vs. Akron (2/19)

[Hooper]

You are total delusional but your stat watch stuff is good. We have the deepest TEAM in the MAC and a team that has bought in to the system. But keep thinking negative. I’ll tell you this, this run is far from over.

[hammb]

The first half lull (after we went up 14-4 to start) began with a couple shots not falling, then we had a LOOONG stretch of some really poor possessions. Definitely felt like they let up some on the energy level after jumping out to an early lead. Some of that, as well, is Akron just being a pretty good defensive team. Several times they basically dared us to get the ball into Sierra or Plowden's hands for 3s. We did, and they couldn't make the shots. It's a bit of everything, we acquiesced to what the defense wanted, the defense did a good job only leaving our lesser shooters available, and our lesser shooters didn't make the shots. Sure, it's shots not falling, but when the shots you're taking are the exact ones the opponent WANTS you to take, it's also bad offense (and/or good defense).

In the 2nd half after we got up big again, we missed a couple shots and let Akron get some easy buckets. Then they gained some confidence and hit some 3s. Not sure if it was energy or what, but we were up 7 or 8 and Dylan took that transition 3. That goes in and it's lights out. It rattled out and UA used it to get right back in the game.

[mbenecke]

I don't think it's a detractor from the win to say there were some droughts last night, and I think energy did play a part in that. After going up 14-4, we just kinda stopped playing hard. It led to easy buckets and Akron got back into it. Then we closed the half playing hard and cut the deficit to a manageable margin. In the second half, we got up big and had an opportunity for the kill. Like hammb said above, Dylan took an early shot clock three for pretty much no reason (just a silly shot for the situation, not that he can't knock them down) and it let Akron back into it.

For all of its successes, this team has a lot of areas where it can improve. We gotta figure out how to get guys to catch the ball when it's thrown to them, for one. It would be good if we wouldn't fight ourselves for rebounds when there are only 3 BG guys there. I still think we need to quit switching Wiggins onto guards at the perimeter, and we need to go over screens to stop the three pointer from time to time (this has been better since the Toledo game, though). We need to work on ways that this team can be consistently excellent instead of finding ourselves in holes and having to climb out or seeing our own leads evaporate.

Those are just the things that will take this program to the top of the MAC consistently in years to come, if we get them figured out.

But I'm enjoying the heck out of this run. It's really been awesome, and I hope it continues in Athens on Friday night.

[Globetrotter]

You are total delusional but your stat watch stuff is good. We have the deepest TEAM in the MAC and a team that has bought in to the system. But keep thinking negative. I’ll tell you this, this run is far from over.

Watch every lull in scoring and it's the exact same causes.

1. 2 Bigs standing next to eachother in the paint
2. Guards not moving especially one standing at the top of the point
3. Firing up threes early in the shot clock

[zete]

I thought the National Anthem Woodstock/Hendrix style w the electric guitar was well received.

[zete]

They guy next to me last night told me Akron used to bring about 200 people to the Stroh on game nite.
They had very little there last evening. ....After Bullalo's reign is through, Im wondering which MAC team will emerge and make a run, breaking the tom 25, NCAAs......... BTw, I think Buffalo is the first MAC team in awhile that could win the NIT.

[mbenecke]

I hope it's us, zete.