Before the football game (and while we are all Terp fans for the second half), some hoop thoughts about today's win over George Washington.
1. We made 14 3s in our first 3 games. We made 15 today. If we start being able to make open shots from the perimeter, we're going to be very, very tough to beat.
2. Zavier Simpson made 4 3s (yes, that is not a misprint), and was so comfortable shooting in the second half that he heat checked one off the dribble. He also had 11 (!) rebounds. Had Beilein kept him in, he'd have had a triple double.
3. Our intensity was not what it has been on the defensive end, even when we making our first and second half runs. That's understandable--this was the ultimate trap game after the win at 'Nova, before the finals, and against an 0-4 team--but Luke Yaklich is going to have some teaching moments.
4. I think the notion advanced by a few folks around the internet after the Norfolk State game that Charles Matthews should lose some of his minutes can be discarded. He has been absolutely dominant this week...and 12 of his last 16 from the line.
5. The biggest thing to take out of this game (aside from the fact that maybe people are going to have to think about guarding X out to the line which opens up our offense) is that Jordan Poole got his offensive mojo back That has to happen--there are going to be days, like today, where Iggy struggles, and we need multiple weapons.
6. It was nice to get a ton of rest for our rotation, and some minutes for our freshmen. I think Johns and DeJulius are looking more comfortable, and could/will help later on. Castleton and Nunez badly need strength and repetitions in practice.
7. Isaiah Livers looked a little tentative guarding GW's small ball 4 (former Illini D.J. Williams) off the dribble. I'm wondering whether the fall at Villanova when he went over the back of a shooter on a ball fake may have contributed to that; he seemed a bit stiff in his movements.
8. On to tomorrow against Providence or South Carolina...after this afternoon against Indiana. Go Blue!
1. We made 14 3s in our first 3 games. We made 15 today. If we start being able to make open shots from the perimeter, we're going to be very, very tough to beat.
2. Zavier Simpson made 4 3s (yes, that is not a misprint), and was so comfortable shooting in the second half that he heat checked one off the dribble. He also had 11 (!) rebounds. Had Beilein kept him in, he'd have had a triple double.
3. Our intensity was not what it has been on the defensive end, even when we making our first and second half runs. That's understandable--this was the ultimate trap game after the win at 'Nova, before the finals, and against an 0-4 team--but Luke Yaklich is going to have some teaching moments.
4. I think the notion advanced by a few folks around the internet after the Norfolk State game that Charles Matthews should lose some of his minutes can be discarded. He has been absolutely dominant this week...and 12 of his last 16 from the line.
5. The biggest thing to take out of this game (aside from the fact that maybe people are going to have to think about guarding X out to the line which opens up our offense) is that Jordan Poole got his offensive mojo back That has to happen--there are going to be days, like today, where Iggy struggles, and we need multiple weapons.
6. It was nice to get a ton of rest for our rotation, and some minutes for our freshmen. I think Johns and DeJulius are looking more comfortable, and could/will help later on. Castleton and Nunez badly need strength and repetitions in practice.
7. Isaiah Livers looked a little tentative guarding GW's small ball 4 (former Illini D.J. Williams) off the dribble. I'm wondering whether the fall at Villanova when he went over the back of a shooter on a ball fake may have contributed to that; he seemed a bit stiff in his movements.
8. On to tomorrow against Providence or South Carolina...after this afternoon against Indiana. Go Blue!
