Shane Power is a Howland believer

[Bulldogg31]

To Shane's credit, the guy knows hoops and watches every State game.

This team could use a Shane Power.

https://twitter.com/shanepower21/st...src^ios|twgr^com.apple.UIKit.activity.Message

 

[ronpolk]

My only real big criticism of Howland is the offense continuing to jack up 3’s even though they are not falling. We can’t just settle for 3’s because teams are playing a zone against us. Outside of that, he’s clearly added talent and has the team playing good defense. My opinion is that we are clearly better than last year but so is the rest of the SEC.

 

[msudawg12]

My only real big criticism of Howland is the offense continuing to jack up 3’s even though they are not falling. We can’t just settle for 3’s because teams are playing a zone against us. Outside of that, he’s clearly added talent and has the team playing good defense. My opinion is that we are clearly better than last year but so is the rest of the SEC.

And the complete lack of a plan in the half court most of the time and never adjusting when the other team does

 

[MSUDC11]

I had no expectations of winning in Tuscaloosa or Lexington, although the way we lost both games was disappointing. That said, we absolutely have to beat Mizzou at home on Saturday. No other way around it.

 

[HumpDawgy]

Its all about the results on the court. When Howland starts winning, then I will be a believer too. I really don't care what he did somewhere else. This team looks like a mess. He recruited a perimeter team that can't shoot.

 

[thf24]

My only real big criticism of Howland is the offense continuing to jack up 3’s even though they are not falling. We can’t just settle for 3’s because teams are playing a zone against us. Outside of that, he’s clearly added talent and has the team playing good defense. My opinion is that we are clearly better than last year but so is the rest of the SEC.

I think there are two factors contributing to the inadvisable number of 3's we take. First, you can't just not shoot 3's. It's like how you have to throw the deep ball occasionally even if you're not a good passing team in football. If we don't show we're willing to take 3's even though we don't make a lot of them, then the other team can pull their defense back and clog the middle, further stagnating our offense. So that's why Howland isn't giving the red light to some of our guys who seemingly need it. Then, we've got a lot of young guards who probably made a ton of shots in warm ups and are feeling confident, but lack the experience and the IQ at this point in their careers to recognize that that feeling isn't translating to games thus far and that probably isn't changing on that particular night. So the way I see it, there isn't a ton Howland can do about it right now. He can't tell guys tasked with being our outside shooters not to shoot, and he can't control the emotions in the moment and inexperience that lead to a bunch of bad shots from what's still a very young team this year. All he can do is wait it out until our guys who can and who we need to make 3's develop the ability to make an honest assessment of their shooting prospects on any given night.

That said, if I were him, I'd try to crack down on the bad stepback, off the dribble, guarded shots and tell them only to put it up when they're open with their feet set. But I'm not a basketball coach and I don't know our team psychology in and out, so I don't know how feasible a rigid instruction like that is.

 

[thekimmer]

I agree with this...

Its all about the results on the court. When Howland starts winning, then I will be a believer too. I really don't care what he did somewhere else. This team looks like a mess. He recruited a perimeter team that can't shoot.

The issue for me is not so much that we are losing some games but that we are so significantly under performing relative to our purported talent level. I am not nor have I ever been a basketball coach at any level so I freely own up to being a complete layman in this area. I also admit to being a bit impatient given the long dark tunnel our mens BB program has gone through. I hope Shane is correct in his prediction.

 

[Uncle Ruckus]

My biggest issue is our half court game. We're a **** show when we get manned up. We continue to exhaust the entire shot clock without even setting up an offense.

 

[Bulldogg31]

Shane works as a basketball announcer and analyst, so I value his opinion here.


BTW, he would be a GREAT guest on a basketball edition of This Is Our Show.

 

[tcdog70]

people that have played basketball --understand that you miss when your legs are tired. Ben requires a hard man to man defense. This requires a lot of effort and I think it effects our 3 point shooting. I think our guys shoot 3 well warming up but shoot when their legs are tired. Just a thought.

 

[PineGroveBully]

Add a cpl roll players like Power and Brandon Vincent and this team could get to a sweet 16. Man I loved the halfcourt trap we used to run with Vincent out top.

 

[BruceBruce]

We shoot just as ****** to start the game as we do at the end. It has nothing to do with tired legs, we just don’t have any shot makers.

 

[maroonmania]

My only real big criticism of Howland is the offense continuing to jack up 3’s even though they are not falling. We can’t just settle for 3’s because teams are playing a zone against us. Outside of that, he’s clearly added talent and has the team playing good defense. My opinion is that we are clearly better than last year but so is the rest of the SEC.

MSU 3 point percentage over the last 6 years:
2018 - 29.4%
2017 - 34.7%
2016 - 35.2%
2015 - 30.6%
2014 - 30.7%
2013 - 28.4%

So we've gone down in 3 point percentage each year under Howland although the first 2 years were a statistical dead heat. But, of Rick Ray's 3 years only his first team shot 3 pointers worse than we are currently shooting them this year.

 

[She Mate Me]

people that have played basketball --understand that you miss when your legs are tired. Ben requires a hard man to man defense. This requires a lot of effort and I think it effects our 3 point shooting. I think our guys shoot 3 well warming up but shoot when their legs are tired. Just a thought.

Makes sense, but nobody on the team plays harder than any of our women and they don't seem to have a problem banging in threes.

 

[She Mate Me]

MSU 3 point percentage over the last 6 years:
2018 - 29.4%
2017 - 34.7%
2016 - 35.2%
2015 - 30.6%
2014 - 30.7%
2013 - 28.4%

So we've gone down in 3 point percentage each year under Howland although the first 2 years were a statistical dead heat. But, of Rick Ray's 3 years only his first team shot 3 pointers worse than we are currently shooting them this year.

The 25.2% we've put up in SEC games this year sure isn't helping the cause.

 

[maroonmania]

The 25.2% we've put up in SEC games this year sure isn't helping the cause.

True, the percentage we have put up this year has been against maybe our weakest basketball schedule ever. Once we have started playing better teams in the league the percentage keeps going down.

 

[yjnkdawg]

Just FYI, 33.3% on 3 point shots made is equivalent to 50% on two point shots made. I agree with not letting the shot clock run down, before it appears we run any type of play, also the lack of ball movement to set up a 3 point shot, and not just jacking 3's up. The best ball movement I saw this season was the Vandy game , and that seems to have disappeared.

 

[Uncle Ruckus]

Shaka Smart and other big time coaches use the hell out of the full court press. If our guys legs get too tired to shoot then it’s still Howland’s fault for not having their bodies in the condition to handle his plan

 

[philduckworth]

The issue for me is not so much that we are losing some games but that we are so significantly under performing relative to our purported talent level. I am not nor have I ever been a basketball coach at any level so I freely own up to being a complete layman in this area. I also admit to being a bit impatient given the long dark tunnel our mens BB program has gone through. I hope Shane is correct in his prediction.

Just remember that our purported talent level no longer includes Malik Newman, Mario Keglar, and Schinder Herard who were 3 of our 4 highest rated signees under Howland.

 

[philduckworth]

We shoot just as ****** to start the game as we do at the end. It has nothing to do with tired legs, we just don’t have any shot makers.

That's correct. My biggest concern under Howland is that we don't have any on their way for next year either! Surely there is a Barry Stewart out there.

 

[missouridawg]

Add a cpl roll players like Power and Brandon Vincent and this team could get to a sweet 16. Man I loved the halfcourt trap we used to run with Vincent out top.

Those players are great, but I already think we have them. Most people here thinks Q is our best option. And he is OUR best option. But Q, on any good-to-great team in the country, would be the third or fourth option. What we need is a Lawrence Roberts and/or Timmy Bowers. Guys who can score at will. Q, Nick, Lamar, and Aric are good role guys (currently), but not the face of a Team type player just yet.

Hopefully Nick can take that next step next year and become our go-to-guy.

 

[She Mate Me]

That's correct. My biggest concern under Howland is that we don't have any on their way for next year either! Surely there is a Barry Stewart out there.

We got a Stewart coming in. DJ Stewart seems to be the forgotten man in this class. He's 6'6" and reminds me of Ravern (hopefully he's not on Twitter much)...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23eRFm9r6V0

 

[Dog316]

Add a cpl roll players like Power and Brandon Vincent and this team could get to a sweet 16. Man I loved the halfcourt trap we used to run with Vincent out top.

Vincent was the glue.

 

[DAWG61]

people that have played basketball --understand that you miss when your legs are tired. Ben requires a hard man to man defense. This requires a lot of effort and I think it effects our 3 point shooting. I think our guys shoot 3 well warming up but shoot when their legs are tired. Just a thought.

It's not tired legs as we miss almost all the three's by hitting the back iron. They are all consistently shooting it too strong which eliminates tired legs as the excuse. I think it's something he's been showing/teaching them in practice that has 17ed up everyone's shot. Only Holman is shooting it better this year the rest of them have all significantly gotten worse at shooting. If they are trying to shoot like Curry they need to copy Curry's mechanics before he releases the ball. You can't shoot like Curry while having the mechanics of Dwight Howard.

 

[philduckworth]

We got a Stewart coming in. DJ Stewart seems to be the forgotten man in this class. He's 6'6" and reminds me of Ravern (hopefully he's not on Twitter much)...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23eRFm9r6V0

He's not a shooter.

 

[She Mate Me]

He's not a shooter.

Did you watch the video? I have no idea if he'll be a good college shooter or not, but they signed him expecting him to be. Hit two from near half court in games.

And he's a lefty, which is a nice twist.

 

[philduckworth]

Did you watch the video? I have no idea if he'll be a good college shooter or not, but they signed him expecting him to be. Hit two from near half court in games.

And he's a lefty, which is a nice twist.

Highlight videos are...you know....highlights. He is a great athlete and has a pretty solid stroke, but he's shooting 30% from 3. I don't expect him to play many minutes next year, but I like his long term potential.

 

[She Mate Me]

Highlight videos are...you know....highlights. He is a great athlete and has a pretty solid stroke, but he's shooting 30% from 3. I don't expect him to play many minutes next year, but I like his long term potential.

Once he gets into the MSU 3 point shooting Pyramid of Excellence program, we'll get that number to 25% in no time.

 

[UpTheMiddlex3Punt]

"Foundation"
"Right Way"

Why am I feeling uneasy when I hear these terms about rebuilding a struggling Mississippi State team?

 

[PineGroveBully]

We definitely need the leadership and voices a LR, TB, or BV brought. And I agree, Q would have been a 4th option on that 04 team, basically a more athletic Power. Not quite the shooter but much more explosive.

 

[OrlandoLundie]

Great summary. Expectations based on recruiting have led us to think we're "back", like we were in the Stansbury years, and we all would love to get back there again. From a coaching standpoint, I would love to see the 3-pointer supplement a motion/inside game. Three-pointers are just too dang inconsistent to rely on as an offensive foundation, and we just suck at them.

 

[OrlandoLundie]

I wonder if the players have the same thoughts that I do in the second half: When are we going to lose it? The strong finish against Arkansas was promising but they've faded down the stretch since.

 

[ShrubDog]

We shoot just as ****** to start the game as we do at the end. It has nothing to do with tired legs, we just don’t have any shot makers.

Then how do we get double digit leads in the 1st then lose by double digits the 2nd half?

Ben Howland can’t even figure it out.

SEC Games (7)


1st Half total points
———————-
MSU OP
224 217
Avg (32) (31)
———————-

2nd Half total points
———————-
MSU OP
241 277
Avg (34.4) (39.5)
———————- —-
Total: 465 494

SEC Average Final Score: Op 70.5 MSU 66.4


The most glaring figure is how much more the OP picks up scoring going from 217 to 277 in the 2nd halves (+60) and we are (+17).

There are many factors that contribute to these differentials we could right an essay.

 

[OrlandoLundie]

Yep. Ignerski was good up front too.

 

[OrlandoLundie]

Q is a world-class Robin but not a Batman.

 

[KurtRambis4]

Defense

I know in most of the games I've been too, we have played better D in the first 1/2.

 

[ShrubDog]

Shaka Smart and other big time coaches use the hell out of the full court press. If our guys legs get too tired to shoot then it’s still Howland’s fault for not having their bodies in the condition to handle his plan

Glad you brought this up. This is all about personal, rotation, conditioning and style.

So what does this mean about MSU? It means we aren’t even close to playing that style and Ben doesn’t even entertain the idea.

 

[bruiser.sixpack]

That's correct. My biggest concern under Howland is that we don't have any on their way for next year either! Surely there is a Randy Stewart out there.

Fixed it for you.

 

[Willow Grove Dawg]

This team could use Randy Stewart

 

[philduckworth]

Fixed it for you.

. LOL