Expectations for the next 4 games
- Thread starter Goku
- Start date
If we want to prove we're ready for post season play, 4-0 is the only option here.
We have 17+ games after that. I see MANY paths if we go 3-1
I find myself looking at the schedule a lot playing out scenarios and keep going back to the last 5 of the season. It’s an absolute buzzsaw.
it appears that way now....2 months is a long time from now
3-1 with loss on the road to Nebraska. A winning season will occur by maintaining the home court advantage at the RAC.
There are going to be ups and downs. We aren't as good as we think we are right now and we aren't as bad as we thought after PITT.
Haven't seen a post in a week about how we don't run offense or other things.
As fans it is natural to look ahead and feel like we have to do X in a stretch.
Still think we need to look past W and L as the tell all gauge and look at the things that will lead to us being a better team.
Things like......
1. Myles continuing his ascent to stardom
2. Jacob Young's adapting to role and becoming a net neutral in our offense
3. Yeboah taking on a greater part of the offense w/o hurting efficiency
4. Caleb playing with confidence and taking and making perimeter shots
5. Montez continued maturity AND playing within himself and a higher percentage of locked in defensive possessions
6. Paul acceptable D, willingness to take some shots with efficiency, being a competent backup to Geo
7. Ron taking more than a 1/5 role on offense with efficiency. Dialed in D and helping out on glass
8. Emergence of a backup center that is reliable
9. Competing on the defensive end as a team and winning 60% of 50/50s (not the gambling ones)
If we can check those off we will get our wins and be in a good spot going in to next year. We aren't getting off track if we lose to PSU shooting 4-21 from 3 and they bank 2 3s and go 7-19 from 3 with Myles Dread making really tough and contested 3s.
Haven't seen a post in a week about how we don't run offense or other things.
As fans it is natural to look ahead and feel like we have to do X in a stretch.
Still think we need to look past W and L as the tell all gauge and look at the things that will lead to us being a better team.
Things like......
1. Myles continuing his ascent to stardom
2. Jacob Young's adapting to role and becoming a net neutral in our offense
3. Yeboah taking on a greater part of the offense w/o hurting efficiency
4. Caleb playing with confidence and taking and making perimeter shots
5. Montez continued maturity AND playing within himself and a higher percentage of locked in defensive possessions
6. Paul acceptable D, willingness to take some shots with efficiency, being a competent backup to Geo
7. Ron taking more than a 1/5 role on offense with efficiency. Dialed in D and helping out on glass
8. Emergence of a backup center that is reliable
9. Competing on the defensive end as a team and winning 60% of 50/50s (not the gambling ones)
If we can check those off we will get our wins and be in a good spot going in to next year. We aren't getting off track if we lose to PSU shooting 4-21 from 3 and they bank 2 3s and go 7-19 from 3 with Myles Dread making really tough and contested 3s.
Expectations:
1. Lafayette - I'm expecting a win here, but doubt we'll come out with the juice we came out with against SHU and Wisconsin when it's a non-rival OOC game in a much emptier house. If we do, Pike has this team 100% bought in, which would be great to see. Lafayette definitely has some ability to be a threat, but I think our defense matches up well with them and Johnson/Harper should be able to feast down low. Foul trouble may put us in a tougher spot, so depends in some ways how tightly the game is called.
2. Caldwell - Romp, and we shouldn't really be playing them.
3. @Nebraska - Real chance for an away win, and great opportunity for this team to show it can bring its show on the road. Hoping we at least split Neb/PSU.
4. PSU - Strong team playing well, with two solid scoring bigs. Going to be a tough matchup for us, and again will come down to Johnson/Harper staying out of foul trouble.
1. Lafayette - I'm expecting a win here, but doubt we'll come out with the juice we came out with against SHU and Wisconsin when it's a non-rival OOC game in a much emptier house. If we do, Pike has this team 100% bought in, which would be great to see. Lafayette definitely has some ability to be a threat, but I think our defense matches up well with them and Johnson/Harper should be able to feast down low. Foul trouble may put us in a tougher spot, so depends in some ways how tightly the game is called.
2. Caldwell - Romp, and we shouldn't really be playing them.
3. @Nebraska - Real chance for an away win, and great opportunity for this team to show it can bring its show on the road. Hoping we at least split Neb/PSU.
4. PSU - Strong team playing well, with two solid scoring bigs. Going to be a tough matchup for us, and again will come down to Johnson/Harper staying out of foul trouble.
10. Make 70% FTs as a team, Myles at 60%
11. Pike pulls the right strings on substitutions
I think Greene's point about self-reflection is key. We have played 11 games....playing another 4 gets us to about the halfway point of the season.....obviously not the heart of the schedule, since the B1G really starts in another 2 weeks.
The difference between 2 years ago and last year after some big wins, was the ability to go to other players to get points. The last 2 seasons were heavily reliant on Sanders and or Baker/Eugene last year.
Anyone of 7 players can now get double figures in points and no one would blink or be surprised. Even as erratic as Young has played and turned the ball over, it's not impossible for him to get a steal and a layup, get 4 FT's and hit a 3 pointer for a 9 to 10 point game.
This is still a roster that computer models and fans are really not sure of what will happen. There (to me), are still lots of upside left with the sophomores, Young, Baker and even Carter/Yeboah.
My focus is whether we can get quality minutes off the bench with Mulcahy and Young. If we find 10 PPG, 3 to 4 assists and not 3 to 4 turnovers from that tandem, RU becomes very intriguing to watch. If we get only get 4PPG, 1 to 2 assists and 5 to 6 turnovers from this tandem, things change drastically.
I'm more interested in finding these points here, because I know the focus from fans will be "Geo Baker".....Geo is still going to put up a few 3 for 10 or 3-11 FG shooting games and 1 of 6 from 3.....and the roster right now, isn't in a position to just ebb and flow with just Baker.
RU has to find ways to win like Wisconsin and other games where Baker isn't on fire.....what was lost on the SHU performance was 3-10 shooting from Baker, because others contributed.
The difference between 2 years ago and last year after some big wins, was the ability to go to other players to get points. The last 2 seasons were heavily reliant on Sanders and or Baker/Eugene last year.
Anyone of 7 players can now get double figures in points and no one would blink or be surprised. Even as erratic as Young has played and turned the ball over, it's not impossible for him to get a steal and a layup, get 4 FT's and hit a 3 pointer for a 9 to 10 point game.
This is still a roster that computer models and fans are really not sure of what will happen. There (to me), are still lots of upside left with the sophomores, Young, Baker and even Carter/Yeboah.
My focus is whether we can get quality minutes off the bench with Mulcahy and Young. If we find 10 PPG, 3 to 4 assists and not 3 to 4 turnovers from that tandem, RU becomes very intriguing to watch. If we get only get 4PPG, 1 to 2 assists and 5 to 6 turnovers from this tandem, things change drastically.
I'm more interested in finding these points here, because I know the focus from fans will be "Geo Baker".....Geo is still going to put up a few 3 for 10 or 3-11 FG shooting games and 1 of 6 from 3.....and the roster right now, isn't in a position to just ebb and flow with just Baker.
RU has to find ways to win like Wisconsin and other games where Baker isn't on fire.....what was lost on the SHU performance was 3-10 shooting from Baker, because others contributed.
Hawk I think the key as you mentioned is contributions of others & in some ways Ron to be more aggressive on offense at times when he has the matchup, but with regards to Baker I think his shot stats are hindered by the fact that atleast multiple times a game he has to hoist something up under 5 seconds whether it is a step back 3 (low percentage) or a forced drive to the lane. Id be really curious what his shooting stats are (especially from 3) when the shot clock say is above 7-8 and under. Really think it hinders his overall shooting percentage. Now this will evaporate if we have better flow offensively and not too many stagnant possessions.
When looking at the full season...
Usage and eff FG%
Jr 6-2 Jacob Young 27.3 34.4
So 6-6 Ron Harper Jr. 22.0 51.8
Jr 6-4 Geo Baker 21.6 49.6
Sr 6-6 Akwasi Yeboah 21.0 58.0
So 6-4 Montez Mathis 19.4 44.7
So 6-10 Myles Johnson 18.8 73.2
So 6-7 Caleb McConnell 18.3 55.8
Jr 5-11 Joey Downes 17.8 0.0
Jr 6-5 Peter Kiss 17.3 0.0
Sr 6-9 Shaq Carter 15.2 57.7
Fr 6-6 Paul Mulcahy 12.2 50.0
Jr 6-9 Mam Doucoure 11.3 57.1
Jr 6-11 Luke Nathan 9.1 0.0
Jr 6-1 Nick Brooks 0.0 0.0
When looking at games vs top 100
Jr 6-2 Jacob Young 30.7 22.2
So 6-6 Ron Harper Jr. 25.0 41.2
Jr 6-4 Geo Baker 23.6 41.3
So 6-10 Myles Johnson 18.4 81.0
So 6-4 Montez Mathis 18.3 43.3
Sr 6-6 Akwasi Yeboah 17.8 72.4
Fr 6-6 Paul Mulcahy 14.1 33.3
Sr 6-9 Shaq Carter 13.8 60.0
So 6-7 Caleb McConnell 12.9 52.8
Jr 6-9 Mamadou Doucoure 10.4 0.0
Jr 6-11 Luke Nathan 0.0 0.0
Jr 5-11 Joey Downes 0.0 0.0
Jr 6-1 Nick Brooks 0.0 0.0
Outside of Young distribution is fine for the season, but when the tough games are played Baker and Harper take on the load and numbers reflect it poorly.
Usage and eff FG%
Jr 6-2 Jacob Young 27.3 34.4
So 6-6 Ron Harper Jr. 22.0 51.8
Jr 6-4 Geo Baker 21.6 49.6
Sr 6-6 Akwasi Yeboah 21.0 58.0
So 6-4 Montez Mathis 19.4 44.7
So 6-10 Myles Johnson 18.8 73.2
So 6-7 Caleb McConnell 18.3 55.8
Jr 5-11 Joey Downes 17.8 0.0
Jr 6-5 Peter Kiss 17.3 0.0
Sr 6-9 Shaq Carter 15.2 57.7
Fr 6-6 Paul Mulcahy 12.2 50.0
Jr 6-9 Mam Doucoure 11.3 57.1
Jr 6-11 Luke Nathan 9.1 0.0
Jr 6-1 Nick Brooks 0.0 0.0
When looking at games vs top 100
Jr 6-2 Jacob Young 30.7 22.2
So 6-6 Ron Harper Jr. 25.0 41.2
Jr 6-4 Geo Baker 23.6 41.3
So 6-10 Myles Johnson 18.4 81.0
So 6-4 Montez Mathis 18.3 43.3
Sr 6-6 Akwasi Yeboah 17.8 72.4
Fr 6-6 Paul Mulcahy 14.1 33.3
Sr 6-9 Shaq Carter 13.8 60.0
So 6-7 Caleb McConnell 12.9 52.8
Jr 6-9 Mamadou Doucoure 10.4 0.0
Jr 6-11 Luke Nathan 0.0 0.0
Jr 5-11 Joey Downes 0.0 0.0
Jr 6-1 Nick Brooks 0.0 0.0
Outside of Young distribution is fine for the season, but when the tough games are played Baker and Harper take on the load and numbers reflect it poorly.
both of those are exactly counter to what i am looking for.
10. making FTs or missing them does nothing towards my opinion on what this team will become this year and beyond.
11. Pikiel's strings on substitutions is a function of whether we win or not...nothing else. His "pulling the right strings" does nothing to my confidence about this team short, medium and long term.
Why was Pike's decision to make wholesale substitutions at the 1st media timeout in the middle of a huge RU run not a huge mistake? Because we won. If we lost he would have pulled the wrong strings. Who makes substitutions when a unit is hot and on a run? (for the record I was fine with it)
I agreed with your 9 points and added two of my own, from my own opinion. So, in addition to the 9 things you want to see happen, I added two things that I would like to see happen, in the way of improvement.
The FT shooting, to me, is an indication of focus and discipline (practice). That is something I want to see evidence of, in games. Similarly, Pike’s player rotations are still a work in progress. In other words Pike has to improve too. Just because we win doesn’t mean Pike couldn’t have done a better job coaching.
To apply your approach, imo if we show more focus and discipline at the line, and Pike identifies and utilizes more effective player rotations, and we show improvement in the areas you mentioned, the wins will come.
Regarding Geo's game against SHU, you could argue that he made the biggest contribution for the win since he began the game with a perfect lob to Myles and then hit a long three. So he had a hand in our first five points, got the crowd going, gave the team confidence, and set SHU on their heels. As you say, as long as others contribute, Geo doesn't have to put up big scoring numbers.
Coming from a guy who shot 90+% in practice and a number considerably below that in games......it isn't a focus or discipline issue.
Foul shooting is a very important part of the game, but I don't believe there is much you can do about it now.
As for coaching.....I don't see a team improving because Pikiell improves. He is playing the players that should play. Changing minutes reflects players playing different, not him being better at identifying whose best (for the most part).
I think Pike's substitution patterns have a lot to do with player efficiency. I seem to recall seeing a coach or trainer for RU explaining that they've calculated each player's physical stamina and substitute them in or out based on how long they can go hard. So, I think Pike wants his guys to go as hard as they can, and then he knows when to sub for them. That said, traditional factors such a fouls, defensive lapses, poor decision making, poor matchups, obviously can also play a role.
Isaac Suffren announced a couple days ago he was leaving the program. Looks like he was their guard depth. They have 4 guards that average 22+ min, then him at #5 with 16.1.
Last edited:
I took another look at your list and it appears that all of your points are in some way affected by (if not wholly dependent on) coaching. So in that sense we’re in agreement.
You never know. Injuries are big that time of year. A team can look much different.
And if we are a post season team. We will need to beat better teams. No way around it.
Similar threads
Latest posts
-
Podcast Rutgers Re-Hires Robb Smith as Co-DC and We Have....Thoughts
- Latest: Nycrusupporter
-
-
-