I hate to pound on them after a win but the offense was very hard to watch again, they went back to passing the ball around the 3 point area until 8 seconds left on the clock and then heave a 3. Not 1 pick and roll when there was at least an opportunity to execute it once every possession, mainly Cash at fault. He has no faith in his bigs.

Yes - it has reverted back to being a boring, painful offense to watch. I think it is mainly because other coaches know how to defend UC. They know the UC inside game is weak.

UC really needs a strong forward. Rubles should be the guy but he is content with hanging out on the perimeter for the most part.

It would be nice if Wright could drive into the lane around the free throw line more also. That area was open for a lot of the Rutgers game but UC did not take advantage of it.

(01-14-2013 07:32 AM)icehole3 Wrote:  I hate to pound on them after a win but the offense was very hard to watch again, they went back to passing the ball around the 3 point area until 8 seconds left on the clock and then heave a 3. Not 1 pick and roll when there was at least an opportunity to execute it once every possession, mainly Cash at fault. He has no faith in his bigs.

1. No fast paced high tempo offense Mick promised us all summer means no transition baskets.
2. Very little movement without the basketball. Everyone does alot of standing around watching the ball and doesn't move until someone drives to the basket.
3. No passing but that's also a symptom of everyone standing around and watching.
4. No set plays other than the same old high ball screen. When's the last time we saw a pick-n-roll, an upscreen ally-oop, and backscreen (aka Princeton), etc etc.
5. No consisten big men to throw the ball down low to. Even with the big men UC does have the guards never get them the ball. This means the defense never has to double down low and can continue to guard the perimeter.
6. Not enough attacking the basket and too much settling for bad threes.
7. The ball rarely gets passed to the quadruple threat foul line spot to Rubles or Shaq where those guys can use their quickness and athleticism to shoot, drive, pass, or play the high/low game with the bigs.

Micks entire offense is pass around the perimeter and set that high ball screen and wait for Cash, Parker, or Killa to do something.

Our guards are too slow to get around their defender. Cash, SK and Parker don't have quickness but they are shooters. One would hope that seniors understand the scouting report against them and could learn to utilize a shot fake to get around defenders rather than trying to just out quick them. Then again, against rutgers it looked as if they weren't actually trying to get around them rather just waste clock and make a shot which is a very dangerous game to play. It worked because we were hitting shots, which will be the story of our season, win or lose.

This team may ultimately be better off with the centers on the bench and reverting to a style of play they utilized last year after the brawl when they went with a smaller, quicker lineup. If Cash won't pass it to the post there is probably a good reason. After watching our post players repeatedly receive a quick pass for an easy layup or dunk and then attempt to dribble or hold the ball down low where it is stolen or tied up, I suppose it would make the point guard reluctant to send it their way.

(01-14-2013 08:01 AM)nachoman91 Wrote:  Micks entire offense is pass around the perimeter and set that high ball screen and wait for Cash, Parker, or Killa to do something.

Our high ball screens are absolutely pathetic and always have been under Mick. Big Dave has apparently has never done it before.

Really it's a problem that has seeped into all of basketball. The screener is far to eager to slip the screen and dive at the basket and the ball handler tries to go away from the screen way too much. Both can be very effective but only if you don't do it every time.

(01-14-2013 07:57 AM)bearcatfan Wrote:  Yes - it has reverted back to being a boring, painful offense to watch. I think it is mainly because other coaches know how to defend UC. They know the UC inside game is weak.

UC really needs a strong forward. Rubles should be the guy but he is content with hanging out on the perimeter for the most part.

It would be nice if Wright could drive into the lane around the free throw line more also. That area was open for a lot of the Rutgers game but UC did not take advantage of it.

Whenever Rubles or JJ drive the lane I close my eyes and look away, it's like waiting for a head on car wreck about to happen.

We have capable slashers...Wright, SK, Rubles, Shaq, etc

What we dont have is good bball IQ and great passing and movement without the ball so the guys that slash have a hard time getting to the rim and nobody is quick enough on his own to make it happen solo.

Guess I shouldnt post that the off. efficiency was a 1.24 which is thru the roof and highest its been since MD E. Shore, UC is usually around 1-1.05 but it wasnt pretty so who cares.

Wow. So much negativity from everyone.

(01-14-2013 09:39 AM)BearChatter v2.0 Wrote:  Wow. So much negativity from everyone.

They are simply pointing out problems with the offensive production. I dont think you can make a positive statement about how the team has played as of late..And please dont say well they are 14-3 so we shouldnt complain because watching this team play has been extremely hard. Win or lose. Something needs to change. There needs to be more ball movement and more moving without the ball or another reality check is soon to come

As I believe John McKay said, I'm all for the execution of the offense...

(01-14-2013 09:39 AM)BearChatter v2.0 Wrote:  Wow. So much negativity from everyone.

This.

You have to make due with what you have. UC has fairly skilled, but not overly quick guards; a fairly skilled forward (Rubles) still trying to find his way now that BE play has started and the intensity has ratcheted up; shot-blocking bigs with limited to no offensive capability; and an athletic but low IQ hybrid (JJ) that ebbs and flows intensity-wise.

To my untrained eye, we have a hard-working, defensive minded team that tends to struggle offensively as described in other posts. I don't think this is a failure of coaching or effort, however. The style they play now with the players logging the most minutes is good enough for a top-5 BE finish and maybe a Sweet 16. But they do have an upside, and these are the keys for improvement, in my opinion:

1) Cash. This is his team and his last go-round, and it is his leadership and will that makes or breaks this team. He has to demand more of himself and his teammates and take an increased vocal role. Every great leader has to make a choice of whether or not he's going to be everyone's best friend, or whether he's going to lead. Cash appears to be making the leadership choice, we'll see if it continues.

2) Rubles, Shaq, or both. Any hopes UC has at penetrate and dish rests with these two players. Titus has shown flashes of having excellent court vision and the ability to drive and pass, he just needs to take the bull by the horns and commit to it. Defensively, he's an asset and his rebounding is solid. Folks are giving him too hard a time for the offensive struggles and not seeing what he provides team in totality. Shaq is a freshman and his development is coming in fits and starts. But if he can log 10-15 minutes a game and find his place and confidence on the floor, he could be a real offensive threat and open the floor for Cash, SK and JaQuon. Time will tell but he has the potential.

3) Sanders. Jermaine drives me crazy because the talent and basketball IQ he has gets muted by the lack of assertiveness in his personality. For my money, he's the guy right now that could be catching the ball at the foul line and making decisions when teams zone UC; he has a smooth jumper and makes things look easy when he's clicking. When he's not, you see hesitancy and horrible decisions like the inbounds passes he threw against Pitt and ND. If he can get out of his own head and start believing in his own skill set, he could make a huge difference.

There are obviously other factors that could take hold, positively or negatively, but those are 3 things I see that give UC the chance for some upside. So far as what we're seeing right now, I think they're giving us all they have and while it's frustrating to watch at times, I appreciate the effort and grit. As Coach Norman Dale once said "I hope that you would support who we are instead of who we are not". If you want to see great passing and offensive execution, become a Notre Dame or Duke fan, at least for this season.

(01-14-2013 07:57 AM)bearcatfan Wrote:  Yes - it has reverted back to being a boring, painful offense to watch. I think it is mainly because other coaches know how to defend UC. They know the UC inside game is weak.

UC really needs a strong forward. Rubles should be the guy but he is content with hanging out on the perimeter for the most part.

It would be nice if Wright could drive into the lane around the free throw line more also. That area was open for a lot of the Rutgers game but UC did not take advantage of it.

It's because their not playing directional schools anymore. We were promised a pressing,fast breaking and 10 deep lineup that was going to wear the other teams down. Apparently our ballplayers can only play this way the 1st month of the season (however, St. John's managed to press us at our place and beat us). What we have is a poorly run offense that is backed up by a good defense( don't tell me they are great, they can't defend the pick and roll for s***). We'll have to wait until later in the season to determine how good some of these teams UC has beaten are but I think Iowa State might be the only one, maybe Oregon.

Counting Iowa State, Oregon and Alabama plus from New Mexico forward through Rutgers( Teams I thought may have a chance at NCAA at end of year, I don't think X or WSU will) against these teams UC is avg. 64.6 offensively per game and 60.4 defensively per game. Not much spread against better teams, don't think we score enough to advance very far in March, not going to get much better I'm afraid.Just FYI.

(01-14-2013 09:50 AM)R03jsniper Wrote:  

(01-14-2013 09:39 AM)BearChatter v2.0 Wrote:  Wow. So much negativity from everyone.

They are simply pointing out problems with the offensive production. I dont think you can make a positive statement about how the team has played as of late..And please dont say well they are 14-3 so we shouldnt complain because watching this team play has been extremely hard. Win or lose. Something needs to change. There needs to be more ball movement and more moving without the ball or another reality check is soon to come

Yep. I've been saying it all over these threads but get accused of being negative.

My comment was tongue in cheek.

But good to see everyone else chiming in with the same complaints as mine.

(01-14-2013 10:29 AM)HattoriHanzo Wrote:  2) Rubles, Shaq, or both. Any hopes UC has at penetrate and dish rests with these two players. Titus has shown flashes of having excellent court vision and the ability to drive and pass, he just needs to take the bull by the horns and commit to it. Defensively, he's an asset and his rebounding is solid. Folks are giving him too hard a time for the offensive struggles and not seeing what he provides team in totality. Shaq is a freshman and his development is coming in fits and starts. But if he can log 10-15 minutes a game and find his place and confidence on the floor, he could be a real offensive threat and open the floor for Cash, SK and JaQuon. Time will tell but he has the potential.

3) Sanders. Jermaine drives me crazy because the talent and basketball IQ he has gets muted by the lack of assertiveness in his personality. For my money, he's the guy right now that could be catching the ball at the foul line and making decisions when teams zone UC; he has a smooth jumper and makes things look easy when he's clicking. When he's not, you see hesitancy and horrible decisions like the inbounds passes he threw against Pitt and ND. If he can get out of his own head and start believing in his own skill set, he could make a huge difference.

This.

My girlfriend keeps telling me that penetration is the key.

(01-14-2013 11:31 AM)BearChatter v2.0 Wrote:  

(01-14-2013 10:29 AM)HattoriHanzo Wrote:  2) Rubles, Shaq, or both. Any hopes UC has at penetrate and dish rests with these two players. Titus has shown flashes of having excellent court vision and the ability to drive and pass, he just needs to take the bull by the horns and commit to it. Defensively, he's an asset and his rebounding is solid. Folks are giving him too hard a time for the offensive struggles and not seeing what he provides team in totality. Shaq is a freshman and his development is coming in fits and starts. But if he can log 10-15 minutes a game and find his place and confidence on the floor, he could be a real offensive threat and open the floor for Cash, SK and JaQuon. Time will tell but he has the potential.

3) Sanders. Jermaine drives me crazy because the talent and basketball IQ he has gets muted by the lack of assertiveness in his personality. For my money, he's the guy right now that could be catching the ball at the foul line and making decisions when teams zone UC; he has a smooth jumper and makes things look easy when he's clicking. When he's not, you see hesitancy and horrible decisions like the inbounds passes he threw against Pitt and ND. If he can get out of his own head and start believing in his own skill set, he could make a huge difference.

This.

My girlfriend keeps telling me that penetration is the key.

Deep penetration is the key.

I was at the game Saturday with my dad, who is a basketball coach/trainer. we've known for years the offense is brutal but Saturday, sitting a few rows a way was just awful. They dribble around and attack around 8 seconds left so they force up garbage. and Mick doesnt seem to care. he just stands there and than yells on defense. i dont care if were winning games. but we havent been. we can win playing a slow-paced low scoring game. sure, fans want to see lots of scoring and up-tempo. but its not even that its slow offense, its no offense. 4 guys stand around 3 point line. 1 guy down low. and whoever has ball after 34 seconds, shoots. thats NOT an offense. guys who play ball in their backyard or on the street have more offensive sets than we do

For some of the older guys, remember when Alford played at Indiana and was one of the best shooters ever in the college game but couldn't dribble a lick and Knight would have single screens, double screens, staggered screens all in one set to get him an open shot, I don't see why we can't do that for our three guards. Sorry, just realized, might take some type of coaching.