• FU @ (No Longer Undefeated) UTC (Dec. 30)

 #34918  by apaladin
 Fri Jan 01, 2021 1:26 am
The Jackal wrote:
Thu Dec 31, 2020 11:15 am
apaladin wrote:
Thu Dec 31, 2020 10:36 am
The Jackal wrote:
Thu Dec 31, 2020 7:17 am
About the only thing that really worries me about this team is the tendency of Mounce and Gurley to get in foul trouble. To me, that's Furman's biggest achilles heel.

Richey - and I'm not second guessing him - also seems willing to run those two guys back out with four fouls. A few times this season we've seen Gurley or Mounce foul out with a lot of time left on the clock in a close game.

It was good to see Hein step in late and pick up the slack. I think having another guy available to come off the bench and create scoring chances will be big for us this season.
Unfortunately I don’t know where that other guy besides Hein is going to come from. Not saying someone won’t step up but at least right now no one seems ready.

I mean, it's a bit better than we had it last year. We really didn't have a big man that came off the bench.
I have to respectfully disagree. Remember last year #6 and #7 were Bothwell and Clark. I would take Clark over Hein right now, and we have no one close to Bothwell coming off the bench.
 #34920  by Furmanoid
 Fri Jan 01, 2021 9:25 am
Seems to me like our bench guys don’t screw up super bad, but they don’t make anything happen either (aside from Hein). They just sort of hang around and let people rest. I keep hoping somebody like Anderson will get some mojo and start scoring, but not seeing much confidence yet.

Maybe we start sending in a group to just specialize in physical obnoxious press/trap defense to eat a up a few minutes and take the other team out of their offense. Dean Smith used to do that with scrubs. If they score a couple of times, great.
 #34921  by FUBeAR
 Fri Jan 01, 2021 10:00 am
Furmanoid wrote:
Fri Jan 01, 2021 9:25 am
Dean Smith used to do that with scrubs.
Yes he did. He would put in 5 (usually) pale-skinned youngsters, many of them walk-ons, who would sprint to “their guy” when the horn blew to let them in the game, put their body on them, grab their jersey, and run around like maniacs chasing “their guy,” fouling the crap out of them with their bodies (knees & elbows included) on both ends of the court, while the 7k fans in Carmichael would go nuts cheering for the “Blue Team” for their 2 or 3 minute bursts of energy. If the opponent had any weaknesses handling the ball, this tactic was highly effective & totally took them out of their game plan. However, if they could handle the ball well and also play good, takeaway D...this tactic would lose a few points & possessions.

It was fun to watch, but not really knowing much about hoops these days, I’m not sure how effective it would be. A lot of rule changes since Dean’s days in Chapel Hole.
 #34923  by Furmanoid
 Fri Jan 01, 2021 11:01 am
I think it might work better now. Back in the olden days you’d get called for “reaching in” or “over the back” even with no contact. With some crews these days, if there isn’t obvious bruising, it’s ok. And in the olden, olden days they’d get a free throw for every foul.

Plus now if you make them eat time before they can even set up the offense, they have shot clock issues.
 #34935  by tya1
 Fri Jan 01, 2021 10:59 pm
Very good win. Chattanooga doesn't have a lot of name wins but they are the only team to beat UAB, which is top 100 in the ratings and co-favorites in Conference USA along with Western Kentucky. (Interesting note - Samford is the only loss on Belmont's record . The SoCon looks deeper this year. )

Chattanooga came into the game hitting 37% of their threes, which is almost identical to the Paladins shooting percentage. If both teams had hit their averages it could have been a 15 point win for Furman. Always good to find a way to win when your opponent is over performing while you are under performing. We played a smart efficient game and took what they allowed. Great rebounding was a big part of it.

A big thing to look for the next month is whether or not we can develop a effective, consistent bench. They showed some promise against S.C. State. Can they do it in tough, tight conference play. We had seven players to trust last year. An eighth or ninth guy to count on would be big.
 #34938  by apaladin
 Sat Jan 02, 2021 12:36 am
tya1 wrote:
Fri Jan 01, 2021 10:59 pm
Very good win. Chattanooga doesn't have a lot of name wins but they are the only team to beat UAB, which is top 100 in the ratings and co-favorites in Conference USA along with Western Kentucky. (Interesting note - Samford is the only loss on Belmont's record . The SoCon looks deeper this year. )

Chattanooga came into the game hitting 37% of their threes, which is almost identical to the Paladins shooting percentage. If both teams had hit their averages it could have been a 15 point win for Furman. Always good to find a way to win when your opponent is over performing while you are under performing. We played a smart efficient game and took what they allowed. Great rebounding was a big part of it.

A big thing to look for the next month is whether or not we can develop a effective, consistent bench. They showed some promise against S.C. State. Can they do it in tough, tight conference play. We had seven players to trust last year. An eighth or ninth guy to count on would be big.
Lets find #7 first before #8 and #9. :lol:
 #34939  by The Jackal
 Sat Jan 02, 2021 7:38 am
apaladin wrote:
Fri Jan 01, 2021 1:26 am
The Jackal wrote:
Thu Dec 31, 2020 11:15 am
apaladin wrote:
Thu Dec 31, 2020 10:36 am
The Jackal wrote:
Thu Dec 31, 2020 7:17 am
About the only thing that really worries me about this team is the tendency of Mounce and Gurley to get in foul trouble. To me, that's Furman's biggest achilles heel.

Richey - and I'm not second guessing him - also seems willing to run those two guys back out with four fouls. A few times this season we've seen Gurley or Mounce foul out with a lot of time left on the clock in a close game.

It was good to see Hein step in late and pick up the slack. I think having another guy available to come off the bench and create scoring chances will be big for us this season.
Unfortunately I don’t know where that other guy besides Hein is going to come from. Not saying someone won’t step up but at least right now no one seems ready.

I mean, it's a bit better than we had it last year. We really didn't have a big man that came off the bench.
I have to respectfully disagree. Remember last year #6 and #7 were Bothwell and Clark. I would take Clark over Hein right now, and we have no one close to Bothwell coming off the bench.

The distinction I am drawing is that Hein plays a different position. Bothwell and Clark came off the bench last year, but both were guards.

I think the last time we had a forward off the bench logging significant minutes with the ability to score was probably back when Mounce/Beans came off the bench in 2017-18.

I don't disagree with the premise, though. Furman needs to be able to find some second line guys that can keep the pressure on.