Thursday, December 12, 2013

Arizona: Three keys unlocked

Rebound: Fairly comfortable here saying the Aggies didn't get it done. Opponents have averaged 16 offensive rebounds per game against the Aggies the past three games and Arizona had 16 offensive rebounds and 21 second chance points. As I wrote in the original blog entry, the Aggies have a hard time keeping wings off the glass because they don't have the same length they had with Bandja Sy and Tyrone Watson in the past. Rondae Jefferson had eight rebounds off the bench and he also had a dunk that ended up on SportsCenter. Arizona out rebounded NMSU 38-22 for the game as the Wildcats entered the game out rebounding teams by 14 per game.



Match up with Gordon: The Aggies mixed it up on Gordon. Daniel Mullings at 6-2 was matched up against him for stretches in man to man. All in all, the Aggies tried to make other people beat them and Arizona is a very balanced offensive team so Gordon's numbers were limited to 11 points and 4 rebounds on 5-12 shooting, but the Wildcats didn't need him on Wednesday.

Transition defense: Arizona eventually turned this game into a dunk contest but the Aggies did better in the first half, getting back, denying point guard TJ McConnell the ball. But like Arizona coach Sean Miller said postgame, the Aggies were so focused on slowing the tempo down and running the shot clock down that they weren't giving up easy baskets but they also weren't scoring easy baskets and Arizona is much more balanced offensively.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Jason, you are the master of the understatement, didn't get it done!

I agree with you there!

I personally am ready for a different coach.

I know it is hard to say that and hear that,

but I would like to try my luck with the next guy or gal.

Alan

Anonymous said...

Here are some of Sean Miller's comments post game. Confirms what I've always thought of our "genius" of a coach.

“We played a team called the Scarlet Knights, and that’s what they played,” Miller said. “A guy at the nail (center of free throw line), and a guy at the hoop, and then three guys playing man-to-man. You (can) see a lot of college games but I don’t know if you’ll see that defense.”

“But it’s effective because they have a 7-5 guy (Sim Bhullar) in there. It just feels different. But once you get the hang of it… there’s a reason no one plays that defense. I thought we broke them down and had some great shots at the baskets, had some real good some great passes.”

Miller rattled on about the four other defenses that the Aggies tried to use, too: A 1-3-1 zone, 2-3 zone, 1-2-2 three-quarter-court press, and a man-to-man.

“It was a great experience, almost like practice,” Miller said. “You get your ability to teach and coach, where guys understand that the next time we see this this is what we will do.

-Aggie Glare

Anonymous said...

At least NMSU made some money from the game last night. Its the price for getting laughed at on Sports Center with the dunk over Dixon. Once again, someone elses punchline: Aggie Basketball

Anonymous said...

it wasn't always this way...it is the cost of denial.

we deny our true status by being in a jv league that makes us look like super stars.

watch what happens once conference play is underway. everyone is going to start talking about how great things are again.

no matter how we perfume the pig and candy coat the turd, the truth is here right now: the past 4 games is a good barometer of how we stack up in the bigger world of college hoops and it is not pretty.

unless somebody has a better idea?

alan

Anonymous said...

Alan,

I agree with some of what you said. These last few games have shown us where we stand in basketball. We have played a tough stretch against some very good opponents and really have played one bad game- the UNM game and we were overmatched against the #1 team in the country. What the schedule has shown is we're a flawed BB team and these opponents have exploited our weaknesses. We have no outside shooting, our bigs are slow on defense and are vulnerable to teams that have mobile bigs. Drawing them away from the basket gets them out of position and allows offensive rebounds. The injury to Barry takes away a scoring option that is pretty significant. I do not agree with you that once conference play everybody will say we're great again because the vast majority of comments are made when we're losing and are aimed at MM. Nobody said anything when we swept UTEP. Speaking of UTEP, it is interesting to hear "experts" on TV and newspapers refer to Floyd as a defensive genius when he uses the same defenses we tried against AZ. They didn't work, we were overmatched, we tried something different - end of story.

Anonymous said...

Great analogy Alan, Drake is a pretender like the aggies in a below average mid major dream world. Menzies has mentioned top 25 on two occasions this season, maybe top 125 his aspirations totally outweigh reality. Go Aggies but with Menzies at the helm Drake by at least a bakers dozen. Figure that one out coach not much luck today much better coaching. I bet you can't wait to play the Useattle of the world much more in your league.

go aggies minus Menzies....

Anonymous said...

If menzies and Weir recruited for this team and The great henson coached this team he would devise a defense that would make them a top 15 team, no brains in aggieland but thats what we expect in LC, we love you henson and it must be painful to see your court being reduced in capacity every year, you built this place give carauthers some guidance and put us back on the map you must be Menzies life and basketball mentor.

Anonymous said...

C'mon already! You boo-birds just whine and moan after losses, after close wins, after blowouts, damn, after inter-squad games, don't you enjoy watching college basketball. We have another exciting team, a fun as hell team to watch, a team full of budding superstars and great role players. Coach Menzies, where do you find these guys, Mckines, Sye, Mullings, Larouch, Nephawe, K.C. cant wait to see Baker. Don't you guys remember the years when our only prayer of getting to the big dance was an improbable run in the year-end tourney. GO AGGIES!! and Jason, Thanks brother for keeping the Aggie "faithful" informed and fired up! Up here in Albuquerque, we get a steady diet of "Lobos are the next Duke" until we're sick, thanks for keeping it real. I would honestly trade a sweep of the Lobos for a trip to the big dance, which will give me immediate satisfaction, really but how smart is that. Go AGGS !