Game Thread: Xavier vs. Seton Hall (12/30/2020)

[markchal]

In certain match-up situations, absolutely.

Perching him out there for most of the game to draw out their big guys (which didn't work), absolutely not. There's a difference.

It was the wrong strategy last night in a situation where we got abused in the paint, and for where our guards couldn't get good looks.

FWIW, I don't think Free classifies as a stretch 4 either. He can make 3s, but he's definitely more comfortable posting up, and doing the more traditional work of a PF. I suppose it's open to interpretation, but I see a stretch 4 as someone who can shoot really well, but can also handle well to drive past bigger, slower defenders when they do step out to guard the 3.

He's a very good scoring college PF, but doesn't have the game (yet, he's only a soph) that profiles into the type of stretch 4 that would have a career at the next level.

So, in general, I think we're better off with Freemantle getting the ball in the paint versus him hanging around the 3 pt line too much. Totally fine with him shooting a few a game, don't want the majority of his shots coming there.

[drudy23]

FWIW, I don't think Free classifies as a stretch 4 either. He can make 3s, but he's definitely more comfortable posting up, and doing the more traditional work of a PF. I suppose it's open to interpretation, but I see a stretch 4 as someone who can shoot really well, but can also handle well to drive past bigger, slower defenders when they do step out to guard the 3.

He's a very good scoring college PF, but doesn't have the game (yet, he's only a soph) that profiles into the type of stretch 4 that would have a career at the next level.

So, in general, I think we're better off with Freemantle getting the ball in the paint versus him hanging around the 3 pt line too much. Totally fine with him shooting a few a game, don't want the majority of his shots coming there.

Totally agree.

[paulxu]

In roughly the first 13 minutes of the game, the score was tied at 22, and this is what we did:

5 layups/dunks from Zach, Carter, and Stanley
4 2Pt shots from Zach, Stanley and Griffin (2 misses)
1 3pt from Carter
1 Ft from Carter (1 miss)
6 missed 3pt shots from Scruggs, Tandy, Johnson, Jones and Kunkel
3 missed 2pt shots from Tandy and Jones

So, 9-11 on layups and 2 pt shots
1-7 on 3 pt shots (by Carter!)
0 pts from the guards.

For some reason we went away from what was working, and headed to the perimeter.
Sure they may have collapsed a little, which is inviting if you're out on the edge.
But damn, why not work a little harder on what got you that far. Scruggs driving and dishing inside seemed to work.
In the next 7 minutes we had 5 of our 8 TO's. 8 TO's is a great stat.
Getting out-rebounded 42-28 probably means your bigs aren't near the rim (also 3 pt misses tend to bounce out further)

I'm glad I'm not a coach :)

[IM4X]

In roughly the first 13 minutes of the game, the score was tied at 22, and this is what we did:

5 layups/dunks from Zach, Carter, and Stanley
4 2Pt shots from Zach, Stanley and Griffin (2 misses)
1 3pt from Carter
1 Ft from Carter (1 miss)
6 missed 3pt shots from Scruggs, Tandy, Johnson, Jones and Kunkel
3 missed 2pt shots from Tandy and Jones

So, 9-11 on layups and 2 pt shots
1-7 on 3 pt shots (by Carter!)
0 pts from the guards.

For some reason we went away from what was working, and headed to the perimeter.
Sure they may have collapsed a little, which is inviting if you're out on the edge.
But damn, why not work a little harder on what got you that far. Scruggs driving and dishing inside seemed to work.
In the next 7 minutes we had 5 of our 8 TO's. 8 TO's is a great stat.
Getting out-rebounded 42-28 probably means your bigs aren't near the rim (also 3 pt misses tend to bounce out further)

I'm glad I'm not a coach :)

Great Post! I was thinking the same thing and happened to noticed a few of these things too... but you’ve also included some interesting stats that I missed: (5 TOs in 7 minute stretch + The big difference in rebounding.

I was surprised at a few other things:

The three top scores for X were all bigs (Freemantle, Carter, Stanley)
No guard had more than 6 points (Scruggs).
The only guard to hit a three was Kyky (when the game was already out of reach)

Also, I know I said it before (as did others), but I just don’t get why Steele didn’t press earlier in the game. Gillen would have come out pressing in the second half (if not before) to help give his team a chance to get back in the game.

[bleedXblue]

Great Post! I was thinking the same thing and happened to noticed a few of these things too... but you’ve also included some interesting stats that I missed: (5 TOs in 7 minute stretch + The big difference in rebounding.

I was surprised at a few other things:

The three top scores for X were all bigs (Freemantle, Carter, Stanley)
No guard had more than 6 points (Scruggs).
The only guard to hit a three was Kyky (when the game was already out of reach)

Also, I know I said it before (as did others), but I just don’t get why Steele didn’t press earlier in the game. Gillen would have come out pressing in the second half (if not before) to help give his team a chance to get back in the game.

He did the opposite and went ZONE with about 10 minutes left in the 2nd half down 20.

Mind boggling to me.

[Lloyd Braun]

You can in fact play zone and press at the same time. However, the defense was getting torched no matter what scheme they were running. I thought zone was worth a shot, as SH is not a great offensive rebounding or shooting team.

I’m also not following the hate on their shot selection here. They got a ton of nice looks, and just missed them. I didn’t see anything special SH did. X had many chances to make shots and didn’t. SH did.