Seton Hall game thoughts

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

I thought last night's game was the worst we've looked all year. I think Fitzgerald played well and Acker had a decent game, but other than that our juniors played like freshmen.

That foul on DJ really woke us up, otherwise that could have been as ugly a home loss as we've had since early last year.

Good to see Fitzgerald hit some big shots, although our offense against a zone is atrocious. The problem, as I see it, is that against a zone we still seem to revolve around DJ, Wesley and Jerel -- three guys who are simply poor shooters. Acker, Cubillan, Fitzgerald, Hayward...all are better shooters than the three juniors. I don't want to hear percentages and I didn't check. They're better shooters, anybody can see that.

Hayward, although he didn't play particularly well last night, should be the second option vs. a man-to-man and at least the second against a zone. He is just a better offensive player than McNeal. McNeal taking 17 shots is a problem. I also think Wesley should be coming off the bench. James wasn't super effective last night, but I don't think he played poorly (although that NBA range three point attempt reminded me of the game at DePaul last year...not exactly what we were looking for in a close game).

And I may be in the minority, but I was happy to see Seton Hall compete. Gonzalez has got them on the upswing.

[MarquetteDano]

I think our Zone Offense needs to consider something other than a 2-3 zone.  We faced a 2-3 zone many times including the Providence game, and we have been okay.  That's because we have use the high "seams" against it (namely at the free throw line) and broke it down.

Last night, it appeared as if Seton Hall used a 3-2 zone, as there were no high seams.  We tried to use the baseline against them, which is a weakness of a 3-2 zone, but we would just get trapped down there.  You have to use the baseline like the free throw line... get it there to move the zone then MOVE THE BALL.  Don't wait to get trapped and throw an errant pass.

We need to realize we will see other zones than simply a 2-3.  I think Crean and team just need more time to practice against non 2-3 zones.  Hopefully, we can figure it out.

[1990Warrior]

I think our Zone Offense needs to consider something other than a 2-3 zone.  We faced a 2-3 zone many times including the Providence game, and we have been okay.  That's because we have use the high "seams" against it (namely at the free throw line) and broke it down.

Last night, it appeared as if Seton Hall used a 3-2 zone, as there were no high seams.  We tried to use the baseline against them, which is a weakness of a 3-2 zone, but we would just get trapped down there.  You have to use the baseline like the free throw line... get it there to move the zone then MOVE THE BALL.  Don't wait to get trapped and throw an errant pass.

We need to realize we will see other zones than simply a 2-3.  I think Crean and team just need more time to practice against non 2-3 zones.  Hopefully, we can figure it out.

I think you are right about getting it figured out.  To me it seem as though we go into "brain lock" when we see something we aren't prepared for and for some reason this affects our shooting. 

[AlumKCof93]

PRN,
I agree that McNeal having 17 shots is way too many.  He is taking 3's when that is not his game - his game is driving to the basket and finishing.  Even though Hayward didn't have a particularly strong game last night, I also think he should be the 2nd option.  He and DJ are the two most improved since last season.

[jaybilaswho?]

Alum,

you think that DJ is one of the most improved players since last year? I guess a slight improvement is still an improvement. The only thing that he has bettered himself in is in passing. Although it does appear that he is falling back into the "do it myself" mentality- which scares me. The only other measure I have seen in improvement is that he hasnt taken as many of his 25 foot threes this year.... yet.

[wadesworld]

The only other measure I have seen in improvement is that he hasnt taken as many of his 25 foot threes this year.... yet.

I think that's the point.  I think he's finally realizing that 15 points and 7 assists on 12 shots is better than 20 points and 2 assists on 22 shots.  He's playing within the offense this year, something he did not do last year, and we are a much better team for it and he is much improved because of it.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

You guys didn't see the 3 pointer he jacked up late in yesterday's game?

[jaybilaswho?]

no i saw it. it terrifies me when he makes any three point bucket. makes me think that he is going to get too confident start just chucking them up there. it seemed as though last night he had the "the next one will fall" mentality.

[AlumKCof93]

DJ is playing within the offense much better than he did last year.  There were times last year when I thought Crean needed to take him out as he was putting himself ahead of the team.  This year, I haven't seen nearly as much of that - though I'm still fearful that after he makes his first 3-pointer, its almost a guarantee that he will take another one in the next 2 possessions.
I did see the 25 footer he took yesterday and it was a terrible decision.  But I can't think of any other shots he took yesterday that had me shaking my head.  I can live with one bad decision.

[Big Papi]

The problem, as I see it, is that against a zone we still seem to revolve around DJ, Wesley and Jerel -- three guys who are simply poor shooters. Acker, Cubillan, Fitzgerald, Hayward...all are better shooters than the three juniors. I don't want to hear percentages and I didn't check. They're better shooters, anybody can see that.

I agree that we really should start another player who can hit a perimeter shot and that Matthews, at this point in time, would be better off starting on the bench but I don't thing we have a player that can provide us with what we need.  If Acker or Cube start, we become very small with McNeal playing the 3 position.  With Fitz starting, we get burned defensively at the 3 and 4 position.  Christopherson is too slow and just not ready yet.  As much as it pains me to say it, with the makeup of this team, Matthews is our best starting option as he can at least defend the 3 position very well and allow it allows us to play soft at the 4 position with Hayward and Fitz.  Now this is completely off the wall and McNeal deserves to start but if Cube can get his shot back, we could be better off starting Cube in McNeal's place.   We still have a bulldog on defense but a better perimeter shooter.  But than we lose out on McNeal's slashing ability.  Just a quick thought.  I don't know if it would work and how it would affect the team emotionally.

[ecompt]

He had a couple of bad decisions in WV Sunday, too, but one of them was due to the offense breaking down after he waited too long to make a decision. PRN is absolutely right, though: Jerel taking 17 shots is ridiculous. He is NOT a great shooter from outside 10 feet.  

[chefrad]

What I saw last night was Jerel flying down the court, only to stop and plop the ball into the scrum in the hope it would somehow end up being an assist. Man, that was an AWFUL performance for an all-BE player!

On the other hand, it was just one game and he has been great most of this year. Not just his play, but his energy. That last block made up for a lot.

It was nice to see Fitz shoot. Lazar did better outside as well. The problem is, who does well inside?  We miss Tmbk terribly (if he is half as good as touted). Whatever the stats, the rebounding was weak.

Odds are some of this will work itself out over the year. Two years of torment would be too much.

[CTWarrior]

I'm surprised about what I don't see in this thread.  We suffer against various zones from a total lack of an inside threat more than anything else.  How many times did we post up McNeal or Hayward and how many times did they score?  Hayward is great against small and quick or big and slow.  He is not an interior force against big and quick, even if it is not particularly talented.  And the  Big East has big and quick interior players in abundance.  It is tough to get open 3's when the defense does not respect our inside game.  We chuck up a lot of threes despite not being a particularly good three point shooting team because our one strength on offense is dribble penetration and passing which is mitigated greatly by a zone defense.  And we sure shoot 3's better than we score in the low box.

[ecompt]

True enough, CT. Check out the combined stats of Barro and Burke in last night's boxscore. Hibbert or Harangody get that much in two minutes.

[mu_hilltopper]

.. I think (or hope) that last night was an aberration for shooting.  Truth is, we're shooting better than we are last year.  Guys are taking fewer bad shots, and making a few more.

The reason we were losing for 80% of the game last night was that EVERY player was cold, cold, cold.  With the depth we have, that shouldn't happen very often.