OSU Game Thoughts

[willie warrior]

I think the "Gardner should take 3's crowd" now have their answer.  Takes a 3, Otule up off the bench in about a half a second.

Gardner has uncanny ability to score near the basket, but his defense is still just abysmal.  The big run/layup drill for OSU came with him in the game, and doing nothing to contest anything at the rim.

The offense was atrocious.  Given the very poor shooting performance of the entire team, I'm not sure how that can be laid so neatly and cleanly at the feet of Derrick as so many want to do, but I guess he didn't do much to dispel the concerns regarding his game.  Team ball movement was lousy.  Movement without the ball was lousy.  Shooting was lousy.  Nobody looked like they knew what to do or that they particularly wanted to be doing it anyway.

The bigger issue to me is having Gardner up at the top of the key so much.  What the heck is he doing up there?  Somebody else can screen for the ballhandler.  He needs to be on the block, and the offense needs to run through the post for better or for worse.  If our guys were cutting and moving without the ball (not much of that happening today) that could be an effective set. 

At least we can all cool it on the Buzz to Texas talk.  If anybody associated with Texas was watching that stinker their interest level just dropped considerably.

I have more confidence in Gardner taking a 3 than most of our guards.

[brandx]

PG is the big weakness. There is no threat whatsoever on offense so it is very easy to double up on anyone. Even if Derrick isn't guarded, he can't get to the hoop.

I would venture to say as a general rule - If Derrick takes more shots than Davante - we lose. Period. Every time. Does anyone expect DW to even average 5 pts a game? But, even beside the lack of scoring, he creates zero offense.

[Marqevans]

No team can win shooting 19%.

[Atticus]

I have more confidence in Gardner taking a 3 than most of our guards.

Yeah, you should be a coach. It totally makes sense to pull our most efficient scorer who makes baskets around the rim out to the 3 point line. Brilliant. 

[willie warrior]

Yeah, you should be a coach. It totally makes sense to pull our most efficient scorer who makes baskets around the rim out to the 3 point line. Brilliant. 

I didn't say that--pulling him out to the three--you did so that speaks volumes to your brilliance. What I said is that I have more confidence---but hey make up whatever you want to--it is a posting board where you can expound away.

[The Equalizer]

Yeah, you should be a coach. It totally makes sense to pull our most efficient scorer who makes baskets around the rim out to the 3 point line. Brilliant. 

We could have said much the same about Crowder. At least until Buzz gave him the gree light and worked 2 or 3 trey attempts/game into Crowder's shot selection.  

Look, if guards can't get Gardner the ball because the defense is going to pack it inside, then yes it does make sense to try to work a three point shot into Gardner's shooting.

Gardner moves out to the line, one of two things happens:  either his defender comes out and defends him there (opening the lane).  Or they stay inside (leaving him with an open shot).

[thanooj]

I have been rooting for d Wilson. But I saw a major problem with his limited offensive threat.  When gardner get great post position on with d Wilson having the ball, d Wilson cannot pass it to him because his defender is in a permanent 6 feet sag off of him. Ox never had a chance to get it going because d Wilson couldn't get the ball to the blocks ever. That also could be why Ox comes to the top of the key so much. After he passes it off he goes back to post up, but of course once he is in great position to score or get fouled d Wilson has the ball on his side with a defender sagging 6 feet off of him and d Wilson can't get him the ball.

Duane and Dawson. We need them. D Wilson can play. But he hurts us when we need offense.

[Atticus]

We could have said much the same about Crowder. At least until Buzz gave him the gree light and worked 2 or 3 trey attempts/game into Crowder's shot selection.  

Look, if guards can't get Gardner the ball because the defense is going to pack it inside, then yes it does make sense to try to work a three point shot into Gardner's shooting.

Gardner moves out to the line, one of two things happens:  either his defender comes out and defends him there (opening the lane).  Or they stay inside (leaving him with an open shot).

Funny. And if teams play zone, then Gardner is shooting a three against a guard or a forward who is much quicker and can elevate much higher than Gardner can when he releases a shot. That will work really well against team with even average height. And again, it makes so much sense to pull DG away from where he is most efficient....and can draw fouls. 

[GGGG]

We could have said much the same about Crowder. At least until Buzz gave him the gree light and worked 2 or 3 trey attempts/game into Crowder's shot selection. 

That is really a dumb comparison.  They are two different players with two different games.

[brandx]

Funny. And if teams play zone, then Gardner is shooting a three against a guard or a forward who is much quicker and can elevate much higher than Gardner can when he releases a shot. That will work really well against team with even average height. And again, it makes so much sense to pull DG away from where he is most efficient....and can draw fouls. 

Makes no sense - so Gardner is gonna out to 3 land and wait for a guard to come out on him before he shoots so the shot can get blocked?

As our top option on offense - he got 6 shots today. DWill took more shots than Davante. Jake took more shots than Davante. Todd took 2 1/2 times the shots that Davante took. Obviously we don't have the guards that can get the ball in to the post.

[GGGG]

Ball can't get into the post when the defense is packed in like that.

[tower912]

1.Davante was not consistently working hard for position.
2. tOSU was sending instant double teams in the second half that he read poorly.  
3.  And the pressure and sagging done by tOSU guards confused our guards and they stood still and quit playing aggressively.  
4.  After the charge call that was his second foul, he never went hard to the rim again.  

[Atticus]

Makes no sense - so Gardner is gonna out to 3 land and wait for a guard to come out on him before he shoots so the shot can get blocked?

As our top option on offense - he got 6 shots today. DWill took more shots than Davante. Jake took more shots than Davante. Todd took 2 1/2 times the shots that Davante took. Obviously we don't have the guards that can get the ball in to the post.

I guess Im missing something. Devante is suppose to play inside, get his buckets the way he always has, draw fouls.....and also drift to the 3-point line to shoot threes? Oh, thats it? Is that all we are going to ask him to do? No biggie.

When DG shoots a jumper, his release is slow. He is quick in the lane and crafty but certainly not when left alone for a midrange jumper. Forget it...I cant believe Im arguing against DG drifting to the 3 point line to shoot threes. Such an awesome strategy!