Originally Posted by Stanley Nickels:
Where is the new thread? Doesn't matter I guess. Just stopping by to say **** CUONZO MARTIN.
He can't shoot it for 'em.
They got a TON of great looks in that game and just didn't hit any of them.
And I'll say this AGAIN - I have never seen a team get screwed on close calls at home as often as I see Mizzou get screwed at home. The charge on Smith and the egregiously awful call on Pickett down the stretch completely shit all over a valiant comeback effort that looked like it might just happen.
I mean damn, you can't draw up a better play than that last play and Mark Smith got an amazing look - just missed the damn shot.
Because of course he did. Because they seem to miss everything. And it doesn't make sense because any long-term analysis of shooting will tell you that teams that hit their FTs are good shooting teams. There's a damn strong correlation there.
Well Mizzou has set the NCAA record for consecutive FTs made over the last two games and at the same time they've shot about 30% from the floor. It's just completely inexplicable. These guys know how to shoot the damn basketball, they just aren't doing it. [Reply]
You cannot honestly tell me that this is wholly, or even primarily, on the players. This offense is lacking in so many fundamental ways; it honestly resembles a high school strategy in terms of simplicity, and in terms of execution at times with all the sloppy turnovers. A dribble-drive is all well and good, but if Mark Smith isn't shooting that 3, it's a low percentage shot (and they're wide open for a reason- they even admitted to playing the numbers against us, allowing the open 3s.)
And the vaunted Cuonzo Martin defense? Ranked 75th nationally.
Perhaps some of this is talent, but that's also on Cuonzo. No, he's run out of passes in terms of player execution; this is an indictment on coaching. Sorry for weird format and rambling sentences, I don't usually post on phone. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Stanley Nickels:
You cannot honestly tell me that this is wholly, or even primarily, on the players. This offense is lacking in so many fundamental ways; it honestly resembles a high school strategy in terms of simplicity, and in terms of execution at times with all the sloppy turnovers. A dribble-drive is all well and good, but if Mark Smith isn't shooting that 3, it's a low percentage shot (and they're wide open for a reason- they even admitted to playing the numbers against us, allowing the open 3s.)
And the vaunted Cuonzo Martin defense? Ranked 75th nationally.
Perhaps some of this is talent, but that's also on Cuonzo. No, he's run out of passes in terms of player execution; this is an indictment on coaching. Sorry for weird format and rambling sentences, I don't usually post on phone.
Oh don't get me wrong - there's a Cuonzo problem on offense for sure. I've said as much in this very thread. And the decline of the defense over the last month or so is equally infuriating.
I mean that on this night, it's hard to pin much on Cuonzo. He got good looks for his best shooters (such as they are) and even had them fighting tooth and nail to the end.
Tonight isn't the night to shit on Cuonzo, IMO. He put his guys in positions to succeed routinely. They just didn't do it. And to the extent it's a development issue - well that's simply over my head. I don't have the knowledge of how he runs his practice or really even how I think one SHOULD run their practice. But again - these kids have a shooting stroke. It's there at the line.
It just falls apart from the field. There's some development happening, it's just happening in fits and starts and with results that are entirely too erratic. [Reply]
I hate KU with a passion, but by God I envy the development their players go through over their college careers. Outside of a few outliers players simply do not develop under CM. His system is a joke and he can't recruit worth a damn. [Reply]