Beat VCU

[spiderman]

it was normal man to man. Grant didn't come out to double. he hedged the screen when his man set it. stays with that guy until the normal man gets through, then he has to recover.
VCU made some very contested 3's. they were open sometimes and missed some of those.

 

[ur2K]

Did they adjust and set the screens higher up in the 2nd half? The space that GG had to recover to after the hedge was way too far for him to be asked to do, that led to those easy scores by MSS.

 

[wr70beh]

It’s notable how absent VCU is on the board post-victory. That suggests they don’t view a win over UR to be much of a thing any longer.

Most teams don't. Not even Radford.

 

[Eight Legger]

Did they adjust and set the screens higher up in the 2nd half? The space that GG had to recover to after the hedge was way too far for him to be asked to do, that led to those easy scores by MSS.

Yeah, I mean whatever it was, it sure was terribly designed and/or executed by us. There was no reason for him to be way the hell up there unless he had backside help, which he did not. Either play straight man or don't. The hybrid was a disaster.

 

[spiderman]

Either play straight man or don't. The hybrid was a disaster.

I don't know what this means. this is straight man. how do you want to handle an on-ball screen by the 5? not hedge and just let the guard come off the screen downhill if you fight over or pull from 3 if you go under?

we gave up a lot of points, but I don't think this was a huge part of the problem. they got a few dunks. one for sure right off the hedge recovery. but the 10-21 from 3 seemed the bigger problem.

 

[Spider2020]

I don't know what this means. this is straight man. how do you want to handle an on-ball screen by the 5? not hedge and just let the guard come off the screen downhill if you fight over or pull from 3 if you go under?

we gave up a lot of points, but I don't think this was a huge part of the problem. they got a few dunks. one for sure right off the hedge recovery. but the 10-21 from 3 seemed the bigger problem.

I agree with this. Seemed to me like we were hedging harder (especially on Hyland) in the second half to prevent those uncontested threes off of ball screens, but the recovery wasn’t quick enough and allowed VCU to take advantage

 

[kneepadmckinney]

On one particular play was a hedge by Grant but MSS slipped the screen and had an open lane and dunk. That's not Mooney, Grant, or Jacob -- it's Nathan Cayo, who was busy pointing out a screen on teh opposite side and not aware of what was going on with the ball. He's supposed to slide over and prevent the dive to the basket, and he didn't do it until MSS was thunder-slamming. It wasn't Mooney's coaching, because in the first half, we defended the slip correctly. It wasn't Grant, because he was hedging. it was Cayo not doing his job.

I know it's kind of like Pavlovian reaction on here to say, "we lost, ergo it's Mooney's fault," but there was plenty of blame to pass around. This is just one example.

 

[spider fan]

It’s notable how absent VCU is on the board post-victory. That suggests they don’t view a win over UR to be much of a thing any longer.

Why would they? - it is routine......................

 

[SpiderDaMan]

If Bones shoots 83% from deep the rest of the year, he will be the best basketball player of all time.

Are you guys serious thinking I meant he'd go 83% for the year?? Or are you just looking for something to argue about?

 

[SpiderDaMan]

Someone explain to me what defense we were playing last night. It was not anything I've seen this year, thankfully, because it was a complete disaster. With the exceptions of the threes Skeleton made with guys in his face, we were abandoning the shooter outside the arc to switch, leaving guys wide open to drain threes. Grant tried to come out a few times to double someone, and every time he did, it led to a wide-open slam for MSS. (Shocker.)

Bones didn't have a man in his face even once after he head faked em, stepped back and drilled them. Seems the defender who appears to be close all of a sudden isn't. He was Skeletor last night. Like a ghost. I'm not trying to be a d..k really. He's just that good and it's fun to watch.

 

[Spiders4ever]

Bones didn't have a man in his face even once after he head faked em, stepped back and drilled them. Seems the defender who appears to be close all of a sudden isn't. He was Skeletor last night. Like a ghost. I'm not trying to be a d..k really. He's just that good and it's fun to watch.

I mean, he could shoot 83% the rest of the year if he played every game against our defense.

 

[Eight Legger]

Are you guys serious thinking I meant he'd go 83% for the year?? Or are you just looking for something to argue about?

Well you said it wasn’t miraculous that he made all those threes in a row. I was simply saying he’s not going to shoot 83% on 6 or more threes often if ever. There’s a huge difference between shooting 40% out there and 83%. We have three guys who shoot 40% out there too. We have no one who shoots 83%. It made a huge difference in the outcome of the game.

 

[SpiderRick]

Who the hell is Bones? I thought he was the doctor on Star Trek.

Can't believe some of you validate a VCU kid by using a cute little Star Trek nickname.

 

[SpiderRick]

I just hope we competed.

We didn't

 

[SpiderRick]

Grant played awesome tonight. Looking for an opinion from you guys. Who would you rather have, TJ Cline or Golden?

That's a no brainer. Cline could out pass, out run, out jump, out rebound, out think, and out shoot Golden every day of the week. Plus he never whined to the refs. Also throw in the fact that Cline was a leader.

But don't blame Golden, Cline had a much better coach...

 

[MrTbone]

That's a no brainer. Cline could out pass, out run, out jump, out rebound, out think, and out shoot Golden every day of the week. Plus he never whined to the refs. Also throw in the fact that Cline was a leader.

But don't blame Golden, Cline had a much better coach...

I think you’re being a bit rough on Grant. He’s a very good player with notable areas for improvement.

I will say he needs to can the protestations to the refs. It’s just a bad look.

 

[SpiderK]

Grant is very good, TJ was better. Nothing wrong with that.

 

[gospidersgo]

We also have TJ's finished career to look back on while Grant still has a year plus so maybe next April will be a better time to have this discussion. I'm pretty sure I know what the correct answer will be but I've been fooled before.

 

[spiderman]

That's a no brainer. Cline could out pass, out run, out jump, out rebound, out think, and out shoot Golden every day of the week. Plus he never whined to the refs. Also throw in the fact that Cline was a leader.

But don't blame Golden, Cline had a much better coach...

I don't get the Grant bashing here. they're similar players. TJ's is probably my favorite of all time. but you're "misremembering" if you think TJ was some great leaper or rebounder. yeah, his rebounding improved senior year after transforming his body. not great before that. and he blocked a total of 22 shots his entire college career so clearly not a leaping rim protector.
but a heck of a player ... despite "preferring" to finesse the ball over dunking.

 

[SpiderRick]

Bashing Grant? I don't think so, he's one of the best centers we've ever had. I personally just think that Cline was better in those categories. Didn't list shot blocking but Golden definitely has the edge there. Maybe it's a fair question after Golden has finished his career.

I was merely answering the question as to who I thought was better. Don't get so testy...

 

[SpiderDaMan]

Well you said it wasn’t miraculous that he made all those threes in a row. I was simply saying he’s not going to shoot 83% on 6 or more threes often if ever. There’s a huge difference between shooting 40% out there and 83%. We have three guys who shoot 40% out there too. We have no one who shoots 83%. It made a huge difference in the outcome of the game.

No one shoots 83% and I surely didn't intend to say that. 45% will do. And sometimes a guy shooting 45% will have an 80% game here and there.

 

[URWilk110]

TJ was also the clear leader of the team. He played with fire and emotion. Grant's only emotion is yelling and crying to the refs.

 

[Ferrum Spider]

A little revisionist history here. Teej didn’t really begin to take off until 2nd half of the a10 season junior year as a leader and “the guy”. GG is just entering that part. He also was not the problem in the last game. Both players are really good, but have different games.

 

[ur2K]

They are both very good, pretty similar players. TJ was one of the best passing bigs I've ever seen play and was conference player of the year his senior year. TJ never played in the NCAAs. Grant still has the rest of this year and next. Still a lot of time to go in his career.

 

[spiderman]

Don't get so testy...

I don't think I was testy. typed calmly with no exclamation points or caps or anything.

 

[nathanw19]

Enjoy them both. They are both liabilities defensively, though TJ improved his senior year. Hoping Grant gets the same bump defensively.