I taped the game and will will rewatch either tonight or Wednesday after Clemson to see how many times Caleb left his man wide open for a 3 and how many they hit from 25-30 feet that are not good 3 point shots. Remembering watching it live I do not recall Caleb leaving his guy wide open 5-6 times and the guy hit a 3.
Okay, had some time over lunch and went back to watch. While McConnell did gamble at times, it doesn't look like those were on 3pt attempts that went in - so my perception linking the wide open threes to McConnell's gambling on steals was entirely wrong.
I looked at ever 3pt attempt by UMass that resulted in points.... and wow so many of them were uncontested in the first half. 7 of 8 made threes in the first half were completely uncontested, and the last had some token pressure from a help defender.... much better in the second half, with just 2 of 8 going uncontested.
First Half:
17:26 – McConnell fell down guarding his man, and Jones slid off his man to pick up McConnell’s man. Jones’ man hit an uncontested 3. Not sure what could have been done differently here… McConnell fell, so Jones had to choose between two guys and the other would have an uncontested look.
10:16 – Hyatt goes for steal on pass to Jones, ending up out of position. Jones hits 3 with token pressure from Agee. This one is on Hyatt.
9:37 – Agee sags off his man, and then helps down to the paint and leaves Weeks wide open for uncontested 3. This one is on Agee.
7:15 – Super deep uncontested 3 by Rich Kelly while it looks like we were playing zone. Mag had no shot at getting out on him.
6:47 – Again in zone, Mulcahy has a man in the left corner, but Jones across from right to left to double. UMass passes out of it, Omoruyi picks up that man, leaving Rich Kelly wide open at the top for uncontested 3. Looks like this was Jones’ error here.
6:11 – Rich Kelly penetrates, screening off McConnell. Omoruyi picks him up, and McConnell chases down to the paint. Hyatt comes over from the corner off his man, putting now 3 defenders on Kelly under the rim. Kelly kicks out to Hyatt’s man (CJ Kelly) for an uncontested 3. McConnell was initially beat, but Hyatt had no reason to triple team here. I’d say this one is on Hyatt.
5:37 – McConnell on Kelly in the corner, follows him up as if it is man defense. Once he sees Harper has him, he drops down to take Hyatt’s man, forcing Hyatt to come out to cover CJ Kelly for an uncontested 3. This looks like it’s on McConnell… he may have thought we were in man, but we were in zone?
0:22 –Harper is on Buttrick and McConnell is on Dominguez. McConnell drops down to the paint to help, but Buttrick/Dominguez switch places. McConnell comes back but ends up doubling Buttrick, leaving Dominguez wide open for 3. This looks like it’s on McConnell losing track of his man, and maybe Harper for not switching?
Finished the half 8/19 from the arc.
Second Half:
18:06 – McConnell on Rich Kelly in corner, but drops off him to the paint to help against penetration. Pass out to Kelly and Harper swing over off his man to help, but leaves CJ Kelly for uncontested 3. I think this is on McConnell overhelping and leaving Kelly.
17:15 – Jones is on CJ Kelly, but drops down off him to double on penetration. Mulcahy tries to recover on the three point shooter, but can’t get there in time. This one is on Jones.
15:34 – Can’t even figure out what was supposed to happen on this play. Total disarray. Not sure if we were supposed to be in zone here or man – thinking maybe a 2-3 zone? Mulcahy and Omoruyi both end up in the corner on the same man, and Mulcahy directs Omoruyi away toward the middle. He tries to go to the middle and pick up the guy Harper is on, but that leaves that man double teamed and Mulcahy guarding two well spaced shooters on the wing. Omoruyi tried to run out on the second, but too late.
14:17 – McConnell dropped down off of CJ Kelly to help Omoruyi, but the ball was immediately passed to CJ Kelly for a three. McConnell fouled him for a 4 point play. This one is on McConnell.
11:16 – Covered 3 in Harper’s face. Doesn’t look like a defensive lapse here.
9:51 – Palmquist caught up in screen in paint trying to run from left corner to right, got to shooter late and fouled him. Hit 3/3 FTs. Palmquist was a bit slow around the screen here.
7:46 – Agee and Palmquist both end up under the basket on no man. Pass to trailer, and Mulcahy leaves his man to try to contest but doesn’t get anywhere close. Not sure who was wrong here between Palmquist and Agee.
6:49 – Palmquist caught on step back, and then overrecovered to foul the 3pt shooter. Made 2/3 FTs.
1:15 – Harper came down into the paint with Buttrick, and then seemed to lose track of him and lose focus looking at Omoruyi’s man. Couldn’t recover on long three point attempt. This one is on Harper.
0:00 – Mag covering Fernandes a little too far back, gave him enough daylight to shoot. Don’t see this as a defensive lapse – but we should have called a timeout to set up the defense here.
They shot 8/13 from the arc in the second half, and 6/7 on FTs resulting from 3pt attempts.
