Optimistic view: Defense each half

[BillyC80]

While we’ve had some obvious lapses on defense that need to be addressed, it hasn’t been all bad.
When looked at by half, we have reasons for optimism:

vs Wagner: Gave up 19, first half
vs St.Peters: Gave up 23, second half
vs Monmouth: Gave up 30 first half
vs Merrimack: Gave up 30 first half

As we step up in competition, I believe (hope) we’ll keep up our defensive focus and intensity for both halves.

 

[cubuffsdoug]

While we’ve had some obvious lapses on defense that need to be addressed, it hasn’t been all bad.
When looked at by half, we have reasons for optimism:

vs Wagner: Gave up 19, first half
vs St.Peters: Gave up 23, second half
vs Monmouth: Gave up 30 first half
vs Merrimack: Gave up 30 first half

As we step up in competition, I believe (hope) we’ll keep up our defensive focus and intensity for both halves.

You know that narrative will be a hard sell to some on this board. Once their mind is set, it's difficult to change. I see it like you do. I feel the team has been disinterested at times against the competition since the season started. This team is built and looks forward to playing in the B1G competition. JWil and Martini must remind the young guys to maintain the defensive intensity the entire game.

The team ate some humble pie based on the St. John's collapse. They thought they had St. John's once they had a big lead.

 

[seansherm]

You know that narrative will be a hard sell to some on this board. Once their mind is set, it's difficult to change. I see it like you do. I feel the team has been disinterested at times against the competition since the season started. This team is built and looks forward to playing in the B1G competition. JWil and Martini must remind the young guys to maintain the defensive intensity the entire game.

The team ate some humble pie based on the St. John's collapse. They thought they had St. John's once they had a big lead.

They may be disinterested, but the above is sad to find as positives.

Wagner is a team that has score 28 and 45 in full games, holding them in a half is common place.

23 to St. PETERS, They've scored less than 53 multiple times, again commonplace.

Monmouth doesn't have a win and we a saying holding them three points below their average half, for a half, is a bright side?

Merrimack has games they've scored in the 30's, 40's, low 50's and we want to say holding them to 30 in a half is a bright side?

 

[IMARUFAN]

Merrimack scored 8 points in the 2nd half vs Butler yesterday ... 39 points the entire game.

I agree the team seems uninspired vs these mid-majors and believe defensive intensity will improve vs better teams. But some of the defensive play to this point has been pretty ugly.

 

[BillyC80]

They may be disinterested, but the above is sad to find as positives.

Wagner is a team that has score 28 and 45 in full games, holding them in a half is common place.

23 to St. PETERS, They've scored less than 53 multiple times, again commonplace.

Monmouth doesn't have a win and we a saying holding them three points below their average half, for a half, is a bright side?

Merrimack has games they've scored in the 30's, 40's, low 50's and we want to say holding them to 30 in a half is a bright side?

In the context of our ability to score, so far holding our opponents to 30 or fewer points for a half is a reason for at least some optimism, imo.

We have shown that we can do it, but we absolutely have to prove we can do it for the full 40 minutes, no argument there.

 

[cubuffsdoug]

Merrimack scored 8 points in the 2nd half vs Butler yesterday ... 39 points the entire game.

I agree the team seems uninspired vs these mid-majors and believe defensive intensity will improve vs better teams. But some of the defensive play to this point has been pretty ugly.

And their 5'10 scoring machine guard, Clark, didn't play against Butler. That's 50% of your offense gone. That explains why they struggle. Other than that, Merrimack has been competitive without a real chance of winning in most of their games.

They may be disinterested, but the above is sad to find as positives.

Wagner is a team that has score 28 and 45 in full games, holding them in a half is common place.

23 to St. PETERS, They've scored less than 53 multiple times, again commonplace.

Monmouth doesn't have a win and we a saying holding them three points below their average half, for a half, is a bright side?

Merrimack has games they've scored in the 30's, 40's, low 50's and we want to say holding them to 30 in a half is a bright side?

You realize every fanbase is extra hard on their team and forgetful when judging others. Everyone here is praising Nebraska for beating 14th-ranked Creighton but ignoring the fact Nebraska lost to St. Mary's the game before. Also, Nebraska struggled against a 1-4 Bethune-Cookman (HBCU) 63-58. Oregon is another undefeated team but struggled in games against Portland St. (2-4) and UCRiverside (3-3).

Iowa is a prime example of a team that, for years, had defenses far worse than this Rutgers team, yet they consistently won 20 games. Why are we so much harder on our guys?

 

[IMARUFAN]

And their 5'10 scoring machine guard, Clark, didn't play against Butler. That's 50% of your offense gone. That explains why they struggle. Other than that, Merrimack has been competitive without a real chance of winning in most of their games.


You realize every fanbase is extra hard on their team and forgetful when judging others. Everyone here is praising Nebraska for beating 14th-ranked Creighton but ignoring the fact Nebraska lost to St. Mary's the game before. Also, Nebraska struggled against a 1-4 Bethune-Cookman (HBCU) 63-58. Oregon is another undefeated team but struggled in games against Portland St. (2-4) and UCRiverside (3-3).

Iowa is a prime example of a team that, for years, had defenses far worse than this Rutgers team, yet they consistently won 20 games. Why are we so much harder on our guys?

Glad to hear Clark didn't play vs Butler. Found it rather disconcerting they only scored 8 in 2nd half compared to the what they did vs Rutgers. That explains a lot.

 

[bac2therac]

Our competition has been garbage

 

[fluoxetine]

Our competition has been garbage

I think this is really the optimistic view. We haven’t been impressive so far, but in the past when we have been impressive against bad competition lots of the board has basically said it doesn’t matter we need to see how we play against good teams.

 

[seansherm]

And their 5'10 scoring machine guard, Clark, didn't play against Butler. That's 50% of your offense gone. That explains why they struggle. Other than that, Merrimack has been competitive without a real chance of winning in most of their games.


You realize every fanbase is extra hard on their team and forgetful when judging others. Everyone here is praising Nebraska for beating 14th-ranked Creighton but ignoring the fact Nebraska lost to St. Mary's the game before. Also, Nebraska struggled against a 1-4 Bethune-Cookman (HBCU) 63-58. Oregon is another undefeated team but struggled in games against Portland St. (2-4) and UCRiverside (3-3).

Iowa is a prime example of a team that, for years, had defenses far worse than this Rutgers team, yet they consistently won 20 games. Why are we so much harder on our guys?

I agree, everyone has struggles early on, and at the least we are winning. The comp is awful thus far through. No one will ever get excited by those struggles, even in wins.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

While we’ve had some obvious lapses on defense that need to be addressed, it hasn’t been all bad.
When looked at by half, we have reasons for optimism:

vs Wagner: Gave up 19, first half
vs St.Peters: Gave up 23, second half
vs Monmouth: Gave up 30 first half
vs Merrimack: Gave up 30 first half

As we step up in competition, I believe (hope) we’ll keep up our defensive focus and intensity for both halves.

We were great for a long stretch vs SJ too

 

[richthedentist]

We were great for a long stretch vs SJ too

We had an 18-0 run against them

 

[RUtrumpet92]

Clark played 31 minutes at Butler, going 4 for 13 to score 8 points.

We will all know by Thanksgiving how we really are defensively. KSU scores 91 a game, Notre Dame is shooting 51.9% from the floor this season, and Alabama is just under 90 pts per game.

Of course, that means we could give up a lot of points to all three and still turn out to be a decent defensive team this season.