hahaha @realistEagle -- is that an AnnMarie Gilbert picture? Nice!

(11-27-2017 08:59 AM)Luckeyone Wrote:  I watched the 2nd half of the game last night and thought we played well. I believe that win over USF should be a big confidence boost going into N. Florida. From what I saw in the second half, sometimes we switched from a regular zone to a match up zone. The match up zone seemed to really bother USF.

I was quite happy to see Ellison stick the three balls. If we are going to make any noise in the MAC, we will need Ellison, McAdoo and a reserve post player step up. We saw a glimpse of what Ellison can do and McaDoo can do the same thing. They'll be up and down because they're freshman but hopefully by the time the MAC tournament begins they'll give us consistently good minutes. I just wish this team had an experienced SG and reserve Post Because the team would be deep at all positions. Hopefully the freshman step up!!

At any rate, congratulations to Coach Murphy and EMU hoops for getting a nice win on the road.

Agree. The biggest weakness on this team is the lack of a consistent outside shooter. Harris is the starting SG, but isn't a great 3-ball shooter.

What I think we need to realize, though (!) players and coaches look great when the 3 ball is falling and was during the 2nd half. And when it isn't then it can be ugly and games can get out of hand.

A note to our friend, Bob: Indiana State shot lights out vs. Indiana BUT hasn't beaten a D-I team since. They've lost to both Ohio and Ball State from the MAC.

Which proves what anyone who follows sports and has completed middle school should know: one game does not mean much. It might be representative of the team's ability or it might be an outlier, either much better than expected or much worse. Some golfers hit a hole in one and never come close again. (When I was in school, undergrad and not EMU, I had a bowling class. My average was about 135. At the end of the class we had a 3-game bowling tourney. I shot over 200 in one game and walked away with the high game handicap trophy. With my handicap it put me somewhere between 225 - 250. Probably never bowled above 150 again in my life... A one-game wonder.).

Looking at N. Florida's roster and schedule is good and bad. They are small but they've played a killer schedule: at Florida, at #11 Miami, at #2 MSU, at Michigan, at Mt St. Mary's (3 point loss). So their 1-7 record is deceiving and when I give them the dangerous eye test they seem to be a 1 dimensional 3 pt shooting team with little to no inside game (their tallest player is 6'8"). So if we deny the paint and guard the three point line, we should win. If we allow them to pass to the paint and kick out to wide open shooters, it could be an unfortunate loss. This is where a man to man defense or match up zone (if we must play zone) should be utilized.

(11-27-2017 11:52 AM)Luckeyone Wrote:  Looking at N. Florida's roster and schedule is good and bad. They are small but they've played a killer schedule: at Florida, at #11 Miami, at #2 MSU, at Michigan, at Mt St. Mary's (3 point loss). So their 1-7 record is deceiving and when I give them the dangerous eye test they seem to be a 1 dimensional 3 pt shooting team with little to no inside game (their tallest player is 6'8"). So if we deny the paint and guard the three point line, we should win. If we allow them to pass to the paint and kick out to wide open shooters, it could be an unfortunate loss. This is where a man to man defense or match up zone (if we must play zone) should be utilized.

That is a killer schedule, no doubt.

One thing about 3-point shooting teams. Unless they get hot they may make 1/3 of their shots. That means 2/3 are misses and could lead to a lot of rebounds and fast breaks.

If No Florida is going to throw up a lot of bricks it is going to be a long night for them because Jackson, Bond, Ellison, etc. will make them pay on the run outs.

I would not want to be a team which plays EMU and goes cold from the field. We will make them pay. Ask USF. They went cold and the rest is history.

O/T, but why sometimes a game and stats mean little. What would you make of this game?

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/...108018086/

Have we ever scored 131 points on Siena Heights? Does 131 mean that UDM is sleeping giant among the mid-majors?

A big nothing burger? Or are we seeing a repeat of Loyola Marymount of the 90s?

I think our zone is far more susceptible to being beat in the paint than we are from long distance. If they are jacking up threes on most possessions, and not trying to work it down low, then we will probably win the game.

The common misconception is that shooting the three is the best way to beat a zone. That's not entirely true. A team with good passing big men, that can take advantage of the center being on an island before the zone collapses, has the best chance. I hate to keep going back to Ball State, but that is how they've killed us over the last 3 years. They pass to a big man at the top of the key, and he has two options. Either the wings of the zone collapse too early to take out the other big man on the baseline (which leaves the option to kick it out to the shooters), or they stay home while the center guards the ball (which leaves the option to pass to a wide open big on the baseline).

The only saving grace we have of stopping the latter is our wings are long and can block/alter the shots. DaShonte Riley used to be able to take away the baseline man and guard the high post at the same time, because of his length and instincts. Sadly, James Thompson is not DaShonte Riley, so we will always struggle against the hi/lo post action if the opponent's passing is adept.

Last time we played North Florida, they did just that with their starting PF Davenport almost getting a triple double, with 7 assists. They hit 11 threes, which was good for only 33 of their 82 points, so they obviously killed us inside. I don't know if they have big men this year that were as good as Davenport and Beau Beech (who hit all the threes) were, and we are much longer now than we were in 15-16, so I think we have a good chance for another road win.

Would Bobby Knight salivate like a Pavlovian dog at seeing the zone?

Interesting thoughts on JT4 and Riley.

If I read you correctly the best center in the zone is a long, lanky center with very long wing span who moves very, very quickly. Less need for bulk and strength. Size (bulk) actually makes the center slower to react, as needed.

I might be going back 50 years but I wonder how Bill Russell would be in a zone? Long, lean, quick, great wing span, great, great defensive instincts, etc.

I think what JT4 did this summer (bulk up) was for his 'next job' (NBA) more than being a center in a zone.

(11-27-2017 02:20 PM)emu steve Wrote:  Would Bobby Knight salivate like a Pavlovian dog at seeing the zone?

Interesting thoughts on JT4 and Riley.

If I read you correctly the best center in the zone is a long, lanky center with very long wing span who moves very, very quickly. Less need for bulk and strength. Size (bulk) actually makes the center slower to react, as needed.

I might be going back 50 years but I wonder how Bill Russell would be in a zone? Long, lean, quick, great wing span, great, great defensive instincts, etc.

I think what JT4 did this summer (bulk up) was for his 'next job' (NBA) more than being a center in a zone.

Yep, while Riley wasn't super-quick, he was nimble enough to be able to recover if the pass got to the baseline, and then being an instinctive, 7'0 shot blocker gave him the advantage.

It's funny, because many times he seemed passive and disinterested (which many pointed out here), that his value wasn't necessarily realized until he was gone. And that was even with winning MAC DPOY his senior year. He took away the paint by himself, which is something that Thompson isn't capable of. This isn't trying to knock on JT, as he's done a much better job limiting his fouls so far this year. But Riley was the prototypical 2-3 zone center.

I don't want to get way, way, way too far out on my skis (is that the expression), but maybe King has some real potential as a center.

Again, we think in terms of prototypical size for a man-to-man center who needs bulk and strength.

What we need defensively is some who is long, lean, quick, nimble, etc. etc. just so long as he has wiry strength to block shots and rebound.

I think the staff really likes King's defensive instincts. That's why the red shirt came off.

I don't know what King needs size wise? 6' 10" 220 lbs. ?

Somewhat off topic, but did anyone notice EMU was 22 on the top 25 Mid Major list before Indiana? http://www.collegeinsider.com/mens-mid-major-top-25.php

(11-27-2017 03:56 PM)emu steve Wrote:  I don't want to get way, way, way too far out on my skis (is that the expression), but maybe King has some real potential as a center.

Again, we think in terms of prototypical size for a man-to-man center who needs bulk and strength.

What we need defensively is some who is long, lean, quick, nimble, etc. etc. just so long as he has wiry strength to block shots and rebound.

I think the staff really likes King's defensive instincts. That's why the red shirt came off.

I don't know what King needs size wise? 6' 10" 220 lbs. ?

strength is still helpful to defend post-ups and to box out (particularly since you are often finding someone to box out while playing a zone, and that is normally a more difficult box out than if you're up against the player when a shot goes up) and strength is definitely helpful on offense. look at how much time Thompson spends fighting for position on offense. similarly, speed is still helpful for a big guy playing man-to-man defense, particularly on pick&roll switches and closing out on a big guy who can shoot from outside.

(11-27-2017 06:05 PM)KPJ Wrote:  Somewhat off topic, but did anyone notice EMU was 22 on the top 25 Mid Major list before Indiana? http://www.collegeinsider.com/mens-mid-major-top-25.php

Wow, no other MAC team in the ranking. What do these guys know that we don't. (Interesting to note, does not include Mountain sweat and Atlantic 10, but does include Missouri valley- all I would regard as "high mid majors")

Oakland blew a late lead to 1-5 Oral Roberts last night and had to go to OT to win. Hmm.

Nobles needs more PT to get in his groove. Grove too.

Ohio just lost at home to 1-4 Iona. Don't wamt to speak to soon, but seems like it might be a down year for MAC basketball.

(11-28-2017 08:54 PM)FrankAnderson Wrote:  Ohio just lost at home to 1-4 Iona. Don't wamt to speak to soon, but seems like it might be a down year for MAC basketball.

Look at Buffalo ... Look at Bowling Green ... Western ... Ball State ... EMU ... Toledo

Not ready to bail on OU or Kent yet, either.

League just needs to win more of these 50/50 non-con games.

O/T while we wait for Oakland:

1). Oakland (we play them twice) plays at WMU (we play them twice) at 2 today on ESPN3.

2). This is a crazy ending, certainly crazier than our reg. time ending @ No. Fl. (missed tip)

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketb...=400986112

Why couldn't we have had an UNF player tip in our missed tip?