Game 2: UNI vs Vermont

[achrist70]

Few thoughts for last night, I gave myself 12 hours so I could properly process.

1. How many times do we have a catch a player, take 8-10 dribbles and end up in the exact same spot? There is no offense created that is successful when this happens.
2. How many times do we have 2 players essentially in the same spot, or players just standing on offense? I know that sometimes they are supposed to, but these team is lacking the ability to move naturally with out the ball right now?
3. Who is the person that is going to tell players what they should be doing? 08-11 we had Kwadzo who was not afraid to tell someone to get their @$$ in the right spot, 14-15 it was Tuttle, 15-16 it was Wes and I think others as well. Who is that person for us? We are also lacking communication on the defensive end of the floor, way too many times we had one guy switch and the other didn't.
4. We need to learn how to fast break. When we get a chance to run we do, however, it is not well spaced which makes it easier for a defense to stop.
5. Where is the fire?
6. Get PJ Hogan a haircut.

[PVG Panther Fan]

What killed us last night were the TOs; 9 combined between Kimmons and Carter. Just sloppy play.. almost like these guys are playing together for the first time. Stretches did look solid last night. The crowd was responding, and then we have a lackadaisical pass and hand the ball to Vermont and they splash a 3 at the other end. Also, Phyfe has been our best player both games. We need to continue to feed him...he's 4-4, and then we don't get him the ball for the next 5 possessions. Why Green shoots 0-12 first game and Berhow last night shot more than Phyfe is beyond me. And lmao on the guys wanting to clean house...back away from the ledge! We have work to do, but give them a chance to figure it out. Go Panthers!

[UNIAlum95]

I took some time to think about this as I am just in shock over how bad we have played.

• To hear Jake say that we need Born back to make a difference is just shocking to me. How much experience is on the court for UNI? Berhow, Phyfe, Green, Pickford - That's over a decade of court experience and we are waiting on a second year 5' nothing point guard to make a difference. Don't get me wrong, I love Bowen and expect him to continue to do great things but that statement sets off instant BS flags

• We played better last night, played a better opponent last night, and got flat out out-played in every phase of the game
• Tuttle is calling the offense and PJ is calling the defense and it is awful on both ends. It's like this is just getting installed and we are playing our first scrimmages.
  • I see players looking around, looking back to try and figure out what they are supposed to be doing.
  • PJ gets an F for defensive readiness (and the haircut doesn't help either). Not boxing out, incredibly slow on the rotations. We got beat on the same things all night long.
  • The offense isn't much better.
• I remember posting here that they weren't going to look for an assistant other than Tuttle and was told I was wrong. Jake has surrounded himself with "his" coaches from day one and outside of Kyle, I'm not certain that Hogan or Crawford have an original thought on coaching to offer.
• AJ had the ugliest 19 point game I've ever seen. That's not a knock on him as it just shows how great of a scorer he is but nothing was pretty other than maybe his first 3 point shot. The rest were contested, forced shots that ultimately kept us in the game
• This team needs daily gauntlet drills on layups. I've never seen a program that finishes less often at the rim than UNI. That might be Jake's legacy at UNI, a team that can't finish when it gets into the lane (other than Phyfe)
• Can you imagine the team without Noah? I wonder what put him in the transfer portal and what got him back? The kid plays at 100% all the time and I want him to be more selfish with the ball and quit passing it. Keep shooting, drive the hoop, make the play.
• Phyfe is absolutely unstoppable when he's under the basket. Put him at the top of the key and he's an ok player but he's not Tuttle. Get him in the post with his back to the basket and let him pass out of the double team. Quit letting him get doubled 20' from the basket.
• Kimmon's showed some nice emotion last night and a willingness to attack the basket. The problem is, he just can't finish if there is any traffic and everyone knows it. He showed that the way they were playing was unacceptable. We just need him to contribute on the offensive end even if that is via creating assists.

Bottom line, this is on the coaching staff. I am incredibly disappointed in how unprepared this team has looked in these two games. Frankly we have a few more games to get our crap in order and take care of business in the conference season. That said, we certainly shouldn't be favored to do better than 3rd in the conference right now.

[MNpanthers]

What a travesty to watch this team start out so crappily while the most NBA ready player sits on the bench redshirting. If they can't figure out how to get a 6 9 kid with every measurable out on the court to take the pressure off from AJ they should just start over. Complete joke, best players should play whether they are a freshman or not

I hope this is just a long running troll job. "Every measurable" lol. Could you be any more subjective? If he had any problem with redshirting, he wouldn't be at UNI.

[BCPanther]

I took some time to think about this as I am just in shock over how bad we have played.

• To hear Jake say that we need Born back to make a difference is just shocking to me. How much experience is on the court for UNI? Berhow, Phyfe, Green, Pickford - That's over a decade of court experience and we are waiting on a second year 5' nothing point guard to make a difference. Don't get me wrong, I love Bowen and expect him to continue to do great things but that statement sets off instant BS flags

• We played better last night, played a better opponent last night, and got flat out out-played in every phase of the game
• Tuttle is calling the offense and PJ is calling the defense and it is awful on both ends. It's like this is just getting installed and we are playing our first scrimmages.
  • I see players looking around, looking back to try and figure out what they are supposed to be doing.
  • PJ gets an F for defensive readiness (and the haircut doesn't help either). Not boxing out, incredibly slow on the rotations. We got beat on the same things all night long.
  • The offense isn't much better.
• I remember posting here that they weren't going to look for an assistant other than Tuttle and was told I was wrong. Jake has surrounded himself with "his" coaches from day one and outside of Kyle, I'm not certain that Hogan or Crawford have an original thought on coaching to offer.
• AJ had the ugliest 19 point game I've ever seen. That's not a knock on him as it just shows how great of a scorer he is but nothing was pretty other than maybe his first 3 point shot. The rest were contested, forced shots that ultimately kept us in the game
• This team needs daily gauntlet drills on layups. I've never seen a program that finishes less often at the rim than UNI. That might be Jake's legacy at UNI, a team that can't finish when it gets into the lane (other than Phyfe)
• Can you imagine the team without Noah? I wonder what put him in the transfer portal and what got him back? The kid plays at 100% all the time and I want him to be more selfish with the ball and quit passing it. Keep shooting, drive the hoop, make the play.
• Phyfe is absolutely unstoppable when he's under the basket. Put him at the top of the key and he's an ok player but he's not Tuttle. Get him in the post with his back to the basket and let him pass out of the double team. Quit letting him get doubled 20' from the basket.
• Kimmon's showed some nice emotion last night and a willingness to attack the basket. The problem is, he just can't finish if there is any traffic and everyone knows it. He showed that the way they were playing was unacceptable. We just need him to contribute on the offensive end even if that is via creating assists.

Bottom line, this is on the coaching staff. I am incredibly disappointed in how unprepared this team has looked in these two games. Frankly we have a few more games to get our crap in order and take care of business in the conference season. That said, we certainly shouldn't be favored to do better than 3rd in the conference right now.

I agree with the vast majority of this--

I feel like we're the only team that refuses to dunk the basketball. We shoot more fadeaway layups than any other program on planet earth. Go up strong and give yourself a chance to at least be fouled. Stuff it down their throats! Impose your will!

Where I don't agree. HOW DARE YOU attack the long, flowing mane that PJ is sporting. It's glorious and I will not have it sullied in this public forum. GOOD DAY SIR!

[English77]

HOW DARE YOU attack the long, flowing mane that PJ is sporting. It's glorious and I will not have it sullied in this public forum.

Ha! You took the words right from my mouth. As a follicly challenged senior, I can only dream of locks like PJ's.

Yes, thus far, just about everything associated with this MBB season has been hugely disappointing. We can't even get people to staff the McLeod concession stands, let alone have our players and coaches execute an effective offense.

As an ex-wrestler, I never learned the intricacies of basketball execution, so I always appreciate those on this forum who are basketball savvy helping me better understand the game. But it doesn't take a basketball expert to know that right now we're watching the game executed as a 3 on a scale of 10.

[UNIAlum95]

Where I don't agree. HOW DARE YOU attack the long, flowing mane that PJ is sporting. It's glorious and I will not have it sullied in this public forum. GOOD DAY SIR!

Sitting at 2-0, I'm growing mine out to look like him. Sitting at 0-2, the staff should have a haircut party and go with shaved heads all around.

[BCPanther]

Ha! You took the words right from my mouth. As a follicly challenged senior, I can only dream of locks like PJ's.
Yes, thus far, just about everything associated with this MBB season has been hugely disappointing. We can't even get people to staff the McLeod concession stands, let alone have our players and coaches execute an effective offense.
As an ex-wrestler, I never learned the intricacies of basketball execution, so I always appreciate those on this forum who are basketball savvy helping me better understand the game. But it doesn't take a basketball expert to know that right now we're watching the game executed as a 3 on a scale of 10.

It just seems like we're always trying to make the 'perfect' play right now. An extra pass can be good sometimes but there have been a couple times where guys have passed up open shots that they should be taking to get Pickford or Kimmons an open three, those aren't good shots no matter how open they are. Year 5 and Ty hasn't figured out that there's a reason he's open a lot.

I get really sick of ball screens but this lineup should be using them. Need so much more Phyfe screening for AJ when teams are switching because there isn't a big in the country that can guard AJ on the perimeter. 1-4 sets with a big on AJ are lethal and it's a look that we should be using much more than we are. Give AJ every option, let him drive and kick, let him create for himself, let him control the game on offense. He's a generational player for us, let him be the guy.

[CyCarp]

I agree with the vast majority of this--

I feel like we're the only team that refuses to dunk the basketball. We shoot more fadeaway layups than any other program on planet earth. Go up strong and give yourself a chance to at least be fouled. Stuff it down their throats! Impose your will!

We very rarely attack the rim. Kimmons can attack, and don't get me wrong I like that, but he also needs to learn when to pass it off. Probably 3-4 times last night he got inside, had absolutely nothing and just threw up an incredibly wild shot or was rejected. There was a couple times I felt Berhow had a lane, but instead settled for a 8 footer that he bricked. We just can't get a high percentage shot right now, partially because our ball movement is downright awful. Too much dribbling with 4 guys watching.

[BCPanther]

Let's hope that having Born back on the floor as another ball handler helps with TOs. I like what Kimmons can be, I don't love what he is right now. He turned it over 5 times last night and Carter had 4. That's non sustainable, obviously. When you play a low possession game you can't give away 17 of them.

We also didn't shoot anywhere near enough 3s last night. 21 attempts for a team that, on paper, shoots this well from the outside is horribly inefficient. That all goes back to spacing, again.

[BrockLesnar]

I would venture that it would be a mistake to unredshirt our three true Freshman in terms of the big picture. No season ending injuries occurred. We sink or swim with the 11 experienced players. However, our at large chance would have a loss limit. I'd say about 8 losses on selection Sunday. So, we now, need to go 16-2 in MVC play to realistically be at 8 losses at the end. Early losses always add maximum pressure.

[UNIAlum95]

I would venture that it would be a mistake to undershirt our three true Freshman in terms of the big picture. No season ending injuries occurred. We sink or swim with the 11 experience players. However, our at large chance would have a loss limit. I'd say about 8 losses on selection Sunday. So, we now, need to go 16-2 in MVC play to realistically be at 8 losses at the end. Early losses always add maximum pressure.

I don't see a conceivable way you pull a redshirt without injury. It just makes no sense. You have enough bodies, you have enough experience, the coaches have to get their crap together and get it organized on the court.

[1994grad]

I was at both games and I am disappointed as well, but then again, I am not as negative about our future as most of the people posting. I do realize these losses impact our at large bid, but I still have hope for improvement. After watching last night, there was no doubt Vermont was the better team. They seemed to win with ease. I am very excited to have Bowen back in the line up soon. I think he will help draw some attention from the defense to open up shots for AJ and Berhow.

I am wondering if Jake is second guessing all of the five and five play they have done in practice now that we have not played well during the first two games.

I have been very impressed with Phyfe, but have wondered why seems to not be on the court or scoring as much during the second half. This just is an observation, and I may be wrong on this. I was also happy with AJ's scoring last night and felt that he had the opportunity for quite a bit more, didn't seem to shoot as much as he did in years past.

Hopefully we can continue to clean up our turnovers, make more free throws and have get Born with 15 plus points a game in the very near future.

[UNIAlum95]

I have been very impressed with Phyfe, but have wondered why seems to not be on the court or scoring as much during the second half. This just is an observation, and I may be wrong on this. I was also happy with AJ's scoring last night and felt that he had the opportunity for quite a bit more, didn't seem to shoot as much as he did in years past.

Phyfe was struggling with the double teams at the top of the key in the second half and had a few turnovers and for whatever reason our coaching staff simply gave up on him in the second and put him on the bench. It's mind boggling that he was 4-4 in the first and we never found him inside again in the second or that we didn't do something that exposed their over rotation to him and made them pay with someone else getting looks.

[1994grad]

Phyfe was struggling with the double teams at the top of the key in the second half and had a few turnovers and for whatever reason our coaching staff simply gave up on him in the second and put him on the bench. It's mind boggling that he was 4-4 in the first and we never found him inside again in the second or that we didn't do something that exposed their over rotation to him and made them pay with someone else getting looks.

Vermont was playing small much of the night so it looked like Phyfe could have dominated more than he did. I have been very impressed with his play, we just need to use him more. Maybe it is a conditioning issue too.