Eerily similar to 2022-2023

[ArgoEagle 1,797]

1 hour ago, passthebiscuits said:

Yet you chose the negative one thing from the one game you watched to make the negative original post. Surely you can understand why the rest of us are miffed. But at least you got us engaged in the discussion. So for that you’re a genius. 

Brother PTB, if you will kindly look at my OP. I said "we had control of the game and looked sharp in most phases". This is not negative, and so I did not single out the bad.

[cole256 17,084]

Not trying to get into the argument (both sides actually are a bit right and wrong) 

I just wanted to point out that Baylor literally uses a defensive style so unique they may be the only team to run it, some call it a no middle defense....I bring that up just to say once again for a first game with a team with like 3 new starters and even more new guys in the rotation, there was going to be mistakes. There's still a bunch more to come mind you, but this being the first game with this particular team....it was just going to go either way no matter what in my eyes. 

It was the equivalent of a football team with a bunch of new starters having to prepare for a triple option team for their first game. You are just going to need more databefore you can really know what's going on. 

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,733]

On 11/9/2023 at 6:43 PM, ArgoEagle said:

I believe we will either have Holloway only 1 or 2 years.

Just seen 2 drafts that didn't have him involved, if that makes you feel better about this year. After Cooper basically threw his career away going early and Thor left for the money, I wouldn't be surprised with anyone leaving early. However, I think Aden will be here for at least 2

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,733]

9 hours ago, gravejd said:

I may be wrong here but it seems like we are consistently getting called for more fouls then our opponent. Assuming the refs don't hate AU or our players (not totally convinced of this but for arguments sake lol) what can we do to reduce fouls but still play good defense? Do you bring refs in to call fouls in practice? Change how we coach defense? 

Also, the next time Cardwell fouls a guard at half court i'm going down to AU to make him run bleachers myself. 

Auburn just plays a brand of ball where they gamble for turnovers often. Fouls are just going to come as a nature of that. My assumption is they believe their best offense is in transition, and initiating that is more important than anything else. 

Additionally, Auburn generally doesn't have many shot creators amongst the lineup. Like last year, the only players who could put real pressure driving to the rim were Wendell, KD, occasionally Flanigan, and occasionally Broome. I could be missing someone but that's about it iirc. I could go more general, but specific to the first game, the fouls were similar when Auburn went to the rim in the first half and early in the 2nd. As the game progressed, Auburn's offense became centralized to a few players, and one of them was Aden who began taking some non-ideal shots. Broome was another player, but he was in a box against Baylor's freshman center. On the other side, Baylor's guards beat ours down going to the rim. If that happens enough, either the opposing guards are going to start reaching or bodying the guards to slow them down or you're going to have to draw a ton of help defense, which just leads to other guys being out of position and exacerbating the issue.

Not saying Auburn deserved every call or didn't deserve more themselves, but if you just go back and watch many of those fouls individually, many of them do look like real fouls.  

[passthebiscuits 6,866]

7 hours ago, ArgoEagle said:

Brother PTB, if you will kindly look at my OP. I said "we had control of the game and looked sharp in most phases". This is not negative, and so I did not single out the bad.

You are indeed correct. I re-read my comments and I came off super-angsty. I think I may need a nap…or a good burger…maybe both. In any event, I apologize. I meant no ill will. 
 

 

war Eagle. 

[ArgoEagle 1,797]

9 hours ago, passthebiscuits said:

You are indeed correct. I re-read my comments and I came off super-angsty. I think I may need a nap…or a good burger…maybe both. In any event, I apologize. I meant no ill will. 
 

 

war Eagle. 

Not a problem brother.

Enjoy your burger & your nap.

[JwgreDeux 1,279]

With 4 minutes to play in the game we were leading 77-72 here are out last possessions of the game:

J. Williams turnover (3:46 left) still 77-72

(we commit a foul and they make 2 free throws now 77-74) 

A. Holloway turnover (3:11 left) 77-74

(they make a 3 in a secondary break now 77-77)

D. Jones turnover (2:48) 77-77 

(they get a transition dunk now they lead 77-79)

D. Jones shot blocked on a drive still down (2:30 left) 77-79

(we commit a foul they make 2 free throws no 77-81) * at this point they have scored 9 points in four trips down the court to our 0 in 1:30 seconds of game time!

A. Holloway missed on a drive, Broome can't get the put back (1:57 left) 77-81

(they go down and make a shot now lead 77-83)

A. Holloway scores on a drive (1:13 left) 79-83

(we go down and get a stop)

A. Holloway misses long three (0:39 left) 79-83

(we go down, Broome commits a foul and gets into the double tech situation and they make 2 free throws 79-85) 0:27 left

D. Jones makes a 3 and we close the gap to 82-85 with 0:19 left

(we have to foul they make both free throws and that's essentially it 82-87) they add one more free throw to get the final of 82-88. Outscored 16-5 in final 4 minutes. 

 

I think the thing that this does remind me of last year is our inability to create good shots down the stretch. We would see our small guards struggle to finish at the basket over and over. It was our achilles heel. It will be something to watch at the end of halves early this season to see how CBP mixes lineups and play calls to improve the way we finish. Combine that with them attempting 9 more free throws and making 10 more we had a smaller lead than we should have, and either turned it over or didn't create good shots down the stretch.  This is not last year's team and there is no reason to assume we this will become the norm for this group. However, it is something to watch.