Skelly and Pardon provide needed size under the rim , so I think Sanjay’s defense won’t be missed as much as you think. On offense, the difference between Falzon and Sanjay is night and day! I would say Falzon has one of the best three point shot release of anybody on our team. Dam good. I am not even worried about a drop off. I think you are looking at a plus 4-7 point difference with Falzon in there instead of the departed Lumkin. Whatcha think?
Falzon vs Sanjay? Whatcha think?
- Thread starter Wrestlerneverdiesasacatfan
- Start date
Did Falzon lose some weight? He looked about twenty pounds lighter than his frosh year? Maybe better conditioning?
Looks like he is 6:9! He will be a stud for three more years! Can’t play defense like Vic Law! That dude can play!
Sanjay was a tough dude. He would take charges and stop guards from driving the lane. He also set tons of screens, many bone jarring. Skelly is doing some of the screens but Sanjay was the master. Nobody is picking up the charges yet.
We play great defense the first half and then struggle the second half. Not sure if fatigue, opponent adjustments or what. First half yesterday looked as good as last year. Second half looked like this year.
Falzon has an awesome stroke!!! And lightning fast release. Wow.
I thought we would lose 6 points on defense and gain 8 on offense for a net 2. Not all 8 points would be Falzon, but playing 5 on 5 offense would add some points
We play great defense the first half and then struggle the second half. Not sure if fatigue, opponent adjustments or what. First half yesterday looked as good as last year. Second half looked like this year.
Falzon has an awesome stroke!!! And lightning fast release. Wow.
I thought we would lose 6 points on defense and gain 8 on offense for a net 2. Not all 8 points would be Falzon, but playing 5 on 5 offense would add some points
Good post. Falzon will contend with Skelly for fifth spot. I like Skelly! Skelly can play both offense and defense for a big man.
At this juncture, don't see how anyone could pick Falzon over Sanjay.
As stated in another thread, NU's efficiency on D has dropped from 42nd, all the way down to 145.
And it's not like the efficiency on O has improved either - also dropping from last season.
As stated in another thread, NU's efficiency on D has dropped from 42nd, all the way down to 145.
And it's not like the efficiency on O has improved either - also dropping from last season.
Guys, I know I've got to be an outlier here as I post this, but I've just gotta get it off my chest. I'm the last guy to be running around spewing negatives about the players or coaches. No need to waste time looking it up; you won't find any. If any of you can please shed some light on this for me, I'd really appreciate it. I get that I sound like a lone voice in the wind when I say this, BUT . . . . . what am I missing re: Falzon? What is it that I'm just not seeing, that everyone else apparently is? I'm sure he's a phenomenal young man, and in high school, he wasn't as highly regarded as he was by some great cosmic accident. It's kinda widely accepted that this kid is a seriously good ballplayer . . . and trust me, I know he's battled injuries, and I even say this making allowances for that. Yet for all the superlatives that are thrown around, the lighning-quick release, the pure stroke, the dead-eye shooting . . . I'm just not seeing (or not appreciating) it. He's also said to be a pretty good rebounder. Yet I've seen scant few examples of him noticeably asserting himself - being a force - in that area. Granted, he's not known as a stout defensive player, but he's looked more the part of an actual liability, particularly in Collins' favored M2M. Even before this season, I was having a hard time appreciating some of the things that people were gushing about with him. I'm not even looking at numbers; this is just what my eyes are telling me. And I'd like nothing better than for him to be All-Big 10, to be the Aaron Falzon that we think we have and were ecstatic to get. Try as I might, though, I just haven't seen - or been able to recognize - it. Would some of our more knowlegeable posters please help me sharpen my focus, maybe educate me a bit on what it is that I'm missing? 
*Bump, of sorts* . . . So I post kind of an admittedly awkward question, asking somebody . . . anybody . . . to please shoot down my reservations, to pump me up about Falzon, to try and enlighten me as to what I'm missing with my "Meh" assessment. Twenty-four hours and 120 views later, and . . . . . nothing. Should I read into this that I'm not the only one who feels this way? The silence is deafening. Now, I'm not anti-Falzon by any stretch; I'd just like somebody to make me feel better about what I'm seeing.Guys, I know I've got to be an outlier here as I post this, but I've just gotta get it off my chest. I'm the last guy to be running around spewing negatives about the players or coaches. No need to waste time looking it up; you won't find any. If any of you can please shed some light on this for me, I'd really appreciate it. I get that I sound like a lone voice in the wind when I say this, BUT . . . . . what am I missing re: Falzon? What is it that I'm just not seeing, that everyone else apparently is? I'm sure he's a phenomenal young man, and in high school, he wasn't as highly regarded as he was by some great cosmic accident. It's kinda widely accepted that this kid is a seriously good ballplayer . . . and trust me, I know he's battled injuries, and I even say this making allowances for that. Yet for all the superlatives that are thrown around, the lighning-quick release, the pure stroke, the dead-eye shooting . . . I'm just not seeing (or not appreciating) it. He's also said to be a pretty good rebounder. Yet I've seen scant few examples of him noticeably asserting himself - being a force - in that area. Granted, he's not known as a stout defensive player, but he's looked more the part of an actual liability, particularly in Collins' favored M2M. Even before this season, I was having a hard time appreciating some of the things that people were gushing about with him. I'm not even looking at numbers; this is just what my eyes are telling me. And I'd like nothing better than for him to be All-Big 10, to be the Aaron Falzon that we think we have and were ecstatic to get. Try as I might, though, I just haven't seen - or been able to recognize - it. Would some of our more knowlegeable posters please help me sharpen my focus, maybe educate me a bit on what it is that I'm missing?
I post all the time on how great I think Falzon is....figured you guys were sick of hearing it. He's a decent player and a great shooter. Doesn't look that right now as he's under 30 percent from theree....but he'll shoot to his average. He's a good defender, doesn't make a lot of dumb fouls. Has ok size and fights for the ball. Tom Crean said last week, he's one of three players on NU you have to game plan for. That's why he's on the court.
The comparison with Sanjay is apples and oranges.
Falzon was recruited as a stretch four which means he was a lights out outside shooter out of high school and coming into NU. He played well his freshman year and averaged 7-8 ppg in an offense where it was guard dominated in McIntosh and Demps and then occasionally the ball was thrown down to Olah. That means that Falzon had no plays designed for him to score and he still scored 7-8 ppg. Falzon had knee surgery last season and is still getting into the rhythm of the game meaning he is still trying to get the confidence back in his game. It said a lot that Collins started him last Friday in the most important game of the year and after the game Collins, in a post game interview with Dave Eanett said shooters like Lindsey and Falzon need to keep shooting to break out of their slumps. Falzon is a shooter and needs to see the ball go into the hoop and starting getting some confidence. They say a shooter needs his legs and Falzon needs to keep working on building his strength and use his legs on his shot. If NU goes on a run, it will be because players like I.Brown (like he did on Sunday), Benson, Gaines and Falzon start contributing more consistently and lessen the load on McIntosh, Lindsey and Law who feel that they have to play 35-40 mpg and have excellent games so that NU can beat Big 10 teams and more importantly over the next few weeks an undefeated Valpo squad and at Oklahoma who has a G named Trae Young who many are comparing to Steph Curry. I think Falzon will get better as the year goes on hopefully, it will happen sooner rather than later with the season on the line over the next 5-10 games.
As for Sanjay, he was a glue guy on defense, but against the top 6 in the Big 10 and most of the Big 10 in general, the opponents scout you backwards and forwards and they knew that Lumpkin could not score and would clog the middle more to prevent McIntosh on drives. Lumpkin had some of his better games (like v. Dayton) against smaller guys. Also, 6'5" guys like Lumpkin could get taken advantage against some of the more bigger more athletic forwards in the Big 10 like MSU who 6'7" Brandon Dawson, 6'8" Sam Dekker, and the 6'9" guys on Iowa over the past couple of years. You need more dual threat players who can contribute on offense and defense if you want to beat the upper tier Big 10 team (top 4-6 teams).
So far you are right. Just realize he missed a year and could not even play the first few games of this year. Not even rounded into BB shape. Also, we have been constantly in foul trouble this year screwing up rotations. In addition he has missed assignments. So far this year, while he has the quick shot he has been off and on three point shots, only have to be off a little. The result is his 24% shooting from three rather than what should be around 40%
As he gets more used to playing and in BB shape, I look for his performance to improve quite a bit.
Wrong, again.
Falzon should end up being the better offensive player (and hopefully by a good margin), but the diff. btwn the 2 is that Lumpkin ended up being a highly efficient scorer (just didn't take many shots).
Falzon's efficiency this season thus far has been pretty poor (hopefully, he'll snap out of it soon).
There were a few who have played up Falzon's D during his frosh year and like you, I just didn't see it.
Falzon's D was OK (for a frosh), but he certainly wasn't a plus defender and has trouble keeping up with the quicker wings - something that Sanjay was able to do.
As I had feared, losing Lumpkin on D has been a major loss.
CC of late has been going more to a lineup with Ash and/or Brown to better defend against guards/wings, but they don't have the height (or physicality) that Sanjay had which causes problems going against a team with twin-towers like Purdue.
This is where losing Sanjay's versatility on D really hurts - Lumpkin could defend against a guard/wing and then switch off and defend against a PF or help against the center.
Once again, people look too much into total pts scored and not efficiency.
Falzon only shot .383 from the field his frosh year.
Compare that w/ Shurna (.466) or Coble (.494).
Eh, wrong.
Sanjay more than held his own against the bigger forwards and actually had many of his best games (stats-wise) last season when Pardon was out injured and CC had Lumpkin going against the opposing center at times.
Like I had stated before, Pardon kinda crimped Lumpkin's game unless the 'Cats were facing 2 physical bigs.
Against Purdue last season, Sanjay was a major factor w/ 9 pts (3 of 6)/7 rbds in the 1st gm and 13 pts (5 of 5)/7 rbds in the 2nd.
You don't think the 'Cats could have used that last game?
And in that Dayton gm you bring up, for much of the game, Sanjay played center (BB only played 14 minutes w/ 0 pts and 3 rbds).
Dayton rotated 4 forwards, one 6'6" (but 230 lbs - very much the mirror of Sanjay), one 6'7" and 2 who are 6'9".
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There's playing good defense, and there's playing such exceptional defense that you take a team out of its offense. With Sanjay on the floor, NU had the ability to do the latter. That doesn't yet exist this year.
I always thought Sanjay expired himself mentally on the defensive end so that he had little to offer on offense.
I always thought Sanjay expired himself mentally on the defensive end so that he had little to offer on offense.
Falzon's shot is pretty, which is why people get excited. He doesn't make enough of them.
Everything we lost with Lumpkin's graduation would be replaced by Falzon shooting 35-40 percent from 3, but he's fallen far short of that so far. With Rap being a non-factor and Skelly showing his limits, Falzon needs to shoot better and continue to improve on defense as much as he can.
Everything we lost with Lumpkin's graduation would be replaced by Falzon shooting 35-40 percent from 3, but he's fallen far short of that so far. With Rap being a non-factor and Skelly showing his limits, Falzon needs to shoot better and continue to improve on defense as much as he can.
But he should, and will eventually right? Dude is injured, right? Is his shot is off? - absolutely. Assume bc of the injury and time off. It will come, just not as soon as we had expected.
To add some color to @Katatonic 's data on our 6-8 frosh over the years, Falzon took a significantly higher percentage of threes - almost 80% of his field goal attempts.
So, comparing eFG - the numbers are much closer:
Coble: .565
Shurna: .539
Falzon: .522
I hope that Falzon has gotten into better game shape during this short break leading up to the final non-conference stretch.
So, comparing eFG - the numbers are much closer:
Coble: .565
Shurna: .539
Falzon: .522
I hope that Falzon has gotten into better game shape during this short break leading up to the final non-conference stretch.
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