Things I saw - UAB (updated with some film study)

[JwgreDeux 1,279]

Auburn 74 - UAB 70

After a back and forth first half which saw UAB leading by 4, we came out and played an excellent second half. Taking the lead with 13 minutes to play and never giving it up. This is a solid win and could be a nice resume builder depending on what UAB does in their league going forward. 

Let's start with the defense. It was the best we have played since the Texans tech game, holding them to poor percentages from the floor and from three. Part of that was UAB missing some open looks in the second half, but the majority of it was defensive pressure and getting UAB out of what they wanted to do on offense. On defense we were fronting the post and helping with a backside player. This forces the offense to do a could of things. First make a difficult entry pass, and second if the post player collects the pass he has to deal with a smaller faster player coming under him as well as the threat of a block from behind. While UAB scored a good bit of points in the paint, they also missed many contested layups and blocks (7 actually).  UAB shot 43 from the floor and 23 from three, and we didn't have any real foul trouble. Speaking of foul trouble, UAB lost their best player with about 8 minutes to play with us leading by 5 or so. He committed a foul and followed it with a technical, showing the frustration he was feeling from being swarmed when on offense without getting fouls in his favor. Cokley only had 8 points and shot less than 50% from the field in his time. I personally would have liked to watch us try to close the game out with him in the floor but I don't think it would have changed much. We created turnovers and limited ours being +5 in that battle.

Rebounding could have been better. That will continue to be a theme of the season, we will have to accept it at some point. Without much of a size advantage they out rebounded is by 9, but only by 1 offensive rebound. 

Offensively, it was a mixed bag. The headlines will be about our three point shooting, but we struggled from the floor overall. Free throws were again below a good average, and if Harper makes a few more down the stretch, it would have been more comfortable of a win. We shot above 40% from three but barely that same percentage from the floor. I thought we had a chance to score a lot of points if we shot the ball well from outside, but we weren't able to separate in the second half due to misses from closer in. Brown and Johnson were our only players to shoot above 50% from two point range, that's a strange stat. However, the three ball is a great weapon. This win was unlike any others so far this year. Poor interior scoring, average free throw shooting, below average rebounding, average defense and good deep shooting, a strange recipe no doubt. 

Bright spots included our freshmen carrying us, accounting for almost 50 points, with Harper leading the way. Speaking of Harper, he continues to protect the ball, ZERO turnovers in first road game. This freshman has a quiet confidence that I really like. He has things to learn for sure, but I'm excited about his future. Johnson also played well in his minutes, what a luxury to bring him off the bench at the point guard spot. When was the last time we had two legit points like this? 

Purifoy was good from deep, but that was about it. He and Heron weren't pretty, but they fought hard and kept after it all game, which was nice to see. Very mature effort from both. Lang and Brown continue to struggle, have to keep watching that. Spencer was more aggressive on offense which had mixed results. Only made one shot, but he did have four offensive boards and two assists. 

Road wins are sweet. To be the only major program in the state to win a basketball game over the weekend will get some attention on this team. Who has the best program in the state as of this moment, Auburn without a question. Is that enough to get to the tourney? Time will tell. 

We we have a nice long break to work on conditioning and maybe figure out some shooting woes. We will know where we stand in RPI and other metrics once all the weekend games are over. 

My take away from this game, is to be encouraged as this team keeps finding ways to win. 

highlights: 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 5, 2016 by JwgreDeux
added boxscore and highlights

[SumterAubie 3,031]

Thanks for taking the time to do this.

[AU64 10,122]

3 hours ago, JwgreDeux said:

My take away from this game, is to be encouraged as this team keeps finding ways to win. 

Yep.....always good to win a game like this on the road....still wondering bout the FG shooting. Boston College is next up and their record is pretty weak...but another road game so you never know.

[AUTigersfan89 256]

I truly appreciate the time you take in writing these up. I look forward to reading them following each game. Thank you!

[gravejd 3,266]

Agreed with everyone else on how much i enjoy these posts! I didn't see the game and couldn't find a replay so i don't have much input to give. Just want to say what a great win that was for this team and the AU bball program. This team is a bit farther along than i was expecting at this point in the season and i'm getting really excited about the possibilities this season could hold. 

[Timeslider 6 269]

Thanks for the post, you're very objective and fair to the team. 

[JwgreDeux 1,279]

Went back and watched some of the game and wanted to show a few things that I noticed the second time around. First a couple of offensive series: 

This is a breakdown of our first basket of the game. Heron with the ball, is going to run a pick and roll from the wing (driving left to his strong hand), with Purifoy as the screener. 

Heron heads to the top of the key off of the screen as Purifoy's defender goes with Heron to prevent the penetration, Purifoy can roll to the basket, but decides to flare to the wing and spot up.  (notice that Brown is cutting to the to the extended wing, in the event Purifoy rolled to the basket, Brown's man would have likely taken Purifoy leaving Brown open on the wing)

Brown clears through as his defender sags off into the lane (becoming a screen), as Heron makes the skip pass to a wide open DP for 3. 

[JwgreDeux 1,279]

This series shows that CBP has begun to run some sets with Harper as a defacto 2 guard: 

 

Harper brings the ball up the court but immediately passes to Heron at the top of the key, Harper then begins a cut off of a TRIPLE screen, first off of Spencer 

Brown moves to the top of the key and takes a hand off from Heron who makes a down cut off hedge from Spencer. Harper meanwhile has run the baseline around and screened off of Purifoy, (notice Spencer has moved up to the elbow, after hedging for Brown). 

Spencer pivots from his previous position, becoming the 3rd screen for Harper, who is wide open for a 3 (notice Purifoy is already celebrating, before Harper shoots).

[JwgreDeux 1,279]

Now for a few bad things I noticed, defensive lapses.  These are NOT due to fatigue or any players quitting. This is pure, plain, and simple defensive lapses. 

So as I described in the OP, we were fronting the post a lot in this game. Here we are fronting with Spencer, and Dunans is helping underneath. On this play they make the entry pass, the UAB player shoves Spencer in the back but is not called for the foul.

 

Dunans rotates down to help and swarms the ball. The UAB wing player cuts to the basket and Johnson shifts down to help on that cut, leaving his man (by design). This leaves Purifoy at the top to be ready to guard the kick out pass if it comes. Instead he and Lang are ball watching (standing straight up watching the ball), a cardinal sin on defense. On this possession, the UAB post player takes a highly contested floater/jump shot and misses with Spencer collecting the rebound, but the positioning by Purifoy and Lang is a lapse. 

Edited December 5, 2016 by JwgreDeux

[jared52 4,354]

Nice analysis. Two thoughts I had to add:

1. AU's offense was best when working inside out. A lot of shots were missed when the shooter caught a pass from the perimeter. It's a harder shot than when you are facing the basket and can catch and shoot. Sometimes the turn to catch and shoot on a pass around the perimeter is enough to throw off your rhythm/timing. 

2. I noticed the fronting, and I wonder if it was a ploy to cut down on Spencer's fouls by basically taking him out of the play if the pass made it over him. They got called for the push in the back a few times and I didn't see them get away with it much, like the time in your screen shot.

 

Edited December 5, 2016 by jared52

[jared52 4,354]

Oh and one more thought. AU's defense was not good most of the night. What got AU the win was the drought that UAB when in with about 10 min to go. They were getting plenty of good shots, but they weren't falling for a while there. If UAB hit 40% of those shots, AU is headed home with their tails between their legs. Defense has a long way to go.

[SumterAubie 3,031]

5 hours ago, jared52 said:

Oh and one more thought. AU's defense was not good most of the night. What got AU the win was the drought that UAB when in with about 10 min to go. They were getting plenty of good shots, but they weren't falling for a while there. If UAB hit 40% of those shots, AU is headed home with their tails between their legs. Defense has a long way to go.

So was Auburn not in a scoring lull at any point during the game?

[jamstanjr 4]

Thanks for this educational and thought provoking post. Great, balanced reporting in your observations by hitting on our shortcomings (free throws, rebounding and average defensive play) as well as high points (point guard play, depth and 3 pt. shooting.)

You cannot help but be encouraged by this team and the fact that we are even talking about the tournament at 6-1 and a chance to go 7-1 with an RPI that is on the rise. CBP is doing something very special here and this young roster is fun to watch.

[AU64 10,122]

10 hours ago, SumterAubie said:

So was Auburn not in a scoring lull at any point during the game?

I guess some might say that when a team shoots 40% from the field for a game....the entire game might be thought of as a "scoring lull" .....though the 3 pt. shooting overall was pretty good it seems.  

[AUMASTERS 555]

4 hours ago, jamstanjr said:

Thanks for this educational and thought provoking post. Great, balanced reporting in your observations by hitting on our shortcomings (free throws, rebounding and average defensive play) as well as high points (point guard play, depth and 3 pt. shooting.)

You cannot help but be encouraged by this team and the fact that we are even talking about the tournament at 6-1 and a chance to go 7-1 with an RPI that is on the rise. CBP is doing something very special here and this young roster is fun to watch.

Out of likes (I don't know how I used 25 likes and it's only 12:00), but I agree, and welcome to the site.

[WVR 818]

I was at the game with about 10 of my Auburn friends.  I really enjoyed the game. Had not seen Auburn  vs UAB since the 80's at the BJCC. Auburn had a large amount of fans at the game too. 

I do not have a great basketball IQ, but it looked to me like in the first half we were all about shooting 3's. 2nd half we were taking more shots under the basket.