Game 26, 2019-20: Saint Louis (2/18)

Anything and everything that is UMass Minutemen Basketball.
Post Reply
User avatar
MikeUMA
Site Admin
Posts: 11409
Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2003 11:11 pm
Location: Norwalk, CT
Contact:

Game 26, 2019-20: Saint Louis (2/18)

Post by MikeUMA » Sun Feb 16, 2020 11:43 pm

Another Tuesday night affair this week. Travis Ford and SLU come to town.

We could have / should have gotten the win at their place 6 weeks back.
https://umassathletics.com/news/2020/1/ ... 83-80.aspx
24 turnovers that night was our worst on the season.

SLU is 7-5 in the league, in a 3-way tie for 6th, along with VCU and Davidson.

NESN has the TV if you can't make it to The Bill.

TheInsider
Hall of Fame
Posts: 4435
Joined: Wed Apr 23, 2003 9:12 am

Re: Game 26. 2019-20: Saint Louis (2/18)

Post by TheInsider » Mon Feb 17, 2020 8:26 am

This would be a really good game to win. Hopefully someone besides Tre steps up the offensive game.

69MG
Hall of Fame
Posts: 12096
Joined: Sat Feb 05, 2011 11:07 pm
Location: Western Mass

Re: Game 26. 2019-20: Saint Louis (2/18)

Post by 69MG » Mon Feb 17, 2020 8:39 am

That was a game where we did a lot of things right (rebounding, free throws, etc.) but our interior defense was awful. They were 33/59 on 2 points shots and 2/12 on 3's.

Our interior D is much better now, but our offense other than Tre has gone cold. Can we score enough to beat them if we hold them below 70?

User avatar
uz2b-len
Hall of Fame
Posts: 11717
Joined: Fri May 27, 2005 6:03 pm
Location: Deerfield, MA

Re: Game 26. 2019-20: Saint Louis (2/18)

Post by uz2b-len » Mon Feb 17, 2020 11:33 am

If I were the head coach, I'd be thinking about starting Keon on Tuesday. His season stats this year are not very good, but better than what Carl has done the last six games. His shooting stats for last year were very slightly better than Carl's. Virtually the same, actually. As we all know, Keon impacts the game a lot of different ways besides scoring, with his energy and defense. I just think as a coach you can't keep putting someone out there who is not producing. It's not a good message to the players--including the player who's mired in a slump. I just had a look back at the box score for the last game with StL. I didn't realize till now that the pdf box score has +/-. So, just to bolster my suggestion, Keon played 32 minutes last time and had the best +/- on the team (6). Carl's was -6. I think starting out with Keon, Kolton, and Preston on the floor means starting out with a lot of energy, and a lot of guys whose names end with "-on." Other random thoughts: could help Carl, too, to come off the bench. We all know that Keon hasn't played much lately. I interpret that to mean he is definitely graduating and leaving this year, and McCall is thinking of the future by giving those minutes to guys who are sticking around and are part of the plan. But tomorrow would be a good night to return to Keon IMHO.
"All credit to my teammates, all glory to God."-- Chaz Williams

inthescoop
Hall of Fame
Posts: 4925
Joined: Sun Sep 25, 2011 7:40 pm
Location: NYC

Re: Game 26. 2019-20: Saint Louis (2/18)

Post by inthescoop » Mon Feb 17, 2020 11:50 am

I believe that Hasahn French and Jordan Goodwin are the only duo in the country averaging a double double.

Beating the Bilikens and Travis Ford at home would be that win that would truly give me hope for our coaching staff and team; we should treat this one as if it was our championship.

We need to get at least 1 impact win before the seasons over - vs SLU, VCU, URI, or @Richmond. One of those 4, preferably 2 wins there of course.

69MG
Hall of Fame
Posts: 12096
Joined: Sat Feb 05, 2011 11:07 pm
Location: Western Mass

Re: Game 26. 2019-20: Saint Louis (2/18)

Post by 69MG » Mon Feb 17, 2020 12:05 pm

inthescoop wrote: Mon Feb 17, 2020 11:50 am I believe that Hasahn French and Jordan Goodwin are the only duo in the country averaging a double double.
Goodwin gets 10 boards a game and he is only 6'3 (200 lbs). We have to find someone who he can't bully for drives to the hoop and rebounds. He went for 16 and 7 against us and only took 1 3 pointer. I know Keon started the other game but I don't know if he guarded Goodwin. We're playing more zone now so maybe that will help.

Floyd
Hall of Fame
Posts: 9559
Joined: Sun Apr 06, 2003 8:50 am
Location: Not where I should be

Re: Game 26. 2019-20: Saint Louis (2/18)

Post by Floyd » Mon Feb 17, 2020 12:50 pm

I like the defensive schemes we ran against Dayton, some zone, some man, some pressing that were constantly changing up. Seemed to confuse them a bit and slowed down their offense. Makes us a bit more unpredictable which is good. Gotta protect the glass in this one, I'd expect we'll see more Djery in this one and maybe more zone. Need some perimeter scoring to help out Tre, and I expect Carl to have a big game, and I'll predict Preston as well has a nice offensive rebounding game if they go big with Tre & Djery. Preston has a knack for those offensive putbacks and we'll need him and Samba to have big games on the glass with that St Louis team

Big step forward, Minutemen by 8
Time to Win

User avatar
LS71
Hall of Fame
Posts: 8083
Joined: Wed Apr 02, 2003 8:55 pm
Location: Lost in Space

Re: Game 26. 2019-20: Saint Louis (2/18)

Post by LS71 » Mon Feb 17, 2020 12:50 pm

I hope they don't let down after the near win vs. Dayton. If UMass plays like it did on Saturday, this is a W. 8)
"Win without boasting, lose without crying." -- Julius Erving

User avatar
MikeUMA
Site Admin
Posts: 11409
Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2003 11:11 pm
Location: Norwalk, CT
Contact:

Re: Game 26. 2019-20: Saint Louis (2/18)

Post by MikeUMA » Mon Feb 17, 2020 12:56 pm

uz2b-len wrote: Mon Feb 17, 2020 11:33 am If I were the head coach, I'd be thinking about starting Keon on Tuesday. His season stats this year are not very good, but better than what Carl has done the last six games. His shooting stats for last year were very slightly better than Carl's. Virtually the same, actually. As we all know, Keon impacts the game a lot of different ways besides scoring, with his energy and defense. I just think as a coach you can't keep putting someone out there who is not producing. It's not a good message to the players--including the player who's mired in a slump.
Carl has earned the right to try to shoot his way out of it. Yes, Keon brings the hustle plays, but when these guys are on an average night, Carl's a better scorer.

If he doesn't show it after a while, fine, sub out, but we should try to get him some good looks and hopefully they fall.

Floyd
Hall of Fame
Posts: 9559
Joined: Sun Apr 06, 2003 8:50 am
Location: Not where I should be

Re: Game 26. 2019-20: Saint Louis (2/18)

Post by Floyd » Mon Feb 17, 2020 1:06 pm

I don't see it LS. I think this team is a group of winners and they won't quit working until they get where they want to be. Building consistency as the year goes on
Time to Win

User avatar
LS71
Hall of Fame
Posts: 8083
Joined: Wed Apr 02, 2003 8:55 pm
Location: Lost in Space

Re: Game 26. 2019-20: Saint Louis (2/18)

Post by LS71 » Mon Feb 17, 2020 1:21 pm

^ Yeah...our guys-"a group of winners and they won't quit working until they get where they want to be. Building consistency as the year goes on". :wink:

I'm thinking UMass has a team of guys who do exactly that. They have understand how close they came to pulling off a major upset on Saturday.

The challenge is to avoid the let down that could come from being thiiiiiissss close. Hopefully the coach and his staff can keep them motivated enough to play like they did on Saturday. A little confidence can carry this young team a long way.

Imagine...a UMass team improving as the years progresses. 8)
"Win without boasting, lose without crying." -- Julius Erving

Floyd
Hall of Fame
Posts: 9559
Joined: Sun Apr 06, 2003 8:50 am
Location: Not where I should be

Re: Game 26. 2019-20: Saint Louis (2/18)

Post by Floyd » Mon Feb 17, 2020 2:09 pm

That's who I meant, UMass, not St. Louis . I don't see a letdown, we're getting better
Time to Win

User avatar
LS71
Hall of Fame
Posts: 8083
Joined: Wed Apr 02, 2003 8:55 pm
Location: Lost in Space

Re: Game 26. 2019-20: Saint Louis (2/18)

Post by LS71 » Mon Feb 17, 2020 2:29 pm

^Which is why I said that if they bring it tomorrow like they did on Saturday, the game is definitely winnable, especially given how close they came on the road.
"Win without boasting, lose without crying." -- Julius Erving

69MG
Hall of Fame
Posts: 12096
Joined: Sat Feb 05, 2011 11:07 pm
Location: Western Mass

Re: Game 26. 2019-20: Saint Louis (2/18)

Post by 69MG » Mon Feb 17, 2020 7:33 pm

Early line has SLU favored by 3.5.

bobolink
Senior
Posts: 896
Joined: Thu Jan 07, 2016 10:03 am

Re: Game 26. 2019-20: Saint Louis (2/18)

Post by bobolink » Mon Feb 17, 2020 8:05 pm

Kolton didn't play much in the first game vs. SLU, and I think he can be effective tomorrow. As long as the other guys can score, he should get big minutes, although Sean had some excellent moments out there and scored 18 (not great % though). I think Keon matches up well with Collins, SLU's small, quick PG. SLU is terrible shooting 3s and has an incredibly awful FT%. Of the 353 D1 teams, they're #352 in FT%. For example, their top scorer (Goodwin) is 27% on 3s and 54% from the line. Their guy that gets to the line the most (French) is 34% from the line! I'm no expert in stats, but it seems to me if you get him on fouls 7, 8 and 9 as non shooting fouls, SLU likely comes away with 1 point for 3 trips. Just make sure it's not Tre fouling.

They win with defense and rebounding, defending inside especially well. If we can hit 3s, they're in trouble. But they can get hot and are rightly favored tomorrow. We need to rebound and play tough D, denying drives. Smart play such as the switching man, zone and rare use of the press can win this.

Post Reply