Fighting Rick Rays second half struggles

[Irondawg]

Since we gave Dan and the football team hell about 2nd half ineptness, it dawned on me wathing the A&M game last night that our basketball team is the same.

MSU
1st Half
Points 270
FG% 41.6%

2nd Half
Points 294
FG% 43.4%


Opp
1st Half
Points 278
FG% 40.2%

2nd Half
Points 371
FG% 53.3%

[fishwater99]

It's because we don't have enough players.

We have no depth, especially in the Post.

We also have no real outside threat, so teams can just zone us too death.

[Irondawg]

We also move the ball way too slow in the zone offense.

[CJDAWG85]

It's because we don't have enough players.

We have no depth, especially in the Post.

We also have no real outside threat, so teams can just zone us too death.



We also have no leader on the floor

[state66]

opposing teams are making second half adjustments to lock down the post and force us to shoot. The only way we fix that is shoot better. theres a reason we get a shit ton of good looks we just dont take them or we do and miss. I will admit our three point shooting has gotten a little better though.

[BeardoMSU]

One word: 'cause we suck somethin' awful****

[CJDAWG85]

Teams have made adjustments as conference play as progressed. They realize we are not a very good shooting team. The way we were scoring was slashing to the basket and drawing fouls. In the first 5 SEC games (3-2), we averaged 30.6 FT attempts per game and 72.6 PPG. In the last 4 (0-4), we are averaging 9.25 and 53.75 PPG.

[whosyourdawgy]

When you have an entire team that can't shoot worth a shit outside of 5 feet, good coaches figure that out and play a tight zone, cut down penetration, and make you shoot the ball from the perimeter. Well, if we have to shoot outside the free throw line to beat teams, we aren't going to be successful. Craig Sword made a 3 pointer last night from the right corner of the court and BANKED it in! Never seen that in my life. Have no idea how you even hit the backboard from there. How many times do we work the ball around the zone and there is a wide open shot and we don't take it? Until we have players that can knock down open shots, we are gonna be like we are right now

[maroonmania]

opposing teams are making second half adjustments to lock down the post and force us to shoot. The only way we fix that is shoot better. theres a reason we get a shit ton of good looks we just dont take them or we do and miss. I will admit our three point shooting has gotten a little better though.

Yea, but as the stats show its the defense that goes to pot in the second half moreso than our offense. Last night in the second half against A&M they basically had a layup drill for most of the half. I quit watching with 8 minutes to go in the game but they had to be shooting 60+% because they had free run to the basket for a layup on most trips down the floor. I'm personally just ready to move on to baseball at this point we suck so bad.

[chef dixon]

Yea, but as the stats show its the defense that goes to pot in the second half moreso than our offense. Last night in the second half against A&M they basically had a layup drill for most of the half. I quit watching with 8 minutes to go in the game but they had to be shooting 60+% because they had free run to the basket for a layup on most trips down the floor. I'm personally just ready to move on to baseball at this point we suck so bad.

We are small with no depth. Borchert and Roquez, 2 of our 3 biggest players, would rather not spend a ton of time knocking around in the paint. Not only are we small, we can't shoot. You have to go back a long ways to find an MSU team that had this much trouble hitting open jump shots. The defensive lapses also come from frustration. Its hard to play tough D the entire game when you're small, tired, have no subs, and can't score any points yourself.

I don't necessarily have a problem with how Ray is coaching our team, but if he can't start to bring in bigger guys and better shooters then he's in trouble. I'm going to wait and at least see next years team before I've decided on Ray. We should be a bigger team overall next year with Ndoye, Daniels, and Black and only losing Borchert. But as of right now, we are going to be just as bad shooting the ball. I know Dunlap can stroke it, but people don't seem to be too high on his immediate impact.

[tcdog70]

One word: 'cause we suck somethin' awful****


^^^^^^THIS^^^^^^^^^

[Dawg61]

So we are getting tired cause we have no bench? What about using Moore, Bear and Tyson for a few minutes in the first half to help with this? Why is this not even considered? Jacoby Davis, Bloodman and Fred Thomas are absolutely no better than Moore and Bear and I'll go so far as to say THEY ARE WORSE. So why in the **** does Ray refuse to play these two? Again even if they are worse which I already said I don't think is true the simple act of giving the 8 scholarship players some rest will make them all better players in the second half. We suck something awful in the second half because Ray is just as stubborn as Croom and he can't manage his bench/minutes for shit.

[tcdog70]

So we are getting tired cause we have no bench? What about using Moore, Bear and Tyson for a few minutes in the first half to help with this? Why is this not even considered? Jacoby Davis, Bloodman and Fred Thomas are absolutely no better than Moore and Bear and I'll go so far as to say THEY ARE WORSE. So why in the **** does Ray refuse to play these two? Again even if they are worse which I already said I don't think is true the simple act of giving the 8 scholarship players some rest will make them all better players in the second half. We suck something awful in the second half because Ray is just as stubborn as Croom and he can't manage his bench/minutes for shit.

Good point, they actually bring energy. They can't shoot any worse. Bear can defend and rebound. 8 players should be plenty. I say give them Davis , Bloodman and Thomas's minutes.