Basketball GAMEDAY THREAD: Rutgers Basketball @ USC

[Bob Chaewsky_rivals]

MAYBE IF WE HAD A TIMEOUT REMAINING INSTEAD OF TAKING A RANDOM ONE AFTER WE SCORE at the 6-7 min mark !!!!!!?????

COACH IS A MORON

Should always have one left for the last minute of play.

 

[Simce91]

I know SC is a FT shooting machine but terrible discrepancy: SC 22-30 FT, RU 9-12 FT. Refs swallowed their whistles for SC.

Don't like to bring the refs into the conversation, but I thought there were an awful lot of "touch" fouls called under the USC basket

in that type of game, the FT discrepency shouldn't be that great

 

[bethlehemfan]

This was the basketball version of Laviano spiking it on 4th down against MSU in 2015 to end the game.

The pain will never end, will it?

I can tell you assuredly it will never end and you can’t walk away. It’s a curse. Your only option is to try to manage the disappointment. Keep expectations low and try to avoid watching live events. And don’t carry a phone when the team is playing. Find a hobby and devote yourself to it.

 

[BIGRUBIGDBIGredmachine]

This was the basketball version of Laviano spiking it on 4th down against MSU in 2015 to end the game.

The pain will never end, will it?

Close, but actually worse because it would've been a 50 yd Hail Mary for Laviano. Zrno was open for a decent look 3.

 

[Bob Chaewsky_rivals]

Laughing and smiling during the TO. He is a great value but you need 100% focus 100% of the time and this is the end game crap you always get at Rutgers. Play hard and get close and then do something stupid. What another shame to a 2nd opportunity to make headlines.

If that is in fact true then it is one more thing on Pike. Could you just imagine a kid laughing during one of Izzo's timeouts?

 

[BIGRUBIGDBIGredmachine]

Don't like to bring the refs into the conversation, but I thought there were an awful lot of "touch" fouls called under the USC basket

in that type of game, the FT discrepency shouldn't be that great

Absolutely.

 

[Bob Chaewsky_rivals]

We had no timeouts

Then during the last timeout Pike has to let the team know they don't have any timeouts left. If Francis was in fact laughing during that timeout maybe that cost us the game. The coach has to keep his team Lazer focused during timeouts.

 

[BillyC80]

I would have liked to see Francis pass the ball at the end. With that said, it was a good defensive play. There was still 2 or 3 seconds left when the steal was made... plenty of time to get off a shot if Francis got by the defender.

I thought the same thing. Tariq was being coy, about to change speeds on a crossover to a pull-up jumper from the arc. Possibly even goading the defender into a foul. I actually trust him in that spot to get a good look or get fouled.

 

[Simce91]

Francis seemed to be

1) unaware of the time left

2) unaware of the double team

3) unaware of where his teammates were

My $ 02, is that once he got the ball his only thought was him against the world.

 

[BIGRUBIGDBIGredmachine]

Francis seemed to be

1) unaware of the time left

2) unaware of the double team

3) unaware of where his teammates were

My $ 02, is that once he got the ball his only thought was him against the world.

He's R combo guard assassin that can create his own shots and hit 'em. But he can get sloppy with the ball in his hands running a play as PG.

 

[DHajekRC1984]

If he picks his head up Zrno is wide open for a 3 down court.

Not the plan. Never the plan. This is Pike's Geo 2.0 end game thing of just wing it. This isn't MSU finding a guy open in the corner for the tie. This was find the top right outside the 3pt line shot because he made 1 before and so that's the plan..but he NEVER would have even got there.

 

[DHajekRC1984]

Looked like he was looking toward the bench to see if Pike wanted a timeout so he took his eye off the hall. Did we have any timeouts left? I don't know.

no...and IF so even more stupid with 4-5 seconds on the inbounds. He should know that from the huddle. IF so exactly what I mean by not paying attention... and frankly I don't think he was doing that. Just got stupid with the ball. Seen it plenty of times from RU players before..loose dribbling not VALUE THE BALL.

 

[DHajekRC1984]

The question is why does a team that has the ability to Surge close late like that over and over always dig big road holes

Or winning for 36 minutes by double digits find a way to lose?

 

[dark_check]

Or winning for 36 minutes by double digits find a way to lose?

That’s ridiculously less often

 

[DHajekRC1984]

If that is in fact true then it is one more thing on Pike. Could you just imagine a kid laughing during one of Izzo's timeouts?

I should amend my comments to be less than laughing and just plain smiling and overly distracted by the moment that required intent and resolve. (Just finished watching Deadwood so I'm in a particularly wordy mood)

 

[goru7]

Just came from the game. We got hurt again and on the backboards especially the first half leading to a bunch of second chance points. Aswar and Cofie had 20 and 14. Took about 10 minutes to get offense going and did not feel terrible down 10 at half. Especially since we were totally non aggressive not looking to shoot or score. Opposite MSU where we aggressively took first good shot or drive right to the rim.
Disappointing stretches of second half missing open 3’s or layups at the rim. After Mark hit his first 2 threes of the year the team had some juice and only down 9 with 11 minutes left. I do believe the refs called us for one ticky tack foul after another putting them back at the line where we wrrr outscored 22-9 but 30 attempts to 12. Will get back to the refs soon.
Francis and Grant started to exert themselves then we missed a bunch of shots open by the way and deficit went from 9 to 16-17 by fouling them 3 straight trips. Then the press and crashing the glass got us right there. Our length especially Dylan at the head of the press was outstanding. Now back to the refs. They walked 3-5 times and the refs did not call one. It was a joke. Dylan getting the steal and layup to cut it to 5 with a minute left really had me thinking we were going to get this. We needed one more 3 that didn’t go down. Or that Ogbole missed dunk in the first half . But we got shots up in the second half and only 8 turnovers to their 17. We took 23 more shots than they did. Just didn’t hit enough but happy with the number of attempts. We cannot play passively and pull everything to near half court if a screen doesn’t lead to a shot . We have to pass it either to the corner or closer to the basket. Some sloppy turnovers happened and more almost happened passing back near half court. Be in attack mode more often and that has happened a little more these last few games. Disappointed they let USC get out to a lead and a big lead but have to love the fight to almost get it.
Lastly , Pike calls some of the most wasteful timeouts. Just once I would love to have 2 timeouts left with a minute left like USC did. If he had even one then maybe that last possession we get a shot because we would have had 7-8 seconds left . Francis played well and hard to fault him although he got stripped. A few plays throughout the game easily converted would not have made the last possession so desperate.
Rutgers had like 40 people there. The arena is spread out and their fans did not affect the game at all . Non stop Dj without any other cheering.

 

[PSAL_Hoops]

This was not a game to fault Pike’s plan on offense. He did a great job running pick and rolls to get Tariq open for his money jumper right in his sweet spot range, and had Tariq cutting every which way as a decoy to open up other openings. He also had him distributing. Not Pike’s fault J Mike and Buchanan gave him nothing and Ogbole missed a collection of bunnies.

Actually, the only thing Pike related to complain about is Francis having been on the bench 12 minutes. That just can’t happen in a game like this. There was no reason for him to sit to start half two then check in confused about his assignment and miss a close out immediately. We would’ve been way better putting the line up Pike wanted in down the stretch in to get things off to a good start. This was where we really dug a hole. After seeing the end of the game, I’m more convinced than ever we should apply full court pressure for every second Tariq is not in the game.

 

[soundcrib]

Maybe Steve should try to start hot instead of always falling behind by tinkering his starting lineup. I don’t know, maybe start your best player Tariq Francis.

 

[seansherm]

Don't like to bring the refs into the conversation, but I thought there were an awful lot of "touch" fouls called under the USC basket

in that type of game, the FT discrepency shouldn't be that great

Fouls are called in the paint. We don't run offense in the paint.

 

[dpwhite]

The objective clearly isn't to win games but rather to lose close games and give a false impression that Rutgers will be even better next season with most of the same players.

What

 

[whofrewdatmataRU13]

Pikiell must have no brain cells left, keep starting down a bunch. Keep your best scorer on the bench and try and claw back every game.