[SamuelMcF]

We have great defensive length, and that is probably where the game is heading - Warriors' style interchangeable 6-3 to 6-9 long players.  But it feels like those players think that they can make up for being slow to react and/or out of position based on that length and athleticism.  May be a freshmen thing - they were likely able to do that at their last level of basketball.

Davis at 6'3", KZ at 6'8", Da Silva at 6'9". Very good point. FWIW I love Da Silva on defense; he's a quicker defender. Possibly from that international experience.

Also, Cormac Ryan and Bryce Wills are both 6'5" and long. If CJH can keep the recruiting rolling like he is, I like the shape of our program moving forward.

[SamuelMcF]

We have great defensive length, and that is probably where the game is heading - Warriors' style interchangeable 6-3 to 6-9 long players.  But it feels like those players think that they can make up for being slow to react and/or out of position based on that length and athleticism.  May be a freshmen thing - they were likely able to do that at their last level of basketball.

Davis at 6'3", KZ at 6'8", Da Silva at 6'9". Very good point. FWIW I love Da Silva on defense; he's a quicker defender. Possibly from that international experience.

Also, Cormac Ryan and Bryce Wills are both 6'5" and long. If CJH can keep the recruiting rolling like he is, I like the shape of our program moving forward.

[SamuelMcF]

We have great defensive length, and that is probably where the game is heading - Warriors' style interchangeable 6-3 to 6-9 long players.  But it feels like those players think that they can make up for being slow to react and/or out of position based on that length and athleticism.  May be a freshmen thing - they were likely able to do that at their last level of basketball.

Davis at 6'3", KZ at 6'8", Da Silva at 6'9". Very good point. FWIW I love Da Silva on defense; he's a quicker defender. Possibly from that international experience.

Also, Cormac Ryan and Bryce Wills are both 6'5" and long. If CJH can keep the recruiting rolling like he is, I like the shape of our program moving forward.

[SamuelMcF]

We have great defensive length, and that is probably where the game is heading - Warriors' style interchangeable 6-3 to 6-9 long players.  But it feels like those players think that they can make up for being slow to react and/or out of position based on that length and athleticism.  May be a freshmen thing - they were likely able to do that at their last level of basketball.

Davis at 6'3", KZ at 6'8", Da Silva at 6'9". Very good point. FWIW I love Da Silva on defense; he's a quicker defender. Possibly from that international experience.

Also, Cormac Ryan and Bryce Wills are both 6'5" and long. If CJH can keep the recruiting rolling like he is, I like the shape of our program moving forward.

[washingtonismoney]

I didn't see the game, but in the past, I've found similar criticism of the guards off the mark. To me, Humphrey -- while the best interior defender on the roster -- is lacking on defense. He's maybe OK at protecting the rim and his pick-and-roll defense is consistently perplexing. That makes the guards and wings look worse than they are.

[washingtonismoney]

I didn't see the game, but in the past, I've found similar criticism of the guards off the mark. To me, Humphrey -- while the best interior defender on the roster -- is lacking on defense. He's maybe OK at protecting the rim and his pick-and-roll defense is consistently perplexing. That makes the guards and wings look worse than they are.

[washingtonismoney]

I didn't see the game, but in the past, I've found similar criticism of the guards off the mark. To me, Humphrey -- while the best interior defender on the roster -- is lacking on defense. He's maybe OK at protecting the rim and his pick-and-roll defense is consistently perplexing. That makes the guards and wings look worse than they are.

[washingtonismoney]

I didn't see the game, but in the past, I've found similar criticism of the guards off the mark. To me, Humphrey -- while the best interior defender on the roster -- is lacking on defense. He's maybe OK at protecting the rim and his pick-and-roll defense is consistently perplexing. That makes the guards and wings look worse than they are.

[Viking_Guy]

WiM--

The pick-and-roll really isn't on the guards, per se, you're right.  It's a tactics thing - how strongly do you hedge?  Last night, several times Humphrey backed off the hedge as the pick was engaged, and Bibbens took advantage of open looks at threes.  But if he had hedged, that left the team vulnerable to the lob to the roller - which the Utes also did effectively.

But the guards thing - I mean, the ease with which players get into the lane without the benefit of a pick against our man defense is pretty astonishing.  Although it may not be as much talent as training - our perimeter defenders tend to bite on the upfake spectacularly.  Watching our perimeter defenders flying out at a potential shooter, or overplay against a pass, and then be out of position against a simple drive.  Which forces Humphrey to rotate to protect the rim, and is one of the things that constantly puts him in foul jeopardy.

Of course, it would also help if Travis was a bit... more engaged defensively.

But for the more numerically inclined (Terry? MT?), I'm betting our defensive numbers (FG% against, 3PT% against, and especially scoring against, considering all the TOs) are not that great this year, and anecdotally, it feels like our defense in the lane is better than on the perimeter.  We have some good defensive characteristics - active hands, long arms, and individually, Humphrey, da Silva, and a (not flying at the ball) Okpala are plus defenders.  But we've given up an awful lot of 80pt + games this year - 7 - and I don't really have a lot of confidence that, when the team really needs a stop, they can get it.

YMMV.  I still find it more interesting to watch this team than the past few years - with a higher delta, but a positive trendline.

VG

[Viking_Guy]

WiM--

The pick-and-roll really isn't on the guards, per se, you're right.  It's a tactics thing - how strongly do you hedge?  Last night, several times Humphrey backed off the hedge as the pick was engaged, and Bibbens took advantage of open looks at threes.  But if he had hedged, that left the team vulnerable to the lob to the roller - which the Utes also did effectively.

But the guards thing - I mean, the ease with which players get into the lane without the benefit of a pick against our man defense is pretty astonishing.  Although it may not be as much talent as training - our perimeter defenders tend to bite on the upfake spectacularly.  Watching our perimeter defenders flying out at a potential shooter, or overplay against a pass, and then be out of position against a simple drive.  Which forces Humphrey to rotate to protect the rim, and is one of the things that constantly puts him in foul jeopardy.

Of course, it would also help if Travis was a bit... more engaged defensively.

But for the more numerically inclined (Terry? MT?), I'm betting our defensive numbers (FG% against, 3PT% against, and especially scoring against, considering all the TOs) are not that great this year, and anecdotally, it feels like our defense in the lane is better than on the perimeter.  We have some good defensive characteristics - active hands, long arms, and individually, Humphrey, da Silva, and a (not flying at the ball) Okpala are plus defenders.  But we've given up an awful lot of 80pt + games this year - 7 - and I don't really have a lot of confidence that, when the team really needs a stop, they can get it.

YMMV.  I still find it more interesting to watch this team than the past few years - with a higher delta, but a positive trendline.

VG

[Viking_Guy]

WiM--

The pick-and-roll really isn't on the guards, per se, you're right.  It's a tactics thing - how strongly do you hedge?  Last night, several times Humphrey backed off the hedge as the pick was engaged, and Bibbens took advantage of open looks at threes.  But if he had hedged, that left the team vulnerable to the lob to the roller - which the Utes also did effectively.

But the guards thing - I mean, the ease with which players get into the lane without the benefit of a pick against our man defense is pretty astonishing.  Although it may not be as much talent as training - our perimeter defenders tend to bite on the upfake spectacularly.  Watching our perimeter defenders flying out at a potential shooter, or overplay against a pass, and then be out of position against a simple drive.  Which forces Humphrey to rotate to protect the rim, and is one of the things that constantly puts him in foul jeopardy.

Of course, it would also help if Travis was a bit... more engaged defensively.

But for the more numerically inclined (Terry? MT?), I'm betting our defensive numbers (FG% against, 3PT% against, and especially scoring against, considering all the TOs) are not that great this year, and anecdotally, it feels like our defense in the lane is better than on the perimeter.  We have some good defensive characteristics - active hands, long arms, and individually, Humphrey, da Silva, and a (not flying at the ball) Okpala are plus defenders.  But we've given up an awful lot of 80pt + games this year - 7 - and I don't really have a lot of confidence that, when the team really needs a stop, they can get it.

YMMV.  I still find it more interesting to watch this team than the past few years - with a higher delta, but a positive trendline.

VG

[Viking_Guy]

WiM--

The pick-and-roll really isn't on the guards, per se, you're right.  It's a tactics thing - how strongly do you hedge?  Last night, several times Humphrey backed off the hedge as the pick was engaged, and Bibbens took advantage of open looks at threes.  But if he had hedged, that left the team vulnerable to the lob to the roller - which the Utes also did effectively.

But the guards thing - I mean, the ease with which players get into the lane without the benefit of a pick against our man defense is pretty astonishing.  Although it may not be as much talent as training - our perimeter defenders tend to bite on the upfake spectacularly.  Watching our perimeter defenders flying out at a potential shooter, or overplay against a pass, and then be out of position against a simple drive.  Which forces Humphrey to rotate to protect the rim, and is one of the things that constantly puts him in foul jeopardy.

Of course, it would also help if Travis was a bit... more engaged defensively.

But for the more numerically inclined (Terry? MT?), I'm betting our defensive numbers (FG% against, 3PT% against, and especially scoring against, considering all the TOs) are not that great this year, and anecdotally, it feels like our defense in the lane is better than on the perimeter.  We have some good defensive characteristics - active hands, long arms, and individually, Humphrey, da Silva, and a (not flying at the ball) Okpala are plus defenders.  But we've given up an awful lot of 80pt + games this year - 7 - and I don't really have a lot of confidence that, when the team really needs a stop, they can get it.

YMMV.  I still find it more interesting to watch this team than the past few years - with a higher delta, but a positive trendline.

VG

[washingtonismoney]

Yeah, I mean, you can aggressively hedge or aggressively lay off. The issue I've observed is that Humphrey will park himself in no man's land, neither effectively barricading the rim nor harassing the ballhandler at the point of attack. That's where the weakness lies.

[washingtonismoney]

Yeah, I mean, you can aggressively hedge or aggressively lay off. The issue I've observed is that Humphrey will park himself in no man's land, neither effectively barricading the rim nor harassing the ballhandler at the point of attack. That's where the weakness lies.

[washingtonismoney]

Yeah, I mean, you can aggressively hedge or aggressively lay off. The issue I've observed is that Humphrey will park himself in no man's land, neither effectively barricading the rim nor harassing the ballhandler at the point of attack. That's where the weakness lies.

[washingtonismoney]

Yeah, I mean, you can aggressively hedge or aggressively lay off. The issue I've observed is that Humphrey will park himself in no man's land, neither effectively barricading the rim nor harassing the ballhandler at the point of attack. That's where the weakness lies.

[Viking_Guy]

Yep.  Last night, he would step out with the pick, then, as Bibbens came off it, he would drop 8 feet off him, basically into top corner of the lane.  And he would drop his hands, hedging against the drive.

That said, our guards don't do a great job fighting through picks.  And they spend an awful lot of the time on the floor off of contact; they might be trying to draw a charge, and it's been pretty successful, but when it's not, the sight of Davis on his backside as his mark launches a shot or drives is too common.

Ah, well.  Hoping we can right the ship in Boulder (at least to the extent of being more competitive - last night was the least competitive loss since Kansas).

VG

[Viking_Guy]

Yep.  Last night, he would step out with the pick, then, as Bibbens came off it, he would drop 8 feet off him, basically into top corner of the lane.  And he would drop his hands, hedging against the drive.

That said, our guards don't do a great job fighting through picks.  And they spend an awful lot of the time on the floor off of contact; they might be trying to draw a charge, and it's been pretty successful, but when it's not, the sight of Davis on his backside as his mark launches a shot or drives is too common.

Ah, well.  Hoping we can right the ship in Boulder (at least to the extent of being more competitive - last night was the least competitive loss since Kansas).

VG

[Viking_Guy]

Yep.  Last night, he would step out with the pick, then, as Bibbens came off it, he would drop 8 feet off him, basically into top corner of the lane.  And he would drop his hands, hedging against the drive.

That said, our guards don't do a great job fighting through picks.  And they spend an awful lot of the time on the floor off of contact; they might be trying to draw a charge, and it's been pretty successful, but when it's not, the sight of Davis on his backside as his mark launches a shot or drives is too common.

Ah, well.  Hoping we can right the ship in Boulder (at least to the extent of being more competitive - last night was the least competitive loss since Kansas).

VG

[Viking_Guy]

Yep.  Last night, he would step out with the pick, then, as Bibbens came off it, he would drop 8 feet off him, basically into top corner of the lane.  And he would drop his hands, hedging against the drive.

That said, our guards don't do a great job fighting through picks.  And they spend an awful lot of the time on the floor off of contact; they might be trying to draw a charge, and it's been pretty successful, but when it's not, the sight of Davis on his backside as his mark launches a shot or drives is too common.

Ah, well.  Hoping we can right the ship in Boulder (at least to the extent of being more competitive - last night was the least competitive loss since Kansas).

VG

[Hurlburt88]

I did see clear confusion on one play where our guard went way under the pick, our big man didn’t step up, and then both froze while the Ute launched a very open and successful trey.  I chalked  that one up to inexperience

[Hurlburt88]

I did see clear confusion on one play where our guard went way under the pick, our big man didn’t step up, and then both froze while the Ute launched a very open and successful trey.  I chalked  that one up to inexperience

[Hurlburt88]

I did see clear confusion on one play where our guard went way under the pick, our big man didn’t step up, and then both froze while the Ute launched a very open and successful trey.  I chalked  that one up to inexperience

[Hurlburt88]

I did see clear confusion on one play where our guard went way under the pick, our big man didn’t step up, and then both froze while the Ute launched a very open and successful trey.  I chalked  that one up to inexperience

[Papa John]

I did see clear confusion on one play where our guard went way too beer the pick

Paging CowboyIndian, Dr. CowboyIndian, please report to the CARDboard.

[Papa John]

I did see clear confusion on one play where our guard went way too beer the pick

Paging CowboyIndian, Dr. CowboyIndian, please report to the CARDboard.

[Papa John]

I did see clear confusion on one play where our guard went way too beer the pick

Paging CowboyIndian, Dr. CowboyIndian, please report to the CARDboard.

[Papa John]

I did see clear confusion on one play where our guard went way too beer the pick

Paging CowboyIndian, Dr. CowboyIndian, please report to the CARDboard.