Fri Jan 19, 2024 9:39 am
jays911 wrote:Listened to MadDog on Sirius today. He had some good insight. UConn beat CU hard, CU is a good team, UConn has offensive issues, but has great D. The Big East is tough. UConn could repeat. All solid takes.
Fri Jan 19, 2024 10:28 am
JacobPadilla wrote:Here's what I wrote immediately after the game without rewatching (made many of the same points on the pod with Matt).
https://hurrdatsports.com/creighton-men ... turnovers/
After rewatching it, a few additional thoughts.
First, the offensive rebounding. I rewatched and charted each on of them. Here's how I categorized them. Do with it what you will.
— Forced help, leaving rebounder open: 5 (couple of them no communication where two guys went to contest shooter)
— Bad box-outs: 5
— Rebound right back to shooter: 3
— Out-muscled (should have been a foul): 3
— Ball through rebounder's hands: 3
— Lost foot race to ball: 2
Second, I thought a big difference in the game was the respective screen setting and navigation on offense for both sides. UConn's actions were much more threatening and successful than what Creighton tried to do. UConn set better screens and more of them, and the guy getting screened for put much more pressure on the defense with how he came off the screen.
Third, they need a heck of a lot more out of 23. His approach to using screens and attacking the basket (looping drives, avoiding contact, refusing to go/finish left) and his lack of threatening movement off the ball is a big part of what led to their offense going nowhere so often. The offense was much quicker and more dynamic playing through Ashworth.
The narrative that Kalkbrenner doesn't score well in the post just isn't close to accurate, no matter how many times it's repeated. He's not Al Jefferson with a wide array of back-to-the-basket moves, but he's one of the most effective post scorers in the country even if it doesn't always look pretty (including seals, deep catches, backing his man down, etc.). It's his most-common play type at just under a third of his scoring possessions. He has 39 makes, 21 misses, 11 fouls drawn and 4 turnovers on post-up plays according to Synergy. The guards have to get him the ball. They just miss him way too often then call for him to come set a screen that they don't use properly anyway.
He's a willing passer too, and Synergy has spot-up shooters at 6-13 from 3 on his post kick-outs (plus 1-2 on 2s attacking closeouts). However, the Mason Miller and-one against St. John's is the only cut on his post touches Synergy has logged all season. They should probably try that more often.
Fri Jan 19, 2024 12:03 pm
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Fri Jan 19, 2024 1:21 pm
ILikeStuff wrote:Since the effectiveness of UConn's screens have been mentioned a couple of times - a generic rules question.
Most (if not every) time UConn set a screen, the screener would let the UConn player past and then hip thrust/hip check our guy - often while kicking the screened leg out wider. Johnson got called for one illegal screen because he also added a forearm check to this motion. It was extremely effective - but often created a ton of contact. Is this not considered an illegal pick?
Example (watch #35):
Fri Jan 19, 2024 1:27 pm
ILikeStuff wrote:Since the effectiveness of UConn's screens have been mentioned a couple of times - a generic rules question.
Most (if not every) time UConn set a screen, the screener would let the UConn player past and then hip thrust/hip check our guy - often while kicking the screened leg out wider. Johnson got called for one illegal screen because he also added a forearm check to this motion. It was extremely effective - but often created a ton of contact. Is this not considered an illegal pick?
Fri Jan 19, 2024 2:32 pm
HaRdWoOd wrote:ILikeStuff wrote:Since the effectiveness of UConn's screens have been mentioned a couple of times - a generic rules question.
Most (if not every) time UConn set a screen, the screener would let the UConn player past and then hip thrust/hip check our guy - often while kicking the screened leg out wider. Johnson got called for one illegal screen because he also added a forearm check to this motion. It was extremely effective - but often created a ton of contact. Is this not considered an illegal pick?
Thats bad, really bad. It is textbook illegal. Not only does the screener have his feet set too wide, he's two stepping to make sure he makes contact with Miller. Ref standing right there. If they arent going to call it, then well done by UConn adjusting to the way the game is called.
Fri Jan 19, 2024 2:35 pm