Floors and Ceilings

[mu03eng]

No. They didn't have a chance to change the defense. You never change the defense when your opponent rebounds the ball and pushes it up the court. You change the defense either during a stoppage, or when you score and your opponent slowly brings the ball up. Pitt scored 8 points in a period of about 75 seconds, all of them off ill advised drives (and 1 ill advised Luke post up) by Marquette. These weren't slow methodical half court plays. They were quick hits where our defense barely had time to get back and set. To try and switch the defense in the middle of that would have been terrible coaching.

Hero ball and poor transition defense is what killed us during that run.

Your forget that was a media timeout in the middle of that run.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

It would be very easy to tell two players to switch guys defensively while they're coming back on offense and right in front of the MU bench.

The average length of possession on that run was around 10 seconds. It would not have been easy to tell two guys to switch. And who exactly in that lineup was going to guard 6"9 240 lb Michael Young better than Luke?

Isn't part of the coach's job to prevent "hero ball" in those types of situations? Have them slow it down, run a set play, etc.

Yes it is. And that's a valid argument. But the question was about Wojo's ability to make in game defensive adjustments. Also, for at least two of them (JJJ 1 on 3 drive and Luke's 10 second post up) they were set plays. The players executed poorly in both. I don't remember if Duane's 1 on 3 drive was a set play or not.

[wadesworld]

Yes, he did have 2 lay-ups and an assist in the first half. Late in the second half, he had a missed lay-up and a turnover while trying to drive (with a forced 3 attempt sandwiched in there as well). Rowsey had a nice game but he is not the guy to give the ball to with the game on the line.

It's inexcusable that with two chances to take the lead/win the game, only Rowsey and Hauser touched the ball.

Agree to disagree.  Rowsey was, by far, our best player against Pitt.  I want the ball in our best player's hands at the end of the game with the game on the line.

I'm much more disappointed that Wojo waited too long to switch Hauser onto Young over Fischer than I am with the late game play call.  Fischer made him shoot a couple tough shots that he made, but that was a mismatch.

Unfortunately I don't have the video highlight or know where to grab it, but if you go back and re-watch that play none of what you are describing was possible. At best there was a drive and kick option.

Also, all of his FTs came on jump shot pump fakes, not going to the hoop. He had his head down going to the hoop the whole way so they "draw a foul" strategy wasn't there at all.

The "draw a foul" strategy was entirely there.  He intentionally jumped into the big man's body.  We see that called a few times every single game on Luke.  Pitt defended it well.  There's a lot to be upset about.  The last play was the right play.  Get your best player going to the hoop and see if you can get a whistle for your best free throw shooter or see if he can get a defender trying to avoid a foul and finish at the rim.  Sometimes defenses make plays too.

[mu03eng]

Definitely a fair argument. I don't get as bent out of shape about end of game play calling. Rowsey had the hot hand and had drawn three fouls already. Him driving was probably not what the other team would expect. If it works, he's a genius for doing the unexpected. If it fails he's an idiot. He missed the call on that one.

Everyone thinks Pete Carroll is an idiot for throwing instead of handing off to Lynch. But if Wilson had made the throw, he would have been praised for doing the unexpected. Brad Stevens got mad praise for drawing up a play for Alex Barlow, a former walk on (this was before he was good) that won the game against Indiana at the last second. If Barlow had missed, every would have skewered Stevens. History is determined by the victor.

You are talking about one offs, I agree with you on the one off judgement.....my argument is there is a pattern with Wojo now where he has shown an inability to either draw up or get the players to execute a game winning play. I'd have to go back and do a detailed review but I remember at least a half a dozen times the previous two times where they ran a failed end of game play.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Your forget that was a media timeout in the middle of that run.

No. I'm talking about the possessions after the media timeout. I know Young had a bucket or two before the media timeout but one was an off balanced fade away jumper from about 18 feet  that was lucky enough to go in and the other was an out of control drive where he got bailed out on free throws IIRC.

[MerrittsMustache]

Agree to disagree.  Rowsey was, by far, our best player against Pitt.  I want the ball in our best player's hands at the end of the game with the game on the line.

Rowsey had the best stretch and finished with the most points, but he's far from being the team's best player. Besides, by that time he had cooled off considerably. If he was even the best finisher or play-maker, I'd be fine with him having the ball but he's neither of those things. He's a role-playing, spot-up shooter off the bench. That's not meant as an insult. That's what he is. JJJ, Haanif or Duane would have all been better options at that point regardless of how they had played in the first 39:40 of the game.

[wadesworld]

Rowsey had the best stretch and finished with the most points, but he's far from being the team's best player. Besides, by that time he had cooled off considerably. If he was even the best finisher or play-maker, I'd be fine with him having the ball but he's neither of those things. He's a role-playing, spot-up shooter off the bench. That's not meant as an insult. That's what he is. JJJ, Haanif or Duane would have all been better options at that point regardless of how they had played in the first 39:40 of the game.

Agree to disagree.  If his defense is serviceable (big if) I think he'll be one of the top 3 in minutes and points per game.  I think he's our second best offensive player behind Cheatham, and in the Pitt game he was a lot better than Cheatham was.

[Bocephys]

So Wojo drew up a play that went rogue in the first 12 seconds and required to Rowsey to attack the trees with 11 seconds left on the clock and down 1? I'm not sure if my thought or yours is more damning of Wojo.

Agreed, but wasn't it under Wojo where he had a post game presser along the lines of "They didn't run what was called"?  Could have been Buzz, now that I write it out it certainly sounds more like Buzz.

[MerrittsMustache]

Agree to disagree.  If his defense is serviceable (big if) I think he'll be one of the top 3 in minutes and points per game.  I think he's our second best offensive player behind Cheatham, and in the Pitt game he was a lot better than Cheatham was.

If Rowsey is the team's second-best offensive player, it's going to be a loooong season.

[wadesworld]

If Rowsey is the team's second-best offensive player, it's going to be a loooong season.

Rowsey is a very, very good offensive player.  Just because he's little doesn't mean he can't fill it up.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Rowsey is a very, very good offensive player.  Just because he's little doesn't mean he can't fill it up.

Agreed. Its his defense that concerns me.

[GoldenDieners32]

Agreed. Its his defense that concerns me.

And we need good defense badly now

[GoldenDieners32]

These next 6 games are huge for the boys
IUPUI - 11-22
Houston Baptist - 11-26
Western Carolina - 11/30
Georgia - 12-4
Fresno State - 12-6
Badgers - 12-10
All these games are huge for MU and their confidence. All these games are winnable we just need to execute and take down these teams. Lets say we win all 6 that puts us at 8-2 with key wins over a solid Georgia team and a top 25 Badger team(probably). These games are huge.

[4everwarriors]

I'll take da under, hey?

[GGGG]

These next 6 games are huge for the boys
IUPUI - 11-22
Houston Baptist - 11-26
Western Carolina - 11/30
Georgia - 10-4
Fresno State - 10-6
Badgers - 10-10
All these games are huge for MU and their confidence. All these games are winnable we just need to execute and take down these teams. Lets say we win all 6 that puts us at 8-2 with key wins over a solid Georgia team and a top 25 Badger team(probably). These games are huge.

Just an FYI, December is the 12th month.

[GoldenDieners32]

Just an FYI, December is the 12th month.

my bad just fixed