Where This Game Was Lost - A Growing Trend

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SJU1512

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7:02 - Official TV Timeout - 56-55 SJU
Jakarr Sampson missed layup
D'Angelo Harrison missed three point jumper
D'Angelo Harrison missed layup
Sir'Dominic Pointer turnover
D'Angelo Harrison turnover
5:00 - SJU Timeout - 63-56 Villanova

You can't win close games against good teams if you're going to come out of the 8 minute TV timeout with a lead and go 5 straight empty possessions, with two missed layups and two turnovers, and all of it coming from the two leading statistical players on the team with the exception of one turnover thrown in by another junior veteran.

There was a similar meltdown down the stretch when the game was tight against Syracuse. While there wasn't anything acute against Xavier, that was perhaps the best example of the broader theme that these meltdowns relate to, which is that other teams know how to win and we do not. Villanova was horrible on Saturday, the type of game that was right there for the taking, but they stayed steady down the stretch while we went into panic mode.

I'm a huge Harrison fan, and respect that he wants to take the big shots. I'm also cognizant of the fact that we aren't in these games without the volume production that he gives us. But he goes into complete 1 on 1 mode in these situations and it contributes to the type of stretch above where Villanova goes 8-0, and we just can't have it.

I'm rooting for Sampson, but he's not even giving us the volume at this point. Has remained active on the glass but has taken a step back in terms of scoring contribution, and is a complete non-factor in terms of changing close games. He looked like he was going to have a monster this year when he almost willed us back against Wisconsin, but that has been by far his best game.

You can't win without getting more from your key guys in crunch time. There are obviously a host of other issues, but we are still finding a way to be in most games, we just aren't winning any of them. The season is slipping away as a result and we need to find a way to change the momentum on this. Running things through Rysheed more is certainly one possibility, I still think we are only scratching the surface of what we can get out of him.
 
Missed layups (all game long); Dlo turnover at mid-court late in the game; Rysheed turnover when he tries to hand the ball off to Dlo, followed by him fouling the Nova guy on the breakaway, for a 3 point play. All keys to the loss.

By the way, Rysheed has a bad habit of picking up his dribble as soon as he breaks the press and crosses mid court. He then gets trapped against the mid- court line. He has to avoid doing that.
 
We definitely missed some shots that we should have made, but so did Nova. We shot 34% for the game and they shot 35%. Regardless it was still a winnable game. But when the going got tough, we folded. Close losses(especially winnable games) even against very good teams do nothing for the collective psychy of the kids. A win against Nova(or Cuse or GT) would have injected a huge dose of confidence in these kids. Hopefully we can get on a roll and develop that confidence, just as the Hardy team did right around this time of the year.
 
We lose close games as we don't have the "go-to guy" on the offensive side of the ball. Harrison's the closest to it, but he's not the guy. The close games against Cuse, Fair was the guy. Against Nova, Pinkston & Archidiacomo (sp) both stepped up, and against Cuse at the end of the game Fair hit all the clutch shots. We won in Lavin's first year as Hardy was that guy that could break down defense to get to the basket, hit the three, or distribute the ball to the open guy when needed. Harrison is the closest to the guy, but we can't count on him consistently.
 
The particulars hardly matter. Good teams close out close games, and are confident that they will do it. Struggling teams are waiting for the wheels to fall off and really don't believe they are going to win. It's not luck or a few bad plays that caused us to lose. The way Villanova shot all day, we had a chance to beat them by 15 if we played even reasonably well. We lost because by and large we played like crap end to end.
 
We lose close games as we don't have the "go-to guy" on the offensive side of the ball. Harrison's the closest to it, but he's not the guy. The close games against Cuse, Fair was the guy. Against Nova, Pinkston & Archidiacomo (sp) both stepped up, and against Cuse at the end of the game Fair hit all the clutch shots. We won in Lavin's first year as Hardy was that guy that could break down defense to get to the basket, hit the three, or distribute the ball to the open guy when needed. Harrison is the closest to the guy, but we can't count on him consistently.
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As much as I love fiery passion that D'Lo plays with, with the game on the line I think it's more of a hindrance than a help
 
We lose close games as we don't have the "go-to guy" on the offensive side of the ball. Harrison's the closest to it, but he's not the guy. The close games against Cuse, Fair was the guy. Against Nova, Pinkston & Archidiacomo (sp) both stepped up, and against Cuse at the end of the game Fair hit all the clutch shots. We won in Lavin's first year as Hardy was that guy that could break down defense to get to the basket, hit the three, or distribute the ball to the open guy when needed. Harrison is the closest to the guy, but we can't count on him consistently.
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Spot on. You could even say that was the difference in the PSU game, with their key guys stepping up with the game on the line. We just haven't gotten that yet.
 
The particulars hardly matter. Good teams close out close games, and are confident that they will do it. Struggling teams are waiting for the wheels to fall off and really don't believe they are going to win. It's not luck or a few bad plays that caused us to lose. The way Villanova shot all day, we had a chance to beat them by 15 if we played even reasonably well. We lost because by and large we played like crap end to end.
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Well said. It goes back to knowing how to win or not. And as you mention, that's not just a concept that exists in the last few minutes (although it has manifested itself there for us the most). All game it felt like we knew we could keep it close, but were almost hesitant at the idea that we could really take control of the game. Knowing how to close games is something of an intangible but good teams turn it into more of a tangible than not.
 
We lose close games as we don't have the "go-to guy" on the offensive side of the ball. Harrison's the closest to it, but he's not the guy. The close games against Cuse, Fair was the guy. Against Nova, Pinkston & Archidiacomo (sp) both stepped up, and against Cuse at the end of the game Fair hit all the clutch shots. We won in Lavin's first year as Hardy was that guy that could break down defense to get to the basket, hit the three, or distribute the ball to the open guy when needed. Harrison is the closest to the guy, but we can't count on him consistently.
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You hit it on the head...game is like a tug of war...team that lets up 1st falls behind...when the comp turns up the heat, you need someone who can get an easy basket on a consistent basis...Sampson should be able to do this but just does not seem to be able to impose his will down low...Harrison is not a good enough shooter to be the go to guy although he is willing...

we have tendency to panic when the comp turns up defensive intensity and start hoisting up low % shots
 
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