Last two posessions

[brewcity77]

I was referencing the 2nd to last possession (sorry didn't make it clear)...the last possession to some extent is a crap shoot, you run a play and take what the defense gives you.  For some reason I was thinking that Jamil fouled out on the rebound on that possession...sorry for my mistake.  Don't love the shot over a 7'2" guy, but if that is the option, you take it.

Sultan noted that Jajuan looked to be on the wrong side of the floor on that one. If he's on the near-side, Derrick could have kicked it back. Instead his only option was to go at Bachynski and either try the floater or try to pass it to Juan under the hoop. Either was going to have to get past that guy's 173" wingspan. I do like that DeWil's success driving earlier gave him the confidence to try that. Didn't work out, but last night could do worlds of good for him in the long run.

[StillAWarrior]

I'd like to have the non goaltending block called about now

I'm almost positive we ended up with a three pointer on that possession.

[MarsupialMadness]

I don't get why we settle for the jumpshot for Jake.  Sure, he was hitting a groove... from beyond the arc.  He had 5 threes and 16 points.  Missed both his 2pt field goals.  I feel like if you needed a 3, Jake gets the nod.  But we needed 2... so let someone else who knows how to score 2 get the look.

[Dr. Blackheart]

nm

[ChicosBailBonds]

I'm almost positive we ended up with a three pointer on that possession.

We might have, I don't recall

[MerrittsMustache]

Sultan noted that Jajuan looked to be on the wrong side of the floor on that one. If he's on the near-side, Derrick could have kicked it back. Instead his only option was to go at Bachynski and either try the floater or try to pass it to Juan under the hoop. Either was going to have to get past that guy's 173" wingspan. I do like that DeWil's success driving earlier gave him the confidence to try that. Didn't work out, but last night could do worlds of good for him in the long run.

Final play at the 0:42 mark.
http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/video?gameId=400504475

You can clearly see that Gardner and Juan were trying to set a double screen to free up Jake at the top of the key. Derrick, however, beat his man and had a clear path to the basket, especially if DG would have "rolled" and sealed off Bachynski. As it was, Bachynski didn't get sealed, Derrick saw him coming and tried to pull up a little earlier than he probably would have liked in an attempt to get the shot up. Ideally, he would have been able to take another dribble and get into the body of Bachynski much like he did at the 0:38 mark of the highlights.

Not a bad play design and I wonder if Buzz would have drawn it up for Jamil (as opposed to Derrick) had he not fouled out.

[Golden Avalanche]

I don't get why we settle for the jumpshot for Jake.  Sure, he was hitting a groove... from beyond the arc.  He had 5 threes and 16 points.  Missed both his 2pt field goals.  I feel like if you needed a 3, Jake gets the nod.  But we needed 2... so let someone else who knows how to score 2 get the look.

The guy shot 5-14. I'm not sure "hitting a groove" is accurate. It shows just how pathetic his production has been that people have pushed a narrative that somehow Thomas was ballin' last night when he hit 36%. Getting him a jumper, with 10 seconds left on the clock, was a curious choice.

When the shot clock is with you, down the last possession on the road, and you have supposedly one of the better frontcourts in the country you dump it down low and get a post score.

[MerrittsMustache]

The guy shot 5-14. I'm not sure "hitting a groove" is accurate. It shows just how pathetic his production has been that people have pushed a narrative that somehow Thomas was ballin' last night when he hit 36%. Getting him a jumper, with 10 seconds left on the clock, was a curious choice.

When the shot clock is with you, down the last possession on the road, and you have supposedly one of the better frontcourts in the country you dump it down low and get a post score.

Thomas had hit 2 of his last 3 threes prior to the final 2 possessions and was 5-9 from 3 in the 2nd half. Otule and Gardner shot a combined 6-15 in the post last night so deciding to "dump it down low" was far from a given.   

[Aughnanure]

We can work with tonight's play and build something off of it.  Though indeed, what Buzz calls the "special teams", the OOB and end of clock plays, have always been brutal despite the emphasis.  Even most of our game winners in recent years have been something made after the original play broke down.

You do know the other team is trying to stop us from having a great OOB play, right? Especially in the final seconds.

[hairy worthen]

We can work with tonight's play and build something off of it.  Though indeed, what Buzz calls the "special teams", the OOB and end of clock plays, have always been brutal despite the emphasis.  Even most of our game winners in recent years have been something made after the original play broke down.

The game winner by Vander Blue against St johns was one of the best designed end of game plays I have ever seen.  There are others. The plays are always good when they work. No matter how good of a play you draw up you still need players to execute and have to beat the other team's defense.

[MU82]

I didn't like Jake's shot because I didn't think it was a real good open look as some have said. I've watched it several times. He had a defender right on his hip and Jake's body wasn't fully squared in a good shooting position. We had time and could have gotten something better.

The final shot was out of a scramble and Derrick was winging it. I was wishing he dumped it to Juan, but who knows if there would have been time for the pass, catch and shot. I like Derrick's aggressiveness at the very least.

[Coleman]

I didn't like Jake's shot because I didn't think it was a real good open look as some have said. I've watched it several times. He had a defender right on his hip and Jake's body wasn't fully squared in a good shooting position. We had time and could have gotten something better.

The final shot was out of a scramble and Derrick was winging it. I was wishing he dumped it to Juan, but who knows if there would have been time for the pass, catch and shot. I like Derrick's aggressiveness at the very least.

I am also way less irritated by Derrick's last second attempt than by the poor shot Jake got off. The last shot was a scramble from the other baseline with in less that 6 seconds. He had to get something up. Jake's shot was taken with 10 seconds left on a possession that started with a full shot clock. There was plenty of time to set something up, and still enough time to get a better look.

[Golden Avalanche]

Thomas had hit 2 of his last 3 threes prior to the final 2 possessions and was 5-9 from 3 in the 2nd half. Otule and Gardner shot a combined 6-15 in the post last night so deciding to "dump it down low" was far from a given.   

But Thomas didn't take a 3. And MU didn't set him up for a clean look from 3. They ran a short clock play with a long clock, gave it to Thomas on his weaker side and he took a 20 footer. Went against the grain of any momentum.

Gardner had the touch last night. Shot very well. Playing the two bigs together with a dump down allows for many more options (double and kick for open shot, double and kick for open drive, weak side rebound with Otule, etc.) when all you need is a two point bucket. There was no need to settle for the most worthless shot in basketball, especially with 10 seconds remaining.

[NersEllenson]

I am also way less irritated by Derrick's last second attempt than by the poor shot Jake got off. The last shot was a scramble from the other baseline with in less that 6 seconds. He had to get something up. Jake's shot was taken with 10 seconds left on a possession that started with a full shot clock. There was plenty of time to set something up, and still enough time to get a better look.

Actually, I was thrilled Jake got that shot off with 7 or 8 seconds left - as if he made it, we are up 1...possibly 2 if it was designed to be a 3 point shot.  If he misses it, as he did and we foul immediately - we still had the 7 seconds to get off another shot.

I'd always rather go with getting 2 chances to win or tie it, versus only 1 - and if we waited on Jake's possession till the buzzer....we only get the one look and not another.  Of course if we convert on the attempt at 7 seconds...we then have to defend and hold....but at least you either get the lead, or get a 2nd chance to tie the game by shooting a shot at the 8 second mark like we did last night, instead of bleeding it down to the 2 or 3 second mark in the hopes to get a better look.

[MerrittsMustache]

But Thomas didn't take a 3. And MU didn't set him up for a clean look from 3. They ran a short clock play with a long clock, gave it to Thomas on his weaker side and he took a 20 footer. Went against the grain of any momentum.

Gardner had the touch last night. Shot very well. Playing the two bigs together with a dump down allows for many more options (double and kick for open shot, double and kick for open drive, weak side rebound with Otule, etc.) when all you need is a two point bucket. There was no need to settle for the most worthless shot in basketball, especially with 10 seconds remaining.

Were you opposed to the play that was run or the execution of it?

It wasn't a bad play call and I can confidently say that it wasn't run the way Buzz drew it up. In fact, you run a play like that with 10 seconds remaining because if you don't get the look you want (which MU didn't), you have time to go to the second and third option on the play. As it was, Jake took the shot anyway.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Actually, I was thrilled Jake got that shot off with 7 or 8 seconds left - as if he made it, we are up 1...possibly 2 if it was designed to be a 3 point shot.  If he misses it, as he did and we foul immediately - we still had the 7 seconds to get off another shot.

I'd always rather go with getting 2 chances to win or tie it, versus only 1 - and if we waited on Jake's possession till the buzzer....we only get the one look and not another.  Of course if we convert on the attempt at 7 seconds...we then have to defend and hold....but at least you either get the lead, or get a 2nd chance to tie the game by shooting a shot at the 8 second mark like we did last night, instead of bleeding it down to the 2 or 3 second mark in the hopes to get a better look.

This. The timing of the shot was absolutely right. It gives you a chance for an offensive board or a foul if you miss.

[Coleman]

I'd always rather go with getting 2 chances to win or tie it, versus only 1 - and if we waited on Jake's possession till the buzzer....we only get the one look and not another.  Of course if we convert on the attempt at 7 seconds...we then have to defend and hold....but at least you either get the lead, or get a 2nd chance to tie the game by shooting a shot at the 8 second mark like we did last night, instead of bleeding it down to the 2 or 3 second mark in the hopes to get a better look.

Generally speaking, I agree with you. But not when the first chance is such a bad shot. I'd rather have one good look.

Taking a shot with 10 seconds left is fine, preferable actually, if it is a good shot. That was not a good shot. At all.

[Dr. Blackheart]

This. The timing of the shot was absolutely right. It gives you a chance for an offensive board or a foul if you miss.

Plus, Buzz knew there was a TV time out to come.  

[Golden Avalanche]

Were you opposed to the play that was run or the execution of it?

It wasn't a bad play call and I can confidently say that it wasn't run the way Buzz drew it up. In fact, you run a play like that with 10 seconds remaining because if you don't get the look you want (which MU didn't), you have time to go to the second and third option on the play. As it was, Jake took the shot anyway.

I don't think any of us have differing opinions on the execution: shot missed, execution fail. Buzz drew up a masterful play for Gardner out of a timeout two possessions prior so I find it odd if that was the play he drew up for Thomas with 22 seconds on the clock. Being a numbers guy, Buzz wouldn't settle for the least convertible opportunity so perhaps it's Thomas who was the one to make a choice and didn't make the best one. Either way, play was run to the hilt or it was a read option gone wrong, I don't feel it was the best look they could have gotten.

[Golden Avalanche]

This. The timing of the shot was absolutely right. It gives you a chance for an offensive board or a foul if you miss.

You can still get an offensive board if the shot goes up with six seconds left in the game. That would have given Thomas another four seconds to dribble into a better shot or kick to the man whose defender had collapsed on him. There was no need to rush an off-balanced 20 footer with 10 seconds left on clock.

[tower912]

Why not?   Jake was hot.    I was surprised they ran a play at all and didn't just run a set.  But again, they got two looks in the last 10 seconds to tie or go ahead.   They didn't go in.   Neither is really a bad look.  

[GGGG]

Plus, Buzz knew there was a TV time out to come. 

Was that really the first dead ball under 4:00?  Or is there some obnoxious new TV timeout rule?

[Dr. Blackheart]

Was that really the first dead ball under 4:00?  Or is there some obnoxious new TV timeout rule?

Yep...Buzz had to burn his last at 27 seconds to set up Jake, and then the TV time out came at 7 seconds with Jamil's foul.

[WarriorFan]

I thought Jake was late coming around the screens - he should have had one more second.  The real problem with the play was that there should have been a trailer on the right side rather than JJJ lost in space.

Davante and CO crashed well and Davante got the board... I was disappointed that he didn't know how little time was left and get up another shot.

[Logi4three]

I agree that those plays were not what I was looking for, but I agree with some of the posts above that Buzz seems to put together some great inbound plays.  I haven't looked back at the game, but I seem to recall us getting an inbounds score right before the end of the first half, then another shortly after the start of the second half (if I recall right with Jake fist pumping after sinking a 3 from the play), then I remember Davante doing a crazy cut to the hoop with an awesome lay in, and I thought there was at least one other.  Does anyone know if those were all inbound plays?