure, some NBA teams possess super stars that leave little doubt like the Heat and LeBron James, the Magic and Dwight Howard, or the Zombie Sonics and Kevin Durant, but at the college level things change drastically. Several players contribute in a variety of ways to allow great debates about which player has the greatest and most positive impact on his team.
This past off-season saw the departure of our two best players in Terrence Ross and Tony Wroten. While some may not agree with declaring Wroten as one of our top players, it is hard to ignore everything he did for the Husky squad. What this means for the 2012-2013 season is a wide opening for several individuals to elevate their games to the next level and take over the reigns as the squad's "Best Player."
Being the best player is about more than points per games or how many rebounds a player can snatch up in 40 minutes. The best player needs to have intangibles that don't show up in the post-game box score. The best player needs to dominate all aspects of the game and thrive because of it.
Arguably the best player in recent, if not all, UW history is Isaiah Thomas and he is exactly the sort of player I refer to when I talk about a guy doing more than just hitting baskets and making plays. I.T. ruled the court with both his skills and his attitude. The guy refused to lose. He did everything and more to motivate and carry his team through adversity as well as success. If you have any doubt about how good I.T. was and is, just watch this.
My initial reaction was to peg Scott Suggs as the best player next season. Suggs has everything a team could want in terms of size, athleticism, and experience. After facing a tough foot injury right before the 2011-2012 season began, Suggs opted to take a medical redshirt and return in full force for a complete and dominating senior season. Built just like Ross, Suggs stands at 6-6 and nearly 200lbs. Suggs' long athletic frame allows him to elevate above the competition at the hoop and outside the arc. During his junior season campaign, Suggs showed a huge improvement concerning his inside game. Suggs was able to attack the rim and finish inside. We are all well aware of Suggs' ability to nail the outside shot. Suggs was arguably the best sharpshooter on the team in 2010-2011 due to his consistency and accuracy. Watching Suggs during warm-ups this past season has only increased my confidence in his ability to drain the long ball. As a fifth year senior, Suggs has more experience than most. Suggs has participated in 3 NCAA tournament appearances as well as having won a regular season title and two tournament titles (I won't include his redshirt season as he did not play in any games). I believe Suggs will step in to fill Ross' shoes immediately and will make a strong case for Pac-12 Player of the Year honors. The one aspect on his game that Suggs can improve on to solidify his position as the Best Player is rebounding. Suggs has never been a great rebounder, but the increased presence of his inside game will allow Suggs more opportunities near the hoop to snag a few extra boards. I can easily envision Suggs averaging 16 points and 5 rebounds per game. That type of production combined with excellent senior leadership and tenacity would make for an amazing player and could certainly be a game changer in tight situations.
C.J. Wilcox should be involved in any type of "Best Player" argument, whether simply the Husky Basketball team or the Pac-12 conference. Wilcox averaged a quiet 14 points per game last season despite battle nagging injuries that prevented him from seeing action in several games and limiting his play time in others. With a full summer to heal the stress fracture in his hip/leg, Wilcox is primed to light up the court for what could be his final season. Wilcox is attending the Kevin Durant skill camp this summer along with playing the the Seattle Summer league games, giving him plenty of opportunities to work on his abilities before the preseason games across the Atlantic. As with Suggs, Wilcox can strengthen his argument for the team's best player by improving his rebounding from 3 boards per game to 5 or 6. A greater aspect to improve upon, perhaps more important than a few more rebounds per game, would be Wilcox's ability to play into and through contact near the paint to draw fouls and free throws. Wilcox averaged 84% from the line last season and at one point had hit over 30 free throws in a row. Romar's teams have always been known to be unsuccessful at the foul line, yet individual players have made great strides in improving their shot from the charity stripe and in doing so become game changers. These individuals include I.T. and Jon Brockman. Last season, Wroten averaged nearly 8 free throws attempts per game, making under 60% on the season. With Wilcox's 84% average those 4 points from 8 free throws becomes nearly 7 points per game. 3 points extra per night is a huge number from the foul line where close games are won and lost. What could ultimately hold Wilcox back from being the best player on the 2012-2013 squad is his quiet nature. In terms of sheer athletic ability, no one can match-up with Wilcox. Wilcox has been the fastest at the mile, is one of the quickest sprinters on the team, and has the highest vertical jump of anyone. Wilcox out jumped Ross last season and we have all seen what type of plays can occur when a player has huge hops. If Wilcox can become not only a leader in terms of production, but also as a vocal and emotional leader, he could be a favorite for Player of the Year awards.
Aziz N'Diaye would be my third pick for top player on the team. N'Diaye's size and defensive presence alone put him near the top of the list. N'Diaye showed great improvement to his footwork, post moves, and in softening his hands. The big man is no longer a black hole in the middle where the ball will never return from. N'Diaye showed better court vision knowing when to take his man to the hoop and when to kick the ball back out to the perimeter. N'Diaye is already a supreme rebounder, picking up nearly 8 per night, but could take another step forward by boxing out better on the offensive end and allowing his length to take charge. Where N'Diaye can really improve is his offensive game. This has always been the weakest part of N'Diaye's game, but his jump hook is improving steadily. I would also like to see N'Diaye throw down a few more dunks. Too often, N'Diaye is right next to the hoop and opts for a dainty little lay-in. Throw down, big man, throw down. Dunks are the highest percentage shots there are. At 7-0, it is hard to have a dunk blocked inside 4 feet. Take a page out of this kid's book, N'Diaye, it'll help you immensely. If N'Diaye can continue improving his ability to catch the ball and finish at the rim, he could quite possibly average 14 points per game on top of 8 rebounds and a block or two a night. All that production does not even begin to tell the whole tale, something I argued earlier would be critical in determining the team's best player. How many times has an opposing player driven towards the lane only to see N'Diaye towering in the paint? How many times has that player then changed his mind and opted for either a terrible jumper or been forced to kick the ball back outside the paint? That is the type of impact that doesn't show up in the box score. It's the type of impact that every player should strive for.
A fourth, perhaps outside pick, would be Abdul Gaddy. Gaddy has struggled to live up to the All-American hype that surrounded him coming into his freshman season. Gaddy came to the UW as a quite young 17 year old, trying to compete against 22 year old players who were much stronger, faster, and experienced. Gaddy's sophomore campaign started phenomenally, but sadly he blew his ACL right as Pac-10 play began. Gaddy spent the summer recuperating his knee and appeared to be on track for a solid 2011-2012 year. Gaddy spent much of this past season looking slower and more cautious, something that was not all that surprising given his newly injured knee. At the end of the year, Gaddy finally realized how deadly he can be when driving the lane. Not only does it open the opportunity to kick out for an assisted 3-pointer, but it also allows Gaddy to get a good look at the hoop down low in the paint where his teardrop shot can be put to good use. What Gaddy needs to do in order to become our best player is to take this team over and make it his. This will be Gaddy's senior season. His last hurrah. Gaddy must develop that seasoned, vocal leadership this team so dearly lacked last season. Gaddy could average double digit points if he attacked the rim consistently and improved his 3-point accuracy. And, while it may seem greedy, I would really like to see Gaddy average 7 assists per game. Gaddy has amazing court vision and has a great knack for making solid passes to open players. I believe Romar's play calling is what is holding Gaddy back from averaging those types of numbers. If Romar can develop a few more motion offensive plays, Gaddy will have more opportunities to deliver the rock to open guys on the perimeter and in the post. With the addition of Suggs as a steady hand inside and out, Gaddy has one more tool at his disposal to spread the floor and make things happen. Another important point to note is the absence of Wroten allows Gaddy to resume taking a majority of the point guard play time, meaning more play-making opportunities to boost his stats.
So who do you think will take over in 2012-2013? One of these four? Someone else? Let us know in the comments below.
Go Dawgs!
This past off-season saw the departure of our two best players in Terrence Ross and Tony Wroten. While some may not agree with declaring Wroten as one of our top players, it is hard to ignore everything he did for the Husky squad. What this means for the 2012-2013 season is a wide opening for several individuals to elevate their games to the next level and take over the reigns as the squad's "Best Player."
Being the best player is about more than points per games or how many rebounds a player can snatch up in 40 minutes. The best player needs to have intangibles that don't show up in the post-game box score. The best player needs to dominate all aspects of the game and thrive because of it.
Arguably the best player in recent, if not all, UW history is Isaiah Thomas and he is exactly the sort of player I refer to when I talk about a guy doing more than just hitting baskets and making plays. I.T. ruled the court with both his skills and his attitude. The guy refused to lose. He did everything and more to motivate and carry his team through adversity as well as success. If you have any doubt about how good I.T. was and is, just watch this.
My initial reaction was to peg Scott Suggs as the best player next season. Suggs has everything a team could want in terms of size, athleticism, and experience. After facing a tough foot injury right before the 2011-2012 season began, Suggs opted to take a medical redshirt and return in full force for a complete and dominating senior season. Built just like Ross, Suggs stands at 6-6 and nearly 200lbs. Suggs' long athletic frame allows him to elevate above the competition at the hoop and outside the arc. During his junior season campaign, Suggs showed a huge improvement concerning his inside game. Suggs was able to attack the rim and finish inside. We are all well aware of Suggs' ability to nail the outside shot. Suggs was arguably the best sharpshooter on the team in 2010-2011 due to his consistency and accuracy. Watching Suggs during warm-ups this past season has only increased my confidence in his ability to drain the long ball. As a fifth year senior, Suggs has more experience than most. Suggs has participated in 3 NCAA tournament appearances as well as having won a regular season title and two tournament titles (I won't include his redshirt season as he did not play in any games). I believe Suggs will step in to fill Ross' shoes immediately and will make a strong case for Pac-12 Player of the Year honors. The one aspect on his game that Suggs can improve on to solidify his position as the Best Player is rebounding. Suggs has never been a great rebounder, but the increased presence of his inside game will allow Suggs more opportunities near the hoop to snag a few extra boards. I can easily envision Suggs averaging 16 points and 5 rebounds per game. That type of production combined with excellent senior leadership and tenacity would make for an amazing player and could certainly be a game changer in tight situations.
C.J. Wilcox should be involved in any type of "Best Player" argument, whether simply the Husky Basketball team or the Pac-12 conference. Wilcox averaged a quiet 14 points per game last season despite battle nagging injuries that prevented him from seeing action in several games and limiting his play time in others. With a full summer to heal the stress fracture in his hip/leg, Wilcox is primed to light up the court for what could be his final season. Wilcox is attending the Kevin Durant skill camp this summer along with playing the the Seattle Summer league games, giving him plenty of opportunities to work on his abilities before the preseason games across the Atlantic. As with Suggs, Wilcox can strengthen his argument for the team's best player by improving his rebounding from 3 boards per game to 5 or 6. A greater aspect to improve upon, perhaps more important than a few more rebounds per game, would be Wilcox's ability to play into and through contact near the paint to draw fouls and free throws. Wilcox averaged 84% from the line last season and at one point had hit over 30 free throws in a row. Romar's teams have always been known to be unsuccessful at the foul line, yet individual players have made great strides in improving their shot from the charity stripe and in doing so become game changers. These individuals include I.T. and Jon Brockman. Last season, Wroten averaged nearly 8 free throws attempts per game, making under 60% on the season. With Wilcox's 84% average those 4 points from 8 free throws becomes nearly 7 points per game. 3 points extra per night is a huge number from the foul line where close games are won and lost. What could ultimately hold Wilcox back from being the best player on the 2012-2013 squad is his quiet nature. In terms of sheer athletic ability, no one can match-up with Wilcox. Wilcox has been the fastest at the mile, is one of the quickest sprinters on the team, and has the highest vertical jump of anyone. Wilcox out jumped Ross last season and we have all seen what type of plays can occur when a player has huge hops. If Wilcox can become not only a leader in terms of production, but also as a vocal and emotional leader, he could be a favorite for Player of the Year awards.
Aziz N'Diaye would be my third pick for top player on the team. N'Diaye's size and defensive presence alone put him near the top of the list. N'Diaye showed great improvement to his footwork, post moves, and in softening his hands. The big man is no longer a black hole in the middle where the ball will never return from. N'Diaye showed better court vision knowing when to take his man to the hoop and when to kick the ball back out to the perimeter. N'Diaye is already a supreme rebounder, picking up nearly 8 per night, but could take another step forward by boxing out better on the offensive end and allowing his length to take charge. Where N'Diaye can really improve is his offensive game. This has always been the weakest part of N'Diaye's game, but his jump hook is improving steadily. I would also like to see N'Diaye throw down a few more dunks. Too often, N'Diaye is right next to the hoop and opts for a dainty little lay-in. Throw down, big man, throw down. Dunks are the highest percentage shots there are. At 7-0, it is hard to have a dunk blocked inside 4 feet. Take a page out of this kid's book, N'Diaye, it'll help you immensely. If N'Diaye can continue improving his ability to catch the ball and finish at the rim, he could quite possibly average 14 points per game on top of 8 rebounds and a block or two a night. All that production does not even begin to tell the whole tale, something I argued earlier would be critical in determining the team's best player. How many times has an opposing player driven towards the lane only to see N'Diaye towering in the paint? How many times has that player then changed his mind and opted for either a terrible jumper or been forced to kick the ball back outside the paint? That is the type of impact that doesn't show up in the box score. It's the type of impact that every player should strive for.
A fourth, perhaps outside pick, would be Abdul Gaddy. Gaddy has struggled to live up to the All-American hype that surrounded him coming into his freshman season. Gaddy came to the UW as a quite young 17 year old, trying to compete against 22 year old players who were much stronger, faster, and experienced. Gaddy's sophomore campaign started phenomenally, but sadly he blew his ACL right as Pac-10 play began. Gaddy spent the summer recuperating his knee and appeared to be on track for a solid 2011-2012 year. Gaddy spent much of this past season looking slower and more cautious, something that was not all that surprising given his newly injured knee. At the end of the year, Gaddy finally realized how deadly he can be when driving the lane. Not only does it open the opportunity to kick out for an assisted 3-pointer, but it also allows Gaddy to get a good look at the hoop down low in the paint where his teardrop shot can be put to good use. What Gaddy needs to do in order to become our best player is to take this team over and make it his. This will be Gaddy's senior season. His last hurrah. Gaddy must develop that seasoned, vocal leadership this team so dearly lacked last season. Gaddy could average double digit points if he attacked the rim consistently and improved his 3-point accuracy. And, while it may seem greedy, I would really like to see Gaddy average 7 assists per game. Gaddy has amazing court vision and has a great knack for making solid passes to open players. I believe Romar's play calling is what is holding Gaddy back from averaging those types of numbers. If Romar can develop a few more motion offensive plays, Gaddy will have more opportunities to deliver the rock to open guys on the perimeter and in the post. With the addition of Suggs as a steady hand inside and out, Gaddy has one more tool at his disposal to spread the floor and make things happen. Another important point to note is the absence of Wroten allows Gaddy to resume taking a majority of the point guard play time, meaning more play-making opportunities to boost his stats.
So who do you think will take over in 2012-2013? One of these four? Someone else? Let us know in the comments below.
Go Dawgs!
Friday, May 4, 2012
UW to Take On Europe and Africa
The UW Huskies scrapped plans earlier this year to travel to China for several exhibition games against Chinese professionals. We were promised something equally exciting, if not more so, and the UW did not disappoint. The Huskies have scheduled 7 games across 15 days throughout Europe and Africa. UW is allowed 10 practices before hopping on their plane out, which will no doubt be tremendously helpful in preparing for the regular season.
The Huskies begin their trip on August 25th in Barcelona, Spain for a 5 day/2 game stint before departing to Nice (pronounced Niece), France (having been to Nice, I must say I am quite jealous of the weather they should experience). The Dawgs will stay in Nice for 3 days for two games at which point the Huskies will head over to Paris, France for a 4 day/2 game stay. Following Paris, the Huskies will fly down to Senegal, Africa for a 4 day/1 game stay. This should be immensely exciting for Aziz N'Diaye as it will give him the opportunity to play in front of friends and family.
Go Dawgs!
The Huskies begin their trip on August 25th in Barcelona, Spain for a 5 day/2 game stint before departing to Nice (pronounced Niece), France (having been to Nice, I must say I am quite jealous of the weather they should experience). The Dawgs will stay in Nice for 3 days for two games at which point the Huskies will head over to Paris, France for a 4 day/2 game stay. Following Paris, the Huskies will fly down to Senegal, Africa for a 4 day/1 game stay. This should be immensely exciting for Aziz N'Diaye as it will give him the opportunity to play in front of friends and family.
Go Dawgs!
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Oregon State University Game Preview
Sorry for the lack of coverage lately. Winter break is in full force meaning a lot of family time and going out with friends I don't see most of the year. Unfortunately, I really won't have a post game review for this game. Somehow the UW athletic department allowed themselves to schedule this game at the EXACT same time as the Alamo Bowl. My priority normally goes to basketball, but in this case I gotta watch the Bowl game. Hopefully I can link a few game reviews and get reader feedback from anyone who watches the game.
The Beavers are looking pretty solid this season after several disappointing finishes the past few seasons. OSU comes into the conference opener with a 10-2 record and a streak of 4 straight wins, their latest coming against the Chicago State Cougars. The Beavers played a tight one against then #22 Vanderbilt, losing 64-62. Their other loss came against Idaho with a 74-60 score.
OSU is led by Jared Cunningham, without a doubt. Cunningham is a leading Pac-12 POY candidate and has had some monstrous games this season. In one week he had a 35 and 37 point game. He has been held to single digit scoring only twice this season, both games were OSU losses. The key to beating Oregon State? Shutting down Cunningham. He leads the team in scoring with 16.8 per game. Cunningham also snatches up around 4 rebounds per game, dishing out 3 assist and 2.4 turnovers per game. He also is one of the top defenders in the conference averaging a staggering 3 steals per game. The trick to shutting down Cunningham is forcing him to play outside the key. Cunningham is 11-46 on year outside the arc, while his inside presence can be absolutely vicious. He is a moderate free throw shooter, hitting a bit over 75% on the season.
OSU is a very balanced and seemingly talented team. Their youth last year has been turning into experience this season and is paying off in dividends. The Beavers receive significant contributions from 6 players outside of Cunningham, with each of those 6 scoring at least 5 points per game.
Cunningham is supported in the backcourt by "5-9" Ahmad Starks (I put it in quotations because he makes I.T. look tall and I.T. was measured by the NBA at 5-9) and 6-3 Roberto Nelson. Starks is third in scoring with 12.5 points per game and is shooting an impressive 39% from deep (18-28). Starks is also a perfect 18-18 from the charity stripe. Maybe he can give our guys a few pointers during the pregame warmups. Starks is ineffective inside, but give him room on the outside and his high arcing shot can do some serious damage. Starks has had three games with at least four 3-point makes.
Nelson comes in with a bit over 11 points per outing on top of 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2.5 turnovers a night. Nelson is another dangerous 3-point shooter who thrives on receiving the outlet pass after a drive by Cunningham. Nelson is shooting 44% behind the arc and has made 20 of his 46 attempts. Nelson is a scrappy guard who started the season slow with five straight games of 5 points or less. Since then, Nelson has scored at least 11 in every game and has two 20+ point games thus far. Nelson's higher scoring games follow solid outside shooting nights. Nelson tends to be the first man off the bench and receivers starter minutes.
The OSU frontcourt is decent in its own right. Devon Collier stands at 6-7 and is second in scoring for the Beavers. Collier brings in 14 points and 5 rebounds a game. He is a very solid shooter from short to mid-range, but struggles at the line. Collier is averaging around 7 FT attempts per game and knows how to draw a foul. This is not necessarily a bad thing due to the fact he has made only 58% of his attempts. In crunch time this could prove to be a huge factor.
Angus Brandt is a 6-10 237lb F-C who likes to play quite mobile, taking shots inside the paint and outside the arc. Brandt is a very respectable 9-18 from deep and is a definite threat when given space and time. The key to preventing Brandt from taking deep shots is tight, pressure defense. Brandt tends to be more comfortable from longer distances as shown by his sub-par rebounding stats that do not make sense give his size. Brandt is only averaging 2.8 rebounds per game. The majority of the Beaver rebounding comes from 6-7 280lb Joe Burton and 6-10 201lb Eric Moreland.
Joe Burton is a big, big body that uses size rather than speed to make his move. Burton averages about 6.4 rebounds per game and has only attempted 6 outside shots, making 3. He is a better player in the paint, making around 50% of his shots and hitting 70% at the line. As much as I like the 4 guard line-up, Burton's size combined with Brandt's height demand Aziz N'Diaye to reenter the starting 5. Expect Darnell Gant to cover Brandt, while N'Diaye bodies up against Burton.
Predicted Starting Line-Ups:
Oregon State:
Ahmad Starks 5-9 165lb
Jared Cunningham 6-4 194lb
Devon Collier 6-7 206lb
Joe Burton 6-8 280lb
Angus Brandt 6-10 237lb
Washington:
Abdul Gaddy 6-3 185lb (Don't be surprised if Tony Wroten replaces Gaddy in the starting 5)
C.J. Wilcox 6-5 190lb
Terrence Ross 6-6 195lb
Darnell Gant 6-8 230lb
Aziz N'Diaye 7-0 260lb
Keys to the Game:
Rebounding:
OSU averages around 36 boards per game, while UW has been picking up around 41. With several strong 3-point shooters, OSU presents a challenge to the Husky team to collect every board they can. If the Dawgs allow OSU to gather up 10 or more offensive boards, the Huskies could very well find themselves looking at a big deficit due to outside shots raining in.
Defense:
This may seem broad and pretty obvious, but it is something the Huskies have struggled with, especially against teams with tough backcourts. OSU is in the top 10 for both points per game with 84 and assists with nearly 19 per night. The Beavers thrive on play making through passing rather than creating opportunities for themselves. If the Huskies can press early and hard, while preventing easy passes and wide open looks, their athleticism should help them prevail.
Ball Control:
This is another category that the Huskies have been on a roller coaster with, either dishing out a bunch of assists or turning it over every other possession. OSU averages 10 steals per game and force 20 turnovers per game. That is an extreme amount and is a testament to the brutal defense the Beavers put out on the court. Wroten will need to be very mindful of this and keep his risky passes to a minimum. To avoid turnovers the Huskies will need to run a fast offense with a lot of screens to lose their defender.
Final Thought:
This is a dangerous match-up for the Huskies. Hec-Ed has been kind to the Dawgs, but with a large majority of Husky fans opting to watch the Alamo Bowl, the home game feel likely won't be there. The Dawgs cannot let this get to them and need to bring the type of game that nearly beat Marquette and stayed half competitive with Duke. If the Dawgs can execute and run an efficient offense I see no reason why they cannot win this game. That being said, this will likely be a close and stressful game.
Final Score Prediction:
UW-84 OSU-80
The Beavers are looking pretty solid this season after several disappointing finishes the past few seasons. OSU comes into the conference opener with a 10-2 record and a streak of 4 straight wins, their latest coming against the Chicago State Cougars. The Beavers played a tight one against then #22 Vanderbilt, losing 64-62. Their other loss came against Idaho with a 74-60 score.
OSU is led by Jared Cunningham, without a doubt. Cunningham is a leading Pac-12 POY candidate and has had some monstrous games this season. In one week he had a 35 and 37 point game. He has been held to single digit scoring only twice this season, both games were OSU losses. The key to beating Oregon State? Shutting down Cunningham. He leads the team in scoring with 16.8 per game. Cunningham also snatches up around 4 rebounds per game, dishing out 3 assist and 2.4 turnovers per game. He also is one of the top defenders in the conference averaging a staggering 3 steals per game. The trick to shutting down Cunningham is forcing him to play outside the key. Cunningham is 11-46 on year outside the arc, while his inside presence can be absolutely vicious. He is a moderate free throw shooter, hitting a bit over 75% on the season.
OSU is a very balanced and seemingly talented team. Their youth last year has been turning into experience this season and is paying off in dividends. The Beavers receive significant contributions from 6 players outside of Cunningham, with each of those 6 scoring at least 5 points per game.
Cunningham is supported in the backcourt by "5-9" Ahmad Starks (I put it in quotations because he makes I.T. look tall and I.T. was measured by the NBA at 5-9) and 6-3 Roberto Nelson. Starks is third in scoring with 12.5 points per game and is shooting an impressive 39% from deep (18-28). Starks is also a perfect 18-18 from the charity stripe. Maybe he can give our guys a few pointers during the pregame warmups. Starks is ineffective inside, but give him room on the outside and his high arcing shot can do some serious damage. Starks has had three games with at least four 3-point makes.
Nelson comes in with a bit over 11 points per outing on top of 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2.5 turnovers a night. Nelson is another dangerous 3-point shooter who thrives on receiving the outlet pass after a drive by Cunningham. Nelson is shooting 44% behind the arc and has made 20 of his 46 attempts. Nelson is a scrappy guard who started the season slow with five straight games of 5 points or less. Since then, Nelson has scored at least 11 in every game and has two 20+ point games thus far. Nelson's higher scoring games follow solid outside shooting nights. Nelson tends to be the first man off the bench and receivers starter minutes.
The OSU frontcourt is decent in its own right. Devon Collier stands at 6-7 and is second in scoring for the Beavers. Collier brings in 14 points and 5 rebounds a game. He is a very solid shooter from short to mid-range, but struggles at the line. Collier is averaging around 7 FT attempts per game and knows how to draw a foul. This is not necessarily a bad thing due to the fact he has made only 58% of his attempts. In crunch time this could prove to be a huge factor.
Angus Brandt is a 6-10 237lb F-C who likes to play quite mobile, taking shots inside the paint and outside the arc. Brandt is a very respectable 9-18 from deep and is a definite threat when given space and time. The key to preventing Brandt from taking deep shots is tight, pressure defense. Brandt tends to be more comfortable from longer distances as shown by his sub-par rebounding stats that do not make sense give his size. Brandt is only averaging 2.8 rebounds per game. The majority of the Beaver rebounding comes from 6-7 280lb Joe Burton and 6-10 201lb Eric Moreland.
Joe Burton is a big, big body that uses size rather than speed to make his move. Burton averages about 6.4 rebounds per game and has only attempted 6 outside shots, making 3. He is a better player in the paint, making around 50% of his shots and hitting 70% at the line. As much as I like the 4 guard line-up, Burton's size combined with Brandt's height demand Aziz N'Diaye to reenter the starting 5. Expect Darnell Gant to cover Brandt, while N'Diaye bodies up against Burton.
Predicted Starting Line-Ups:
Oregon State:
Ahmad Starks 5-9 165lb
Jared Cunningham 6-4 194lb
Devon Collier 6-7 206lb
Joe Burton 6-8 280lb
Angus Brandt 6-10 237lb
Washington:
Abdul Gaddy 6-3 185lb (Don't be surprised if Tony Wroten replaces Gaddy in the starting 5)
C.J. Wilcox 6-5 190lb
Terrence Ross 6-6 195lb
Darnell Gant 6-8 230lb
Aziz N'Diaye 7-0 260lb
Keys to the Game:
Rebounding:
OSU averages around 36 boards per game, while UW has been picking up around 41. With several strong 3-point shooters, OSU presents a challenge to the Husky team to collect every board they can. If the Dawgs allow OSU to gather up 10 or more offensive boards, the Huskies could very well find themselves looking at a big deficit due to outside shots raining in.
Defense:
This may seem broad and pretty obvious, but it is something the Huskies have struggled with, especially against teams with tough backcourts. OSU is in the top 10 for both points per game with 84 and assists with nearly 19 per night. The Beavers thrive on play making through passing rather than creating opportunities for themselves. If the Huskies can press early and hard, while preventing easy passes and wide open looks, their athleticism should help them prevail.
Ball Control:
This is another category that the Huskies have been on a roller coaster with, either dishing out a bunch of assists or turning it over every other possession. OSU averages 10 steals per game and force 20 turnovers per game. That is an extreme amount and is a testament to the brutal defense the Beavers put out on the court. Wroten will need to be very mindful of this and keep his risky passes to a minimum. To avoid turnovers the Huskies will need to run a fast offense with a lot of screens to lose their defender.
Final Thought:
This is a dangerous match-up for the Huskies. Hec-Ed has been kind to the Dawgs, but with a large majority of Husky fans opting to watch the Alamo Bowl, the home game feel likely won't be there. The Dawgs cannot let this get to them and need to bring the type of game that nearly beat Marquette and stayed half competitive with Duke. If the Dawgs can execute and run an efficient offense I see no reason why they cannot win this game. That being said, this will likely be a close and stressful game.
Final Score Prediction:
UW-84 OSU-80
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Seattle Pacific University Game Preview
SPU is coming in riding high after beating Arizona in Arizona 69-68. This makes their third straight win over a D1 opponent dating back to last season. They finished 20-10 last season with a 12-6 conference record. The Falcons, while DII, have shown they can compete with their DI opponents. Without Aziz N'Diaye the Huskies will have a little more on their plate as SPU sports a 6-10 240lb player and 6-11 240lb player.
Last year's exhibition was a blowout and this year's is likely to be the same. Sure, they beat UA, but the Huskies will be a bit more prepared, a bit more experience, and a bit more talented. Let's take a quick look at their roster and what they bring to the game.
SPU Roster:
Jonnie Washburn 6-2 175lb
Ryan Todd 6-2 180lb
David Downs 6-2 185lb
Riley Carel 6-2 190lb
Jeff Dorman 6-2 190lb
Riley Stockton 6-4 195lb
Josh Jordan 6-5 195lb
Alex Weber-Brader 6-5 195lb
Jobi Wall 6-6 215lb
Jake Anderson 6-6 210lb
Scott Morse 6-7 190lb
Kellan Moll 6-8 220lb
Cory Hutsen 6-8 230lb
Modou Niang 6-10 240lb
Andy Poling 6-11 240lb
Andy Poling was a beast for SPU last season. He was third in scoring at 14 points per game and second in rebounding at 7 rebounds an outing. At 6-11 he has great height and with 240lb he can muscle most players around. Poling also manged to average a block a game. Aziz N'Diaye would have been a great match-up for Poling. It'll be up to Darnell Gant and Desmond Simmons to contain the SPU big men. David Downs is their best returning guard with a 7 point per game average. He also had a team high 4 assists per game. Downs is the returning 3 point expert at 41% (35-86).
As a team SPU is fairly uptempo, averaging over 75 points per game and a decently respectable 35 boards per game. These are better numbers than some Pac-12 teams (yes, the competition is worse) and the Dawgs would be wise not to overlook the Falcons.
Predicted Starting Line-Ups:
Seattle Pacific University:
David Downs 6-2 185lb
Jeff Dorman 6-2 190lb
Jobi Wall 6-6 215lb
Jake Anderson 6-6 210lb
Andy Poling 6-11 240lb
Washington:
Abdul Gaddy 6-3 185lb
C.J. Wilcox 6-5 185lb
Terrence Ross 6-6 195lb
Desmond Simmons 6-7 220lb
Darnell Gant 6-8 230lb
Keys to the Game:
Get in the Paint Early
UW needs to establish their post quick and early to open up our perimeter shooters. Get the ball to Simmons on the block or Gant at the high post and let them work. UW can also drive the lanes and pressure their big men into sloppy fouls. Getting Poling and Niang out of the game early will help our cause immensely.
Attitude and Hustle
Playing in an exhibition game against a DII opponent can seem very unimportant in the grand scheme of things and statistically it is. What is important to remember is that these games help sort out real game team chemistry issues and allow coaches and players to find out how they'll react in a game situation. The Dawgs need to give 100% the entire game and not allow their ego get in the way of a quick and easy preseason win.
Get the Freshmen Some Minutes:
With 7 freshmen on the roster we have a lot of young talent that needs to get rid of the first game jitters and discover themselves at the college level. A lot of this talent is in the post, which makes it even more critical that they find confidence in themselves and their teammates to ensure success later in the season.
Game Expectation:
UW should break out quick and early with SPU tagging along for the first 5 or 7 minutes. UW's depth on the perimeter should open the game up. SPU's post will be tougher to handle and I suspect a majority of their offense will run off the block. The key to preventing that is controlling the backcourt with tenacious defense. Look for Terrence Ross to show off some athletic moves, Tony Wroten to wow with a few crazy passes, and our bench players to see their fair share of minutes. The court should mostly be bench players when the final buzzer roars as risking injuries to first stringer in an exhibition game is just plain silly.
Final Score Predicition:
UW-84 SPU-60
Romar always instills a great sense of defensive importance in his program and players. UW has much better athletes who should be able to shut down most of SPU's offensive capabilities. I think the offense will be a bit down after last season and more players will need to learn how to get in a groove, which will prevent a 100 point outing. Not saying it couldn't be done with the shooters our team has, but I'd be amazed if it happened. Easy game, easy win, lots of fun. Let's get the excitement started and get ready for some great basketball.
Last year's exhibition was a blowout and this year's is likely to be the same. Sure, they beat UA, but the Huskies will be a bit more prepared, a bit more experience, and a bit more talented. Let's take a quick look at their roster and what they bring to the game.
SPU Roster:
Jonnie Washburn 6-2 175lb
Ryan Todd 6-2 180lb
David Downs 6-2 185lb
Riley Carel 6-2 190lb
Jeff Dorman 6-2 190lb
Riley Stockton 6-4 195lb
Josh Jordan 6-5 195lb
Alex Weber-Brader 6-5 195lb
Jobi Wall 6-6 215lb
Jake Anderson 6-6 210lb
Scott Morse 6-7 190lb
Kellan Moll 6-8 220lb
Cory Hutsen 6-8 230lb
Modou Niang 6-10 240lb
Andy Poling 6-11 240lb
Andy Poling was a beast for SPU last season. He was third in scoring at 14 points per game and second in rebounding at 7 rebounds an outing. At 6-11 he has great height and with 240lb he can muscle most players around. Poling also manged to average a block a game. Aziz N'Diaye would have been a great match-up for Poling. It'll be up to Darnell Gant and Desmond Simmons to contain the SPU big men. David Downs is their best returning guard with a 7 point per game average. He also had a team high 4 assists per game. Downs is the returning 3 point expert at 41% (35-86).
As a team SPU is fairly uptempo, averaging over 75 points per game and a decently respectable 35 boards per game. These are better numbers than some Pac-12 teams (yes, the competition is worse) and the Dawgs would be wise not to overlook the Falcons.
Predicted Starting Line-Ups:
Seattle Pacific University:
David Downs 6-2 185lb
Jeff Dorman 6-2 190lb
Jobi Wall 6-6 215lb
Jake Anderson 6-6 210lb
Andy Poling 6-11 240lb
Washington:
Abdul Gaddy 6-3 185lb
C.J. Wilcox 6-5 185lb
Terrence Ross 6-6 195lb
Desmond Simmons 6-7 220lb
Darnell Gant 6-8 230lb
Keys to the Game:
Get in the Paint Early
UW needs to establish their post quick and early to open up our perimeter shooters. Get the ball to Simmons on the block or Gant at the high post and let them work. UW can also drive the lanes and pressure their big men into sloppy fouls. Getting Poling and Niang out of the game early will help our cause immensely.
Attitude and Hustle
Playing in an exhibition game against a DII opponent can seem very unimportant in the grand scheme of things and statistically it is. What is important to remember is that these games help sort out real game team chemistry issues and allow coaches and players to find out how they'll react in a game situation. The Dawgs need to give 100% the entire game and not allow their ego get in the way of a quick and easy preseason win.
Get the Freshmen Some Minutes:
With 7 freshmen on the roster we have a lot of young talent that needs to get rid of the first game jitters and discover themselves at the college level. A lot of this talent is in the post, which makes it even more critical that they find confidence in themselves and their teammates to ensure success later in the season.
Game Expectation:
UW should break out quick and early with SPU tagging along for the first 5 or 7 minutes. UW's depth on the perimeter should open the game up. SPU's post will be tougher to handle and I suspect a majority of their offense will run off the block. The key to preventing that is controlling the backcourt with tenacious defense. Look for Terrence Ross to show off some athletic moves, Tony Wroten to wow with a few crazy passes, and our bench players to see their fair share of minutes. The court should mostly be bench players when the final buzzer roars as risking injuries to first stringer in an exhibition game is just plain silly.
Final Score Predicition:
UW-84 SPU-60
Romar always instills a great sense of defensive importance in his program and players. UW has much better athletes who should be able to shut down most of SPU's offensive capabilities. I think the offense will be a bit down after last season and more players will need to learn how to get in a groove, which will prevent a 100 point outing. Not saying it couldn't be done with the shooters our team has, but I'd be amazed if it happened. Easy game, easy win, lots of fun. Let's get the excitement started and get ready for some great basketball.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Alex Schrempf Transferred to UW
Husky Haul has reported that Alex Schrempf, son of Detlef Schrempf a former UW and Sonics great, has transferred to UW and is currently enrolled in classes. The real question is if he will walk on to the UW basketball team. Alex spent two years at UCLA, including a redshirt season. Last year he played in three games for a combined 2 minutes of play. He likely will not see much play time other than garbage play.
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.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Martin Breunig is a Husky
Some late recruiting news came out today. Former Maryland recruit, Martin Breunig, has signed a financial aid agreement with Washington. With the departure of Maryland's coach, Breunig was released from his scholarship agreement with Maryland. The other school in contention for the 6'9'' 235lb big man was USF. Let's be honest, USF has nothing to offer when compared to UW, so losing out on him would have been a big red flag in my mind.
The difference between a financial aid agreement and a scholarship is fairly subtle overall, but important. Essentially UW is tied to Breunig, but Breunig is not tied to UW. Breunig can "decommit" from UW at any point, but UW has to give him a scholarship should he hold true to his word.
He is described as a better midrange shooter than a finisher at the basket, but has the tools and muscle to get it done around the rim. He will likely find his main role at the 4 position, but occasionally pushed to a 5 when Aziz needs a sub or gets in foul trouble.
Speaking of Aziz, sounds like the big man has gotten bigger and added some more muscle to his frame. The scoring is still developing, but Romar will get him there. Never fear.
Now that school is done for the year, I'll have some more time to write and I'll try to get a article up about the incoming recruits for 2011-2012.
The difference between a financial aid agreement and a scholarship is fairly subtle overall, but important. Essentially UW is tied to Breunig, but Breunig is not tied to UW. Breunig can "decommit" from UW at any point, but UW has to give him a scholarship should he hold true to his word.
He is described as a better midrange shooter than a finisher at the basket, but has the tools and muscle to get it done around the rim. He will likely find his main role at the 4 position, but occasionally pushed to a 5 when Aziz needs a sub or gets in foul trouble.
Speaking of Aziz, sounds like the big man has gotten bigger and added some more muscle to his frame. The scoring is still developing, but Romar will get him there. Never fear.
Now that school is done for the year, I'll have some more time to write and I'll try to get a article up about the incoming recruits for 2011-2012.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Final ESPN/Coaches Poll
UConn garnered 30 of 31 1st place votes (Ohio State stole one out of their hands somehow) and finished top of the poll.
Arizona came in at 9.
UW finished at 23 on the year.
UCLA picked up a few votes as well, but didn't make the top 25.
Arizona came in at 9.
UW finished at 23 on the year.
UCLA picked up a few votes as well, but didn't make the top 25.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
University of Oregon Preview
On the heels of bad news concerning Abdul Gaddy, the Ducks roll into town for the Pac-10 home opener. Without one of our starting 5, Romar will need to find a suitable replacement and some changed up tactics with the absence of arguably our best point guard.
The Ducks are 7-7 on the year, 0-2 in conference, and are coming in with 4 straight losses including a 63-48 loss to UVA who the Huskies beat 106-63 in Maui and getting swept at home by the Arizona schools. I don't expect a 106-48 victory by transitive property, but the Huskies should roll easily if they go out and play their game with the same toughness they showed in L.A.
The Huskies will now be running a 9 man rotation the duration of the season. The Ducks also play an 8 to 9 man rotation.
Only two players for the Ducks are averaging double digit points, but they have five players between 6.8 and 8.3 points per game. Joevan Catron leads the team with 16.4 points per game and is second on the team in rebounding at 6.3 boards per game, right behind E.J. Singler, younger brother to Kyle Singler of Duke, who picks up 6.4 rebounds per game and is second in scoring at 12.1 points per game.
Malcolm Armstead leads the team with 3.7 assists per game, but also has 3.4 turnovers per game. The Ducks are averaging 13.3 assists and 12.7 turnovers per game. They also average 9 steals per game, led by Armstead at 2.2 per game.
The Ducks are a team low on size, with their tallest contributing players standing at 6-8. They do have 6-10 Martin Seiferth who has played in 8 of the Ducks 14 games this season. Both E.J. Singler and Catron stand at 6-6. They are also the tallest players in the Ducks starting line up. Jonathan Loyd is the smallest at 5-8.
The Ducks are a fairly experienced team n that they have 2 seniors and 7 juniors, but they also only have 8 scholarship players on their roster currently. Several players were lost to graduations, early exits, and transfers. A lot of the transfers were due to the firing of long time coach, Ernie Kent, and the long process of hiring a new coach and athletic director.
The Ducks are a poor shooting team with an effective field goal percentage of 44.8%, 289th in the nation. The Huskies are shooting almost a full 11% better at 55.3%, 15th in the nation. The Ducks outside shooting is terrible at 29.2% and they also allow their opponents to shoot an average of 38.3%.
Singler is the best player for the Ducks, in my opinion. Even if he isn't leading the team in scoring he plays like Justin Holiday and does all the little things. He has the most rebounds on the season, he has three times the number of blocks as anyone else on the team, and he has also only recorded 18 turnovers on the season.
Keys to the Game
Rebounding
After such strong performances against two very tough frontcourts, expectations are high for the Huskies in terms of their game play on the glass. The Huskies are up to 23rd in the nation in rebounds per game at 40.5 boards per game. Aziz and MBA have really shown their strength on the boards since being installed in the starting line up together. Against such a small, Oregon line up they should have no trouble grabbing 20+ boards between them. Add in Justin Holiday who could get 10 as well and you have yourself an old fashion rebound beat down in the making. The key will be for MBA and Aziz, especially Aziz, to avoid foul trouble. At 7-0, Aziz has a huge advantage on the glass and could have a monstrous game should he be able to stay on the court for 20-25 minutes.
Outside Shooting
Oregon simply does not have the talent or depth to guard the perimeter as well as the post simultaneously. If MBA and/or Aziz can get going strong, the Ducks could drop back from their normal man to man pressure defense and resort to a zone in an attempt to cut back on our post positions. This is great for us as we have a plethora of talented outside shooters. C.J. Wilcox is still question with a Staph infection, but we have Isaiah Thomas, Justin Holiday, Darnell Gant, Venoy Overton, Terrence Ross, and Scott Suggs who have all shown to be talented outside shots. If the Ducks fall back inside we need to take advantage and shoot the lights out.
Pressure Defense
The Ducks are turnover prone, especially their point guard, Malcolm Armstead. With a talented backcourt with a ton of speed the Huskies can take advantage of the Ducks and create a ton of transition plays. The Ducks like to run full court pressure after a made basket, but do not possess the speed of our guards and this means the Huskies have a major change to get some big time dunks as well as many transition points, something we live off of. So on both offense and defense the success of the pressure will go a long ways towards the overall success of our game.
Fouls
The Huskies have picked up a lot of fouls in their last two games, especially down low. They were able to cope by using a beautiful zone defense I didn't know a Romar coached team could play. Our bigs need to do more to avoid fouls, even if it means giving up an occasional board or basket. At home this is usually not a big deal as foul calls tend to go in favor of the home team. On the road it could kill us. So far we have been OK despite Aziz fouling out both games in L.A. If the Huskies can avoid sending the Ducks to the free throw line too often we can keep the game from being competitive.
Projected Starting Lineups
Oregon
Jonathan Loyd 5-8 160lb G
Jay-R Stowbridge 5-11 180lb G
Malcolm Armstead 6-0 195lb G
E.J. Singler 6-6 210lb F
Joevan Catron 6-6 245lb F
Washington
Isaiah Thomas 5-9 185lb SG/PG
Justin Holiday 6-6 185lb F
Matthew Bryan-Amaning 6-9 240lb F
Aziz N'Diaye 7-0 260lb C
...and my prediction for the shooting guard/2 spot position is...
Terrence Ross 6-6 190lb F
Why do I think it will be Ross? Ross stepped up in a way Suggs and Wilcox have not done in tough, competitive games. Ross has also shown the mentality not to shy away from shooting even when he has missed a few. He is a play maker. He is a ball handler. He is a scorer. He brings a lot to the table and has been itching for another big game after his breakout against USC.
Venoy is another solid option, but I think we need to keep him as our go to 6th man to give IT a break at times. He could get the start, it would be the easiest replacement and most obvious, but Overton is a solid off the bench player and brings too much energy and defensive tenacity for opposing guards to handle especially when tired. I also think that starting Ross gives us a fall back option of Venoy if the freshman can't handle the starting game. Romar could also turn to Suggs and/or C.J. if he is healthy, should Ross not be up to par.
Final Thoughts
The Huskies should come out inspired and on fire in honor of their "fallen" teammate, Abdul Gaddy. The Ducks simply do not have the size or talent to compete with the Dawgs. With a total height advantage of nearly 2 feet the Huskies should be able to rebound with ease, shoot over their opponents, drive the lane, and pretty much do whatever they want to the Ducks. The fact the Ducks were held to 48 points and lost by 15 against the same Virginia team the Huskies beat by 43 points is very telling and bodes well for us. As long as well play our game and don't shoot ourselves in the foot this should be a good warm up to a hot Oregon State team. With our much bigger post players and our much better shooting backcourt the Dawgs should dominate.
Final Score Prediction
UW-98 UO-64
Links
http://freepdfhosting.com/471b830daa.pdf
http://www.montlakemadness.com/game-preview-oregon/
http://seattlesportsnet.com/2009/10/23/30-reasons-to-hate-the-university-of-oregon/
The Ducks are 7-7 on the year, 0-2 in conference, and are coming in with 4 straight losses including a 63-48 loss to UVA who the Huskies beat 106-63 in Maui and getting swept at home by the Arizona schools. I don't expect a 106-48 victory by transitive property, but the Huskies should roll easily if they go out and play their game with the same toughness they showed in L.A.
The Huskies will now be running a 9 man rotation the duration of the season. The Ducks also play an 8 to 9 man rotation.
Only two players for the Ducks are averaging double digit points, but they have five players between 6.8 and 8.3 points per game. Joevan Catron leads the team with 16.4 points per game and is second on the team in rebounding at 6.3 boards per game, right behind E.J. Singler, younger brother to Kyle Singler of Duke, who picks up 6.4 rebounds per game and is second in scoring at 12.1 points per game.
Malcolm Armstead leads the team with 3.7 assists per game, but also has 3.4 turnovers per game. The Ducks are averaging 13.3 assists and 12.7 turnovers per game. They also average 9 steals per game, led by Armstead at 2.2 per game.
The Ducks are a team low on size, with their tallest contributing players standing at 6-8. They do have 6-10 Martin Seiferth who has played in 8 of the Ducks 14 games this season. Both E.J. Singler and Catron stand at 6-6. They are also the tallest players in the Ducks starting line up. Jonathan Loyd is the smallest at 5-8.
The Ducks are a fairly experienced team n that they have 2 seniors and 7 juniors, but they also only have 8 scholarship players on their roster currently. Several players were lost to graduations, early exits, and transfers. A lot of the transfers were due to the firing of long time coach, Ernie Kent, and the long process of hiring a new coach and athletic director.
The Ducks are a poor shooting team with an effective field goal percentage of 44.8%, 289th in the nation. The Huskies are shooting almost a full 11% better at 55.3%, 15th in the nation. The Ducks outside shooting is terrible at 29.2% and they also allow their opponents to shoot an average of 38.3%.
Singler is the best player for the Ducks, in my opinion. Even if he isn't leading the team in scoring he plays like Justin Holiday and does all the little things. He has the most rebounds on the season, he has three times the number of blocks as anyone else on the team, and he has also only recorded 18 turnovers on the season.
Keys to the Game
Rebounding
After such strong performances against two very tough frontcourts, expectations are high for the Huskies in terms of their game play on the glass. The Huskies are up to 23rd in the nation in rebounds per game at 40.5 boards per game. Aziz and MBA have really shown their strength on the boards since being installed in the starting line up together. Against such a small, Oregon line up they should have no trouble grabbing 20+ boards between them. Add in Justin Holiday who could get 10 as well and you have yourself an old fashion rebound beat down in the making. The key will be for MBA and Aziz, especially Aziz, to avoid foul trouble. At 7-0, Aziz has a huge advantage on the glass and could have a monstrous game should he be able to stay on the court for 20-25 minutes.
Outside Shooting
Oregon simply does not have the talent or depth to guard the perimeter as well as the post simultaneously. If MBA and/or Aziz can get going strong, the Ducks could drop back from their normal man to man pressure defense and resort to a zone in an attempt to cut back on our post positions. This is great for us as we have a plethora of talented outside shooters. C.J. Wilcox is still question with a Staph infection, but we have Isaiah Thomas, Justin Holiday, Darnell Gant, Venoy Overton, Terrence Ross, and Scott Suggs who have all shown to be talented outside shots. If the Ducks fall back inside we need to take advantage and shoot the lights out.
Pressure Defense
The Ducks are turnover prone, especially their point guard, Malcolm Armstead. With a talented backcourt with a ton of speed the Huskies can take advantage of the Ducks and create a ton of transition plays. The Ducks like to run full court pressure after a made basket, but do not possess the speed of our guards and this means the Huskies have a major change to get some big time dunks as well as many transition points, something we live off of. So on both offense and defense the success of the pressure will go a long ways towards the overall success of our game.
Fouls
The Huskies have picked up a lot of fouls in their last two games, especially down low. They were able to cope by using a beautiful zone defense I didn't know a Romar coached team could play. Our bigs need to do more to avoid fouls, even if it means giving up an occasional board or basket. At home this is usually not a big deal as foul calls tend to go in favor of the home team. On the road it could kill us. So far we have been OK despite Aziz fouling out both games in L.A. If the Huskies can avoid sending the Ducks to the free throw line too often we can keep the game from being competitive.
Projected Starting Lineups
Oregon
Jonathan Loyd 5-8 160lb G
Jay-R Stowbridge 5-11 180lb G
Malcolm Armstead 6-0 195lb G
E.J. Singler 6-6 210lb F
Joevan Catron 6-6 245lb F
Washington
Isaiah Thomas 5-9 185lb SG/PG
Justin Holiday 6-6 185lb F
Matthew Bryan-Amaning 6-9 240lb F
Aziz N'Diaye 7-0 260lb C
...and my prediction for the shooting guard/2 spot position is...
Terrence Ross 6-6 190lb F
Why do I think it will be Ross? Ross stepped up in a way Suggs and Wilcox have not done in tough, competitive games. Ross has also shown the mentality not to shy away from shooting even when he has missed a few. He is a play maker. He is a ball handler. He is a scorer. He brings a lot to the table and has been itching for another big game after his breakout against USC.
Venoy is another solid option, but I think we need to keep him as our go to 6th man to give IT a break at times. He could get the start, it would be the easiest replacement and most obvious, but Overton is a solid off the bench player and brings too much energy and defensive tenacity for opposing guards to handle especially when tired. I also think that starting Ross gives us a fall back option of Venoy if the freshman can't handle the starting game. Romar could also turn to Suggs and/or C.J. if he is healthy, should Ross not be up to par.
Final Thoughts
The Huskies should come out inspired and on fire in honor of their "fallen" teammate, Abdul Gaddy. The Ducks simply do not have the size or talent to compete with the Dawgs. With a total height advantage of nearly 2 feet the Huskies should be able to rebound with ease, shoot over their opponents, drive the lane, and pretty much do whatever they want to the Ducks. The fact the Ducks were held to 48 points and lost by 15 against the same Virginia team the Huskies beat by 43 points is very telling and bodes well for us. As long as well play our game and don't shoot ourselves in the foot this should be a good warm up to a hot Oregon State team. With our much bigger post players and our much better shooting backcourt the Dawgs should dominate.
Final Score Prediction
UW-98 UO-64
Links
http://freepdfhosting.com/471b830daa.pdf
http://www.montlakemadness.com/game-preview-oregon/
http://seattlesportsnet.com/2009/10/23/30-reasons-to-hate-the-university-of-oregon/
Friday, November 5, 2010
St. Martin Preview
This saturday is the unofficial home opener against division 2 opponent, St. Martins. While this game does not count towards our regular season record, it is important not to pull a Syracuse and flub all over the place. it would not be good for us, for our moral, for our confidence, and definitely not good for the media view of the Huskies and the Pac-10 as a whole.
That being said... we will not lose this game. We are simply much much much much much much better and much much much much much bigger. I fully expect all non redshirt players to play in what I am expecting to be a 30+ point blow out. Think of this game like the Seattle U game last year, expect more dunks, and less skill for them. Seattle U at least had Charles Garcia, who by the way is a dick for nearly killing Quincy for absolutely no reason.
For starters, their center and returning high scorer is Blake Poole, a 6-5 265 lb blob. I did not mistype, a 6-5 CENTER!!! I mean come on... at least you your biggest player out there. They do have 6-11 Matt Dodson, a Sophomore out of Eugene, Oregon. You know what... I take that back, no one from Eugene should be allowed to play on any court any where. That must be the reason why Jabba the Hut is out there on the court. Poole averaged 33 minutes a game last year along with 21 points an outing. Normally an impressive feat, but I'm going to assume he just uses his weight to toss around the poor little D2 players unfortunate enough to have to block his fat ass. Poole won't have that nice advantage tomorrow when he finds him against the Gods, aka Matthew Bryan-Amaning and 7-0 hell raiser Aziz N'Diaye. Now Aziz is also 265 lbs, but he is pure muscle, ferocity, and block machine. Poole will have his work cut out trying to score against a man 7 inches taller than him, not to mention the wing span difference.
This will be a good time to experiment with out players mess out on the court outside of internal scrimmages. There isn't going to be much resistance so a real test of their skills will have to wait until the Maui tournament. What I would like to see from the Dawgs tomorrow is ball control and self control on the defensive edge, avoiding petty fouls. Minimal turnovers should occur, I don't think St. Martins has much to offer in terms of defensive stopping power. They average nearly 7 steals and nearly 4 blocks a game, but I reiterate, this is against D2 opponents, of similar size and skill, nothing like D1 ball and definitely nothing like a top 15 team such as the Huskies. Yes, I know we are ranked 17th and 18th depending on the poll, but I firmly believe we will break into the top 15 if not top 10 during the year if we play to our potential through out.
Aside from the players on the court, St. Martin players will have to deal with something there are not familiar with, a large, loud, rambunctious crowd of nearly 10,000 people based on a core of 700 students who will not shut up through out. The average home game attendance for St. Martins is 446 people. 446. Four Hundred. Forty. Six. Just over half the size of the Dawg Pack. Oh, and not to mention all the inside info the Dirt has provided us with. Check it out at http://seattlesportsnet.com/2010/11/05/dawg-pack-dirt-saint-martins-university/#more-6433 if you haven't already. Highlights include Kyle Karnofski whose mom wrote on his Facebook wall that he cannot dunk, Brady Bomber who got braces earlier this week and is struggling in accounting class, and Garrett Stoney who is in "internet jail" for illegal movie downloading.
On to the starting line up predictions
SMU
Galen Squires 6-2 180 lbs Shooting Guard, likes to shot the three ball and is fairly good at it. Let's see how he handles his shot under pressure.
Brady Bomber 5-10 175 lbs Point Guard, 4 assists 5.4 points per game.
Roger O'Neil 6-5 195 lbs Forward, claims SMU will shock the world this saturday
Jeremy Green 6-7 225 lbs Forward, not much interesting her, seconding leading scorer
Blake Poole 6-5 265 lbs "Center", he's from Eugene as I said before, that's enough to dislike him.
UW
Abdul Gaddy 6-3 195 lbs Point Guard
Isaiah Thomas 5-9 190 lbs Shooting Guard
Justin Holiday 6-6 185 lbs Forward
Darnell Gant 6-8 225 lbs Forward
Mathew Bryan-Amaning 6-9 240 lbs Forward
Match Ups
Gaddy-Squires
Thomas-Bomber
Holiday-Roger O'Neil
Gant-Green
MBA-Poole
Keys to complete domination
Gaddy needs to shut down Squires and keep him form feeling any kind of positiveness in his life while facing us.
Gant needs to contain Jeremy Green until he gets so frustrated and scared he curls up into the fetal position and cries.
MBA needs to viciously tea bag Poole off a fast break and remind him that while he is a successful D2 player he is nothing but a tiny nancy boy unfortunate to find himself in the way of a dunk train whose destination is Facial Town.
What we will see
Our starters and major minute grabbers will play early and grab the lead fast and easily. Expect them to play 25 minutes or so, before relinquishing the game to our bench, even Sherrer and Hosley should get 5 or more minutes a piece. Expect a lot of show case, highlight reel dunks, some nice three point shots, and vicious defensive efforts. Venoy will be out resting an injured hamstring. He is trying to heal up before the official opener against McNeese State next week.
So all in all Husky fans, expect a fun game that'll pump you up for the regular season and make you forget about the Husky Football escapades. Get there early, get loud, and get in SMU's head. Time to get those lungs and legs back in shape 'cause its time for Husky Basketball!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That being said... we will not lose this game. We are simply much much much much much much better and much much much much much bigger. I fully expect all non redshirt players to play in what I am expecting to be a 30+ point blow out. Think of this game like the Seattle U game last year, expect more dunks, and less skill for them. Seattle U at least had Charles Garcia, who by the way is a dick for nearly killing Quincy for absolutely no reason.
For starters, their center and returning high scorer is Blake Poole, a 6-5 265 lb blob. I did not mistype, a 6-5 CENTER!!! I mean come on... at least you your biggest player out there. They do have 6-11 Matt Dodson, a Sophomore out of Eugene, Oregon. You know what... I take that back, no one from Eugene should be allowed to play on any court any where. That must be the reason why Jabba the Hut is out there on the court. Poole averaged 33 minutes a game last year along with 21 points an outing. Normally an impressive feat, but I'm going to assume he just uses his weight to toss around the poor little D2 players unfortunate enough to have to block his fat ass. Poole won't have that nice advantage tomorrow when he finds him against the Gods, aka Matthew Bryan-Amaning and 7-0 hell raiser Aziz N'Diaye. Now Aziz is also 265 lbs, but he is pure muscle, ferocity, and block machine. Poole will have his work cut out trying to score against a man 7 inches taller than him, not to mention the wing span difference.
This will be a good time to experiment with out players mess out on the court outside of internal scrimmages. There isn't going to be much resistance so a real test of their skills will have to wait until the Maui tournament. What I would like to see from the Dawgs tomorrow is ball control and self control on the defensive edge, avoiding petty fouls. Minimal turnovers should occur, I don't think St. Martins has much to offer in terms of defensive stopping power. They average nearly 7 steals and nearly 4 blocks a game, but I reiterate, this is against D2 opponents, of similar size and skill, nothing like D1 ball and definitely nothing like a top 15 team such as the Huskies. Yes, I know we are ranked 17th and 18th depending on the poll, but I firmly believe we will break into the top 15 if not top 10 during the year if we play to our potential through out.
Aside from the players on the court, St. Martin players will have to deal with something there are not familiar with, a large, loud, rambunctious crowd of nearly 10,000 people based on a core of 700 students who will not shut up through out. The average home game attendance for St. Martins is 446 people. 446. Four Hundred. Forty. Six. Just over half the size of the Dawg Pack. Oh, and not to mention all the inside info the Dirt has provided us with. Check it out at http://seattlesportsnet.com/2010/11/05/dawg-pack-dirt-saint-martins-university/#more-6433 if you haven't already. Highlights include Kyle Karnofski whose mom wrote on his Facebook wall that he cannot dunk, Brady Bomber who got braces earlier this week and is struggling in accounting class, and Garrett Stoney who is in "internet jail" for illegal movie downloading.
On to the starting line up predictions
SMU
Galen Squires 6-2 180 lbs Shooting Guard, likes to shot the three ball and is fairly good at it. Let's see how he handles his shot under pressure.
Brady Bomber 5-10 175 lbs Point Guard, 4 assists 5.4 points per game.
Roger O'Neil 6-5 195 lbs Forward, claims SMU will shock the world this saturday
Jeremy Green 6-7 225 lbs Forward, not much interesting her, seconding leading scorer
Blake Poole 6-5 265 lbs "Center", he's from Eugene as I said before, that's enough to dislike him.
UW
Abdul Gaddy 6-3 195 lbs Point Guard
Isaiah Thomas 5-9 190 lbs Shooting Guard
Justin Holiday 6-6 185 lbs Forward
Darnell Gant 6-8 225 lbs Forward
Mathew Bryan-Amaning 6-9 240 lbs Forward
Match Ups
Gaddy-Squires
Thomas-Bomber
Holiday-Roger O'Neil
Gant-Green
MBA-Poole
Keys to complete domination
Gaddy needs to shut down Squires and keep him form feeling any kind of positiveness in his life while facing us.
Gant needs to contain Jeremy Green until he gets so frustrated and scared he curls up into the fetal position and cries.
MBA needs to viciously tea bag Poole off a fast break and remind him that while he is a successful D2 player he is nothing but a tiny nancy boy unfortunate to find himself in the way of a dunk train whose destination is Facial Town.
What we will see
Our starters and major minute grabbers will play early and grab the lead fast and easily. Expect them to play 25 minutes or so, before relinquishing the game to our bench, even Sherrer and Hosley should get 5 or more minutes a piece. Expect a lot of show case, highlight reel dunks, some nice three point shots, and vicious defensive efforts. Venoy will be out resting an injured hamstring. He is trying to heal up before the official opener against McNeese State next week.
So all in all Husky fans, expect a fun game that'll pump you up for the regular season and make you forget about the Husky Football escapades. Get there early, get loud, and get in SMU's head. Time to get those lungs and legs back in shape 'cause its time for Husky Basketball!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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