Friar musings

[MU82]

Rebounding was impressive last night.  After having only 2 offensive boards against Provi last time out, we got 19 last night and beat them on the boards.  Wojo and staff must have been drilling it into them to crash the boards because they've been doing a lot better in the rebounding department lately.

I don't think so because Wojo is a bad coach who is on a leash now. All he does at practice is send texts to all the other lousy Coach K coaching disciples.

Oh, and Wojo's mind games totally screwed up JJJ, too. Obviously.

[tower912]

For those who need teal to recognize sarcasm, the above post from MU82 is sarcasm.   Please treat it as such. 

[MU82]

Oh tower ... you complete me!

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Goddamn there's a lot of negativity in this thread. Great game! Tons of great performances! The future is super bright and if you don't think this team has improved immensely you're insane.

[MU82]

Goddamn there's a lot of negativity in this thread. Great game! Tons of great performances! The future is super bright and if you don't think this team has improved immensely you're insane.

You are so naive, PRN. You actually believe that college players improve as they get more experience.

See, lots of folks here think that never happens. (For example, Kaminsky was great as a freshman but Bo was just stashin' him on the bench!) Ipso fatso, if we are bad now -- and we obviously are horrible because Providence is the worst team ever so beating them doesn't even matter -- we will be bad forevermore.

[TSmith34, Inc.]

Goddamn there's a lot of negativity in this thread.

Definitely more than there should be given we just beat another top 20 team.  I think if we had beat them in regulation (as we should have) or in the first OT (which we also should have) we wouldn't see nearly as much.

[Henry Sugar]

FWIW - If you look at the full year data thus far, Cohen has improved YoY from an efficiency of 93 (usage 16%) to an efficiency of 107 (usage 14%).

In other words, he's gone from a crap role player to a good (but not great) role player. It's unlikely he will ever be a go-to guy (>20% usage), but he should be a very good junior and senior.

[LloydsLegs]

Wilson was really bad, but free throws were huge.  His two stupid fouls at end of game lead to 4 free throw points.

Cohen, well he has been terrible since BE play and next year that Hauser kid may/will see his playing time. 

Fischer had two screen fouls by sticking out his butt. 

Not even going to bring up end of first OT, that was just unreal with Cohen and Cheatham.

Too many back door/dunks by Prov

Too many threes (11) given up and MU with 3 for 13. Henry missed one at end of regulation, but JJJ's was huge

Too many possessions down to end of shot clock.

Win is a win, even with the ugly mistakes.  Bentil improved so much, its actually crazy. 

Last, in first OT, Henry did not take one shot, not one.

I think that was due in part to poor decision making/team work when the ball came down low, but even more due to the coaching decision to have 3 defenders up high most of the time so that no matter where K Dunn went, he had two guys to deal with.  And that worked on Dunn.

[warriorchick]

I think that was due in part to poor decision making/team work when the ball came down low, but even more due to the coaching decision to have 3 defenders up high most of the time so that no matter where K Dunn went, he had two guys to deal with.  And that worked on Dunn.

Let's go down to nyg's place of business and write down every single thing he and his team does wrong.

[TSmith34, Inc.]

FWIW - If you look at the full year data thus far, Cohen has improved YoY from an efficiency of 93 (usage 16%) to an efficiency of 107 (usage 14%).

In other words, he's gone from a crap role player to a good (but not great) role player. It's unlikely he will ever be a go-to guy (>20% usage), but he should be a very good junior and senior.

It feels like, though, that there has been a big drop off in the last half dozen games or so.  Do the stats bear that out?

[Henry Sugar]

Last half-dozen games

PC 42
X 120
SHU 15
Butler 120
Stetson 106
St. John's 115

Cohen has had two crap games out of the last three, but he's been efficient in the other four. It's recency bias.

[jsglow]

Last half-dozen games

PC 42
X 120
SHU 15
Butler 120
Stetson 106
St. John's 115

Cohen has had two crap games out of the last three, but he's been efficient in the other four. It's recency bias.

Thanks Sug.  I liked the fact that Wojo called him over to the bench after he missed those 2 free throws.  Needed Sandy focused.  As an upperclassman he'll be a very solid 6th or 7th man.  Honestly, I'd really like him to continue to work hard on his D and improve his rebounding so he can be a true force on the defensive end.  Doesn't really need to become a great scorer to contribute.

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

If JJJ can teach Cheatham how to do the little pull-up jumper on the drive, when he is blocked going to the hoop, the kid could be an All-American by his senior year.

He has the quickness and a decent shot from three. So, if he can learn a little mid-range game, he would almost be unstoppable. Plus, despite some mistakes, he shows a real willingness to play hard defense.

He could be an All-American next year if he added that to his game. Kid is really, really, really good. 

[Henry Sugar]

Cohen has had two crap games out of the last three, but he's been efficient in the other four. It's recency bias.

I just posted a few charts and need to retract this a bit. Yes, he's been efficient in his other four games, but Cohen has really struggled since the start of conference play.

[MU82]

He could be an All-American next year if he added that to his game. Kid is really, really, really good.

It also would benefit Cheatham to work tirelessly on finishing with his right hand. He had three drives yesterday from the right side and had to use his left on all. Only made one. (He did make another when he went under the basket for an excellent reverse.) Several teams have done a pretty good job of taking away his left hand. He needs a better right.

Even with no mid-range game, no right hand and a propensity for turning the ball over, Haanif already is a nice college player. I agree he can be quite special by the time he is done if he improves on what he already does well and becomes reasonably skilled at the things he doesn't do now.

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

It also would benefit Cheatham to work tirelessly on finishing with his right hand. He had three drives yesterday from the right side and had to use his left on all. Only made one. (He did make another when he went under the basket for an excellent reverse.) Several teams have done a pretty good job of taking away his left hand. He needs a better right.

Even with no mid-range game, no right hand and a propensity for turning the ball over, Haanif already is a nice college player. I agree he can be quite special by the time he is done if he improves on what he already does well and becomes reasonably skilled at the things he doesn't do now.

Agreed. He'll work on it.  Wojo has said he is already lightyears ahead of where he was when he came to campus with his right hand.  Despite those limitations, including the fact he hasn't made a mid range jumper all year and tends to turn the ball over, he is still one of the best freshman in the country, and as he develops, he is going to be the leader of this team. I love the kid. 

[BM1090]

Awful decision making down the stretch by both our players and the refs. We won this one based on greater depth, providence was completely worn out.

despite some bad defensive decisions jjj has been outstanding again. has a more intense look about him. hopefully stays on this progression, could be our best player next year.

henry is unbelievable in the mid-range game. I don't know why he spends so much time on the perimeter. Still shoots too many 3's and they are complete bricks, not even close.

Cheatham made some outstanding finishes on drives, but almost killed us with poor decision making. Story of his freshman season.

Traci was solid down the stretch.

Sandy wasn't good, although he did have one nice finish on a fast break in overtime I believe

We won because of depth?? We have 7 capable players right now. That's it. If you listen to all the complaints about Duane and Sandy here, we only have 5 capable players. But depth won us the game?

[Shark]

We won because of depth?? We have 7 capable players right now. That's it. If you listen to all the complaints about Duane and Sandy here, we only have 5 capable players. But depth won us the game?

Compared to Prov's 2 players...yeah

[PGsHeroes32]

We won because of depth?? We have 7 capable players right now. That's it. If you listen to all the complaints about Duane and Sandy here, we only have 5 capable players. But depth won us the game?

Not watched Providence much?

Bentil and Dunn had 59/92 against us last night.

In the first game they had 48!!! Of 64.

This is a normal thing for them btw. They are a 2 man show.

We've at least got 5-6 guys who can lead us nightly.

[Nukem2]

He could be an All-American next year if he added that to his game. Kid is really, really, really good.

Not only a pull-up jumper, but also passing out to an open man once in a while.  Can't get to the hoop every time.  Kid is really good already though.

[wadesworld]

Bingo! Pay the man, Shirley.

How can teams possibly let Steph Curry continually go off against them?  How can guys like Durant, Wade, LeBron, etc. average over 20 a game for their careers?  I mean, c'mon!  Coaches are getting paid millions of dollars to not see who the best players on the court are and still be unable to hold them under 8 points?  Da hell ever happened to accountability in this world?  Somebody must pay for this!

News flash: there are some really good basketball players in this world.  Ben Bentil happens to be one of those guys.  It's easy to sit on MUScoop and type "How hard is it to see that we need to stop Ben Bentil?!"  It's not so easy to go out on a court and stop Ben Bentil.

Ben Bentil went for 42 and 12.  And 1 loss.

[BM1090]

Not watched Providence much?

Bentil and Dunn had 59/92 against us last night.

In the first game they had 48!!! Of 64.

This is a normal thing for them btw. They are a 2 man show.

We've at least got 5-6 guys who can lead us nightly.

It wasn't a question of skill, though. He was talking actual depth because Providence was worn down. We have a 7 man rotation. We're not winning games because we're tiring the opponent out with our depth.

[rocket surgeon]

That's not coaching.  It's on the players there. These guys didn't just learn game situations for the first time in their lives.   I remember DJO doing this 4 or 5 different times and just wondering how he could continue to do it. I sure didn't blame Buzz.

bang!  that's what i'm talking about!

[warriorfan 14]

It wasn't a question of skill, though. He was talking actual depth because Providence was worn down. We have a 7 man rotation. We're not winning games because we're tiring the opponent out with our depth.

yes as i said, we did win this game based on GREATER depth than providence. they were worn out in overtime plus dunn was fouled out. they are a 2 superstar show. we have a lot more solid contributors. bentil was completely worn out. so our depth was a great advantage in a game that went into two overtimes