Offense

[NJCat83588]

Halfway through the Big 10 schedule, NU was the worst offense in the league. Worst scoring average, worst FT %, worst FG%, worst 3PT %, and 12th in 3 PT made.

After watching them play UNC I never would have believed they'd sink so low in Big 10 play.

http://www.bigten.org/library/stats/mbb-confonly.html

 

[hdhntr1]

Halfway through the Big 10 schedule, NU was the worst offense in the league. Worst scoring average, worst FT %, worst FG%, worst 3PT %, and 12th in 3 PT made.

After watching them play UNC I never would have believed they'd sink so low in Big 10 play.

http://www.bigten.org/library/stats/mbb-confonly.html

And if you look at just the BIG home games it is so much worse

 

[CatJones]

Improve the offense? I know what we can do...work on back door cuts!

 

[NJCat83588]

Improve the offense? I know what we can do...work on back door cuts!

Make Shots!!!

 

[Secho99]

Halfway through the Big 10 schedule, NU was the worst offense in the league. Worst scoring average, worst FT %, worst FG%, worst 3PT %, and 12th in 3 PT made.

After watching them play UNC I never would have believed they'd sink so low in Big 10 play.

http://www.bigten.org/library/stats/mbb-confonly.html

I'm not sure I understand what our offensive philosophy really is. It seems like Plan A is a high screen and roll and hope the guy going to the rim gets open. If that's not open, Plan B is to dribble around somewhat aimlessly until there's 5 on the shot clock and drive to the rim and hope the defense leaves somebody open when they collapse on the penetration.

 

[mikewebb68]

I'm not sure I understand what our offensive philosophy really is. It seems like Plan A is a high screen and roll and hope the guy going to the rim gets open. If that's not open, Plan B is to dribble around somewhat aimlessly until there's 5 on the shot clock and drive to the rim and hope the defense leaves somebody open when they collapse on the penetration.

If you think that is the whole offense from watching the games, I don't know what to tell you. In most of our games, we have been getting wide open looks. Look at last night's game. MSU buried nearly all of their open looks, and we hit nearly none of ours (and that is not an exaggeration). When Tap gets three shots that may very well have hit consistently as a EIGHTH grader, and can't make even one, that is what is happening in these games in a microcosm. The good news is that we should revert to the mean at some point, which is a whole heck of a lot higher than 20% shooting. And, as painful as it was to watch, if we are going to have the worst night of the season shooting in one game, it might have been last night, since we would have lost by double-digits even with a 50% shooting performance.

 

[Smokejumper]

If you think that is the whole offense from watching the games, I don't know what to tell you. In most of our games, we have been getting wide open looks. Look at last night's game. MSU buried nearly all of their open looks, and we hit nearly none of ours (and that is not an exaggeration). When Tap gets three shots that may very well have hit consistently as a EIGHTH grader, and can't make even one, that is what is happening in these games in a microcosm. The good news is that we should revert to the mean at some point, which is a whole heck of a lot higher than 20% shooting. And, as painful as it was to watch, if we are going to have the worst night of the season shooting in one game, it might have been last night, since we would have lost by double-digits even with a 50% shooting performance.

Hey Mike - I'll trust what you are saying on the open shots last night because i couldn't bear to watch but more than 5 minutes of the game. It just seems like the spot up shooters on the wings are standing flat footed and aren't able to get shots off in rhythm. And most of the shots i've seen in prior games look like there has been a defender with a hand in their face. Both seem far from ideal in terms of high percentage shots (for a three). Maybe we don't have the players that can curl and pop 10-15 footers so its drive or pass out to the perimeter for a three. It just doesn't feel particularly smooth or efficient, and we aren't getting that great ball movement - on the perimeter, in and out or side to side.

I could care less about the score these days because my W-L expectation is low. But i'd love to see the promise of tight execution with a few glimspes of the greatness to come...

So far, i haven't seen great execution in the half court sets, but there have been a few glimpses of greatness - especially the 2 man game between pardon and mac. Can't wait to see Mac, Brown, Law, Falzon and Pardon on the floor together. Don't know how much defense that lineup gives you, but lots of ability to score and create shots.

Like i said, hopefully its an issue of youth and injuries.

 

[mikewebb68]

Hey Mike - I'll trust what you are saying on the open shots last night because i couldn't bear to watch but more than 5 minutes of the game. It just seems like the spot up shooters on the wings are standing flat footed and aren't able to get shots off in rhythm. And most of the shots i've seen in prior games look like there has been a defender with a hand in their face. Both seem far from ideal in terms of high percentage shots (for a three). Maybe we don't have the players that can curl and pop 10-15 footers so its drive or pass out to the perimeter for a three. It just doesn't feel particularly smooth or efficient, and we aren't getting that great ball movement - on the perimeter, in and out or side to side.

I could care less about the score these days because my W-L expectation is low. But i'd love to see the promise of tight execution with a few glimspes of the greatness to come...

So far, i haven't seen great execution in the half court sets, but there have been a few glimpses of greatness - especially the 2 man game between pardon and mac. Can't wait to see Mac, Brown, Law, Falzon and Pardon on the floor together. Don't know how much defense that lineup gives you, but lots of ability to score and create shots.

Like i said, hopefully its an issue of youth and injuries.

I agreed that we were well defended in some of those game and a decent % of shots were not open looks, but last night I stopped counting at 10 shots where no MSU defender was in the same zip code as us and we made one of the 10.....That's how a game quickly becomes out of hand...We simply have to shoot better, and I believe we wlll...

 

[TejasCat]

We really don't get that many open shots vs what our,opponents get. We have no motion on offense. Demps dribbles 15 seconds off the clock each possession, it's really hard to watch. I'm tired of Collins saying we need to shoot better. He needs a better offensive philosophy that gets us better shots with the talent we have.

Oh and why does he insist on playing Demps 37+ mins a night? Even Calhoun sees in 1 game that he totally stops the offensive flow.

Looking forward to next year without Olah and Demps, I think our offense is way way better.

 

[mikewebb68]

We really don't get that many open shots vs what our,opponents get. We have no motion on offense. Demps dribbles 15 seconds off the clock each possession, it's really hard to watch. I'm tired of Collins saying we need to shoot better. He needs a better offensive philosophy that gets us better shots with the talent we have.

Oh and why does he insist on playing Demps 37+ mins a night? Even Calhoun sees in 1 game that he totally stops the offensive flow.

Looking forward to next year without Olah and Demps, I think our offense is way way better.

We do need to shoot better, though. One example of many that I could have pointed out was excellent ball movement to get Tap three wide open looks from 3. He missed all three. And that was far from the only example. We actually forced MSU into several tough looks last night, but they hit those, in addition to their open looks. If you rewatch the game, you will see that the open shot disparity is not nearly as much as you are making it out to be.

 

[IGNORE2]

Hey Mike - I'll trust what you are saying on the open shots last night because i couldn't bear to watch but more than 5 minutes of the game. It just seems like the spot up shooters on the wings are standing flat footed and aren't able to get shots off in rhythm. And most of the shots i've seen in prior games look like there has been a defender with a hand in their face. Both seem far from ideal in terms of high percentage shots (for a three). Maybe we don't have the players that can curl and pop 10-15 footers so its drive or pass out to the perimeter for a three. It just doesn't feel particularly smooth or efficient, and we aren't getting that great ball movement - on the perimeter, in and out or side to side.

I could care less about the score these days because my W-L expectation is low. But i'd love to see the promise of tight execution with a few glimspes of the greatness to come...

So far, i haven't seen great execution in the half court sets, but there have been a few glimpses of greatness - especially the 2 man game between pardon and mac. Can't wait to see Mac, Brown, Law, Falzon and Pardon on the floor together. Don't know how much defense that lineup gives you, but lots of ability to score and create shots.

Like i said, hopefully its an issue of youth and injuries.

Brown is a PG. While Mac was a combo guard, he has filled the PG nicely. Until we have someone else to spell Mac - Brown is the heir apparent. So I don't expect much Brown and Mac together - at least not next year. Really need Ash, Law or Lindsey to be a two.

Also, Brown will be a true frosh from a poor team so the jury will be out until we know what we have in him. I think RI has a better chance starting if Law gets pushed to the starting two spot.

 

[hoosboot]

Brown is a PG. While Mac was a combo guard, he has filled the PG nicely. Until we have someone else to spell Mac - Brown is the heir apparent. So I don't expect much Brown and Mac together - at least not next year. Really need Ash, Law or Lindsey to be a two.

Also, Brown will be a true frosh from a poor team so the jury will be out until we know what we have in him. I think RI has a better chance starting if Law gets pushed to the starting two spot.

I'll be concerned about Law playing the 2 given CCC's offensive philosophy. Will need him to shoot REALLY well to play there and not certain he will be able to guard B1G 2's consistently for 30 minutes a game.

 

[olshin]

Nobody else sees the irony in the fact that the biggest restriction to our offensive flow comes from the two guys who are holdovers from the coach who preached offensive flow and movement?

If we shot 40 percent instead of 20 percent our offense would have looked a lot better. Certainly enough good looks to shoot 40 percent.

 

[Medill90]

Nobody else sees the irony in the fact that the biggest restriction to our offensive flow comes from the two guys who are holdovers from the coach who preached offensive flow and movement?

If we shot 40 percent instead of 20 percent our offense would have looked a lot better. Certainly enough good looks to shoot 40 percent.

Probably the most spot on post since the MSU loss. I'd add that NU didn't miss all those shots because it has crappy shooters. NU has several good and a couple very good shooters who at times miss open looks as a team because, for whatever reason, they shoot with very little confidence.

 

[IGNORE2]

I'll be concerned about Law playing the 2 given CCC's offensive philosophy. Will need him to shoot REALLY well to play there and not certain he will be able to guard B1G 2's consistently for 30 minutes a game.

I agree. I think the two is a growing concern. That is why figuring out what we have in Ash and Lindsey is so important. Either we have something or we can pitch top talent with: you can be part of the first team to take NU dancing and have a shot to start from Day 1. Coupled with CCC's other recruiting strengths, maybe we land a real solid player and complete the lineup.

 

[IGNORE2]

Probably the most spot on post since the MSU loss. I'd add that NU didn't miss all those shots because it has crappy shooters. NU has several good and a couple very good shooters who at times miss open looks as a team because, for whatever reason, they shoot with very little confidence.

Great point - CCC's guys shot over 30% while BC's guys shot about 12%.

 

[Gladeskat]

If you think that is the whole offense from watching the games, I don't know what to tell you. In most of our games, we have been getting wide open looks. Look at last night's game. MSU buried nearly all of their open looks, and we hit nearly none of ours (and that is not an exaggeration). When Tap gets three shots that may very well have hit consistently as a EIGHTH grader, and can't make even one, that is what is happening in these games in a microcosm. The good news is that we should revert to the mean at some point, which is a whole heck of a lot higher than 20% shooting. And, as painful as it was to watch, if we are going to have the worst night of the season shooting in one game, it might have been last night, since we would have lost by double-digits even with a 50% shooting performance.

You're assuming the mean is fixed and that shooting/play is a purely random process. They're not.

 

[mikewebb68]

You're assuming the mean is fixed and that shooting/play is a purely random process. They're not.

Yes, Glades, but in observing games, as team that shoots OK usually offsets a bad shooting night with a good shooting night down the line, and it does balance out over time. I actually expect us to shoot well vs. Iowa.

 

[Gladeskat]

Yes, Glades, but in observing games, as team that shoots OK usually offsets a bad shooting night with a good shooting night down the line, and it does balance out over time. I actually expect us to shoot well vs. Iowa.

I've been waiting for a good shooting night for several games now. Guys are missing wide open 3's and missing them badly. My point is that I seriously think our shooting percentage might continue to collapse. Losses to PSU, UMd, and OSU have squelched our chances of reaching the NCAA tourney this year, and that might affect our competitive edge. Sheesh, our performance (including effort) against MSU was just horrible. What I saw was worse than just MSU playing well and us having a cold night.

The only mean worth anything is the mean shooting percentage after the season has been completed.