Given the talent we have what would you change?

[CaliRdBrd]

Don't like Horne?

Not yet.

If you’re a D1 guard, you need to either dish or go to the hole where you can cash in on the FT’s (and an the occasional 3pt play). His FT% is absolutely brutal...probably the worst in the NCAA, for a guard. As for assists, his assist/TO ratio is very close to 1:1.

Definitely not seeing the floor if I’m the coach.

Also, you have no PG in your group. Guess you don't actually care about ball handling. And before you say Reeves can handle it, he was supposed to play the point in the Paradise Jam. How'd that work out? He wasn't 't ready . . . at all

That’s because we don’t have a PG.

 

[ricohill]

Not yet.

If you’re a D1 guard, you need to either dish or go to the hole where you can cash in on the FT’s (and an the occasional 3pt play). His FT% is absolutely brutal...probably the worst in the NCAA, for a guard. As for assists, his assist/TO ratio is very close to 1:1.

Definitely not seeing the floor if I’m the coach.

Nothing like making your opinions about free throws on a small sample size . . . Horne is 3-7 . . . so he hasn't shot enough to be call the worst in the NCAA. Also, you have no PG in your group. Guess you don't actually care about ball handling. And before you say Reeves can handle it, he was supposed to play the point in the Paradise Jam. How'd that work out? He wasn't 't ready . . . at all.

As for his A/TO ratio, nice cop out on the stats. You make it sound like he turns the ball over as often as he finds assists. He actually does a really good job of not turning the ball over. Only 7 turnovers thru 12 games. From a ball handling standpoint, he's one of the better options on the team. He does need to work on dishing more often rather than taking the jumper, I'll grant you that.

I don’t care what the sample size is, 3/7 is horseshit and a telling sign. We’ll see come seasons’ end and maybe I’ll have to do a Mea Culpa, but I doubt it.
As for the assists. He averages about 1 TO/game but also only ONE assist/game. Sounds to me like he’s not as aggressive as he needs to be. If he was, he’d have more foul shots and more assists.

I agree/disagree with Horne. I think if you look at how he has played so far he's probably not there yet and I agree. However, Torres is basically a rent-a-player. At the end of the year he is gone. If Horne is the future, I'd play him and get him experience. I would tell Horne what is expected of him and use the carrot and the stick approach. If he does his role and meets expectations he plays. When he doesn't Torres subs in for him.

Right now, I would pick 5 guys that will take care of the ball, take good shots, and play defense. Those guys play until they are exhausted, in foul trouble, or don't do those things. There is a stop in play every 4 minutes. These guys are 18-22 years old. Cut the rotation down and only play guys that deserve it.

 

[DWRedbird]

Not yet.

If you’re a D1 guard, you need to either dish or go to the hole where you can cash in on the FT’s (and an the occasional 3pt play). His FT% is absolutely brutal...probably the worst in the NCAA, for a guard. As for assists, his assist/TO ratio is very close to 1:1.

Definitely not seeing the floor if I’m the coach.

Nothing like making your opinions about free throws on a small sample size . . . Horne is 3-7 . . . so he hasn't shot enough to be call the worst in the NCAA. Also, you have no PG in your group. Guess you don't actually care about ball handling. And before you say Reeves can handle it, he was supposed to play the point in the Paradise Jam. How'd that work out? He wasn't 't ready . . . at all.

As for his A/TO ratio, nice cop out on the stats. You make it sound like he turns the ball over as often as he finds assists. He actually does a really good job of not turning the ball over. Only 7 turnovers thru 12 games. From a ball handling standpoint, he's one of the better options on the team. He does need to work on dishing more often rather than taking the jumper, I'll grant you that.

I don’t care what the sample size is, 3/7 is horseshit and a telling sign. We’ll see come seasons’ end and maybe I’ll have to do a Mea Culpa, but I doubt it.
As for the assists. He averages about 1 TO/game but also only ONE assist/game. Sounds to me like he’s not as aggressive as he needs to be. If he was, he’d have more foul shots and more assists.

The only thing about the 3/7 that rankles me is that I'd like to see him get to the line more, and see how he really is at the line. As to the A/TO ratio, I think his assist numbers will increase as he grows into the PG role. He played off the ball primarily in HS but knew he would transition to the point in college. I'd say give him time this year to develop at the point and see what he can do for us in the future.

 

[CaliRdBrd]

Nothing like making your opinions about free throws on a small sample size . . . Horne is 3-7 . . . so he hasn't shot enough to be call the worst in the NCAA. Also, you have no PG in your group. Guess you don't actually care about ball handling. And before you say Reeves can handle it, he was supposed to play the point in the Paradise Jam. How'd that work out? He wasn't 't ready . . . at all.

As for his A/TO ratio, nice cop out on the stats. You make it sound like he turns the ball over as often as he finds assists. He actually does a really good job of not turning the ball over. Only 7 turnovers thru 12 games. From a ball handling standpoint, he's one of the better options on the team. He does need to work on dishing more often rather than taking the jumper, I'll grant you that.

I don’t care what the sample size is, 3/7 is horseshit and a telling sign. We’ll see come seasons’ end and maybe I’ll have to do a Mea Culpa, but I doubt it.
As for the assists. He averages about 1 TO/game but also only ONE assist/game. Sounds to me like he’s not as aggressive as he needs to be. If he was, he’d have more foul shots and more assists.

The only thing about the 3/7 that rankles me is that I'd like to see him get to the line more, and see how he really is at the line. As to the A/TO ratio, I think his assist numbers will increase as he grows into the PG role. He played off the ball primarily in HS but knew he would transition to the point in college. I'd say give him time this year to develop at the point and see what he can do for us in the future.

I think he could be very good, just not in my rotation right now.

 

[Bird Friend]

Not yet.

If you’re a D1 guard, you need to either dish or go to the hole where you can cash in on the FT’s (and an the occasional 3pt play). His FT% is absolutely brutal...probably the worst in the NCAA, for a guard. As for assists, his assist/TO ratio is very close to 1:1.

Definitely not seeing the floor if I’m the coach.

Nothing like making your opinions about free throws on a small sample size . . . Horne is 3-7 . . . so he hasn't shot enough to be call the worst in the NCAA. Also, you have no PG in your group. Guess you don't actually care about ball handling. And before you say Reeves can handle it, he was supposed to play the point in the Paradise Jam. How'd that work out? He wasn't 't ready . . . at all.

As for his A/TO ratio, nice cop out on the stats. You make it sound like he turns the ball over as often as he finds assists. He actually does a really good job of not turning the ball over. Only 7 turnovers thru 12 games. From a ball handling standpoint, he's one of the better options on the team. He does need to work on dishing more often rather than taking the jumper, I'll grant you that.

I don’t care what the sample size is, 3/7 is horseshit and a telling sign. We’ll see come seasons’ end and maybe I’ll have to do a Mea Culpa, but I doubt it.
As for the assists. He averages about 1 TO/game but also only ONE assist/game. Sounds to me like he’s not as aggressive as he needs to be. If he was, he’d have more foul shots and more assists.

12 games, 7 turnovers does not even out to "about 1 per game". Jeebus, did you take any math classes?

 

[Bird Friend]

Not yet.

If you’re a D1 guard, you need to either dish or go to the hole where you can cash in on the FT’s (and an the occasional 3pt play). His FT% is absolutely brutal...probably the worst in the NCAA, for a guard. As for assists, his assist/TO ratio is very close to 1:1.

Definitely not seeing the floor if I’m the coach.

Also, you have no PG in your group. Guess you don't actually care about ball handling. And before you say Reeves can handle it, he was supposed to play the point in the Paradise Jam. How'd that work out? He wasn't 't ready . . . at all

That’s because we don’t have a PG.

Then why are you complaining about losses? You've essentially stated that we should play certain guys regardless of whether we have anyone to fill the roles of ball handlers, wings, or bigs. If "screw it, I'm gonna play whom I want" is different than what you say Muller does, please explain how.

 

[CaliRdBrd]

Also, you have no PG in your group. Guess you don't actually care about ball handling. And before you say Reeves can handle it, he was supposed to play the point in the Paradise Jam. How'd that work out? He wasn't 't ready . . . at all

That’s because we don’t have a PG.

Then why are you complaining about losses? You've essentially stated that we should play certain guys regardless of whether we have anyone to fill the roles of ball handlers, wings, or bigs. If "screw it, I'm gonna play whom I want" is different than what you say Muller does, please explain how.

Honestly, I don’t have the energy for this

 

[V Boy]

I’d play a lot of zone on D.

I’d go small on offense. Reeves, Copeland, Horne and Boyd in game with Fisher. I’d go 5 out on O. Horne runs the point. They commit to getting the best open 3 every time down.

I’d play Ndaiye and Chastain off bench.

I would not play Hillsman, Idowu or Torres much. They are too slow.....don’t rebound well enough....can’t shoot it well enough.....can’t beat their man 1on1.

I would go into games wanting to play high tempo and knowing I want game in the 80s. I would also know sometimes the shots won’t fall and we’ll lose bad. But sometimes they will and if we get hot then we get more confident and we can scare some people a-la Emmenecker Drake team.

We will never win with Idowu, Fisher and either Hillsman or Chastain on court at same time. Way to slow, unathletic and offensively challenged.

 

[isuquinndog]

Grinnell offense!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQGZ0CKMBvs

 

[Buffett]

Grinnell offense!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQGZ0CKMBvs

The System" rules
try to get a shot off with in 15 seconds
trap all the time of defense
68% of shots should be three pointers.

 

[SgtHulka]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsdnDSw2Z5E

 

[redbirdron1]

Per VBoy - I like the suggestion of subject changes on D and to the lineup. The only un-athletic kid I'd play would be Bruninga if/when he's 100% due to his stroke. Always an advocate of the Zone D as we seem to get beat off the dribble time and time again. Gotta mix in some man D but only as a change up and then come back with a different version of the Zone. Keep the opponent off balance and hopefully they stand around.
I don't have the answers but we've gotta make some changes. VBoy is correct, 2-3 of our guys are just too slow.

**************************************

I’d play a lot of zone on D.

I’d go small on offense. Reeves, Copeland, Horne and Boyd in game with Fisher. I’d go 5 out on O. Horne runs the point. They commit to getting the best open 3 every time down.

I’d play Ndaiye and Chastain off bench.

I would not play Hillsman, Idowu or Torres much. They are too slow.....don’t rebound well enough....can’t shoot it well enough.....can’t beat their man 1on1.

I would go into games wanting to play high tempo and knowing I want game in the 80s. I would also know sometimes the shots won’t fall and we’ll lose bad. But sometimes they will and if we get hot then we get more confident and we can scare some people a-la Emmenecker Drake team.

We will never win with Idowu, Fisher and either Hillsman or Chastain on court at same time. Way to slow, unathletic and offensively challenged.

 

[SgtHulka]

Wiat?!?! Bruninga had a stroke? Friggin Munn

 

[Redbird222]

I’d play a lot of zone on D.

I’d go small on offense. Reeves, Copeland, Horne and Boyd in game with Fisher. I’d go 5 out on O. Horne runs the point. They commit to getting the best open 3 every time down.

I’d play Ndaiye and Chastain off bench.

I would not play Hillsman, Idowu or Torres much. They are too slow.....don’t rebound well enough....can’t shoot it well enough.....can’t beat their man 1on1.

I would go into games wanting to play high tempo and knowing I want game in the 80s. I would also know sometimes the shots won’t fall and we’ll lose bad. But sometimes they will and if we get hot then we get more confident and we can scare some people a-la Emmenecker Drake team.

We will never win with Idowu, Fisher and either Hillsman or Chastain on court at same time. Way to slow, unathletic and offensively challenged.

I agree with most of this although I would play Rey in certain matchups... but in a backup role.

I may start Chastain or Ndiaye and play Boyd as 6th to get a little better rebounding and rotation with guards.

I am not sure why we haven't used the zone a little more especially with Ndiaye in the middle. I think it's one of the things Muller has historically implemented well and used effectively in games.

 

[Loyl2u]

I’ve complained about the lack of structure in the offense over the past several years and then during the UIC game, it actually appeared that the coaching staff for first time I recall was dictating to a large extent ea. trip where the ball went and it put Fisher in situations where both he and Rey could be successful. Not sure why you can’t just tell the guards we expect the ball to go inside both to score and to try and open up the perimeter. I just don’t know that finishing in the paint will work against most Valley interior players.

Regardless, unless beat down court, every opponent is guarding the 3 and not worrying about extra passes. Copeland trying to do too much and I would like to keep him at 2 spot and want him to catch and shoot, not create with ball. Horne at point and want him to not worry about taking a shot unless unguarded, just get it to the paint and the shooter(Copeland) when open. Chas or Taylor( when healthy) because we need to get rebounds and they can guard the 3 spot. Finally, Reeves could be good is the future-, Boyd off the bench. Both need to learn from somebody that at this level, you can’t take a play off- unfortunately Rey is the only player I see consistently 100% When on the floor.- acknowledging that players are hampered many times by injuries that we don’t known about.

 

[Redbirdfan76]

I believe we should start DJ and Antonio with Zac along with Rey and KF. Play the remaining people based on defensive abilities and match ups. Pound the ball inside offensively and hopefully Rey and KF improve as the conference season goes on. Defense, rebounding and free throws travel well. We currently are suffering in all those area’s as has been discussed in previous posts. Those three items need to improve for us to have any chance to make a run in St. Louis. Here’s hoping all three items get better over the course of the conference season.

 

[WoodlandWarrior]

Maybe Dan should check out the Pekin Dragons zone defense. So far it’s been effective against bigger teams.