[MBB] Game #23: 1/24/18 - 7:00pm - @ Vermont

[UA1882]

Couple of things:

 

Will Brown has talked several times how the team sat in the Vermont locker room after the championship game last year with a terrible feeling. They talked about it all off season and how that would not happen again . Well.... the team showed NO toughness, and played in the first half like they did not care.

 

Secondly, I will now concede there is no replacement on the bench for Campbell (who played very good D last night ). Clark is largely out of control offensively and absolutely lost defensively.

 

In the post season the minutes need to be something like. Nicole's 39mins (I know he is not playing well but whom do we have ). Cremo 39mins, Charles 39mins.

[Clickclack]

Couple of things:

 

Will Brown has talked several times how the team sat in the Vermont locker room after the championship game last year with a terrible feeling. They talked about it all off season and how that would not happen again . Well.... the team showed NO toughness, and played in the first half like they did not care.

 

Secondly, I will now concede there is no replacement on the bench for Campbell (who played very good D last night ). Clark is largely out of control offensively and absolutely lost defensively.

 

In the post season the minutes need to be something like. Nicole's 39mins (I know he is not playing well but whom do we have ). Cremo 39mins, Charles 39mins.

 

Redshirting Healey was probably a mistake. Last year, Nichols last year vs. this year...

 

- ORating 111 -> 90

- EffectiveFG 52->47

- ARate 22.3 (8th in AE) -> 16.2

- TORate 14.1 -> 21.4

- Stl% 2.6 -> 1.1

- FT% 84% -> 73%

- 2pt FG% 50% -> 32%

 

 

I'm not saying it's all on Nichols, but it's all on Nichols. This guy going into his junior year coming off a first team selection was expected to mature, what he's done is SUCK it up big time. Couple that with the fact that there is no capable backup or someone to push him...this team has underachieved BECAUSE Nichols is having a horrendous year which puts everything else off kilter. I for one did NOT foresee this huge drop off in his game.

 

Let's not sugar coat it any more...

Edited January 25, 2018 by Clickclack

[Phoenix]

Numbers are definitely down..but worth noting that those are conference-only stats. Tough to say the team "has" underachieved..and placing it on Nichols' shoulders..when you're comparing 16 games to 8 games. Through 8 AE games last year..the team was 4-4..with the 4th loss being against Vermont. This year through 8 games..the team is 4-4..with the 4th loss being against Vermont. Nichols wasn't the reason the team got killed on the glass in the first half yesterday. He also had the second highest ORating on the team last night.

 

Love it or hate it..Nichols is our only starting guard who can consistently create his own shot. When he makes those tough shots..like he did much of last season..we look great. When he doesn't..as has been the case for much of the last 6 weeks or so..we can struggle.

Edited January 25, 2018 by Phoenix

[godanesgo99]

I thought Foster looked very good last night when he was in. He missed a couple of layups being too strong, but I thought he looked great. Then he threw a pass away. Not sure if it was his fault with bad timing or what, but Brown pulled him at the next whistle and I don't think he went back in. I know I am not at practice every day, and I know no where near what he does, but I haven't been a fan of his substitution patter all season. I feel like he has taken a page from Patsos and pulling bench players after any mistake and not letting them get into any rhythm while allowing the starters to make mistake after mistake but he sticks with them. This is kind of why I wished that Joe missed a game with the injury. It would have forced WB to add 35 minutes to the bench minutes and we could see what they can do in the game situation. I don't think it would have made a difference last night. A loss is a loss no matter how close or how far.

 

I'll say it again, that prayer 3 at the end of the shot clock was the dagger that ended the game.

[Clickclack]

I thought Foster looked very good last night when he was in. He missed a couple of layups being too strong, but I thought he looked great. Then he threw a pass away. Not sure if it was his fault with bad timing or what, but Brown pulled him at the next whistle and I don't think he went back in. I know I am not at practice every day, and I know no where near what he does, but I haven't been a fan of his substitution patter all season. I feel like he has taken a page from Patsos and pulling bench players after any mistake and not letting them get into any rhythm while allowing the starters to make mistake after mistake but he sticks with them. This is kind of why I wished that Joe missed a game with the injury. It would have forced WB to add 35 minutes to the bench minutes and we could see what they can do in the game situation. I don't think it would have made a difference last night. A loss is a loss no matter how close or how far.

 

I'll say it again, that prayer 3 at the end of the shot clock was the dagger that ended the game.

 

He lets the starters keep going because there's no one to put in...For instance, Clark plays 14 minutes, has an ORating of 20, takes 1 shot and misses it, has 1 assist, 1 to and zero rebounds, again in 14 minutes. I'm not sure what Brown can do other than recruit better players. That's the unfortunate reality, no one to put in, Brow has been going only 7 deep all season with 2 of those 7 in the starting lineup not being able to shot or finish a shot. Campbell is 1-12 on the AE season from 3, that's terrible from a wing position.

 

I thought Cohrain has looked decent in the few limited minutes he's had here and there but he can't get in, not sure why. I'd like to see him settle into the rotation for steady 5-10 minutes a game and see if he can get some confidence.

Edited January 25, 2018 by Clickclack

[danstep]

hate to say it, our team is soft. little toughness ever shown, so annoying watching Vt. get so many boards uncontested. makes no sense at all. we rebound well against other teams but VT plays harder than we do and it is easy to see....that sequence of missed FT, prayer 3 and missed FT was a huge problem but it was our supposed BEST 2 players who missed em. Also, as much as I love Cremo, the complaining he does needs to be stopped. His ankle was def. a hindrance as he was favoring it on his jumpers....so disappointing...

[Clickclack]

hate to say it, our team is soft. little toughness ever shown, so annoying watching Vt. get so many boards uncontested. makes no sense at all. we rebound well against other teams but VT plays harder than we do and it is easy to see....that sequence of missed FT, prayer 3 and missed FT was a huge problem but it was our supposed BEST 2 players who missed em. Also, as much as I love Cremo, the complaining he does needs to be stopped. His ankle was def. a hindrance as he was favoring it on his jumpers....so disappointing...

They've been hit or miss even on rebounding this year, started the year strong but at about the halfway point of the season even the rebounding isn't a given. Nothing is consistent about this team, half to half and game to game different teams show up. Rebounding is largely positioning and desire...being down 13 yesterday in the first half on the boards only to close that 13 rebound gap to 5 is exactly what I mean.

 

Maddening team!

[Patch]

Games are won or lost on a couple o possessions, if players continually make the same mistakes in practice every day it usually means the short leash in games.

 

That short leash would go for David or Joe if he bench showed any signs of doing the right things or knowing how to follow the game plan.

 

This game came down to a buzzer beating off balance three going in and a no call on a foul at the end of the half (when we were trying to give foul) which wound up being a 3 pt. play.

 

Credit UVM for playing well and being more efficient then us. Despite how poorly we played (we actually were terrible) we were right there late in the game.

[Clickclack]

Games are won or lost on a couple o possessions, if players continually make the same mistakes in practice every day it usually means the short leash in games.

 

That short leash would go for David or Joe if he bench showed any signs of doing the right things or knowing how to follow the game plan.

 

This game came down to a buzzer beating off balance three going in and a no call on a foul at the end of the half (when we were trying to give foul) which wound up being a 3 pt. play.

 

Credit UVM for playing well and being more efficient then us. Despite how poorly we played (we actually were terrible) we were right there late in the game.

That's the problem though...how do you get any consistency and ANYTHING from this bench.

[Phoenix]

Vermont is a national top 10 defensive rebounding team. We actually ended up a bit better on the offensive glass than they usually allow..which is crazy given the first half. I thought Vermont employed a pretty good strategy on their offensive glass. We don't often run or push the ball when getting defensive rebounds..so Vermont was able to keep an extra player or two in there to battle. Henson and Urquhart's size helped to negate Stire and Charles' effectiveness..which allowed Vermont's wing to grab 7 offensive boards. Most teams don't have the size/skill in the frontcourt to risk that against us.

 

In general..I liked the results on defense. Held an offense that's top 25 in efficiency to their lowest scoring output on the season..even with them being a slow tempo team and on their homecourt. Though..admittedly..that was obviously without Lamb. Missed a few good looks from beyond the arc..mainly Cremo and Campbell..that could've really helped. And that missed FT..prayer 3..missed FT sequence obviously sticks out.

Edited January 25, 2018 by Phoenix

[Patch]

Clickclack right now you just have to hope the light bulb goes off.

 

It took Siggers half a season and when he bought in he became All AE.

 

It took Devonte half a season last year and he became All D.

[Clickclack]

Clickclack right now you just have to hope the light bulb goes off.

 

It took Siggers half a season and when he bought in he became All AE.

 

It took Devonte half a season last year and he became All D.

 

I think it's important to point out in this sea of gloom that the defensive effort has gotten a measure of consistency. After 8 games, they are ranked 2nd on defense in the AE, for a team that was HORRENDOUS on D most of the season, this is a welcome sign. Last night, they played hard on defense and made the UVM offensive machine work...keep putting in the effort there and try to develop that bench and get some more consistency from starters. #1 seed is out of reach but #2 and opposite side of the bracket from UVM is very much in play....

[Patch]

Somehow David and Joe have to get back on track and both have to mature a little , this is their JR year.

 

Foster and Clark need to buy in and be productive within the scope of the team concept.

 

It would be great if Conway ( has been sick and in a boot recently) and Anderson (?????) could become serviceable.

[Clickclack]

Somehow David and Joe have to get back on track and both have to mature a little , this is their JR year.

 

Foster and Clark need to buy in and be productive within the scope of the team concept.

 

It would be great if Conway ( has been sick and in a boot recently) and Anderson (?????) could become serviceable.

 

I don't get why Cohrain doesn't get any burn, the few times he's gotten in as of late, he's look OK or at least a warm/active body. Andersoon looks like he's put on about 15lb.

Edited January 25, 2018 by Clickclack

[dslyank]

UVMs new athletic complex is gonna be so nice...

 

Last I knew they were still fund raising. I do not think they even have a start date yet. I could be wrong. Anyone know for sure??