Scholarship table
Defense was very good, but I was mostly encouraged how we attacked the basket on offense. Got the ball inside instead of just launching.
but all I need to know about the results is indicated by traffic on this board. Mmmmm, sweet silence.
The biggest example of the change in focus/intensity for me was when Brendan attacked baseline for a dunk instead of settling for a corner 3 like he has in the past. An aggressive Bailey on the offensive end(ie attacking instead of always taking jumpers) would be a very key development for this team. BB can get to the hoop against other teams as well as shoot but he tends to hesitate on the drive for some reason. A slashing 4 could be a perfect salve on this teams occasional offensive woes.
Yep ... I LOVED that dunk! There was a game earlier in the season in which Bailey paused, thought about it, begrudgingly drove the baseline, and missed the uncontested layup. I couldn't help but shout, "Dunk it!" at the TV. Thrilled to see how much more comfortable, involved and aggressive BB has become the last month or so.
On the FS postgame show, they lavished praise on the lead guards for MU and SH.They included a graphic with stats while they were doing the gushing:Markus 35 pts vs X on 12-27 shooting; Powell 29 pts vs Butler on 9-23 shooting.
The way Markus played last night is a great example of both Markus and Wojo making adjustments that the fanbase seemingly doesn't credit or notice. I've been as hard as anyone on Wojo from an in-game coaching perspective this season (I went on a 10 minute rant about the last 5 and half minutes of the Providence game in the podcast) but the X game was good Wojo. X was running everything off the 3 point line, especially Markus and trying to defend him with length. So while Markus certainly tried to jack a couple of shots to keep them honest, he did most of his damage by going inside and outquicking the guards. That wasn't an accident that was Markus and staff taking what the other team gave them.
The inconsistency is really frustrating. I understand not all plans are going to work, but it seems like we get too much all or nothing. (Possibly just a fan perspective).
With Wojo, I have come to the realization is that he isn’t going to make many adjustments within a game. He is a systems coach and his answer is perform better within the system. Buzz, Crean, Deane had base systems, but they would throw stuff out during the game. That’s okay. Bo, K, Boheim and Knight are/were systems coaches. When Bo got down, his teams hardly ever got back into games. Others like Jay Wright will go all match-ups and will be working it from media time out to media time out. I think this is what bothers fans in the cuddles. Look at MU’s blow outs pro and con. When the system works, Wojo’s offenses have been some of the best in MU’s history...when not like at CU or SH, it is ugly trying to get back in it.I mention this as whether you are a critical poster, the Hausers or the press, Wojo will generally make most of his adjustments in practices and not in a cuddle. It took Wojo all summer to rescheme his defense for example. To be consistent, he needs roster continuity like Bo, and that’s been a problem. That said, Coach K has learned recently, he needs to adapt more to the modern game...as has Gard.
I take issue with one thing. Crean was more incapable than Wojo of making in game adjustments. Also, Crean has now shown that for nearly 20 years. Wojo may still grow out of it.
I don't totally agree with this. Wojo absolutely adjusts to match-ups and adapts schemes in game. Best example is the adjustment he made in the last two minutes of the Providence game to feature Sacar as primary ball handler and decoy with Howard. That's not standard scheme for them. Yes, he generally prefers his standard scheme but he's not above changing it. Another example, they've been featuring a lot more of Howard setting screens and having him pop off of them(especially back screens).I agree with the defensive example you site, by and large that lack of change (IMHO) was driven not by a system stubbornness but that his personnel were best in that scheme as opposed to changing it. I disagreed with his opinion on the defensive scheme but that's one of many reasons why I'm not a head coach.
This is extremely true.....Crean had a 500 page binder for a playbook and would call plays out of it.....he wasn't exactly scheming new concepts in the huddles either
I think "slow" or "reluctant" to adjust schemes during games would be more accurate than saying he doesn't do it. There have been occasions, for example, where he's broken out the 2-3 zone to good effect, like the comeback win over Creighton a couple of years ago or even against Maryland this season and made it closer for a bit.Wish we saw more of that.
I don’t disagree with you or Tower as our posts from the past contest. CTC thought frenetic activity, including pacing and Diet Coke swigs, would reverse the opponent’s momentum.Here is how I would rate them:Game prep: Crean (detail) followed by Buzz (innovative)In-game and match-ups: Buzz/DeaneSystems: Wojo but paint touches brought a lot of wins. Situationals: Mixed but all those OT games and wins, I have to net out on Buzz.