GT vs. USC in Phoenix

orientalnc

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We actually learned last year against Loyola that we don't have the right skills to play small and the talent at the 5 is seriously lacking against top teams.
 

GTbball2016

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I think he's banking on Rodney and Saba figuring things out. Rev has done it before but man does he need to work that magic extremely, extremely soon. I think we can demoralize some opponents into wins in ACC but I don't see the Tournament this year. The guys still play hard and win every 50/50 ball.
Howard is a totally different type of player than our previous centers. He needs to be the player setting screens and grabbing offensive rebounds and not trying to be the facilitator on offense.
 

YlJacket

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I think he's banking on Rodney and Saba figuring things out. Rev has done it before but man does he need to work that magic extremely, extremely soon. I think we can demoralize some opponents into wins in ACC but I don't see the Tournament this year. The guys still play hard and win every 50/50 ball.
Both Howard and Saba have improved. I actually think Saba deserves more minutes but that is a rabbit trail to the core issue. Neither of these guys have the skill set to be the "point" person in our modified Princeton set. Neither are particularly adept ball handlers or passers. Nor are either particularly adept shooters from 15 feet. So we are trying to shove a square peg into a round hole as far as our offensive strategy is concerned. Howard would function more effectively in a more "traditional" four out offense where he looks to set high ball screens and rolls or stays in the short corner looking to take drop off passes and dunk. Or set off ball screens as part of actually having off the ball movement (a unique concept I know).

Having said this though, I don't think the 5 spot is our biggest issue right now - recognizing I agree they ain't bringing much at all on the offensive end. Our biggest issue is that we aren't getting anything from the 4 spot or any of the young uns. I don't think anyone expected the 5 spot to take up the scoring slack from last year - it had to come from an improved Moore or the young uns and neither are working.
 

GTbball2016

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Both Howard and Saba have improved. I actually think Saba deserves more minutes but that is a rabbit trail to the core issue. Neither of these guys have the skill set to be the "point" person in our modified Princeton set. Neither are particularly adept ball handlers or passers. Nor are either particularly adept shooters from 15 feet. So we are trying to shove a square peg into a round hole as far as our offensive strategy is concerned. Howard would function more effectively in a more "traditional" four out offense where he looks to set high ball screens and rolls or stays in the short corner looking to take drop off passes and dunk. Or set off ball screens as part of actually having off the ball movement (a unique concept I know).

Having said this though, I don't think the 5 spot is our biggest issue right now - recognizing I agree they ain't bringing much at all on the offensive end. Our biggest issue is that we aren't getting anything from the 4 spot or any of the young uns. I don't think anyone expected the 5 spot to take up the scoring slack from last year - it had to come from an improved Moore or the young uns and neither are working.
Yep, Smith and Coleman were the guys we needed consistent double digit efforts from. Moore was never going to be a “scorer” for this team.
 

Fatmike91

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Yep, Smith and Coleman were the guys we needed consistent double digit efforts from. Moore was never going to be a “scorer” for this team.

You can't back cut in the Princeton offense if their big is allowed to play zone under the basket. That makes it pretty easy for their wings to guard the 3 point line (if there is no threat to back cut). The issue with 3's and 4's not scoring has something to do with the issue at the 5.

I believe Saba CAN shoot and CAN pass but he seems to go into Howard mode when he's out there. So I assume our 5's are getting coached to do that.

/
 

SecretAgentBuzz

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I’ve seen Howard make some good passes and Pastner seems to trust him in the role. From what I know and have seen of Saba, he is a good passer and a competent shooter. Yesterday, though, they were sagging big-time and we never made them pay for it. Saba attempted one shot from the elbow and missed it.

We need to have a better plan if they sag. Either Howard or Saba need to be prepared to shoot (and make!) that shot, or they need to become hard screeners to give guys an open jump shot.

Maybe the clogged middle does explain why we took so many looooong 2s yesterday. That, and very few fouls called when we got into the lane.
 

bke1984

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When our big catches the ball 15 feet from the basket and the guy guarding him drops 7 feet off of him we should be absolutely torching teams. We NEED to be able to score from that spot basically every time. Score with a jump shot. Score with a power drive. Score with a floater/hook. Attack and score every time.

This needs to be fixed.

/
We just don’t have what we need at that spot right now to accomplish this.
 

GTpdm

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I found out today that I had it. You should've come to my house. The kg's would've changed your life. :sneaky:
And eat all that Mayfield ice cream? No way…
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orientalnc

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I am putting this here, but maybe it needs its own thread.

We were 5-1 and about to face the toughest part of our schedule. Wisconsin is 9-2 and ranked. We matched up poorly against their bigs, but almost won the game. Brad Davison had a ten minute stretch where he looked like Michael Jordan, but we were otherwise the better team. We lost by 4 points to a top 25 team.

Next came UNC and their huge lineup that we are ill made up to face. They have three bigs that run the floor and rebound. They got us on the boards by +12 and shot almost 60% from the arc. It was their night. BTW, in spite of their dumpster showing against Kentucky, they are 8-3 and will likely be a top 25 team when all the dust settles. From our POV, this was an ugly game, but UNC played their best game of the season against us.

Then we lost to undefeated LSU in a game where we lead by as much as 15 points. Turnovers, poor FT shooting, and, again, a minus 12 rebounding margin, just killed us. But, LSU is good.

Yesterday we played #10 USC and the same script played out. We got badly outrebounded and they shot almost 50% from outside. And we hit five out of 19 threes.

We have to play better, but these may be the best four teams we face other than Duke. The world is not ending.
 

kg01

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I'd have brought the bourbon.

Ok you're in @slugboy is out. @GTpdm is .... well, has he ever been 'in' with anyone?

On topic, @orientalnc is onto something. Yes, this is a losing streak. But, if you dig deeper, this is likely the toughest stretch of anybody's season. We acquitted ourselves fairly well, all things considered.

Us being a markedly better team later in the season is still on the table.

I commend the team for playing real games. In past years, we'd be playing the SouthWestEastNorth St' A&M's of the world. Let's face it, SWENSSt. A&M hasn't been good in ages.
 

daddee724

Georgia Tech Fan
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95
Last 3 games sucked but we shouldn’t be that outmatched from a talent standpoint against most ACC teams. It’s also clear the older guys don’t think highly off Coleman and Kelly. They routinely don’t pass them the ball when open. Hopefully there is more trust as the season goes on, and we are bound to get some really good Usher gam
I have only one question--
How are we going to score next yr when Mike and Ush are gone? Mike just scored 25 and we lost by 14.Few assts and bad shooting is not going to beat almost anyone.Even THIS yr.
I'm sure other players will have the opportunity to score and we will average more than single digit assist per game
 

daddee724

Georgia Tech Fan
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You can't back cut in the Princeton offense if their big is allowed to play zone under the basket. That makes it pretty easy for their wings to guard the 3 point line (if there is no threat to back cut). The issue with 3's and 4's not scoring has something to do with the issue at the 5.

I believe Saba CAN shoot and CAN pass but he seems to go into Howard mode when he's out there. So I assume our 5's are getting coached to do that.

/
Point on
 

alagold

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At this point it isn't a question. You just repeat the same thing more or less just saying we're going to suck next year. It's all you ever do.

Gee, I'm not sure who died and made you king of comments on site. Go back and see if this season I've not said a lot of different comments just to make your statement foolish.. I'm sorry that you disagree but doesn't mean I'm wrong AT ALL.
 
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