Does it matter if it is a 3-pt driven offense? I assume having Final Four games in huge football stadiums would hurt 3-pt shooting teams more since there is an adjustment to the cavernous backdrops…
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I wonder if it would be feasible to find a place to practice in conditions similar to Lucas stadium?
NRG
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Maybe Tillman could rent it.
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Coogs are solid. I still worry about our ability to win close games – as evidenced by our last several losses over the past couple years, and how in the tournament you can expect to see a larger share of them as teams move through the bracket. But getting out in front and then having to hold them off defensively (a la Tech and Boise State) is probably the recipe. I don’t like the prospects of playing from behind because of the lack of a true leader on offense. Grimes and Sasser can score, sure. But they are no Rob Gray. Coogs (and Grimes and Sasser, for that matter) are gonna be in much better shape if they are the ones dictating the tempo. Tramon Mark is the X-factor for me, and something tells me that before the end of the season, a switch is gonna go off and he’s gonna start taking games over, even if it’s still in a supporting role. But I expect him to be possibly our third option come March. Getting back White will be a huge bonus, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves, yet.
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Mark will at the least get to the foul line and muck up the game.
I agree with most everything you said.
However, I have more faith in Grimes and Sasser than you do. They’ve obviously put in the work during the off-season and both have the green light to score.
The question is whether or not we can get another player to heat up from three for me, to at least add more balance from outside.
Can gorham or Tyson become consistent threat(s) from deep?
We are going to play defense and rebound. Jarreau will do his part and find the open man. But, who’s going to score?
Gorham is shooting 45% from beyond the arc. He doesn’t take a bunch because he is smart about when he takes them, but it does punish teams that bring help on a drive by DeJon from his side. So he is creating a lot of space.
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i dont get the pace comments…
teams that have to “dictate the pace” to win are teams that know the cant score and/or dont have the defense to limit the opposition, so they are trying to slow the game down to get a low scoring of a game as much as possible…
we are neither- we have the defense to limit teams, the can chuck up as many quick shots as they want, and if they are giving us good looks we’ll be shooting early too…sampson has said he wants to increase our pace aswell
– and on “per possesion” not a “per shot” basis we can match teams on offense. we rebound 40% of our misses #1 nationally…
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Although one of the announcers for the Tech game stated that no one does better on offensive boards than West Virginia
If Fabian is able to play we will be a bigger and stronger on the front line with a mid range shot which most of our guards don’t have. They are good 3 point shooters and drivers. I don’t buy the sell either.
That is why there are “announcers”.
Kinda like “news reporters” !
i dont get the pace comments…
teams that have to “dictate the pace” to win are teams that know the cant score and/or dont have the defense to limit the opposition, so they are trying to slow the game down to get a low scoring of a game as much as possible…
I know you’ve watched more basketball than that. EVERY team, whether you are offensively challenged or score a lot, will try to ‘dictate pace’ on their opposition. It’s about trying to get the game to where you’re constantly playing to your own strengths and your own advantages. Teams that like to run and score will try to push that issue and wear their opposition down, thus dictating that pace; low-scoring teams and/or those that have defensive efficiencies will try to do the same, as you mentioned.
It also helps to have the game in your favor on the scoreboard while doing so. This is what I’m talking about. If the Coogs are playing from ahead, thus, with an advantage, it allows them to be able to continue to better dictate a pace because they are at that advantage – even if they choose to change up their styles in the process.