Forum › Forum › Lehigh Sports › Lehigh Men’s Basketball › Boston U. – Game 2
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January 2, 2015 at 7:56 pm #17509
GameNotes
LU’s
Game 2’s in the PL
Last week, Sagarin’s favorites went 1 and 4. Let’s see how Pomeroy does on Sunday. His picks and forecast spreads appear following each matchup. At the end of play, two teams are guaranteed to sit 2 and 0 and another two teams at 0 and 2. Let’s hope we don’t join the latter group.
LU (0-1) @ Boston U. (1-0)….Boston U. by 3
Navy (1-0) @ Lafayette (1-0)….Lafayette by 14
Army (0-1) @ Loyola (0-1)….Army by 5
Holy Cross (0-1) @ American (0-1)….American by 6
Bucknell (1-0) @ Colgate (1-0)….Colgate by 4
Our Opponent on Sunday: Boston U.
The story of BU’s win over HC at the Hart Center in Game 1
Short version: Despite turning the ball over 20 times compared to only 2 miscues on the part of Holy Cross, the Terriers outlasted the host Crusaders in OT 75-72 on the back of 60.9% shooting. Holy Cross, on the other hand, couldn’t find the basket – although they tried – heaving it up what I suppose was a record 84 times. Only 31 times did the ball drop through the net (.369 FG%). The BU starters went a combined 175 minutes and shared the ball nearly flawlessly with each taking either 7, 8 or 9 shots and connecting on 50% or more of their tries. A textbook shooting performance if ever there was one!
Long version: http://www.goterriers.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/123114aaa.html
Early Success
The Terriers enjoyed early success this year while many of us were focused on the upcoming World Series of Baseball or wrapping up summer school. The gang from BU went to Europe and won four in a row over teams from Italy and Switzerland. While only 5-7 on the year, we can excuse their loss to #1 Kentucky but must take notice of their wins over Quinnipiac and, of course, Holy Cross. They come into our game winners of three of their last four – albeit one was over D-III Wentworth. Let’s not lose sight of the fact that BU was the PL Regular Season Champs from a year ago and went on to win 2 of their 3 games in the PL Tournament before losing to American in the finale.
KenPom Stat Overview tells us that BU struggles in their defense of the 2pt shot (opponents hitting 53.1% of their 2’s) as well as their ability to force turnovers (just 15.7% of opponents’ possessions) and block shots. Like Lehigh, they are a young team (1.25 years average experience) which relies heavily on their starting five (only 26.5% bench minutes). They also have woes in offensive rebounding. Again, like us.
BU Player Spotlight: 6’5” Sophomore Guard, Cedric Hankerson
PPG: 18.8
RPG: 5.0
MPG: 34.7
FGA: .431
3FGA: .420
Named to PL All Rookie Team in 2013-14January 3, 2015 at 8:32 pm #17517Woah…that was really bad. The team didn’t show up at all, no intensity or fire and no willingness to compete. I don’t want to be too dramatic, but it did appear that the team quit during BU’s run early in the second half with the deficit rising to 36.
Very curious to hear Reed’s postgame comments. I watched the game in it’s entirety and really can’t think of a single positive aside from the fact that the bench guys got some run. No passion or energy, lazy and telegraphed passes, bunch of silly turnovers, no finishing.
January 3, 2015 at 8:38 pm #17518Watcched Start of 2nd. Turned it off. Agree team just gave up. What in God’s name is going on? Before every game Kroogs tweets about donning warpaint. I’m guessing he was the only one who did so.
Really should have stuck with WBB. They play basketball.-
This reply was modified 10 years, 1 month ago by
RichH.
January 3, 2015 at 9:38 pm #17520Listening to Doc’s post game. Came away not knowing any more. At times sounded like Andy,kids not executing but we gotta stay confident,learn from errors and keep same scheme in place. He did hit poor 3pt D as well as poor D inside.
One question. What’s going on with TK. Another very subpar game.January 5, 2015 at 3:44 pm #17527Go Figure. Is it Inconsistency or is it intensity? I say it’s both. First, here’s a look at the former.
We averaged 79 ppg when facing BCS opponents (ASU, DePaul and Villanova) and only 65 ppg in the other ten games played to date. Must all our opponents be ranked to get our attention? On the heels of a 3 point win over UMBC (ranked 339th) in which the lead changed 5 times and neither team enjoyed a lead of greater than 6 points, LU – still perhaps thinking they’re invincible after beating ASU in triple overtime – has kicked off the PL season with back to back losses and watched their KenPom national rankings slip from 181 to 232. Guess what….we’re not invincible. Far from it!
While consistency is nowhere to be found throughout the lineup, it is particularly noticeable from those we count on to score and rebound the basketball. TK is shooting 11 for 27 (.407) in PL play and just .435 overall vs. a 32-game mark of .515 last year. Only twice this season (13 games) has he made more than half his shoots in any one contest. Last year, he broke the .500 barrier in 16 of his 32 games played. He has but 2 ORs in the last 59 minutes of play and 19 for the entire 13 game season (1.46/game). Last year, he averaged 2.3 ORs/game. Next, AP. Price is at .333 in PL play this year (.374 for the entire year last season) and can be counted on this year to give you anywhere from 1 to 10 made FGs/game. And then there’s MS. Miles is 1 for 8 in PL play (.125) and 3 for 14 (.214) in his last five. This after shooting .362 in his freshman season!
When it comes to our freshmen class, it doesn’t get much better in terms of consistency night in and night out. Kahron continues where he left off in OOC play with 5 for 10 shooting one night and 1 for 5 the next. That matches Brandon’s 1 for 5 in one game and 5 for 7 the next.
The “you never know what you’re gonna get” thinking applies to our junior and senior class participants, as well. JG can be counted on to give you anywhere from 0 to 6 made FGs/game with 7 of 13 games producing 2 goals or less. The same goes for Jesse. JC, while hitting a somewhat respectable .379, can be “counted on” to add anywhere from 0 (3 times this year) to 6 (once) made field goals a game. In the senior ranks, CS while the most consistent of all and among the leaders in FG% , is not producing big numbers in FGAs. The argument here is that the Captain is under-utilized. As for SC, our 3-point specialist, is no longer our3-pt. guru. At .226, he’s the lowest ranking long-distance shooter on the team of those who have taken more than one attempt from beyond the arc.
And, that’s just a look at shooting. On the other side of the ball, we are ranked 10th in league play among the 10-members by KenPom in something he calls “Effective FG%-D.”
That seems to sum it up.
January 5, 2015 at 11:19 pm #17532Don’t know what to even say. I brought my famiky, daughter won the halftime bowling game at center court, the only highlight of the day. The lowest part of the day, down 36 with over 10 minutes still to play and watxhing my two kids sort through the BU gift bag that my daughter won, that was lowest part.
I also enjoyed the Quinnipiac game and my wife thinks I need my head checked as I want to go to HC on valentines day…nice combination platter of we always lose at HC combined with my crappy luck.
January 6, 2015 at 2:22 am #17533Just finished Nd-NCAR. ND is Doc’ s perfect team :).Outrebounded 50-29 but shot 48% from 3pt. Basically ND got no O rebounds. So if we’re not going to rebound gotta hit 50% of our 3s
January 7, 2015 at 1:35 pm #17547As I continue to read all of the posts and try and wrap my head around this season and last season I have come to this conclusion. LU is not very good! We continue to talk about youth, inconsistency, and schemes; but I can’t help but think maybe the problem is talent. Granted their have been bright spots such as the performances against the big 3 OCC opponents. However, lets be honest those games do not mean much to the power schools.
Maybe the hype on some of our players is just that, hype! I like most have bought into believing everything I have read about some of LU’s recruits over the past two seasons. I do believe that TK is a legit player in the PL. His struggles IMHO stem from poor game plans and the inability of his teammates to create when he is doubled and tripled. Mackey was a big part of TKs success last year as we unfortunately are learning. At some point excuses need to stop being made and we need to look at reality. This team is not very good, right now! I hope players turn it around and that I am wrong about the talent. I will still be watching and routing for them every game but sometimes you have to accept, “if it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and walks like a duck its probably a duck.”
January 7, 2015 at 2:54 pm #17548one thing to keep in mind is the youth of this team, PL is generally jr and sr laden, we however are fr and so laden, fan11 may be right that talent is lacking, but I am not giving in that easily. Key for me is improvement by year end, if not there then talent may be the issue.
January 7, 2015 at 3:22 pm #17549I don’t think it’s a talent issue. I think it’s a toughness/focus/energy issue. Reed has always been a bit of a “just roll out the ball and let them play” kind of coach, and I agree that lack of scheme and adjustments are hurting Tim’s numbers.
I do buy the youth argument. Lehigh had one senior contributor last year, and (basically) one this year. There is no potential all-league talent in the upper classes on this team.
For me, the shooting numbers against the major conference opponents (52% overall, 43% from 3) versus the overall numbers (42% overall and 33% from 3) indicate what this team can do with focus. Honestly, I don’t think this team will hit it’s peak until 2 years from now when Tim and Austin are in the middle of the senior seasons. I’ll be pleased if this team can turn it around to finish above .500 in the league (still very doable) this year, and then contend for a title next year, and then be a real problem in 16-17.
What scares me is that maturity can lead to more consistency and toughness, but the utter lack of it at times this season has been appalling. Those traits usually don’t come out of nowhere. It would be nice to see improvement in those areas ASAP.
January 7, 2015 at 7:43 pm #17550I agree, and I do think it is a talent issue in the upperclass grades. Reed recruited two very poor classes in a row, and now the team and program are paying for it.
If you look at the seniors, you have:
CB – giving you nothing this season, and very little over career (injuries or otherwise, not sure at this point)
SC – giving you nothing this season, and very little over career (shame as I think he has a spot in the right rotation)
CS – is a decent role player on the team, but not a primetime type of player. Has had a decent career, but as a complementary player.
If you look at the juniors:
DC – giving you nothing this season, and nothing for career.
JC – giving you nothing this season, and very spotty career so far, that is only getting worse.
JG – only bright spot on this list. Is a comer on the team, and will be a factor his last 2 seasons. But, even with that, he will never be an All PL type of player (1st or 2nd team)
KM – transfer, but giving you nothing this season, and doesn’t appear to be a big contributor moving forward.
And, I am starting to wonder as to why we are bringing in transfers like KM and JRG who are not going to be impact players. Why waste the scholarships?
The 2 younger classes have some talent, but we are being burned by a lack of talent in our experienced players. Obviously, PL is a 4 year league, where nobody is leaving early. It is tough to bring in talented 18 year olds to play against talented men (21 and 22 years old) on your competition. Big difference.
January 7, 2015 at 9:09 pm #17552And, I am starting to wonder as to why we are bringing in transfers like KM and JRG who are not going to be impact players. Why waste the scholarships?
KM is confirmed as a walk-on, so he not taking up a scholarship.
January 7, 2015 at 10:33 pm #17554I’ve been thinking along the same lines, pafan. The one thing we know for sure is that, right now, we are not very good. There’s a lot more to talk about there, but it’s too close to game time. I’ll wait to see this one, but I don’t expect any perceptions to change dramatically tonight.
In the meantime, I saw this article today about the pards and O’Hanlon, and I think it might be relevant. More tomorrow…
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