RU wins easily after a slow lazy start going on a huge 21-2 to take control and never look back. FDU would scrap back to get within 9 but RU promptly answered, buckled down on defense and broke the FDU Knights spirit ballooning the lead to as much as 26. The program has progressed to the point where its not about just winning these type of games. Expectations down the road mean that many of us are looking for some style points, consistency and growth from players from game to game. Thus we nitpick more than we are used to in a game where we won by 20 plus.
First lets start with the superlatives, was this a career high for Harper? I think it was., 30 points, 11-16 shooting, 5-9 from 3...Harper become unstoppable after a funky start as he start draining open 3s and became confident in taking on a much needed leadership role. Its quite clear that RU is sorely missing the leadership of Geo Baker on the court. His presence is everything. It appears from this game and the previous game, we need to cut RU some slack on these slow sloppy starts. I think the team is learning a few things. One learning how to play as the hunted not the hunter. RU has to pull themselves together and focus from the start of these lesser games, just like they would do in the Big 10. Harper WILL be counted on to provide this leadership. I am not sure Myles is the type of guy to pull the team together and lead.
FDU came in today aggressive and using their speed and punched RU in the mouth and yes RU appeared to be caught off guard. They shouldn't but they were. Playing teams like RU is a Super Bowl for these lesser light NJ/NYC schools. They do not have the depth but they do have some athleticism and some great coaching. Usually they live and die by forcing the issue, playing extremely agressive and getting hot shooting usually from the outside. That recipe worked for FDU but it really only goes as far as RU will allow it to. RU committed an absurd 10 turnovers in the first half of the first half but then none in last half of the first half. Alot of credit there goes to Jacob Young who was turning it over like a pancake early. He was reinsterted in the lineup and quickly became unstoppable whether it was his steals, his dipsy doos or his assists to Harper. Young was the catalyst of RU coming to life and repelling any real chance of FDU staying in the game. Young finished with 4 steals, 7 assists, 24 points on 11-17 shooting and a big reversal from his quiet offensive night vs Sacred Heart.
I thought individually Mulcahy didnt have a great game and clearly the speed of FDU did not play to his game at all. Its not always going to be like that. I think in a more half court game Mulcahy will be better but what is interesting is even with his off game, Paul still was RU's leading rebounder with 8 and to me that says something that he contributed even as if his overall game seemed subpar. I think Myles was lazy for much of the game. I was impressive with his dribble drive attack that lead to a bucket and he hit the free throw. Yes Myles can and should be doing this against lesser teams. Myles will be counted on for offensive productions in key situations against the best of the Big 10. I thought he was outplayed by the FDU big and that shouldnt be happening. Hoping to see more out of Myles in the upcoming games. Mathis was good and bad as he usually is. He goes through stretches in time where he is just out of control. Again its always about letting the game come to him. He was much more in the groove as the game went on. Of the newcomers I like Mag this game, he has back to back baskets in a key stretch that put RU up 13 after the 18 point lead had been sliced to 9. Thats a big time spot for the freshmen to step up in and I think it might get overlooked. There are games where Harper and Young will not be able to dominate, RU is going to need the Mags and Mulcahys of the world to contribute here and there. 6 points, 5 boards and a block this was Mag' s chance to show we could offer in an impressive 17 minutes. First game was Cliff, tonight not as prolific but still a needed 22 minutes getting acclimated, 5 points, 3 boards and make 3 of 4 foul shots. Nothing wrong with that. Reiber got a needed 13 minutes and looked okay. Palmquest saw very little time but not sure what was up with that. Doucoure again, speaks for itself, I said it last year, its not a player that will contribute for RU.
Certainly this was not a pristine RU game by any stretch. The slow starts and decision making early and plethora of turnovers are correctable mistakes. Leadership cannot be forced. It has to happen. Without Geo its up to Ron to set the tone early and others will follow. Again the good Justin Young can be unstoppable. This team still has to know its got to work for things and being ranked 24 doesnt mean that they can walk out on the court and dominate. As competition heats up the challenge of being the hunted will also increase...game by game...FDU is better than Sacred Heart, Hofstra is better than FDU and Syracuse is better than Hofstra and the Big 10 is better than Syracuse. Without Geo its hard to focus on some of the mistakes because this team and coaching staff are adjusting to not only his absence but the loss of Caleb and Yeboah. Figuring out which combo of guards work best together not just on offense but on defense as well and which of the freshmen can be trusted enough to get the most minutes. Those are 3 key cogs of the RU rotation last year so its going to take time for the mold to re-gel. I am okay with these first two games working out some issues especially without Geo. I have seen enough good things to be confident that this is a tourney type team, its just a matter of giving some of the newer ingredients a chance to set.
Hofstra is the next challenge barring any Covid positives and its the first game for the Flying Dutchmen so I think this is the game where RU needs to jump out to that early start and not let Hofstra get comfortable.
First lets start with the superlatives, was this a career high for Harper? I think it was., 30 points, 11-16 shooting, 5-9 from 3...Harper become unstoppable after a funky start as he start draining open 3s and became confident in taking on a much needed leadership role. Its quite clear that RU is sorely missing the leadership of Geo Baker on the court. His presence is everything. It appears from this game and the previous game, we need to cut RU some slack on these slow sloppy starts. I think the team is learning a few things. One learning how to play as the hunted not the hunter. RU has to pull themselves together and focus from the start of these lesser games, just like they would do in the Big 10. Harper WILL be counted on to provide this leadership. I am not sure Myles is the type of guy to pull the team together and lead.
FDU came in today aggressive and using their speed and punched RU in the mouth and yes RU appeared to be caught off guard. They shouldn't but they were. Playing teams like RU is a Super Bowl for these lesser light NJ/NYC schools. They do not have the depth but they do have some athleticism and some great coaching. Usually they live and die by forcing the issue, playing extremely agressive and getting hot shooting usually from the outside. That recipe worked for FDU but it really only goes as far as RU will allow it to. RU committed an absurd 10 turnovers in the first half of the first half but then none in last half of the first half. Alot of credit there goes to Jacob Young who was turning it over like a pancake early. He was reinsterted in the lineup and quickly became unstoppable whether it was his steals, his dipsy doos or his assists to Harper. Young was the catalyst of RU coming to life and repelling any real chance of FDU staying in the game. Young finished with 4 steals, 7 assists, 24 points on 11-17 shooting and a big reversal from his quiet offensive night vs Sacred Heart.
I thought individually Mulcahy didnt have a great game and clearly the speed of FDU did not play to his game at all. Its not always going to be like that. I think in a more half court game Mulcahy will be better but what is interesting is even with his off game, Paul still was RU's leading rebounder with 8 and to me that says something that he contributed even as if his overall game seemed subpar. I think Myles was lazy for much of the game. I was impressive with his dribble drive attack that lead to a bucket and he hit the free throw. Yes Myles can and should be doing this against lesser teams. Myles will be counted on for offensive productions in key situations against the best of the Big 10. I thought he was outplayed by the FDU big and that shouldnt be happening. Hoping to see more out of Myles in the upcoming games. Mathis was good and bad as he usually is. He goes through stretches in time where he is just out of control. Again its always about letting the game come to him. He was much more in the groove as the game went on. Of the newcomers I like Mag this game, he has back to back baskets in a key stretch that put RU up 13 after the 18 point lead had been sliced to 9. Thats a big time spot for the freshmen to step up in and I think it might get overlooked. There are games where Harper and Young will not be able to dominate, RU is going to need the Mags and Mulcahys of the world to contribute here and there. 6 points, 5 boards and a block this was Mag' s chance to show we could offer in an impressive 17 minutes. First game was Cliff, tonight not as prolific but still a needed 22 minutes getting acclimated, 5 points, 3 boards and make 3 of 4 foul shots. Nothing wrong with that. Reiber got a needed 13 minutes and looked okay. Palmquest saw very little time but not sure what was up with that. Doucoure again, speaks for itself, I said it last year, its not a player that will contribute for RU.
Certainly this was not a pristine RU game by any stretch. The slow starts and decision making early and plethora of turnovers are correctable mistakes. Leadership cannot be forced. It has to happen. Without Geo its up to Ron to set the tone early and others will follow. Again the good Justin Young can be unstoppable. This team still has to know its got to work for things and being ranked 24 doesnt mean that they can walk out on the court and dominate. As competition heats up the challenge of being the hunted will also increase...game by game...FDU is better than Sacred Heart, Hofstra is better than FDU and Syracuse is better than Hofstra and the Big 10 is better than Syracuse. Without Geo its hard to focus on some of the mistakes because this team and coaching staff are adjusting to not only his absence but the loss of Caleb and Yeboah. Figuring out which combo of guards work best together not just on offense but on defense as well and which of the freshmen can be trusted enough to get the most minutes. Those are 3 key cogs of the RU rotation last year so its going to take time for the mold to re-gel. I am okay with these first two games working out some issues especially without Geo. I have seen enough good things to be confident that this is a tourney type team, its just a matter of giving some of the newer ingredients a chance to set.
Hofstra is the next challenge barring any Covid positives and its the first game for the Flying Dutchmen so I think this is the game where RU needs to jump out to that early start and not let Hofstra get comfortable.