Geo just didn't look like the same guy we had seen all season last night. He didn't look confident to me and was a bit tentative to shoot. I can't believe he could have hit a freshman wall at this time.. Hopefully he will bounce back real soon.
Is Baker alright?
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I think in the case of Baker, it’s just the ups and downs of being a freshman. The talent is there. The consistency and possibly the confidence is not there yet. With this team, it probably wouldn’t hurt if he was a little more selfish.
I agree with you about Doucoure. He has so much more potential than Doorson or Sa but often seems lost. Eugene has been getting some of his minutes. I’d like to see Doucoure get some of Freeman’s minutes, however.
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Coach is making a terrible mistake playing him 35+ minutes per game. He should be playing 30. Mike Williams can certainly handle a few more.
I agree with your assessment, something appeared different last night.
I agree with your assessment, something appeared different last night.
Hartford plays a weak schedule and only on 3 occasions did they give up less than 1 point per possession. They are rated 319th in defensive efficiency.
Apparently other teams have solved the 1-3-1.
Apparently other teams have solved the 1-3-1.
Baker scored ZERO points and was invisible in the FIRST half against Stony Brook and then ended up with 15 points the second half/OT and had 41 minutes played six days ago. Sorry, I don't handle the "he's worn out" argument. If you want to say he and his teammates are in a funk because they are "tired" of playing a succession of home games against no-name teams in a half empty arena, that's a more compelling argument to me. It sounds great to say Williams should play more but let's be real. He hustles but our biggest problem is offense and Mike is a senior who is shooting 24% from three. Is 5 extra minutes a game less playing time really going to make a difference to an 18 year old's legs? And for every minute more that Geo sits that's another minute Corey is going to be the one with the ball in his hands not Mike. And I've read people arguing that Corey is worn out at end of games and needs a break.
I hear what you are saying with the tired legs.
I am not at practice so i don't know what goes on there. i just don't know why williams isnt a starter. I think it sends a bad message. Quite frankly i am still in the belief he might be our best basketball player.
I am not at practice so i don't know what goes on there. i just don't know why williams isnt a starter. I think it sends a bad message. Quite frankly i am still in the belief he might be our best basketball player.
Willians has been a disappointment. Shooting terribly and still can’t be a primary ball handler. He hustles and brings energy...that’s about it.
Okay, that explains your argument but I could not disagree more with your assessment of where Mike should be on this team. He's a warrior and we love him but Mike admitted a couple weeks ago that he physically "feels like an old man" now with all of his ailments. For a guy to actually admit that, 20-25 minutes is probably his max right now especially the way he lets it all hang out on the floor. As far as actual production, Mike's overall shooting percentage is under 40% and from three it's 24%. Now, when Mike is in there he's often playing more of a three man role than a true guard but Geo has 48 more assists than Mike and leads the team. Mike has only 3 more than Souf. Let that sink in for a bit.
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I think Mike, Corey and Geo are decent to solid guards. However, in my opinion we play too much of the three guard offense and too many minutes with DF and EO as our only post players on the floor. It is my biggest/only criticism with Coach P.
For a team that wants to play "big", defend and attack the glass I don't understand why we don't play Deshaun/Eugene/Doucoure on the floor together with two guards. I do understand the potential limitations that lineup has on offensive spacing, but the only game we went "big" like that for decent stretches was v. FSU and I liked that look from us in that game. I don't think we have gone back to that look since.
In short our only lineup pivot off Thiam at SF has been to go three guards and I think there are other options we need to utilize. And as I've written in other posts that lineup has the ability to buy Geo four or five minutes of additional rest which is desperately needed.
For a team that wants to play "big", defend and attack the glass I don't understand why we don't play Deshaun/Eugene/Doucoure on the floor together with two guards. I do understand the potential limitations that lineup has on offensive spacing, but the only game we went "big" like that for decent stretches was v. FSU and I liked that look from us in that game. I don't think we have gone back to that look since.
In short our only lineup pivot off Thiam at SF has been to go three guards and I think there are other options we need to utilize. And as I've written in other posts that lineup has the ability to buy Geo four or five minutes of additional rest which is desperately needed.
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We’ve already discussed limitations of plus/minus.
Issa shot 75% from three (3-4) last night against a zone that everyone is saying caused Rutgers trouble.
Issa should’ve played more minutes and took more shots.
Geo was getting beat on D also with simple cuts. Corey also once beaten pretty bad lost his guy.also noticed guys are pumping Corey with him jumping every time at the shooter's first move.
You need to have Sanders on the floor more than you need to have Williams.
The ball has an opportunity to move. Williams is not shooting well enough to not be passing the ball more. Williams has never passed the ball, and that is an issue on a team that began the year well by moving the ball. He has also been playing hurt. It is no wonder his minutes are lessened.
You can't take out Baker because he distributes well, and is shooting the best on the team.
The ball has an opportunity to move. Williams is not shooting well enough to not be passing the ball more. Williams has never passed the ball, and that is an issue on a team that began the year well by moving the ball. He has also been playing hurt. It is no wonder his minutes are lessened.
You can't take out Baker because he distributes well, and is shooting the best on the team.
Hes played way too many minutes in non conference and it's starting to show.
Does not have a BIG body yet, needs a year in the weight room. Next time you have a chance, take a look at how skinny his legs are.
The Mensah bust is going to really catch up to us in conference play.
Does not have a BIG body yet, needs a year in the weight room. Next time you have a chance, take a look at how skinny his legs are.
The Mensah bust is going to really catch up to us in conference play.
Ok. That's very nice but the discussion was about Williams needing to take minutes from a "worn down" Baker. If you think Mike can handle playing 25-30 minutes and being as productive I think a lot will disagree. Thiam was 3-5 from three (3-8 overall) in 26 minutes. If you want to have a separate argument that Thiam needs to be better then that's totally fair but Mike is just not capable of being a productive 30-35 minutes player right now. And who starts is really irrelevant to me.
Baker is 6-16, 2-7 from 3 the last 2 games. 1-6 last night. Pike should’ve tried playing a line up with both Williams & Thiam together last night since they both shot well from 3. And try letting Sanders distribute.
Those numbers look pretty normal when looking at every one else on the team.
Sanders benefits immensely from playing with Baker. Sanders alone is not always getting the ball to players.
Issa should almost always take more shots. His release is either too slow or he’s too hesitant.
He shot the ball 8 times but played only 26 minutes last night. Take Freeman out and get bids who can pass.
I think back to my freshman year and between my studies, (at that time) football & an old girlfriend.... going home for Christmas was a challange that allowed me to overeat, sleep too much & worry about flunking out at Cornell.
Who knows what these kids go through....
I just hope we get our MOJO back
Who knows what these kids go through....
I just hope we get our MOJO back
I agree, but do we ignore them when they often point to us winning with Williams on the court.
issa can't get shots off. he has to be wide open. You can't win with a guy that can only shoot when ridiculously open.
To me he is doing it better than last year. assists don't really back that up though
You probably get diminishing returns on Williams right at the level of minutes he is currently playing. i think he needs to start to spread minutes out over the 2 halves better....20-16 12-8 4-0 is 12 minutes
I think Geo is a little worn down. Souf is not a good fill-in for anyone. Geo has to keep shooting but that zone did confuse him last night. He couldn't get open and there were no picks set up high except for the usual passing around the arc, set a pick and don't roll. There are really just two kids capable of driving to the hoop and for some reason, we are not running those plays often enough and that's (Geo and Corey). If they have a pick and drive; the motion should free a cutter up at least some of the time??
But this is based on the assumption that Thiam has been given the green light to shoot.
It seems that if your not Freeman, Sanders, or Williams you’ll get pulled taking tough shots.
Has anyone asked Pike if Thiam has the green light to shoot like Sanders it Freeman?
Another issue not discussed is that it just isn’t posters on this board reluctant to question the coaching staff but it doesn’t the media is willing to ask Pike tough questions either.
Among starters and backups this is a team that is lacking in talent at all 5 positions. Spreading the minutes efficiently is very important for us to be competitive during league play.
Tough road in the B1G for Pike this season IMO.
Tough road in the B1G for Pike this season IMO.