Top 4 finish

[97spiderfan]

I felt like in the game @ VCU, in King's first game there he maybe underestimated VCU's intensity in their house.
I expect a big bounce back game from him at home on Saturday.

I doubt he "underestimated the intensity of Costco" and that was the reason he had a below average game. King was guarded closely by guards 4-5 inches taller than him, we never were able to establish a low post presence to get King some more open looks. To me this game comes down to us being able to adjust to the looks that VCU threw at us, such that our key players are given better opportunities to have a big bounce back game.

 

[spiderman]

I doubt he "underestimated the intensity of Costco" and that was the reason he had a below average game. King was guarded closely by guards 4-5 inches taller than him, we never were able to establish a low post presence to get King some more open looks. To me this game comes down to us being able to adjust to the looks that VCU threw at us, such that our key players are given better opportunities to have a big bounce back game.

he was never guarded by Nelson, who played 37 minutes? sure about that?

we were too passive offensively, including King. he's been covered by taller guards before.

 

[97spiderfan]

he was never guarded by Nelson, who played 37 minutes? sure about that?

we were too passive offensively, including King. he's been covered by taller guards before.

And why we're we passive? Did the player just choose to play passive. We're they overwhelmed with the intensity of Costco, which seems to be your explanation.

Or was our offense passive because we played right into VCU's defensive gameplan by trying to run our offense with Quinn up top.

Most times when you offense goes stale it is when we are not setting up Quinn down low and then we have no low post presence, which allows the defense to closely guard everyone at or beyond the 3 point line.

 

[PalmTreeSpidUR]

Can we not get ahead of ourselves please? Last time I checked we have a game tonight against an opponent that we have historically struggled against.

 

[SFspidur]

Yes, wouldn't want message board chatter to somehow cause our guys 800 miles away to lose tonight. I'm sure they're all sitting on their phones getting distracted by constantly refreshing the board for advice on how they should attack the Rams on Saturday.

 

[spiderman]

And why we're we passive? Did the player just choose to play passive. We're they overwhelmed with the intensity of Costco, which seems to be your explanation.

Or was our offense passive because we played right into VCU's defensive gameplan by trying to run our offense with Quinn up top.

Most times when you offense goes stale it is when we are not setting up Quinn down low and then we have no low post presence, which allows the defense to closely guard everyone at or beyond the 3 point line.

if they overplay the perimeter, we should be driving. we should love a team overplaying the perimeter with the way we back cut. and keeping Quinn off the low block helps to open those driving lanes.

there are many ways to play offense. Quinn low is one of them. it's not the only. this isn't 1990.

 

[Spider B]

if they overplay the perimeter, we should be driving. we should love a team overplaying the perimeter with the way we back cut. and keeping Quinn off the low block helps to open those driving lanes.

there are many ways to play offense. Quinn low is one of them. it's not the only. this isn't 1990.

He's 7 ft. Put him on the block. I dont care what year it is. Good grief. We got smacked last time and you propose doing the same thing. Hope is not a winning strategy.

 

[spiderman]

He's 7 ft. Put him on the block. I dont care what year it is. Good grief. We got smacked last time and you propose doing the same thing. Hope is not a winning strategy.

we're 20-7. I propose not scrapping a successful offense because it had a bad day once.

Quinn got the ball low vs VCU (whether he started there or worked his way in because they didn't cover him from 15'). he didn't do very well. he was blocked a couple of times despite a size advantage.

Quinn isn't Edey. he's not a power center. he's skilled. he finds open guys and cutters. he sets screens from the high post. he does score 12 per game mostly on flips and floaters. but no, I don't want to feed him regularly on the block asking him to score. and his 52.4% eFG% backs that up.

 

[SpiderRick]

Spider B, I feel the same ay about Quinn. How many times have we been blessed through these many years to have a 7 footer with basketball skills (other than dunking)?

 

[97spiderfan]

He's 7 ft. Put him on the block. I dont care what year it is. Good grief. We got smacked last time and you propose doing the same thing. Hope is not a winning strategy.

Right. Very akin to the Mooney line when we lose of "we just need to hit more shots". That is not a strategy, nor is hoping that King will just magically have a better game this time around or hoping he is better prepared for the atmosphere (which frankly is kind of insulting). It is his 5th year player college ball, I'm pretty sure he is "prepared" regardless of the environment.

There are actual adjustment that can be made off of the observations from the first game. Why anyone would desire for us to do the same thing as we did in the first game in which we lost is beyond me.

Also, if you watch our games, when our offense is humming well, it usually when we are able to establish Quinn on the block. When we stagnate, Quinn is out at the 3 point line with his back to the basket far to much.

 

[urmite]

If I've understood what you're asking for...

King's home 3PT% is 41.5%. (He's actually better away at 44.4%.)

So yeah, after 2-for-10 against Davidson in his last outing, something like a 5-for-7 or 6-for-9 against VCU would get that two-game stretch up to right around his home average.

If only it worked like that.

I thought it did work like that…if we play 10,000 games…

 

[spiderman]

Also, if you watch our games, when our offense is humming well, it usually when we are able to establish Quinn on the block. When we stagnate, Quinn is out at the 3 point line with his back to the basket far to much.

our offense hums against bad defensive teams like URI, GW and LaSalle.

I like Neal passing out of the low post as much as the high post. he does get there.
but if you want to feed Neal and ask him to score on the block, then I don't understand. he's our 2nd least efficient starter scoring the ball. he got low against VCU and was defended/denied. I don't think it's the answer you think it is.

 

[urfan1]

There are actual adjustment that can be made off of the observations from the first game. Why anyone would desire for us to do the same thing as we did in the first game in which we lost is beyond me.

You need to be prepared with options if the plan is not working.

 

[spiderman]

There are actual adjustment that can be made off of the observations from the first game. Why anyone would desire for us to do the same thing as we did in the first game in which we lost is beyond me.

You need to be prepared with options if the plan is not working.

of course. and that's no matter where we put Neal.

 

[KE Spider]

Neal is taller and 40 lbs heavier than VCU's post players (except one who never sees the floor). Before the 1st game, VCU Board was extremely concerned about this mismatch, one we never capitalized on. Let's not make the same mistake twice.

But first, take care of St Louis tonight.

 

[Eight Legger]

Tell Quinn to flagrantly foul somene right off the bat and set the tone.

 

[urfan1]

Tell Quinn to flagrantly foul somene right off the bat and set the tone.

NO!!!!

 

[Eight Legger]

Two more wins and we are A-10 champions...

 

[Gallipoli]

Tell Quinn to flagrantly foul somene right off the bat and set the tone.

Great idea. Why not just have him ejected right off the bat.

 

[Eight Legger]

OK. Tell Quinn to bring a baseball bat onto the court at opening tip and wreck some dudes and get ejected to set the tone.

 

[urfan1]

OK. Tell Quinn to bring a baseball bat onto the court at opening tip and wreck some dudes and get ejected to set the tone.

1,000 NO's!!!!!!!!

 

[97spiderfan]

our offense hums against bad defensive teams like URI, GW and LaSalle.

I like Neal passing out of the low post as much as the high post. he does get there.
but if you want to feed Neal and ask him to score on the block, then I don't understand. he's our 2nd least efficient starter scoring the ball. he got low against VCU and was defended/denied. I don't think it's the answer you think it is.

I said establish him on the low block. Make efforts to feed him the ball down there and then he can other look to score and use his size advantage or he can distribute.

VCU pushed Neil farther out towards the 3 point line and that is when our offense is least efficient in my opinion. Neil has to be in the paint for our offense to work best.

 

[Section9.RowD]

Nice graphical review for the 3 game finale ...

 

[spiderman]

confused. does 2 wins guarantee us a 1 seed or a 2 seed?

 

[SFspidur]

It's presented awkwardly, but winning two guarantees us the top seed. We'd be 15–3 and the best Dayton and Loyola could do by winning out is match us, and only one of them could do that since they still have to play each other. It doesn't matter which one does it though, as we have head-to-head over both. VCU winning out only gets them to 14–4.

So winning 1 guarantees us at least the 3-seed, and winning 2 guarantees us the 1-seed.

 

[SFspidur]

80% chance of the top seed. VCU is ~60% for the 4-seed.

 

[SpiderRick]

1,000 NO's!!!!!!!!

Ok well how about this...Quinn before the tip passes out tootsie pops and easiest to all VCU coaches and players.

 

[brooklyn brownstone]

the guy just updated the A10 standings probabilities on Twitter, if SF or anyone who has a twitter login wants to post it here.

 

[Section9.RowD]

the guy just updated the A10 standings probabilities on Twitter, if SF or anyone who has a twitter login wants to post it here.

 

[urmite]

Surprised 21.8% chance of VCu playing on Wednesday…

If they find a way to lose tomorrow night things could snowball.

But do we want to play the winner of SBU/UMass on Saturday? Or winner of SBU/VCu?

 

[Section9.RowD]

Surprised 21.8% chance of VCu playing on Wednesday…

If they find a way to lose tomorrow night things could snowball.

But do we want to play the winner of SBU/UMass on Saturday? Or winner of SBU/VCu?

two tough games coming up for them - I think they they either go 0-2 and all hell breaks loose or go 2-0 and end up in 3rd place. We'll see.

 

[PalmTreeSpidUR]

I am not exactly sure who I do want to play. But I'm pretty sure I know who I don't want to play. Unfortunately in a venn diagram, there is pretty significant overlap between "don't want to play" and "pretty likely to play."

 

[whampas]

I am not exactly sure who I do want to play. But I'm pretty sure I know who I don't want to play. Unfortunately in a venn diagram, there is pretty significant overlap between "don't want to play" and "pretty likely to play."

These guys are going to beat whoever they play. My guess is they don't care. Roll the ball out and let's go. Just win the NEXT game.

 

[SFspidur]

Spiders, Loyola, Dayton locked at 1–3 of course. UMass and VCU will be the 4 and the 5, with modeling giving UMass an 83% chance of being the 4. Regardless, they'll have to play each other for the right to face us if seeds hold.

As for our first game, it looks to be St. Joe's and Mason playing for that honor in the 8/9 game, although small chance Mason could get the 7 and bump Bona down to that game. (Of course, that would require Mason beating us on Saturday, so let's not root for that outcome.)

 

[gospidersgo]

Interesting that we will either play Mason two times in a row, or St Joe's two times in three games.

 

[PalmTreeSpidUR]

"Interesting" is not the adjective I would pick. "Annoying" or "frustrating" is better.

 

[urmite]

You mean like post #21 in this thread