Can we average 90 pts/game?
- Thread starter spider23
- Start date
I fear our defense with many new faces and pieces will not be very good this year. So we could speed up the game and try to outscore, but I just don't think we have the weapons (yet) on offense or depth to do this against good teams. Other option is slow the game down - play in the 60's. This puts more pressure on our defense, but I believe when you slow the game down on offense and run the shot clock down, forcing the other team to play defense for 20 seconds+ each possession - this makes them inpatient and frustrated on offense. So I think holding the ball and playing slow - could help our defense. it limits possessions and keeps the game close, and if we knock down shots - then we are in good shape. Lot of if's.
I agree with your point on the immediate bench dropoff being a huge issue.
But I think that guys 9+ are very important and have been a big problem too. Ideally, guy #10 who gets 2 min/game this year will become guy #8 who gets 8 min/game next year, and so on. I think this is one thing we seemed to do well several years ago (see guys like Robbins or even Harper who played more and more each year until they had a huge role senior season).
Now we seem to be stuck in this pattern of having a handful of really good players that start (and also get better each year) but little or no bench depth that grows up over 4 years.
In my opinion Mooney struggles greatly with this. I understand playing your best players and doing whatever it takes to win games. It's hard to take out TJ and insert Paul when you're playing an important conference game in February. But he should do a better job of getting those deeper bench guys some minutes against Coppin St. in November so when they are needed in February you know what to expect from them and it's not their first game action in months.
Also I think the current transfer culture has definitely made building bench depth more difficult for all teams because nearly every team is replacing 2 or 3 players each season in addition to graduation.
SMan, I don't think we're really on different sides here. I'm all for having best 8 men playing. My posting reflects more on the thread topic and just not thinking running-and-gunning is the way for success especially if Mooney only has 8 players who are D1 caliber to start the season.
Yes, hopefully 1 or 2 of the 9-13 players become a quality player like Harper. I'm in MrT's boat in justing wanting to find quality in 6-8 guys, if presently #10 or 12 moves into one of those spots, better for the team.
Yes, hopefully 1 or 2 of the 9-13 players become a quality player like Harper. I'm in MrT's boat in justing wanting to find quality in 6-8 guys, if presently #10 or 12 moves into one of those spots, better for the team.
Trap, I am very curious to see how this defense performs as well. I was really surprised to see how poorly it performed at the start of last season. I think a lot of pressure on Woj/Sherod to guard athletic 2's and 3's in our league, especially to keep those guys from getting to the basket and possibly putting Grant/Cayo in foul trouble. Looking at Longwood's roster they seem to have pretty good size. Should be a telling game. Still wish we would have scrimmaged a good D2 or D3 team instead of HSC.
we were having less attrition than most teams for a while, but it's really picked up the last few years. some guys leaving really hurt. others appear to be recruiting mistakes, but maybe some would have developed into useful pieces.
the instability of losing guys and replacing them with late signings has kept us "young" for too long. having one returning senior and one returning junior this year isn't a recipe for success.
as for defense ... it will likely be an issue again I'm afraid. I'm not for slowing the game down. leads to too many forced shots late in the clock. if we get an open look we should take it. but to be a good defense we have to somehow force our opponents to shoot a lower percentage than it's been lately, including from 3.
I doubt we have the athleticism to be an elite defense. we'll have to shoot a high percentage ourselves.
I’m not sure our defense is meaningfully better with good athletes. Case in point, we had two really good athletes and a fairly athletic big man on last year’s squad and had terrible defense. Conversely, we had some very good defenses in the past with guys that many would not consider terribly athletic (geriot, Robbins, even Butler?).
I think the key to that matchup zone defense is so much about being smart with switches and limiting isolation that athleticism might be a secondary or tertiary factor.
I think we will struggle due more to inexperience than athleticism. At least experience will improve even when athleticism may not.
But he should do a better job of getting those deeper bench guys some minutes against Coppin St. in November so when they are needed in February you know what to expect from them and it's not their first game action in months..[/QUOTE]
these are perfect words. ok everyone on staff write this down twenty times like in the old school times so to remember. but i think we will
know by Grace times in first ten games how the lesson has been learned.
these are perfect words. ok everyone on staff write this down twenty times like in the old school times so to remember. but i think we will
know by Grace times in first ten games how the lesson has been learned.
T, we lacked length at positions 1-4 last year. really tough to be a good defensive team that way. if you're small at 1-4, then you better have a dominant rim protector behind them. Grant's great and he's a lot of things, but not a rim protector.
we get substantially longer at the 2 and 4 spots this year. that will help defensively.
we get substantially longer at the 2 and 4 spots this year. that will help defensively.
Agreed, I’m more optimistic about our prospects based on length/height than athleticism. That was my only point. We may actually perform better with less athletic guys. Making assumptions of course about dudes none of us hAve really seen play.
Wow, these new guys can really shoot. So glad they replaced those bums Buck and Fore. Only 52 points away from 85 against a quality opponent....
This is a bigger s#%t show than I could have expected. I have seen enough of Mooney. I was trying to give him a chance. #FMM. NOW. Stop effing around Hardt. I don't care if we have to scrap the practice facility and give all PQ's money back. This guy CANNOT coach, which includes motivating, recruiting and X and O's.
Opening night jitters against Longwood? If so then that’s on the coach.
I think everyone on this board agrees game 1 was shaking the rust off. I am going to throw that result out.
Spiders averaging 88 pts/game. Should have put 110 up against that defense but it was good to see contributions all around.
The defense from both teams was borderline atrocious, but yes my prediction is close. Nice job 23.
Spiders averaging 88 pts/game. Should have put 110 up against that defense but it was good to see contributions all around.
The defense from both teams was borderline atrocious, but yes my prediction is close. Nice job 23.
Just wondering if scoring 52 and 54 points in back to back games has helped convince those of you who thought the subject of this thread was possible that it was an absurd question. We are currently averaging 70.5 points per game. But we are better off without Buck and Fore.....
We are going to sprinkle in some 115 point games to get this on track.
I was trying to believe a certain poster that said we would be better without Fore and Buck, but now I don't.
Please coach, get Gilyard a break.
I was trying to believe a certain poster that said we would be better without Fore and Buck, but now I don't.
Please coach, get Gilyard a break.
Score 90 points a game in Mooney's fantasy world. But still find a way to give up the lead. And allow the opposing team to win at the end. Moral victories and providing some hope. However, the end result is the loss. Don't worry next year will be brighter. A few guys transfer or get hurt. Don't understand the Princeton offense. Oh well hit a ton of threes. I love building new brick houses.
23, maybe you were a year early with this thread. Right now we are averaging 100 points per game.
