Post Game Thoughts

[Billikenbooster]

1. Why anyone doesn't press this team for 40 minutes is beyond me.

2. What is wrong with Kevin Lisch? He is not the same player I have watched for 3 1/2 years. He is hesitant to shoot, especially the catch and shoot. I believe it is affecting his overall game.

3. Will someone please tell KM that the name of the game is penetrate AND DISH. How many times last nite did he get through the initial wall of defenders, creating a man advantage, then seemed to not be sure what he wanted to do once he got past the free throw line?

4. Will someone PLEASE strangle the PA announcer, and tell him that the crowd should be encouraged to make noise when the home team is on defense, not offense. He is a troll and should be replaced.

5. TT's blog reveals today that there are only two baskets in our new arena, allowing limited time for the team to practice FTs. The design people should be summarily taken out behind the arena and publicly flogged by the Billiken Club for this one.

mhg

[Guest BillikenReport]

5. TT's blog reveals today that there are only two baskets in our new arena, allowing limited time for the team to practice FTs. The design people should be summarily taken out behind the arena and publicly flogged by the Billiken Club for this one.

I'm not sure what RM was talking about with this. There at least four baskets in the practice gym and then two more on the game floor.

[BIG BILL FAN]

1. Why anyone doesn't press this team for 40 minutes is beyond me.

2. What is wrong with Kevin Lisch? He is not the same player I have watched for 3 1/2 years. He is hesitant to shoot, especially the catch and shoot. I believe it is affecting his overall game.

3. Will someone please tell KM that the name of the game is penetrate AND DISH. How many times last nite did he get through the initial wall of defenders, creating a man advantage, then seemed to not be sure what he wanted to do once he got past the free throw line?

4. Will someone PLEASE strangle the PA announcer, and tell him that the crowd should be encouraged to make noise when the home team is on defense, not offense. He is a troll and should be replaced.

5. TT's blog reveals today that there are only two baskets in our new arena, allowing limited time for the team to practice FTs. The design people should be summarily taken out behind the arena and publicly flogged by the Billiken Club for this one.

mhg

All you have to do is look through the window at the practice gym and you can see 4 baskets.

[redbirdfan]

I'm not sure what RM was talking about with this. There at least four baskets in the practice gym and then two more on the game floor.

I think what he means is since they do most of their practicing on the main game floor, there isn't enough baskets. There are only the 2 on the main floor. Additional baskets have been ordered to place on the main floor for practices in the main gym or added to the practice gym to bring the total up. The West Pine gym had 6. With that being said, they can only get better with more baskets available to practice with.

[Cowboy]

-i am not buying the lack of additional baskets for shooting woes, free throw or field goal

-first, there are only 2 baskets that are the baskets used in games, so they are the only ones with the similar background found on game night

-second, we now have what seems to be beautiful practice gym under the same roof as our game floor and this facility has baskets, hell run in there for shooting drills if need be

-i thought last night at points we had tired players on the floor as it was a physical game and A&T made our guys try to get through many screens (moving or set) so our lack of depth continues to haunt

-if we talk ft shooting, it is a routine with solid mechanics that has one become a good "maker" as opposed to a "shooter"

[Cowboy]

-also end of first half another closing out the clock no shot possession........do we practice these situations???

[Guest BillikenReport]

-i am not buying the lack of additional baskets for shooting woes, free throw or field goal

-first, there are only 2 baskets that are the baskets used in games, so they are the only ones with the similar background found on game night

-second, we now have what seems to be beautiful practice gym under the same roof as our game floor and this facility has baskets, hell run in there for shooting drills if need be

-i thought last night at points we had tired players on the floor as it was a physical game and A&T made our guys try to get through many screens (moving or set) so our lack of depth continues to haunt

-if we talk ft shooting, it is a routine with solid mechanics that has one become a good "maker" as opposed to a "shooter"

The Billikens made 11 of their final 13 free throws last night.

Conklin made five of six during that stretch. Mitchell made three of four in the final 17 seconds. Liddell made two. Reed made his one attempt.

[Box and Won]

^

They were definitely clutch down the stretch.

I never know what kind of shot is going to come out of Willie's hands when he's at the line. One of his FT attempts was "wide left." Still, gotta love the guy.

[cheeseman]

The Billikens made 11 of their final 13 free throws last night.

Conklin made five of six during that stretch. Mitchell made three of four in the final 17 seconds. Liddell made two. Reed made his one attempt.

They end up shooting 70% - if they would have shot 70% consistently through the night nobody would be talking about this. The only real problem I saw was that their poor FT shooting early helped make the hole they dug for themselves deeper to get out of. If they had hit more of those early on then the hill they had to climb would have been shorter and the need to hit those clutch FT at the end would not have existed - either way we won and that is all that counts right now.

[dewey33]

-i am not buying the lack of additional baskets for shooting woes, free throw or field goal

-first, there are only 2 baskets that are the baskets used in games, so they are the only ones with the similar background found on game night

-second, we now have what seems to be beautiful practice gym under the same roof as our game floor and this facility has baskets, hell run in there for shooting drills if need be

-i thought last night at points we had tired players on the floor as it was a physical game and A&T made our guys try to get through many screens (moving or set) so our lack of depth continues to haunt

-if we talk ft shooting, it is a routine with solid mechanics that has one become a good "maker" as opposed to a "shooter"

You have a good point with the "tired" comment, I thought the same....wasn't it last year at this time where there was talk of the guys practicing hard and long during break because there are no limitations on time?

As far as free throws go....wasn't one of the selling points of the new arena was the fact that the kids could get in the gym in the off hours whenever they want?

[thetorch]

Last year Majerus would have been throwing the kids under the bus for their poor ft shooting. Now he is making up some other excuse for it. Most of our FT shooting woes was Willie. He could make one or shoot an airball at any time. What are you gonna do?

There are 4 baskets in the practice gym.

[redbirdfan]

Last year Majerus would have been throwing the kids under the bus for their poor ft shooting. Now he is making up some other excuse for it. Most of our FT shooting woes was Willie. He could make one or shoot an airball at any time. What are you gonna do?

There are 4 baskets in the practice gym.

They don't always use the practice gym. If the main gym is open, they use that one. And yes each player can go to the gym and practice anytime day or night.

[Guest BillikenReport]

And yes each player can go to the gym and practice anytime day or night.

Which is also something Majerus talked about after the game. Just like last year, he mentioned how in the past he's had to throw players out of the gym for shooting too much and now he wants players who want to be in there all the time.

[bleedtheblue]

I have a question... RickMa says that they only have two baskets at Chaifetz but what about the practice courts? Aren't there at LEAST four more hoops in there?? Isnt that what the practice facility is for??

[DeSmetBilliken]

I have a question... RickMa says that they only have two baskets at Chaifetz but what about the practice courts? Aren't there at LEAST four more hoops in there?? Isnt that what the practice facility is for??

Yeah, that is what a practice facility is for, but I would also think that another advantage of having an on-campus arena is that a team can at least occasionally practice on the court and baskets that they use for their games. With that in mind, I can understand why Majerus would want to use the main court as often as possible. I've heard that there is a big difference in shooting at a basket with a wall a few feet behind it and shooting at one with the nearest wall being at least a hundred feet away. It's something with the depth perception. I think it would help the Billikens to have as many opportunities as possible to practice with the baskets set up the way they are for games.

With that said, I'm not sure why the practice facility couldn't be used for the free throw shooting drills.

[moytoy12]

I have a question... RickMa says that they only have two baskets at Chaifetz but what about the practice courts? Aren't there at LEAST four more hoops in there?? Isnt that what the practice facility is for??

Asked and answered.

[billikenfan05]

It's the backdrop. Its one thing to shoot against a wall and another thing to shoot against a backdrop of seats.

[NH]

It's the backdrop. Its one thing to shoot against a wall and another thing to shoot against a backdrop of seats.

Still, Its not s if Willie is shooting with perfect form and missing. He can at least correct that in the practice facility and then get adjusted to the backdrop

[Archy McNally]

I think there are 8 baskets in the practice facility: 4 on the two courts and 4 on the side.

I think Lisch did not get many open looks until the second half by which time fatigue was a factor due to 1st half press, lots of minutes, and coming back from the big deficit.

Conklin and Reed really played well in the 2nd half and were the players of the game in my opinion.

One more thing, Conklin would be listed at 6-7 anywhere else, he has too be a couple inches taller than Barry. Not sure about Reed, once they get to 6-9 or above, they all look very tall.

[RB2.0]

It's the backdrop. Its one thing to shoot against a wall and another thing to shoot against a backdrop of seats.

that is such a cop out excuse. i've done both. it may account for a a percentage point or two drop in FTs but come on. if you practice FTs, you will make them.

regardless. it was a great comeback. good win.

[billikenfan05]

Sure if you practice them you will make it. But still if you arent practicing where you will be shooting its going to hurt your free throw percentage

[Quality Is Job 1]

Sure if you practice them you will make it. But still if you arent practicing where you will be shooting its going to hurt your free throw percentage

I don't want to hear it! Teams play road games, too, so the sightlines always change. The rim is still 10 feet high and the free-throw line is still 19 feet away from the end line. Kids often learn how to shoot in the back yard, where regulation dimensions are often impossible. Look at the rim, not the background. It's just you, the ball, and the rim.

[Bishop]

1. Why anyone doesn't press this team for 40 minutes is beyond me.

mhg

Agreed 100%... and why if the team decides to just run half court defenses, they dont simply run a zone boggles my mind. During that UMBC game, it looked as though we had never even practiced running a zone offense and ended up jacking up a 3 with a few seconds left on the shot clock.

[Clock_Tower]

I don't want to hear it! Teams play road games, too, so the sightlines always change. The rim is still 10 feet high and the free-throw line is still 19 feet away from the end line. Kids often learn how to shoot in the back yard, where regulation dimensions are often impossible. Look at the rim, not the background. It's just you, the ball, and the rim.

Thicks. Point of clarification: Not all "teams play road games." BCS teams play road games almost exclusively in conference while playing the rest of their games either at home, on a neutral site or in a tournament.