We have no guards!

[Panthers#1]

Our guards suck. The only one worth anything is Josten. The guards that I saw on the floor tonight were worthless. 5-25 from 3 point land? Give me a break. You might as well start Josten, Jordan, Koch, Stout, and Coleman.

Thank God for Josten. He is really the only guard that I trust to make a shot and handle the ball right now. Teams have figured out that they really need to guard Stout and Coleman and and let our guards jack up 3's because they know we are not going to make them.

All we have to look forward to is the Valley Tourney because there is no way we will get into any tourney playing like this.

[blien]

we need an offense, wtf we stand around alot.
the press kills 7-8 seconds,then our crap offesnes plays wsate 26, then fling a shot

[jman2004]

What pissed me off was wasting those 7-8 seconds when we really didn't have to. Coleman was open at half court most of the time and when Josten brought it up, the press backed off.

Dr. Tom's press was really not that much of a press at all. It was us that decided to waste that time. We needed to push it.

[r54uni]

If you can't make shots, any offense is going to look bad. Our offense is fine - we had a lot of open looks that simply didn't fall. I'm more worried about our defense and rebounding!!

[jman2004]

Our offense is fine - we had a lot of open looks that simply didn't fall. I'm more worried about our defense and rebounding!!

Seems to me this has been the case for quite a bit of our games lately, not just tonight.

[panther2317]

Drake and Creighton zone against us exclusively and it makes us go stagnant. Our guard don't suck. When they were 11-for-17 from the 3-point line in Springfield, MO a couple of weeks ago...did they suck then? They've had a couple of tough shooting nights...they'll come around.

[MediaPanther]

Drake and Creighton zone against us exclusively and it makes us go stagnant. Our guard don't suck. When they were 11-for-17 from the 3-point line in Springfield, MO a couple of weeks ago...did they suck then? They've had a couple of tough shooting nights...they'll come around.

The bad part is that is one of the very few good examples of good guard play. We have plenty of examples of poor guard play. No one on UNI's team sucks or they wouldn't be on the team, but there are players who have been playing very poorly for too long. It's not a matter of a little slump. At least I hope not, or the whole team has been in a two week slump.

[TheGrowl]

I don't think our guard play necessarily sucks, but not being able to knock down the three at a reasonable percentage does. If we make three more 3-pointers tonight, we win. (I think that would have made us 8/24).

Anyway, the biggest problem I have is that our offense looks lost when we go against a zone. We pass it around the perimeter with the hope that we may be able to throw it into the post. Every once in a while we get it in there, but for the most part, it's an exercise in futility. Clock runs down - we force a shot. Coleman does a nice job kicking it out when he gets double teamed, but if we're not making them, teams will just keep packing it in. Maybe instead of trying to get it in low all the time, we need a high post offense to help collapse the zone (at least that what Boyle suggested.)

By the way, when's the last time Travis made a three? December? (Somebody please check to make sure he's still taking his sleeping pills.)

Oh...and a few untimely missed free throws didn't help us tonight either.

[ExJHawkCatFan]

Anyone who has coached or played organized basketball will tell you that you don't beat a zone by standing outside and holding the ball for 2-3 seconds and then passing to the next player so they can hold it for 2-3 seconds.

You swing the ball quickly and try to penetrate the gaps. Cut into the open areas of the zone. Try to overload the zone and then you can get the ball into the post.

To me this is the fundamental way to beat a zone and I do not understand why we can't seem to break a zone down. While I am not placing the blame solely on our guards/perimeter players, I am wondering about the decision making that we have been doing. If you are having an off night shooting, does it make any sense to keep throwing up the 3 pointers? Try something different, attack the hoop maybe?

[blien]

well put exjhawk!
turn by the water tower...

[Mudrafan]

we have no guards. period. In a guard oriented league, we have no guards. No quickness, sporadic 3-pt ability. We have not kept up w/ guard recruiting to play in the upper echelon in the league. Next year, when we lose Stout, it will be even more evident. I'm very concerned.

[panther2317]

I've seen many teams run their man "motion" offense vs. a zone just to get the defenses heads turning and looking at cutters. Zone principles according to 2317: odd or even (odd front zone - even front offense and vice-a-versa), make two guard one (penetrate and make two of their defensive players in the zone guard the ball...then look for the open man), overload the zone (get more offensive players then defensive players in an area of the zone), contort the zone (take them out of position - make the zone look nothing like it did when the possession started) and one good skip deserves another (move the ball from side to side - then inside - out if necessary)

It's a little generic and corny...but those are the only 5 principles that the head coach I worked with used...and it was very effective.

[UNIAlum95]

I've seen many teams run their man "motion" offense vs. a zone just to get the defenses heads turning and looking at cutters. Zone principles according to 2317: odd or even (odd front zone - even front offense and vice-a-versa), make two guard one (penetrate and make two of their defensive players in the zone guard the ball...then look for the open man), overload the zone (get more offensive players then defensive players in an area of the zone), contort the zone (take them out of position - make the zone look nothing like it did when the possession started) and one good skip deserves another (move the ball from side to side - then inside - out if necessary)

It's a little generic and corny...but those are the only 5 principles that the head coach I worked with used...and it was very effective.

Maybe this bit of knowledge needs to be passed along to the UNI staff. I suspect we will see more than our fare share of zone from here on out...

[LongBall42]

We were essentially screwed by the horrid sophmore class. Getting nothing out of Mason Stewart and that other character that left has what really hurt this team this season.

[Panthers to the Bone]

What do you mean LongBall? Are you talking about Mason Stewart and Mike Williams? If so, then I agree...if you are talking about Travis Brown, then I think it's a little early to make that statement.

That year, UNI had 3 scholarships. They went to 3 players...eventually 4.

UNI signed Travis Brown (started every game this year), Mason Stewart (left after last year), and Jermain Raffington (was literally 0.1 GPA points or 5-10 SAT points away from being a Panther). After Raffington didn't qualify, they had another scholy, so they picked up Williams that spring. Yes, things didn't work out with Williams, but if he hadn't had left, UNI may not have gotten Carlton Reed.

IMO, (and from what I have heard regarding Carlton's show in practices and the weight room) Carlton is going to bring something UNI doesn't have this year (or have alot of). Carlton has been pretty impressive in practice and has really begun to gain confidence, and his work ethic has been very good. He is becoming stronger, and I think will provide UNI with some depth next year (either as a starter or 6th man). If Carlton or Travis start every game next year, then I think it's hard to say that the class ended up being horrid. But yes, as of now (in the present), I would have to agree that that class ended up not being as good as we thought it would originally with Jermain, Travis, and Mason. However, with who took those scholarships (Brown, Reed, and then Stephen Jones---Raffington-->Williams-->Jones), it could end up being a nice group. But, right now that original class did not pan out like we would have liked it to.

I think if anything, the back to back classes of lost players hurt most---
2004: Coleman, (Pedescleaux, who decided not to sign in the fall, which then opened up for...) and Vince Polakovic (who transferred to San Fran after filling it up from the offensive end, but couldn't play defense)
2005: Brown, Stewart (transferred), and Raffington (then Mike Williams)

That is only 2 players from those two classes that still are in uniform. Granted, both are starters, and may end up being a 4 year starter and 3 year starter respectively. Remember that Dylan Grimsley was also brought in for that class, before he got injured/sick and then sat out last year, before transferring to South Dakota where he is tearing it up).

I really believe that the 2006 class we signed is going to be the best ever, and the depth it brings will lay the foundation for future NCAA runs. UNI now has a little more spread out class structure. I hope we don't see anymore 4-5 player classes. You currently see:
2 seniors (McKowen/Stout)
3 juniors (Coleman/Viet/Josten)
2 sophs (Reed/Brown)
4 freshmen (Eglseder, Koch, Ahelgbe, Jones)
3 freshman next year (Dunham + two '07 recruits---Barz and O'Rear)

That's a great balance, IMO. You will probably see UNI add either a Juco or true freshman guard with the only remaining scholarship. That could mean next year having:
3 seniors
3 juniors (if a JC is added)
4 sophs
3 freshmen (probably only 2, as one will probably redshirt)

This means less likelihood of a team being decimated by seniors graduating and more quality depth due to the ability to RS parts of incoming freshmen classes.