Humble Opinion - but we need to run/kick ahead

[basketballjones]

Even on made buckets. You cannot stop 6'7" and strong Petteway and Shields attacking from the wings in transition. Just can't do it. Those guys are such strong drivers. They're, at minimum, gonna get fouled.

Also, Benny is a beast with the ball when he has a full head of steam. And both Tia and Tarrin are good, long, athletic finishers at the rim on the break.

We really like to pound that ball around and grind out that ball screen game, but when a team is as athletic and aggressive as UTM was, Petteway and Shields aren't quick enough to manipulate those ball screens, and we have zero post presence in the half court (Moses has no back to the basket game and Walt doesn't step inside the 3pt line).

I coach HS ball out of town, and tonight was my first opportunity to see a Husker game live in quite a while. Prolly only my 2nd game of the TM era. And those were just might thoughts as I saw us break and run our lanes. Found myself saying, "kick it, get it ahead," under my breathe all game, because the angles and lanes are there.

Give that UT-M coach a pat on the back - he's got a good squad. Not necessarily tall, but lots of length and quickness, and he uses it well. They got lucky to hit some bad shots tonight (nearly 50% on 3's, very few were clean kickouts). He also had us scouted pretty well. Called out all of our actions and his guys responded.

Edit: forgot to add - what an incredible atmosphere! Those pre game intros are sick!

[FredsSlacks]

This was a tough game to get up for. Day after thanksgiving against a cupcake opponent. Crowd wasn't real energized. I think we played better than the score showed.

[basketballjones]

This was a tough game to get up for. Day after thanksgiving against a cupcake opponent. Crowd wasn't real energized. I think we played better than the score showed.

For sure - they hit a ton of bad shots too.

FWIW, I'm more analyzing what I think has been the culprit of some of our offensive woes.

[hhcmatt]

Would the ability to run be there when we play good/B1G teams and would it come at the expense of our already shaky defensive rebounding? Would it result in more turnovers?

 

We want those easy buckets when they happen but it goes against our overall team philosophy to put them at the top of the priority list.

[Dean Smith]

Would the ability to run be there when we play good/B1G teams and would it come at the expense of our already shaky defensive rebounding? Would it result in more turnovers?

 

We want those easy buckets when they happen but it goes against our overall team philosophy to put them at the top of the priority list.

You can break under control without giving up too much in the defensive rebounding if your focus is on a secondary break. I think we have enough guys who can ball handle that we should be pretty interchangeable at who is running the wings & who is pushing it up. That sort of thing would also benefit our starting big men. Rivers would beat a lot of other bigs down the floor to the block and Pitchford is made for the trail post hitting the three. Now having said all of that, I don't think Miles wants to run a secondary break. 

[basketballjones]

Would the ability to run be there when we play good/B1G teams and would it come at the expense of our already shaky defensive rebounding? Would it result in more turnovers?

We want those easy buckets when they happen but it goes against our overall team philosophy to put them at the top of the priority list.

Great question Dimes and thanks for the opinion Dean. My thing is there's a massive difference between running a secondary break, and just kicking it ahead more often to wide running wings who can attack the hoop. Big difference.

I would imagine we have lanes to run in transition. Doesn't necessarily need to be a secondary break.

[Dean Smith]

 

Would the ability to run be there when we play good/B1G teams and would it come at the expense of our already shaky defensive rebounding? Would it result in more turnovers?

We want those easy buckets when they happen but it goes against our overall team philosophy to put them at the top of the priority list.

Great question Dimes and thanks for the opinion Dean. My thing is there's a massive difference between running a secondary break, and just kicking it ahead more often to wide running wings who can attack the hoop. Big difference.

I would imagine we have lanes to run in transition. Doesn't necessarily need to be a secondary break.

 

You're right, but you do know the KU secondary began at UNC. Kind of a favorite of mine.

[AuroranHusker]

If Petteway (and to a lesser extent, Shields) could ever get his turnovers in the transition game under control, it's a great idea... B1G teams wouldn't allow easy buckets, however.

[basketballjones]

Yep, Dean. And we do run a variation of that UNC break with the backscreen for the trailer every once in a while. We space the floor differently than normal though, which I'm not a huge fan of, but to each his own (prolly best to just go with the guy making 7 figures I guess).

[Dean Smith]

I know the backscreen you're talking about (i think) and I wouldn't call that a secondary break. It seems to just be a quick hitter to me going into the motion. The secondary focuses on getting your wings to run wide and if they don't get the ball to get to the baseline to flatten out defenses. 

 

I hear the"no easy baskets" in the B1G but both wings shoot FT's at a high percentage. You make the defense focus on sprinting back all game and they will wear down and you will get easier baskets. But that's just philosophical differences on how different people think the game should be played.

[basketballjones]

I hear the"no easy baskets" in the B1G but both wings shoot FT's at a high percentage. You make the defense focus on sprinting back all game and they will wear down and you will get easier baskets. But that's just philosophical differences on how different people think the game should be played.

Thank you. That's what I'm saying.

[hhcmatt]

bump