(12-22-2014 09:43 PM)Rocco Wrote:  

(12-22-2014 09:28 PM)TDenverFan Wrote:  Another close loss to a good team. We're 1-4 on the year against quality opponents, but at least 3 of those losses have been close. Free Throw shooting continues to be a huge weakness. I'm surprised we can't fix that, maybe it's more nerves than anything?

They're about a 70% team from the line, which is where they've hovered for most of the Shaver era:

2006-07: .693
2007-08: .695
2008-09: .651
2009-10: .700
2010-11: .698
2011-12: .711
2012-13: .709
2013-14: .694
2014-15: .702 (not counting tonight)

I think it's fair to say that 70% FT shooting is a feature of Shaver's teams, not a bug.

Maybe it's consistency more than anything. Team was 11/20 tonight, 19/32 against Wofford, and 8/16 against howard. I'd rather have a team that reliably hits 65% than one that goes from 50%-80% shooting.

Their % is inflated a bit by a 22/25 FT shooting performance against Bluefield, a meaningless game.

(12-22-2014 10:09 PM)TDenverFan Wrote:  

(12-22-2014 09:43 PM)Rocco Wrote:  

(12-22-2014 09:28 PM)TDenverFan Wrote:  Another close loss to a good team. We're 1-4 on the year against quality opponents, but at least 3 of those losses have been close. Free Throw shooting continues to be a huge weakness. I'm surprised we can't fix that, maybe it's more nerves than anything?

They're about a 70% team from the line, which is where they've hovered for most of the Shaver era:

2006-07: .693
2007-08: .695
2008-09: .651
2009-10: .700
2010-11: .698
2011-12: .711
2012-13: .709
2013-14: .694
2014-15: .702 (not counting tonight)

I think it's fair to say that 70% FT shooting is a feature of Shaver's teams, not a bug.

Maybe it's consistency more than anything. Team was 11/20 tonight, 19/32 against Wofford, and 8/16 against howard. I'd rather have a team that reliably hits 65% than one that goes from 50%-80% shooting.

Their % is inflated a bit by a 22/25 FT shooting performance against Bluefield, a meaningless game.

By the end of the year there will be enough games to counteract the Bluefield game.

Pulled up Duke's stats from last year- they ranged from 50% to 92% from the line. Florida went from 41% to 82%. UVA went from 36% to 89%. Wichita State went from 50% to 95%. Arizona went from 37% to 100%. Those were the #1 seeds and a #3 seed. I have a feeling the team you'd like to see is not one that exists at the college level. If I'm wrong on that and someone can correct me I'll gladly admit I'm wrong but it surprised me that 5 of the best teams with the best talent would have such variances. FT% is going to be influenced by who's doing the shooting that game and by dumb luck even without considering that we're dealing with 18-22 year olds.

Best of luck the rest of the way. Fun game this evening in Norfolk, and I, for one, cannot wait to see Thornton graduate. Kid has been a player from the first game his freshman year.

Beat JMU!

Happy Holidays!
Smitty

Good game tonight fellas. Your guys look like the best team in the caa to me.

Btw I have a legit question for you.

What are the odds Thornton makes the nba? He's 6-4 which is tall enough to play in the nba. He's lightning quick, can make his own shots and could most likely play either guard position in the league.

Is he on any draft boards right now? Or do they think he's too thin to play in the nba? I see his jet quicks, deep shooting ability as well as an ability to finish with either hand in traffic and I see a guy I think could play at the next level.

What do you guys think? Even if he doesn't get drafted, he should at the very least get some camp looks and maybe catch on somewhere the way bazemore has. Definitely one of the best players in tribe history.

I think Thornton has a good chance. The reason is that he isn't playing the tempo and style at W&M that is where he's best. He is best in transition and in an up tempo setting. My guess is that his game translates well to the NBA. I think Bazemore is a lot more physical and has a better body type than Marcus and Marcus has better ball skills. I wouldn't have pictured Bazemore as an NBA player, but he's done a nice job getting there.

(12-22-2014 07:10 AM)Sitting bull Wrote:  Line is ODU by 7

Eerie

Back from Norfolk and the game and, huge sigh here, same old road story...another close game
we might have won (although not as much as the High Point and Richmond games which we
should have won).

Some observations:

*As Tony stressed after the game, we are not tough on the road...we were killed on the boards and, frankly, Whitman and Sheldon appeared lost. The latter bitten by the foul bug that limited his time--although he was inept when playing anyway.

*Tarpey a non-factor with his early fouls taking him out of the game and limiting him when he was in there.

*Marcus played a terrific game, not just scoring but on defense and having to play point guard
much of the time. Don't misread his five turnovers--when you are handling the ball more than 50% of the time and constantly getting pawed and double-teamed you're going to have a few.
Marcus is a truly great player and looked it again last night.

*Actually, we only committed eight turnovers, our best effort of the year and our first game under double-figures. Throwing the ball away was not our problem.

*Dixon played another superior game. He had 16 points and easily might have had 20+.
Prewitt scored 15, had two or three other shots rim out, and resembled his old self, continuing to come out of his bad-ankle induced slump.

*Our foul-shooting sucks. Prewitt missed four in a row at critical times and Sheldon the front end of a big one and one. Omar shot around 80% in high school so it's a mystery.

* The trio of Dixon-Thornton-Prewitt took 75% of our shots and scored all but nine of our points. Other guys have to score although Tarpey limited by his fouls.

Botton line is we just aren't tough enough right now, especially on road. ODU had 22 second chance points, way too many tip-ins and put-backs...you just can't win with those stats.

With UNC looming in a game we figure to get steam-rolled perhaps Tony will have all out players rush the offensive basket for rebounds after we throw up a shot! Nothing to lose there.

Finally able to post after recovering from the game last night and the subsequent self medication. What a horrible loss. I got so tired of watching us give up second and third chance points on one end then clang free throws on the other. Even for as close as it was that was a tough game to watch.

What did the rest of you think about Tony's technical? I thought it was nice to see some fire from him but I also thought it was the wrong time, wrong place. (Plus I thought the ref made the right call)

Re: Thornton. He's a singular talent in my opinion. I've never seen players do some of the things he can do. At times it seems to defy physics. However I think NBA teams will be worried about his size. He's not very thick and in a professional league his speed will be negated.

(12-23-2014 05:06 PM)zablenoise Wrote:  Finally able to post after recovering from the game last night and the subsequent self medication. What a horrible loss. I got so tired of watching us give up second and third chance points on one end then clang free throws on the other. Even for as close as it was that was a tough game to watch.

What did the rest of you think about Tony's technical? I thought it was nice to see some fire from him but I also thought it was the wrong time, wrong place. (Plus I thought the ref made the right call)

Re: Thornton. He's a singular talent in my opinion. I've never seen players do some of the things he can do. At times it seems to defy physics. However I think NBA teams will be worried about his size. He's not very thick and in a professional league his speed will be negated.

I only followed the stats so I don't know the situation of this particular technical, but I have seen him "draw" a technical at what appeared to be inopportune moments only to have it inspire the team. One case was up at Hofstra a few years ago; I believe it was a back and forth game but Hofstra went up a little and he drew a technical and I was frustrated at giving them free points. But it rallied the team and Ken Brown's driving heroics and free throw shooting sealed the win. I feel like technical fouls serve to not only express displeasure with the refs but can be a good motivational tools for the players. Of course it can backfire as well....

Omar's misses are beginning to mount up. Second half from the line hurt.

I think Omar has the yips. He seems to fold under pressure. I love him and have lots of confidence that he'll be a great player but this is something that needs to be fixed going forward

I agree with you on the pressure. I've seen it several times last year and this year with ball handling/turn overs, free throws, etc. Let's assume that he didn't have any of the same pressure in high school. My bet is that he will work through it and hopefully there will be an opportunity where he is clutch and gets over it. Nerves are real and once you go the wrong direction it gets hard to get out of the funk.

(12-23-2014 07:14 PM)zablenoise Wrote:  I think Omar has the yips. He seems to fold under pressure. I love him and have lots of confidence that he'll be a great player but this is something that needs to be fixed going forward

We're a half man short from being really good.

Somebody like Britt.

I think Dixon is going to fill Britt's shoes really well. Great defender, his shot is great, and although I haven't seen him drive much he has had some good penetration.

The team's psyche is very fragile right now...losing these three very tough road losses to very good teams, two of which we should have won and the last we might have won, has got to have a negative effect. And an upcoming game at UNC, where we may get blown out, will not help.

This is a talented team going through what we all knew and predicted would be a very rough patch; Tony big challenge is to keep them positive, reinforce the fact they are good, and have them ready to go for CAA play at Kaplan a week from Saturday afternoon.

I think they will be just fine once we hit CAA play.

This season could likely end up much like 1982 where the Tribe went 3-4 before January league play, losing four consecutive tough OOC road games. Once they hit the conference schedule, they went on a 16-3 tear and went to the NIT.

As mentioned in another post, we will not be underdogs in any of our home games. There is no one in the CAA head and shoulders above us.

And once we thrash the Tar Heels, this volcano will erupt.

Buckle your seat belts.

(12-24-2014 09:15 AM)BigTribe Wrote:  And an upcoming game at UNC, where we may get blown out, will not help.

Love the optimism!

I'm hoping our guys come out confident for this game and play at the same high level we've seen at times this year. Winning starts with a winning attitude. I'm glad players don't share the same opinions as fans.

(12-24-2014 04:52 PM)WM_Destro Wrote:  Love the optimism!

I'm hoping our guys come out confident for this game and play at the same high level we've seen at times this year. Winning starts with a winning attitude. I'm glad players don't share the same opinions as fans.

I'm sure everyone on the team, ESPECIALLY Tony, wants to win badly down at Chapel Hill.

(12-24-2014 06:36 PM)zablenoise Wrote:  

(12-24-2014 04:52 PM)WM_Destro Wrote:  Love the optimism!

I'm hoping our guys come out confident for this game and play at the same high level we've seen at times this year. Winning starts with a winning attitude. I'm glad players don't share the same opinions as fans.

I'm sure everyone on the team, ESPECIALLY Tony, wants to win badly down at Chapel Hill.

Do it. Please.

(12-25-2014 06:27 PM)ODUBB35 Wrote:  

(12-24-2014 06:36 PM)zablenoise Wrote:  

(12-24-2014 04:52 PM)WM_Destro Wrote:  Love the optimism!

I'm hoping our guys come out confident for this game and play at the same high level we've seen at times this year. Winning starts with a winning attitude. I'm glad players don't share the same opinions as fans.

I'm sure everyone on the team, ESPECIALLY Tony, wants to win badly down at Chapel Hill.

Do it. Please.

Because it would help ODU's RPI? Ha ha.