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As Mack said, UC's offensive rebounding prowess and toughness were addressed in every conversation in practice leading up to the game, and in every huddle during the game. No excuse for that level of softness.Quote:
Originally Posted by scoscox
I have NO doubt that Mack made this a point of emphasis the entire week.
Agree with what you said regarding Mack. I have 2 quick defensive points.Quote:
Originally Posted by drudy23
1) Can we please start to front the post or 3/4 the post man? I'm tired of watching teams passing it to their big man with relative ease.
2) Rebounding is about positioning and angles of the shot. Once you get in the right spot you need to go after the ball and get your ass in front of an offensive player. You can't hope the ball just falls in your lap. UC was basically jumping over our players grabbing rebounds while we stood flat footed on the ground.
With regards to Sumner. I have to think his shoulder is holding him back. I'm not a doctor but suspect he needs suurgery ( Oh wait, I am a doctor)
I've been astounded at our rebounding margin this season, esp given the lack of rebounds from the 5 position. Except for Ed and the occasional hops from Tyrique, we don't play above the rim at all. When we do run into more athletic front courts (Baylor), the result is similar to last night.
If there is one fly in the recruiting ointment, it's the inability to find, recruit and nourish a dominant big. Mack landed Jalen, but I'm not sure he nourished him. Mack has done a reasonably good job making lemonade from the likes of Frease, Farr. But we're never going to run four games in the dance and get to the final four without some natural front court talent.
See this is not completely true. Yes this is partly effort... But it's partly taking proper angles and getting help from teammates. If Mack is just telling his one big to box out... and that one guy is trying to do it against 3 UC players who are crashing the boards (with little help from additional X players), odds are always going to be in favor of the three guys getting the rebound. Add to that our bigs (other than Jones) are less athletic than the most of the BE completion they play against. Then let's remember Gaston is 6'7" (at best) playing against players who are 6'9" or bigger. Next, add that when Gates was helping out with rebounds (which wasn't often) he was usiually out of position.Quote:
Originally Posted by drudy23
I remember hearing (before the season began) that Mack thought his bigs this swason were capable of being just as good as last year's bigs. A comment that was quite surprising to me (and to probably most others on this board).
And for for the record... I don't buy the notion that effort isn't coachable. I know Mack likes to mention it at times, but You absolutely can get better effort through coaching. All a quick time out and really Crack the whip when the effort wanes and you will very likely get some better effort. Great coaches can get their kids to give a little more. Just watch Villanova play. Do people really think every player Jay Wright recruited just happens to have better effort every game than other teams? Or is it more likely that Jay has certain expectations and he demands fhat during practice and in games that they have to give it everything they've got every second they are on the court.
That's not to say Mack is a bad coach. He is a good coach. But I think it's also fair to suggest he has flaws too (all coaches do) that he needs to be better about owning and continue to work on (as all smart coaches do in order to get better as a coach and to achieve better results). The problem on the court starts with the coach- Period. Whether that problem is a lack of talent, a lack of discipline, a lack of execution (in some cases), poor adjustments, and even poor effort (if that poor effort last more than a few minutes in a game). You know the coach is coaching his best when his the players are playing are giving their best.
Quote:
Originally Posted by sgarcia
Yes.
Agreed.Quote:
Originally Posted by Emp
Though, to be fair, Frease came in as a highly rated recruit and played beneath his expectations until the NCAA tournament during his final year. Farr, on the other hand, was a 2 star -work in progress- who may possibly have had the most impressive transformation of any big at X. He went from, "Why did we even recruit this stiff who doesn't move well and can't make a bunny" to "Wow, James is such a monster rebounder and a good scorer and one of the key reasons the team is one of the best in college basketball... and why the team has a realistic shot of making it to the final four."
If they leave then Europe will be getting 2 good project playersQuote:
Originally Posted by KabeX
No shot... however I won't be able to prove it till marchQuote:
Originally Posted by xukeith