No way you can be the underdog and win at home or on the road by shooting a poor percentage from the FT line and missing FT's in key situations. It's a joke that scholarship bball players on a B1G team shoot FT's as poorly as RU. Tough to take RU seriously when this is how they lose games time after time.
Make a F'in FT!!!
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Listen, this one was tough, I'm as frustrated
As you, but look at the bright side, next year
We will have better players, our coach might be the coach of the year, we definitely missing something, but we came a long way
I'm hanging in, you should do the same!
As you, but look at the bright side, next year
We will have better players, our coach might be the coach of the year, we definitely missing something, but we came a long way
I'm hanging in, you should do the same!
Gotta learn how to finish (and of course hit free throws). I think that's like 8 games this year we've been up by 6 or more with less than 5 minutes to go and lost. At least we have something to build on compared to the last three years.
And to be clear, this is in no way on the coaches. The players need to bear down and make their FT's especially in crunch time. No excuses.
Williams misses the front end of a 1 and 1 when good team have guys that hit both. When he missed that you knew it was the beginning of the end.
I watched 90% of this game until I had to drive my son to a friend's house. So I had the game on my phone, peering down quickly to follow the game. This is the same old, same old. We should have 5 wins now, but have lost the game at the line. At the end, CJ and Nigel made both of their FT's. That was surprising but great. I saw this loss happening, when once again Mike Williams, whom I love for his tenacity, blew a one and one allowing them to quickly go down court and have McIntosh nail down his first three to put them up by 2 and essentially the game.
Mike, you have to make those damn FT's. You make those FT's and we pull out a very good road win. But once again, LOUSY FT shooting did us in. In the offseason, I don't care what Pikiell has to do or who he has to pay, but they need to turn it around at the FT line. It's disgusting to watch games we should win slip threw our fingers.
Difficult loss, like how Eugene played. Especially since someone wants him gone.
The message board for this game was outstanding .lots of meaningful comments.
This is on the staff. They know we can't hit ft's. Terrible offensive plan in the last 6-8 minutes. Pike gave the game away.
Any road game is tough.....I didnt think it would be ...but this one WAS winnable
1-- the bench did well...congrats to Omoruyi 10pts 5 REBs[thumb2][thumb2]
2-- Johnson had 16 pts[thumb2]...Sanders 17pts[thumb2]
3- Mike Williams had 8 REBs ! 5pts[thumb2]
4- CJ had 9 REBs 10pts[thumb2]
5-my fav player Freeman...sadly took a vacation...5REBs 3pts
Frustrating....to say the least....
:scream:
1-- the bench did well...congrats to Omoruyi 10pts 5 REBs[thumb2][thumb2]
2-- Johnson had 16 pts[thumb2]...Sanders 17pts[thumb2]
3- Mike Williams had 8 REBs ! 5pts[thumb2]
4- CJ had 9 REBs 10pts[thumb2]
5-my fav player Freeman...sadly took a vacation...5REBs 3pts
Frustrating....to say the least....
:scream:The loss started with Mike Williams (whom I love) missing the front end of a one and one. FT's, damn FT's. We've lost at least 3 possibly 4 games because of lousy FT shooting.Any road game is tough.....I didnt think it would be ...but this one WAS winnable
1-- the bench did well...congrats to Omoruyi 10pts 5 REBs[thumb2][thumb2]
2-- Johnson had 16 pts[thumb2]...Sanders 17pts[thumb2]
3- Mike Williams had 8 REBs ! 5pts[thumb2]
4- CJ had 9 REBs 10pts[thumb2]
5-my fav player Freeman...sadly took a vacation...5REBs 3pts
Frustrating....to say the least....
I told my wife the same thing. I sad damn if MW doesn't hit we are in trouble.
The loss is not on him alone, but he had a chance to keep us ahead by 6 if he makes the FTs. I like the intensity he brings, but as captain you have a chance to show what it takes to be a leader by hitting a big shot.
Then when Sanders didn't even get a crucial shot off in crunch time, unbelievable. Might not be totally fair, but don't know what he was trying to do to get off a shot. Didn't look to be a 3 to tie.
When it's a close game at the end, we have a similar opportunity to keep the advantage, but we NEVER convert. It's almost like they know they will always have a chance to win. Just be patient.
I like to think we'll get better at this part of the game, but I'm not to sure with the present roster. When you know why you lost again, but can't figure out how to win, this is where you end up no matter how hard you play.
Listen genius.
You keep posting the same dumb **** in thread after thread.
What great and glorious offense would you have Pike run?
Mike missing that FT was killer. He's the best FT shooter on the team, and we had just made a remarkable 4 in a row... I thought for sure he'd make it 5 or 6. And then... ugh.
Played a great game all around, but needed some guys to step up in the clutch tonight.
Played a great game all around, but needed some guys to step up in the clutch tonight.
What makes missing fts even more frustrating is that the guys don't even look like they're trying. They just heave the shot up knowing they're going to miss. There's no actual form or practiced routine.
Brain,
Pike tried to drain the clock and basically stopped running the offense somewhere between the 52-54 minute mark. Watch the end again. We weren't even looking for a shot until the last 10 seconds in the shot clock. Did u see any passes to Getty in the post? Pike f'd up. Overall, I'm thrilled in what he's done this year. But he f'd up today.
I'm guessing you didn't play bball yourself. It was blatant.
Pike tried to drain the clock and basically stopped running the offense somewhere between the 52-54 minute mark. Watch the end again. We weren't even looking for a shot until the last 10 seconds in the shot clock. Did u see any passes to Getty in the post? Pike f'd up. Overall, I'm thrilled in what he's done this year. But he f'd up today.
I'm guessing you didn't play bball yourself. It was blatant.
That's a mindless and thoughtless comment . Looking like they don't care ?? That's just random BS
This team really cares. You don't have the rebounding and defense like they do if you don't care. And there was a lot of emotion on the bench when they made some shots later in the game and we're trying to keep the lead.
In terms of the free throw shooting, I don't know what is the answer. Lot's of practice in an empty gym late at night?
In terms of the free throw shooting, I don't know what is the answer. Lot's of practice in an empty gym late at night?
Not necessarily that they don't care. There's just no rhythm to their free throws. Like many have said before, free throws should be all practice and muscle memory.
You are WAY oversimplying why we lost.
Milking clock is good when you have a lead.
And did you see the offensive possession when we got the ball back after I think Williams was fouled scrambling for an offensive rebound?
I believe Nigel then drove and jacked up a quick shot taking no more than 5 seconds off the clock?
That was cringe worthy.
Make Northwestern play D, and shorten the game.
That is what you do when trying to hold a lead late and especially on the road.
And it's kind of weird and disturbing how much you want to blame Pikiell and only Pikiell for the loss, and don't mention anything about the players, or the refs, or give credit to Northwestern.
Agree with Winfield-------- too early to start milking clock and I thought RU did that.
That's something you do with 3 minutes or less in a close game .
Per usual effort was good especially on the boards but NW hit shots down the stretch and Rutgers didn't.
That's something you do with 3 minutes or less in a close game .
Per usual effort was good especially on the boards but NW hit shots down the stretch and Rutgers didn't.
The premise is completely wrong on the staff "milking the clock", because more than half if not 70% of their possessions wind up with the ball at the top of the key with a guard (Sanders or Nigel), with under 10 seconds on the shot clock....The last 4 minutes are isolated because it's "crunch-time" and the over the back foul call on Gettys or the lack of calls when we drive and get fouled earlier in the game aren't considered "big", because there is more time left in the game.
Most basketball teams run their best plays to keep the ball in the hands of their most reliable players in the last 4 minutes of a game...the game then becomes a "whatever player make or miss shots"....NW did nothing but try and isolate McIntosh on screen and roll and took a couple of bad shots that resembled nothing of the offense they ran most of the game.
Most basketball teams run their best plays to keep the ball in the hands of their most reliable players in the last 4 minutes of a game...the game then becomes a "whatever player make or miss shots"....NW did nothing but try and isolate McIntosh on screen and roll and took a couple of bad shots that resembled nothing of the offense they ran most of the game.
Anyone who has been an athlete recognizes the signs. We "choke the games away" at the end. You let the situation get into your head, so that you have no rhythm.You are either a half second slow reacting or a half second fast at executing.
Slow - during the last 3 minutes our defenders were arriving a half second later or more when defending their 3-point shots. Both Williams and Johnson reacted too slow to missed shots and allowed NW to get offensive rebounds; something non-existent for the rest of the game.
Fast - instead of running a normal offense, both Sanders and Johnson suddenly took it on themselves to lead the team (not necessarily an issue) and lost all focus on any execution except getting off a shot - result being a rushed "brick" or ugly turnover.
I am not disparaging the players, because I have been there. It is a part of maturing for most of us. At some point you learn to deal with it. You get so pissed at yourself that you are able to block out all the mental garbage and completely focus on playing the game the way you know how to.
They have not reached that stage yet. Once they do, the results will be different.
Otherwise we are making huge strides every game. For instance Omoruji showed up offensively today for the first time, and we have cut back tremendously on our turnovers.
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Keep in mind, too, that the pace that was set in the first half was unsustainable... we weren't going to be able to continue to run with them like that on offense, and we needed to slow the game down. Play hard defense, and make them play defense for the full 30 seconds... I'm sure some of it was trying to "milk the clock", but it was also trying to slow down NW's momentum and rhythm.
The difference in this game was for the last 3 minutes, we didn't score at all. It was 63-59 with 3:07 left... and it was 63-69 with 0:04 seconds left. During that span, we went 0-3 from the field (0-2 from three), and 0-1 at the line, with just 1 offensive rebound and 1 turnover. NW went 2-5 from the field (all three point attempts) and 4-6 from the FT line... with 2 offensive rebounds and 0 turnovers.
We needed someone to step up in those last three minutes to hold onto the game, and no one did.
The difference in this game was for the last 3 minutes, we didn't score at all. It was 63-59 with 3:07 left... and it was 63-69 with 0:04 seconds left. During that span, we went 0-3 from the field (0-2 from three), and 0-1 at the line, with just 1 offensive rebound and 1 turnover. NW went 2-5 from the field (all three point attempts) and 4-6 from the FT line... with 2 offensive rebounds and 0 turnovers.
We needed someone to step up in those last three minutes to hold onto the game, and no one did.
I thought the 4 to 5 point swing on the most egregious call I've ever seen on Getty's was the turning point. It had the potential to totally take the crowd out of it and put Northwestern in a big hole. What should have been an and one turned into 2 pts. for them. For a team struggling to score, calls like this are magnified. I just think the play had the potential to change momentum.
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Couldn't watch game so I don't know....but I don't understand why Thiam gets 21 minutes of burn and accomplished ZERO in that 21 minutes. 3 missed shots and 2 or 3 rebounds seems to me that is a whole lot of doing absolutely nothing on the court for playing more than 1/2 the game
He better be a good defender if he brings nothing to offense or rebounding
He better be a good defender if he brings nothing to offense or rebounding
One thing he does to some extent with his wingspan is clog up passing lanes and force passes instead of three point attempts. Having a 6-9 guy on the perimeter changes what the offense is trying to do. He's still raw, though - with more work, he could be very disruptive outside as an upperclassman.