While we’re only 2 games into MAC Play, it doesn’t take rocket science to figure out that we’re going to “live and die” by the play of our Starting 5, with the Big 3 of M. Jackson, W. Jackson and L. Knapke providing the bulk of our scoring on a game by game basis. We can only hope that S. Littleson can bump his average up some as we need him to be a more consistent scorer, specifically from the 3 point line. As for D. Alderson, I think he is who he is, which is a 4-8 points per game player who might give us a double figure scoring game on occasion. In looking at our bench, whatever scoring, rebounding and defense we get out of from K. Saunders, A. Smith and L. Maranka will be a bonus as none of the 3 have shown any consistency yet to have much confidence in how much they will help the team for the balance of the season. This is no knock on these 3 players as we got to remember that this is the first year for both K. Saunders and A. Smith to play Division 1 Basketball while L Maranka was supposed to be redshirting this season. We really miss having A. Edu and M. Acunzo available as I think they could have provided us with more consistency coming off the bench. With that said, it is going to take a tremendous coaching job from TK to “squeeze” all of the potential out of this team that is lacking in depth for them to have a realistic chance in Cleveland come March. Based on what he has accomplished since his arrival at Toledo, I’m sure many of you are not too optimistic that is going to happen! But that is why they play the games!

I would like to see Donovan Moore get PT as backup PG he looked good what little he played. Albeit against weak competition. Saunders is not cutting it as backup PG. Saunders has to shoot better than he has.

(01-09-2020 11:47 PM)rocketpaul Wrote:  I would like to see Donovan Moore get PT as backup PG he looked good what little he played. Albeit against weak competition. Saunders is not cutting it as backup PG. Saunders has to shoot better than he has.

i'm sure if moore looked better than any of the guards ahead of him in practice we'd see him on the court. saunders has been erratic and went through an ugly shooting slump and loss of confidence that helped expose his shaky ballhandling. when he makes some jump shots he plays with much more confidence and also becomes a plus defender. he is a key guy who none of us are completely sold on, but has shown flashes.

that's sort of the theme of this team. everyone has looked the part at times, but they can't seem to sync it up and play consistently good basketball. that, and the getting your as$ kicked getting dunked on missing clutch open shots type basketball we've seen for the past 6 weeks. i won't give up on the team because the potential is there to go a hot streak and make the season interesting. guys not named marreon jackson need to ball out more often. i'd shudder at a graphic of individual fg% in the last 5 minutes after marreon.

really, the main key is marreon and luke play better together. both are good players but they are not playing off each other well, and since the marreon luke high pick and... play is top option, and the marreon to luke post up play number 2, these seem to be the key for offensive execution and flow.

coach has to coach more creatively and with less frustration. the whole staff is frustrated. the team is down. that kent game turned our way when we went to the zone. kent couldn't solve it and our rebounding had more energy. as soon as it worked, we went back to the usual man to man with minimal help. coach k struggles to trust in his second options. his backup plans. the same way he avoids giving the donovon moore's the 9th or 10th guys on team important floor time comes from the same unwillingness to play a different defense or speed up the offense and play fast and win with skill and tempo. coach k knows how to teach a lot of things. he's a capable coach. he tends to rely on his preferences for offensive and defensive plays and schemes and style instead of adapting them to personnel or the weaknesses of an opponent. he can be outcoached. this season is frustrating because there was an intention to play 2 bigs together and really mix in a zone.

you can't discount the impact of aj edu's injury absence to our defense. we have an elite shotblocker. as good as anyone in the country. maybe not as muscular and intimidating but highly effective at protecting the rim and making people adjust their shots. he's not playing. i expect him to come back with a renewed passion and maturity to his already passionate and smart game. he wins big plays for you when he's on the floor.

secondly, even after edu went down there was a plan, but the injury absence of acunzo blew a tire in that one. acunzo was the most ready to play of the freshmen and an excellent ball handler. kind of a point forward who could make good quick plays with his dribbling and passing. was reliable with open jumpers and was big enough to play forward on defense. instead of bringing in acunzo and saunders when marreon goes out we bring in saunders and smith - a decent young defender and rebounder who is not a playmaker at all on offense at this point of his career. or if luke goes out you can't bring in acunzo against a center, help with wille, and play small and fast. this rockets team plays slow and predictable. one of those 2 has to change. in the case of this team i think offense drives defense. the defense is fine when we're making shots. but it isn't good enough to generate a lot of offense at any time. so, we need our offense to be more of a catalyst. however, that means people have to make shots in clutch moments. something all but 1, sometimes 2, seem to struggle to do.

Very thorough in your approach to what UT is in need of to be successful. I wonder if Coach could read what you have said.