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Griz vs Stanford Wednesday 11/6
- Thread starter Paytonlives
- Start date
cmtgrizzly
Well-known member
Excited to watch UNM and Arkansas games to see if we can get last night’s problems resolved.
If you'd told me before the game that we'd be ahead of Stanford by one point at the start of the second half, and then outscore them something like 23-8 over the last ten minutes, I'd have predicted a big Griz win.
But of course, I would have forgotten that old bugaboo of ours, that one stretch where we go stone cold from the field while our opponent pours it on. We saw it last year at Stanford, and also at Penn State and Creighton. I believe Stanford at one point in this game was up by 25, before we closed it to 11 at the buzzer.
So what causes this? I have a theory.
At the beginning of the game, Montana was defending the basket in front of the Montana bench, and the many Montana fans sitting behind the bench. And I can tell you, from watching close up, our kids were playing great defense--a hallmark of any DeCuire team. They were sliding through screens, leaving their original position to trap and double-team the ball, then hustling to back to their man, all the while being alert to what was going on off the ball, and paying attention to the intricacies of what the offense was doing.
Believe me, DeCuire's defense demands tremendous effort, both physically and mentally. Does this take a toll at the other end? You bet it does. Any time you're up against a great individual scorer, one of the things you want to do is make that scorer play defense, to wear him down. Of course many great scorers, like James Harden and Russell Westbrook, don't play much defense at all. All their energy goes into the offensive side of the ball.
Given DeCuire's demands on defense, I believe there are stretches where our kids just get exhausted, mentally and physically, and it affects both sides of the ball, especially the offensive side. I know this: I got tired just watching our kids play defense that first half.
The solution?
In my opinion, it's a longer bench. DeCuire is known for eight-man rotations, and that was the case again against Stanford. But once Samuelson and Selcuk return, I hope he plays a ten or even eleven man rotation. He has the talent to do it. This would keep our kids fresh, and in my opinion, prevent those stretches where we just go stone-cold, especially on offense.
And of course, in a league where you must win three games on consecutive nights to win a championship, the ultimate goal of any season, a longer bench is a great asset.
Our recruiting has given us the talent. Let's deploy it to full advantage.
But of course, I would have forgotten that old bugaboo of ours, that one stretch where we go stone cold from the field while our opponent pours it on. We saw it last year at Stanford, and also at Penn State and Creighton. I believe Stanford at one point in this game was up by 25, before we closed it to 11 at the buzzer.
So what causes this? I have a theory.
At the beginning of the game, Montana was defending the basket in front of the Montana bench, and the many Montana fans sitting behind the bench. And I can tell you, from watching close up, our kids were playing great defense--a hallmark of any DeCuire team. They were sliding through screens, leaving their original position to trap and double-team the ball, then hustling to back to their man, all the while being alert to what was going on off the ball, and paying attention to the intricacies of what the offense was doing.
Believe me, DeCuire's defense demands tremendous effort, both physically and mentally. Does this take a toll at the other end? You bet it does. Any time you're up against a great individual scorer, one of the things you want to do is make that scorer play defense, to wear him down. Of course many great scorers, like James Harden and Russell Westbrook, don't play much defense at all. All their energy goes into the offensive side of the ball.
Given DeCuire's demands on defense, I believe there are stretches where our kids just get exhausted, mentally and physically, and it affects both sides of the ball, especially the offensive side. I know this: I got tired just watching our kids play defense that first half.
The solution?
In my opinion, it's a longer bench. DeCuire is known for eight-man rotations, and that was the case again against Stanford. But once Samuelson and Selcuk return, I hope he plays a ten or even eleven man rotation. He has the talent to do it. This would keep our kids fresh, and in my opinion, prevent those stretches where we just go stone-cold, especially on offense.
And of course, in a league where you must win three games on consecutive nights to win a championship, the ultimate goal of any season, a longer bench is a great asset.
Our recruiting has given us the talent. Let's deploy it to full advantage.
Spot on, Citay. I just don't think anybody thought there's BE the option for an 9-11 man rotation...didnt' think all these freshmen were going to be game ready...I think we saw beyond a shadow of a doubt that they ARE, in fact ready. That luxury will pay dividends in the long run this season when we get back to full strength.
