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Top 4 seed

Lol, no, I go there once a year by train to the museums and to be reminded why DC sucks.
Well, I guess you won't be making any federal political runs...lol.
 
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But I believe someone else on this board may be doing so. And Greg Beckwith’s sister in law just got elected to Congress.
Excellent, anyone on this board would do a better job than most of the politicians we have now.
 
Nelson is simply not a good defensive player. Really doesn't know what going on out there. Has a very tough time keeping his guy in front of him ( a team wide problem) and is always looking for a switch. That's a sign of guys who really don't get defense because you have to want to fight through screens etc. You cant just look for a switch every time. Yes you will have to switch some times, but defense has to start with fighting like a dog to stop your man and not to release him at every screen.
 
Nelson is simply not a good defensive player. Really doesn't know what going on out there. Has a very tough time keeping his guy in front of him ( a team wide problem) and is always looking for a switch. That's a sign of guys who really don't get defense because you have to want to fight through screens etc. You cant just look for a switch every time. Yes you will have to switch some times, but defense has to start with fighting like a dog to stop your man and not to release him at every screen.
I’m not sure he’s terribly great on offense either.

Some of this is growing pains but I’m also perplexed at times how the staff became so enthralled with him early that we didn’t feel much need to have another PG plan.
 
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I mean, either we think the kid sucks and doesn't know how to do basic basketball things, or we think he is what his track record says he is. I'm going with the latter.

This isn't baseball, where the #1 pick in the draft sometimes is a complete bust. When you achieve at the level he achieved in high school in a state like Virginia, you're legit. You don't just go to the A10 and become completely overmatched or pedestrian.
 
Nelson is simply not a good defensive player. Really doesn't know what going on out there. Has a very tough time keeping his guy in front of him ( a team wide problem) and is always looking for a switch. That's a sign of guys who really don't get defense because you have to want to fight through screens etc. You cant just look for a switch every time. Yes you will have to switch some times, but defense has to start with fighting like a dog to stop your man and not to release him at every screen.
depends on scheme. if coach wants you to switch all screens up top then you switch all screens up top.
 
I mean, either we think the kid sucks and doesn't know how to do basic basketball things, or we think he is what his track record says he is. I'm going with the latter.

This isn't baseball, where the #1 pick in the draft sometimes is a complete bust. When you achieve at the level he achieved in high school in a state like Virginia, you're legit. You don't just go to the A10 and become completely overmatched or pedestrian.
Did anyone here watch him in high school aside from highlight tapes? Genuinely asking, because I feel like the highlight tapes showed a lot of tough finishing in the paint (something he’ll struggle to do at a D1 level given his height). I did not watch him in high school enough to know what his plus traits were supposed to be. Right now, I think he’s average to below average in just about every facet of the game. Would love to be proven wrong.
 
I didn’t see jaynel prior to ur so have no insight. What I see right now on offense is a guy who doesn’t seem to have an intent when running the offense. I think the system is designed to take the burden off any one guy and move the ball around (often aimlessly) to create an opening for someone. When Jason does penetrate it feels like there’s almost no intent to score, and similarly, almost no intent to dish, it’s almost entirely to kick out. I expect as a result that’s the scout on him, don’t overplay anything in the paint.

On defense, I don’t see quite the same problems as others but I don’t think he’s a plus defender. He doesn’t show the ability to stay in front of guys that I see from Bailey or perhaps Goose, although even goose is struggling with that. And Jason doesn’t steal at any kind of effective rate to impact whoever he is defending.

I still think he has tremendous potential, some games he has lit it up, but he definitely has stalled out a bit at this point.
 
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If Roche is not one of the guards, then Quinn, Burton and Grace are playing 3 on 5. No one guards out guards. Why should they.
 
I'm just saying we can't blame a guy for not fighting through screens if the scheme determines we switch on screens up top.
I don’t think it does though. Both Bailey and Andre regularly fight through screens.

So I guess it’s up to the players?
 
Did anyone here watch him in high school aside from highlight tapes? Genuinely asking, because I feel like the highlight tapes showed a lot of tough finishing in the paint (something he’ll struggle to do at a D1 level given his height). I did not watch him in high school enough to know what his plus traits were supposed to be. Right now, I think he’s average to below average in just about every facet of the game. Would love to be proven wrong.
I get your point. However both VCU and Vanderbilt did offer, and I am guessing both saw more than highlights. He did have some very good games earlier in the season. As much as we thought he would be ready practicing vs Gilly for a year, he basically had two seasons off. I am still very hopeful he will be very good for us.
 
I get your point. However both VCU and Vanderbilt did offer, and I am guessing both saw more than highlights. He did have some very good games earlier in the season. As much as we thought he would be ready practicing vs Gilly for a year, he basically had two seasons off. I am still very hopeful he will be very good for us.
I hope you’re right. Without looking at the stats my sense is he played better out of conference against weaker, less athletic teams. When he’s able to finish in the paint he plays well, but that’s not something he should hang his hat on in the A10. As for offers, Isaiah Wilson had offers from Georgetown, Umass, URI, and the Bonnies. Sal Koureissi had offers from seton hall, Minnesota, SLU, URI, Bonnies, etc. Offers are reflective of upside but not a guarantee of quality. I hope Nelson can turn it around next year and surprise me
 
I hope you’re right. Without looking at the stats my sense is he played better out of conference against weaker, less athletic teams. When he’s able to finish in the paint he plays well, but that’s not something he should hang his hat on in the A10. As for offers, Isaiah Wilson had offers from Georgetown, Umass, URI, and the Bonnies. Sal Koureissi had offers from seton hall, Minnesota, SLU, URI, Bonnies, etc. Offers are reflective of upside but not a guarantee of quality. I hope Nelson can turn it around next year and surprise me
Yes good points 2020, the offers don't always equate to on court performance as we have seen. Mooney basically bet it all on Nelson this year. And, next year it's on him again, unless Smith is that dude. I do like Dji, but have not seen too much on the offensive creativity or handle vs pressure. I like him more when he can be primary ball handler against someone his own size. And especially like his defense
 
Nelson is simply not a good defensive player. Really doesn't know what going on out there. Has a very tough time keeping his guy in front of him ( a team wide problem) and is always looking for a switch. That's a sign of guys who really don't get defense because you have to want to fight through screens etc. You cant just look for a switch every time. Yes you will have to switch some times, but defense has to start with fighting like a dog to stop your man and not to release him at every screen.
This right here. The benching of Nelson by Mooney corresponded when his offensive swagger left him, but Mooney benches guys for one thing, mainly defense. Now, he is back with PT at the helm and pretty clear right now he is largely lost on defense. I didn't watch the second half of the VCU game but the SLU game he was just lost on defense.

I agree with Eight, that Nelson was a critical recruit for Mooney. He has a pedigree, he is exactly the type of player Mooney wants as his PG (quick, short guard, who can score and distribute with ease and be a defensive pest). Right now, aside from being short he is not any of those.

I think we have to collectively hope that Nelson is just lost confidence now and that during the offseason he can regain his swagger that made him a great high school player with schools like Vandy and VCU wanting him. You can see the potential in him, he can score in bunches and in a variety of ways.
 
I actually think Nelson is pretty good on defense. my biggest concern is on the other side of the ball. I'm just not sure what he is there still.

Gilly was good at everything so it's a tough comparison. but Jason seems to be just an ok shooter ... not a knock down guy. he's not great getting to the lane and to the rim. and he's not creating easy baskets for anyone, though some of that is system related. I don't even know what to focus on going forward.
 
I actually think Nelson is pretty good on defense. my biggest concern is on the other side of the ball. I'm just not sure what he is there still.

Gilly was good at everything so it's a tough comparison. but Jason seems to be just an ok shooter ... not a knock down guy. he's not great getting to the lane and to the rim. and he's not creating easy baskets for anyone, though some of that is system related. I don't even know what to focus on going forward.
Nelson has a really nice stroke from 3, it may not be falling with the regularity but the form is there to make is repeatable. Agree on everything else from the offensive end of things. Go back and watch the SLU game, he was really lost on defense. Collins was abusing him, he was getting caught all of the time on mismatches, he literally just stood there on 3 inbound plays and didn't move at all. As much as he was scoring in the second half, he was giving so much of it right back. Perhaps his lack of confidence on how to run the offense is also translating to the defensive side of the ball.
 
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Nelson's effort on D in the VCU game was questionable. That part u can control. To me it looked like he didn't want to fight through any screens (could have been told not to idk) but also later he just gave no resistance to VCU taking layups. i guess someone would say don't give them an easy And 1 but u can't just play Ole' defense. Another time looked like he walked out to a 3 pt shooter. I was a little surprised he wasn't pulled.

He's certainly not to blame for the loss, that was across the board only 1 who was pretty solid I thought was Quinn, even Burton picked up most of his stats late once game was well over. Tho we did still go to Quinn when down a bunch, we'd try to back it in slowly. Felt like we were more interested in milking clock, not losing by 25 or 30 than trying to play faster and actually get back in the game at all. and granted the way VCU took our lunch $$ again, more like we handed it over willingly, was probably quite disheartening to the players but nelson d was just more noticeable.
 
I mean, either we think the kid sucks and doesn't know how to do basic basketball things, or we think he is what his track record says he is. I'm going with the latter.

This isn't baseball, where the #1 pick in the draft sometimes is a complete bust. When you achieve at the level he achieved in high school in a state like Virginia, you're legit. You don't just go to the A10 and become completely overmatched or pedestrian.
It also doesn’t mean that you’re good enough to be a starter in the A-10. Maybe he’d thrive as a starter in the CAA or a level lower. I’m sure he had some pretty good teammates as well relative to the competition he was playing.
 
if you look for this you will see it a lot more times than you'd expect with the statue defense
It is really rare to see a guy standing on a play literally not doing anything the entire play, I was shocked to see it multiple times. The only thing I can think is that he was completely frozen/disoriented on what he needed to do. I was a bit surprised that one of the senior leaders didn't get in his face about it.
 
Spiders up to a 73% chance of playing on Pillow Fight Tuesday.


SF is it as simple as us going 2-0 to make it out of the bottom 10? Assuming Lasalle loses at Dayton which would be highly likely. But just curious if other things come into play if us Davidson & St Bona tie at 9-9. Not sure we look good in a 3 way tiebreaker even tho we beat Davidson. We may also want St Bonny to win at Umass, if we get the next 2.
 
It is really rare to see a guy standing on a play literally not doing anything the entire play, I was shocked to see it multiple times. The only thing I can think is that he was completely frozen/disoriented on what he needed to do. I was a bit surprised that one of the senior leaders didn't get in his face about it.
I agree with your assessment, I think he was just shell-shocked.
 
GK, yeah, a 3-way tie at 9–9 between us, Bona, and Davidson would not be good for us. Bona is 2–1 against the group, Davidson is 1–1, and we're 1–2. Of course, Duquesne, Mason, and GW can also all easily finish at 9–9, so that group could be quite large.
 
Looking at those percentages it appears Davidson did themselves a big favor yesterday while St Joe's did not.

Not a big surprise, but was it a big move in chance of "no bye"?
 
GK, yeah, a 3-way tie at 9–9 between us, Bona, and Davidson would not be good for us. Bona is 2–1 against the group, Davidson is 1–1, and we're 1–2. Of course, Duquesne, Mason, and GW can also all easily finish at 9–9, so that group could be quite large.

Yeah interesting that I don’t think any of the large group of teams that could end up 9-9 play each other. Except us & the goo moos but if we lose it’s a moot point. We should actually root for Bonnies to lose at umass. That would put at least the minimum 6 teams below us, if we win the next 2, making any tiebreakers not relevant…for Tuesday avoidance. If I read it correctly.
 
Yes, assuming we win out to get to 9–9, there are four teams that will undoubtedly finish behind us: Loyola, URI, UMass, and St. Joe's. There are three other teams that could potentially finish behind us without needing tiebreakers: La Salle (7–9), Davidson (7–9), and Bona (8–9).

So we'd like two of those three to lose at least one game to keep them from getting to 9 wins. La Salle losing to Dayton looks like a likely one, as noted. Bona only has UMass on the road left, and that's a decent opportunity as well. Davidson has GW at home and URI on the road. Good chance they drop one of those, but they should be favored in both and could easily win out...and they've got momentum with a 3-game win streak.

Of course, this is all predicated on us winning out. Doable, but computer rankings like Torvik put it at about 25% chance...mild underdog at Joe's and mild favorite against Mason.

Torvik gives Davidson 43% chance of getting to 9 wins, Bona 42%, and La Salle 6%.

We can also finish cleanly out of bottom 6 even if we only win 1 of 2, provided both La Salle and Davidson lose out, but that's unlikely. Torvik's predictions say 3% chance they both lose out.
 
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