• Our Starting 5 is very athletic and versatile. All 5 can take it to the basket to score and/or dish off for open looks as last night’s win over Marshall demonstrated with 55 points in the paint. They also can cover a lot of space on the defensive end which helps, especially when they double team in the post.
• We will not have to rely on 3-point shooting to win games like last season as they only average six three point baskets per game. However, there will be some games where they will need to hit some 3s so improving on their .34% shooting from distance will be key.
• Despite being undersized in the paint, we have good length on the perimeter which is helping us outrebound our opponents by 7 per game. I also like the fact that despite being outsized, both Milner and Shumate aren’t afraid to mix it up underneath.
• Well balanced offense with 4 of the 5 Starters averaging in Double Figures. While Rollins is obviously our bell cow, we have 3 other starters (Milner, Shumate & Dennis) who are going to give us double digit points just about every night which forces our opponents to have to defend all positions on the court. I also think that Moss can provide us with some offense as well like he did last night by being aggressive and taking the ball to the basket.
• Still concerned somewhat by our bench play despite last night’s performance by Saunders (14 points) and Jacobi (7 rebounds). We will need a combination of Saunders, Jacobi Wilson and even Carcoana to provide us some positive minutes so that TK will not hesitate to play them to give our Starters some rest that will pay off late in games and as we get to Tournament Time. Hopefully getting Edu back for the stretch run will help with depth as well.
• I would like for us to improve on our turnovers as we are averaging over 12 per game. While that doesn’t seem like a lot, the magic number that most coaches preach is 10 and under so those 2 additional possessions we give up could come back to haunt us in some tight games.
• While Buffalo and Ohio U are obviously the favorites going into MAC play, I think Toledo can compete against them. Buffalo has been very inconsistent from game to game so far this season like playing well against a good Western Kentucky team on the road one night and then losing to a very bad Canisius team on a neutral court another night. As for Ohio U, with their Big Man Wilson still out with an injury and their Starters playing almost as many minutes as Toledo, that takes 2 advantages away that they had over the Rockets last year.
While I am not predicting a MAC Tournament Championship, I think our non-conference performance has put us in position to be a major player in Cleveland come March. But like we have painfully seen over the past several years, it will all come down to how we play those 3 days in Cleveland!
It's all pretty much in the injury bug basket isn't it? Can't really afford one. After that it's all about endurance. Not just MAC play but tournament play and of course the 6 games after that, the parade... it can wear a kid down.
Going forward will Saunders be the first guard off the bench? Good teams often have an "instant offense" guy as a 6th man. Some of us remember what Bob Miller was able to do for the Mix/Brisker/Rudley team.
I think that is a good analysis. The development of the bench will be key IMO. If the young guys can improve and be able to give quality minutes as the season progresses will define how far they go. If, and a big if, Edu can come back and help on the low block - that would be a great help. I don't expect much offensively, but on the defensive end and giving guys a breather would be a great help as well.
If those hopes turn out to be on the high side, this could be a very competitive team come March.
Let's hope so.
Curious to see how Covid is going to impact conference play as we are seeing many games cancelled this week.
If you can’t play due to Covid is it a forfeit?
(12-22-2021 10:54 AM)adunifon Wrote: [ -> ]Curious to see how Covid is going to impact conference play as we are seeing many games cancelled this week.
If you can’t play due to Covid is it a forfeit?
Yes. Most conferences, including the MAC, adopted the forfeit rule for sports this season. Not sure why exactly, but it may have been to encourage schools to follow protocols and get people vaxed. Also probably didn't want to go through the mess of trying to shoehorn in rescheduled games that could then impact student academic progress, and heighten injury risk.
The NCAA, however, does not consider those forfeits for tournament selections. They just don't count at all.
Lets get covid vs. Miami, UB and Ohio and we should go undefeated!! I'm kidding... sort of.
Here's a scheduling question... Why so few home Saturday games so far? It's been since November and we still don't have one until the 8th vs. NIU. Jan 28th vs. Akron is our next. Feb 19th thru March 4th are all at home vs. CMU, Miami, and BG.
I'm hoping they saved our last 3 weekends to be possibly flexed for TV, but jeez. We may not be leading the MAC in attendance 14 games into league play only having 2 home weekend games (5 weekday) to that point.
We average about 3800 on weekdays and closer to 5000 on weekends. Lets be healthy and playing good ball late to push that number near sellouts late in the season.
Well, now that forfeits are a real possibility, conferences are starting to panic and are changing their rules. So far, reportedly the ACC, Big12 and Big West have eliminated the forfeits according to this article:
https://www.thetimesnews.com/story/sport...997036002/
(12-22-2021 03:38 PM)northcoastRocket Wrote: [ -> ]Well, now that forfeits are a real possibility, conferences are starting to panic and are changing their rules. So far, reportedly the ACC, Big12 and Big West have eliminated the forfeits according to this article:
https://www.thetimesnews.com/story/sport...997036002/
Conferences probably thought going into fb season the numbers would be down, therefor a team getting covid would be for lack of their effort and lack of responsibility. Now that deaths are over 1000 a day and a new transmissable variant is here, fault is not on that of the University or schools. I say its a good move.
I really like this team for following reasons:
1. Athletic (most athletic team in YEARS)
2. plays very tough D
3. very solid rebounding team (+4.5)
4. Up tempo (lots of lay-ups)
5. potential to be more than 7 deep
6. rarely in foul trouble
7. good chemistry
8. young (based on Rollins return)
9. likely to get Edu back
10. FUN TO WATCH
11. See open man/good back cuts
negatives:
1. need to develop depth fast
2. not a 3 ball team outside Saunders and Shumate
3. not big (but we are are still + in RB's)
I THINK THE MARSHALL GAME WAS A BREAK-OUT + TURNING POINT. The team came out super focused after a very disappointing loss to Richmond which WE SHOULD HAVE WON!!!!!! Growing pains for the positive!
I love this team.
Go Rockets!
I feel real good about this upcoming mac season for the rockets! I really really like our guard play I don’t see many teams being able to contain Dennis and rollins, I think they are the best backcourt in the conference easily, shutmate is going to almost be a matchup problem each game and he’s steadily improving, millner is a old school player can post you up and can shoot the three ball at a decent rate, and moss is a gritty tough kid who does all the dirty work. If Saunders can provide a lil boost of the bench man I really like our chances, I Also think Toledo is the most athletic team in the Mac not saying that means much just worth mentioning
(12-22-2021 10:54 AM)adunifon Wrote: [ -> ]Curious to see how Covid is going to impact conference play as we are seeing many games cancelled this week.
If you can’t play due to Covid is it a forfeit?
Might be able to pick up an interesting game if the team stays healthy and conference members like OU be OU. Even some of the P5 biggies have played reschedules against G5s.
Great performance against Marshall last night! I think the fact that they are not so reliant on the 3 point shot could be a big factor in them finally getting over the hump in Cleveland. It should be a fun MAC season!
I keep seeing how much more athletic we are, yet we’ve added only four players with significant PT who were not with us last year and none, IMO, are particularly athletic, Dennis perhaps the most of the four. Moss is a lot of things but doesn’t possess eye-popping hops or speed, Jacobi does a nice job on the boards but struggles getting shots off and gets blocked a ton inside and Wilson gives six minutes of running around and missing three shots. Where is the influx of athleticism? Are the new guys really an upgrade on Jackson and Littleton athletically?
(12-22-2021 09:47 PM)H2Oville Rocket Wrote: [ -> ]I keep seeing how much more athletic we are, yet we’ve added only four players with significant PT who were not with us last year and none, IMO, are particularly athletic, Dennis perhaps the most of the four. Moss is a lot of things but doesn’t possess eye-popping hops or speed, Jacobi does a nice job on the boards but struggles getting shots off and gets blocked a ton inside and Wilson gives six minutes of running around and missing three shots. Where is the influx of athleticism? Are the new guys really an upgrade on Jackson and Littleton athletically?
Yes
The big upgrade athletically is Dennis, he just plays so much different in my opinion than marreon, can get to the basket really well, I think his defense is a little better also, marreon was more of a shooter post up kind of guard, I think dennis is better getting downhill and better in transition and I think he compliments rollins well, but overall I would say we became more athletic wit the additions of moss and Dennis to the lineup
But I do miss littlesons shooting veryyyyy much can you imagine him on this team wit moss
Marreon was not athletic. Not a leaper. A little twitchy and fast sure, with horrible form. Dennis looks like a guy chosen first in the gym. Marreon last. Production asside. Dennis without the turnovers was a good stop gap for Marreon leaving.
Littleson was a good athlete and very hard playing player. Moss is raw yet, and obviously not an upgrade over Sr. Littleson. But Milner is an upgrade over last years Milner. Same with Shumate shooting the ball. Honestly Saunders looks more in control in his limited minutes as well. We probably arent much better than last season but more dimenstional in a worse MAC.
Only caught a couple games so far. But really like the investment in quickness. No longer a deficit in team quickness against most teams. When we need to pressure or are being pressured we are mostly not going to get beaten to the ball or defending the drive. Overall D has improved the last two years - a much more reliable thing to hang a hat on than just 3-point shooting. We are still at risk of getting pummeled inside by decent big men as we did in NIT last spring. Probably can muster some players to shoot 3's well enough to handle zones but that remains to be seen. Overall better than last year against most teams and the law of averages. The D and team quickness won't be as fickle game to game as the reliance on 3's could be. But all it takes is a good big man and we could get pummeled despite our strengths. 2 of the 3 losses we lost the board battle and the one we won the overall boards we lost the offensive board battle. It would help if we had some big man bench fouls to spend so we don't put starters at risk of fouling out defending bigger inside opponents.
(12-23-2021 01:06 AM)UTfanBGalum Wrote: [ -> ]Only caught a couple games so far. But really like the investment in quickness. No longer a deficit in team quickness against most teams. When we need to pressure or are being pressured we are mostly not going to get beaten to the ball or defending the drive. Overall D has improved the last two years - a much more reliable thing to hang a hat on than just 3-point shooting. We are still at risk of getting pummeled inside by decent big men as we did in NIT last spring. Probably can muster some players to shoot 3's well enough to handle zones but that remains to be seen. Overall better than last year against most teams and the law of averages. The D and team quickness won't be as fickle game to game as the reliance on 3's could be. But all it takes is a good big man and we could get pummeled despite our strengths. 2 of the 3 losses we lost the board battle and the one we won the overall boards we lost the offensive board battle. It would help if we had some big man bench fouls to spend so we don't put starters at risk of fouling out defending bigger inside opponents.
Seeing a tough big man can be a double whammy as we are pressured to shoot 3's as well as limited going inside or defending. That happened vs. MSU and we couldn't make a shot.
Against Marshall we were 8 of 14 from three. They came in the flow of the offense, which worked wonders. The Herd was forced to play catch up and fired up 30some, only making 8.