...and we took care of business.
Look, this was your basic 1/16 game where ya just don't wanna end up on the wrong end of a trivia question, so yeah... TCB. Not too much to talk about, but quickly:
- took us a while to get our continuity in place, which happens after conference tourneys. We looked like a combination of too hyped-up (EC) and searching for our "legs" to get into the flow (Seth) but we never let them seriously challenge, and more than answered all their efforts at runs.
- the obvious remedy was getting the rock INSIDE and we did that early and got a smaller team in foul trouble --- even went Big at one point with Ingram at the 3. --- but, geez, we need to finish better Saturday! Mando had big numbers but it ain't gonna be that easy vs MSU.
- Fortunately, Withers put on an energy show in his homecoming --- cleaning up misses, defending, running the floor. Man, I hope he comes back next season.
- Some of the sloppiness with the rock we need to credit to Wagner's staff doing a good job of scouting our transition tendencies, and doing a really good job of getting into defensive transition lanes. That finally disappoeared once they were gassed in the second half.
- speaking of that, sticking with it was key. We didn't press, but starting off in 24 immediately set a tone and we were actively forcing tempo, then pushing the rock. As as a result we had HALF of our points in transition, mostly the Secondary.
- due to the above, and then with them going Zone, we seldom resorted to set plays, and with their overplaying of entries, RJ went to town, and the skip passes were always open.
- finally, Pax's minutes were very productive and Cormac was in constant motion, which paid off. Also good to see some Blue Steel minutes and congrats to Rob Landry for getting some points in a NCAAT box score!
Anyway... that one is outta the way, but now it gets real. The only down side of being a 1-seed is that your 2nd round opponent is gonna be a legit threat coming outta the 8/9 and we all know that Izzo's teams always peak in March. We are better --- but that works ONLY if we come to play like it's dook across the way! Our Guards better be locked in on both ends, our frontcourt guys better be ready to finish thru CONTACT, and fight for every rebound...
Look, this was your basic 1/16 game where ya just don't wanna end up on the wrong end of a trivia question, so yeah... TCB. Not too much to talk about, but quickly:
- took us a while to get our continuity in place, which happens after conference tourneys. We looked like a combination of too hyped-up (EC) and searching for our "legs" to get into the flow (Seth) but we never let them seriously challenge, and more than answered all their efforts at runs.
- the obvious remedy was getting the rock INSIDE and we did that early and got a smaller team in foul trouble --- even went Big at one point with Ingram at the 3. --- but, geez, we need to finish better Saturday! Mando had big numbers but it ain't gonna be that easy vs MSU.
- Fortunately, Withers put on an energy show in his homecoming --- cleaning up misses, defending, running the floor. Man, I hope he comes back next season.
- Some of the sloppiness with the rock we need to credit to Wagner's staff doing a good job of scouting our transition tendencies, and doing a really good job of getting into defensive transition lanes. That finally disappoeared once they were gassed in the second half.
- speaking of that, sticking with it was key. We didn't press, but starting off in 24 immediately set a tone and we were actively forcing tempo, then pushing the rock. As as a result we had HALF of our points in transition, mostly the Secondary.
- due to the above, and then with them going Zone, we seldom resorted to set plays, and with their overplaying of entries, RJ went to town, and the skip passes were always open.
- finally, Pax's minutes were very productive and Cormac was in constant motion, which paid off. Also good to see some Blue Steel minutes and congrats to Rob Landry for getting some points in a NCAAT box score!
Anyway... that one is outta the way, but now it gets real. The only down side of being a 1-seed is that your 2nd round opponent is gonna be a legit threat coming outta the 8/9 and we all know that Izzo's teams always peak in March. We are better --- but that works ONLY if we come to play like it's dook across the way! Our Guards better be locked in on both ends, our frontcourt guys better be ready to finish thru CONTACT, and fight for every rebound...
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