The Jim Christian era started in the most important way -- with a win. Other than the "W" though there is not too much to go against a bad UNH team. Things started sloppy but eventually BC controlled in the first half and maintained that lead most of the second half. Here are some other thoughts:
-- There is a noticeable increase in defensive effort. Six steals, more ball pressure and decent rebounding made a difference.
-- Cold from 3. BC only made one from downtown. With Jackson hurt and Rahon gone, I don't think we will be as consistent from 3, but I am glad we still attempted a good amount. We know Hanlan and Heckmann can make them. Let's hope Brown starts making his.
-- Clifford moved well. He didn't dominate but looked healthy. Last year in his limited appearance he seemed gimpy. I couldn't pick up on any of that during his 20 minutes last night.
Last year, the frustrating OT loss to Providence set the tone for the entire season. This game wasn't the same sort of test, but it is a good start for the new regime.
BC also produced a highlight package for the game. Hopefully this becomes a regular occurrence.
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3 comments:
Good:
-BC won. A win is a win.
-Clifford is healthy and played well.
-Brown looks like he can take some of the scoring load off of Hanlan.
Bad:
-FREE THROWS!!!
-The offense rarely looked to get Clifford involved down low. He had 3-4 inches on the UNH centers but got just a handful of touches in the paint the whole game.
-Who is the point guard? Hanlan and Brown are more shooting guards than true points. Only 5 assists total.
That was an ugly game, but it was the first game of the first season of a new coaching hire. The shooting will come around – they can’t possibly miss that many shots around the rim or go 1-19 from three every night. Big test tomorrow against UMass.
I wasn't impressed. Even against a team like UNH we have no front court scoring. I think we will see a steady dose of tight man to man against us, where there will be lots of help when Hanlan takes it to the hoop, forcing him to give it up, knowing we have no finishers inside. I think our win total will be similar to last year at best. I hope I'm wrong, but I doubt it.
How we ever allowed ourselves to get this bad in basketball is beyond me. The women's program is going nowhere also - not recruiting at all up to ACC standards. The good news is that it only takes a couple of great players to make a huge difference. You just hope that one of these assistants (like the guy from MD) eventually hits pay dirt with a couple of special kids.
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