I have been a supporter of Pike since the beginning and I believed that a healthy lineup at this point in the season would be playing a high level of basketball. Maybe Ace and Dylan weren’t 100% last night, but nevertheless. Rewatch the game and watch our half court offense and watch Iowa’s half court offense. Our team had absolutely no idea of what they were doing. After our high screens, we get nothing on the roll to the basket, and in fact our ball handler would be further away from the basket and double teamed before the set up began. Iowa had plenty of time given how deep the ball was to cover three on four initially and then settle into a four on four or actually five on five.There’d be 10 or 12 seconds left on the clock and we’d have developed nothing except a ball handler deep in the half court, trying to figure out what the hell to do. On the other hand, Iowa’s offense was purposeful, precise, and played to their players individual strengths. It was like night and day, and there is simply no excuse for it. Now, that players have checked out as a possibility I suppose. Can’t say I really saw it but no way to prove it didn’t happen. Still from a purely analytical viewpoint, their offense was so much better than our offense that it’s even unfair to compare the defensive performance because our defense had to operate against a really well oiled offensive scheme, whereas their defense simply had to cover one on one or double team, and they never paid a price for their double teams. In my opinion, that’s on Pike and the rest of the staff.
Pike lost me last night.
- Thread starter zebnatto
- Start date
Take Dylan and Ace out of the game and watch how much crisper our offense is. You can have all the plays and sets in the world, but if you aren't running them with a purpose it does nothing for you.
Ace and Dylan don't make hard cuts and they don't use screens properly. They aren't alone. Players need to cut as if they are going to get the ball. Screens need to be set and used properly to get easy baskets..
We also need to attack the offensive glass like the game is tied with a minute left. We had exactly 3 individual offensive rebounds against a team that is a terrible defensive rebounding team.
We can blame Pike, but at some point players need to be blamed. At sone point we as fans need to buy in to the fact that Ace and Dylan own the stink of the season. The game is more than scoring points.
Ace and Dylan don't make hard cuts and they don't use screens properly. They aren't alone. Players need to cut as if they are going to get the ball. Screens need to be set and used properly to get easy baskets..
We also need to attack the offensive glass like the game is tied with a minute left. We had exactly 3 individual offensive rebounds against a team that is a terrible defensive rebounding team.
We can blame Pike, but at some point players need to be blamed. At sone point we as fans need to buy in to the fact that Ace and Dylan own the stink of the season. The game is more than scoring points.
I think Ace and Dylan would have bought into running an offense if Pike had one. They would be scoring so much easier if they were cutting and running off picks like Iowa. McCaffery would get a lot more wins out of our roster than Pike has because he is an excellent offensive coach. Iowa probably should have won by 25 if they made a few more wide open 3's. They shot well below their average.
Same story everytime we play Iowa. Their coach knows what he is doing, ours does not.
Frans a good coach. I can tell you I know a lot of Iowa fans and they don’t like him. I happen to like him. That said if you notice he’s not trotting freshmen out there in general. He’s got an experienced roster. Our two best players are freshman. Should they be standing around and in Dylan’s case lethargically dribbling just past the half court no. However Rutgers doesn’t have maturity and it shows with the standing around. I agree with the criticisms that it shouldn’t happen so often.
We NEVER run off the ball screens or back screens we just stand around waiting for some magic to happen which we know isn’t going to happen heck we can’t even get the ball inbounds
This has been going on since Pike became coach. And yes, I blame him because either he’s not teaching the hard cuts, hard screens, efficient passes, etc., or he’s not holding players accountable for doing them all half-assed. As far as Ace and Dylan, we kind of knew they weren’t going to be held accountable for anything and it’s proven to be true, but in fairness to them, I don’t believe they are benefiting from any coaching either. They are doing whatever they want, which is probably part of the reason they are here.
A wasted year for the fans but also a wasted year for Ace and Dylan.
I’m in same boat as OP. I’ve ignored the signs. I don’t see how you can defend him making the money he’s making. He’s not a volunteer YMCA coach.
1 - JMike
2 - Harper
3- Bailey
4 - Grant
5 - Summerville
The rest of the way with limited substitutions. Play 8 max and JWill not at all.
You said you want guys who make cuts and use hard screens properly.
JWill doesn't seem to be that guy.
Neither does Derkack or Davis for that matter.
I'm glad that this isn't just me. This has been a big criticism of mine with Pike for years. Our screens and our cuts to the basket are weak and sloppy. Watch the play at the end of the first OT vs ND in the NCAAs. RHJ basically jogged to the basketball instead of jammin long and cutting hard to the ball.
Yes I see a lot of this with the players. All fundamental type stuff AND drive.
Thing is we can only blame them so much as this all falls on the coaches to TEACH, MOTIVATE, and HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE.
It’s that last part that makes me scratch my head bc we don’t have that in the program—it only happens with select players. Take Acuff for example. Got beat on a defensive play and gets taken out yet was our only scoring option.
Ace gets beat constantly but stays in the game. Where is the teaching moment? A player like Ace WANTS to get better not coddled. You can tell by just looking at his commitment to FTs or even rebounding from what he says. Use those times to treat everyone equal and watch the change.
The reason we don't have those two cutting, getting open on screens for good looks is because there isn't a single decent, willing passer on the team. Davis, Derkack, Williams, whoever. Absolutely no chance of them looking to pass. Even Bailey and Harper themselves. 1:1 streetball is the Pike way. That's who he recruits.
They're only interested in shooting. What a joke. Has Sommerville even passed the ball 5 times on the offensive end this year ? If he were ever able to get a defensive rebound, he'll try to take it coast to coast and not pass then either.
Selfishness and Pike's the unwillingness to hold players accountable for that is the #1 reason this season turbo-ed down the shitter this year. Players only focused on FTA to up their points.
JDavis pass to a cutter....ha ha ha. Has anyone witnessed this even once ? He thinks he's Russell Westbrook. maybe even better.
We used to say things like “we just don’t have the talent to keep pace”
Now we have the talent.
2 of the top 7 scorers in the conference for BOTH men’s and women’s teams. And both teams stink. Bottom 1/4 of the league for both.
Now we have the talent.
2 of the top 7 scorers in the conference for BOTH men’s and women’s teams. And both teams stink. Bottom 1/4 of the league for both.
You must be kidding me. We should have v won that game by 10-15 points . Did you watch the first half. ? Coming out of halftime we should have stomped on them and Pike should have changed defenses to get them out of rhythm.
Iowa. By 25. It was a 2 point game for like 10 minutes from the 12 -13?mark to 1:50 left. Iowa converted 66% of their second half possessions . Where do you come up with this crap Iowa should have won by 25. A guess they needed to convert 100% of their possessions.
Iowa shot way below their 3 point average. They missed a lot of wide open 3’s in first half as Rutgers defense was subpar. If not for Acuff and some other players getting hot from 3, we would not have had lead at halftime.
I started a whole thread on this, but perhaps that’s why mulcahy was the magic piece for Pike. He was a true pass first point guard.
I am like most fans , I don’t like Fran at all but he knows what he is doing.
If a player already has that great drive to improve they don't need to be taken out of the game.
