Yeah, everyone is all in on tomorrow's game (including myself), but there was a game today, and because I'm sick, I did watch very intently.
1. I really like Iggy Brazdeikis' increased confidence from distance over the last two games. He's got a very nice, natural stroke off catch and shoot situations, and today, even had a jab step 3. If he can make his man step out to guard that, he's going to be even more difficult to stop.
2. Eli Brooks got a chance to play more at the 1 in the second half after Zavier Simpson got poked in the eye, and he responded very well. I still think he's not a guy you want to be your primary ball handler, but if he can get going in space, he has nice vision and a very solid mid-range game.
3. Wow, has Isaiah Livers rounded out his game. It's not just that he's shooting well and confidently, it's that he can now put it on the floor and drive, and he sees the floor too. While he's not explosive off the dribble, at the 4 or 5, with the guys he's going to have guarding him, he may not need to be. He's a real asset offensively.
4. Z seemed a bit off today even before he got poked in the eye. However, I don't worry about him stepping up against guys like What and Edwards next week.
5. We continue to have a very tight rotation (up to 8 today with Davis, in part because of his health, in part because of Chattanooga's personnel). Our freshmen, other than Iggy, are very nervous when they get in, even when they're playing alongside our veterans. This will change, but right now, the notion of expanding the rotation unless an injury, illness or foul trouble makes it necessary, is a pipe dream. Time to revisit this perhaps in mid-December when we've had a few more weeks of practice and we play 3 games in a row against teams we should dominate.
6. Kenny Easley for Chattanoga was a kid we looked at, and who badly wanted to come here. He's going to be a very nice player at that level. Great kid, great family, good for him.
7. Jon teske was incredibly active out there. For a kid whose nickname as a freshman was "The Big Sleep" to have come this far is a credit to him and the staff of course, but also to the leadership of Z and Charles Matthews.
8. Jordan Poole was very solid today, and did his scoring in the flow of the offense. That's good to see.
9. Beat the Buckeyes.
1. I really like Iggy Brazdeikis' increased confidence from distance over the last two games. He's got a very nice, natural stroke off catch and shoot situations, and today, even had a jab step 3. If he can make his man step out to guard that, he's going to be even more difficult to stop.
2. Eli Brooks got a chance to play more at the 1 in the second half after Zavier Simpson got poked in the eye, and he responded very well. I still think he's not a guy you want to be your primary ball handler, but if he can get going in space, he has nice vision and a very solid mid-range game.
3. Wow, has Isaiah Livers rounded out his game. It's not just that he's shooting well and confidently, it's that he can now put it on the floor and drive, and he sees the floor too. While he's not explosive off the dribble, at the 4 or 5, with the guys he's going to have guarding him, he may not need to be. He's a real asset offensively.
4. Z seemed a bit off today even before he got poked in the eye. However, I don't worry about him stepping up against guys like What and Edwards next week.
5. We continue to have a very tight rotation (up to 8 today with Davis, in part because of his health, in part because of Chattanooga's personnel). Our freshmen, other than Iggy, are very nervous when they get in, even when they're playing alongside our veterans. This will change, but right now, the notion of expanding the rotation unless an injury, illness or foul trouble makes it necessary, is a pipe dream. Time to revisit this perhaps in mid-December when we've had a few more weeks of practice and we play 3 games in a row against teams we should dominate.
6. Kenny Easley for Chattanoga was a kid we looked at, and who badly wanted to come here. He's going to be a very nice player at that level. Great kid, great family, good for him.
7. Jon teske was incredibly active out there. For a kid whose nickname as a freshman was "The Big Sleep" to have come this far is a credit to him and the staff of course, but also to the leadership of Z and Charles Matthews.
8. Jordan Poole was very solid today, and did his scoring in the flow of the offense. That's good to see.
9. Beat the Buckeyes.
