Coaching

[RushmoreAcademy]

The original post of this thread is pretty embarrassing.  Just the most cliche armchair coaching comments.  If you want Wojo to be better then the posts need to be better too.

[BCHoopster]

Embarrassing is letting there best player get a lay-up!

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Not going to blame coaching or players for an end-of-game possession -- its a crapshoot.

What I will blame on coaching is the last five minutes when STJ had two players with 4 fouls (it was 3 players with 2 min left) and they had to stay in because STJ has no bench.  None of them ever fouled out.  MU went at them exactly one time and it was an easy score down low.  What did happen far too often was Sam Hauser wide open on the wing clanking a 3.   

Yes, that offensive play got the desired look and that is Hauser's shot, but he was stone cold.   It should not be too hard for MU to attack 3 players with foul trouble and get some easier buckets or put important players on the bench.

I agree with this to a point. This kind of felt like when we beat Villanova two years ago. They were getting a ton of open threes but missing everything. The fell in love with the early open three instead of working it around for a 2. I thought we often took the first open three we could get. Usually a good strategy for us but we weren't hitting last night. I would have liked to see us attack them more considering the short bench and foul trouble. You force any one of them out of the game and it forces SJU to play a player that barely needs defending so you can run almost a constant double team on Ponds.

[#UnleashSean]

You're not taking Markus Howard out there.

Why? Not a good defender and mu had a timeout to bring him back in. No reason to keep him in unless wojo wanted them to instantly attack after a basket.

[NorthernDancerColt]

Embarrassing is letting there best player get a lay-up!

Once again, neither Sacar nor Wojo was planning the derrière stumble. That said, I was surprised at how much Sacar was celebrating after his huge 3. He was so mature in the pre-St.Johns media availability, and is always a stabilizing force out on the floor. This is going to sound knee-jerk and ex-post-facto, but while I was watching him excessively celebrate near the sideline, I had a horrible feeling we were not only going to lose, but that Sacar himself would be out of position on D for the final play. I really like Sacar, and I think the coaches could've done a better job of reigning that natural excitement in. Wojo always talks about coaching often being a fight against human nature. The guys didn't look focused on that important last stand.

[BM1090]

Why? Not a good defender and mu had a timeout to bring him back in. No reason to keep him in unless wojo wanted them to instantly attack after a basket.

He did and said as much postgame

[CTWarrior]

Why? Not a good defender and mu had a timeout to bring him back in. No reason to keep him in unless wojo wanted them to instantly attack after a basket.

Only issue with that is that we would have to inbound potentially against pressure, without any timeouts in case we got in trouble.  But I agree with you.

[BCHoopster]

Once again, neither Sacar nor Wojo was planning the derrière stumble. That said, I was surprised at how much Sacar was celebrating after his huge 3. He was so mature in the pre-St.Johns media availability, and is always a stabilizing force out on the floor. This is going to sound knee-jerk and ex-post-facto, but while I was watching him excessively celebrate near the sideline, I had a horrible feeling we were not only going to lose, but that Sacar himself would be out of position on D for the final play. I really like Sacar, and I think the coaches could've done a better job of reigning that natural excitement in. Wojo always talks about coaching often being a fight against human nature. The guys didn't look focused on that important last stand.

I am not blaming Sacar but the coaches decision not to double their best player

[jesmu84]

Not going to blame coaching or players for an end-of-game possession -- its a crapshoot.

What I will blame on coaching is the last five minutes when STJ had two players with 4 fouls (it was 3 players with 2 min left) and they had to stay in because STJ has no bench.  None of them ever fouled out.  MU went at them exactly one time and it was an easy score down low.  What did happen far too often was Sam Hauser wide open on the wing clanking a 3.   

Yes, that offensive play got the desired look and that is Hauser's shot, but he was stone cold.   It should not be too hard for MU to attack 3 players with foul trouble and get some easier buckets or put important players on the bench.

I made a similar point in another thread.

The play you're thinking of was Theo. Markus got him the ball on the block and the stj defender backed up nearly to the baseline giving Theo and easy/uncontested layup.

The next 3-4 possessions, IMO, should have been Theo/Sam/Joey on the low block.

[NorthernDancerColt]

I agree with this to a point. This kind of felt like when we beat Villanova two years ago. They were getting a ton of open threes but missing everything. The fell in love with the early open three instead of working it around for a 2. I thought we often took the first open three we could get. Usually a good strategy for us but we weren't hitting last night. I would have liked to see us attack them more considering the short bench and foul trouble. You force any one of them out of the game and it forces SJU to play a player that barely needs defending so you can run almost a constant double team on Ponds.

Mullin's goal was to force us into driving and settling for 2's. I would say even the "open" 3's we took were deceptively "open" since their quick guards closed-out really fast. Simon talked with Dodds about how well Shamorie shrinks the floor on both ends. SJU really has figured out Markus's hesitation dribble, and his step-back is rendered less effective by their perimeter length and quickness. Despite the opinion of some posters and the "tough to beat a team thrice" theory, I DON'T want to see them again in either the BET or NCAA. We don't have the kind of bigs who either consistently finish at the hoop or shoot with mid-range success to negate the Johnnies perimeter D. Tough to open up the floor against them.

[Daniel]

Not going to blame coaching or players for an end-of-game possession -- its a crapshoot.

What I will blame on coaching is the last five minutes when STJ had two players with 4 fouls (it was 3 players with 2 min left) and they had to stay in because STJ has no bench.  None of them ever fouled out.  MU went at them exactly one time and it was an easy score down low.  What did happen far too often was Sam Hauser wide open on the wing clanking a 3.   

This is a key point.  Drive and get 9ne of those guys out of the game. Or 2.  We didn't go at them.

And on Ponds' last drive and score when a Sacar fell down, I swear in the replay Ponds' left arm pushes Sacar a bit, and even after the play Sacar was looking like how was that not called.  Maybe I'm wrong but that's what I remember.
Yes, that offensive play got the desired look and that is Hauser's shot, but he was stone cold.   It should not be too hard for MU to attack 3 players with foul trouble and get some easier buckets or put important players on the bench.

[IrwinFletcher]

Sometimes coaching is proven in the last 30 seconds of the game.  How they draw up a play and defend it.  First, I thought Wojo should have zoned the out of
bounce play when St. Johns had the ball.  Anim really did not stop Ponds all night and to let him get a lay-up is ridiculous.  Wojo an F on that.  Then a time-out and a play
that was botched by Markus by fumbling the ball and really could have jumped right into the defender for 3 free throws, not sure why he did not.  But that is on Markus,
but the play, what play?  Wojo a D on that.  But in saying that, the game was lost when MU had many opportunities when the score was in the 40's, first great D, then
missed shots all over the place.  Sacar has to finish a lay-up, does that they win.  Have to get off to a good start in games, missed to many open shots.  Will happen.

I have mentioned in the past, that MU needs a grad transfer forward with some quickness, MU is a step slow at times, hope he can find somebody.

As a fan base, we are so lucky to have someone as knowledgeable as you to share with us lay people on how coaching should be done at the collegiate level.

Thank you, Good Sir.

[IrwinFletcher]

I don't understand having Joey in the last few seconds of the game, especially on D.  He did not play much in the second half and JC played well to shore up the defense in the second half.  That is my only complaint for the end game coaching.

He was there for rebounding and FT shooting in case of fouls.