Banners On The Parkway: FanPosts

Bracketology 2013

2013-02-28T02:55:53Z

Here is the first mention I've seen of the Muskies in a postseason tourney. Please post links to whatever you find as well as things develop. Looks like they are NIT bound right now (barely in before Memphis win), but with some good opponents left and a really crappy bubble this year, so stay thirsty my friends.

NATIONAL INVITATION TOURNAMENT

(1) Ole Miss (20-7) vs. (8) Xavier (15-11) (Facing AK huh?)
(4) Wyoming (16-9) vs. (5) Denver (18-8)
(3) Massachusetts (17-9) vs. (6) Washington (15-13)
(2) Southern Miss (19-7) vs. (7) Eastern Kentucky (20-7)

(1) Baylor (15-11) vs. (8) Texas A&M (16-11)
(4) Brigham Young (19-9) vs. (5) Northern Iowa (16-12)
(3) Air Force (13-10) vs. (6) Florida State (14-12)
(2) Arizona State (20-8) vs. (7) Saint Joseph's (15-10)

(1) Virginia (18-8) vs. (8) LSU (16-9)
(4) Indiana State (16-11) vs. (5) Arkansas (17-10)
(3) St. John's (16-10) vs. (6) Ohio (20-7)
(2) Tennessee (16-10) vs. (7) Richmond (16-11)

(1) Charlotte (18-7) vs. (8) Santa Clara (18-9)
(4) Alabama (17-9) vs. (5) Detroit (16-10)
(3) Stanford (16-12) vs. (6) New Mexico State (18-9)
(2) Iowa (17-10) vs. (7) Providence (15-12)

http://beer.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/view/13129553

NATIONAL INVITATION TOURNAMENT

(1) Virginia (18-8) vs. (8) LSU (16-9)
(4) Indiana State (16-11) vs. (5) Arkansas (17-10)
(3) St. John's (16-10) vs. (6) Ohio (20-7)
(2) Tennessee (16-10) vs. (7) Richmond (16-11)

(1) Charlotte (18-7) vs. (8) Santa Clara (18-9)
(4) Alabama (17-9) vs. (5) Detroit (16-10)
(3) Stanford (16-12) vs. (6) New Mexico State (18-9)
(2) Iowa (17-10) vs. (7) Providence (15-12)

http://beer.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/view/13129553

Our future opponents combine high steals with low turnovers

2013-02-14T06:35:26Z

You know that feeling after watching "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon" -- how you reach for the toothpaste cap and put it back on with mechanical precision before bed? I think we need some of that. Our future opponents can take care of the ball like Jackie Chan on a movie set.

Brad D's post is spot on: We are struggling with a) turnovers and b) free throw % -- all the while we are playing a slow-paced game.

I understand the strategy to slow it down: We're not deep, and our backcourt is green. At first blush, you'd think we should run the floor because we're small and our center can actually hit three pointers. Why not beat teams through conditioning and running the floor if we can't go toe-to-toe in the paint? Well, we just aren't deep enough I guess.

The problematic thing moving forward is that several of our opponents take care of the ball. Consider:

VCU -- Turnover margin (1st in nation) ; Asst/Turnover ration (33rd) ; and # steals per game? (1st in nation)

Rhode Isle -- # turnovers (98th) ; 3 pt defense (96th)

Umass -- Asst/Turnover ratio (99th)

St. Louis -- # turnovers (34th) ; turnover margin (13th) ; Asst/turnover ratio (64th)

Xavier -- turnover margin (233 rd) ; free throw % (298 th)

We are also going against teams that appear to play with trends of great defense, good rebounding, lots of steals, and lots of blocked shots.

With all of these things to worry about, of course all of these teams have things we can exploit too. But along with figuring out how to exploit other team's weaknesses, we have got to get in games mentally and quit turning the ball over. And we need to make free throws.

I think we need to watch martial arts films. Or something

Brad D's post is spot on: We are struggling with a) turnovers and b) free throw % -- all the while we are playing a slow-paced game.

The problematic thing moving forward is that several of our opponents take care of the ball. Consider:

VCU -- Turnover margin (1st in nation) ; Asst/Turnover ration (33rd) ; and # steals per game? (1st in nation)

Rhode Isle -- # turnovers (98th) ; 3 pt defense (96th)

Umass -- Asst/Turnover ratio (99th)

St. Louis -- # turnovers (34th) ; turnover margin (13th) ; Asst/turnover ratio (64th)

Xavier -- turnover margin (233 rd) ; free throw % (298 th)

We are also going against teams that appear to play with trends of great defense, good rebounding, lots of steals, and lots of blocked shots.

I think we need to watch martial arts films. Or something

What are Your Areas for Improvement? Here's 5...

2013-01-28T17:49:00Z

I'm looking at a team that holds opponents to 60.7 points per game, 51st in the nation. It's also a team that holds opponents to 40.5 shooting percentage, 86th in the nation.

Offensively, they average a 46% shooting percentage, 51st in the nation.

That's all good.

Yet, points, assists and rebounds are all very low. Much of this has to do with pace. At least they shoot really well when they do shoot it.

It's a puzzle trying to unlock more points from this team. What do you think can happen to add 3-4 points per game to this team the rest of the way?

Here are my most likely ideas:

1) More assists from Redford. Brad is yet again a one dimensional player now that teams are face guarding him all game. His confidence with the ball and off the dribble can improve even minimally to provide open looks for teammates.

2) A renewed offensive approach from Dee Davis. As Broering said in his podcast, Davis was a scoring guard in HS. He also looked amazing in the beginning of the year. He has a nice jumper, but he does need the right amount of space for it. I think the staff working with him to find 3 or 4 areas of the floor for him to get the absolute green light on would help this offense open up a ton. He's got great passing skills and instincts, he just needs the game to come to him a little more.

3) Less shots from Amos, unless...he figures out what to do. He gets blocked a lot. Like every time. He's not been prepared to score and it shows. I hate to say it, but a shot from him is like a turnover. He should only shoot when inside 5 feet and after no assists are available.

4) Find out one more time if Philmore has game from 3. It's not gone well at all of course. But I think there is a soft touch there and it's worth one more look. He was scouted to be a decent shooter, and if he regresses back to a 30% shooter out there it could be a boon during the A10 stretch. It would also open the lane for him and he's a decent to the bucket guy. He's a candidate to emerge and this team needs and emergent player.

5) Stick with it Martin. He should be due for a breakout game sometime soon. This sort of volitility can hurt a team in the sense that the guards don't quite know when to trust Martin to capitalize so they tend to go away from him or he tends to lose confidence. At the end of the day, X wants the ball in Semaj's hands, but Martin might want to bark for the ball and show some confidence in his game so others start believing too.

I'm looking at a team that holds opponents to 60.7 points per game, 51st in the nation. It's also a team that holds opponents to 40.5 shooting percentage, 86th in the nation.

Offensively, they average a 46% shooting percentage, 51st in the nation.

That's all good.

Yet, points, assists and rebounds are all very low. Much of this has to do with pace. At least they shoot really well when they do shoot it.

It's a puzzle trying to unlock more points from this team. What do you think can happen to add 3-4 points per game to this team the rest of the way?

Here are my most likely ideas:

Defensive player value in basketball

2013-01-11T02:43:42Z

With the way Landon Amos found 16 minutes tonight and shut down Wyatt, you have to wonder if he's like the Paul Janish or Brendon Ryan of the Muskies.

That is, in baseball, teams are moving to speed and defense...so can Landon Amos actually provide positive value by bothering the other team's best scorer? I don't have stats, I need stats!

I could be wrong, but Amos was called on before the Semaj and Dee situations occurred?

Just a thought.

He's like the anti-Redford, all defense, almost negative offense.

With the way Landon Amos found 16 minutes tonight and shut down Wyatt, you have to wonder if he's like the Paul Janish or Brendon Ryan of the Muskies.

That is, in baseball, teams are moving to speed and defense...so can Landon Amos actually provide positive value by bothering the other team's best scorer? I don't have stats, I need stats!

I could be wrong, but Amos was called on before the Semaj and Dee situations occurred?

Just a thought.

He's like the anti-Redford, all defense, almost negative offense.

Butler, VCU, George Mason to the A-10?

2012-04-02T17:49:29Z

Any news on whether these schools will be a part of the A-10 in the next year(s)? From what I have heard a Butler move seems likely. I'm not so sure about VCU and George Mason though.I am confident that I am not the only one interested in some inside information.

Here is what I have seen on the topic:

http://www.indystar.com/article/20120331/SPORTS0605/203310328?odyssey=mod%7Cmostcom

http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/2012/3/25/2901943/vcu-george-mason-butler-atlantic-10-expansion

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/blog/brett-mcmurphy/18045227/vcu-george-mason-butler-in-discussions-to-join-atlantic-10

http://indiana.sbnation.com/butler-bulldogs/2012/3/20/2887835/butler-bulldogs-atlantic-10-horizon-league

Here is what I have seen on the topic:

http://www.indystar.com/article/20120331/SPORTS0605/203310328?odyssey=mod%7Cmostcom

http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/2012/3/25/2901943/vcu-george-mason-butler-atlantic-10-expansion

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/blog/brett-mcmurphy/18045227/vcu-george-mason-butler-in-discussions-to-join-atlantic-10

http://indiana.sbnation.com/butler-bulldogs/2012/3/20/2887835/butler-bulldogs-atlantic-10-horizon-league