Bobcat Attack - Ohio Basketball - Official Game 12 Thread: Davidson

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Topic: Official Game 12 Thread: Davidson

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SBH

12/30/2023 6:29 PM

I don't think Boals know what he wants to do with this team.

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person

Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame

12/30/2023 6:38 PM

SBH wrote:expand_more

I don't think Boals know what he wants to do with this team.

I don't think there are a ton of options, sadly. Especially with AJB out now.

We're very, very reliant on two high volume guys in Shareef and Hunter, and right now neither is shooting well. The upside for this team basically hinges on them shooting better.

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FJC31

12/30/2023 7:09 PM

SBH wrote:expand_more

I don't think Boals know what he wants to do with this team.

The lack of identity after 12 games is baffling. This team has flaws, but isn’t talentless. 5/6 losses decided by less than 5 points allude to that. Just frustrating these losses continue to mirror each other.

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Casper71

12/30/2023 8:02 PM

Lack of depth? He is playing 10 guys. He needs to cut it down to eight and get a good rotation out of those eight. Simply cannot go to your ninth and 10th players and as effective. Too often, guys that should be in the game are sitting on the bench, because our ninth and 10th players are playing too much.

Last Edited: 12/30/2023 8:02:47 PM by Casper71

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MonroeClassmate

12/30/2023 9:19 PM

greencat wrote:expand_more

This is a .500 team. It will go .500 in the MAC also.

It will come down to how good OHIO defense is against the guards of the league. It appears that OHIO can cause some turnovers and if the guys can hound the MAC guards it may be more difficult for them to make the entry passes to the locations where we are weak.

I was at CSU game and recall how quick Shereef looked and have to figure Hunter will start to play like he did towards the end of the last season. With the thin front line, these guards have to be defensive devils that frustrate the opponents or it may be a long season.

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GraffZ06

12/30/2023 11:34 PM

Casper71 wrote:expand_more

We only played 8 guys 10 minutes today and 2 of them were Wiz and Sheldon who are both really only good for spot minutes.

We essentially have a 6 man rotation going forward.

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M.D.W.S.T

12/31/2023 10:02 AM

FJC31 wrote:expand_more

SBH wrote:expand_more

I don't think Boals know what he wants to do with this team.

Couldn't agree more.

Like you said, it's a lack of identity.

There is talent, but it's inside 7 shoot-first guards. Unfortunately, this isn't street ball, and we don't run a fast-paced offense.

I wish we would run something similar to YSU last season. Run people off the floor. Shoot 3's and get back.

You're right, I don't think Boals knows which direction to take this group. And it's pretty evident in the boxscores.

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Andrew Ruck

12/31/2023 10:47 AM

More of the same...we were right there for the victory against a solid team and couldn't close it out. Basically all 6 losses were very winnable. That is really frustrating but also if we can stop our whining for a moment we can also recognize it could be encouraging. Minus Defiance, I think we played a OOC slate very comparable to the MAC or slightly better (at least for this year) of what we will see in the MAC. I think we've had a bit of bad luck, yesterday perhaps the best example. I really felt like we outplayed them and looked like the better team.

Jaylin has had a disappointing season overall, scoring the same but using way more shots to do so. Just needs to find his stroke. Still setting teammates up well.

Elmore's outside shot is also cold, as was AJB's before he was shut down. Mitchell & Cornish haven't shot great either. Miles has been out but I still maintain he is our best perimeter option. And go figure the year Clayton finally stops hoisting so many 3s and gets inside the paint, he starts hitting the ones he does take.

AJ Clayton has been as great as anyone could have hoped for, and Hadaway is making great strides. Wiz has made some nice plays. I can't imagine a more positive outcome for the paint than we have had so far, which was our biggest concern by far. We just got to have the outside shot come around more to complement it. I still like our defense in total, as is typical with Boals squad.

I share in the frustration of a 6-6 OOC record but I'm really excited for the MAC season. I still consider us contenders.

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FJC31

12/31/2023 11:22 AM

M.D.W.S.T wrote:expand_more

FJC31 wrote:expand_more

SBH wrote:expand_more

I don't think Boals know what he wants to do with this team.

And I really thought we were going to play similar to YSU this season after the opener (I know, I’m obsessed with the brand of ball we played against Troy).

We should 100% be running with Hunter, Mitchell, and EJ4. I’m not sure the staff can tell them not to shoot the 3, but after 12 games it should be pointed out to them they’re all shooting below a 30% clip.

EJ4 at a putrid 22%. He takes less 3’s than the other two, but he has a tendency to camp in the corner on offense. Would love to see him slash baseline more and have Shereef/Jaylin drive and dish (similar to Carry/Jacobs last season).

Our best win is Delaware and EJ4 led us in scoring with 21. In 3/6 losses, he’s only scored single-digits. Boals needs to make him a point of emphasis in the offense since it’s apparent we’re better when he’s scoring. He’s also our best FT shooter. Him running and wearing down defenses/getting the opposition in foul trouble should be part of our offensive strategy imo.

3PT shooting will likely always be an issue this season. But why not try to maximize Sheldon while he’s in and run specific plays to get him open for five 3PT attempts a game? The most he’s taken a game is three and 11/15 shots he’s made this season are 3’s (52% overall). He might struggle defensively but he can be a weapon to help our biggest weakness.

AJC has been our best player. Really happy with how he’s developed his game overall. He has his sweet spot from 3PT as well. He’s showing he can be physical and score inside. Yet, he’s only taken double-digit shots once and that was in double OT against GW.

It seems backwards to me that our best 2P%/3P% shooter and second best FT% shooter; has only one more FG attempt than AJB (who’s missed two games), 40 less attempts than Shereef, and fourth overall in FG attempts.

Hadaway continues to be pleasant surprise doing a little bit of everything. He’s snagged 19 rebounds the last two games and has given us a formidable enough duo down low with AJC.

There are pieces for a solid team in place, but I don’t think the right buttons are being pushed to maximize players skill-sets and abilities.

Last Edited: 12/31/2023 11:31:59 AM by FJC31

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Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame

12/31/2023 12:23 PM

Looking at the advanced stats, there are a few things that seem true:

1) Definitely agree that AJC's usage rate needs to increase. He's our most efficient scorer, the only one of our top 4 guys in 3PA shooting above 30% (way above, too), and yet his usage rate's lower than Cornish and on par with Hadaway. Nothing to lose running more through him, even if the efficiency doesn't scale with more attempts. Those possessions aren't being used well as is.

2) We need to consider taking the ball out of Hunter's hands more. Through 12 games, he's been bad. Given his TS%/eFG%, we're not gonna win games if he's using 26% of possessions unless that improves dramatically. Hopefully he reverts back to last year from three, but think there are viable reasons to be concerned that last season was a career outlier for him.

3) Miles Brown should be picking up the possessions that AJB (and hopefully a portion of Hunter's) was using. He's shot the 3 well on 14 attempts in 4 games.

4) Never would have thought this during the first third of the season, but I want more Shareef. Right now he's the only guard who uses possessions effectively. Barely turns the ball over, solid TS%, and gets to the free throw line.

But really, we just need to hope that Elmore, Hunter, and Shareef start shooting the three better. Even if the three of them could be replacement level from here on our, it would improve our team a ton. Right now, that seems like the only viable path to this team making real noise this year.

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bobcatsquared

12/31/2023 12:36 PM

Hadaway's reverse dunk makes ESPN's Top 10 Plays at #3.

Best part about the dunk was his reaction. Instead of flexing, pumping his chest or any of the other similar reactions we've seen from him this year and last, he simply smiled while enjoying the play as he ran back down the court.

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Casper71

12/31/2023 12:40 PM

Sorry, we only played nine players. But Sheldon and Wiz with 14 minutes each is way too much. And Cornish with only seven? Give those 28 minutes to the starters. Only one played over 30 minutes.

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Ted Thompson

1/1/2024 5:20 PM

ICYMI@aidan_hadaway coming in at 3️⃣ with the @SportsCenter TOP 10 dunk!!!#OUohyeah pic.twitter.com/lYlv5nJC40
— Ohio Men’s Basketball (@OhioMBasketball) January 1, 2024

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Andrew Ruck

1/2/2024 8:18 AM

That dunk was awesome. Also awesome was the 5 second span near the end of the 1st half that went:

Hunter Assist
Miles 3 pointer
Miles steal
Hunter Assist
Miles 3 pointer

These would all be very cherished and exciting memories if they were part of a solid victory. Sigh.

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Andrew Ruck

1/2/2024 8:27 AM

Casper71 wrote:expand_more

Sorry, we only played nine players. But Sheldon and Wiz with 14 minutes each is way too much. And Cornish with only seven? Give those 28 minutes to the starters. Only one played over 30 minutes.

I am getting on Sheldon's bandwagon more and more. He looks pretty comfortable this year, and I am pretty sure he is our best outside shooter on the roster. I am perfectly fine with the thought of his running the point next year.

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shabamon

1/2/2024 10:37 AM

Can Sheldon get into the lane consistently on his own power or at least with the help of a high ball screen? That's what gives me pause on him running the point. It's why, IMO, Jason Preston isn't sticking in the NBA. Having seen Burris in person this year, who strikes me as more of a two-guard, I think we need to pursue another point guard before next season.

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person

Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame

1/2/2024 1:13 PM

Right now, 22% of Sheldon's shots are inside the ark. Half of those were against Defiance.

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FearLeon

1/2/2024 1:28 PM

Andrew Ruck wrote:expand_more

Casper71 wrote:expand_more

Sorry, we only played nine players. But Sheldon and Wiz with 14 minutes each is way too much. And Cornish with only seven? Give those 28 minutes to the starters. Only one played over 30 minutes.

I honestly don't remember Sheldon once in a Bobcat uniform driving the paint and dishing to a player for a basket. At this point, I don't view him anymore as a backup PG. But he's clearly improved and has confidence and that's all we can ask for at this stage.

Last Edited: 1/2/2024 1:29:03 PM by FearLeon

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AlumDadDad

1/3/2024 8:09 PM

Dayton handily beating Davidson at the half in their own gym. Ouch.