Five Random Thoughts

[go_iu]

1) Modern Basketball: One of the things I was most excited about when we hired Coach Woodson was my expectation/hope that he would implement some of the concepts of "Modern Basketball". I was really tired of the plodding, boring Archie teams. We're a LONG way from modern basketball and a lot closer to the plodding, boring Archie teams than I hoped we would be right now.

The Modernization of NBA Offenses and Why Small Ball Is Here to Stay | The Analyst

The small-ball era in the NBA isn’t actually about how tall your center is. What’s it actually about? Here's an update on where the NBA’s offensive revolution stands in 2021.

theanalyst.com

I think Woody is trying to adjust to the talent on his team, and that's admirable, but, at some point, we gotta start modernizing or we're just going to be a boring, plodding program.

2) What Has Changed...Really?: I'm not behind the scenes. I'm just an average Joe watching from the cheap seats, but it's a bit strange to me how little seems to have changed from the Archie era. Many of the same players, most of the same staff, same S/C guy. We had Fife and Matta for a minute, but that's over. Promoted Walsh from within. There have been several posts saying the team is more joyful and the Archie cloud was lifted, but if we don't start winning more than we did under Archie, I can't imagine that joy is going to last long. I love and support Woody, but I can't help but wonder if he's done too much trying to maintain continuity.

3) 3-point Shooting: This is related to point #1, but, we're #81 in the country in 3-point percentage, but #254 in 3-point attempts.

2022-23 Men's College Basketball School Stats | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com

2022-23 Men's College Basketball Season Summary and More About College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com

www.sports-reference.com

It just seems to me we HAVE to shoot more threes.

4) Defense: Our defensive efficiency has gone from top-five to mid-30s.

NCAA Basketball Stats - NCAA BB Team Defensive Efficiency | TeamRankings.com

NCAA Basketball defensive efficiency, by team.

www.teamrankings.com

I understand the opponents we've been playing have gotten better as the year has gone on, but, still, mid-30s defense isn't good enough for this team to go where we all want it to go.

5) Kentucky Sucks: I love reading Rupp's Rafters these days. Ah the tears of unfathomable sadness. Hahaha

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We don't have to shoot more 3's or any of that BS, we just need to run an offense that compliments what we got, that is what we are not doing. If it's what it is, we got no shooters and a smaller center that can't do anything but dunk against poor competition, back door cut's, lobs to Geronimo, better passing, use what we got. How about a jab step or a pump fake, those seem to be foreign concepts for this group. That is exactly what's wrong with them, they don't play to their strengths

 

[Sope Creek]

Not related, but it is just enough annoying to me that it keeps being repeated that we lost to Kansas State University, i.e., KSU. We lost to Kansas University, KU

Correct . . . the KSU we played was Kennesaw State University, in suburban Atlanta, nowhere near Kansas.

 

[8Stars5Banners]

Correct . . . the KSU we played was Kennesaw State University, in suburban Atlanta, nowhere near Kansas.

I’d actually rather live in Kansas than Marietta, GA