Was too disappointed to post last night as I took a look and all the knuckleheads that disappeared for 3 weeks returned . But Shack’s post is pretty accurate. I posted the individual statistics in a thread with Flux just 4-5 days ago and it bears repeating.
In wins against Clemson (4-18);Purdue(7-26);Michigan (3-15);Nebraska(6-18);Maryland first game (6-25): Iowa (6-27) , we at most gave up 7 makes even with teams taking 27,26 and 25 attempts.
In losses to UMASS (16-32): also fouled 2x and made 5-6 foul shots so effectively 18-32; DePaul 9-24; Lafayette (7-18, but fouled 3 times and they made 8-9 foul shots , so effectively 10-18; Minnesota (13-24);Maryland 2nd game (12-25); and although it didn’t matter because it was a total no show , Illinois ( 12-33), we gave up between effectively 9-16/ 18 three point makes. Plus we allowed in some of the games the other team to attempt their season high. Flux thought that attempts allowed are a bigger problem but I disagreed because Purdue , Iowa and 1st Maryland they put up 26,27 and 25 and we still won.
My conclusion was a simple one which was to hold the other team to 7 or less 3 point makes and we have a high likelihood to win those games. The harder question is how to do it. These last 2 games against Minnesota and Maryland might have a lot of people just tipping your hat to the opponents that shot 13-24(54%) and 12-25(49%) and say they were just too hot and not sure what else Rutgers could have done to change things. There is some merit to that thought as Ayala hit one from 33 feet and Willis hit 2 from like 30 feet out . But the counter to the tip of the hat is that Rutgers did not enough to disrupt the rhythm and flow of Willis and maybe some will say the same for Ayala and Fatts Russell last night.
The most damning statistic to me is that Minnesota’s 2 guards Willis shot 11-17 and 8-13 from 3 and Loewe shot 8-14 and 3-5 from 3 and combined for 51 of their 68 points and Ayala shot 8-13 and 5-9 from three and Fatts shot 7-16 and 5-8 from 3 and combined for 45 of their 68 points . A quick look and the Minnesota and Maryland guards outplayed our guards as Geo had 25 toWillis 32 and Loewe had 19 to Paul and Caleb 12 (7 and 5) ; and Ayala had 23 to Geo ‘s 16 and Fatts had 22 to Caleb and Paul’s 11( Caleb 11 , Paul 0) .
Quick conclusion; Our guards got outplayed and were outshot either because of luck, hot shooting , failure to deny them the ball, not enough pressure in their face or failure to disrupt their rhythm or a combination of all of the above . Maryland is distressing as you just held them to 6-25 from 3 ten days ago and they got 12-25 last night as Ayala was 3-10 from 3 and 5-15 overall and Fatts was 0-5 and 2-11 overall in the first game.
Final solution; Do not give up more than 7 threes a game , have the guards pick up the other teams guards at half court , stay tight on them , which might let them penetrate more but our scrambling defense will have to recover and if you give up 2 instead of 3 it is okay. Watching the other team drain 3’s like they were layups was a hopeless feeling and a punch to the gut but you have to just take the three away if we are going to recover this year.
