The Bad Half Syndrome

[PhillySpider]

Last three games have seen us afflicted with this terrible disease. Its the next stage unfortunately of the "bad run disease" and is much more dangerous! It's affected us on both sides of ball, but the defense especially. We have given up 52, 46 and 51 points in the "bad half" of the last three. That's just awful really. 50 point a half on average. That honestly should never happen. We should be able to go an entire year and never give up 46 in a half much less give up an average of 50 in half for three games running.

Not entirely sure what's happening without looking at film (not gonna happen), but a few things have struck me. One is that when these runs come, we seem to be speeding up the game. We get caught up in the run and I think we try to "fix" it all at the offensive end. The D is the problem and we need to slow the game down. More intensity on defense to a least make for longer and more arduous possessions and be deliberate and really make the other team defend hard for a full offensive possession too. We are sorta feeding the beast right now trying to score (quickly) to stem the tide. Second item that's clear to me is that we need more intensity. In general and during these runs for sure. Our intensity level rises and falls, but not always on demand. We need to simply raise the level across the board. Some are more guilty than others, but everyone needs to take it up a notch on a permanent basis!! Third item is we need to stop whining. Collectively. This feeds the runs too. The other team senses they are in your head and it boosts them even more and the refs just get pissed. We have some real and constant offenders and a few others who seem to just slip into that mode at times. Its not good for us in any way! Put your head down and play harder and smarter. Calls are what they are and whining, pouting, complaining will only make it worse!!

Sure there are some X and O things going on too, but I think the problems are mostly of our own doing and the coach needs to get this fixed pronto!

 

[spider23]

is we need to stop whining. Collectively.

Agree, our PG and center leader need to lead better by example. Gilly is a great player but this impacted him big time tonight. Love the fire from both, but instead of bitching, focus on NEXT PLAY,and put your energy in that direction. But don't lose your fire.

 

[bullfrog91]

Big concern....hasnt killed us thus far but worried about how this will play out the rest of the season...

 

[Eight Legger]

They have have been ugly, but let me turn this around for a sec, just for fun. Did anyone think Loyola was so bad they'd only score 44 points in the entire game? Or that Vandy was only going to score 42?

I think it's possible that both games ended up relatively close to where they would have, it's just that we took extreme paths to the end result twice in a row.

 

[VT4700]

They have have been ugly, but let me turn this around for a sec, just for fun. Did anyone think Loyola was so bad they'd only score 44 points in the entire game? Or that Vandy was only going to score 42?

I think it's possible that both games ended up relatively close to where they would have, it's just that we took extreme paths to the end result twice in a row.

And the 2nd halfs are magnified because of how great our 1st halfs have been the last 2 games. We beat 2 pretty good teams who have some good players on offense. Chances are if they are cold in the 1st half, they will start hitting in the 2nd.

 

[CarolinaSpider]

When good teams or players are getting blown out in the first half, like us at WV, pride take over and that extra effort will take place. We should need to maintain the defensive pressure because a strong defensive play will take some of that second half momentum away.

 

[SpiderRick]

Golden's whining has become contagious, now Gilyard and Francis have been infected. It's ridiculous, embarrassing, and undignifying. Where's Mooney's hook when you need it?

 

[8legs]

We gave up 51 points in the second half and our coach believes the problem was we didn't execute efficiently enough on offense. Maybe that's the problem.
I watched WVU barely beat a very good Iowa State team last night and when WVU's best player, Derek Culver, let his man get an offensive rebound and score, Huggy called an immediate time out, yelled at Culver and repeatedly shook his finger at him during the timeout, then sat him on the bench for several minutes. This was in the 2nd half and they were losing at the time. We need some of that!

 

[SpiderGuy]

We gave up 51 points in the second half and our coach believes the problem was we didn't execute efficiently enough on offense. Maybe that's the problem.
I watched WVU barely beat a very good Iowa State team last night and when WVU's best player, Derek Culver, let his man get an offensive rebound and score, Huggy called an immediate time out, yelled at Culver and repeatedly shook his finger at him during the timeout, then sat him on the bench for several minutes. This was in the 2nd half and they were losing at the time. We need some of that!

Well one difference there is Huggins stresses rebounds. It's actually an important part of his system.

 

[VT4700]

Speaking of whining, the amount of whining on here is beyond ridiculous. We are 6-1 and the players are sacrificing a lot to be the best team they can be. Enough already! I watch them playing in front of no fans, going 3 rows up with their masks on instead of being together on the bench, and that is just during the games. Think how different their college experience has been since they came back to campus, all after the heartbreak from last year when they were looking forward to hearing their name called on selection Sunday. Shoot, if they didn't complain about a call or two, something pretty much every player at every level does, we would be hearing how they lack fire and emotion. These guys care and want to win as much as as any team out there..I think that is pretty awesome!

 

[PhillySpider]

We gave up 51 points in the second half and our coach believes the problem was we didn't execute efficiently enough on offense. Maybe that's the problem.

Agreed. Was actually stunned by these comments. Your defense is has problems if you give up 50+ in a half to a decent (not great) team!!

 

[CarolinaSpider]

Speaking of whining, the amount of whining on here is beyond ridiculous. We are 6-1 and the players are sacrificing a lot to be the best team they can be. Enough already! I watch them playing in front of no fans, going 3 rows up with their masks on instead of being together on the bench, and that is just during the games. Think how different their college experience has been since they came back to campus, all after the heartbreak from last year when they were looking forward to hearing their name called on selection Sunday. Shoot, if they didn't complain about a call or two, something pretty much every player at every level does, we would be hearing how they lack fire and emotion. These guys care and want to win as much as as any team out there..I think that is pretty awesome!

Point VT, they are seniors and should lead by example. How many times has a ref changed a call as the result of a player complaining? None! When I was a ref or umpire, a player or coach who constantly wined, probably got fewer favorable borderline calls from me. Let it go and let your coaching staff be the spokesman and focus on next play.

 

[VT4700]

That is not being a good official if you are biased against people who complain. Call the game like it should be called. Our players are class acts. They help others up, rarely taunt anyone, and give great interviews without sounding big headed. I loved seeing Grant fist bump the guy who got hurt a few games ago and came back in. So what if they complain about a call or two like pretty much every other player does. They care and want to win.

 

[VT4700]

Agreed. Was actually stunned by these comments. Your defense is has problems if you give up 50+ in a half to a decent (not great) team!!

I actually liked the comments. It's easy to just focus on defense and say that's all we need to worry about when you give up 50 in a half. But, we had a lot of turnovers and a lot of non-Spider like possessions on offense. I like focusing on that as well. The team knows they gave up 50 and that will be addressed, but they don't need to think things were just fine offensively.

 

[CarolinaSpider]

That is not being a good official if you are biased against people who complain. Call the game like it should be called. Our players are class acts. They help others up, rarely taunt anyone, and give great interviews without sounding big headed. I loved seeing Grant fist bump the guy who got hurt a few games ago and came back in. So what if they complain about a call or two like pretty much every other player does. They care and want to win.

It’s called being human which officials are also. Complaining is sign also of not dealing with pressure well . I like seeing them being calm and under control. You can get mad but hold it in. Little boy I was an excellent official and believed in calling it fair but I would warn a player about excessive complaining that they could hurt their team by earning a T and that
usually worked. i like fire and emotion in a player but excessive whining creates a negative atmosphere for the whole team.

 

[VT4700]

Little boy I was an excellent official and believed in calling it fair but I would warn a player about excessive complaining that they could hurt their team by earning a T and that
usually worked.

Little boy? Anyway, this is a lot different than what you said earlier. What you said earlier "When I was a ref or umpire, a player or coach who constantly wined, probably got fewer favorable borderline calls from me" is being biased. What is fair about that? That would not make you a excellent official, it would make you a biased one.

 

[CarolinaSpider]

Little boy? Anyway, this is a lot different than what you said earlier. What you said earlier "When I was a ref or umpire, a player or coach who constantly wined, probably got fewer favorable borderline calls from me" is being biased. What is fair about that? That would not make you a excellent official, it would make you a biased one.

You don’t listen yourself as I said officials are human. If there is a borderline call and a nasty, big mouth player is involved, who has been riding the official, stands a greater chance of not getting the call. It is not a bias, it is more a case of leniency.

 

[KE Spider]

The concern for some, who have been around the Mooney era longer than some of our newer posters, is that Mooney teams have a long history of too frequently fading late in games. Have snatched defeat from the jaws of victory many, many, many times through his tenure. So what we have witnessed the last two games is disconcerting, particularly for as good a team as he has developed.

The fades generally are attributed to taking the air out of the ball too soon and/or ineffective (non) use of time outs. Given current roster, Mooney has outgrown the first. It is practically a given for most coaches to call TOs when the opponent is on a run. To argue otherwise is to deny reality. It may or may not have made a difference last night, but clearly some coaching move to stem the tide was warranted. Whatever moves were taken, they were too subtle to discern. Given history that is concerning.

The first half press totally disrupted Loyola's offense, caused numerous turnovers, and easy baskets for us. Why was that not reinstituted during the run? Tarrant was a master at changing defenses and pace to disrupt an opponent. Realize Gilly and Blake played 39 minutes, but Wilson takes great pride in his defense. He could have taken some of those minutes if we had pressed. Seems like this was an obvious move to at least try rather than essentially white knuckling it and hoping we hung on.

Everyone on this board is happy we won. Everyone on this board is happy we are 6-1. That doesn't translate to all must have happy faces and not question players and coaches... or refs for that matter.

 

[VT4700]

That is bias. And you should go back to referee school since you admitted you do this yourself.

 

[Eight Legger]

The interesting thing last night is that after 12 minutes of the second half, they had shaved exactly one point off our halftime lead. It was after that that things got dicey.

 

[CarolinaSpider]

That is bias. And you should go back to referee school since you admitted you do this yourself.

Little Boy when you have been in those situations you understand. You have an employee who complains all the time
and another in the same position who just does their job without complaining about anything. Who do you promote. Who is going to be best influence on others?

Point is I love our players and coaching staff. I bleed red and blue. I started following the Spiders listening to Frank Soden announcing games. I just do not like it when players start whining even when they are right. Rarely does anything good come out of it. Personal preference,

 

[spider23]

Really like this team, but Gilly and Golden really need to get the complaining under control. It is hurting, not helping. Feel like the refs are really scrutinizing these two due to the complaining, and Gilly tried so.e crazy shots trying to draw fouls and completely nuked the offense while Loyola kept coming.

 

[DTSpider]

Mooney seems to agree that the second half is an issue. He’s stated he’s committed to changing.

Spiders looking to hold substantial leads, not watch them dwindle after halftime

At 6-1 with the loss coming at West Virginia, the nation’s No. 8 team, the University of Richmond established enviable position. The Spiders would like to follow through by avoiding

richmond.com

 

[Eight Legger]

“We would love to play, and we have called every team in the country about playing anywhere in the country, but it’s difficult."

Assuming this is hyperbole? Did we really offer to play at Hawaii or at San Jose State?

 

[97spiderfan]

Call me crazy, but when you team pisses away a 20 point lead and it is down to low single digits, that maybe just maybe you want to call a time out, to set up a set play on offense, alter a defensive setting, get a different mix of players in the game or just yell and scream at your team for pissing away said 20 point lead OR maybe all of the above.

Literally every rec, high school, college and frankly NBA coach uses timeouts in such fashion to stem opposition runs. I can't even believe we are debating this as a valid use of a timeout, but I know some of you have to defend Mooney like your on his damn payroll.

 

[plydogg]

Call me crazy, but when you team pisses away a 20 point lead and it is down to low single digits, that maybe just maybe you want to call a time out, to set up a set play on offense, alter a defensive setting, get a different mix of players in the game or just yell and scream at your team for pissing away said 20 point lead OR maybe all of the above.

Literally every rec, high school, college and frankly NBA coach uses timeouts in such fashion to stem opposition runs. I can't even believe we are debating this as a valid use of a timeout, but I know some of you have to defend Mooney like your on his damn payroll.

Or you can be like me and yell and scream at the refs

 

[97spiderfan]

Or you can be like me and yell and scream at the refs

Trust me in person, I will yell at the refs my fair share. Rarely do their calls impact the game. That said, I did think we got the short end of the stick at Loyola. The Gilly foul at the end, the Grant moving pick call, when he himself had the ball, there were a couple other calls or non-calls that went against us, I thought against Loyola.

Gotta overcome. Moondog was pretty animated on the sidelines.

 

[spiderman]

Call me crazy, but when you team pisses away a 20 point lead and it is down to low single digits, that maybe just maybe you want to call a time out, to set up a set play on offense, alter a defensive setting, get a different mix of players in the game or just yell and scream at your team for pissing away said 20 point lead OR maybe all of the above.

Literally every rec, high school, college and frankly NBA coach uses timeouts in such fashion to stem opposition runs. I can't even believe we are debating this as a valid use of a timeout, but I know some of you have to defend Mooney like your on his damn payroll.

I can't believe we're debating it either.
because there were multiple time outs in the time it went from 20 to single digits.
and because you're allowed to call a play from the sidelines without calling a timeout to draw up a play in the dirt.
and because you can sub at will as long as there's a stoppage at some point.

some of us just don't think there's a magic run-stopper in a timeout. we've stopped runs before without a timeout to yell at or settle down our 23 year olds. but hey, maybe it's more effective in the rec league.

 

[whampas]

I can't believe we're debating it either.
because there were multiple time outs in the time it went from 20 to single digits.
and because you're allowed to call a play from the sidelines without calling a timeout to draw up a play in the dirt.
and because you can sub at will as long as there's a stoppage at some point.

some of us just don't think there's a magic run-stopper in a timeout. we've stopped runs before without a timeout to yell at or settle down our 23 year olds. but hey, maybe it's more effective in the rec league.

You're right. We just suck at managing big leads.

 

[spiderman]

You're right. We just suck at managing big leads.

that seems to be the case.

 

[Gallipoli]

Call me crazy, ...

Ok you are crazy..., but we knew it all the time.

Trust me in person, I will yell at the refs my fair share...

So, that was you? All this time, we thought it was someone else.