I think we can take this one by about 5.
IMO, this game would maybe be more suited to be the final game for the NCAAT, it should be fun and it should be a ACCT instant classic. UVa is extremely tuff and Brogden is a full grown man on both ends of the court. This team wants to control pace of the game and IMO we cannot allow them to dictate that. Key factor IMO is our depth and the quality of our depth. Brogden and Perrentes play a ton of minutes but this time around they have just played 2 games in 2 days and last nights game didn't finish up till very late and now they have to find a way to come back with an even harder opponent. Will that defense be as quick to react coming off of 2 games in 2 days? I have to believe they will be at least a half a step slower to react and that half a step is key in a game like this.
Lots of folks have critised Roy for not limiting his bench but right now we should see the value of going deep on that bench. Our guys have had more time to rest while our guys off the bench got the job done. And if we can bring that same defensive intensity to that UVa back court that has to be running on a tank less than full, we can take this game.
The difference making line up last night was our version of kinda small, meaning Justin, Theo, with Hicks or Brice in the middle and 2 guards (Paige & Berry). That line up really allows us to extend out our defense and it doesn't hurt us as bad with the high screen action because we can hand off the switches and still not get burned so bad with mismatches. Roy went to this when Meeks and Brice picked up their 2nd fouls at a lil under 7min mark in the first half and all the sudden the route was on.
So far in this ACCT, I see 2 fellas making a real difference outside of our starters in Hicks and Theo and IMO Joel James has HELPED us in BOTH games as well. You see the stats and you have to love what Hicks is doing but guys Theo freakin Pinson is playing big time basketball! he is not taking those crazy invited shots he took earlier season, matter of fact he is shooting very little but he has become an assist machine and a defensive menace. Few are going to credit what he is doing right now, maybe a few assist in the stat sheet but that kid is bringing a degree of tuffness that goes along with the tuffness in Joel berry and it is bleedin off to the rest of our players. Of all the key plays last night, one that really stood out to me, Theo goes for a rebound, is in the air under the UVa basket out of bounds, before coming down he weaves a bounce pass thru 2 ND defenders to Marcus (I believe) and we pushed it up on the break again! At most he will get credit for a rebound but that was an amazing play. Not to even mention the sweet find to Joel Berry to set up that last trey just before half time. Theo had at least 2 more assists that were blown but were amazing passes, guys have to be ready when Theo has the ball. Sorry to go on & on but Theo to me has had an outstanding ACCT!
This game vs UVa, we may have to switch over a wing to guard Brogden, he has such a size advantage on Marcus or Joel, if we don't we are going to really have to work to keep him from the pass. I feel like the key vs UVa is always get a working margine on them and force them to have to allow the pace to amp up, force them to try to catch up with bad shots or quick shots and own the boards. Get them out of their game, easier said than done but getting a solid margine on them really helps this. They want the score close so that every posession is a must scoring situation and when that happens their defense makes you take bad shots. You have to flip the script on them, they are not used to that.
2 games in 2 days, who has the legs, will our bench step up in this one like they have the last 2 days? How much gas is left in the tank for Brogden and Perrentes, will marcus and Joel's jumper fall like last night, and is our defense really as sharp as I think it was last night cause if it is it is a match for UVa's.
Great game, we win by 5...
