Bulldogs Battle Mean Green in Big Conference Matchup

[Dwayne From Minden]

I haven't posted about the game -

It was a very dificult game to lose, but some how we managed

Poor execution - Bracey's play killed us

Poor coaching - no press, poor execution down the stretch - we just can't seem to play smart basic defense when it matters most

Poor FT shooting down the stretch

I'm ready to see Stacy Thomas get OP's minutes

AA kept us in the game and got us within striking distance when we should of been buried for dead

That said we had 5 great looks down the stretch and couldn't get anything to fall

[skilldawg]

we have played 6 conference games. 4 wins against bottom dwellers and 2 losses against “better” teams.

In the 4 wins, we pressed constantly and created a lot of turnovers leading to blowouts.

So, how about the losses? Konkol repeatedly says how “hard it is to win on the road in this conference”. That is the same in any conference. So it would seem to make sense that in order to win on the road it would be helpful to make that home team uncomfortable, after all that is greatest value of being at home. What did we do in our one road loss? We went to San Antonio, let them walk it up the court uncontested, run their offense and get shots at the spots they wanted to on the court they practice on every day. Didn’t full court press a single time until we were down by 25. I know it is more difficult to press when you are not scoring yourself... but, we have done it many times this year. Just not in that game.

The loss at home Saturday. The opponent came on our home court and made us uncomfortable... with a full court press and a suffocating half court defense. IF we pressed, like Konkol said on the radio program last night, I just missed it. It certainly in no way was a sustained effort. We fell behind by 13, still didn’t mix it up and were able to come back due to the outstanding offensive effort of one player... only to completely botch a basic end of game situation to pull defeat out of the jaws of victory.

I know I sound like a broken record, but this is becoming tiresome. We have a passive coach and a deep team of decent players with absolutely no identity. It is way past time to keep giving this coach a pass on the horrendous scheduling and the passivity of play. I for one am ready to finally see some consistent, intelligent play or this will be my last 2 months of supporting this program.

[Cal&Ken]

I haven't posted about the game -

It was a very dificult game to lose, but some how we managed

Poor execution - Bracey's play killed us

Poor coaching - no press, poor execution down the stretch - we just can't seem to play smart basic defense when it matters most

Poor FT shooting down the stretch

I'm ready to see Stacy Thomas get OP's minutes

AA kept us in the game and got us within striking distance when we should of been buried for dead

That said we had 5 great looks down the stretch and couldn't get anything to fall

Agreed on all accounts. I was wondering why Williams didn't play in the second half as well. He would seem to have been a really good player to have on the floor at the end.

[BruceWillisDawg]

UNT smothered us defensively and we had no answer. With man there should be some opportunities to get guys freed up or in one on one situations to score and make plays. Apart from a few plays by Bracey (emphasis on few) and Archibald down the stretch we may not have eclipsed 40 pts.

As usual we have no offense from our bigs other than some clean up pts but no pts that function as a weapon in our offense.

We are getting worse offensively as the season progresses. If we struggle from 3 we can't win unless the other team is really bad like USM.

We cant handle man to man press defense. We go into melt down mode offensively.

We typically play better defense in the 2nd half.

FTs are our kryptonite

This was supposed to be a deeper team and it is in regards to # of players we use; but in regards to ability to win games as the season progresses it looks like all the other Konkol coached teams - solid just not good. We will finish 3rd-5th in the regular season and win one in the conference tourney. Another ho hum year and mediocrity continues to thrive in Russ Town.

[HogDawg]

One thing that bugs me about this team is the lack of PASSES they make on offense. That alone makes it easy for a defense to smother us. Everybody wants to dribble. I don't get it. We were a turnover machine Saturday.

And back on Derrick Jean again: Jean played 37 minutes --more than anybody-- of a 40 min game, and only scored 4 points, off 2 FG's, and never got to the free throw line. WTH? Are you kidding me? Guys....that ain't gonna cut it. Anybody that gets that many minutes needs to be more productive.

https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb...iana-tech.html

[boxerdog]

Seemed like they got in Bracey's head early. Not only were they pressing him on the perimeter, they collapsed on him when he drove and he got flustered. Without him scoring, we could not compensate for the loss of Crawford. Archibald was almost enough but not quite. I thought our defense was solid. But we need Pemberton to slash and score. He's got to become more assertive, even if he misses a few shots. At this point, Jean and Williams are not hitting wide open 3's. Ledoux is streaky but, like Skill noted, he seems to score better when we press and play uptempo.

[HogDawg]

This team dribbles far to much offensively. This creates a land mine for turnovers.

A good basketball team passes the ball quickly around the perimeter, often without a single dribble. Pop, pop, pop, pop. Boom! This type of offense is also very difficult to defend, because the players can move around more quickly when not dribbling. The quick ball movement eventually leads to a back door cut, a pick and roll or just a wide open man somewhere to take the shot. This also minimizes turnovers.

Just remember, a team is in trouble when they have to dribble a lot.

[dawg80]

This team dribbles far to much offensively. This creates a land mine for turnovers.

A good basketball team passes the ball quickly around the perimeter, often without a single dribble. Pop, pop, pop, pop. Boom! This type of offense is also very difficult to defend, because the players can move around more quickly when not dribbling. The quick ball movement eventually leads to a back door cut, a pick and roll or just a wide open man somewhere to take the shot. This also minimizes turnovers.

Just remember, a team is in trouble when they have to dribble a lot.

I don't watch basketball much anymore...well, because no one plays basketball anymore.

[Dawg-n-Pony]

This team dribbles far to much offensively. This creates a land mine for turnovers.

A good basketball team passes the ball quickly around the perimeter, often without a single dribble. Pop, pop, pop, pop. Boom! This type of offense is also very difficult to defend, because the players can move around more quickly when not dribbling. The quick ball movement eventually leads to a back door cut, a pick and roll or just a wide open man somewhere to take the shot. This also minimizes turnovers.

Just remember, a team is in trouble when they have to dribble a lot.

True. But many coaches who want to play in a ball movement style...dont recruit ball movement players. If thats how you want to play...you need to find players who excel in that. Bracey has never been one of those guys. Not a knock on him as a player...thats just not his style. And as Jay-Z said...you cant change a players game in the 9th inning. He's probably won more games than he's lost playing his way. But the downside to having "creators" like him is they often kill your ball movement.

The downside to having a team full of "system" style players...is not having someone who can break the defense down when the shot clock is low or the defense defends the play well. This is what separates the really good from the great. Style alone doesnt win games...just as talent alone doesnt win games. The better ones finds the best balance of the two for the talent they have on the team.

[dawg80]

True. But many coaches who want to play in a ball movement style...dont recruit ball movement players. If thats how you want to play...you need to find players who excel in that. Bracey has never been one of those guys. Not a knock on him as a player...thats just not his style. And as Jay-Z said...you cant change a players game in the 9th inning. He's probably won more games than he's lost playing his way. But the downside to having "creators" like him is they often kill your ball movement.

The downside to having a team full of "system" style players...is not having someone who can break the defense down when the shot clock is low or the defense defends the play well. This is what separates the really good from the great. Style alone doesnt win games...just as talent alone doesnt win games. The better ones finds the best balance of the two for the talent they have on the team.

I get it! Just put 5 Michael Jordan's out there, have Coach Norman Dale ("Hoosiers") teach them team hoops and there ya go! Got it all covered.

[Dawg-n-Pony]

I get it! Just put 5 Michael Jordan's out there, have Coach Norman Dale ("Hoosiers") teach them team hoops and there ya go! Got it all covered.

Strong in you the sarcasm is. job good.

[boxerdog]

This team dribbles far to much offensively. This creates a land mine for turnovers.

A good basketball team passes the ball quickly around the perimeter, often without a single dribble. Pop, pop, pop, pop. Boom! This type of offense is also very difficult to defend, because the players can move around more quickly when not dribbling. The quick ball movement eventually leads to a back door cut, a pick and roll or just a wide open man somewhere to take the shot. This also minimizes turnovers.

Just remember, a team is in trouble when they have to dribble a lot.

I agree with this and I actually think our team passes the ball fairly well and we get alot of open looks because of it. In the North Texas game wehad several occasions when players passed on opportunities to shoot or penetrate, and they deferred to Bracey to make a play. Problem was, they were pressuring Bracey on the perimeter and collapsing on him when he drove to the goal and he got flustered. I think we have to get scoring from Pemberton with Crawford out. Jacolby still seems tentative. We need him to force the issue and work himself out of the offensive funk. Tonight's another opportunity and I look for Pemberton to score double digits.

[revf]

The problem is that as far as Basketball goes, we are just average.

Just like football and baseball, I expect a winning season, then losing in the 2nd round of the conference tourney.

its who we are. Average.

hard to get excited about a sport when you kinda already know the outcome.

Maybe konkol will get an extension. Pay the Man!

[TYLERTECHSAS]

The problem is that as far as Basketball goes, we are just average.

Just like football and baseball, I expect a winning season, then losing in the 2nd round of the conference tourney.

its who we are. Average.

hard to get excited about a sport when you kinda already know the outcome.

Maybe konkol will get an extension. Pay the Man!

Nope! He hasn't proved anything yet.