MUScoop
MUScoop => Hangin' at the Al => Topic started by: MUCHI814 on December 10, 2006, 08:11:35 PM
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After watching yesterday's game, among many frustrating aspects of the game, the biggest was a lack of stand-out scorer. We've seen James step up and score before, but he is to inconsistent. Ultimately, this leads me to my point. I think Novak is going to be missed a lot more than I originally thought. At first, I thought we would be better off without him, a more versatile offense and more dynamic scorers would help us more. However, watching our inability to hit 3's and to keep any sort of momentum on our own home court was frustrating. Although there many things wrong this game, the most alarming is our lack of three point shooting and a stand-out leader/scorer. Its gonna be a different season without Novak this year.
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yup. the team lacks a senior who has spent four years in the program........ecompt pointed this out months ago, and its spot-on. Its impossible to replace experience IMHO
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Well .. first off, I don't think anyone could say with a straight face that "we'd be better off without Novak". You always want NBA quality players on your roster, regardless.
But second, I'm not surprised with our struggles. Losing Novak, and now 11 games into the season, no one has appeared to come anywhere within sniffing distance of a "must guard" guy beyond the arc .. turns MU into a 1 dimensional team. Any opposing coach will just give up guarding MU beyond the line, and surrender the whopping two 3-pointers that MU might hit in a game. That really hoses us.
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I don't think anyone could say with a straight face that "we'd be better off without Novak".
I thought (and still do) that this year's team would be better despite Novak's loss. Obviously they'd be better with him, but I felt that the year of improvement for everyone plus the additions of Hayward, Cubillan, and Blackledge would more than compensate for the loss.
The big 3 are finding it tougher going without Novak than I (and presumably they) anticipated, but by no means am I jumping ship. Last year, when they penetrated, they were typically one-on-one, whereas this year, they typically get double-teamed. Last year, they were able to score vs. a single defender or pass out to Novak for an instant assist. This year, they are putting up tough shots against the double team or passing out to less than reliable shooters.
These are growing pains. Someone WILL STEP UP as a reliable outside threat. My guess is Fitz. The big 3 will also learn to pull up from 5-12 feet instead of forcing. Our defensive speed is still amazing and when the team learns to play without Novak, we'll be very tough.
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I know it just wasn't meant to be, but Amoroso would've been a huge help this season too. He could jam the middle on defense (like Murff wants us to do) AND hit the three.
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I was one who thought that Novak would not be missed much. I was under the assumption that:
1.) Hayward was as good of 3 point shooter as he was billed to be.
2.) Fitz would find confidence now that he is in his fourth year and second on the team.
3.) McNeal would improve his 3 point shot just a little bit.
4.) Matthews would improve his 3 point shot just a little bit.
5.) James would improve his 3 point shot just a little bit.
6.) Cubillan would be as decent outside shooter as his rep from prep school.
7.) a more athletic four would create more open looks on the perimeter thus an easier shot, plus have a better defender on the floor.
I never would have imagined that only 1 of the top 6 is true with number 7 being true but whats the point when most of 1 through 6 is not.
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Number 6 is also true.
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Another "what if" but I think a healthy Kinsella would have given us a solid 18-20 minutes against UW, played tough defense, and given us a couple additional boards. I hope he can get healthy enough to contribute in certain BE games.
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I would disagree that #7 is true (if that's what you were saying). They have the potential to get better shots because of their athleticism, but right now we don't have good enough ball movement to get wide open looks on a consistant basis. All the athleticism in the world isn't going to help if you always get double-teamed because the other team knows that no one is going to pass.
There was one play in the second half on Sat where DJ dribbled the ball to the right side, made a quick pass to the top of the key, another pass to LH on the baseline for an easy layup. That's what we need more of. Either LH gets an easy layup, a foul, or is cutoff and he kicks it out for a wide open shot to someone on the wing whose defender started to collapes on the inside.
If we're forced to kick it out for the jump shot, then we have LH and our 5th man down low for the offensive rebound, the shooter and the guy at the top of the key for the long rebound/defense, and DJ cheating inside for a put back.
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Another "what if" but I think a healthy Kinsella would have given us a solid 18-20 minutes against UW, played tough defense, and given us a couple additional boards. I hope he can get healthy enough to contribute in certain BE games.
As I recall, the only time Kinsella contributed was a couple of blocks against ND. The UW big men did nothing and he certainly couldn't have guarded Tucker. I don't think Kinsella will or ever has been a factor. The best we can expect from him is a big body to use to take up a little space on occasions.
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Defensively in the UW game, I felt he could have disrupted some of the layups and close shots off penetration by their guards. It may not have been a statistically good game, but I definately think he would have made an impact.