I cant go with this. Pike’s job is to win games. Not to be loyal to Issa, “older guys.”
I cant go with this. Pike’s job is to win games. Not to be loyal to Issa, “older guys.”
The whole progam is on Coach Pike, as it is his program--just had to get that off my chest because I hate to see threads that try to ascertain "whom to blame". Weak Wins like Ohio State and allof the losses are "ON PIKE". I think we can all agree on that.
Anyway, NJHawk--- am not sure I saw kids with a bounce in their step <perhaps injuries/illness/out-of-shape> that would have made shots or free throws as they turned the ball over too often trying to drive earlier in the game.
And then on the post-game show while driving home, I had to laugh when Coach said we are a young team, people need to remember that (paraphrasing). If I was in the car by myself I would have had to pull over from laughter.
This is supposedly Power-5 basketball, Coach. Most programs recruit players for 2-years max. Every team is "young". Maybe he meant to say, we are a young program ???
Anyway, I am going to take three weeks off from home games, and spend my time with family/friends/clients elsewhere. Hope all of the #RU faithful and everyone else have a safe weekend.
Might be a busy message board if people get caught at home.
@kyk1827
I was at the game tonight in 112 behind Northwesterns bench and I literally came on here to now for the first time intending make the exact same OP. You ride Harper and McConnel all night and then in crunch trot out Thiam? He is a baby deer. The Thiam can play defense is a narrative because people see he’s long and can’t drive and just think oh he must be a three and d guy. He’s slow and has no twitch length doesn’t help you when you get blown by length doesn’t help you.
I was at the game tonight in 112 behind Northwesterns bench and I literally came on here to now for the first time intending make the exact same OP. You ride Harper and McConnel all night and then in crunch trot out Thiam? He is a baby deer. The Thiam can play defense is a narrative because people see he’s long and can’t drive and just think oh he must be a three and d guy. He’s slow and has no twitch length doesn’t help you when you get blown by length doesn’t help you.
Most programs recruit players for 2 years max? Do you spend all your time watching Duke and Kentucky?
They are young there is no disputing that.. 320th or so out of 350 Div I teams in experience
And we don't really care if you "take some time off" but thanks for sharing
They are young there is no disputing that.. 320th or so out of 350 Div I teams in experience
And we don't really care if you "take some time off" but thanks for sharing
I too am tired of the “we are a young team “ excuse. He says it a lot, other RU coaches have said it, but what he really should say is we’re not talented enough. Yes young means you can take bad shots, have turnovers and have defensive lapses but consider this....
Young does not equate to poor shooting, particularly 4-17 from 3, or less than 30 percent practically every game for all 3 of your seasons here.
Young does not mean the team is always dead last in free throw shooting at about 60 percent every year.
That falls on talent, recruiting talent and development of talent
Young does not equate to poor shooting, particularly 4-17 from 3, or less than 30 percent practically every game for all 3 of your seasons here.
Young does not mean the team is always dead last in free throw shooting at about 60 percent every year.
That falls on talent, recruiting talent and development of talent
This isn't on Pike and this isn't why we lost. We lost because we couldn't hit a 3 when it counted and we shot only 60% from the FT line. They shot 82% from the charity stripe and made 38% of their threes while we made 23%. That's why we lost. Yes Thiam is not the defender one would hope for. He's also not the outside shooter we thought he could be. Neither is Kiss.
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anon_0k9zlfz6lz9oy
Guest
If you are going to question any personnel move tonight it would be where was Kiss the last eight minutes. He was playing well and was almost totally responsible for bringing us back the first time we were down by eight.
Thiam needs to go to the bench.
Then why was Issa playing? Punishing Ron for poor shot selection?
Only possible explanation is coach trusts Issa defensively more than any of his 3s.
In theory Issa’s length gives him a big advantage guarding a guy who isn’t going to beat you off the dribble. Unfortunately Issa has a tough time getting around screens (twice)
Your assessment is not based on reality: Before Issa even entered the game, Taylor scored NW’s 1st points with a 3p.
Bottom line is that if someone other than Thiam would’ve made 3’s in the 2nd half then Rutgers could’ve won.
On the margin I would err toward being loyal. It takes time. There are no easy answers. The kids didn’t look great tonight either. Hang in there and don’t obsess over every game. B-ball is funky. If nw doesn’t bank 2 3’s maybe we win easy. Who the f knows.. You’re not going to make hay with our freshman in a big schedule anyway. Does it matter at this stage if we win or lose this game? I don’t think so.
I didnt have a problem with coaching or lineups tonight...remember a few players were not playing well...Johnson and McConnell come to mind, it wasnt just Issa
this team lost because it played bad defense in the first half so it dug a hole for themselves, the inability to make foul shots, and the inability to make big offense shot or big defensive stop. I think the whole team bears responsibility in that
this team lost because it played bad defense in the first half so it dug a hole for themselves, the inability to make foul shots, and the inability to make big offense shot or big defensive stop. I think the whole team bears responsibility in that
Don't know the point of this thread. RU didn't lose this game because of Issa's softness on defense and timidity on offense. That's a known. RU lost because we shot 57% from FTs (missed 10), shot 23% from 3Pts (4-17), turned the ball over 13 times, can't make open shots and is playing without a true point guard. RU can't even break the 60 pt barrier. We have a bunch of streak shooters.
We just have fundamentally bad shooters. RU needs more athletes and more pure shooters. Play Kiss and/or McConnell more tonight and RU loses by more than eight points.
GO RU
We just have fundamentally bad shooters. RU needs more athletes and more pure shooters. Play Kiss and/or McConnell more tonight and RU loses by more than eight points.
GO RU
A little bit of over-analyzing going on. Parsing every little thing. Bottom line a flawed team playing a better more experienced team. In addition our best players are freshmen and our best player is out. This was going to be a tough year no matter what and o’s Injury is a major issue.
Kiss should have had more minutes at the end. He was a plus tonight not a negative. We lost when we couldn't close the door when we tied the game late and we went scoreless for next several possessions with some bad shot selections as well. Thiam should not have been in there for last 8 minutes or so
Pike and the staff own this.....they defended a much better shooting team at Miami for 40 minutes and a more talented Ohio State team for 40 minutes. Northwestern has players but Taylor is a player who got 9 3s off...you can't get 9 3s attempted by accident....in the final 4 minutes, he gave up 6 easy points to a shooter who should not get a clean look.
It's a talent and athletic issue, if you have plus athletes, you get the steals, stops and push around a Northwestern, Penn State and impose your will against an opponent. The other gaps are players like Doorson cannot shade out on shooters and make Taylor make the play, to pass the ball inside.
When you have better players and better athletes on the court, those gaps get closed. But Thiam isn't the short term or long term answer on either end of the court. And the growth of the roster requires phasing out of the Bullocks, Mensah types last year....the Diallo, Laurents of 2 years ago. This year's bar gets raised again, it's now exposing Thiam as the weakest link on the court.
In time, these incomplete players get phased out, to have better players replacing them on both ends. It's ebbs and flows.
As much as people are not certain Kiss is a B1G caliber player, he has the athleticism to compete, i just need to see him dial in again and buy in again. If Thiam isn't going to play, Kiss is the next player up, who either competes to step up, or doesn't.
Kiss needs to outplay Thiam and generate a commitment to defend...at least he can attempt to score. Disappointing results tonight.
Have Miami......give it back to Fordham
Have Ohio State....give back one to Northwestern.
Part of the process, but would rather take my lumps with the freshmen.
It's a talent and athletic issue, if you have plus athletes, you get the steals, stops and push around a Northwestern, Penn State and impose your will against an opponent. The other gaps are players like Doorson cannot shade out on shooters and make Taylor make the play, to pass the ball inside.
When you have better players and better athletes on the court, those gaps get closed. But Thiam isn't the short term or long term answer on either end of the court. And the growth of the roster requires phasing out of the Bullocks, Mensah types last year....the Diallo, Laurents of 2 years ago. This year's bar gets raised again, it's now exposing Thiam as the weakest link on the court.
In time, these incomplete players get phased out, to have better players replacing them on both ends. It's ebbs and flows.
As much as people are not certain Kiss is a B1G caliber player, he has the athleticism to compete, i just need to see him dial in again and buy in again. If Thiam isn't going to play, Kiss is the next player up, who either competes to step up, or doesn't.
Kiss needs to outplay Thiam and generate a commitment to defend...at least he can attempt to score. Disappointing results tonight.
Have Miami......give it back to Fordham
Have Ohio State....give back one to Northwestern.
Part of the process, but would rather take my lumps with the freshmen.
Ohio State has now lost 4 in a row after a pounding at home by Maryland tonight. Our win was a good one but not nearly as good as we thought.
I counted 4 threes made by whomever Issa was covering. Gave up 12; made 3. Not a good trade.Using your logic, evaluating Issa based on how #14 scored then you could also say that Issa held #14 to less points (14pt) than he scored on Michigan the #2 ranked team in the country when NW played Michigan 5 days ago, and against Michigan #14 shot 50% from the field & 57% from 3p while tonight #14 was 5-13 (38%) & 3p (44%), so I doubt before tipoff that many would’ve predicted that #14 would score less points tonight’s & shoot 12% worse both from the field and 3p but Issa played horrible?! 
Huge Pike fan here...but...this one is on him.
He botched the rotation tonight big time. I am shocked we didnt run more sets for Kiss who seemed ready to go off...but...nothing.
This game was right there for the taking.
Bad job by the staff tonight...really bad...and it kills me to say that.
He botched the rotation tonight big time. I am shocked we didnt run more sets for Kiss who seemed ready to go off...but...nothing.
This game was right there for the taking.
Bad job by the staff tonight...really bad...and it kills me to say that.
And they would have missed most of the free throws anyway.
You know I agree with 95% of what you post and there is some devil's advocate in me. I have been hard on Issa for 2+ years. so......
1. Issa was on the court 30 minutes vs. MIA
2. Issa getting these minutes say more to me about the last 2 classes
3. How do you get Kiss dialed in? Shouldn't he earn minutes and not be the next up
4. I'd rather take my lumps with the freshman, but I'd rather mold my freshman to play the game the right way
At some point we have to start getting real worried that Issa is playing. Blaming the coach for playing the wrong people is the wrong blame. May have to soon question if the real blame is the roster he has created.
Thiam is having a serious sophomore slump in his junior year. He has digressed so much this season.
I thought he played pretty good D throughout his first two years and he definitely gave some players fits with his length. He also showed some promise in the BIG tourney with assertiveness in the post.
With that said he’s not shown anything this year and his defense has evaporated. Not good.
I thought he played pretty good D throughout his first two years and he definitely gave some players fits with his length. He also showed some promise in the BIG tourney with assertiveness in the post.
With that said he’s not shown anything this year and his defense has evaporated. Not good.
Issa is the current target. There are a few others that should be in the doghouse too if we are being fair. The same standard should be applied to our starting point guard who quite honestly should be sleeping next to Issa.
The why was Issa playing is what everyone is so pissed about, this isn't the first game where he gets burned from 3. It has been happening all season and it seems like Pike just doesn't see it which is why everyone is saying WTF!?!?!?
Issa played great zone D against OSU. Issa is a better perimeter defender than Harper.
Greene, go look at the second-to-final Miami play. They were down three with like eight seconds left after Baker's block on Lykes. The one thing you can't do is allow a three... And Issa bites HARD on a dribble drive fake, retreating into the lane and giving the Miami guy a wide open shot attempt.
That exact situation has played out many many times since. Add in his lack of strength to get through screens or play post defense and his length is completely neutered on defense.
I was one of the guys defending him when you were hard on him but he's had a real tough year.
That exact situation has played out many many times since. Add in his lack of strength to get through screens or play post defense and his length is completely neutered on defense.
I was one of the guys defending him when you were hard on him but he's had a real tough year.
Agreed
Kiss being trashed 2 weeks ago and now people yelling for him to get more minutes.
Second game I've seen this year and the thing that jumps up at you offensively is that RU Bigs get the ball facing the basket 17 feet out straight away and they just get ignored by their defender. Basically daring them to shoot or put it on the floor and go to the rim.
Having the opposing Big sink deep into the lane just completely takes away the cutters or guys posting on the blocks and forces the ball to the wings every time.
Purdue doubled us everytime we got the ball to the bigs and we couldn't kick it out to the open guy or turned it over. Northwestern implemented the same strategy
Not sure if you saw the game but regarding Kiss...he made his first shot early on and was giving tons of effort on D. This team has an issue scoring and Kiss has had some confidence issues...SO GET HIM THE DAMN BALL. He plays 10 mins (in that first stretch) and we dont find him one shot. That's criminal as a coach.
2nd half he makes two nice offensive plays sandwiched around a solid defensive play. Do we find ways to try and see if we can get him off? Nope.
Look, I get it...this team is challenged offensively. And it's quite possible that Kiss would have never gotten off. But you have to try. This game was begging to be taken. But we just beat ourselves.
I could make a similar argument about Carter early on when he looked to be hot but we ran several possessions where if he touched the ball it was way outside. And this is before they were doubling him when he recieved it.
I mean WTF...this one was def on the staff IMHO
anyone see when finally got in to the game late down 6 and there was a loose ball that he didn't go hard after?
I wish he would take the emotion he displays after making a layup or an open 3 and take it on the defensive end, grabbling a rebound, or winning a 50/50.
He needs to watch Mathis and the way he goes about his business.
I wish he would take the emotion he displays after making a layup or an open 3 and take it on the defensive end, grabbling a rebound, or winning a 50/50.
He needs to watch Mathis and the way he goes about his business.
I agree 100%. Kiss was also scoring in the beginning of B1G play then he just had his minutes cut. I mean atleast he poses some threat on the offensive end and has somewhat of a skill set to make things happen.
Agreed. I have really enjoyed watching Mathis coming along the past several games. Very aggressive going to the hoop, even if a bit out of control in spots, but he's getting to the line for the most part. He plays with an attitude and a competitive fire. Him and Carter have been bright spots so far during the conference schedule.
One on one, Harper wins. But on THIS team, Issa is a better fit. Harper is a tweener. Too slow for perimeter and too small to bang.
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anon_0k9zlfz6lz9oy
Guest
As soon as Pike said they will focus on D, that means Issa was going to get more minutes. I actually agree with Pike on this one. Issa just doesn’t provide anything on O but Harper wasn’t lighting it up either.