Thru 9 games...#4 defensive efficiency and 183rd in offensive efficiency

[Greene Rice FIG]

https://www.barttorvik.com/?sort=Ad...=0&venue=All&type=All&mingames=0&quad=5&rpi=#

I think coming in to the season we wouldn't be shocked by this. The question I have is how much can we improve offensively to become passable OR are we going to have to win games 64-63.

 

[MLBash93]

I think these #'s tend to get skewed from time to time.

Like are we an offensive powerhouse? No, but we slow the game down (which aides our good numbers on defense)

If we played faster we would be at 75 and 25 probably

 

[kcg88]

Our offense IMO is better than last season's on a true talent basis. The difference is that last season we were a hot 3 point shooting team in conference play. We were third in the Big Ten in 3P% which anyone can tell you is a small sample fluke. This year's might end up worse without the shooting luck.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

Like are we an offensive powerhouse? No, but we slow the game down (which aides our good numbers on defense)

If we played faster we would be at 75 and 25 probably

These numbers are adjusted for tempo and done on a points per possession basis.

 

[BillyC80]

In the end, all that matters is wins and losses. We have 2 losses when we were short-handed, and one win negated by the refs.

Now that we’re at full strength, what would you project, based on what you’ve seen, would be our record going forward?

With our defense keeping us in every game, I think we’ll find enough offense to win 20 games this year. Will it be enough?

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

Our offense IMO is better than last season's on a true talent basis. The difference is that last season we were a hot 3 point shooting team in conference play. We were third in the Big Ten in 3P% which anyone can tell you is a small sample fluke. This year's might end up worse without the shooting luck.

I don’t know if I am going to subscribe to this. Harper can flat out shoot and Baker turned wet low percentage end of shot clock looks in to something of a higher percent chance. Especially relative to this year.

Last night Cam turned up a slightly contested look with 4 seconds on the shot clock and passed it to Hyatt who took a worse contested look with 1 second left.

 

[kcg88]

I don’t know if I am going to subscribe to this. Harper can flat out shoot and Baker turned wet low percentage end of shot clock looks in to something of a higher percent chance. Especially relative to this year.

Last night Cam turned up a slightly contested look with 4 seconds on the shot clock and passed it to Hyatt who took a worse contested look with 1 second left.

I think it's going to end up close by the end of the season. We're doing a better job on the offensive glass although last night was a step in the wrong direction. Our turnover rate remains a problem.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

In the end, all that matters is wins and losses. We have 2 losses when we were short-handed, and one win negated by the refs.

Now that we’re at full strength, what would you project, based on what you’ve seen, would be our record going forward?

With our defense keeping us in every game, I think we’ll find enough offense to win 20 games this year. Will it be enough?

Maybe I get too analytical and numbers based.

Let’s say there are 3 outcomes
1. RU up comfortably end of game
2. RU down uncomfortably end of game
3. Game is tight and decided by a possession or two

I can see us having more 1s than 2s but how we do in 3s will determine our season. (Unless we are a +5 or so in the 1. Minus 2.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

I think it's going to end up close by the end of the season. We're doing a better job on the offensive glass although last night was a step in the wrong direction. Our turnover rate remains a problem.

We are OREB very good, but not DREB. But discussion is about offense so that really helps if we can sustain it. Bench needs to be used!!!!

 

[kcg88]

Maybe I get too analytical and numbers based.

Let’s say there are 3 outcomes
1. RU up comfortably end of game
2. RU down uncomfortably end of game
3. Game is tight and decided by a possession or two

I can see us having more 1s than 2s but how we do in 3s will determine our season. (Unless we are a +5 or so in the 1. Minus 2.

So far we're 0-2 in games that are close at the 2 minute mark. Not ideal.

 

[bac2therac]

We are OREB very good, but not DREB. But discussion is about offense so that really helps if we can sustain it. Bench needs to be used!!!!

it will be used moreso in first halves

the issue I have with the offense is TURNOVERS.....we commit an endless number of them on the road...Temple, Miami, and Ohio State and it put us in deep holes

Ohio State is good but honestly they are like a 10 or 11 seed in ability, they didnt play that great a defense.....there was no reason RU to be down 11...you cant have Cliff making a dozen mistakes in 5 minutes.

I know you can say this about any team but once we stopped turning it over we were the better team

 

[bac2therac]

last year it was Paul and Caleb being plain awful early season. Now Cliff is suddenly just having bad first halves and then coming on in the 2nd...you cant have that, he isnt a freshmen, he is a junior, its unacceptable to get where we need to go.

 

[RW90]

Safe to say, I think it's pretty much a constant that Pike's teams will be sound defensively and rebounding wise. Although I agree our defensive rebounding and Cliff in particular, can stand to have some improvement.

That said, my biggest concern is losing Hobbs or Knight from the bench. If and when those two move to their own head coaching gigs, we're back to square one on the offensive side of the ball.

 

[Scangg]

So far we're 0-2 in games that are close at the 2 minute mark. Not ideal.

That will happen when your PG is out and the refs steal a game

 

[Scangg]

What would our offensive efficiency be if we weren't so bad at finishing around the rim?

Hopefully that is somewhat flukey and evens out

 

[NewJerseyHawk]

The turnovers are typically two things

Unforced that lead to run outs and points for the opponent.

Defensively forced, which eliminates an offensive shot attempt (charged drawn by the defense, steals in passing lanes, poor entry passes etc.

I'm still not sure RU has it's 6 best players playing 25 minutes, until Simpson starts seeing more minutes and can generate cheaper baskets or looks in transition. Right now Mag is averaging a lot of minutes and not a ton of points, but is getting key rebounds, that Simpson can't be asked to get. The offset of being more effective on offense means Simpson plays more, hopefully scores more, but weakens the defense/rebounding by removing Mag.

I think Simpson and Mulcahy need a combined 50 minutes a game, not 40, in order for RU to click the best. Shaving 10 minutes away from Hyatt/Mag (5 minutes a piece or perhaps a 3/7 split), could yield the same results.

 

[goru7]

This team’s offense a whole is better than our past teams even without Geo and Ron because they are sharing the ball better and we have more offensive options than ever. I think the offensive efficiency # is a little deceiving because if we make at least 6-10 uncontested layups maybe that number goes up 25 to 35 spots. We ran really good offense for 25 plus minutes last night and for stretches of the Miami game . The efficiency numbers are taking a huge hit from the mindless turnovers and the inordinate amount of charges being called against us . BAC makes a good point that the turnovers like 10 -15 a game do not have to be , as they are hardly ever caused by good defense but by our guys having a brain fart. We should have no more than 5-10 turnovers per game and Paul and Caleb and Cam should have no more than 1 per game . Cliff was unusually bad in the first half last night that was rare and Hyatt and Mag are getting better cutting down on theirs. I think our efficiency # will improve as the season goes on and if we cut down the turnovers.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

it will be used moreso in first halves

the issue I have with the offense is TURNOVERS.....we commit an endless number of them on the road...Temple, Miami, and Ohio State and it put us in deep holes

Ohio State is good but honestly they are like a 10 or 11 seed in ability, they didnt play that great a defense.....there was no reason RU to be down 11...you cant have Cliff making a dozen mistakes in 5 minutes.

I know you can say this about any team but once we stopped turning it over we were the better team

You can’t really say that about a team that doesn’t turn it over

The answer to improving offense his a little bit here and a little bit there. Reducing TOs by 2 can add 2 points which doesn’t sound like a lot but it is.

 

[MLBash93]

These numbers are adjusted for tempo and done on a points per possession basis.

Oh ok I stand corrected then

 

[Scangg]

One interesting thing offensively is that we have seen very little Cliff high ball screens

Paul and Cliff were unstoppable at times with it last year. I like the concept of not overusing it but we are underutilizing it now

 

[RUJMM78]

Safe to say, I think it's pretty much a constant that Pike's teams will be sound defensively and rebounding wise. Although I agree our defensive rebounding and Cliff in particular, can stand to have some improvement.

That said, my biggest concern is losing Hobbs or Knight from the bench. If and when those two move to their own head coaching gigs, we're back to square one on the offensive side of the ball.

The loss of Jay Young to Fairfield has impacted player development of front court players.

 

[RUtrumpet92_rivals498139]

I think the offensive efficiency number would be much better if we hadn't missed Caleb and Paul for a lot of combined games, forcing others to play longer stretches for us. Add in the blowouts leading to garbage time minutes for the end of the bench, which is not going to score a lot of points per possession. We're not THAT bad on offense.

 

[Rutgers36]

I don't see Hobbs seeking a head coaching position at this point in his career. Knight is a different story.