Big East Tournament

[jayc13]

I am so sick of the narrative on this message board that Creighton “doesn’t show up” when we lose. The shots weren’t falling. How many more seasons of LetItFly will it take for CU fans to realize that when that happens, it’s going to be a struggle? Providence is a very good team with its season on the line. Even though the shooting was atrocious and our all-conference best player played his worst game of the year, we still had a lead with a few minutes to go. How is that “not showing up”?

The implications of those words - “not showing up” - are that the guys weren’t ready, didn’t care, etc. Too often, it’s not even implied - fans say it directly. I reject that entire premise.

We basically played six guys yesterday. They care. They worked their asses off. They showed up - they just lost.

Yep.

[Altmanforprez]

I am so sick of the narrative on this message board that Creighton “doesn’t show up” when we lose. The shots weren’t falling. How many more seasons of LetItFly will it take for CU fans to realize that when that happens, it’s going to be a struggle? Providence is a very good team with its season on the line. Even though the shooting was atrocious and our all-conference best player played his worst game of the year, we still had a lead with a few minutes to go. How is that “not showing up”?

The implications of those words - “not showing up” - are that the guys weren’t ready, didn’t care, etc. Too often, it’s not even implied - fans say it directly. I reject that entire premise.

We basically played six guys yesterday. They care. They worked their asses off. They showed up - they just lost.

+1

Reading board you would think the season is over and all hope is lost. Nothing that happened last night was wildly out of line with how the team played all year. If shots aren’t falling this isn’t a team who is going to win many grinders, but last night was not a “bad” loss as some have said. It was a winnable game and it’s fine to be frustrated, but lots of posters coming out of the woodwork acting silly.

[Alphawalt]

We were able to win some of these types of games last year, but the difference is we had Kaluma and R2 instead of Miller and Ash. Despite sometimes questionable ball handling and shot decisions, there can really be no debate at all Kaluma is far superior to Miller. I sincerely hope Miller is a player off the bench next year and gets even less minutes. I don’t know what you guys are thinking who are saying he needs more minutes. All he does is play hard and occasionally hits wide open threes. He lacks the athleticism to play on a top tier team like CU. As for Ashworth, the major lacking quality is ability to drive the ball to the basket. His shots around the basket rarely go in or are swatted away with regularity. I do love his grit the past few weeks, but this team needs another player who can effectively drive to the basket. We should have gotten a big post player to help Kalk with more scoring down low. It is obvious that when our threes are not falling, we press too hard on offense, make bad passes and rushed three point shots. Even Baylor is not himself if shots are not falling and then he rushes his shots. There is no plan B when the threes are not falling, even the plan B of getting it to Kalk is forgotten half the time. Let if fly should have its limits when it is obviously a bad shooting night for multiple players. What is frustrating is this team has the defensive chops to go far in the tournament but it is the offensive side, our supposed strength, that will be the reason we lose.

[bluejayfan00]

We were able to win some of these types of games last year, but the difference is we had Kaluma and R2 instead of Miller and Ash. Despite sometimes questionable ball handling and shot decisions, there can really be no debate at all Kaluma is far superior to Miller. I sincerely hope Miller is a player off the bench next year and gets even less minutes. I don’t know what you guys are thinking who are saying he needs more minutes. All he does is play hard and occasionally hits wide open threes. He lacks the athleticism to play on a top tier team like CU. As for Ashworth, the major lacking quality is ability to drive the ball to the basket. His shots around the basket rarely go in or are swatted away with regularity. I do love his grit the past few weeks, but this team needs another player who can effectively drive to the basket. We should have gotten a big post player to help Kalk with more scoring down low. It is obvious that when our threes are not falling, we press too hard on offense, make bad passes and rushed three point shots. Even Baylor is not himself if shots are not falling and then he rushes his shots. There is no plan B when the threes are not falling, even the plan B of getting it to Kalk is forgotten half the time. Let if fly should have its limits when it is obviously a bad shooting night for multiple players. What is frustrating is this team has the defensive chops to go far in the tournament but it is the offensive side, our supposed strength, that will be the reason we lose.

McAndrew needs to be ready to play and be the real deal.

[Chicagojayfan]

We were able to win some of these types of games last year, but the difference is we had Kaluma and R2 instead of Miller and Ash. Despite sometimes questionable ball handling and shot decisions, there can really be no debate at all Kaluma is far superior to Miller. I sincerely hope Miller is a player off the bench next year and gets even less minutes. I don’t know what you guys are thinking who are saying he needs more minutes. All he does is play hard and occasionally hits wide open threes. He lacks the athleticism to play on a top tier team like CU. As for Ashworth, the major lacking quality is ability to drive the ball to the basket. His shots around the basket rarely go in or are swatted away with regularity. I do love his grit the past few weeks, but this team needs another player who can effectively drive to the basket. We should have gotten a big post player to help Kalk with more scoring down low. It is obvious that when our threes are not falling, we press too hard on offense, make bad passes and rushed three point shots. Even Baylor is not himself if shots are not falling and then he rushes his shots. There is no plan B when the threes are not falling, even the plan B of getting it to Kalk is forgotten half the time. Let if fly should have its limits when it is obviously a bad shooting night for multiple players. What is frustrating is this team has the defensive chops to go far in the tournament but it is the offensive side, our supposed strength, that will be the reason we lose.

Last year's team mostly lost them as well:

under 45% eFG% this year: 1-5, last year: 2-6 (1 win vs. a terrible GT team on the road, other where uConn shot 37.7 eFG)

both teams pretty much lost when they shot as poorly as we did last night 43.1 eFG

To add to this - Doesn't ANYONE remember Xavier in the Tourney last year?

Xavier was 64th adjusted D on Kenpom last year, Providence is 17th adjusted D on Kenpom this year (not that it matters so much when we are just missing shots)

Anyway our eFG% was 43.8 (about what it was last night), game score was 84.0 (makes last night look like we were running the offense pretty well)

Nembhard 2/12, 1/3 3PT 0/0 FT's
Kaluma 3/8, 1/5 3 PT

good thing we had them to pull out those rock fights, right?

[GoJays2020]

In games like last night where the 3s aren't falling, they should really get it into Kalk more. He was 7-11. Nembhard used to do 3 or 4 lobs a game to Kalk, but this year they do it much less.

[sdebole059]

We were able to win some of these types of games last year, but the difference is we had Kaluma and R2 instead of Miller and Ash. Despite sometimes questionable ball handling and shot decisions, there can really be no debate at all Kaluma is far superior to Miller. I sincerely hope Miller is a player off the bench next year and gets even less minutes. I don’t know what you guys are thinking who are saying he needs more minutes. All he does is play hard and occasionally hits wide open threes. He lacks the athleticism to play on a top tier team like CU. As for Ashworth, the major lacking quality is ability to drive the ball to the basket. His shots around the basket rarely go in or are swatted away with regularity. I do love his grit the past few weeks, but this team needs another player who can effectively drive to the basket. We should have gotten a big post player to help Kalk with more scoring down low. It is obvious that when our threes are not falling, we press too hard on offense, make bad passes and rushed three point shots. Even Baylor is not himself if shots are not falling and then he rushes his shots. There is no plan B when the threes are not falling, even the plan B of getting it to Kalk is forgotten half the time. Let if fly should have its limits when it is obviously a bad shooting night for multiple players. What is frustrating is this team has the defensive chops to go far in the tournament but it is the offensive side, our supposed strength, that will be the reason we lose.

I agree. Sucks we replaced a good PG with one that was supposed to consistently hit open 3’s and drive to the rim. Unfortunately, Ashworth has fallen off a cliff again. He’s 6/36 from 3 since the UConn game. He had a good 7 game stretch but other than that he’s been mid. Crazy . Miller doesn’t hurt the offense like Kaluma did but sometimes feels like he’s just running cardio.

[Chicagojayfan]

In games like last night where the 3s aren't falling, they should really get it into Kalk more. He was 7-11. Nembhard used to do 3 or 4 lobs a game to Kalk, but this year they do it much less.

that was kind of my thought, but numbers don't really bear that out. Usage is up this year over last year, both in conference and out

Kalk had 3 games this year with 15 shots or more, but only 1 last year.

Take out the additional 3 PT shots he's taken and he's roughly the same in his shots from last year. But even last year, I think we often wished we'd work inside-out more often, especially when shots aren't falling, and, unfortunately, he was 1/5 in the first half last night

this year
dunks 76/83
at the rim 163/216 / Assisted 77.3%
Other 2 PT - 42/70 / Assisted 64.3%

last year
dunks 73/75
At the rim 184/239 / Assisted 80.4
other 2 PT - 29/57 / Assisted 58.6

some variation there, but it doesn't look to me like we used Kalk substantially more or better last year

I think we all agree about just getting him the ball more, especially when we are struggling from 3 PT range.

[Alphawalt]

In games like last night where the 3s aren't falling, they should really get it into Kalk more. He was 7-11. Nembhard used to do 3 or 4 lobs a game to Kalk, but this year they do it much less.

that was kind of my thought, but numbers don't really bear that out. Usage is up this year over last year, both in conference and out

Kalk had 3 games this year with 15 shots or more, but only 1 last year.

Take out the additional 3 PT shots he's taken and he's roughly the same in his shots from last year. But even last year, I think we often wished we'd work inside-out more often, especially when shots aren't falling, and, unfortunately, he was 1/5 in the first half last night

this year
dunks 76/83
at the rim 163/216 / Assisted 77.3%
Other 2 PT - 42/70 / Assisted 64.3%

last year
dunks 73/75
At the rim 184/239 / Assisted 80.4
other 2 PT - 29/57 / Assisted 58.6

some variation there, but it doesn't look to me like we used Kalk substantially more or better last year

I think we all agree about just getting him the ball more, especially when we are struggling from 3 PT range.

What I have seen and feel is there was more chemistry between R2 and Kalk on those lobs to Kalk. This year, whether it is Ash or anyone else, it seems the ball isn’t thrown to Kalk in the right spot for him to handle the ball and shoot right away a lot of times. There is either a bad lob and turnover or Kalk gets it where he has to either throw it back or try to back his man to the basket by dribbling and he is susceptible to the double team steal from his blind side.

[jaykorver]