2nd half leads dissolving

[RUfinal4]

The team is doing much better this year but one thing I notice is there have been a number of games where we take a lead into half time before giving it back and losing the game in the 2nd half.

SHU - 9 pt halftime lead but lost the game by 11
Iowa - tied at halftime but lost by 6
N-western - leading by 3 at the half but lost by 9

With PSU we were down by a few at halftime but lost by 13

I am not sure if it is conditioning, fouls, or just a gap in skills vs our opponents why we play better in the 1st half vs. 2nd half.

 

[ouchmyknee]

It's probably fatigue. Our guys play hard defense. It takes a toll. All of our issues, though, come down to one thing - shooting. We have zero shooters.

 

[RUJMM78]

The answer is lack of scoring will result in losses after a 40 minute game. Rutgers simply can't overcome even mediocre play from a opponent and win when they have such difficulty scoring 60 points .Its simple math.

 

[RUMountie]

It's probably fatigue. Our guys play hard defense. It takes a toll. All of our issues, though, come down to one thing - shooting. We have zero shooters.

This. If we had 2 or 3 guys who could shoot really well and were athletic enough to play some reasonable defense, we wouldn't have lost a game yet this season. We would be able to beat or at least compete with the all of the elite teams in our conference. Without any consistent shooters its just brutal to see all the hard work on defense not ultimately pay off with a win. Gotta be able to hit shots if you want to be a good team on any level of basketball.

 

[PatrickRU92]

we can't score.

 

[bac2therac]

we can't score.

this...

we saw the same exact things in the Rice, Waters and Bannon years...often RU would be in nip tuck games and then not be able to make those shots at the end. Good enough on effort and defense but not enough playmakers on offense

fatigue to me is nonsense because other teams are playing their best players major minutes too, its about talent level and the ability to shoot

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

this...

we saw the same exact things in the Rice, Waters and Bannon years...often RU would be in nip tuck games and then not be able to make those shots at the end. Good enough on effort and defense but not enough playmakers on offense

fatigue to me is nonsense because other teams are playing their best players major minutes too, its about talent level and the ability to shoot

we scored on the 1st 2 possessions in the 2nd half last night. It was defense. Omoruyi lost his man and Corey got beat in the 1st 2 defensive possessions.

 

[bac2therac]

we scored on the 1st 2 possessions in the 2nd half last night. It was defense. Omoruyi lost his man and Corey got beat in the 1st 2 defensive possessions.

to me looked like the first was a set play by Collins coming out of the half...Collins made adjustments with his team who sleptwalked through a stinky first half for them. If RU was competant on offense they would have been up 15 plus in the first half. What impressed me about Northwestern is despite playing a poor first half, they stayed the course in their game, I believe Collins did not call timeout in the first half even when RU was extending the lead. Northwestern patiently took the lead from RU little by little..like slow poison, Northwestern was only up 3 by I said thats it this game is over, RU is not winning it. Collins shows you can do more with less talent if everyone knows their roles and buys in...plus you have to recruit shooters even if they arent the most talented overall. Piike has to figure out his strategy because the last 4 coaches here have been all over the map with the kind of guys. We need more Billets, Hodgsons, Shields, and Macks and less guys who may have size or athleticism but cannot do anything particularly well and that describes more than half of the current roster

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

to me looked like the first was a set play by Collins coming out of the half...Collins made adjustments with his team who sleptwalked through a stinky first half for them. If RU was competant on offense they would have been up 15 plus in the first half. What impressed me about Northwestern is despite playing a poor first half, they stayed the course in their game, I believe Collins did not call timeout in the first half even when RU was extending the lead. Northwestern patiently took the lead from RU little by little..like slow poison, Northwestern was only up 3 by I said thats it this game is over, RU is not winning it. Collins shows you can do more with less talent if everyone knows their roles and buys in...plus you have to recruit shooters even if they arent the most talented overall. Piike has to figure out his strategy because the last 4 coaches here have been all over the map with the kind of guys. We need more Billets, Hodgsons, Shields, and Macks and less guys who may have size or athleticism but cannot do anything particularly well and that describes more than half of the current roster

It is a shame we couldn't get the lead to a dozen or more. Our effort was incredibly high the 1st 18 minutes. I thought Freeman had the best half that I can remember anyone having for us at the RAC in a LONG LONG time.

 

[bac2therac]

It is a shame we couldn't get the lead to a dozen or more. Our effort was incredibly high the 1st 18 minutes. I thought Freeman had the best half that I can remember anyone having for us at the RAC in a LONG LONG time.

but those shots were circus dipsy dos....for once RU had luck, in the last 3 minutes are sets were stale and I knew we were in trouble. You always know if our offense is running hot, a bitter artic cold streak is just around the corner

 

[zebnatto]

I'm pretty much in line with what's said above.

Should have been up double digits at half.
No outside threats and trouble finishing in close.
Weak foul shooting.

We're in a position where we need to play well and the other team needs to play two weak halves, not one.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

but those shots were circus dipsy dos....for once RU had luck, in the last 3 minutes are sets were stale and I knew we were in trouble. You always know if our offense is running hot, a bitter artic cold streak is just around the corner

He was a beast on the boards and very active defensively.

 

[mikefla]

when our SIX players bench combine for 12 pts we cant win games
when our 7ft center gets 4 REBs and 6 pts,,we cant win games

The only 2 guys competing are Freeman & Sanders
they are getting ZERO help