ND's comeback run...

[Protes]

Just went to the videotape of the last 9+ minutes of the game. We just really failed to execute in all facets once we were up 73-57. ND was out-hustling us which led to several offensive rebound scores and also easy baskets in transition.

Defensively we were victimized 4 times by Jeter switching to cover Jackson. The 3rd time, Jeter backed off Jackson to the foul line which gave him a wide open 3. Sheldon simply has to get better at hedging.

On another possession JRob got blown past and Mike Young (probably because of foul trouble) did an ole which led to an easy layup.

On offense it's hard to explain how we just fell apart and didn't execute. Mike Young had Colson beat, IMO, and just barreled him over. Jeter put the ball on the floor in the paint in the next possession which led to a turnover. Artis basically caused another TO with an extremely lazy hand-off to JRob. When we recovered the ball, Jeter acted like he didn't know the clock didn't reset and we had to launch a prayer. Artis then inexplicably left Vasturia beyond the arc to try to rebound it and that led to a transition run-out layup.

We called time out twice during the stretch and neither time did we end up with a good look. We posted up Artis once and he came up short. That's an odd shot for us to take after a TO. I think the other time, JRob tossed up a prayer from the baseline that missed.

Of course, it's hard to complain about an offense that put up 86 points and is averaging 80-plus per game. There are always going to be bad stretches, especially on the road. The bigger issue remains our defensive execution, which often are simply mental lapses.

 

[9nationalchampionships]

I agree! Couples of notes I made during game:

Dixon should have taken Young out after 2 fouls in 1st half
We should have moved to a zone much faster.
When the lead went under 10 we should have called a timeout and replaced the entire 5 players on the floor. We did not create anything on offense and played crappy D.
Good win on the road nonetheless

 

[Zaratoughda]

This team can play good D but.... we get big leads and then they get sloppy and that allows the other team to come back.

I was watching the replay and ND's first 6 points were all against Sterling Smith. Mainly taking it to the hoop on him. They were getting the ball to whomever Smith was covering and he was taking Smith to the hoop. Originally it was Vasturia (sp?) but then when Robinson started covering Vasturia and Smith was covering Jackson, they got the ball to Jackson and he did the same thing.

Funny... but I was watching Smith in the second half and he was playing the D correctly... staying between his man and the hoop and making for difficult shots which were mostly missed.

After a while in the first half Dixon sent Jones in and they tried to do the same thing to Jones but he played it correctly and 6'6" is hard to shoot over. But, later on, I saw Jones getting beat.

When Jackson hit those 4 3balls in a row... the first one was against Artis. Not sure why Artis was covering him but he just shot it right over Jamel. The next two were against Wilson. So, Dixon put Jones on Jackson and that is when he hit the one from the shamrock. Not much you could do about that one except... if you give a player open shots then sometimes he starts hitting from everywhere.

Robinson is our best perimeter defender... by far... but he gets worn down and starts getting beat late. In the game against GT he was shutting Adam Smith down... the announcers were wondering why he hadn't taken any shots and James was the reason. But, Smith nailed a 3ball late in the half... the camera coverage was poor so hard to say but it looked like James had him covered but he just nailed it right over him. But, a short time later another GT player took a shot and James went to the basket, got caught up with the bigs under there, and they got the OR and Smith was wide open and they got the ball to him. Sterling Smith made a run at him but it was too late. This one, was Robinson's fault. So, he has some defensive lapses as well.

Late in the second half, when Adam Smith got really hot, it was largely because, you guessed it, Dixon (apparently) decided to give Robinson a break and had Sterling Smith (trying to) cover Adam Smith. Couldn't keep up with him or was allowing him to shoot 3balls right over him... which were all going in the hoop.

If we were just putting the ball in the hoop and NOT playing good D.... we wouldn't get the big leads because the other team would be scoring also. The 28-10 lead is as much about the 10 as it is the 28. We were playing good D (for the most part) up until that point. That was around the time Jackson got hot.

Again, we get the big leads and then tend to slack off... and the other team makes a run and when they get close.... well, we go on another run.

Oh... the OTHER thing.... when Jeter was switching off on Jackson... really looked to me that Dixon had decided to give the switchoff 1-5 'defense' (where the other team scores every time) a try. Yeah, didn't stay too long with that as Jackson was beating Jeter bad.

If Wilson could handle things to the point where he isn't a liability out there.... Dixon could rest Robinson more and he would not be so out of gas at the end of the game. Yeah, playing good D takes a LOT of energy... especially if it is against Adam Smith. But, same old story on this one... was saying it the last two years with Newkirk.

And yeah... Jeter's D... needs some work.