Saturday Observations

[bearcat jeff]

I watch a fair amount of college basketball and generally get to watch teams from every part of the country. There are some things I have noticed all season long but today watching several games brought it home even deeper.

College basketball offense, is by and large offensive. The art of the mid-range jumper is forgotten and defense, at least the way Cincinnati has played it for most of the year, is rare too.

What separates the better teams from the next level isn't simply that they have shooters. It's that their offense always flows toward the basket and they are attacking. For the teams that don't shoot as well, this still opens up scoring opportunities via lay ups, dishing off, simply getting the ball on the rim after drawing the defense on the drive for another player to fill the empty space and follow/finish, and free throws.

I know, I know basketball 101 right? But the more basketball you watch the more you notice how this is missing far more than you would think.

Cincinnati, as many of us have said, would be far better off playing an attacking style of basketball, especially with their dependence on put backs. They are simply not built for a deliberate offensive attack. As I have said before, in absence of shooters you have to create offense and this is why it is imperative for Troy to play aggressively. I think it's also why DeShaun Morman should get more minutes.

The strength of this team is inside and Morman is our best player at feeding the post. He is aggressive and can finish. Troy is our best shooter from the perimeter and he as well can finish, and let me add Cobb who has developed a nice pull up game. Also, and I have given kudos for what Sanders did for a stretch, but its why Shaq has to begin to play more. He has the ability to attack.

If this team gets over 60 they are tough to beat. If they can't shoot their way there, they have to force the issue to get there.

[jacobkdoyle]

Tonight I'm going to count how many times it takes us 7 or more seconds to get across half court when unguarded, and how many points we score on those possessions.

[TNBearcat3]

Just another thing most great teams have is a guy who can take a game over. See SK for us last year. That is the one thing we seriously lack, I think we have a guy who can in Gary Clark but he's still a year away. I watch a ton of college hoops and even some middle of the road teams have that type of guy, watched Indiana and Purdue the other night and they each have one Yogi Ferrel and AJ Hammons. Louisville has Harrell, those are just a few examples but we had that in SK where more likely than not he was the guy who had the ball and could go get a bucket.

We saw it the other night with our final shot, is it cobb, is it troy, we really don't know, we don't have that guy. As I said I think Clark is that guy going into next year but we still have lots to do this season.

And obviously some knock down shooters would be great, Cobb is great in streaks but I'd love some consistency. Need to snag this W tonight.

[UCalum08]

Not disagreeing with what your saying but to simplify it in my opinion...If we could get some guards who could create offense and penetrate towards the basket we would be in a much better position. What guard do we have that takes the defender off the dribble?!

[Bulldog01]

Originally Posted by jacobkdoyle

Tonight I'm going to count how many times it takes us 7 or more seconds to get across half court when unguarded, and how many points we score on those possessions.

Wow I LITERALLY paid attention to that while watching games today. I seen numerous times the big man from other team either get rebound and dribble pass half court or hit passed to player right at half court in less than 3sec. Every rebound we get with troy in game he runs get ball from sane spot right under basket then looks at bench for 5sec just to get play.

[Bulldog01]

Originally Posted by UCalum08

Not disagreeing with what your saying but to simplify it in my opinion...If we could get some guards who could create offense and penetrate towards the basket we would be in a much better position. What guard do we have that takes the defender off the dribble?!

Shaq, Mormon, tc, cobb

[Bulldog01]

Originally Posted by TNBearcat3

Just another thing most great teams have is a guy who can take a game over. See SK for us last year. That is the one thing we seriously lack, I think we have a guy who can in Gary Clark but he's still a year away. I watch a ton of college hoops and even some middle of the road teams have that type of guy, watched Indiana and Purdue the other night and they each have one Yogi Ferrel and AJ Hammons. Louisville has Harrell, those are just a few examples but we had that in SK where more likely than not he was the guy who had the ball and could go get a bucket.

We saw it the other night with our final shot, is it cobb, is it troy, we really don't know, we don't have that guy. As I said I think Clark is that guy going into next year but we still have lots to do this season.

And obviously some knock down shooters would be great, Cobb is great in streaks but I'd love some consistency. Need to snag this W tonight.

Scoring in final seconds isn't issue. It's stopping other team from scoring

[UCalum08]

Originally Posted by Bulldog01

Shaq, Mormon, tc, cobb

How often are they able to take their defender off the dribble and either be a legitimate scoring threat or create? I wouldn't put money my on it. They stay above the free throw line.

[bearcat jeff]

That's my point they need to attack.

[TNBearcat3]

Originally Posted by Bulldog01

Scoring in final seconds isn't issue. It's stopping other team from scoring

so we didn't need cobb or someone to make a shot the other night against X in the final seconds?

Wasn't really referring just to the final seconds of a game, more so just a guy that can take over a game. We don't have that, at all.