Northeastern Feedback

[AlbanyObserver]

1) Albany shot horribly from three-point range. Northeastern shot like they had been using those rims all season.

2) Barea is a first-team all-conference player. Always a threat to score. I think his defense has improved as well.

3) I am still puzzled how Zoellner can shoot that poorly from the field. I think Q is more of a threat to score on the blocks than the German. Opposing players are going right by Z on defense.

4) The Iowa connection played well despite limited minutes.

5) Lucious always scores a quite 20.

 

This was a game we should have won at home considering their shot blocker wasn't in the lineup. It will be tough to win at their place. The Binghamton contest is huge now. UAlbany needs confidence that they can win at the RACC.

 

We are a top-five AE team, not ready for top three yet.

[Dane Pound]

This was not the type of game for Zoellner. Very quick, up and down game isn't where we are going to see him excel. I thought he played with some energy early but got lifted for Wyatt.

 

Barea is terrific. He threw some great pass throughout that game. Good shooter, good passer. I think he would have had problems defending Jamar had he stayed in the game but who doesn't.

 

I understand this is second guessing and I really like Brian Lillis but I would have liked to see Courtney Johnson get a shot at guarding Barea in the first half. Barea took over the game when Jamar left and forced Brown's hand to put him back in. I'm not saying Courtney would have necessarily done better but I would have liked to see him get a chance.

 

Q didn't miss from the field today. Brent Wilson played well again. He actually turned down a couple of open shots I would have like to see him take. Not a bad crowd today, around 1200 but kinda quiet. I can't wait until the students get back so we can get a decent "DE-FENSE" chant going.

Edited January 9, 2005 by Dane Pound

[Patch]

DP - sometimes it's hard to judge substitution patterns or reasoning. Only those who are in practice every day know why one person plays and another doesn't.

 

Without a doubt Kirsten has to finish around the hoop, if he shoots 4-8 tonight we win. If we shoot free throws better we win if we shoot better than 2-12 from 3 we win. If Levi shoots better than 1-7 we win. But you know what none of that happened and we lost.

 

There is alot of room for improvement.

 

I believe we are still a work in progress. We are 2-2 in AE play and have lost to 2 solid teams each by 3 points.

 

We need a good win and we must continue to get better, hopefully we'll peak by the AE Tourney.

Edited January 9, 2005 by Patch

[GODANESGO]

The numbers from the game certainly don't match how I felt watching it. NU "only" shot 44% from 3-point land...I say only because it felt like a good 70-75%. It just felt like they were making every shot, whether there was a hand in the shooter's face or if they were wide open. On the other hand, we just couldn't hit crap from beyond the arc.

 

But Patch is right. Bottom line, if we did ANY of those things, we would have pulled this game out.

 

I don't expect Kirsten to hit the little hook/lay-up all the time, but he really needs to start making that a bit more. He had many decent looks tonight and just didn't connect. On the other hand, there was one point towards the end of the first half where he grabbed a rebound with many NU players around him and I actually saw him FINALLY swing an elbow. Hopefully he does some more of that.

 

Finally, while there was a ton of things we should have done, I am disappointed to see such poor officiating AGAIN, especially at our home court. They call Jamar for 4 charges I think it was (I know he is an aggressive driver but come on now), they give a foul to the wrong person which was supposed to go to Barea (which wouldv'e put him at 5 fouls with about 5 minutes left instead of 2, and they were just plain sloppy on traveling calls, handchecks/reach-ins, and over-the-back calls. This regualr poor officiating even upset Coach Brown enough today to have a Technical called on him. Im sure it's very frustrating for the team by now.

 

This is a game we shoudlv'e won, especially with it at home. NU will be a lot tougher with their shot blocker back. At least I'm happy to see us playing this crappy today and still make it come down to only a shot at the end (which I think Brent shouldv'e taken since he was the only semi-hot 3-point hand today).

[AlbanyObserver]

What was up with the final play of the game??? Was it just me or did it appear the play was designed for Bauman??? I understand the point of possibly inserting him in down by three in the closing seconds, but to have him take the final shot?? Come on. We all know that the person coming off the bench never makes the first shot they take from three-point range. Plus, he is a frosh and never been in a pressure situation like that before. Bottom line, either the players were in the wrong spots or the X's and O's weren't very strong the last two games in those situations where we had a chance to make a shot to tie.

[Dane Pound]

I agree AO. It looked like they were trying to set up Bauman for the last shot. Tough spot to bring a freshman in but I guess that's why you recruit a three point specialist.

[AlbanyObserver]

I guess I am still curious to see if Bauman will contribute this year. We have been spoiled with all the solid frosh from the past. I hate to say it, but he looks like a high schooler out there.

[Patch]

I would betmylife that Bauman was put in as the fifth option a last resort.

 

It appeared to me there was a break down and Jordan penetrated to deep and/or the screener hesitated setting or didn't set the screen and Bauman flashed towards the ball.

 

I don't believe Bauman was intended to be a primary target.

[GODANESGO]

I agree with you Patch. It seems that Bauman just ended up near Jordan when Lucious was getting ready to take the last shot. The final play obviously wasn't executed the way it was supposed to. I bet Bauman was put in just because he was recruited as a 3-point specialist and is more of a 3-point threat than say Q is.

 

But I still think the play shouldv'e been designed for Brent. I know he's only a freshman, but he was the only one that made any shot from beyond the arc for the Danes in the game. I know Lucious was doing well in terms of scoring points, but he was mainly getting them from lay-ups and was having trouble hitting jumpshots from even around the foul-line.

[Patch]

GODANESGO

 

Unless you have a head of steam going full court the final shot is usually from a kick out or a drop off to the screener. Their was no need to drive because NU would have given us the lane.

 

Therefore someone didn't set a screen or Lucious penetrated to deep for the screener.

 

Without a doubt someone screwed up - who? we'll never know.

[alum73]

Z does have trouble finishing, many go in and out. I'm hoping that the start going in period. I did think he altered several shots that last year just went in over us.

 

I don't think lu penetrated to the basket enough, so he could kick out to brent. He went down the side of the arc. I'm sure Bauman was last resort.

 

I agree with Patch on the substitutions. There may be issues when players appear to be suitting instead of playing.

 

Officiating, I don't know when that will get better. I thought the HS refs at CBA/Schdy did a better job.