(02-12-2023 03:43 PM)emu79 Wrote: (02-12-2023 10:00 AM)RamyEMU Wrote: (02-12-2023 07:28 AM)emu79 Wrote: (02-12-2023 07:05 AM)emu steve Wrote: (02-12-2023 06:41 AM)emu79 Wrote: Since the first game against Toledo I think our defense has improved compared with the first 2/3 of the season. I didn't say it was outstanding and it lapses from time to time (ie Buffalo) but overall its the main reason why EMU is playing more competitive basketball.
Nevertheless the bigs are not there. Without the bigs we are toast.
Would agree Toledo had a horrible night shooting but more than made up for it by cleaning up the glass for second effort shots. This happens consistently every game. Honestly Getter gets lost out there on defense many times. Randle needs more experience. Both are foul prone.
I have a lot of hope for those two in the future. This is just their first year playing on the floor, and big men usually take time to develop particularly at the MAC level (Ball St’s Sparks being a rare exception to that). Billingsley too has been improving all year- not sure why his minutes dropped off these last couple games. We might have a decent frontcourt in a year or two.
I was surprised to see Getter start vs. Billingsley. I think we are better off on defense with Billingsley.
Statistically, all EMU players perform terrible defensively. I attribute that more to Heath's defensive system and not teaching proper techniques commensurate with individual player's skill-set rather than the players themselves.
Surprisingly, Ballard is EMU's only big who's overall rating is very good, and Heath hardly plays him. One can only surmise that Heath is building for the future since EMU is a young team. If so, not a wise decision as fans want wins now, not next season.
Getter and Randle are statistically better than both Billingsley and Jihad when one combines their offense and defensive ratings that are quite underwater, the negative margin is nowhere near as wide as Billingsley and Jihad are. This is mainly due to Getter and Randle being more proficient offensively although both don't have good offensive ratings to begin with.
Except for Ballard, excessive turnovers kill the bigs on the offensive end, and excessive fouls kill all the bigs on the defensive end.
Ironically, but for Jihad, all other EMU bigs shoot well. It's their high rate of turnovers and fouls that keep them off the court. See Eastern Michigan Men's bb Sports Reference, this season, 100 possessions stats, conference play.