Just to be a Monday morning quarterback, I think Mooney should have subbed Josh Jones for Kendall. Kendall clearly needed a rest. We are relying on him too much.
Monday Morning Quarterbacking
- Thread starter Stonewall D
- Start date
To be fair, Josh does some things well but far too often he is very predictable on offense, because he never looks to shoot unless he's wide open. He's so intent on running the offense that it's obvious - to everyone, including the opponents - that he's going to take one or two dribbles and pass and vcu tried to jump the passing lanes a couple times. If he did what TJ does - just ball fake once or twice so they have to respect you possibly shooting or putting it on the floor toward the hoop as if to drive - then things will open up more. Which it did when he got into the lane and found TJ for a nice layup. More of that is what's needed. He looks like he's trying not to make a mistake sometimes, which is difficult way to play.
Josh doesn't seem to be a great ball handling guard yet either, so getting Kendall out for him is a significant downgrade against a press. KA and SDJ were terrific in breaking the press last night, though they each had some gaffes once across halfcourt. This is where UR really misses Fore, who would have been that 5-7 minute sub who can really handle the ball in the face of pressure.
Josh doesn't seem to be a great ball handling guard yet either, so getting Kendall out for him is a significant downgrade against a press. KA and SDJ were terrific in breaking the press last night, though they each had some gaffes once across halfcourt. This is where UR really misses Fore, who would have been that 5-7 minute sub who can really handle the ball in the face of pressure.
Stonewall, no doubt Kendall needed rest. Most telling was the 1-6 free throw performance. You could not have dragged that kid out of that game for any reason. RPI respected his ball handling and he occupied a guard or two at all times. They would have been all over JJ. Kendall had a bad night for him, but I can understand why Mooney left him in.
Great victory. 2 wins vs. VCU in same season is a major accomplishment. Just a weird game - up 16, tie at end of regulation, under the goal shot to tie in first OT, block shot to prevent tie in 2nd OT. A lot to digest.
Thought the team had an awesome first half & opening second half for several minutes. We lost a bunch of momentum & seemed more complacent letting VCU back in after building up a big lead. I think that's as much on us, as I'm not going to give VCU but so much credit from coming from behind. We played a bit more tentative.
Last week on this board I mentioned after the GW game (and back referenced the RI game) that our foul shooting concerned me. I mentioned it could be a game changer in close games. In the RI, GW, and now VCU games we shot poorly from 3 throw line. If we had shot better from 3 throw line, the game wouldn't have seen OT. We shot 50% from foul line last night & am not sure how that breaks down between regulation & OT's, but we almost got burned in this game. We need to do better from the line.
Beyond that...this should give us good wind behind us & push us on to next games. At this stage, I'd say we have as good a chance at the A10 tournament as any other team. We're peaking at the right time. Match ups in the tourney do matter - some teams we match up with better & some not. I like a VCU matchup but maybe not a RI.
Thought the team had an awesome first half & opening second half for several minutes. We lost a bunch of momentum & seemed more complacent letting VCU back in after building up a big lead. I think that's as much on us, as I'm not going to give VCU but so much credit from coming from behind. We played a bit more tentative.
Last week on this board I mentioned after the GW game (and back referenced the RI game) that our foul shooting concerned me. I mentioned it could be a game changer in close games. In the RI, GW, and now VCU games we shot poorly from 3 throw line. If we had shot better from 3 throw line, the game wouldn't have seen OT. We shot 50% from foul line last night & am not sure how that breaks down between regulation & OT's, but we almost got burned in this game. We need to do better from the line.
Beyond that...this should give us good wind behind us & push us on to next games. At this stage, I'd say we have as good a chance at the A10 tournament as any other team. We're peaking at the right time. Match ups in the tourney do matter - some teams we match up with better & some not. I like a VCU matchup but maybe not a RI.
While Kendall had an off-night shooting, other parts of his game were impressive. His seven assists marked a heads-up adjustment, specifically driving into the lane to dish it back outside against a collapsing D. Feeding the hot hands while he was a marked man was a key to our victory IMO. That is easier said than done for a guy with a scorer's mentality.
yeah, really nice job by Kendall making making some very accurate passes right to the shooters pocket, and doing it at full speed with two defenders on him. accurate passes lead to made shots and they have to get there quickly before the defense can recover.
we're a good free throw shooting team. maybe the short rotation is wearing us down or maybe it's a one night thing.
3 throw line, lol!
we're a good free throw shooting team. maybe the short rotation is wearing us down or maybe it's a one night thing.
3 throw line, lol!
FT shooting was certainly disappointing last night. They should have made them, but think the continued pressing and more intense D they faced last 10 min of 2nd half simply sapped some of their energy and focus. Part of what VCU counts on with opponents. Considering how well overall many of our guys have shot FTs this season, know they are probably in RC today shooting them.
I thoroughly enjoy a little Monday Morning Quarterbacking, but I thought Mooney called a near perfect game last night. We controlled that game really from start to finish, the only reason VCU was able to tie it is because we missed a boatload of FT's in the final few minutes. That isn't on the coach.
Against VCU, you need 2 very capable guards on the floor at all times, and that is why SDJ and Kendall both played a ton of minutes. And VCU was unable to do there Havoc crap because of it.
Against VCU, you need 2 very capable guards on the floor at all times, and that is why SDJ and Kendall both played a ton of minutes. And VCU was unable to do there Havoc crap because of it.
I think this game was a perfect example of who we are as a team. We have talent to compete against and outplay a top 25 team for stretches. However, for some reason Coach Mooney's teams continue to not have a killer instinct and struggle terribly late in the second half. Is it play calling? Is it lack of depth? Is it lack of trust in our depth? Is it repeated failure that has destroyed our confidence? Whatever it is, it is up to Coach Mooney to figure out and correct. This has been happening for several years now and it needs to change. Imagine if we had just won four of the nine games that we have lost by 5 points or less/OT. It is frustrating how close we are, how good we can be, but how we fall back into our old ways so often.
Thankfully last night our guys battled and treated us to one great game that will go down as one of the best ever in this rivalry, maybe in the history of the program. I really hope we see them again in Brooklyn and return the favor from last year. But to get to that point we need some consistency over this last stretch of the season.
Thankfully last night our guys battled and treated us to one great game that will go down as one of the best ever in this rivalry, maybe in the history of the program. I really hope we see them again in Brooklyn and return the favor from last year. But to get to that point we need some consistency over this last stretch of the season.
Really think the difference in our O last 10-15 min of regulation was that we couldn't get TJ or TA in the flow as well as we did earlier. Need our O to go through them to be at our best. Will say that I really hate when we play the clock and simply wait to start going at 10 sec or less. If you still have 16 pt lead, maybe it will work. But not when it's only 2 or 3 possessions. IMO we also become predictable and stagnant when we don't vary how fast we run out O. Know you don't want to let VCU speed you up to the point of losing focus, but we seemed to give up on some transition opportunities and pull back throughout the game as well.
97, I agree.
Normally i'm not happy when we go into protect mode late in games.
But last night up 9 with about 5 1/2 to play I felt strangely ok with us stringing out the offensive possessions and continuing to play stellar defense. At that point it didn't seem like VCU had much going in the half court offense.
But even though we held the ball and waited to start our offense we still moved the ball and got some solid looks. We held that lead for the next 3 1/2 mins and were up 8 with 2 mins to play.
We even got a big steal on the next possession. This is where I thought the officials made a couple of key mistakes that almost cost us the game.
On the next possession, after the VCU turnover, K0 took the ball up the court and was repeatedly fouled by Lewis (I think) all the way up the court. Eventually he lost control of the ball and turned it back over to VCU. That wasn't just a missed call it was about 10 missed calls all the way up the court. I think that was the same sequence that Mooney was irate and Shaka was asking the officials to T him up.
Then we fouled them and they made 1 of 2. We then missed a jumper, which was fine because we still took 30+ secs off the clock and were up 7 with ~50-55 secs left. They pushed the ball quick and got a foul and made 2 FT's to cut it to 5.
I thought the next whistle that put Shawndre on the line was too quick. He was starting to race up the open court and Graham and Lewis were behind him, trying to foul. I think the Ref anticipated the foul and blew the whistle too quickly. It seemed like they didn't really get to Shawndre and that he could have advanced the ball and taken another 10 secs off the clock.
From there we missed 3 of 4 FT's, which put us at 4 of 12 in regulations (not including the 2nd of a missed 1 and 1) and they hit 3 crazy 3's to tie it. Overall, I thought the strategy worked ok, we just didn't make FT's. Ultimately we were up 7 with 1:51 left and had the ball. We didn't get that call when I thought K0 was fouled and we missed too many FT's.
The one call Mooney made that I question was the inbounds pass. We had just run that play against GW and it looked like they knew it was coming from how we setup the play. That said a little better throw from Trey and Allen either has an easy dunk for a 5 point lead or he is at the FT line shooting 2, up 3, with 30 secs to play.
Normally i'm not happy when we go into protect mode late in games.
But last night up 9 with about 5 1/2 to play I felt strangely ok with us stringing out the offensive possessions and continuing to play stellar defense. At that point it didn't seem like VCU had much going in the half court offense.
But even though we held the ball and waited to start our offense we still moved the ball and got some solid looks. We held that lead for the next 3 1/2 mins and were up 8 with 2 mins to play.
We even got a big steal on the next possession. This is where I thought the officials made a couple of key mistakes that almost cost us the game.
On the next possession, after the VCU turnover, K0 took the ball up the court and was repeatedly fouled by Lewis (I think) all the way up the court. Eventually he lost control of the ball and turned it back over to VCU. That wasn't just a missed call it was about 10 missed calls all the way up the court. I think that was the same sequence that Mooney was irate and Shaka was asking the officials to T him up.
Then we fouled them and they made 1 of 2. We then missed a jumper, which was fine because we still took 30+ secs off the clock and were up 7 with ~50-55 secs left. They pushed the ball quick and got a foul and made 2 FT's to cut it to 5.
I thought the next whistle that put Shawndre on the line was too quick. He was starting to race up the open court and Graham and Lewis were behind him, trying to foul. I think the Ref anticipated the foul and blew the whistle too quickly. It seemed like they didn't really get to Shawndre and that he could have advanced the ball and taken another 10 secs off the clock.
From there we missed 3 of 4 FT's, which put us at 4 of 12 in regulations (not including the 2nd of a missed 1 and 1) and they hit 3 crazy 3's to tie it. Overall, I thought the strategy worked ok, we just didn't make FT's. Ultimately we were up 7 with 1:51 left and had the ball. We didn't get that call when I thought K0 was fouled and we missed too many FT's.
The one call Mooney made that I question was the inbounds pass. We had just run that play against GW and it looked like they knew it was coming from how we setup the play. That said a little better throw from Trey and Allen either has an easy dunk for a 5 point lead or he is at the FT line shooting 2, up 3, with 30 secs to play.
Vol, I had a great view of this play as Kendall was bringing the ball up the court. Lewis could have at least put a saddle on Kendall back for as much as he was riding him. That said, Kendall should have put the brakes on once he hit the 3 point line, instead he dribbled into 3 guys and turned it over.
As for the inbounds play, several of us called that play before it happened where I was sitting. It was too predictable, it is a boom or bust play, that we have run to success several times this year. Shaka had obviously scouted for that play and was ready for it. But yes, Trey just underthrew the pass, if he leads Terry, he is slamming that baby home.
Also the look on Kendall's face after he missed I think his 5th FT was priceless. He was just shaking his head and so pissed at himself. I bet he's never missed five in a row, ever, even in practice.
I agree 97 kind of. Instead of pulling up and taking a three I would have brought it back out and set up the offense.
Kendall does need to realize when the officials are not going to bail him out with a foul call when he drives, to stop doing it.
His kick outs were key.
Kendall does need to realize when the officials are not going to bail him out with a foul call when he drives, to stop doing it.
His kick outs were key.
John Beilein sat Scott Ungerer in a chair for a practice before the Syracuse game in the NIT years ago. It is time for someone to politely tell Coach Mooney to sit Kendall in a chair before a game - especially if we make the second round of our conference tournament. Kendall was exhausted at the end of regulation - even if he is Kendall.
You guys made many good points above. I saw what everyone of you were talking about. I don't mind us slowing it down some when we need to kill some clock. What my gripe is that we Can Not end the 35 seconds with TD, DT or TA taking a 3 point shot!!! I am sure some will call me names, but these guys can't shoot in a game situation. With 10 to 12 seconds left, there has to be a more thought out play than that to get it to a scorer!! TA down low or TD slashing to the basket is fine, but not a 3 point shot.
It is ridiculous that the refs want to have the same number of fouls on each team no matter how the game is played. Lewis has taken up the Weber mantle of constant fouling and over playing and the refs choose to ignore it. The sequence mentioned in this thread where Lewis was riding K Zero all the way up the court is exhibit number one.
I agree on a lot of what's been said above by Midlo and Vol - make fts, UR wins easily. No need to gamble on the home run inbounds pass up 3 with 30 seconds left, just inbounds and let them foul (and make fts).
The one post that made me laugh was the Ungerer/chair post. Didn't UR lose that game by like 25 to Syracuse? Not exactly a ringing endorsement of resting a player in practice.
The one post that made me laugh was the Ungerer/chair post. Didn't UR lose that game by like 25 to Syracuse? Not exactly a ringing endorsement of resting a player in practice.
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