Pike changed things up and made a BIG mess

[Scarlet Shack]

Here is the reality

1.) Paul was the starting small forward last year and played no point guard ...and now is playing point guard ...a position he is neither suited for on offense or defense

2.) Geo was the starting point guard last year and now is playing the 2 guard ...and is undersides and not strong enough off the dribble to do so

3.) Ron was a combo forward that was more three than four when he was successful . Not coach is trying to get him to bull to the basket way more ...another major change late in career

We are also trying to switch 1 through four way too much with guards that are quick enough ....instead of playing our base in your face defense

I could go on ...but pike really changed up a lot of things this off season and we are an unmitigated mess right now

If pike doesn’t recognize this and go back to geo playing the point , Ron playing more outside (let Hyatt play inside more) and let Paul play the three spot in his minutes ...essentially all go back to last year’s spots...it’s going to be a long year ...because I don’t see the piecing the team together the way he is being able to have a decent half court offense

 

[ScarletDave]

Also, as much as we thought we had no backup center last year (with freshman Cliff), we REALLY have no backup center this year. Like Zero. Like when Cliff gets into foul trouble we will lose to Iowa/Michigan by 40

 

[superfan01]

Also, as much as we thought we had no backup center last year (with freshman Cliff), we REALLY have no backup center this year. Like Zero. Like when Cliff gets into foul trouble we will lose to Iowa/Michigan by 40

Pike said this year was his best 5.
Lololol

 

[Joey Bags]

Paul was literally recruited here to play PG. If he can't play, he's another guy who needs to hit the portal.

 

[seneca ave]

Also, as much as we thought we had no backup center last year (with freshman Cliff), we REALLY have no backup center this year. Like Zero. Like when Cliff gets into foul trouble we will lose to Iowa/Michigan by 40

Luke Nathan will be getting minutes soon ..........

 

[theRU]

It's amazing how losing Myles and Jacob has created this mess... You'd think a year of getting older and returning 3 core players and but gaining in cliff we would have been fine. Boy oh boy did like put his faith in the wrong dudes. If it was truly geo and Jacob butting heads...wish we had Jacob instead of Cinderella

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

It's amazing how losing Myles and Jacob has created this mess... You'd think a year of getting older and returning 3 core players and but gaining in cliff we would have been fine. Boy oh boy did like put his faith in the wrong dudes. If it was truly geo and Jacob butting heads...wish we had Jacob instead of Cinderella

Last 1/3 of the season this is what our returning players pretty much looked like and played like.

I hate to say it I am not surprised. I am stunned how bad the new players are. I didn’t see this coming.

I still hold out hope, but hope is different than expecting.

 

[kcg88]

If Young and Johnson transferred back tomorrow... This team would still be deeply broken. We're a lot further than two players away.

 

[RUsojo]

If Young and Johnson transferred back tomorrow... This team would still be deeply broken. We're a lot further than two players away.

I don’t think that’s true we’d be in much better

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

If Young and Johnson transferred back tomorrow... This team would still be deeply broken. We're a lot further than two players away.

I am not so sure.

 

[fluoxetine]

We put up a worse performance at Nebraska with the tournament on the line with Young and Myles on the roster.

 

[Shelby65]

Please...the last thing this team needs is Myles and his whopping 3 ppg. Even if this season continues this poorly, it’s very valuable for Cliff to get starter minutes and more development.

 

[GoodOl'Rutgers]

Please...the last thing this team needs is Myles and his whopping 3 ppg. Even if this season continues this poorly, it’s very valuable for Cliff to get starter minutes and more development.

Nonsense. Myles was the key last year. His rim protection and boards led to so many points. Myles D is much better than Cliff at this point... but clearly Cliff has a bigger upside and when he learns to read the court and use his feet to get into position earlier... he will dominate. He should have not fronted Kofi.. that's what Illinois wanted. He could jump straight up and affect Kofi's shots or draw charges (that would have come because Kofi couldn't shoot over him.. would have to go THROUGH him).

As for Cliff.. he'd get enough minutes with Myles here as well. But Cliff's minutes now are somewhat wasted as we don't run an offense that takes advantage of him often enough and we have no one who can get him proper rest. He and Myles together would have been awesome... both fresh, all the time... 4 more fouls to give down low.. one star center replaced by another.

 

[sunsetregret]

Please...the last thing this team needs is Myles and his whopping 3 ppg. Even if this season continues this poorly, it’s very valuable for Cliff to get starter minutes and more development.

Myles was our best player (and still would be).

 

[goru7]

Here is the reality

1.) Paul was the starting small forward last year and played no point guard ...and now is playing point guard ...a position he is neither suited for on offense or defense

2.) Geo was the starting point guard last year and now is playing the 2 guard ...and is undersides and not strong enough off the dribble to do so

3.) Ron was a combo forward that was more three than four when he was successful . Not coach is trying to get him to bull to the basket way more ...another major change late in career

We are also trying to switch 1 through four way too much with guards that are quick enough ....instead of playing our base in your face defense

I could go on ...but pike really changed up a lot of things this off season and we are an unmitigated mess right now

If pike doesn’t recognize this and go back to geo playing the point , Ron playing more outside (let Hyatt play inside more) and let Paul play the three spot in his minutes ...essentially all go back to last year’s spots...it’s going to be a long year ...because I don’t see the piecing the team together the way he is being able to have a decent half court offense

Offense has to play more inside out like it always should but never enough in our sets.
But the bigger problem is defense , simple man to man , or getting screened and losing your man. Combined with the lack of effort to hit both boards but more so the defensive boards , where everyone should be rebounding , guards everyone , but are not , has put us in this position .
Pike has to switch out of man to man. He has to use our length and play a 1/3/1 or trapping defense and let the 1 put heat on the opposing guard making it more difficult for the other team to run their offense. A simple screen tonight gave Illinois multiple 3 point open looks , a flare screen or a staggered screen , had every player losing their man. Simple penetration causes our guys to leave their man and the recovering rotations have been terrible all year and putrid tonight. Pike has to do something to change our defense. It is no coincidence we pretty much handled Clemson from the opening tip because we did better defending the 3 and they missed makeable ones but finished with 4. I have not checked but in at least 6 of the 8 games we have given up 9 or more threes and 12 more tonight , most of them open due to lack of defensive effort or lack of proper rotation. That is a recipe for disaster as well as demoralizing your team. Pike has seen enough through 8 games to stop playing almost exclusively man to man.

The lack of effort and desire to rebound as a team is shocking. The offensive rebounds given up tonight were almost all due to lack of effort. No one is going to get the ball. No one boxes out and then gets the board. No one grabs the rebound and starts a run out. This must get fixed first and foremost

 

[Mr. Magoo1]

Paul was literally recruited here to play PG. If he can't play, he's another guy who needs to hit the portal.

He can play point against Lehigh and Lafayette but not against the B1G. Too slow and handle isn’t good enough. He’s also not a threat from the top of the key. When he’s at the point, the team becomes 3 on 5 as he and McConnell become useless.

When he was a senior in HS, I thought he would be out starting PG by now but I was way off on him. He actually appears more robotic and less athletic than ever.

 

[The RUT]

If Young and Johnson transferred back tomorrow... This team would still be deeply broken. We're a lot further than two players away.

Team would be undefeated or one loss with MJ and Young.

 

[whofrewdatmataRU13]

Please...the last thing this team needs is Myles and his whopping 3 ppg. Even if this season continues this poorly, it’s very valuable for Cliff to get starter minutes and more development.

Cliff won't be here next year if this season continues downhill

 

[PSAL_Hoops]

And we shot 41% from 3….

 

[Shelby65]

omg ha ha. ‘star center’. utterly ridiculous. good rebounder yes. extreme liability on offense, damn yes.

so glad he’s gone. i’m sure UCLA is thrilled with his soft 3 ppg just like you were.

 

[Mr. Magoo1]

omg ha ha. ‘star center’. utterly ridiculous. good rebounder yes. extreme liability on offense, damn yes.

so glad he’s gone. i’m sure UCLA is thrilled with his soft 3 ppg just like you were.

Although he may not mean much to UCLA’s team, he meant the world to the way our team is built. It kept our crappy offensive team in games that we wouldn’t otherwise be in and won games we wouldn’t otherwise win. Pike replaced him with a soft, slow, undersized, low level D1 player in Agee, who he only got because no one else wanted him.

 

[Big East Beast]

Offense has to play more inside out like it always should but never enough in our sets.
But the bigger problem is defense , simple man to man , or getting screened and losing your man. Combined with the lack of effort to hit both boards but more so the defensive boards , where everyone should be rebounding , guards everyone , but are not , has put us in this position .
Pike has to switch out of man to man. He has to use our length and play a 1/3/1 or trapping defense and let the 1 put heat on the opposing guard making it more difficult for the other team to run their offense. A simple screen tonight gave Illinois multiple 3 point open looks , a flare screen or a staggered screen , had every player losing their man. Simple penetration causes our guys to leave their man and the recovering rotations have been terrible all year and putrid tonight. Pike has to do something to change our defense. It is no coincidence we pretty much handled Clemson from the opening tip because we did better defending the 3 and they missed makeable ones but finished with 4. I have not checked but in at least 6 of the 8 games we have given up 9 or more threes and 12 more tonight , most of them open due to lack of defensive effort or lack of proper rotation. That is a recipe for disaster as well as demoralizing your team. Pike has seen enough through 8 games to stop playing almost exclusively man to man.

The lack of effort and desire to rebound as a team is shocking. The offensive rebounds given up tonight were almost all due to lack of effort. No one is going to get the ball. No one boxes out and then gets the board. No one grabs the rebound and starts a run out. This must get fixed first and foremost

That would be like Boeheim realizing zone defense is poor and rather than coaching the players, switching to man. Not gonna happen.

 

[rufeelinit]

You don't think having Montez here would be helpful as well? Maybe not as much of a difference maker but he was a tough dude who backed down to no one, which is a trait missing from this team. I know some think Hyatt replaced Montez but given our lack of depth due to some questionable recruiting, I think there are some quality minutes available for a guy like MM as well.

That we are getting so excited about Jalen Miller, who while bringing energy on defensive end, seems like another very limited offensive guy, is just an indictment of Pike's overall recruiting and roster management over the past couple of years.