Miami

[tower912]

So, what did you guys see in Miami that you think is exploitable?    What scares you?     I saw a team that didn't respond well to Illinois beating up on it.   I also saw a team that is used to seeing shots fall that just weren't last night.   (that scares me)   I saw a team with big bigs, not 6'8, 195 lb guys playing the stretch 4.     BTW, I think STjr finally gets PT on Thursday due to foul trouble.     Be ready, young man.    Larkin is quicker than Junior or DWilson, but that is nothing new.     Illinois shot 3's without conscience, but Miami allowed some easy dunks worrying too much about the 3.   Generally not a problem playing MU.      To sum up, Miami is a good team that has earned all of the accolades sent their way this year.    However, like every other team, they have flaws.    Be physical every possession, every play, avoid the long periods without scoring, and MU has as good a shot as they have had in the previous two games.

[jficke13]

I saw a very talented Larkin. I saw a team that will work shots on the perimeter, but is just as happy going towards the paint. I think we'll have to play Larkin tenaciously like we played Clark in the 2nd half against Butler. I think that we should be aggressive on offenes, take the ball to the paint of the bounce and with crisp entrance passes to Jwilson, Otule, and Gardner when they have good position.

I think if we routinely lose players on screens or inside-out play defensively, then Miami will take and knock down open looks from 3. I think we need to capitalize on open shots and high-percentage shots. I think that we cannot have many turnovers and empty, bad-shot and no-offensive-rebound, possessions. Miami is too good to give them extra possessions.

[🏀]

Look to play aggressive and physical. Have to get out and see where the refs are going to call this game. A physical game will frustrate Miami in a big way.

I think Buzz comes out with a zone package and see if Miami is going to bomb out of it. Likely a zone that starts 40 feet out. I don't think we'll be looking at pressing often due to Larkin's speed.

[🏀]

Buzz also needs to feed the beasts down low. Hopefully Chris can establish some early offense prior to Gardner coming in.

Jamil's mid-range game will be needed big time as well.

[Retire54]

Maybe it was because the floor was spread out so much for the 3 point shooting but I wasn't as impressed with Miami's bigs as I thought I would be. They got out-rebounded by a bad rebounding team in Illinois. It will be tough because I think their bigs will give Davante and Chris everything they can handle, but I think Buzz needs to focus mostly on stopping the guards

[Benny B]

I'm going to grossly oversimplify here, but I'd play Miami pretty much the same way I played Cincinnati, just score one extra basket this time.

[🏀]

I'm going to grossly oversimplify here, but I'd play Miami pretty much the same way I played Cincinnati, just score one extra basket this time.

Not a bad plan.

[NavinRJohnson]

Illinois scored transition points in the first half, and did not in the second. That will be the key for MU to be able to score enough to win. As always, turnovers both ways will be a key.

[GGGG]

Look to play aggressive and physical. Have to get out and see where the refs are going to call this game. A physical game will frustrate Miami in a big way.

I think Buzz comes out with a zone package and see if Miami is going to bomb out of it. Likely a zone that starts 40 feet out. I don't think we'll be looking at pressing often due to Larkin's speed.

We aren't going to press...but we are going to pressure.  MU's MO this year is to make teams work for 40 minutes...keep subbing...fresh players to ride the ball.  Try to get them mentally and physically tired.  

[T-Bone]

I could see Mayo being glued to Larkin much the same as he was against Kilpatrick in the Cincy game.  Possibly Blue as well.  *IF* Larkin goes off.

Larkin vs. Junior/Wilson
Scott vs Blue/Mayo
McKinney-Jones/Brown vs Trent/Anderson
Kadji vs Wilson/STjr
Gamble/Johnson/Jekiri vs Otule/Gardner.  

The match-ups look decent there.  And that's generally the number of players that are out there for the teams.  Miami with a 8 rotation, us with 10.  

[tower912]

One thing that makes me nervous about Miami is that they have many players capable of having a huge game.    If one that MU isn't expecting to go off (see: Connaughton), it will end poorly.  

[Benny B]

One thing that makes me nervous about Miami is that they have many players capable of having a huge game.    If one that MU isn't expecting to go off (see: Connaughton), it will end poorly.  

Could you not say the same about MU?  Davante, Vander, Jamil, Junior... any one of them could go off for 25 pts.  Heck, even another double-double for Otule could be devastating for the other team.

[GGGG]

Could you not say the same about MU?  Davante, Vander, Jamil, Junior... any one of them could go off for 25 pts.  Heck, even another double-double for Otule could be devastating for the other team.

Neither Jamil nor Junior have ever scored 20 at MU much less 25.  Miami has at least four (and I stopped counting after that) players with 20+ point games this season.

[MarquetteMAN]

I don't know if this makes much of a difference, but did anyone see where #42 Reggie Johnson on Miami played a lot last night? the 6-10", 292 lbs. center was playing more toward the top of the key in the first half of that game than down low and when he got a pass a few feet away from the basket, he showed how incapable he is at dribbling. That said, I wasn't blown away by Miami's post players and they don't strike me as a team with a lot of depth (8 total 'Canes played last night). Their guards are definitely to be feared but their front court looks a bit slow. If Chris and Davante can establish themselves under the basket, they can do a lot of damage.

[Warriors10]

I could see Mayo being glued to Larkin much the same as he was against Kilpatrick in the Cincy game.  Possibly Blue as well.  *IF* Larkin goes off.

Larkin vs. Junior/Wilson
Scott vs Blue/Mayo
McKinney-Jones/Brown vs Trent/Anderson
Kadji vs Wilson/STjr
Gamble/Johnson/Jekiri vs Otule/Gardner.  

The match-ups look decent there.  And that's generally the number of players that are out there for the teams.  Miami with a 8 rotation, us with 10.  

Yeah....if Mayo is playing D on Larkin we are screwed.  His defense wasn't that great during the season and has been pretty damn mediocre thus far in the first two rounds.

[Benny B]

I don't know if this makes much of a difference, but did anyone see where #42 Reggie Johnson on Miami played a lot last night? the 6-10", 292 lbs. center was playing more toward the top of the key in the first half of that game than down low and when he got a pass a few feet away from the basket, he showed how incapable he is at dribbling. That said, I wasn't blown away by Miami's post players and they don't strike me as a team with a lot of depth (8 total 'Canes played last night). Their guards are definitely to be feared but their front court looks a bit slow. If Chris and Davante can establish themselves under the basket, they can do a lot of damage.

Kadji attempts almost four 3-pointers a game... only 1-3 vs. Pacific & 0-1 vs. Illinois, but he's taken as many as 7 in a game (vs. GTech) and shoots from range at a 35% clip... that concerns me a little bit.  Otherwise, no, their post players are not dominating guys; otherwise, Miami would be undefeated right now, and most of us would be cancelling our reservations in DC.

[ecompt]

Mayo hasn't been any kind of factor since the bombs he hit against Syracuse. He'll get some time against Miami but will probably be on a very short leash.

[GGGG]

Yeah....if Mayo is playing D on Larkin we are screwed.  His defense wasn't that great during the season and has been pretty damn mediocre thus far in the first two rounds.

Mayo is going to play spot minutes like he did against Butler unless he gets hot offensively.  He has been out of place and slow in his rotations.  Plus Blue and Lockett can go 35+ mpg.

[chapman]

I don't know if this makes much of a difference, but did anyone see where #42 Reggie Johnson on Miami played a lot last night? the 6-10", 292 lbs. center was playing more toward the top of the key in the first half of that game than down low and when he got a pass a few feet away from the basket, he showed how incapable he is at dribbling.

Big key here is for Gardner/Otule to not get drawn out (which Gardner especially tends to do) which allows him to clear the lane.  Be ready for the dribble drive instead.  And if Johnson gets the ball you give him the 15 footer or let him put it on the floor.  

[Eldon]

Larkin didn't look too comfortable when the pressure came once he passed the half-court line.  I like the 'play them like we played cincy' line, seems like a good, concise way to put it.

[MarquetteMAN]

otherwise, Miami would be undefeated right now, and most of us would be cancelling our reservations in DC.

Very true. As people were saying above, a physical team can beat them and that's what we are. as long as we don't repeatedly shoot ourselves in the foot, we will be in this.

[brewcity77]

Weaknesses I see that we could exploit:

• Bench play: Miami only goes 7 deep. This is another game where waves of players will wear the opposition out.
  
• Pace of play: They play at a slower pace than we do. I think in spurts putting Jamil in at center could work. Play Junior, Vander, Mayo, Taylor, and Jamil. It's a little unconventional but if we can get in transition their bigs won't be able to keep up.
  
• No unforced errors: Just like Davidson and Butler, Miami sucks at turning teams over. If we don't give it to them, they probably won't force it.
  
• Ball screen defense: Clemson shut Larkin down twice with ball screens. Play Larkin tight and hedge the passing lanes. I'm fine with Junior guarding Larkin as long as we have length on the other players to create turnovers. Make him beat you alone.

[mileskishnish72]

"Crisp entrance passes" have been a commodity in short supply this year.

[PGsHeroes32]

Johnson's 39% from the floor for a center verges on dreadful. Don't give him easy ones and he's basically neutralized.

[GGGG]

"Crisp entrance passes" have been a commodity in short supply this year.

MUCrisco has mentioned on other boards that our guards are taught only to make entry passes if they guy is open AND any "help defense" isn't close.  That is why sometimes our bigs look open...but Buzz still doesn't want our post players to be double-teamed easily.