I think it is clutch 3's. Naz had it, his loss is big. Niang has it. But no one else has that swagger t to carry the team on their back. In past years we had 3-4 horses or more we could ride to the finish line.
What's this team missing?
- Thread starter BloodyBuddy
- Start date
a couple of juniors that can come off the bench and play defense and pitch in on offense.
Not getting a grad transfer this year really hurt.. Had a couple considering ISU but coaching uncertainty cost us
Not getting a grad transfer this year really hurt.. Had a couple considering ISU but coaching uncertainty cost us
1. Fred Hoiberg offensive coaching skills and leadership
2. A healthy Naz Long
3. A 2 or 3 person "playable" bench
2. A healthy Naz Long
3. A 2 or 3 person "playable" bench
This team is missing basically any toughness. Look at the 99 team that won at KU. Nurse, Horton, Tinsley, Fizer, Rancik, Shirley.
The answer is a guard who can drive the hoop, score against contact, and hit free throws. Or DeAndre Kane.
In a game like this where you are struggling to get open shots and hit them, you need a Kane/Stinson/Tinsley type guy to help you out in the half court. For this team, if Georges isn't facilitating because a defense is keying on him, we are dead meat when we miss shots. You have to have that go-to guard.
In a game like this where you are struggling to get open shots and hit them, you need a Kane/Stinson/Tinsley type guy to help you out in the half court. For this team, if Georges isn't facilitating because a defense is keying on him, we are dead meat when we miss shots. You have to have that go-to guard.
This. How was defense not an option in the poll? It's far and away what's missing with this team.
Anyone who thinks we have any huge problems offensively is a moron. Our offense is still amongst the best of them. Do they make mistakes? Absolutely. They'll never play perfectly but the offense has been more than good enough to win.
Our defense is suspect to start with. When you have no depth to get your guys a breather a good defense becomes very average. Our defense isn't average to begin with. We have 3 guys who play hard defensively: Niang, Morris, Thomas. Niang is a serviceable defender after being poor the last three seasons. Morris is very good. Thomas has gone from being a huge liability to being a very good defender. That means at minimum we have 2 poor defenders on the floor and our good defenders become poor trying to cover for other guys.
Now those same 3 good defenders have to play 35+ minutes while the 3 guys they're guarding are playing 25 minutes. It's not even a fair fight at the end of the game.
Our defense is suspect to start with. When you have no depth to get your guys a breather a good defense becomes very average. Our defense isn't average to begin with. We have 3 guys who play hard defensively: Niang, Morris, Thomas. Niang is a serviceable defender after being poor the last three seasons. Morris is very good. Thomas has gone from being a huge liability to being a very good defender. That means at minimum we have 2 poor defenders on the floor and our good defenders become poor trying to cover for other guys.
Now those same 3 good defenders have to play 35+ minutes while the 3 guys they're guarding are playing 25 minutes. It's not even a fair fight at the end of the game.
I would say a post defensive presence, that aspect of McKay's game is gone this year. We desperately needed a transfer big man over the summer and we did not get it.
