[Matt Velazquez] Postgame notes: Wojo returns practice gear, says time for gimmicks is over

[MattVelazquez]

Postgame notes: Wojo returns practice gear, says time for gimmicks is over

Washington — When Marquette hit the practice court on Friday for the first time since its loss to Seton Hall, it looked more like a college basketball practice than a pick-up session at the Y. That's the Golden Eagles coaches and players were back in their team-branded gear instead of the white T-shirts and plain shorts they had been wearing since before Thanksgiving.

Source: Postgame notes: Wojo returns practice gear, says time for gimmicks is over

[Tugg Speedman]

An (small) excerpt from Matt's post game notes.  Glad to hear Heldt is getting better and earned those minutes.

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/364046461.html?ipad=y

Changing things up: On most nights, redshirt sophomore Duane Wilson and junior Jajuan Johnson are the first players off the bench for Marquette. On Saturday, freshman center Matt Heldt joined Wilson at the scorer's table in the first few minutes of the game.

Heldt, who had played in eight games for a total of 42 minutes, subbed in with Wilson and Johnson at the under-16 media timeout with 14:11 remaining in the first half. It was the earliest he had entered a game this season and did so as Fischer's replacement.

"Matt's practiced well," Wojciechowski said. "I thought Luke looked a little tired to start the game, so we wanted to get a fresh body in. We're looking for contributions from everyone. Matt's a good player and he's been practicing better and better over the past couple weeks."

[Tugg Speedman]

Neither team is this good at the line.  Can we chalk this up to bad luck?

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/364046461.html?ipad=y

After doing a good job of limiting opposing teams' free-throw opportunities, Marquette has had trouble keeping its Big East foes off the line. Seton Hall went 24 for 28 (85.7%) on Wednesday and Georgetown went 22 for 23 (95.7%) on Saturday. Marquette has gotten to the line 50 times over the past two games, making 35 (70%).

[cheebs09]

I thought Matt did well while he was in. He played good defense without fouling. He didn't have any moving screens, which he's been called for during most times he's played. He definitely seems to be getting more comfortable.

I thought Luke had gotten off to a pretty good start. We did go into a lull without him in there on offense if I remember right.

[MU82]

Thanks for the link, Heisy. I read it this time 

Yeah, just our luck that our opponents never miss FTs. We need to work on whispering stuff to the shooters when they are in their FT motion - ha!

[brewcity77]

We are second best in the country at keeping teams off the line, but 6th worst at "free throw defense". Maybe that's why the staff has put such an emphasis on not fouling, because they know teams are going to make a high percentage against us?

[hoyasincebirth]

We are second best in the country at keeping teams off the line, but 6th worst at "free throw defense". Maybe that's why the staff has put such an emphasis on not fouling, because they know teams are going to make a high percentage against us?

FT defense seems like a silly stat, but when a team has a very poor one, it likely means that they tend to foul the other teams best FT shooters. Georgetown is the #1 FT% in the BE, so while 22/23 is a little fluky it's not like we normally shoot 60% as a team and got lucky.

The players who shot for Georgetown are good FT shooters so makes are not unexpected:
Govan shot 4 FTs and is 36/39 on the year
Derrickson shot 4 FTs and is 27/30 on the year
Copeland shot 4 FTs and is 29/39 on the year
DSR shot 8 FTs and is 50-63 on the year way down from his shooting in her previous years He was 86 and 87% form the line the last two years.
So fouling good FT shooters leads to made FTs

Mean while our two worst shooters Hayes(61%) and Johnson(58%) Didn't go to the line at all.

[UticaBusBarn]

I did not pick this up during the game. As usual Velazquez offered a keen observation. The Warriors made their second half run with only one of their bigs playing. As soon the second returned to the game, the Warriors went scoreless for what seemed an eternity.

This observation, missed by many, raises an interesting question. Is the team more efficient with just one of their bigs in the game at a time? Do they have more speed? Better defence? Better court awareness?

It seems like an absurd question, whether two bigs, each almost averaging double-doubles, should be on the floor together ... and, more likely is ... but?

Match-ups count, the coaching staff has access to advance data that is not available, or likely digestible, to the average fan, apply it, etc. However, Velazquez's observation, raises an interesting thought.

[Dr. Blackheart]

I did not pick this up during the game. As usual Velazquez offered a keen observation. The Warriors made their second half run with only one of their bigs playing. As soon the second returned to the game, the Warriors went scoreless for what seemed an eternity.

This observation, missed by many, raises an interesting question. Is the team more efficient with just one of their bigs in the game at a time? Do they have more speed? Better defence? Better court awareness?

It seems like an absurd question, whether two bigs, each almost averaging double-doubles, should be on the floor together ... and, more likely is ... but?

Match-ups count, the coaching staff has access to advance data that is not available, or likely digestible, to the average fan, apply it, etc. However, Velazquez's observation, raises an interesting thought.

On offense it would go better to go small and experienced, but MU would get killed defensively and on the boards. To me, these stats from yesterday are the problem: Between Henry, Luke and Haanif, they went 9-30, with 7 turnovers, and zero assists. Coupled with MU being the fastest-paced team in conference, this tells me that the ball is going predictably to these three and they get tunnel vision, trying to force the action.

Luke dribbles and dribbles to get a forced shot off without a pass out I can remember like the Ox was skilled at. Henry hangs on the perimeter for a forced three or drive into traffic. Haanif goes head down to the basket. No one passes out, no spacing, no sharing, no offensive rebounding because the defenders all know what they are doing and cluster themselves.

Meanwhile, Duane then tries to force whatever he gets, Sandy gets ignored, and JJJ sits, when, with Traci, these guys move the ball the best within a flow of the offense.

[GGGG]

On offense it would go better to go small and experienced, but MU would get killed defensively and on the boards. To me, these stats from yesterday are the problem: Between Henry, Luke and Haanif, they went 9-30, with 7 turnovers, and zero assists. Coupled with MU being the fastest-paced team in conference, this tells me that the ball is going predictably to these three and they get tunnel vision, trying to force the action.

Luke dribbles and dribbles to get a forced shot off without a pass out I can remember like the Ox was skilled at. Henry hangs on the perimeter for a forced three or drive into traffic. Haanif goes head down to the basket. No one passes out, no spacing, no sharing, no offensive rebounding because the defenders all know what they are doing and cluster themselves.

Meanwhile, Duane then tries to force whatever he gets, Sandy gets ignored, and JJJ sits, when, with Traci, these guys move the ball the best within a flow of the offense.

Yeah and this is why I am concerned that this isn't simply an experience issue. 

[bilsu]

Georgetown knew MU was going to pound the ball inside. Georgetown has excellent size and strength, so they were well suited to defend against this. It also seemed to me that the refs allowed it to be a very physical game, which also made it easier to defend an offense designed to go inside at every opportunity. I do not see where Wojo deciding to go small really changed anything, because MU still continued to take it inside at every opportunity. The announcers during the game talking about Georgetown's losses said that Georgetown lost those games, because they could not defend three point line. Taking it inside works well when you are the bigger stronger team. That worked well against our bunnies, but it will not work well in the Big East. The offense has to be more balanced or we will not win a game in the Big East.

[77ncaachamps]

I think the only option at this point is continue to work the inside-outside game.

Unfortunately, the guard play has been the heel of the offensive woes for this team.

[UticaBusBarn]

On offense it would go better to go small and experienced, but MU would get killed defensively and on the boards. To me, these stats from yesterday are the problem: Between Henry, Luke and Haanif, they went 9-30, with 7 turnovers, and zero assists. Coupled with MU being the fastest-paced team in conference, this tells me that the ball is going predictably to these three and they get tunnel vision, trying to force the action.

Luke dribbles and dribbles to get a forced shot off without a pass out I can remember like the Ox was skilled at. Henry hangs on the perimeter for a forced three or drive into traffic. Haanif goes head down to the basket. No one passes out, no spacing, no sharing, no offensive rebounding because the defenders all know what they are doing and cluster themselves.

Meanwhile, Duane then tries to force whatever he gets, Sandy gets ignored, and JJJ sits, when, with Traci, these guys move the ball the best within a flow of the offense.

I certainly cannot disagree with your comments, especially as to Traci.

However, might it be the other way around? That is, would it be better to go small and experienced because of defence? The small team, and in this I would include Wally, seems to have faster hands, play the passing lanes better and handle the ball better in transition. Would they killed on the defensive boards? Seems that we are getting waxed as is.

Regardless, with an eight person rotation, what is that, 64 different player combinations? No wonder coaches are stressed out!

[bilsu]

The Georgtown numbers are skewed, because we kept fouling Smith-Rivera at the end of the game. Had we made more of our free throws, we would not have been fouling Georgetown to get the ball back. In the end you could look at the stats and say we were beaten at the line by one point, but problably 8 of those were beacuse of last minute desperation fouls. We got the game within 6. With everyting else being equal we had missed enough free throws at that point to have been tied with them.

[bilsu]

I was very pleased with how Heldt played. The very first possession he held his own on defense.

[cheebs09]

I would argue the link below was our best possession all season. We have guys who can drive, but the kick out isn't there, we just keep going. I think JJ does a better job this year of getting to the middle, but stopping short of going into a big guy and evaluating his options.

It sometimes seems like we think we have Shaq down there, and we just dump it down and clear out. I think Luke does a great job of scoring when there's some movement and he can cut down the lane and receive a pass. It seems like once the ball is in the paint, whoever gets it there has to shoot it, and we force a lot.

https://twitter.com/marquettembb/status/683443788405063680

[AZMarqfan]

Heldt looks overwhelmed and needs to relax a bit, but I liked what I saw.  He kept his feet moving.  I love that he had his arms up on D but rarely jumped.  I used to warn a 7' friend of mine that every time he leaves his feet, he gets called for fouls.  So I like it when bigs keep their feet and put arms straight up. 

[Jay Bee]

The Georgtown numbers are skewed, because we kept fouling Smith-Rivera at the end of the game. Had we made more of our free throws, we would not have been fouling Georgetown to get the ball back. In the end you could look at the stats and say we were beaten at the line by one point, but problably 8 of those were beacuse of last minute desperation fouls. We got the game within 6. With everyting else being equal we had missed enough free throws at that point to have been tied with them.

Yep. Scoopers know eFG% reigns supreme.

Georgetown 54.7%
Marquette 43.8%

[brewcity77]

Good points, hoyas. My FT defense comment was definitely a bit tongue in cheek, but we did do a good job of sending the wrong guys to the line, especially DSR late.

[muhoops1]

The Georgtown numbers are skewed, because we kept fouling Smith-Rivera at the end of the game. Had we made more of our free throws, we would not have been fouling Georgetown to get the ball back. In the end you could look at the stats and say we were beaten at the line by one point, but problably 8 of those were beacuse of last minute desperation fouls. We got the game within 6. With everyting else being equal we had missed enough free throws at that point to have been tied with them.

GT also had a lot of and 1's...

[rocky_warrior]

Neither team is this good at the line.  Can we chalk this up to bad luck?

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/364046461.html?ipad=y

This link was already posted by the auto-feed, why not comment on the post that had the official RSS feed?

[MUHoopsFan2]

I think the only option at this point is continue to work the inside-outside game.

Unfortunately, the guard play has been the heel of the offensive woes for this team.

No it hasn't. The guard play is fine. Guards will always be challenged in college basketball. You cut them some slack.

You act like the team is 2 and 14. The forwards and Bigs must improve and deliver.

You go outside and then inside....and change it up. 

[Tugg Speedman]

This link was already posted by the auto-feed, why not comment on the post that had the official RSS feed?

Because that thread has a different topic going in it.  Ditto the Heldt thread.

Keep the topics separate and clean and not jumbled in one thread.

[rocky_warrior]

Because that thread has a different topic going in it.  Ditto the Heldt thread.

Keep the topics separate and clean and not jumbled in one thread.

Well then, stop it.  Merged.

[brewcity77]

If the mods started a new thread every time a Scoop thread went off topic, we would have about 1,000 threads created daily with 2-3 posts each.