Sunday, November 16, 2014

UMass hammers Hoops

The UNH game seemed like a good start. Sunday's tough loss to UMass was probably a wake up call. Maybe we are not going to be that good. The first 30 minutes seemed like a continuation of UNH. BC played good D, Hanlan got his points and BC controlled. The second half was a disaster. I felt like Christian let things get away from the team in the second half, but even after timeouts the guys did not respond. Here are some other thoughts:

-- We desperately need a second scorer. The let Hanlan do it all philosophy worked for the first 20 minutes. After it didn't. No one rebounded and no one hit open shots. It was ugly. What disappointed me most was when Hanlan drove there was rarely anyone near the basket to rebound or ready for a quick pass.
-- Trouble with the press.  18 turnovers. The worst part is that we didn't get the occasional easy basket in the second half. The passes were sloppy and at times guys were getting in each other's way.
-- Missing free throws. It would have made the game closer and changed the pace a bit.

Next up is New Mexico in Puerto Rico. I hope they work out the kinks. I still believe the pieces are there. The guys just have to figure out how to play together.

7 comments:

Unknown said...

Bates needs to make a call or two and figure out what was going on with the officials. I've never seen such a terribly officiated game all going against BC. Multiple UMass players should've fouled out by halftime. Clifford and Brown actually committed 0 fouls in the first half.

As bad as I've ever seen and significantly impacted the game.

Napolean Bonaparte said...

I don't know how you can say the pieces are there. They would be there perhaps if we played in a lower tiered conference but the ACC pieces aren't there now and haven't been there for years. I think we have forgotten - because its been so long - as to how good our kids need to be at this game to compete at this level. We desperately needed a marquee head coach to attract the necessary talent. We didn't get one - now we are left hoping that Christian can somehow overcome the hurdles and by sheer hard work and talent can recruit the requisite talent that will satisfy admissions and overlook BC's reputation as a basketball backwater. If Christian can pull that off in a few years he will deserve enormous praise. If schools like Creighton, Villanova, Xavier, etc. can do it - why can't we?

Hoib said...

Nappy


Right on. The only problem w/ your post is that none of the schools you sight compete in the murderers row that is the ACC. BC will continue to reap what it sewn when Gene replaced a very competent coach w/ a chump for several more years at least.

Claver2010 said...

Agreed.

Disagree with ATL, the pieces are there for what?

Talent wise this team is far from where it should be in the ACC.

Lenny Sienko said...

I must agree that the referees' seeming double standard on foul calls put BC at a disadvantage form which we never recovered. Aaron Brown, who might work as the second scoring option, was hit with 2 fouls before 5 minutes into the game. Dennis Clifford was in the same boat.

I think the refs treat UMass as they used to deal with Georgetown; i.e., they commit so many fouls on defense that the game couldn't be played if the fouls were called. Lots of fouls by UMass get lost in the action of "the Press". BC gets no such sufferance.

I thought the second unit in the first half played the best team defense we have seen from BC in a very long time. Too bad they couldn't sustain that intensity in the second half.

Hanlan does not have the stamina to be both point guard and main scorer for two halves. Aaron Brown is another shooting/scoring guard-not a ball handler. BC needs a true "point guard" to take that responsibility from Hanlan and Brown.

dmyankees said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Hario said...

I have to agree with the consensus here on what pieces? - we are returning a team that lost its 2nd and 3rd best players from an 8 win team.

I get donahue was terrible and schedules was hard and that contributed to bad record last year but 8 wins is 8 wins anyway you slice it. At best they would have been a mediocre team with a better coach and softer schedule.

From that team you lose Ryan Anderson and Rahon and add two ok transfers? I dont get what pieces there are as far as pure talent. Aaron Brown? are we back to the Clifford is the answer to all our problems theory?