I thought this was the closest this team has come to playing a 40 minute game all season. But saying that, the long missed twos, lack of spacing, the lack of screening and effective use there of, lack of offensive movement which leads to an inability to generate open looks, makes this team uncompetitive. And this is on the coaching staff.
The poor decision making is on the players. Over dribbling and dribbling into heavy traffic, bad shot selection, poor hedging on ball screens, not communicating, standing around without the ball and making yourself available for better looks, all lead to inconsistencies and therefore ineffective offensive production.
They played with intensity, but do not have the discipline that coaching is supposed to instill in the team, nor the player decision making skills associated with high basketball IQ. High quality players find a way to adjust no matter the scheme. So yes, they competed but are unable to be competitive. The set up and the execution both make us easy to defend.
I know everyone, myself included, want to see more 3-point attempts and less long twos, but I still think it would border on negligence to not feed Malik. On offense he is our most effective player. And as the game progresses he just gets more comfortable and efficient. He doesn’t always look for an open man, when he is covered up, sometimes holding on too long before passing back out. But he is so good at maneuvering with his great footwork, you want to see him take charge. He is our go to guy! It would be nice to incorporate more cross screens, and maybe less lob passes to enable him to establish closer positioning to begin his moves. I believe that would make him harder to double, and give more spacing for opportunities to get open threes. At least defenders would have less time to collapse, and a longer distance to recover.
IU scored 79 points, that should win you most games, or at least allow you to complete for a win. But they gave up NINETY ONE points, that’s going to lose you most games. Whether it is a lack of discipline, or focus, or attention to details, it is just bad. Blow by’s, ball watching, recovering to shooters, continuing to over double post players even after they give up their dribble, poor defensive block outs, and a general lack of commitment to attack the boards, all and more are the cause of our defensive breakdowns. These can all be corrected. And it is on both the coaches and the players to find solutions. The one thing we can’t change this season is the roster construction, and that is best left to a post season discussion.
The one point I’d like to make about the Gunn incident, is that it was a cheep shot and an embarrassment to the entire program and fans. A gifted player can either lash out at his opponent, for whatever reason, or he can use that as a motivation to be the best player that he can be during the game. Great players do that. When on the road and you are taunted and booed, that is when you need to step up your game, not to play dirtier, but to commit to play harder and smarter. When the going gets tough the tough get going. That’s the culture change this team needs to make.
Coach Woody not only has to work hard, but needs to change the way he is approaching the game. This is college not NBA basketball. We have talent but not a true team. I agree with Don Fisher assessment.
It’s one thing to lose. It’s another to be known as a team with dirty players. Think Duke with Grayson Allen. We are better than that. Behavior modification is required and fast. Couldn’t watch the rest of the game after Gunn’s stunt. Pathetic. I hope he hits the portal.
Everybody complains about the roster, but I believe Woodson just hit his recruiting ceiling ...
I'd like to see Scott Dolson buy him out and get Dusty May in here because Calbert Chaney does not inspire me ... but this whole mess started when Kelvin Sampson was caught pissing on NCAA regs ... Crean then needed the requisite 4 years to get us back to No. 1 ... but when he could not keep us there Fred Glass drove this program into the ground with Archie Miller ... Dan Dakich said it best when he said the selection of AM turned us into an "everybody else team" ... but I don't think Woody has the "coaching motor" for this job ... the turning point in this season was Ware and M going to the bench with early foul trouble against PU and then Woody keeping them there as the game got out of hand ... WTF was he thinking? ... I could be wrong, but didn't Chris Holtmann and Greg Gard build winning rosters WITHOUT any 5-star guys? ... but don't worry about me, I intend to fill this void in my life by watching those specials on great white sharks on the Discovery Channel ...
If Coach Woodson can't get a handle on and put a stop to these intentional fouls then he needs to be moved on. If you've coached for any amount of time in basketball, the first thing that is established are the boundaries that no player is allowed to cross. If a player crosses those boundaries there are MAJOR consequences. Having this happen several games in a row and saying it is handled "in house" is not enough. Some won't like this, but there needs to be a "fear factor" for behavior for players as it relates to the coaches. There appears to be none.
In the late 70s, IU was playing in a holiday tournament in Alaska ...
Several players violated curfew and were supposedly at a party at which some players were "smoking" ... Knight immediately kicked Donny Cox and Tommy Baker off the team ... nobody has the balls anymore ... and you made an excellent point about these flagrant fouls ... right now, they are just as damaging to Woodson's image as these blow-out losses ...
I thought this was the closest this team has come to playing a 40 minute game all season. But saying that, the long missed twos, lack of spacing, the lack of screening and effective use there of, lack of offensive movement which leads to an inability to generate open looks, makes this team uncompetitive. And this is on the coaching staff.
The poor decision making is on the players. Over dribbling and dribbling into heavy traffic, bad shot selection, poor hedging on ball screens, not communicating, standing around without the ball and making yourself available for better looks, all lead to inconsistencies and therefore ineffective offensive production.
They played with intensity, but do not have the discipline that coaching is supposed to instill in the team, nor the player decision making skills associated with high basketball IQ. High quality players find a way to adjust no matter the scheme. So yes, they competed but are unable to be competitive. The set up and the execution both make us easy to defend.
I know everyone, myself included, want to see more 3-point attempts and less long twos, but I still think it would border on negligence to not feed Malik. On offense he is our most effective player. And as the game progresses he just gets more comfortable and efficient. He doesn’t always look for an open man, when he is covered up, sometimes holding on too long before passing back out. But he is so good at maneuvering with his great footwork, you want to see him take charge. He is our go to guy! It would be nice to incorporate more cross screens, and maybe less lob passes to enable him to establish closer positioning to begin his moves. I believe that would make him harder to double, and give more spacing for opportunities to get open threes. At least defenders would have less time to collapse, and a longer distance to recover.
IU scored 79 points, that should win you most games, or at least allow you to complete for a win. But they gave up NINETY ONE points, that’s going to lose you most games. Whether it is a lack of discipline, or focus, or attention to details, it is just bad. Blow by’s, ball watching, recovering to shooters, continuing to over double post players even after they give up their dribble, poor defensive block outs, and a general lack of commitment to attack the boards, all and more are the cause of our defensive breakdowns. These can all be corrected. And it is on both the coaches and the players to find solutions. The one thing we can’t change this season is the roster construction, and that is best left to a post season discussion.
The one point I’d like to make about the Gunn incident, is that it was a cheep shot and an embarrassment to the entire program and fans. A gifted player can either lash out at his opponent, for whatever reason, or he can use that as a motivation to be the best player that he can be during the game. Great players do that. When on the road and you are taunted and booed, that is when you need to step up your game, not to play dirtier, but to commit to play harder and smarter. When the going gets tough the tough get going. That’s the culture change this team needs to make.
Yes Bill, and I think this game really changed the collective attitude of the fan base ...
Regardless of whether Dolson is willing to admit it, Woody is now on the clock ...
Dusty May ain't Brad Stevens, but he'd still be a real good fit ...
Coach Woody not only has to work hard, but needs to change the way he is approaching the game. This is college not NBA basketball. We have talent but not a true team. I agree with Don Fisher assessment.
It’s one thing to lose. It’s another to be known as a team with dirty players. Think Duke with Grayson Allen. We are better than that. Behavior modification is required and fast. Couldn’t watch the rest of the game after Gunn’s stunt. Pathetic. I hope he hits the portal.
Grayson Allen is THE most privileged NBA P***K I have ever seen ...
If they can lower the boom on Draymond Green, why not do it Grayson Allen ...
Good points Mary ...
I just can't watch this team anymore ...
Everybody complains about the roster, but I believe Woodson just hit his recruiting ceiling ...
I'd like to see Scott Dolson buy him out and get Dusty May in here because Calbert Chaney does not inspire me ... but this whole mess started when Kelvin Sampson was caught pissing on NCAA regs ... Crean then needed the requisite 4 years to get us back to No. 1 ... but when he could not keep us there Fred Glass drove this program into the ground with Archie Miller ... Dan Dakich said it best when he said the selection of AM turned us into an "everybody else team" ... but I don't think Woody has the "coaching motor" for this job ... the turning point in this season was Ware and M going to the bench with early foul trouble against PU and then Woody keeping them there as the game got out of hand ... WTF was he thinking? ... I could be wrong, but didn't Chris Holtmann and Greg Gard build winning rosters WITHOUT any 5-star guys? ... but don't worry about me, I intend to fill this void in my life by watching those specials on great white sharks on the Discovery Channel ...
If Coach Woodson can't get a handle on and put a stop to these intentional fouls then he needs to be moved on. If you've coached for any amount of time in basketball, the first thing that is established are the boundaries that no player is allowed to cross. If a player crosses those boundaries there are MAJOR consequences. Having this happen several games in a row and saying it is handled "in house" is not enough. Some won't like this, but there needs to be a "fear factor" for behavior for players as it relates to the coaches. There appears to be none.
I agree Lawrence ...
In the late 70s, IU was playing in a holiday tournament in Alaska ...
Several players violated curfew and were supposedly at a party at which some players were "smoking" ... Knight immediately kicked Donny Cox and Tommy Baker off the team ... nobody has the balls anymore ... and you made an excellent point about these flagrant fouls ... right now, they are just as damaging to Woodson's image as these blow-out losses ...