We have a long way to go when there was a game today and not a single thread regarding the game. I hope things get better quickly. Good thing is that they did win, bad thing is they play USU next!
Nothing on the game
- Thread starter Rebel1986
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The first 5 minutes were beyond awful but they started clamping down defensively and that seemed to give them confidence on the offensive end. They carried it into the second half and took care of a bad team like they should have. This team has very little talent and the games aren't going to be very nice to watch aesthetically but if they leave it all on the floor I won't complain too much.
Where I have seen improvement is from some of the bench players who have been receiving more and more play time as the season progresses. I can see that TJ is improving the level of play, but I also see a lack of shooters, like of overall depth, and an overall talent level that will need to be fixed with recruiting for next season.
One correction: Eastern Michigan is NOT a "bad team". In fact, thus far, they have been a very good team. They are among the leaders in the NCAA in turning opponents over and are 9-3 overall.
Im not a TJ apologist but, by all accounts, this was a very good win.
Look at who they played. It’s easy to accumulate good stats when you schedule as they did. Remember, Marvelous Marv got 20 wins playing an OOC that was around 320. Have to look at opponents for more context.
I thought defensively, they were active and quirky, tough to prepare for and we figured it out. Offensively, they were as junky as could be.
They played one good team - and they were boatraced by 53. They were picked to finish dead last in their conference.
Fair enough. But a lot of teams would have been boat-raced by Michigan.
Either, way, Eastern will make noise in their conference.
Like I said, I am NOT a TJ apologist. Just called it like I saw it...and I saw it as a good, team win.
I don’t know, they’ve beaten only two teams that are remotely close to 500 (northeastern and Valpo) and now they’ve lost two poorer, less than 500 teams, in UNLV and Irvine (by >20). Then 15 to UNLV and 53 to Michigan State.
I know nothing about their conference and strengths. They may finish fine. Media/coaches doesn’t always get it right but they have more insight than myself when they picked them dead last in conference. I think defensively they’ll compete, but that was an offense that couldn’t shoot, had no post game, they can’t dribble and they were jack happy with bad shots. Just a terrible, terrible offense. I think the defense can keep them tight (though their conference mates are more used to that look than we are).... but that offense was so anemic it made us look like Loyola Marymount of 1990.
Again, fair points. I suppose that Im just looking at games that we play in a vacuum. Each game Im looking for positives. That game against a good zone defensive team in Eastern Michigan, I was happy with the way we played. Certainly not saying that will translate to better play moving forward nor am I saying that we have overcome our propensity to play terrible against a good zone moving forward.
Just liked what I saw in that game...despite the terrible start.
With where we are at, yeah, vacuum required to find positives.
I thought after being completely lost early, we bounced back and figured it out and were really effective.
They scared the crap out of me in the NCAA’s. I knew we were very good but LMU looked destined. Ironically, it was one game that didn’t worry Tark. And Tark worried about everything.
But yeah, it was amazing to watch them fly around and launch from everywhere.
I was at that game in Oakland. Big UNLV ticket scam. Me and my wife had to sit apart. The whole arena was rooting crazy for Loyola but the 2-3 thousand Rebel fans drowned them all out. So fun. So dominating. Westhead was as classy as they get. Super fun weekend on the way to the 1990 title.
The LMU game in the tournament was another example for those who think coaching strategy does not matter to demonstrate it does.
Jerry and the staff had an outstanding game plan with three big keys.
One, they developed a strategy to beat LMU’s vaunted press where they would inbound the ball to David Butler as he was much taller than anyone they had, plus he was a good passer for a big man.
Butler’s outlet passes off their trap enabled the Rebels to get a number of easy baskets off 3 on 2, 2 on 1 advantages. Rebels shot around 60% from the field.
The second key was the staff implored Augmon, Anthony and Hunt to get up into Kimble and Fryer defensively and make them work for everything. Kimble had around 40 points but his shooting percentage was not very good and he eventually received a technical in frustration. Fryer’s shooting percentage was very poor.
The final one was their substitution strategy to prevent fatigue. Jerry told the starters as soon as you start to feel winded to signal to come out and when you feel you have your wind again he would put you back in.
To get them to buy in, he told them if he had to pull them out they wouldn’t go back in until he was ready to put them in.
Jerry and the staff had an outstanding game plan with three big keys.
One, they developed a strategy to beat LMU’s vaunted press where they would inbound the ball to David Butler as he was much taller than anyone they had, plus he was a good passer for a big man.
Butler’s outlet passes off their trap enabled the Rebels to get a number of easy baskets off 3 on 2, 2 on 1 advantages. Rebels shot around 60% from the field.
The second key was the staff implored Augmon, Anthony and Hunt to get up into Kimble and Fryer defensively and make them work for everything. Kimble had around 40 points but his shooting percentage was not very good and he eventually received a technical in frustration. Fryer’s shooting percentage was very poor.
The final one was their substitution strategy to prevent fatigue. Jerry told the starters as soon as you start to feel winded to signal to come out and when you feel you have your wind again he would put you back in.
To get them to buy in, he told them if he had to pull them out they wouldn’t go back in until he was ready to put them in.
Of course x’s and o’s matter but it’s not rocket science and it’s more likely to have an impact in odd games like above. Back then, there were a few different styles. And LMU was an anomaly. Syracuse’s zone. Even the zone we saw last game.
For the most part, teams all play “the same”, running similar offenses and defenses. Obviously some are better at it but conceptually, there are only a couple of handfuls of teams that run something unique. UNLV isn’t surprising UNM with anything, UNM isnt surprising UNLV with anything. UNLV will have to game plan/strategize more heavily vs AFA, AFA isn’t worried about what UNLV’s going to run, they’ll have seen it 15 times by the time we play.
Substitutions, going by gut feel with matchups, clock management, yep, that’s all coaching. X’s and O’s, the vast majority is just recycled stuff, some just do it better than others so as I said, x’s and o’s isn’t this huge Mensa project. And I think it holds more true today than 20 years ago. I think back then, probably because teams got a larger time allotment, they were able to use 250 volunteer assistants, etc - there was a lot more overall “coaching” and players were far more sound fundamentally and with basketball IQ, because there was plenty of time to teach, not to mention condition. I think the NCAA did a disservice to the game itself, the players and the coaches by clamping down too tightly on that stuff. In the end, we see a far lesser product.
Edit: my point had been addressed, not sure how to delete my post.
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looking at the ooc you are a team finding ots way that is VERY close to having 11 wins already. the effort against afa was great if that team continues to show up you will be dangerous in conf play. defensive tenacity in college hoops can mask other warts. pulling for you guys.
