(PRE-GAME) @Xavier (Cintas Ctr), Sun. Jan. 5, 4:30pm, FOX / 970AM

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[quote="Knight" post=370367]Our offense needs better spacing and ball movement with screens set to free up scoring opportunities.[/quote]

We do not have shooters. So all teams are going to pack the paint and make it hard to drive. If we cant knock down 3s, our half court offense is painful to watch.

But what can you really do in the halfcourt when you have no shooters? We are doing the best we can all things considered.
 
[quote="Knight" post=370367]Our offense needs better spacing and ball movement with screens set to free up scoring opportunities.[/quote]

We run several sets throughout the game that produces the looks that we work for. Wide open shots like the one Dunn had in the corner at the end of the game. Gotta be able to hit those shots when the popcorn is popping and the hot dogs are turning. Mental thing at this point. Why do you think MA keeps saying “we’re a much better shooting team than we’ve shown.”?
 
I agree in that I think we will stink at shooting as long as we have this group of players most likely. Just no pure shooters who can routinely make open 3's and that includes Heron for a while before his injury. We will have to rely on turnovers and easy points off them. That being said, I hope under CMA we avoid going on those long stretches of losing like we did under Mullin. Losing the 1st isn't the end of the world. But it would be nice to not have many streaks of losing. Still have a chance at the tourney as long as we don't get into any big holes like 0-3, 0-5, etc. It would be real interesting to see this exact team with Jordan Tucker and Mussini.
 
All of the big east teams will play SJU with one game plan. Limit your turnovers and you win. Turning Butler over 24 times is going to be hard to duplicate. SJU's field goal attempts vs Butler were rarely in the cylinder but were clanking against the side of the rim.
Heron, LJ and Dunn have to pick it up.
 
[quote="Enright" post=370382]All of the big east teams will play SJU with one game plan. Limit your turnovers and you win. Turning Butler over 24 times is going to be hard to duplicate. SJU's field goal attempts vs Butler were rarely in the cylinder but were clanking against the side of the rim.
Heron, LJ and Dunn have to pick it up.[/quote]

Dunn scores be being a volume shooter. In his two prior seasons against weaker competition, he shot less than 40% FG and less than 30% from 3. Purpose is not to knock him, but he is what he is. Fits into Coach Anderson’s style perfectly defensively but he is not a guy who is capable of picking ii up as you suggest unless you think he should be taking more shots.
 
[quote="Enright" post=370382]All of the big east teams will play SJU with one game plan. Limit your turnovers and you win. Turning Butler over 24 times is going to be hard to duplicate. SJU's field goal attempts vs Butler were rarely in the cylinder but were clanking against the side of the rim.
Heron, LJ and Dunn have to pick it up.[/quote]

A lot of the Big East teams though, don't play well at a slower pace. Butler is one of the only ones that does.

Teams may try to slow it down against us, but I doubt they will execute well, by doing so. See the Arizona game as evidence of that.
 
It's worth pointing out the BE is completely new to Mike Anderson. There's a entirely new set of coaches that he's studying and overall it seems like the BE plays differently from the SEC. The type of players and strategies seems different to me.
I haven't followed the BE until recently. I grew up watching SEC games. That's my impression comparing the SEC and BE. There is a subtle difference between them.

It's another reason the Johnnies will be better next year. They'll have more Anderson recruits and he'll be more familiar with BE competition.
 
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I don’t think there’s a ton different to do. We are playing well above our talent level thus far this season. At some point, we just need to start making shots. Heron can help with that when he comes back, and LJ needs to find it again. We simply aren’t super talented and don’t have many offensive players at all. The ones we have aren’t stepping up and/or have injuries. It will be like this all season long. I only want to see us rebound better than last game because that had become a real strength for us. Talent will eventually find its way here but until then, I’m not ready to concede anything in our league. We can still end up in a decent spot at the end of the season if we keep playing like we’ve been doing and make incremental improvement on offense.
 
Per Jeff Borzello.......Xavier freshman guard Dahmir Bishop is in the transfer portal, sources told ESPN. Was a four-star recruit in the 2019 class, hasn't played much over the last month.
 
A few thoughts on the Xavier game. We are two of the worst shooting teams in BE; Xavier 8th and 10th in fg pct and 3 pt pct., SJU 9th in both. Heron's return (which I assume will happen) should result in more open looks for Figgy as well as Caraher when he's in. Xavier is a good rebounding team and Jones, in particular, is a beast underneath. Hoping that Steere kills it in practice today and tomorrow and gets a few minutes to bang with Jones down low. Sears should continue to get time the way he's been playing lately.
Like Butler game, Xavier game is tough but winnable. Would be the perfect game for Heron and Figgy to both be on from the outside. Certainly they're due.
 
[quote="Paultzman" post=370364]To be honest, LJ has to really start picking up his game. Imo his shot selection has been poor & he is reaching too much defensively.

Lastly, playing at solid level over full game is essential on this offensively challenged team. Have been a big fan of his, but just trying to be objective.

Stats
[URL]https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/player/_/id/4397125/lj-figueroa[/URL][/quote]
Both LJ and Heron were at their best last year when they let the game come to them. Neither is capable of taking over the game like Ponds could . Thus far this year, they both have played as if they feel that they have to take over - and hence there have been a lot of low % forced shots.

We need more instances of Ruttherford and Dunn initiating tpenetration and kicking to them.
 
[quote="NCJohnnie" post=370427]A few thoughts on the Xavier game. We are two of the worst shooting teams in BE; Xavier 8th and 10th in fg pct and 3 pt pct., SJU 9th in both. Heron's return (which I assume will happen) should result in more open looks for Figgy as well as Caraher when he's in. Xavier is a good rebounding team and Jones, in particular, is a beast underneath. Hoping that Steere kills it in practice today and tomorrow and gets a few minutes to bang with Jones down low. Sears should continue to get time the way he's been playing lately.
Like Butler game, Xavier game is tough but winnable. Would be the perfect game for Heron and Figgy to both be on from the outside. Certainly they're due.[/quote]


Figgy has to be foaming in the mouth to come back after his careless and poor defensive play against Butler. I expect a smarter player on Sunday.
 
[quote="JackofVirginia" post=370514][quote="NCJohnnie" post=370427]A few thoughts on the Xavier game. We are two of the worst shooting teams in BE; Xavier 8th and 10th in fg pct and 3 pt pct., SJU 9th in both. Heron's return (which I assume will happen) should result in more open looks for Figgy as well as Caraher when he's in. Xavier is a good rebounding team and Jones, in particular, is a beast underneath. Hoping that Steere kills it in practice today and tomorrow and gets a few minutes to bang with Jones down low. Sears should continue to get time the way he's been playing lately.
Like Butler game, Xavier game is tough but winnable. Would be the perfect game for Heron and Figgy to both be on from the outside. Certainly they're due.[/quote]


Figgy has to be foaming in the mouth to come back after his careless and poor defensive play against Butler. I expect a smarter player on Sunday.[/quote]

If not then he can sit again, that's what I like about cma. It doesn't who you are.
You play dumb, and you'll sit.
 
[quote="NCJohnnie" post=370276]While our shooting percentage from the field is close to the bottom of the BE, our free throw shooting has been steadily improving; we are now 5th among BE teams at about 71%. That is great to see.[/quote]


I don't understand why teams do not play zone against our poor shooters.
 
All of the big east games look like they will be a struggle with the away games obviously being more of a challenge. Turning Butler over twenty four times and losing is obviously a red flag going forward. SJU has to shoot much better , especially in the last few minutes of close games where they have been terrible.
Since we can count on most of the games going down to the wire this is another bad omen. Heron and/or LJ have to start making baskets when they count.
 
[quote="JackofVirginia" post=370520][quote="NCJohnnie" post=370276]While our shooting percentage from the field is close to the bottom of the BE, our free throw shooting has been steadily improving; we are now 5th among BE teams at about 71%. That is great to see.[/quote]


I don't understand why teams do not play zone against our poor shooters.[/quote]


Butler did in the last 3 or so minutes and it killed us.

I expect more zone moving forward.
 
[quote="redmen4life" post=370528][quote="JackofVirginia" post=370520][quote="NCJohnnie" post=370276]While our shooting percentage from the field is close to the bottom of the BE, our free throw shooting has been steadily improving; we are now 5th among BE teams at about 71%. That is great to see.[/quote]


I don't understand why teams do not play zone against our poor shooters.[/quote]


Butler did in the last 3 or so minutes and it killed us.

I expect more zone moving forward.[/quote]

They can just play man and slack off the guy they are guarding and pack the paint.
 
[quote="JackofVirginia" post=370514][quote="NCJohnnie" post=370427]A few thoughts on the Xavier game. We are two of the worst shooting teams in BE; Xavier 8th and 10th in fg pct and 3 pt pct., SJU 9th in both. Heron's return (which I assume will happen) should result in more open looks for Figgy as well as Caraher when he's in. Xavier is a good rebounding team and Jones, in particular, is a beast underneath. Hoping that Steere kills it in practice today and tomorrow and gets a few minutes to bang with Jones down low. Sears should continue to get time the way he's been playing lately.
Like Butler game, Xavier game is tough but winnable. Would be the perfect game for Heron and Figgy to both be on from the outside. Certainly they're due.[/quote]


Figgy has to be foaming in the mouth to come back after his careless and poor defensive play against Butler. I expect a smarter player on Sunday.[/quote]

I expect the same but let’s be honest, there is only one way he can go after that game, up.
 
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