Post-Game Assessment

[Bay Area Billiken]

After watching this one, I just don't think SLU has enough talent, enough players. Less than a month ago, I wouldn't have typed that.

Granted Lisch was out.

The defense was poor overall. Why does SLU keep allowing these wide open 3 pointers? Is it the coaching? Is it a lack of talent and simple lack of overall athletic ability to get out there and defend the 3? Is it a combination of both? Perhaps. It seemed like every time SLU made a run, a good basket, Fordham was hitting a 3, often early in the possession.

At times it seemed the Billikens were thinking too much, making them a step slow. Were travel and fatigue issues there- quite probably. But the team is in a funk. They aren't playing instinctively quick. They think first, move next, and the Fordham 3 has already been launched.

The zone was not the answer. What good does playing a soft zone do when you are down by 10 points in the second half, and the opposition keeps draining 3's? Can Spoon be consulted to teach defense away from the basket?

I think the bottom line, is that surprisingly for me, our overall talent is not good enough.

Isn't it time to give Adam Knollmeyer some playing time? Dustin Maguire saw some time today, and hit a 3. He also missed several shots. The walk-on, thank goodness, did not see action.

[Clock_Tower]

Cannot figure it out either but doubt that it is coaching in that Brad's team's have always been good defensive teams. The defensive schemes are the same as in years past. Don't recall many posts the last 2 years about how Brad's pack D doesn't work, Brad's team cannot stop the other team, etc. Instead, the posts were all about loosening the reigns and forgetting about Brad's system and letting the player play.

Truly believe this collection of players, the entire team, lacks the effort and/or desire, to play defense. Also believe 2 players lack the intelligence to play good D. Individually, some guys can really play good D but collectively they don't. Then again, one breakdown every other defensive stop yields the results we are seeing.

[pompeytir]

-First off, the team fades in the final 4 minutes of the second half in everyone of their conference losses, they've had an opportunity to pull the game out and they haven't. Look at the play-by-play for all four of the games, they've been outscored or just played even in all of them.

I just think the team is tired. 38 minutes for Meyer, 30 for IV even with fould trouble. This team just hasn't used or developed depth and at the end of the loses they've just wilted.

Right now the team gets that extra boost of energy late in games from playing at home, in their own friendly confines. However, on the road it is much more apparent that they just don't have enough to get by.

-I also really, really dislike the way the team handles screens on the perimeter. IV overextends his help on the perimeter and the player who is his assignment has been able to beat him to the basket or come free going to the basket. Duquense really exploited this against SLU.

-This team just doesn't take charges, what is the point of a pack defense if your not going to take contact near the basket? I've seen Luke Meyer take charges but I can't remember anyone else doing it.

-Bob Ramsey, during the Temple game, brought up the fact that SLU just doesn't create turnovers this year. It hasn't always been this way, but when is the last time SLU had a few take aways for dunks or layups? Maybe SLU should overextend on the perimeter and cheat in the passing lanes? If teams drive on a missed steal then the pack defense should be able to recover.

[AlumniFan]

why is this happening?

Is it the lack of a deep bench or a lack of intensity? Where we that much deeper last year?

What is the reason for the change in these things?

"A strong man stands up for himself; a stronger man stands up for others." - Ben