Nobody said they wanted him to “shoot several 3s per game”, and in fact, that’s the opposite of what I said
UConn 74, Illinois 61 Postgame
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Nobody said they wanted him to “shoot several 3s per game”, and in fact, that’s the opposite of what I said
Didn’t feel like the defense was the problem. They shot 41% from 2 and 36% from 3. We shot 32% and 21%. Can’t win with those numbers.
Honestly, this is the second game where I felt like the Illini were getting better opportunities in the game, just couldn't make the open shots. Make the open shots, they probably win by double digits today, which is better than I was expecting.
Rebounding and defense has to be there on a more complete level, yes, but in spots they were completely shutting UConn down, which was pretty impressive.
Rebounding and defense has to be there on a more complete level, yes, but in spots they were completely shutting UConn down, which was pretty impressive.
One other point about Ben. People complain he is a liability because he goes 1-3 from 3. Did they notice that Mirk and Z combined for 0-9 today? Poor shooting games happen. One or two bad games don't define a shooter.
To date, Ben has had 1 game without making a three. Mirk has now gone 3 in a row. Z has 3 this season. Tomi is the only player that has taken 5 or more threes with a higher percentage than Ben.
I just don't get the double standard with Ben. Every miss of a three is taken as evidence of how terrible a shot he is, while everyone else misses more and no one thinks anything about it.
Let's look at Mirk vs. Ben in the three high major games played to date.
This is Mirk's line: 85 min, 29 pts on 36 shots (0.81 pts/shot), 22 rbs, 5 TOs, 7 Asts, 1 blk, 2-5 ft
This is Ben's line: 74 min. 19 pts on 18 shots (1.06 pts/shot), 13 rbs, 0 TOs, 0 Asts, 2 blks, 4-4 ft
If Ben plays better defense generally, he is not costing you a lot.
To date, Ben has had 1 game without making a three. Mirk has now gone 3 in a row. Z has 3 this season. Tomi is the only player that has taken 5 or more threes with a higher percentage than Ben.
I just don't get the double standard with Ben. Every miss of a three is taken as evidence of how terrible a shot he is, while everyone else misses more and no one thinks anything about it.
Let's look at Mirk vs. Ben in the three high major games played to date.
This is Mirk's line: 85 min, 29 pts on 36 shots (0.81 pts/shot), 22 rbs, 5 TOs, 7 Asts, 1 blk, 2-5 ft
This is Ben's line: 74 min. 19 pts on 18 shots (1.06 pts/shot), 13 rbs, 0 TOs, 0 Asts, 2 blks, 4-4 ft
If Ben plays better defense generally, he is not costing you a lot.
Epsilon
M tipping over
- Pdx
For anyone that thinks this game was a steaming pile- please go back and rewatch it. I did. Yes, there were some mistakes, namely driving into too much traffic a few times, some Egwu hands in passes, and several missed assignments but I don’t think it was actually as crazy bad as everyone is making it out to be. We missed A LOT of OPEN threes. Like, we had time to smoke a cigarette and still shoot on several of those open shots. We just didn’t make them. And Stoj actually had a few drives where he beat his man but just couldn’t finish. But that shot UConn made for that four point play when the clock reset when it wasn’t supposed to and the refs allowed the shot was absolute bullshirt and really broke our backs at the 2:10 mark. I’m not joking when I say that UConn is very luck to escape this game with a win. Did they outhustle us in the boards and by catching up with a few blocks? Yes. But WE HAD LOTS OF OPEN LOOKS THAT WE MISSED. UConn is a legit top 5 team, if not better, and if we weren’t so dang cold tonight we absolutely could have won.
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It’s not just his shooting
People don’t understand truly how meaningful the lack of turnovers are: he could set a D1 record for least turnovers/minute played this year (he isn’t a PG but he is a connector on offense so this is vital)
People harp on a couple things today but he actually plays pretty great defense overall, he’s improved so so much on that end
He is from all accounts a great teammate who doesn’t care if he starts or not, I’ve seen countless times he’s pulled a guy over to instruct them
One rebound today, but averages 5 on the season and he is asked to defend on the perimeter more now so rebound opportunities are less and less
And you have absolute braindead takes that he is a mop up duty level player and belongs in the big south conference. Last I checked he’s been a rotation player on two good B1G teams so that person was proven wrong before their fingertips ever touched their keyboard
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If Ben Hummer, Jake Davis, Tyler Underwood, and Zach Hammer are important pieces to your program that you need to count on you just are not a big boy program. Until that changes we will always remain a step below the tier of these programs like UCONN.
I think underwood is experimenting with these international players in lieu of being able recruit 5 star players.
Overall, a very successful strategy. Just will not get us to a nc or even final four.
I do hate the 30 second shot clock. Really think it hurts less athletic teams such as ours.
College basketball is becoming too much like the nba.
I am sure most posters will disagree with me.
Overall, a very successful strategy. Just will not get us to a nc or even final four.
I do hate the 30 second shot clock. Really think it hurts less athletic teams such as ours.
College basketball is becoming too much like the nba.
I am sure most posters will disagree with me.
I actually think you’re spot on lol.
These last two games against UCONN and Bama just have totally different feels to me then the high major non con games last year.
Well see
So, I turned on a football game tonight on ESPN and the scroll at the bottom of the screen gave the UConn Illini basketball score. It also said we have lost 8 of our last 9 to ranked top 5 opponents. I know there has been some discussion about top 10 or so performance for us, but just thought this was interesting
I don't know if this is a good thing or a bad thing, but of all the players on our team, I think Ben is currently last in terms of players I have concerns about, and I did not think that would be the case going into the season, so kudos to him. He's pretty much doing everything that could be expected of him.
My takes:
1. We have a team loaded with stars. Feels a bit like an Olympic or All Star team where everyone is good and it's hard to get the team to gel.
2. When the 3's aren't falling, it's ok to have a Plan B. Drive the basket and draw a foul. Or take a few steps in if you're wide open for a 10 or 15 ft shot. Two points is better than no points.
3. Tomi Ivisic looks more timid this year than last year. Maybe he is still hurt. Maybe he's intimidated having his brother here. Maybe I'm way off.
4. It's long past time that the referees need to be graded and held accountable. I know the refs reviewed the shot clock disaster today and still got it wrong. The result of this game would not have changed, but the referees missed multiple calls for both teams. I'm sick of people saying "it evens out". That's crap. Let's find a way to get everything right the first time. I don't know what that looks like, but there needs to be booth reviews like in football that can be reviewed immediately without causing major delays. Again, this result would have been the same today, but many other outcomes of other gamers are changed by bad officiating. The fans deserve better.
1. We have a team loaded with stars. Feels a bit like an Olympic or All Star team where everyone is good and it's hard to get the team to gel.
2. When the 3's aren't falling, it's ok to have a Plan B. Drive the basket and draw a foul. Or take a few steps in if you're wide open for a 10 or 15 ft shot. Two points is better than no points.
3. Tomi Ivisic looks more timid this year than last year. Maybe he is still hurt. Maybe he's intimidated having his brother here. Maybe I'm way off.
4. It's long past time that the referees need to be graded and held accountable. I know the refs reviewed the shot clock disaster today and still got it wrong. The result of this game would not have changed, but the referees missed multiple calls for both teams. I'm sick of people saying "it evens out". That's crap. Let's find a way to get everything right the first time. I don't know what that looks like, but there needs to be booth reviews like in football that can be reviewed immediately without causing major delays. Again, this result would have been the same today, but many other outcomes of other gamers are changed by bad officiating. The fans deserve better.
The twins as in the Alabama game shot a total of 4 two point shots. We are the only team in America with 2, 7+ footers with that kind of statistic. Tyler is going to have to figure out how to get some easy baskets for them. I quoted this stat after Alabama and someone stated they are almost 40% from 3. One for 8 today.
The question that pops up that needs a solution in my mind is can you play a freshman from Kansas, along with 3 or 4 kids from the Balkans and KB and expect a defensive team that can compete for a national championship?
The Balkan guys are skilled offensively, and Z has defensive advantages he can, but doesn't always, use successfully. I am not suggesting I know the answer but do they value or even get taught the importance of elite defense that they must learn to play in order to ever get a sniff of the NBA? Does BU have to find a way to motivate them to defend at an elite level? Does he have to start from scratch?
And how much better should they be if not for the injuries? UConn has had the same plight but the Illini seemed to be behind the 8 ball from the start. Is it that they are simply to slow afoot, not working hard enough to move their feet, or just not understanding the speed with which opponents take advantage of their commitments one way or the other?
For sure, I would love for all these guys going to battle in the orange and blue have success together and long,fruitful professional careers. Not sure if that can ever happen to one-way players.....and actually don't believe it can.
The Balkan guys are skilled offensively, and Z has defensive advantages he can, but doesn't always, use successfully. I am not suggesting I know the answer but do they value or even get taught the importance of elite defense that they must learn to play in order to ever get a sniff of the NBA? Does BU have to find a way to motivate them to defend at an elite level? Does he have to start from scratch?
And how much better should they be if not for the injuries? UConn has had the same plight but the Illini seemed to be behind the 8 ball from the start. Is it that they are simply to slow afoot, not working hard enough to move their feet, or just not understanding the speed with which opponents take advantage of their commitments one way or the other?
For sure, I would love for all these guys going to battle in the orange and blue have success together and long,fruitful professional careers. Not sure if that can ever happen to one-way players.....and actually don't believe it can.
You are a bit unhinged dude.
How about this. Last season, I posted quite a few times over the last couple of games. Looking at per minute stats, Humrichous was last or near last in every single category, and he was not a strong defender last year either. He played too much and that possibly cost us Morez Johnson.
You brag about his lack of turnovers, I don't really care that much about the turnover rate of a guy that has 7 assists in 8 games. He doesn't turn it over, or get assists, because he spends most of his time standing at the 3 point line.
No one has ever faulted this kid's hustle or character, and he has certainly improved this year (against the weakest part of our schedule), I mean he is 23 and in his 6th year of college basketball. But if Humrichous is looked upon to be one of our top 5 players, we're in trouble. There's a reason he's not starting.
How about this. Last season, I posted quite a few times over the last couple of games. Looking at per minute stats, Humrichous was last or near last in every single category, and he was not a strong defender last year either. He played too much and that possibly cost us Morez Johnson.
You brag about his lack of turnovers, I don't really care that much about the turnover rate of a guy that has 7 assists in 8 games. He doesn't turn it over, or get assists, because he spends most of his time standing at the 3 point line.
No one has ever faulted this kid's hustle or character, and he has certainly improved this year (against the weakest part of our schedule), I mean he is 23 and in his 6th year of college basketball. But if Humrichous is looked upon to be one of our top 5 players, we're in trouble. There's a reason he's not starting.
I’m unhinged? Why don’t you go ahead and stop with the personal attacks, that’s what’s unhinged.
I hardly think Ben cost us Morez Johnson, they rarely shared the same minutes pool as Morez mainly backed up Tomi. The argument was always Ben vs Will and Will shot like 29% the entire time Ben was getting some of his minutes.
Good that you don’t care about a low turnover rate, something that directly correlates with winning basketball games. Huh?
Could not agree more with your last paragraph, he’s a glue guy.
To be fair, I think Morez Johnson cost himself playing time because he constantly fouled, and got worked at the 5 because he was too small, or worked at the 4 because he wasn’t quick enough.
I guess I don’t see how any of this is Ben’s fault? There’s been ample opportunity for players to step up at the 4 spot.
Interesting pregame conversation about optimists vs pessimists as far as fan types. Seems these threads always follow same pattern as I see the optimists are now flowing in after the pessimists carnage during in game posts and immediate post game threads. I had them losing this game and the Tennessee game but beating Missouri. Still need more time to see if this team is going to be different from last year.
If you predicate this Euro constructed roster to spread the floor they need to prove they can hit a reasonable percentage of 3s against good competition. That was problematic last year and so far this year. Think this team does have more options to drive the ball compared to last year. Will see...
If you predicate this Euro constructed roster to spread the floor they need to prove they can hit a reasonable percentage of 3s against good competition. That was problematic last year and so far this year. Think this team does have more options to drive the ball compared to last year. Will see...
NASchamp
- Atlanta
We are a drive and dish team, we are a cutting team, we are a pick and roll team. We are way more than a 3 point shooting team. We have size and cannot just settle for 3s and iso ball.
Brad got sold on “analytics” a few seasons ago and can’t let it go.
Brandon Lee defense was very good in first half and stopped the bleeding. Really would’ve like to see him start the 2nd half. Needs to play more.
So 2 tall, quick, fast, skilled, athletic teams have beaten our positionally tall, slow, supposed skilled guys. Maybe if we were even taller?
There are several of our type of players in the NBA, but not 4 for the same team on the floor together. 4 Athletes can play around one slow skilled big, but not 4 slow guys.
There are several of our type of players in the NBA, but not 4 for the same team on the floor together. 4 Athletes can play around one slow skilled big, but not 4 slow guys.
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