This team is getting interesting to watch

hdhntr1

All-Conference
Sep 5, 2006
37,276
1,093
113
With the D they are playing, they will give a lot of teams problems. If they are not the top D in the BIG they are very close. And they figured out a way to win that game at MSU. Interesting season ahead. People that are not watching are missing a story in the making
 
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phatcat_rivals223240

All-Conference
Nov 5, 2001
18,867
1,035
113
With the D they are playing, they will give a lot of teams problems. If they are not the top D in the BIG they are very close. And they figured out a way to win that game at MSU. Interesting season ahead. People that are not watching are missing a story in the making
Defense is the great equalizer.
 

Titanium999

Redshirt
Jan 16, 2014
4,573
0
0
With the D they are playing, they will give a lot of teams problems. If they are not the top D in the BIG they are very close. And they figured out a way to win that game at MSU. Interesting season ahead. People that are not watching are missing a story in the making
Definitely top six team in BT now!
 

hdhntr1

All-Conference
Sep 5, 2006
37,276
1,093
113
Defense is the great equalizer.
It is a very solid help D. If some team shoots 70% from three like Pitt did, they will lose as they don't go out that far to defend but against anyone else they should be in the game with any O at all
 

Hungry Jack

All-Conference
Nov 17, 2008
37,173
2,666
67
Matt Nicholson is the story in the making.

(ducks)

Little Hungry and I will be watching Tuesday night vs. UIC!
 

Styre

Senior
Oct 14, 2004
7,732
403
83
It is a very solid help D. If some team shoots 70% from three like Pitt did, they will lose as they don't go out that far to defend but against anyone else they should be in the game with any O at all

The Pitt game was a total defensive collapse, not just hot shooting by the opponent. Even if Pitt had shot a more normal three point percentage they would have won easily. But since that's the only time that's happened all season, hopefully it's just an aberration.
 

PurpleWhiteBoy

Redshirt
Feb 25, 2021
5,303
0
0
The Pitt game was a total defensive collapse, not just hot shooting by the opponent. Even if Pitt had shot a more normal three point percentage they would have won easily. But since that's the only time that's happened all season, hopefully it's just an aberration.
Roper missed that game, the tough loss to Auburn and the game against Liberty.
Unfortunately, bacause of that, my unbiased player ratings are saying Roper is the best player on the team.

On the other hand, we haven't lost a game when Roper has played... Guessing we'd have beaten Auburn too.
 

GatoLouco

Sophomore
Nov 13, 2019
5,636
116
63
The Pitt game was a total defensive collapse, not just hot shooting by the opponent. Even if Pitt had shot a more normal three point percentage they would have won easily. But since that's the only time that's happened all season, hopefully it's just an aberration.
The ball went inside more than with most teams we faced. Our defense doubled and helped way too much. So many of Pitt’s shots were wide open as a result of it. The more they went in the more confident they became.
 

Smokejumper

Redshirt
Apr 7, 2002
763
45
22
The ball went inside more than with most teams we faced. Our defense doubled and helped way too much. So many of Pitt’s shots were wide open as a result of it. The more they went in the more confident they became.

^THIS.

While watching the game, it struck me that Pitt figured out how to dump the ball into the paint, watch us double or triple team the ball, and make one or two more passes back out to the perimeter for an uncontested three ball. Sadly they made more of these open 3s than were reasonable, and like Gato Louco said - they gained immense confidence as the game progressed.

The uninformed conclusion was that we simply had no perimeter defense, but in reality, Pitt deserved credit understanding how to exploit the defense - probably Capel’s familiarity in the Duke philosophy and O/D sets. We were also probably a bit slow on the defensive rotations (in the paint, and back out on the perimeter). Anyways, a good loss to experience in the OOC schedule and prepare us for the BIG conference schedule.
 

hdhntr1

All-Conference
Sep 5, 2006
37,276
1,093
113
The Pitt game was a total defensive collapse, not just hot shooting by the opponent. Even if Pitt had shot a more normal three point percentage they would have won easily. But since that's the only time that's happened all season, hopefully it's just an aberration.
Not really as bad as you suggest. They were solid in what they were trying to do throughout the first half. Just as an example, score was 16-16 at 7 minute mark. But then a combination of FTs and made threes gave them a 9 point lead. Second half was a bit different as Pitt got a lot of O rebounds leading to scores pulling us in and there were able to hit a lot of threes. Very disappointing but overall not a complete D collapse
 

NJCat

All-Conference
Mar 7, 2016
21,329
1,503
113
The uninformed conclusion was that we simply had no perimeter defense, but in reality, Pitt deserved credit understanding how to exploit the defense - probably Capel’s familiarity in the Duke philosophy and O/D sets.
I doubt it was familiarity with Duke's D sets, since Collins brought in Coach Lowery to work specifically on the defense, and he has no ties to Duke......
 

PurpleWhiteBoy

Redshirt
Feb 25, 2021
5,303
0
0
I doubt it was familiarity with Duke's D sets, since Collins brought in Coach Lowery to work specifically on the defense, and he has no ties to Duke......
Capel and Collins are supposed to be good friends.
My guess is that they talk basketball philosophy, right down to the x's and o's.
 
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Hungry Jack

All-Conference
Nov 17, 2008
37,173
2,666
67
You can't be hungry without hunger.
You can't have The Hunger without Michael Bolton