1. I haven't read the in-game comments here or elsewhere, but I'm sure there are numerous comments about the last 12 minutes along the lines of we can't play like this, good teams will kill us if we play like this, we were lucky Rutgers wasn't better, etc. I had a completely different reaction--college basketball is a game of runs, and this was a bad one coming on the heels of a great one. If you're going to moan and complain about turning the ball over 8 times in 12 or so minutes, you need to remember that in the previous 24 minutes, against a team ranked second in the Big Ten in forcing turnovers, we had ZERO turnovers. ZERO. For the game, we had 11, which was about what would have been predicted. Similarly, if you're going to freak out about Michigan going 3-11 in the in the lat almost 12 minutes, you need to remember that Michigan shot 56% (19-34) in the 24 minutes before that. We destroyed a good tteam for 24 minutes--outscored them 49-27 in the time--and then lit down. It happens. If you want to look at OSU mid-game against PSU tonight, or Illinois late game against Northwestern the other night, or Iowa against Indiana mid/late second half in game 1 of the 2 they played, you're going to see the same bad stretches by great teams. In games which have 130 possessions or so, a significant number won't be good for even the best teams. If they're strung together, it's a bad look. But you know what's a worse look? Losing. And there was never any danger of that tonight against a tournament team playing well.
2. Aside from his one heat check 27 footer in the first half, I thought Franz Wagner played great on both ends of the court. Rutgers is the kind of team with long athletes which could have given him some trouble, and instead, he took it to them and excelled in all facets of the game. If he can start hitting 3s as he did tonight, we're going to be very difficult to beat.
3. I keep banging the same drum every game--rewatch the game, and when we're on defense, watch Eli Brooks. If you're teaching or coaching your kid or team, he plays textbook defense on and off the ball. And he succeeds. Geo Baker is the most dangerous offensive player Rutgers has, and he came into the game shooting a ridiculous 55% of mid-range jumpers. He left 3-12. Yes, Eli had only 4 point tonoght, and yes, his perimeter shot looks like he's still feeling the effects of the lay-off, but man, is he good on the defensive end.
4. Hunter Dickinson is getting a lesson in how to grind it out against physical 5s in a conference where post play is generally whistled as no death certificate, no foul. I can't believe I'm saying this, but at this point in the season, his defense is ahead of his offense. And yet, 10 and 8, combined with his presence on defense was very significant. Rutgers, an excellent offensive rebounding team, had 9 to our 31 defensive rebounds. You hold Ritgers to 22% offensive rebounding percentage, you usually win because transition off of turnovers and put-backs are the way Rutgers score. Hunter was a big part of that.
5. Mike Smith is tough, isn't he? For a significant portion of the game, he was matched up defensively against Caleb McConnell, who is almost a foot taller than he is, and ver gave an inch.
6. Rutgers is absolutely the best type of team for Austin Davis to play--5s who don't go out on the perimeter, an offense which isn't going to put him in ball screen situations, and guys who can't simply overpower him inside. He was great against the Rutgers 5s tonight. While there may be games going forward where we have to shorten his minutes because of unique challenges caused by particular match-ups, when he can operate in his comfort zone, he is a major contributor, and another example (along with Eli) about the perils of jumping to conclusions about players before their careers are done and/or off of limited appearances.
7. We are a bit susceptible to teams which can put heavy pressure on Mike--Minnesota did it when Eli was out and Rutgers did it late with Jacob Young. Those type of teams take away our ability to use Chaundee as a guard, because of the need to have multiple ballhandlers, and shift him the the forward positions where our 2 best players reside. Zeb is not ready yet, and a very tough schedule and battle for a #1 seed. is going to limit his opportunities to get ready this year. Mike is going to face heavy, heavy pressure if we get certain match-ups. Thankfully, as noted above, that's one tough kid.
8. I know Steve Pikiell loves toughness and athleticism, and I get that he's targeting certain types of players to fit his style, but if Kentucky's travails this year teach anything, it's that you have to mix toughness and athleticism with some guys who can shoot. That team is helpless in the half court.
9. We're still rounding into form and getting our legs and stamina back after a long, long time off. We showed flashes tonight. Whatever happens down the stretch in the Big Ten, I think we're going to peak for the tournament.
2. Aside from his one heat check 27 footer in the first half, I thought Franz Wagner played great on both ends of the court. Rutgers is the kind of team with long athletes which could have given him some trouble, and instead, he took it to them and excelled in all facets of the game. If he can start hitting 3s as he did tonight, we're going to be very difficult to beat.
3. I keep banging the same drum every game--rewatch the game, and when we're on defense, watch Eli Brooks. If you're teaching or coaching your kid or team, he plays textbook defense on and off the ball. And he succeeds. Geo Baker is the most dangerous offensive player Rutgers has, and he came into the game shooting a ridiculous 55% of mid-range jumpers. He left 3-12. Yes, Eli had only 4 point tonoght, and yes, his perimeter shot looks like he's still feeling the effects of the lay-off, but man, is he good on the defensive end.
4. Hunter Dickinson is getting a lesson in how to grind it out against physical 5s in a conference where post play is generally whistled as no death certificate, no foul. I can't believe I'm saying this, but at this point in the season, his defense is ahead of his offense. And yet, 10 and 8, combined with his presence on defense was very significant. Rutgers, an excellent offensive rebounding team, had 9 to our 31 defensive rebounds. You hold Ritgers to 22% offensive rebounding percentage, you usually win because transition off of turnovers and put-backs are the way Rutgers score. Hunter was a big part of that.
5. Mike Smith is tough, isn't he? For a significant portion of the game, he was matched up defensively against Caleb McConnell, who is almost a foot taller than he is, and ver gave an inch.
6. Rutgers is absolutely the best type of team for Austin Davis to play--5s who don't go out on the perimeter, an offense which isn't going to put him in ball screen situations, and guys who can't simply overpower him inside. He was great against the Rutgers 5s tonight. While there may be games going forward where we have to shorten his minutes because of unique challenges caused by particular match-ups, when he can operate in his comfort zone, he is a major contributor, and another example (along with Eli) about the perils of jumping to conclusions about players before their careers are done and/or off of limited appearances.
7. We are a bit susceptible to teams which can put heavy pressure on Mike--Minnesota did it when Eli was out and Rutgers did it late with Jacob Young. Those type of teams take away our ability to use Chaundee as a guard, because of the need to have multiple ballhandlers, and shift him the the forward positions where our 2 best players reside. Zeb is not ready yet, and a very tough schedule and battle for a #1 seed. is going to limit his opportunities to get ready this year. Mike is going to face heavy, heavy pressure if we get certain match-ups. Thankfully, as noted above, that's one tough kid.
8. I know Steve Pikiell loves toughness and athleticism, and I get that he's targeting certain types of players to fit his style, but if Kentucky's travails this year teach anything, it's that you have to mix toughness and athleticism with some guys who can shoot. That team is helpless in the half court.
9. We're still rounding into form and getting our legs and stamina back after a long, long time off. We showed flashes tonight. Whatever happens down the stretch in the Big Ten, I think we're going to peak for the tournament.
