We’ve Been Scouted

[Shooter McGavin]

Several posters have claimed from the  Michigan St. game on that MU has been scouted.  Every loss elicits this reaction from the WBS crowd.  So far 4 teams have scouted us this year well enough to win and 11 have not. 

What are some of the adjustments the WBS crowd recommends to counteract the defense these select teams have used to impose their will on us?  Simply make three point shots and layups (not really and adjustment). Create 40 turnovers a game instead of 20 (not really possible).  Rebound better (not our style). Mid range shots (God forbid). 

Or is Shaka right and the team has to play more connected defense than they did against teams like Seton Hall and make more shots and be more focused in practice and games.  Could this team simply be in a lull in the middle of the season?  Could the mental side of playing a long season be more of a factor than than being scouted or adjustments needing to be made.  Or is MU just not a good team anymore? 

WBS's what say you?  I have no idea what the answer is.  But I don't think what they have done for a year and a half is smoke and mirrors.  Hopefully the boys finish the second half strong!  Go MU!

[Goose]

Shooter

I am looking forward to replies on this thread. Great topic.

[Newsdreams]

Several posters have claimed from the  Michigan St. game on that MU has been scouted.  Every loss elicits this reaction from the WBS crowd.  So far 4 teams have scouted us this year well enough to win and 11 have not. 

What are some of the adjustments the WBS crowd recommends to counteract the defense these select teams have used to impose their will on us?  Simply make three point shots and layups (not really and adjustment). Create 40 turnovers a game instead of 20 (not really possible).  Rebound better (not our style). Mid range shots (God forbid). 

Or is Shaka right and the team has to play more connected defense than they did against teams like Seton Hall and make more shots and be more focused in practice and games.  Could this team simply be in a lull in the middle of the season?  Could the mental side of playing a long season be more of a factor than than being scouted or adjustments needing to be made.  Or is MU just not a good team anymore? 

WBS's what say you?  I have no idea what the answer is.  But I don't think what they have done for a year and a half is smoke and mirrors.  Hopefully the boys finish the second half strong!  Go MU!

Make open shots

[MUfan12]

It's simplistic but it does come down to the outside shooting. You think our guys are shooting poorly now, ask them to make midrange jumpers off the dribble. A much more difficult shot than an open catch and shoot.

I would start mixing up where they have Oso initiating a bit. Run some action off of him in the actual post to create a few gaps for him to go at. I also liked the approach they've used against the zone having TK catch at the FT line. I'd honestly employ that against the pack line too. Kam as well. They both can hit that floater.

[Shooter McGavin]

It's simplistic but it does come down to the outside shooting. You think our guys are shooting poorly now, ask them to make midrange jumpers off the dribble. A much more difficult shot than an open catch and shoot.

I would start mixing up where they have Oso initiating a bit. Run some action off of him in the actual post to create a few gaps for him to go at. I also liked the approach they've used against the zone having TK catch at the FT line. I'd honestly employ that against the pack line too. Kam as well. They both can hit that floater.

Thanks MUfan.  I agree that TK and Kam can hit that floater.  Kam lately has not been as proficient at it but was earlier in the year.  He just seems to be in a little funk all around.  I don't necessarily think it's a problem with teams figuring him out.  As for Kolek he just seemed out of it during the SH game.  Teams are taking his drive to the left away as others have said. He is also not getting many calls where he is bumped on the dribble with the body.  It is obviously frustrating him.  He needs to shoot a few more from three IMO if he is open.  Make teams pay for going under screens. 

[rocket surgeon]

when they are off from outside, opposing teams sag big time.   gotta burn em a few times.  start off the games pounding the ball inside until they get the juices flowing, the crowd(if it's a home game of course) get's into it, then rock n roll.  let our defense create some plays

  they should put a limit on how many miss's from outside before they default back to high percentage shots.  cannot allow opposing team to smell blood

i also like mufan12's stuff too


  side note-i know shaka' a smart guy and knows talent, etc, but the little bit i've seen of amadou, that kids flies around the floor like he was shot out of a procto exam.  give him little spurts, use his 5 fouls.  he's hungry for some PT

[BCHoopster]

Shaka does not believe in it, but recruiting a player that could hit a mid range shot or has a jumper would be nice. Kam has the most opportunity to do it but does not

[GoldenEagles03]

Shaka does not believe in it, but recruiting a player that could hit a mid range shot or has a jumper would be nice. Kam has the most opportunity to do it but does not

Darryl and Justin did it.

[Newsdreams]

Shaka Nevada does not believe in it, but recruiting a player that could hit a mid range shot or has a jumper would be nice. Kam has the most opportunity to do it but does not

[BM1090]

Darryl and Justin did it.

Culture setting year, had to bend on philosophy a bit

[Shooter McGavin]

Darryl and Justin did it.

Darryl was the king of the midrange jumper at MU and won many games with it.  When he was hot, it was like a layup.  Took over the Xavier home game with it. 

I know the statistics say not to shoot it and I will not say it should be done with our personnel (i have offered Joplin as a possibility but am not by any means convinced he could pull it off and Shaka probably wouldn't let him anyway) but some players are just gifted at it. 

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

We have been scouted on offense. It's honestly not a hard scout.  Don't let Kolek or Kam go to their left. Clog the paint.  Make Oso a scorer, not a passer. Sag off the third guard (Stevie/Chase/Sean) to clog the lane even more.

The good news is that the scout falls apart if we make our open threes. We do that and our offense is nigh unstoppable

We generate an absurd amount of unguarded catch and shoot threes (which is in no small part to defenses intentionally giving up open threes to the third guard). High major guards should be able to make 40%+ of unguarded catch and shoot threes (notice i did not say all threes just these specific ones). We're not close to that.  If we get close,  the offense will hum again.

Stevie and Sean have shown life from three the past two games. Of course TKO and Kam chose then to go a combined 6/24 (25%) from three. Kam and Kolek will begin making shots again. Question is if Sean and Stevie can continue

[MuggsyB]

We have been scouted on offense. It's honestly not a hard scout.  Don't let Kolek or Kam go to their left. Clog the paint.  Make Oso a scorer, not a passer. Sag off the third guard (Stevie/Chase/Sean) to clog the lane even more.

The good news is that the scout falls apart if we make our open threes. We do that and our offense is nigh unstoppable

We generate an absurd amount of unguarded catch and shoot threes (which is in no small part to defenses intentionally giving up open threes to the third guard). High major guards should be able to make 40%+ of unguarded catch and shoot threes (notice i did not say all threes just these specific ones). We're not close to that.  If we get close,  the offense will hum again.

Stevie and Sean have shown life from three the past two games. Of course TKO and Kam chose then to go a combined 6/24 (25%) from three. Kam and Kolek will begin making shots again. Question is if Sean and Stevie can continue

Both Tyko and Kam are capable of going right.  We really need Kam to break out, it's more than drilling triples.  He has to score the rock in the 18 ppg range and with efficiency.  That includes getting to the FT line and dropping some dimes.  The kid is absolutely capable and we've seen it time and time again.  He's dealing with a slump and a mental block right now imo.  Less hesitation, less superfluous dribbling, less thinking in general, and simply ball. Our top 3 are too good for this to continue much longer and no one should be surprised by how we're being guarded. 

[Shooter McGavin]

Both Tyko and Kam are capable of going right.  We really need Kam to break out, it's more than drilling triples.  He has to score the rock in the 18 ppg range and with efficiency.  That includes getting to the FT line and dropping some dimes.  The kid is absolutely capable and we've seen it time and time again.  He's dealing with a slump and a mental block right now imo.  Less hesitation, less superfluous dribbling, less thinking in general, and simply ball. Our top 3 are too good for this to continue much longer and no one should be surprised by how we're being guarded.

This is where the optimist side of me falls Muggsy. I think this is a series of slumps in a row. I think this team looks much better in the first quarter of the season had Stevie and Sean started a little faster from three.  The offensive efficiency would be higher and the aesthetics of the offense would have simply looked better.  Not to mention we would have won games by more points.

At the end of the second quarter they are finally starting to hit (only two games but hopefully it continues) but Kam and Kolek, our most important guards, happen to have a few bad games and this makes them look really "off".

Hopefully, it all comes together soon.  Our big three need to play like a big three.  Our bench needs to hit 33% from 3 and I think they can.  Our defense can't play like against Seton Hall.  Lots of ifs but like you said we've seen it before.  Hopefully we'll see it again.

[Dr. Blackheart]

It's simplistic but it does come down to the outside shooting. You think our guys are shooting poorly now, ask them to make midrange jumpers off the dribble. A much more difficult shot than an open catch and shoot.

I would start mixing up where they have Oso initiating a bit. Run some action off of him in the actual post to create a few gaps for him to go at. I also liked the approach they've used against the zone having TK catch at the FT line. I'd honestly employ that against the pack line too. Kam as well. They both can hit that floater.

This. What I posted weeks ago brought in concepts of the triangle to run in sets. This requires posting  Oso at the high post extended and running action off that (pick for a curler like Bo used to do off Jay), a screen for the driver, a face a drive by Oso.

Al primarily ran this action and yes it was a different era. But you have to have some mid range action in the half court when defenses are set and you don't have consistent shooters to open the flow. Not suggesting a return to a different eras (stupido)but employing different sets which would be prudent.

If you want a visual of this look at the national championship game and see the action with Jay.

[MuggsyB]

This is where the optimist side of me falls Muggsy. I think this is a series of slumps in a row. I think this team looks much better in the first quarter of the season had Stevie and Sean started a little faster from three.  The offensive efficiency would be higher and the aesthetics of the offense would have simply looked better.  Not to mention we would have won games by more points.

At the end of the second quarter they are finally starting to hit (only two games but hopefully it continues) but Kam and Kolek, our most important guards, happen to have a few bad games and this makes them look really "off".

Hopefully, it all comes together soon.  Our big three need to play like a big three.  Our bench needs to hit 33% from 3 and I think they can.  Our defense can't play like against Seton Hall.  Lots of ifs but like you said we've seen it before.  Hopefully we'll see it again.

I agree with you 100% despite being incredibly disappointed the last few games.  Shaka alluded to our lack of poise which I did not forsee at this juncture.  Play with confidence, zero hesitation, move the ball, and attack.  And get after it defensively as well but do it with poise.  Guys are getting beat off the bounce a bit and pushed around.  Imo this is a mindset issue Shooter and it goes back to the hunter/hunted conversation.  Our top 3 guys must get back to hooping and not worry about anything else.  There have been times where certain guys have been taken out of their games mentally and I think they know that.  It's a grind and a long season.  I have no doubt this team has the talent and moxie to get back to playing at an elite level.  Less hesitation, more domination.  Four words that we call all remember and applies to these Warriors. 

[BobWildLoyalist]

The answer is simple... more violence.

[Uncle Rico]

I'd like more fire

[tower912]

I would like taller, broader players.

[Uncle Rico]

I would like taller, broader players.

A pirate

[MuggsyB]

I would like taller, broader players.

Life isn't all about height and weight. 

[Dr. Blackheart]

Life isn't all about height and weight.

But it is about necks

[bilsu]

Quit driving to basket and taking challenged shots. Need to go back to drive and kick out.

[Shooter McGavin]

I would like taller, broader players.

Ha! More difficult to scout?

[Shooter McGavin]

I'd like more fire

Definitely more difficult to scout.