Last 4 Minutes

[NashvilleBilliken]

I've been out of town and was unable listen to the game (actually, I was able to sneak out of the wedding for a few minutes and listen on my Treo...but that didn't last). I've read a few references to the last 4 minutes of the game. What exactly happened? Did Rick just let them loose. Did we change our offense? Did our players just start playing with more heart? What technically changed toward the end and is it something we may see in the future?

[Majerus Magic]

I've been out of town and was unable listen to the game (actually, I was able to sneak out of the wedding for a few minutes and listen on my Treo...but that didn't last). I've read a few references to the last 4 minutes of the game. What exactly happened? Did Rick just let them loose. Did we change our offense? Did our players just start playing with more heart? What technically changed toward the end and is it something we may see in the future?

We switched to a full court man to man/ semi press.

[slu72 fan]

We switched to a full court man to man/ semi press.

And we stopped passing around the perimeter, and began penetrating. TL basically said, I'm getting to the basket.

[gister]

And we stopped passing around the perimeter, and began penetrating. TL basically said, I'm getting to the basket.

The change in defense had to be a coach's decision. But I wonder about the change in offense. Was that a player(s) decsion or a coach's decision? When you're not hitting outside shots, drive to the basket in the hopes of getting fouled and/or making the shot. Am I missing something?

[slu72 fan]

The change in defense had to be a coach's decision. But I wonder about the change in offense. Was that a player(s) decsion or a coach's decision? When you're not hitting outside shots, drive to the basket in the hopes of getting fouled and/or making the shot. Am I missing something?

My GUESS is that the players were told to play rather than running his passing offense. Offensively, the difference in the last 4 minutes was that the kids took the shackles off and played.

[cheeseman]

My GUESS is that the players were told to play rather than running his passing offense. Offensively, the difference in the last 4 minutes was that the kids took the shackles off and played.

If any of think that the players mutinied and ditched RM's offense you are wrong. What basically happened is we were down my 15 with 4 minutes to play. RM put them in a press type defense and we did not have the time on the clock to play the shot clock. We had no other choice but to come down and try to score quickly and in any way possible - driving and getting fouled is a good idea because you get to shoot without taking time off the clock. This is what happened - period - I would be very surprised if RM did not tell them to do this offensively - did you watch him on the side line during that time - he was not upset but simply coaching to maximize the defense. He made a decision because of the clock and being so far behind. It was just a shame that the kid for SHS was left open for that 3 at the end of the shot clock - we cover him and he misses we got the ball with 20 seconds left down three and we have a good chance to tie to go into overtime. By the way, that wide open 3 TL missed in the second half - what was he thinking - he was so open he could have easily driven to the basket and scored but he choose to stand out there at the 3 pt line not sure what to do and finally he takes this wide open poorly shot ball and got nothing for it. The players simply are going to have to improve their shooting. During that last 4 minute rally - all we needed was a couple of lay ups or perimeter shots to have gone in anytime during the game and got a real chance to win that game. Once again - we can not shoot 29% and expect to beat anybody.

[Majerus Magic]

If any of think that the players mutinied and ditched RM's offense you are wrong. What basically happened is we were down my 15 with 4 minutes to play. RM put them in a press type defense and we did not have the time on the clock to play the shot clock. We had no other choice but to come down and try to score quickly and in any way possible - driving and getting fouled is a good idea because you get to shoot without taking time off the clock. This is what happened - period - I would be very surprised if RM did not tell them to do this offensively - did you watch him on the side line during that time - he was not upset but simply coaching to maximize the defense. He made a decision because of the clock and being so far behind. It was just a shame that the kid for SHS was left open for that 3 at the end of the shot clock - we cover him and he misses we got the ball with 20 seconds left down three and we have a good chance to tie to go into overtime. By the way, that wide open 3 TL missed in the second half - what was he thinking - he was so open he could have easily driven to the basket and scored but he choose to stand out there at the 3 pt line not sure what to do and finally he takes this wide open poorly shot ball and got nothing for it. The players simply are going to have to improve their shooting. During that last 4 minute rally - all we needed was a couple of lay ups or perimeter shots to have gone in anytime during the game and got a real chance to win that game. Once again - we can not shoot 29% and expect to beat anybody.

I second everything you just said.

[willie]

For whatever reason Tommie changed his play the last 4 min. Did he do it on his own? Did the game dictate it? Did Rick encourage it? I don't know but it was damn effective. Rick has to see that he was able to get to the basket and create much needed offense. I'll be very depressed if we don't see some type of isolation play for Tommie in the future. By not encouraging Tommie to take the ball to the hole would be like telling Halle Barry to keep her coat on.

[BleacherBum593]

Quick question on the strategy employed in the last minute of play. Does anyone, besides myself, think that when SHS in bounding the ball with approximately 57 secs to go in the game, that the Billikens should have gone for the steal and then fouled as soon as they crossed the mid court line or sooner? Especially when the other team is only shooting between 40-50% from the line for the game.

I've always had the philosphy that you want to stretch out the clock when you trail in the last minute, to give yourself as many possessions as possible. Instead, we let them run 35 secs off the clock and they caught us running around like a chicken with its head cut off and scored a wide open 3 pointer as the clock was running out, putting them up by 6.

If we had fouled at about the 45-50 sec mark, we could have possibly been able to get 3-5 extra possessions before the game ran out. With SHS's inability to handle the full court pressure and their inability to make FT's, I think Majerus blew a golden oppty. for us to pull the game out. Instead he gambled that we would get a stop on the Defensive end and blew any oppty. for us to win the game.

[willie]

Quick question on the strategy employed in the last minute of play. Does anyone, besides myself, think that when SHS in bounding the ball with approximately 57 secs to go in the game, that the Billikens should have gone for the steal and then fouled as soon as they crossed the mid court line or sooner? Especially when the other team is only shooting between 40-50% from the line for the game.

I've always had the philosphy that you want to stretch out the clock when you trail in the last minute, to give yourself as many possessions as possible. Instead, we let them run 35 secs off the clock and they caught us running around like a chicken with its head cut off and scored a wide open 3 pointer as the clock was running out, putting them up by 6.

If we had fouled at about the 45-50 sec mark, we could have possibly been able to get 3-5 extra possessions before the game ran out. With SHS's inability to handle the full court pressure and their inability to make FT's, I think Majerus blew a golden oppty. for us to pull the game out. Instead he gambled that we would get a stop on the Defensive end and blew any oppty. for us to win the game.

I agree. Certainly when #11 touched the ball I would have fouled him. He had missed about 4 in a row.

[moytoy12]

Quick question on the strategy employed in the last minute of play. Does anyone, besides myself, think that when SHS in bounding the ball with approximately 57 secs to go in the game, that the Billikens should have gone for the steal and then fouled as soon as they crossed the mid court line or sooner? Especially when the other team is only shooting between 40-50% from the line for the game.

I've always had the philosphy that you want to stretch out the clock when you trail in the last minute, to give yourself as many possessions as possible. Instead, we let them run 35 secs off the clock and they caught us running around like a chicken with its head cut off and scored a wide open 3 pointer as the clock was running out, putting them up by 6.

If we had fouled at about the 45-50 sec mark, we could have possibly been able to get 3-5 extra possessions before the game ran out. With SHS's inability to handle the full court pressure and their inability to make FT's, I think Majerus blew a golden oppty. for us to pull the game out. Instead he gambled that we would get a stop on the Defensive end and blew any oppty. for us to win the game.

Maybe they still haven't worked on fouling yet in practice.

[willie]

Maybe they still haven't worked on fouling yet in practice.

Such sarcasm

[moytoy12]

Such sarcasm

Haha. Sorry Willie, i couldn't resist.

[billiken_roy]

By not encouraging Tommie to take the ball to the hole would be like telling Halle Barry to keep her coat on.

line of the day

[NashvilleBilliken]

Thanks for all the responses. I've noticed that we play a lot more relaxed and make a lot more shots once we get in a big deficit...i.e. a lot of the pressure is gone. You can't teach confidence or aggresiveness. I hope these last 4 minutes help the guys loosen up a little for SIU. Exams or not, we have an entire week off and I expect the boys to come out energized and ready to stick it to the closest thing we have to a rival.

[cheeseman]

Quick question on the strategy employed in the last minute of play. Does anyone, besides myself, think that when SHS in bounding the ball with approximately 57 secs to go in the game, that the Billikens should have gone for the steal and then fouled as soon as they crossed the mid court line or sooner? Especially when the other team is only shooting between 40-50% from the line for the game.

I've always had the philosphy that you want to stretch out the clock when you trail in the last minute, to give yourself as many possessions as possible. Instead, we let them run 35 secs off the clock and they caught us running around like a chicken with its head cut off and scored a wide open 3 pointer as the clock was running out, putting them up by 6.

If we had fouled at about the 45-50 sec mark, we could have possibly been able to get 3-5 extra possessions before the game ran out. With SHS's inability to handle the full court pressure and their inability to make FT's, I think Majerus blew a golden oppty. for us to pull the game out. Instead he gambled that we would get a stop on the Defensive end and blew any oppty. for us to win the game.

Actually most coaches I have talked to do like sending people to the line to shoot foul shots unless it is absolutely necessary. They would say the odds are more likely that you will stop them defensively then give them a chance to score easily by shooting foul shots. Lets say you foul them when you suggest then they hit their free throws or even only 1 and now go up by 5 or 4 you now have to score twice within the remaining time. If you stop the defensively then you only have score once. This is why most coaches would rather take their chances by not fouling in that situation.

[billiken_roy]

Actually most coaches I have talked to do like sending people to the line to shoot foul shots unless it is absolutely necessary. They would say the odds are more likely that you will stop them defensively then give them a chance to score easily by shooting foul shots. Lets say you foul them when you suggest then they hit their free throws or even only 1 and now go up by 5 or 4 you now have to score twice within the remaining time. If you stop the defensively then you only have score once. This is why most coaches would rather take their chances by not fouling in that situation.

i agree with cheese. we were within one possession and guaranteed a return trip with 20+ seconds left regardless of what sammy davis U did. i would have played it the same way as majerus did as well. now if it had been a multiple possession game or less than the shot clock, no you got to foul then.

[kshoe]

Actually most coaches I have talked to do like sending people to the line to shoot foul shots unless it is absolutely necessary. They would say the odds are more likely that you will stop them defensively then give them a chance to score easily by shooting foul shots. Lets say you foul them when you suggest then they hit their free throws or even only 1 and now go up by 5 or 4 you now have to score twice within the remaining time. If you stop the defensively then you only have score once. This is why most coaches would rather take their chances by not fouling in that situation.

I guess I just have to disagree with most coaches then. I've seen enough games to know that when you are making a comeback like that the biggest enemy you have is the clock and defenses usually protect the 3 point line and lay-ups are much easier. When you let the clock drag down the way we did you are essentially pricing yourself to perfection that 1) you will stop them on D 2) you will get the rebound and 3) you will make a 3 point shot on the other end. By fouling, especially a team that hasn't been making your free throws you are givng yourself many different ways to win including 1) missed free throws 2) easier layups on offense 3) a potential steal on D or 4) a 3 pointer. With the fouling option you can actually make a mistake and still have a chance to win whereas the other option everything has to go just right.

[davidnark]

would be like telling Halle Barry to keep her coat on.

I don't understand, could you provide pictures?

[cheeseman]

I guess I just have to disagree with most coaches then. I've seen enough games to know that when you are making a comeback like that the biggest enemy you have is the clock and defenses usually protect the 3 point line and lay-ups are much easier. When you let the clock drag down the way we did you are essentially pricing yourself to perfection that 1) you will stop them on D 2) you will get the rebound and 3) you will make a 3 point shot on the other end. By fouling, especially a team that hasn't been making your free throws you are givng yourself many different ways to win including 1) missed free throws 2) easier layups on offense 3) a potential steal on D or 4) a 3 pointer. With the fouling option you can actually make a mistake and still have a chance to win whereas the other option everything has to go just right.

I guess you will.

[brianstl]

I don't understand, could you provide pictures?

In the old days those would have been available on Friday.

[slu72 fan]

If any of think that the players mutinied and ditched RM's offense you are wrong. What basically happened is we were down my 15 with 4 minutes to play. RM put them in a press type defense and we did not have the time on the clock to play the shot clock. We had no other choice but to come down and try to score quickly and in any way possible - driving and getting fouled is a good idea because you get to shoot without taking time off the clock. This is what happened - period - I would be very surprised if RM did not tell them to do this offensively - did you watch him on the side line during that time - he was not upset but simply coaching to maximize the defense. He made a decision because of the clock and being so far behind. It was just a shame that the kid for SHS was left open for that 3 at the end of the shot clock - we cover him and he misses we got the ball with 20 seconds left down three and we have a good chance to tie to go into overtime. By the way, that wide open 3 TL missed in the second half - what was he thinking - he was so open he could have easily driven to the basket and scored but he choose to stand out there at the 3 pt line not sure what to do and finally he takes this wide open poorly shot ball and got nothing for it. The players simply are going to have to improve their shooting. During that last 4 minute rally - all we needed was a couple of lay ups or perimeter shots to have gone in anytime during the game and got a real chance to win that game. Once again - we can not shoot 29% and expect to beat anybody.

I'm pretty sure I said that I assumed they were told to get out of the motion (passing) offense and attack the basket. I agree TL should have taken the one shot to the basket, it just points out the indecisiveness in the players. Hopefully, the upcoming practices will clear up some of this!