(11-15-2014 07:12 AM)perimeterpost Wrote: I watched the 1st half of Buffalo's game and was really impressed with the quality of the broadcast, if this is what we can expect from every MAC team after the mandatory ESPN upgrades then watching MAC basketball is going to be much much more enjoyable. Curious to hear opinions about the changes from UB fans.
Changes in terms of the team? I can't speak to the broadcast since I was at the game, though just from the replays they show inside the arena I do love UBs camera work. They do a top notch job.
This is really Hurley's team now. There's only 4 guys left on the team who were Reggie Witherspoon recruits, and one of those is Shannon Evans who Hurley ultimately re-recruited to secure a recommit after he reconsidered from the coaching change. It will be a big shift from last year, which focused primarily on setting up half court offense.
The guards are expected to be the stars, namely Evans and freshman Bearden. Both are excellent at driving to the basket and taking the shot, but they are also excellent passers so we can have a strong low-to-high game. The problem is outside of Will Regan we don't have a designated perimeter shooter, so if we are trying to get looks for him on the arch we get real small down low (as you saw last night with 6'3" Skeete getting almost double digit rebounds). Evans is a good-not-great 3 point shooter, Skeete can hit them but can't be relied on doing so, Bearden really isn't looking like a shooter.
Now that I said all of that, last night looked a lot like last year at times because Moss looked so much like McCrea of last year. We were slowing it down in the half court and letting Moss bang down low until we could pass it in and he'd put it up. He's very strong on both sides of the court. Very encouraging.
The unique thing about this offense is Buffalo is going to run 2 point guards on the court for the majority of the game. Evans and Bearden will both run the point. Evans is the team leader and is becoming an all-MAC caliber star quickly. Boundless energy and great court vision for finding the open man. Bearden is ready to play as a true freshman. 6 assists to 1 turnover. Not a shooter but a slasher with good court vision and you're going too see some real fancy layups from him this year. He's a good one. Neither are elite shooters, but Evans is much better than Bearden shooting at this point.
I'd say right now Buffalo's five best/most important players are 1) Moss 2) Evans 3) Regan 4) Bearden and 5) Ford.
MAC BBall WK1 (11/9 - 11/15) 
