Iup basketball

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

When you take out the five games against exclusive zones, IUP's three-point percentage eclipses 40 percent.

Against zones they are shooting the paltry 30-127 from deep (23.6%)
Against all other teams they are shooting 209-519 (40.2%)

That's just a substantial difference.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

I'd say 37% is acceptable if you are a team that doesn't take many 3's in a game...say 15 to 20 attempts. Average more than that and a team is playing with fire. They will beat bad teams because they are bad teams but it will present problems when you play a good team that can excede your 3 point shooting by a significant margin.

That's the misleading part. Minus the games against zone teams they are lighting it up from outside. They've shredded every team that has tried to A) press them and B) play them in man.

[boatcapt]

Re: Iup basketball

I'd say 37% is acceptable if you are a team that doesn't take many 3's in a game...say 15 to 20 attempts. Average more than that and a team is playing with fire. They will beat bad teams because they are bad teams but it will present problems when you play a good team that can excede your 3 point shooting by a significant margin.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

The old adage is teams live and die with the three. The thing with this team, however, is it shouldn't have to live and die with it. This roster has three, big, talented zone busters. Yet, like Saturday, they just kept bombing away. Brick after brick.

One thing that jumps out in reviewing the stats is that IUP is starting to rely more and more on the three-point shot.

Consider:

Through the Jan. 2 game against Gannon (12 games), the most three-pointers they attempted in any game was 28. Their average during those first 12 games was about 24 attempts per game. Since then, their attempts have skyrocketed -- with 7 games well over 30 attempts.

They are struggling mightily against zone defenses. Consider these three-point stats:

California (10-36 and 7-33)
Mercyhurst (5-19 and 6-23)
Seton Hill (2-16)

Total: 30-127 (23.6%)

Granted, they don't see exclusive zones very often and that's not a huge sample size. But, fact is pretty clear they shot terribly in all five of those games against a 40-minute zone. Why is that? We obviously aren't the only ones who can see statistics and trends. Not many teams in the regional field play much zone -- thankfully. The answer seems simple. Let Cobo and the boys take over down low. But, they seem hesitant to go down that path.

[IUPTrackMan]

Re: Iup basketball

Statistically, IUP is third in the conference hitting 37 percent from deep on the season. They have taken the fourth most attempts.

Within that number, Dante Lombardi has launched the most in the PSAC (217 attempts out of IUP's 646 total attempts) -- roughly a third of IUP's deep shots. That said, he is among the conference leaders -- hitting .378 percent from deep.

As a whole, they've been pretty solid from deep. It just seems when they go in the tank for a game, they ALL go in the tank together at the same time.

Of the main deep shooters:

Cobo .367
Malik .344
Dante .378
Armoni .340
Bearer .516 (just 31 attempts)


Like it or not, this is a team built around the trey.

The two games this year they've shot the most of them were both against Cal (10-36 and 7-33). In their only two losses of the season they hit 20 and 26 percent. On the positive side, they've shot over 50 percent from outside on numerous occasions this year.

I have no issue with them launching. They have a lot of shooters. I just thought the in-game adjustments have been pretty terrible on the nights that, for whatever reason, the whole team goes in to a funk together. This past Saturday at Cal, for instance, the offense was awful. Not only from the obvious fact they couldn't make any shots, but it was SO predictable. They ran the same set over and over and over and over again. What do they say about the definition of insanity?


For you real stat geeks out there ... you'd be SHOCKED in the difference they shoot from outside between the two ends at the KCAC. It's a baffling difference. It's like that for the visiting team, too. Teams cannot shoot at the horseshoe end of the KCAC. That can be statistically proven. No idea why but it happens so often it can't be called a coincidence.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

Yeah, no, that's not going to happen. I'm all about working inside out with the 3 shooter catching and square to the hoop no matter where the three ball is. These guys are better shooters than limiting their shots. They have to work inside out though and that they don't do.

One thing to keep in mind is you play like you practice -- and several aren't practicing. Armoni and Cobo haven't practiced in weeks. That may change soon but it's no doubt contributed to some flow issues, etc.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball


Valid point. In a perfect world you'd rather not play ESU on the first day of the final four weekend. It's hard to play them with their pace on a Saturday and then turn around and play another strong team on Sunday (assuming you can beat them). It's hard to say who will come out of the East. I assume (dangerous to do) IUP will host UPJ next Wednesday night. Just my guess.

To your point about the West this season, yes, it's been rough. As with the past several Joe teams, this team isn't built to play slop fests. Unfortunately, that's all we've watched for a long time now. I, too, think they will thrive when they aren't in these street brawls.

[Chuck Norris]

Re: Iup basketball

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

Statistically, IUP is third in the conference hitting 37 percent from deep on the season. They have taken the fourth most attempts.

Within that number, Dante Lombardi has launched the most in the PSAC (217 attempts out of IUP's 646 total attempts) -- roughly a third of IUP's deep shots. That said, he is among the conference leaders -- hitting .378 percent from deep.

As a whole, they've been pretty solid from deep. It just seems when they go in the tank for a game, they ALL go in the tank together at the same time.

Of the main deep shooters:

Cobo .367
Malik .344
Dante .378
Armoni .340
Bearer .516 (just 31 attempts)


Like it or not, this is a team built around the trey.

The two games this year they've shot the most of them were both against Cal (10-36 and 7-33). In their only two losses of the season they hit 20 and 26 percent. On the positive side, they've shot over 50 percent from outside on numerous occasions this year.

I have no issue with them launching. They have a lot of shooters. I just thought the in-game adjustments have been pretty terrible on the nights that, for whatever reason, the whole team goes in to a funk together. This past Saturday at Cal, for instance, the offense was awful. Not only from the obvious fact they couldn't make any shots, but it was SO predictable. They ran the same set over and over and over and over again. What do they say about the definition of insanity?


For you real stat geeks out there ... you'd be SHOCKED in the difference they shoot from outside between the two ends at the KCAC. It's a baffling difference. It's like that for the visiting team, too. Teams cannot shoot at the horseshoe end of the KCAC. That can be statistically proven. No idea why but it happens so often it can't be called a coincidence.

[IUPalum]

Re: Iup basketball

Yeah, no, that's not going to happen. I'm all about working inside out with the 3 shooter catching and square to the hoop no matter where the three ball is. These guys are better shooters than limiting their shots. They have to work inside out though and that they don't do.

[IUPTrackMan]

Re: Iup basketball

I'm the opposite. I think the guards are a growing concern. Bearer is having trouble hitting the rim since he came back (literally) and Armoni is pretty banged up. Malik is turning the ball over way too much (the team as a whole is). Dante has been pretty solid.

I do buy in to the level of opponent argument -- to an extent. Joe's teams historically give a fairly 'blah' performance in such games.

Yesterday was just a poorly coached game. He said in the paper today they couldn't just pound the ball inside all day. Why the freak not? What did chucking 7 of 33 treys do (other than almost lose them the game)? Pound, pound, pound and then pound some more until the opponent has no choice but to sell out on the post.

They were launching some UGLY shots yesterday -- airballs, etc.

The No. 2 team in the country can't be in a tight game with a minute left against a team with 5 players. No excuses.

The DeVante Chance team ... it didn't matter if they were home or away. This team ... getting that regional here, in my opinion, is extremely important.

I agree that was a 'dud' yesterday. But, that's two 'duds' in a row. They best be ready to roll Wednesday night. Of these bottom-dwellers all in a row, Edinboro is pretty hot right now. They will likely run in to a decent crowd up there, too.

They have to adjust better on days they can't hit the side of a barn (like yesterday). They were lucky to win that game yesterday. That's not a good thing to say based on the opponent and time of year.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

You sure wouldn't think but we've all seen the past two games. Take it back a third game up at UPJ. Minus Chuckie bailing them out they don't win that game.

[EyeoftheHawk]

I agree that I think the guards are struggling. Dante has been good but past him... YIKES!!!

1) Armoni's injuries are showing.
2) Malik has been a turnover machine.
3) Bearer's shot resembles a playground player right now.
4) Where has Anthony White been? He could play 5-6 minutes to help get guys healthy.
5) I still say Marco is better than Willem.
6) Is Cobo's back ok? If not, Chucky can play!
7) If Cobo is healthy, why not use both Chuck and Cobo at the same time? Athleticism!!!

[IUPalum]

Re: Iup basketball

I agree that I think the guards are struggling. Dante has been good but past him... YIKES!!!

1) Armoni's injuries are showing.
2) Malik has been a turnover machine.
3) Bearer's shot resembles a playground player right now.
4) Where has Anthony White been? He could play 5-6 minutes to help get guys healthy.
5) I still say Marco is better than Willem.
6) Is Cobo's back ok? If not, Chucky can play!
7) If Cobo is healthy, why not use both Chuck and Cobo at the same time? Athleticism!!!

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball


I'm the opposite. I think the guards are a growing concern. Bearer is having trouble hitting the rim since he came back (literally) and Armoni is pretty banged up. Malik is turning the ball over way too much (the team as a whole is). Dante has been pretty solid.

I do buy in to the level of opponent argument -- to an extent. Joe's teams historically give a fairly 'blah' performance in such games.

Yesterday was just a poorly coached game. He said in the paper today they couldn't just pound the ball inside all day. Why the freak not? What did chucking 7 of 33 treys do (other than almost lose them the game)? Pound, pound, pound and then pound some more until the opponent has no choice but to sell out on the post.

They were launching some UGLY shots yesterday -- airballs, etc.

The No. 2 team in the country can't be in a tight game with a minute left against a team with 5 players. No excuses.

The DeVante Chance team ... it didn't matter if they were home or away. This team ... getting that regional here, in my opinion, is extremely important.

I agree that was a 'dud' yesterday. But, that's two 'duds' in a row. They best be ready to roll Wednesday night. Of these bottom-dwellers all in a row, Edinboro is pretty hot right now. They will likely run in to a decent crowd up there, too.

They have to adjust better on days they can't hit the side of a barn (like yesterday). They were lucky to win that game yesterday. That's not a good thing to say based on the opponent and time of year.