Natty........interesting you posted this analysis. I was about to embark on such a task myself.
Shaka needs to get Rob on the floor for extended minutes (quite frankly, at the expense of the senior guards). Rob's size, versatility, energy, length, athleticism, speed, hops, etc are going to be needed (at both ends of the floor) against the better/bigger teams.
I don't want to get into the Dom Jones-Lamar Taylor, Eric Maynor-Alexander Harper, BA Walker-Alexander Harper discussions................but Shaka's going to have to "sack up" (and do the right - albeit difficult - thing) at some point if he wants win three or four straight at the Coliseum and hear our name called on Selection Sunday. The necessary pieces of the puzzle exist on this roster. He's also GOT to get Haley/Reddic/Veal sharing the five-hole (40 minutes per between them). Jamie's a four, Brad's a three (35 minutes per for each of them)...........period. Toby/Juvonte and Ed/Troy can spell Jamie and Brad.
This "small ball" stuff might work against the lesser (athletic/sized) squads and perhaps for small stretches in various games, but Jamie and Brad at the "5" and "4" for extended periods of time won't cut it against the ODU's, GMU's, JMU's, etc. I am actually hoping that Saturday Jan 22 in Norfolk will illustrate this clearly and that the staff will get back to putting people where they belong (regardless of age/class) thereafter.
5 - Reddic/Haley/Veal
4 - Skeen/Veal
3 - Burgess/Nixon/Daniels
2 - Brandenberg/Rozzell/Nixon/Daniels
1 - Theus/Rodriguez
Our defense needs to get better fast (AdjD = #110).......and significantly. You cannot protect the arc properly with J-Rod getting 30-35 minutes at the "2" and "1." Likewise, if Brad and Jamie are manning the paint at the "4" and "5," we can't adequately protect the paint and control the glass.
Northeastern hung 42 on us in the second half at the Stu.......w/ us playing "small ball" most of the second half. The list of teams hanging 39+ on us in the second halves of games (that's when Shaka generally goes small - by limiting DJ, Juvonte, Troy.......and way too much Joey) is ridiculous. We made NU look like a juggernaut in the 2nd half. They aren't.
By the way, Shaka..........some advice on how to disrupt another team's offensive momentum since you and your staff seem to struggle with this:
1. Try calling a 30-second timeout after WE score every now and then (to perhaps change a defensive look so the opponent needs some time to figure it out).
2. Try switching defenses every once in a while (ever heard of 1-3-1, a 3-2 zone, a half court trap, a match-up zone, a box and one, a triangle and two, a jump trap, etc)..........perhaps even on consecutive possessions.
3. Try switching defenses WITHIN a possession (on an offensive reset or deadball).
4. Try some situational substitutions on dead balls (Haley/Reddic in on D, perhaps out on O).
5. Quit playing so much "small ball".........teams sense the size differential and attack it.
6. Your perimeter players need to hedge out on (and fight through) screens better/more consistently. The bigs, I noticed, actually do a decent job.
NU scored on what seemed like 7-8 consecutive possessions in the second half and Shaka didn't do one darn thing to stem the tide. He's very lucky we were stroking it offensively. Nevertheless, a 3-pt game w/ 3 to play..........completely unnecessary. NU got worked by ODU and pummeled at home by GMU.
This isn't an isolated case either............our defense routinely gets abused in the second half. Tulane, Northeastern, UNCG, Tennessee, UCLA, UAB, VMI, Wofford, New Hampshire, Georgia St.............TEN opponents have hung 39+ on us in the second half (six of those at home, against mediocre opponents). Richmond, Wake, and UNCG hit us up for 40+ in the first half as well.
We won't even come close to dancing unless this team develops a "40-minute mentality" and a "defensive/rebounding posture" (and fast)............and that WILL NOT happen playing Jamie at the "5," Brad at the "4," and Joey at the "2" for extended periods. Rob, DJ, and Juvonte need more PT now.......to be ready for early March. We will need to "get stops" three or four days in a row.......lots of stops........and boards!! Good teams will be able to handle our press/pressure. We're almost certainly not going to be able to rattle GMU, JMU, ODU, Charles Jenkins, etc. with pressure and up-tempo.
@ ODU - ??
@ Northeastern - ??
@ Drexel - ??
@ BracketBuster - ??
@ JMU - ??
----------------------
@ USF - loss
@ UAB - loss
@ UR - loss
We'll see how we fare in true road games against competent competition the rest of the way.........that'll tell the story......and let us know if we're ready for the Coliseum.
