So a few thoughts after what is a pretty decent win.
We looked better (not that that's saying much) offensively
The scoreboard read 70 at the end of the game which isn't exactly inspiring but when you figure we had 1 point and five turnovers after 6 minutes and then ran with 1 (Hughes) or 0 starters for the last 7 or so minutes (to be fair Colgate was subbing liberally during most of this stretch as well) that's a pretty good offensive game. 20 assists on 28 FGs is a welcome site and 17 out of 55 FG attempts from three meant far less standing around hoisting threes. Not sure what we saw was exactly a clinic in offensive execution but it's a nice confidence boost and hopefully a sign that the standing around of the last couple years is in the rear view for the most part (even if we don't exactly look like world beaters right now).
LOVED the activity defensively
You could argue, with some credibility, that we were vastly superior athletically to Colgate and that we *should* make them pay for that. But at least we did it. 9 steals is nice, 6 blocks is nice but all the deflections and quick closeouts and hustle on the defensive end (much of which started happening when Girard entered) was fun to watch and hopefully bodes well.
We had a couple dunks!
The dunk has oddly disappeared the past couple seasons (though Tyus had a few) but after a brutal opener, it was nice to see an open floor move and monster dunk from Marek followed closely by a nice alley-oop from Girard to sidibe. Nice to see this team in transition. It's a weird group b/c I don't think we're great at fast breaks or generating fast breaks, per se, but buddy had a nice little turnaround from 8 or 10 feet at one point, Girard had the pull-up three, Hughes got two open threes (made one, missed one) off unsettled situations, Goodine and Guerrier had jumpers in secondary break situations, the alley-oop and Marek's play ... it was just nice to see us get some good looks and push the tempo a bit.
Hughes bailed us out
Like with any game you need a little luck. Colgate missed some open threes early when we were brutal, which helped, and Hughes bailed us out of a late-shot clock situation three times with two long threes and a contested 15-footer. He's going to have to help us in those spots from time to time this year. Every team gets stuck occasionally and we just need to survive some of those moments. It was really nice to see Hughes help out in those tough spots but to see us in general have a nice (not incredible, but solid) performance without one player (like Hughes or Battle) going off.
Healthy Sidibe helps out a lot
Not sure we can look at what he did in this game as an expectation of what he's going to do going forward, but Sidibe putting up a really nice double-double against a decent big man in a key game for a program that was in a bad place after the first 46 minutes of the season was huge. Love a guy who can be a factor without needing the ball a ton. Still think a 'Keita with a little offensive output' is a legit ceiling for this kid.
Buddy's mid-range game is a nice weapon
A lot of people question, and will continue to question, if buddy plays so much because he's the coach's son. I can't speak to that necessarily but that little 15-footer he hit with a man on his hip in the first half was a big shot and a nice play (and maybe should have been an and-one). He later hit a 15-footer when everyone ran away from him defensively and then made a nice little turnaround from 8-to-10 feet in an unsettled situation. I'm not saying we'll make a living off that aspect of his game but the fact he's not simply a 3-point shooter is a nice weapon for us.
The next three games will be very interesting
Still feel there's a lot we don't know about this rotation. Obviously we'll get a heavy dose of Buddy, Hughes, Sidibe and Marek for as long as they're all healthy and a lot of Girard going forward. But I'm not sure the book is closed on Guerrier, Goodine, Edwards or Braswell (maybe in that order). I think JB likes those 4 and if they can play well the next three they could earn some (not a ton, but some) PT going forward.
That's it for now but a nice win and looking forward to the next three.
We looked better (not that that's saying much) offensively
The scoreboard read 70 at the end of the game which isn't exactly inspiring but when you figure we had 1 point and five turnovers after 6 minutes and then ran with 1 (Hughes) or 0 starters for the last 7 or so minutes (to be fair Colgate was subbing liberally during most of this stretch as well) that's a pretty good offensive game. 20 assists on 28 FGs is a welcome site and 17 out of 55 FG attempts from three meant far less standing around hoisting threes. Not sure what we saw was exactly a clinic in offensive execution but it's a nice confidence boost and hopefully a sign that the standing around of the last couple years is in the rear view for the most part (even if we don't exactly look like world beaters right now).
LOVED the activity defensively
You could argue, with some credibility, that we were vastly superior athletically to Colgate and that we *should* make them pay for that. But at least we did it. 9 steals is nice, 6 blocks is nice but all the deflections and quick closeouts and hustle on the defensive end (much of which started happening when Girard entered) was fun to watch and hopefully bodes well.
We had a couple dunks!
The dunk has oddly disappeared the past couple seasons (though Tyus had a few) but after a brutal opener, it was nice to see an open floor move and monster dunk from Marek followed closely by a nice alley-oop from Girard to sidibe. Nice to see this team in transition. It's a weird group b/c I don't think we're great at fast breaks or generating fast breaks, per se, but buddy had a nice little turnaround from 8 or 10 feet at one point, Girard had the pull-up three, Hughes got two open threes (made one, missed one) off unsettled situations, Goodine and Guerrier had jumpers in secondary break situations, the alley-oop and Marek's play ... it was just nice to see us get some good looks and push the tempo a bit.
Hughes bailed us out
Like with any game you need a little luck. Colgate missed some open threes early when we were brutal, which helped, and Hughes bailed us out of a late-shot clock situation three times with two long threes and a contested 15-footer. He's going to have to help us in those spots from time to time this year. Every team gets stuck occasionally and we just need to survive some of those moments. It was really nice to see Hughes help out in those tough spots but to see us in general have a nice (not incredible, but solid) performance without one player (like Hughes or Battle) going off.
Healthy Sidibe helps out a lot
Not sure we can look at what he did in this game as an expectation of what he's going to do going forward, but Sidibe putting up a really nice double-double against a decent big man in a key game for a program that was in a bad place after the first 46 minutes of the season was huge. Love a guy who can be a factor without needing the ball a ton. Still think a 'Keita with a little offensive output' is a legit ceiling for this kid.
Buddy's mid-range game is a nice weapon
A lot of people question, and will continue to question, if buddy plays so much because he's the coach's son. I can't speak to that necessarily but that little 15-footer he hit with a man on his hip in the first half was a big shot and a nice play (and maybe should have been an and-one). He later hit a 15-footer when everyone ran away from him defensively and then made a nice little turnaround from 8-to-10 feet in an unsettled situation. I'm not saying we'll make a living off that aspect of his game but the fact he's not simply a 3-point shooter is a nice weapon for us.
The next three games will be very interesting
Still feel there's a lot we don't know about this rotation. Obviously we'll get a heavy dose of Buddy, Hughes, Sidibe and Marek for as long as they're all healthy and a lot of Girard going forward. But I'm not sure the book is closed on Guerrier, Goodine, Edwards or Braswell (maybe in that order). I think JB likes those 4 and if they can play well the next three they could earn some (not a ton, but some) PT going forward.
That's it for now but a nice win and looking forward to the next three.
