RE: North Carolina Game
Good effort in second half to cut it to 9, but I think we were gassed at the 6 minute mark. Shame we let the game basically get out of reach in the first half.
My thoughts after last night and the OOC slate are:
Dixon is the real deal and currently the second most valuable player on the team IMO. Best on ball defender and great all-around (driving and shooting) offensive game. Tough matchup on the perimeter with his height. Little bit of chppiness on the court, which I like to see from a Tribe player.
Sean Sheldon has improved from last year. He still doesn't have a post-up game, but he runs the floor, has good touch around the rim, passes well for a big, and does a decent job on the boards and defending opposing big men. Would love to see him knock down a few more free throws.
Whitman is at a minimum a serviceable sub for Sheldon. He's also shown flashes that hint at his upside, including a few nice moves in the post and some dunks where he got up off the floor quickly. Needs more body mass/strength and to be stronger with the ball. Any improvement from Whitman over the season would be some nice gravy.
Malinowski is the clearly the best of the true freshmen at this point. Last night was his best game to date. He still make some freshman type turnovers, but he's athletic, plays solid defense, rebounds, has a nice three-point stroke, and has a nice, well-rounded game for a freshmen. Provides quality minutes off the bench that will help us win games.
Tarpey is amazing how he rebounds for his size. Great hussle and effort guy. Shot is improved from last year, but fewer of his three-point attempts have fallen in recent games compared to early season. He's also had a few uncharacteristically bad turnovers in recent games (UNC and UR). I don't see that continuing into CAA play. Terry is a guy we need on the floor. He can contribute offense on put backs, fast break opportunities, and backdoor cuts for lay-ups. Making a three-pointer here and there is gravy.
Thornton is off to a great start. Hard to find much to critique here. My one compliant, and its largely a function of the offense, is that Marcus gives up the ball at critical moments (shot clock running down, scoring draught, or late in the game). Would love for him to be more forceful in these situations to provide scoring at key moments.
Omar set a high bar for himself with last year's performance. Unfortunately, he has not found his offensive groove yet. He's barely missing on most his three's, so hopefully he starts to heat up. We need his offense. He forces some drives. I like the assertiveness, but he could pick his spots a better and stay under control.
Schlotman also had his best game of the year last night. Has the ability to drive. Solid ball handler. Needs to cut down on turnovers, but he's young and improving. Solid at the charity stripe when he gets fouled.
Keys to winning CAA:
Omar gets back to offense production of last year.
Make free-throws at higher percentage as a team.
Cut down on live ball TOs that lead directly to points for opposition.
Be strong with the ball and make decisive passes (see above).
Punish teams that overextend to take away passing lanes beyond the three-point arch.
Finish games well, by not letting teams back into the game, run the clock down AND still get off a good shot (preferably from MT).
This team is not at CAA Champ level yet, but I think the potential is still there with improvement in a few key areas.
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