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Rutgers 72, Illinois 57 POSTGAME
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<blockquote data-quote="Innocent Primate" data-source="post: 1526379" data-attributes="member: 628752"><p>Let me preface by saying I’m not a basketball coach and don’t purport to be a basketball brainiac. But, I’ve watched my fair share of college basketball. (The first college player I watched in person who made an impression was Elgin Baylor. This was way before weight training was <em>de rigueur</em>, so when Baylor took the court everyone looked around quizzically, “Is the heavyweight champion playing for Seattle ?”)</p><p></p><p>I’ve said this before and been taken to the woodshed for even thinking as much — this team is not a good perimeter shooting team. (But they shoot lights out in practice !) Only one guy on this team is a decent perimeter shooter, Trent Frazier — decent, not great. Neither does this team have perimeter players adept at creating angles and feeding the post (or feeding other perimeter players, for that matter). (Ever wonder why our guards invariably drive to the basket (thereby taking on defenders already concentrating on the interior) ? And how many kick-outs do you see ? The latter is also a function of off-the-ball perimeter players moving away from a defender whose attention is diverted, another seemingly lost basketball skill. But then, why create space when you can’t shoot ?) And when the defense knows all of the foregoing and can sag on and double team your bigs, well, you end up with an offense that looks more like a mediocre high school team, don’t you ?</p><p></p><p>Think of what Anthony Cowan did to this team. Think of what he did to Michigan State in East Lansing last night. Think of what this team would be with an Anthony Cowan. Or even an Andy Kaufmann.</p><p></p><p>Athleticism only goes so far and is not a substitute for a lack of that most basic of basketball skills, putting the ball in the basket. And this is particularly true when you face good competition. (Ask Roy Williams.) IMHO, this team desperately needs good perimeter shooters, guards and forwards. Failing that, I’m at a loss to understand what kind of offensive scheme any coach can implement to offset such lack.</p><p></p><p>Just my take on things.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Innocent Primate, post: 1526379, member: 628752"] Let me preface by saying I’m not a basketball coach and don’t purport to be a basketball brainiac. But, I’ve watched my fair share of college basketball. (The first college player I watched in person who made an impression was Elgin Baylor. This was way before weight training was [I]de rigueur[/I], so when Baylor took the court everyone looked around quizzically, “Is the heavyweight champion playing for Seattle ?”) I’ve said this before and been taken to the woodshed for even thinking as much — this team is not a good perimeter shooting team. (But they shoot lights out in practice !) Only one guy on this team is a decent perimeter shooter, Trent Frazier — decent, not great. Neither does this team have perimeter players adept at creating angles and feeding the post (or feeding other perimeter players, for that matter). (Ever wonder why our guards invariably drive to the basket (thereby taking on defenders already concentrating on the interior) ? And how many kick-outs do you see ? The latter is also a function of off-the-ball perimeter players moving away from a defender whose attention is diverted, another seemingly lost basketball skill. But then, why create space when you can’t shoot ?) And when the defense knows all of the foregoing and can sag on and double team your bigs, well, you end up with an offense that looks more like a mediocre high school team, don’t you ? Think of what Anthony Cowan did to this team. Think of what he did to Michigan State in East Lansing last night. Think of what this team would be with an Anthony Cowan. Or even an Andy Kaufmann. Athleticism only goes so far and is not a substitute for a lack of that most basic of basketball skills, putting the ball in the basket. And this is particularly true when you face good competition. (Ask Roy Williams.) IMHO, this team desperately needs good perimeter shooters, guards and forwards. Failing that, I’m at a loss to understand what kind of offensive scheme any coach can implement to offset such lack. Just my take on things. [/QUOTE]
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Rutgers 72, Illinois 57 POSTGAME
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