50 / 50 balls

[osullfam]

we're about 20%.

 

[Shrmdougluvr]

we're about 20%.

I am not sure if that is an actual stat (or just your impression), but I think the Team's problems with getting loose balls are a result of the following factors:

1. Players like Fab and XMas seem to have little court awareness and do not anticipate where the ball will end up well (this is also a factor with rebounding);
2. Keita drops about 2 loose balls a game, and creates another 2 or 3 with his inability to simply grasp the ball;
3. The guards arent looking to collect loose balls, and instead are leaking out to start the transition offense;
4. Joseph and Fair arent naturally aggressive men; and
5. Length prevents us from getting on the floor quicker.

I get more frustrated with 1 and 2 then anything else, simply because i dont get how these guys cant read plays better, and how anyone that cant catch the most simply ball keeps getting minutes. I dont think it is a "heart" issue because the team works hard on defense and always responds when opponents make there runs.

It seems to me like rebounding and getting loose balls are the absolute keys to when SU goes on its big runs (that and making open shots).

 

[alibrat66]

we're about 20%.

Sounds like an STD. Try penicillin.

 

[Jake]

I haven't seen a player dive for a loose ball since early January. It drives me freakjng insane. Everyone bends over at the waist.

 

[jekelish]

Similarly, I couldn't get over how often one of our guys would get their hands on a rebound and just have it seemingly bounce off of them, letting Louisville recover. There were several times Kris or Dirty, for instance, would seemingly have a board and it would just pop out to Louisville. It's like they are wearing oven mitts out there sometimes.

 

[tbonezone]

it is maddening to watch us play good defense for 30 seconds and force a bad shot then basically hand the ball back to them for a free do over.

 

[suthrills]

to follow Jake's point, I kept yelling "hit the floor!" I can't remember the last time I've seen one of our guys dive for a loose ball- maybe MCW.
We are the best bending team in the country.

 

[MyMeloMyMan]

Does SU just recruit guys who lack that floor-burn mentality? Or do we not coach them up to die for each and every loose ball? Or is it just a mystery, like why we are rarely a good FT shooting team?

I think the only time KJo has ever hit the court was that time he got his concussion.

 

[osullfam]

Perhaps in a small way, it's a consequence of their length. A shorter person has an advantage in picking up a ball off the floor.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

I haven't seen a player dive for a loose ball since early January. It drives me freakjng insane. Everyone bends over at the waist.

Can't get into transition from the floor.

Sent from my Vortex using Tapatalk

 

[SWC75]

Four words: Fruit of the Loom.

Seriously, I think "loose balls" should be a stat, just like reboudnign and steals. When the ball hits the fllor and is not in the control of any player, it's anybody's ball and the player who secures it for his team should be credited with doing so. Balls that go out of bounds would be the equivalent of "team rebounds". They could be kept track of of but not credited to an individual. Rebounds should properly be balls snagged in the air.

There should be a drill for getting lose balls: if any oppositon player is near the ball, he guy closest to them should get down on the floor to secure it and the guy next closest should provide an outlet for him. Trying to reach down and grab it from someone or dribble it out of traffic doesn't work, yet that's what our guys are always trying to do.

I agree that our guards leaking out for fast breaks hurts us in both getting rebounds and losse balls, (but can nonetheless pay divdends on the other end). I also think a factor is thaty none of our big men seem to have good hands and they are often the source of the loose balls, (the Southerland play that eld to the fast break in yesterday's game was particularlly awful). And I agree that since it's often our big men who are trying to retrieve the ball, they are at a disadvantage against shorter players.

I really think the only thing we can do about it that wouldn't sacrifice an advantage we are trying to obtain, (the fast breaks, the zone defense) is the drill I described above.

 

[Cheriehoop]

I haven't seen a player dive for a loose ball since early January. It drives me freakjng insane. Everyone bends over at the waist.

Well yesterday you had too many opportunities to go insane. Brandon and Dion on at least 2 occasions each refused to go to the floor and allowed Louisville players to out hustle us for loose balls. In fact this season, CJ and surprisingly Fab are the two players I even recall diving for loose balls. Lots of positives on this team but this is an area that could use improvement.

 

[Madbiker]

CJ is our only guy who aggressively will get on the floor for the ball. KJ stands and watches and JS bends at the waist though he amazingly does come up with some. Our constant tapping of rebounds instead of securing them leads to an unusual amount of 50/50 lose balls.