Buie has got to be tougher at the end

[Catfanincolo]

In the last 3 minutes tonight:

1) Misses 2 FTs
2) Fouls a3 pt. Shooter with 2 seconds on the shot clock
3) Misses a 3 pt. Shot.
4) Gets the ball stolen from behind with :25 seconds left.
5) Nearly gets picked again with :14 secs.


Looking forward to seeing Roper next year.

 

[TheC]

As I said in the game thread, the whole team was horrible except Gaines. He made lousy plays at the end, but other guys made horrible plays all night.

 

[corbi296]

As I said in the game thread, the whole team was horrible except Gaines. He made lousy plays at the end, but other guys made horrible plays all night.

I thought Greer played with energy and was excellent on the defensive end.

 

[DaCat]

Buie is difficult to watch. Not a good player.

 

[NJcatsfan]

Maddeningly streaky. Today was a low point.

 

[GatoLouco]

Nance had two turnovers in the last couple of minutes

 

[Catfanincolo]

It was a team effort at sucking.

Good riddance to this season.

 

[SmellyCat]

It was a team effort at sucking.

I was going to make this comment. You can blame Buie if you want, but it seems like everyone was being frustrating tonight. He just made a lot of the mistakes when the game was in doubt.

 

[The Purple Knight]

As many have said, Greer should have been running the team all season. Boo is an off the bench 2 guard, at best. He can’t run the show because he’s too careless with the ball, makes poor decisions, turns it over way to much, not a good distributor, silly fouls and no defense. On a good team he’d come off the bench and get some minutes if he’s hot from three point land. Cats are never going to win with him running the show.

Another glaring problem is the lack of offensive rebounds. These players are not hitting the glass hard on either end, but especially on the offensive end. Very few second chance points. What’s interesting is that they have size on almost all their opponents, but you’d never know it.

 

[Sec.112]

Once again ... you guys have to be kidding me. We now have this thread as well as three Buie posts in the two other threads I've only read so far.

Not one comment about Kopp?

Yes, Buie's last few minutes were horrible. I guess we're going to ignore the two missed shots by Kopp in that four minute span - a wide open three and a little dink inside the lane. Just part of his fabulous 4-18 tonight.

But SmellyCat nails it. It was all around garbage tonight except for maybe Gaines.

 

[corbi296]

Once again ... you guys have to be kidding me. We now have this thread as well as three Buie posts in the two other threads I've only read so far.

Not one comment about Kopp?

Yes, Buie's last few minutes were horrible. I guess we're going to ignore the two missed shots by Kopp in that four minute span - a wide open three and a little dink inside the lane. Just part of his fabulous 4-18 tonight.

But SmellyCat nails it. It was all around garbage tonight except for maybe Gaines.

Yes, Kopp missed shot after shot last night but he took good, open shots within the rhythm of the offense for the most part. They were errors of execution rather than errors of judgement and decision making. If we had anybody better who could get and hit those shots at a higher rate, then you play that guy and sit Kopp. Buie misses just as many shots but he also makes careless mistakes turning the ball over and he makes bad decisions with poor passes/forced shots. Let’s not even talk about Buie’s defense. Neither should be playing but when looking about what ills this team, Buie’s play at the key PG position is a much bigger issue in my opinion.

 

[Hans]

Once again ... you guys have to be kidding me. We now have this thread as well as three Buie posts in the two other threads I've only read so far.

Not one comment about Kopp?

Yes, Buie's last few minutes were horrible. I guess we're going to ignore the two missed shots by Kopp in that four minute span - a wide open three and a little dink inside the lane. Just part of his fabulous 4-18 tonight.

But SmellyCat nails it. It was all around garbage tonight except for maybe Gaines.

Agreed, he is way too slow to play defense in the B10 and can't get open. Even when wide open his shooting has been aweful as of late. He's a role player for spot up 3s on a good team not a starter.

 

[GatoLouco]

Once again ... you guys have to be kidding me. We now have this thread as well as three Buie posts in the two other threads I've only read so far.

Not one comment about Kopp?

Yes, Buie's last few minutes were horrible. I guess we're going to ignore the two missed shots by Kopp in that four minute span - a wide open three and a little dink inside the lane. Just part of his fabulous 4-18 tonight.

But SmellyCat nails it. It was all around garbage tonight except for maybe Gaines.

Nance also had two turnovers in the last 2 minutes. Maybe we blame Buie for his mistakes but the slippery floor for Nance's.

Funny thing is that I though Buie was playing more like a traditional PG most of the game. Not much forcing bad shots, really not creating much, but everyone was playing horrendously anyway. And then he completely falls apart in the last 2 minutes.

This is not the game to pin it on Buie. This was a game that maybe, just maybe, only Gaines lived up to what he's supposed to do.

 

[NUCat320]

I was going to make this comment. You can blame Buie if you want, but it seems like everyone was being frustrating tonight. He just made a lot of the mistakes when the game was in doubt.

This is not the game to pin it on Buie. This was a game that maybe, just maybe, only Gaines lived up to what he's supposed to do.

That 1-on-3 fast break attempt down by 3 with 30 seconds left is the type of spectacular mistake that sticks with you.

He wasn’t the worst — just about everyone who played could stake that claim — but that play was the worst.

(They had two timeouts.)

 

[SmellyCat]

Agree. That play was the worst. And the announcers charitably called it one-on-two. There were at least three guys around him, and no teammates around him. I was yelling "slow it down" long before he ever crossed half court. I know it's fun to play hero ball, but a veteran point guard doesn't make that kind of mistake. It's at one reason why people are harder on him than on others. Taking the right shot and missing it is just bad luck. Creating an unforced turnover in that situation was just unforgiveable.

 

[Hungry Jack]

In the last 3 minutes tonight:

1) Misses 2 FTs
2) Fouls a3 pt. Shooter with 2 seconds on the shot clock
3) Misses a 3 pt. Shot.
4) Gets the ball stolen from behind with :25 seconds left.
5) Nearly gets picked again with :14 secs.


Looking forward to seeing Roper next year.

Terrible sequence.

 

[willycat]

As many have said, Greer should have been running the team all season. Boo is an off the bench 2 guard, at best. He can’t run the show because he’s too careless with the ball, makes poor decisions, turns it over way to much, not a good distributor, silly fouls and no defense. On a good team he’d come off the bench and get some minutes if he’s hot from three point land. Cats are never going to win with him running the show.

Another glaring problem is the lack of offensive rebounds. These players are not hitting the glass hard on either end, but especially on the offensive end. Very few second chance points. What’s interesting is that they have size on almost all their opponents, but you’d never know it.

Don't disagree with your comments and would add that it's the entire roster that loses the ball when dribbling, over and over again. just can't expect a lot of offensive rebounds, when your center doesn't get over the rim.

 

[Sec.112]

... but he took good, open shots within the rhythm of the offense for the most part. They were errors of execution rather than errors of judgement and decision making ...

This is probably 3/4 of my issue with the Buie perception. Kopp gets style points - within the offense, best pure shooter, it will come, etc. Kopp gets a pass based on potential.

And while everybody is patiently waiting for Kopp to fulfill his potential for another year, Buie at least shows up for some of these games.

And if you don't think Kopp and Buie are similarly bad on defense, I can't help you. I counted at least three first half Minnesota 3-pointers where Kopp can barely get his hands up.

But in the end, you'll have to excuse me if I think a player also has a gross error in judgement when he leads the team in shot attempts by nearly 50% even though he's gone 11-37 (4-18 from 3) in his last four games, leading up to last night's trainwreck.

 

[go cats go]

And if you don't think Kopp and Buie are similarly bad on defense, I can't help you. I counted at least three first half Minnesota 3-pointers where Kopp can barely get his hands up.

But in the end, you'll have to excuse me if I think a player also has a gross error in judgement when he leads the team in shot attempts by nearly 50% even though he's gone 11-37 (4-18 from 3) in his last four games, leading up to last night's trainwreck.

The coaching staff was running set plays and out of bounds plays to get Kopp open looks. Kopp wasn't forcing bad shots. I think it's appropriate for people to be more critical of a player making bad decisions than one missing good shots. Aside from that, I agree that neither Kopp nor Buie is a good defender.

 

[GatoLouco]

Don't disagree with your comments and would add that it's the entire roster that loses the ball when dribbling, over and over again. just can't expect a lot of offensive rebounds, when your center doesn't get over the rim.

Nance has plenty of hops. And he is our center.

 

[Hungry Jack]

Don't disagree with your comments and would add that it's the entire roster that loses the ball when dribbling, over and over again. just can't expect a lot of offensive rebounds, when your center doesn't get over the rim.

Rebounding is a lot more about position than elevation.

 

[SmellyCat]

But in the end, you'll have to excuse me if I think a player also has a gross error in judgement when he leads the team in shot attempts by nearly 50% even though he's gone 11-37 (4-18 from 3) in his last four games, leading up to last night's trainwreck.

I agree with this, and you have to think with how poorly he's been shooting, maybe those are no longer "good shots" he was taking.

At one point last night I think they showed a stat saying Minnesota was ranked like 339th in three-point percentage but 20th in three points attempted. I saw that and said to myself, "they should fire the coach just for THAT." However, that is basically what Kopp has been over the last few weeks - someone taking a lot of shots maybe he shouldn't be taking anymore. I know shooters need to shoot their way out of slumps sometimes, and if you're J.J. Redick or Steph Curry, I can see it, but maybe Kopp just isn't the elite shooter we all think he is. Maybe he's just a good shooter who can hit open shots when he's hot but is prone to bad streaks too. As long as he and Collins can recognize that, perhaps the team can adjust accordingly so he's not taking 17 shots in a game like last night.

 

[TheC]

The coaching staff was running set plays and out of bounds plays to get Kopp open looks. Kopp wasn't forcing bad shots. I think it's appropriate for people to be more critical of a player making bad decisions than one missing good shots. Aside from that, I agree that neither Kopp nor Buie is a good defender.

I disagree. If your three-point specialist can't hit wide open shots, then maybe he isn't such a specialist. And if he isn't a three-point specialist, then what exactly is he? He can't defend. He can't get to the rim. He tends to turn the ball over an awful lot for someone who doesn't even have the ball in his hands that much. I hate to say it, but that class of he and Nance has just not panned out. Maybe they'll salvage something out of next year, but I'm not holding my breath. I expect to see more of the same next year and then hopefully there will be some changes.

 

[TheC]

Rebounding is a lot more about position than elevation.

Rebounding is also a lot more about attitude. Rebounding is often about who wants it more. That never seems to be our guys. I find this especially disappointing, because I thought initially this is one thing that changed when Collins first got here. I was such a Collins fan even before the NCAA year, because it seemed like his teams played harder on defense and tried hard to rebound. Carmody's teams never did either and I HATED that about his teams. Now I feel like we're right back to those Carmody years except with a much worse offense.

 

[willycat]

I disagree. If your three-point specialist can't hit wide open shots, then maybe he isn't such a specialist. And if he isn't a three-point specialist, then what exactly is he? He can't defend. He can't get to the rim. He tends to turn the ball over an awful lot for someone who doesn't even have the ball in his hands that much. I hate to say it, but that class of he and Nance has just not panned out. Maybe they'll salvage something out of next year, but I'm not holding my breath. I expect to see more of the same next year and then hopefully there will be some changes.

Think you are pretty much right on Kopp but feel that Nance was this seasons most improved player. If he continues to spiral up, could lead the Cats in both scoring and rebounding next season. Now if they can get a center that plays above the rim a lot can change. Do you or others think Nicholson will be around next year?

 

[corbi296]

This is probably 3/4 of my issue with the Buie perception. Kopp gets style points - within the offense, best pure shooter, it will come, etc. Kopp gets a pass based on potential.

And while everybody is patiently waiting for Kopp to fulfill his potential for another year, Buie at least shows up for some of these games.

And if you don't think Kopp and Buie are similarly bad on defense, I can't help you. I counted at least three first half Minnesota 3-pointers where Kopp can barely get his hands up.

But in the end, you'll have to excuse me if I think a player also has a gross error in judgement when he leads the team in shot attempts by nearly 50% even though he's gone 11-37 (4-18 from 3) in his last four games, leading up to last night's trainwreck.

I don’t disagree but I think we have better alternatives to Buie than we do for Koop. I’d rather see Greer and Audige at the point than Kopp. Ptetty much the whole needs to be replaced but Buie is the most flagrant offender in my opinion. .

 

[TheC]

Think you are pretty much right on Kopp but feel that Nance was this seasons most improved player. If he continues to spiral up, could lead the Cats in both scoring and rebounding next season. Now if they can get a center that plays above the rim a lot can change. Do you or others think Nicholson will be around next year?

Sean Morris last night hit on something with Nance that was dead-on. He talked about how Nance struggles because he plays so straight up and down. He doesn't have any bend and it limits his mobility and quickness. I know most big men aren't the quickest in the world, but Pete really is stiff. You see it when he tries to dribble/drive and even defend.

 

[TheC]

I don’t disagree but I think we have better alternatives to Buie than we do for Koop. I’d rather see Greer and Audige at the point than Kopp. Ptetty much the whole needs to be replaced but Buie is the most flagrant offender in my opinion. .

I sound like a broken record, but Greer is definitely not the answer. People say he doesn't make as many turnovers, but that is in large part because most of the time he is just passing the ball at the top of the key. You don't make as many turnovers when you don't try to make plays. He is not a shooting threat or a dribble/drive threat. His defense is not really much better than Buie's, nor does he bring any size to the defensive end. I'll take Buie's mistakes and his breakout scoring any day over the vanilla mush that is Greer's game.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

Now we are arguing over which of our starters had a worse year. The problem is there are multiple to choose from.

 

[No Chores]

Rebounding is a lot more about position than elevation.

Correct. Larry Bird comes immediately to mind. Also, don't know how she did it, but Veronica Burton grabbed 13 rebounds today in the 'Cats' dismantling of Michigan! She does have some hops, but she's a 5'9" guard.

 

[NJCat]

Correct. Larry Bird comes immediately to mind. Also, don't know how she did it, but Veronica Burton grabbed 13 rebounds today in the 'Cats' dismantling of Michigan! She does have some hops, but she's a 5'9" guard.

Veronica is the ultimate WBB college superstar.