Luke Struggles

[NotAnAlum]

After a first 6 minutes when he looked great he was pretty poor the rest of the way.  When Luke first became eligible the thing I liked best about him was his footwork.  At least now we had a big who seemed to have that down.  But tonight in the second half he seemed to be stumbling all over the place and as a result put up some awful shots, traveled etc.  And after arriving as a solid free throw shooter he seems to have caught the same free throw shooting disease everyone else on the team has.  I mean one of his free throws just barely hit the front of the rim.  In all respects he looks tentative.   
 

[MUfan12]

Prior to BE play, the majority of his game experience has been in buy games at IU and MU. He's never faced physicality like this before, and I think it's wearing on him.

Like with Duane, JJJ, Sandy, this is part of the learning curve. He'll be better for it next season.

[Warrior Code]

He can get that little jump hook of whenever he wants, but it hasn't been falling. It's usually a little short. If that goes in for him, I think you will see him be a little more aggressive.

[Shark]

Once Xavier adjusted Luke was only getting the ball in the high post. Whenever he got close enough for his back-to-the basket game to work they slid off Another guy and doubled Luke. When the roster has more talent we will see better results all around. It's a trickle down effect. When everyone is producing it amplifies everyone even more.

[brewcity77]

At the first media break they showed Luke coming off the floor and he looked gassed. Xavier just kept throwing bodies at him, something we cannot do. Hopefully adding Henry, Heldt, Wally, and maybe one more guy to absorb pressure in the paint will help.

[GGGG]

I wish he had more "face-the-basket" in his game.  If he could hit that mid-range jumper, he would be so much more effective.

[MerrittsMustache]

I wish he had more "face-the-basket" in his game.  If he could hit that mid-range jumper, he would be so much more effective.

Agree with this. He doesn't need to become Kevin Love but even just adding 12-15 footers to his game would be a huge lift.

He also needs to get stronger. He was banging in Stainbrook last night without gaining much ground at all. Assuming his shoulder is healthy, I'd be surprised if he doesn't have another 10-15 pounds on him by Midnight Madness. He gets knocked out of position often and he fades away or to the side on far too many of his shots because he simply doesn't have the strength to go up and through guys. He'll get there.

[NersEllenson]

Agree with this. He doesn't need to become Kevin Love but even just adding 12-15 footers to his game would be a huge lift.

He also needs to get stronger. He was banging in Stainbrook last night without gaining much ground at all. Assuming his shoulder is healthy, I'd be surprised if he doesn't have another 10-15 pounds on him by Midnight Madness. He gets knocked out of position often and he fades away or to the side on far too many of his shots because he simply doesn't have the strength to go up and through guys. He'll get there.

I like Luke's skill set.  His shoulder concerns me.  Not sure if that prevented him from doing a lot of work in the weight room over the past year.  Still feel he should have surgery on it - which unfortunately would result in him not getting any weight work in for awhile on his upper body.  The fact Luke SO frequently corrals rebounds with one arm shows me all I need to know about how healthy that shoulder really is.  Luke is really fearful of hurting it again.

[MUMonster03]

Hopefully the shoulder brace is just a precautionary measure and he can really go after it in the off season strength and conditioning program. There is no way in practice to simulate the beating your body takes in playing 16 games in less than two months after sitting out an entire year.

[Clam Crowder]

Luke was pretty awful in the second half...Add that to a zone with no shooter aka Carlino and the game was over after the initial adjustments by X.

Awful game.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Xavier threw 4 different centers at Luke last night. We threw 1.33 centers at Xavier. That usually will not result in a solid performance from the 1.3. Luckily, help is on the way!

[Lennys Tap]

Xavier threw 4 different centers at Luke last night. We threw 1.33 centers at Xavier. That usually will not result in a solid performance from the 1.3. Luckily, help is on the way!

Stop it. Xavier has one decent center and three nobodies. If Luke was good enough/strong enough he should dominate the nobodies.

[hairy worthen]

Stop it. Xavier has one decent center and three nobodies. If Luke was good enough/strong enough he should dominate the nobodies.

But the point is, we have 1 and they have 4, even if they are nobodies it still wears you down

[MU82]

I wish he had more "face-the-basket" in his game.  If he could hit that mid-range jumper, he would be so much more effective.

I made the exact same comment last night. If he develops a little 10-15 foot bank shot -- becoming a very poor man's Tim Duncan -- he will be much more difficult to double-team.

Any team with a big body and active wing defenders can take him away if that's what the opposing coach wants to do. And with our lack of shooting, especially with Carlino not on the floor, why wouldn't you do that?

My biggest surprise is that Mack waited 5 minutes into the game to do it! If I were coaching against Marquette, I would never let Luke back in for a hook shot or layup. I would just say, "I dare them to beat us with jumpers."

Mike

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

I wish he had more "face-the-basket" in his game.  If he could hit that mid-range jumper, he would be so much more effective.

I remember he made a short jumper in the ASU game... but yes, I agree with you.

A reverse pivot away from the double team and shoot it immediately. It's a shot he could get almost whenever he wants, and it's a nice weapon against a larger/heavier centers who is push him off of the block.

He's got a pretty nice jump hook with both hands, but when other centers get into his body, he's having a hard time controlling the trajectory and distance. Some weight/strength would help with that.

[Texas Western]

I continue to believe Luke needs to get shoulder surgery as soon as possible after the season. He needs to have the confidence to be able to use both arms in high intensity circumstances. He could get himself  permanently healed and get back on the strength training and be ready to go fully healthy next season. Big East play is just too physical for anyone to be playing with physical limitations.  Given the circumstances his overall production has been solid.

[Lennys Tap]

But the point is, we have 1 and they have 4, even if they are nobodies it still wears you down

Sorry, thought Luke was 20, not 40. If he can't play 30 minutes without being worn down he needs to get stronger and in better shape.

[hairy worthen]

Sorry, thought Luke was 20, not 40. If he can't play 30 minutes without being worn down he needs to get stronger and in better shape.

Well he does need to get stronger, he may be having issues with the shoulder as well, who knows. He has some growing and learning to do to be sure, but I don't care how old you are if they are running fresh bodies at you all game it will take it's toll especially for a post player.

[GooooMarquette]

He scored all 3 of his FGs in the first 4:50 of the game; 0-6 the rest of the way.  I don't care how many bigs X threw at him - if he can't take the contact for more than 5 minutes without being worn down, he should have redshirted.

[hairy worthen]

He scored all 3 of his FGs in the first 4:50 of the game; 0-6 the rest of the way.  I don't care how many bigs X threw at him - if he can't take the contact for more than 5 minutes without being worn down, he should have redshirted.

You are assuming he went 0-6 the rest of the way because he was worn down and not because X adjusted and changed the way they defended him.

[drewm88]

Prior to BE play, the majority of his game experience has been in buy games at IU and MU.

That's a good point.

[GooooMarquette]

You are assuming he went 0-6 the rest of the way because he was worn down and not because X adjusted and changed the way they defended him.

I was responding to posts that specifically blamed Luke's performance on getting worn down by X's bigs.  Pretty sure you made one of them....

[RushmoreAcademy]

Like with Duane, JJJ, Sandy, this is part of the learning curve. He'll be better for it next season.

Agreed.  He'll look a lot better with some more talent out there too.  I like what he brings to the team though.

[CTWarrior]

Luke's first few baskets included one post move and two catch and lay ins off of penetration.  His last six shots were all post moves, I think.  Basically, Xavier cut off the penetration that got him those open lay ins and forced him to beat another big man one-on-one and Luke wasn't up to the task, primarily because he is not strong enough to back anyone down or even get a shot where he was moving toward the basket.  If he is ever going to be a low post back to the basket scorer, he will have to get a lot stronger, improve his offfensive footwork or learn to make a 10 foot baby hook.

[connie]

Things would be better if anyone on this team had a 12-15 foot jumper.  For Luke I think this would dramatically open up his game.  I share the concerns over his shoulder, and I think it is clear that he needs to better handle the beating he has received in conference play.