Likes
-- Rebounding (obviously). Like the Michigan game this team won the game on the boards. It was twofold. It improved our efficiency offensively and also limited their opportunities. The closest thing we have to a great rebounder is Raji, but all the guys are good rebounders for their positions and seem to undertand the importance of working the boards.
-- Getting to the line. They shot six free throws. BC shot 25. Although conversion wasn't great, getting to the line like that is a good sign. Skinner's best teams always drew a lot of fouls.
-- Reggie Jackson. He had some mistakes and missed a bunch of 3s, but Jackson is proving that he can make big plays down the stretch and is comfortable in that role.
Dislikes
-- Scoring droughts. As we allowed them back in the game, we had no offensive answer. We need one play or one player that we can count on to break another team's run. Right now, we don't have one.
-- Pressure. We didn't handle Miami's pressure well in the second half and they used it to chip away at the lead.
-- The officiating. I hate pointing the finger at the refs, but they blew the charging call on Jackson and I felt they were giving Miami whistles down the stretch.
Monday, December 07, 2009
Likes and Dislikes from the Miami win
At the outset of the season, I said we would know about this team after the Providence-Michigan-Miami stretch. I didn't anticipate a sweep all while playing without Sanders. I and the rest of the college basketball world would be very high on BC right now if not for the no show at the Paradise Jam. Still beating Miami was important today and highlighted many of the team's strengths. Here are my thoughts. (Leave your comments below.)
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12 comments:
I'd also hate to point the finger at the refs and Miami may have gotten a few calls but at the same time you can't blame them when you look at the Free Throw disparity. True the blown charge call was in a big spot but every fan of every team in every game can point to a moment or two where they were "slighted" by the refs but seeing how many more free throws BC shot especially considering Miami was mostly an inside team till Malcolm Grant got hot late is the real difference. I'd love to credit it all to the beautiful shutdown defense of Southern and Dunn but I'm afraid I'm not quite that foolish.
we really did not play them so physically that we benefited from a bunch of non-calls. to be honest, even with our free throw disparity, i would guess that there were still more fouls that could have been called in our favor than theirs. defensively, miami was trying to play physical because they really didn't have the athleticism, at least not early on, to play us straight up. as a result they were cheating at times and it cost them in fouls.
another reason for the disparity was the slew of boards we pulled down. when you are taking two or three shots on an offensive possession, many of them from inside the paint, the likelihood that you get hacked on a put back is greater. miami's 4 boards didn't afford them that opportunity.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pb1EBZl8ZKc
FWIW ...
Attendance figures from this weekend:
Boston College v Miami: 5,063
Michigan v Arkansas-Pine Bluff: 10,073
Conte: 5,063 / 8,606 = 59%
Crisler: 10,073 / 13,751 = 73%
Lowest ticket price BC: $15
Lowest ticket price UM: $5
On the other hand, factoring the undergraduate enrollments of each university:
Boston College: 5,063 / 9,000 = 56%
Michigan: 10,073 / 25,000 = 40%
And if we assume all attendees paid the lowest ticket price:
BC ticket sales: $75,945
UM tickets sales: $50,365
Great 3 game stretch by BC especially without Sanders.
We also got some shout out's from the ESPN talking heads:
For worst ref call on Jackson's Dunk:
http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=4721259&name=bilas_jay
Article on BC and Miami by Katz:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=4721582&name=katz_andy
We are going to be a really tough team to beat because of how well we run our offense. We average nearly double the amount of free throw attempts as our opponents. As long as teams don't shoot 65% against us like Northern Iowa did, we are going to be a very tough team to beat especially when Sanders comes back and Raji playing so well.
One question, does Skinner think he can trade in all the timeouts he doesn't use for a new car at the end of the year?
JC - he trades in the timeouts after each game for a new swanky suit from Eastern Clothing in Watertown.
As a silly aside, Al looking at himself in the mirror and raising his eyebrow during the halftime ads on the big screen at conte is worth the price of admission - the students were ready for it during the miami game and gave out a big yell! Seems someone on Facebook agrees as well...
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=wall&gid=8919628172
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIKcIjbhsHE
Reggie's "charge" reminded me of the ref in Semi-Pro calling "foul..no..TWO fouls!...people just can't go flying in the air like that."
Dunn looked good. Southern was responsible for 4 turnovers in the final 3:30. He is a liability on the floor who does not make good decisions under pressure. He turns into a double team and doesnt pass well under pressure unless its right in front of him.
This was a great way to start acc play, because it was a win, but i really think that the rebounding stat from yesterday is a little skewed. A lot of our rebounds were long or bounced before we controlled. We had active hands, not necessarily great position. I love our hustle but i don't think that we can count on that to outrebound the top teams of the ACC.
Really hope that bringing Rakim back doesn't affect our chemistry.
It's too bad that Southern looks like the Southern we all know...this team would be pretty threatening with a big guy that had a presence. Still, I'm buying this team...said it b4 the season and still think, having watched Duke and UNC, that we can split with those two (I don't even know if we play them twice, and since I'm drinking beer, I'm not looking it up).
Skinner and timeouts...that's funny that it was mentioned again. Not really funny. Just kinda funny in a pathetic kind of way. Coach K told him that the team with the fewest used timeouts got bumped up a seed in March and got a $50 gift card to Bed, Bath & Beyond.
Good posts, btw, fellas...
This team has potential...I think I'm on board with ATL when I say that last year was the foundation. We may not be the sexiest thing out there, the girl everyone wants by the pool, but we are the high school English teacher that you want to marry and bring home to mom.
Man, I hope Shinksie is watching film right now...
long rebounds or no, luck does not explain a 25 board advantage. we crashed, they didn't. especially on our own offensive end.
the best part about that eastern clothing of watertown ad is that the first shot is still of troy bell draining a three in the old uniforms.
Speaking of a stubburn refusal to call a timeout, Roy Williams let Kentucky go on about a 20-4 run without calling a timeout on Saturday. Then they lost by 2. Think stopping the momentum for a second was maybe worth 2 points? Maybe???
UNC looks very beatable ... that was a very sloppy game on Saturday. (of course all teams look "beatable" in early December, but it's still fun to say that UNC looks beatable, so let me have it, damnit!).
Also, I'm glad that Skinner's eyebrow is getting the attention it deserves from the student section. I bet he gives himself that look every morning before leaving the house.
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