@BeddieKU23 Agreed, those were definitely two really good moves. I fully anticipate Cheick and Bragg to play the majority of the minutes against UC Irvine next week. They will be crucial for a final four run.
DinarHawk
548 posts
@BeddieKU23 yep, much more to improve on. Cheick has to start playing better.
@HighEliteMajor I agree to a point. I would rather Bragg and Diallo get minutes in a home game than on the road, even if it is against Iowa State or Baylor.
@Second-Prize I would be fine with that.
@Crimsonorblue22 UCI will most likely want to play a half court game to keep their footers on the floor, but pressing is a huge advantage to the faster team.
@Crimsonorblue22 I agree with slayr - run 'em out of the gym. Maybe even press from the tip.
@drgnslayr I agree - really glad that this game wax schedjled after I learned how tall UC Irvine is. Should be good for the guys.
@benshawks08 said:
With this team's ability to drive the ball, including Green recently, if a team does try to take the three away, that opens up other scoring opportunities.
@REHawk Possibly, but he also knows the results from the last two years and may be accepting what this team's strengths are.
Excellent post man and an accurate summation of Self exploring options other than pounding the ball inside. This is the way for this team to make a final four and compete at a high level. Really liked the use of the press to speed the game up.
@DoubleDD exactly. How far they go is up to Coach.
@benshawks08 If you don't know history, you tend to repeat it. Self is in danger of that and he probably doesn't realize it. Pounding the ball inside and a slow, grind it out game is not who this team is.
Once again, when this team plays fast and outside in, only Kentucky has the potential to beat them.
@DoubleDD certainly seems that way.
@jaybate-1.0 For all the regular season success, he has yet to figure out consistency in the post season. And trust me, it is not luck, rather it happens for a reason. You know as well as I do that he needs to do whatever it takes to get this team playing with energy, even if it means pressing. If they don't play fast, it will be tough to advance in March.
@jaybate-1.0 too bad he is not getting minutes to work on it. Eventually he needs more game experience.
@wissoxfan83 I certainly can't do anything about some who are bitching and moaning. All I am saying is that for years the problem has been a pace that is too slow and it is time to fix it. Don't let the opponent control the pace.
@wissoxfan83 What KUinLA said is absolutely true. Johnny Dawkins did it a couple years ago, and Tommy Ammaker did it yesterday. Because Self is so used to doing what he did for years, this team might have another early exit.
But, there is a possibility that he finally sees the situation for what it is and stops trying to fight it and embrace it.
I am not negative or bashing Self. I am being hopeful that he will finally see it how we do. No more half court games.
@HighEliteMajor Your post just explained why Self struggles in the post season - lack of preparation and playing to his team's strengths. We seem to always play the game at the pace the opponent wants, not what is best for us. Yesterday, Harvard wanted to play a half court game to keep the score low and have a chance to win. And it almost worked.
This team's strength is playing fast, scoring the ball, and when they play with energy their defense is very good.
But Self is so stubborn that he has to pound the ball inside to sleep better at night, even though this team is dominant and almost has no equals when first playing outside then inside.
On the topic of it being his livelihood to win. Yes, that is what allows him to have a coaching job. But on the flip side, the style of play that he desperately wants to play is completely unreliable given the present personnel, and he is still having a hard time adjusting. It was an atrocity that Diallo did not play more yesterday.
As others have said, I don't want to wait another 20 years for a championship. Let's play our game and get to Houston in April.
@benshawks08 Not during that stretch during the first half when they were pressing. Then for some reason Self had them stop pressing. That game should have been a 30 point blowout.
@benshawks08 If we would have pushed the tempo the entire game, Diallo would have had a chance to play more minutes.
@Lulufulu Anyone have his email?
Excellent rundown HEM.
Maybe you should call in to Hawk Talk and ask him a couple of questions?
@DCHawker exactly. This team's identity is to play fast all the time, no have a seven man rotation and play half court. If Self does this in March, it will be a very short tournament. We need to play our game.
@drgnslayr My dad and I have been discussing this for a while now. Why is it that there are so many fundamental skills that the guys are lacking? I mean my middle school team knew how to block out on rebounds and our coach constantly reminded us to do so. Like I said in an earlier thread, I think all of this comes down to coaching.
@Crimsonorblue22 hopefully that is the reason and not Self reverting back to his old ways.
@HighEliteMajor Also, I liked that mid first Self went with the press and the lead ballooned to 16. But no press the entire second half and it was a nailbiter.
@Crimsonorblue22 I think you are missing my point. This year's team is championship grade when they push the tempo. It is up to Self to find a way to do that.
Heck, even the Wiggins Hawks would have gone to the Final Four by pushing tempo. I can only imagine how many final fours and championships Rick Pitino would have if he had Selfs players the last 5 years.
@jayballer54 The last team KU had that could play a half court game and still get to the final four was in 2008. Self has to figure out how to push tempo, because all except one of his teams suck when playing slow. When that happens, all of a team's flaws are exposed , then we get in a big discussion about this and that.
Fix the problem by playing fast.
@SoftballDad2011 right, and we had the depth and talent in 2010, 2011, and 2014.
@SoftballDad2011 I agree to a point, but this has been a problem for years. Playing fast fixes it.
@Crimsonorblue22 should have made it a track meet today but never pressed Iun the second half. It will cost him again.
@Crimsonorblue22 yes but Self always does it too late. Come out pressing start of second half and set the tone.
@Crimsonorblue22 could leave him in to guard their center, then have mason, wiggins, seldon and perry.
@Crimsonorblue22 press at the first sign of trouble. Switch to small lineup. Sub often. UNI would have been gassed after 10 or 15 minutes.
@wissoxfan83 happy to talk ball with you man!
@Crimsonorblue22 obviously you would change personnel.
@SoftballDad2011 No - still hoping he will figure out how to win UNI like games in the tournament. The key is to play fast and use your athleticism. If he would have done that for the entire second half, we beat Stanford and UNI by 15.
@SoftballDad2011 I hope you are not talking about me. My point is that I have seen this movie many times. Last year against WSU, year before against Stanford, Bucknell, and UNI.
@KUinLA Yep. Frustrating to see this over and over and over.
@SoftballDad2011 who is the one that teaches them defense and rebounding? Is it the managers or the ball boy?
@brooksmd not talking about shooting. It's about defense, rebounding and effort
@brooksmd exactly. Goes back to coaching.
@DCHawker embarrassing
@DoubleDD Lesser teams beat better teams by playing a half court - think Stanford and UNI. Need to press
@DCHawker time to press again. Just like years past, this team needs something to get the energy up. No more half court games please!
The focus level is very low right now. Very disappointing.
So many missed opportunities
@SoftballDad2011 Yep, forced shots and bad defense.
@drgnslayr Yeah, I think Self is trying to lower expectations big time by constantly saying that Cheick is really raw. But you are right, he isnt as raw as what many think. I have a feeling he will be similar to Joel and learn very quickly.