Maryland Pre-Game Thread

[5 championships]

45 minutes ago, BGleas said:

I didn't see the interview but did see some of Woodson's quotes on this on X/Twitter. Sharing that because I understand just reading the quotes doesn't give the full context. 

With that said, I think it's both a scheme and execution issue and I think the scheme leads to a lot of the execution/communication issues. 

I've not watched nearly the film that our staff has, not even close. But the clips I've seen addressing this on X/Twitter and watching the games, it seems crystal clear to me that our scheme is built to over-help, often very unnecessarily. 

IMO, the overhelping is really bad at times and it is often the reason for the execution and communication mistakes. 

The overhelping often puts guys in positions where they're unnecessarily scrambling to recover and in those situations you open yourself up to help/recover mistakes, miscommunication and other issues. 

IMO, it's kind of like the chicken and the egg. 

Scheme is leading to more stress on communicating/execution because we are constantly in rotation 

[BGleas]

5 minutes ago, 5 championships said:

Scheme is leading to more stress on communicating/execution because we are constantly in rotation 

Yup, wish I had said it that concisely 🤣. 

[IUFLA]

1 hour ago, BGleas said:

Yeah, I saw the transcript. I tried to go back and find it on X/Twitter but couldn't. 

I mean, yeah, it's not always bad. Sometimes you absolutely have to help.

But, from my eye and the clips I've seen people like Adranga (sp?) and Ant Wright share on this, its often really bad and unnecessary overhelping that compromises our defense and causes a lot of recovery and communication issues. 

 

36 minutes ago, 5 championships said:

Scheme is leading to more stress on communicating/execution because we are constantly in rotation 

I hear you both, but if better communication and recognition leads to better execution (and listening to Woody, he did say our defensive woes were "fixable") shouldn't we work on those issues and stick with it? 

Edited November 28, 2023 by IUFLA

[BGleas]

1 hour ago, IUFLA said:

 

I hear you both, but if better communication and recognition leads to better execution (and listening to Woody, he did say our defensive woes were "fixable") shouldn't we work on those issues and stick with it? 

Of course they're fixable, and I'm sure we'll improve. 

Part of fixing it should be not drastically overhelping unnecessarily. 

[kyhoosier29]

1 hour ago, BGleas said:

Of course their fixable, and I'm sure we'll improve. 

Part of fixing it should be not drastically overhelping unnecessarily. 

Unless you’re leaving a guy that can’t shoot. Which is rarely the instance in our cases. Seems like we leave “shooters” open to help. 

Edited November 28, 2023 by kyhoosier29

[BGleas]

Just now, kyhoosier29 said:

Unless you’re leaving a guy that can’t shoot. Which is rarely the instance in our cases. Seems like we leave shooters open to help. 

Agree. It's like guys overhelp regardless of who they're defending. 

[kyhoosier29]

Just now, BGleas said:

Agree. It's like guys overhelp regardless of who they're defending. 

I guess my confusion, irritation with this is that the guys should know who the shooters are before leaving the locker room. And be told that we don’t help off of those guys when they are on the perimeter. Really not understanding why there would be so much miscommunication on that. I love Woody so far, but it shouldn’t be that hard. 

[13th&Jackson]

6 minutes ago, kyhoosier29 said:

I guess my confusion, irritation with this is that the guys should know who the shooters are before leaving the locker room. And be told that we don’t help off of those guys when they are on the perimeter. Really not understanding why there would be so much miscommunication on that. I love Woody so far, but it shouldn’t be that hard. 

Coach Norman Dale:
Stick with your man. Think of him as chewing gum. By the end of the game, I want you to know what flavor he is.

[Hoosier4Life53]

3 minutes ago, 13th&Jackson said:

Coach Norman Dale:
Stick with your man. Think of him as chewing gum. By the end of the game, I want you to know what flavor he is.

Good old Norman Dale!

[Drroogh]

15 minutes ago, 13th&Jackson said:

Coach Norman Dale:
Stick with your man. Think of him as chewing gum. By the end of the game, I want you to know what flavor he is.

SIAP, but it sure seemed last game that MM heard coach Dale so to speak. Noticed a few times the ball handler was swatting MM’s hand away. Brought a little smile to my face.

[IUFLA]

So here's something I found interesting for the sarcastic "everyone has a career night against us crowd."

Versus FGCU, Daillion Johnson was their hot hand and went 5-11 (45%) from 3. Since? 7-25 against the likes of Ave Maria (1-7), Pitt (who I know is pretty good... 0-3), Missouri State (0-0), Hampton (3-7), and UNC Wilmington (1-6)

Army? Ryan Curry (4-8 50%). Since? 6-20 (30%) against Quinnipac, Albany, and Binghamton

Wright State? Andrew Welage (7-10 70%). Since? 4-9 (44% ok, not bad, but not 70% either) against Louisiana, Hofstra, and Illinois State...

I guess my point is, that visiting SSAH can energize some kids into playing over their heads... Especially an Indiana kid like Wellage that hadn't hit a 3 all year until they played us (actually hadn't even taken one)

I'm not saying our defense didn't have anything to do with it, but it is interesting to see 🙂

 

[KoB2011]

4 hours ago, IUFLA said:

And I have a couple of questions for some of you on here...

@KoB2011, it's your contention that it's not the execution of the defense, but the scheme itself that's the issue... Right?

Listening to Woody's radio show with Don Fischer this morning, and he says it's a lack of communication and understanding of principles that's the issue, or execution, particularly at the arc... Just curious as to why you think it's the scheme...

And this is a general question for anyone who's been in a leadership position, but particularly the coaches on here...

Have you ever had a team that was as good at the start of the season than they were at the end? 

Yes, my contention after watching 2+ years of our defense is that over helping and collapsing too much is the scheme. 

Do I think the players execute well? No, and that obviously makes the issues worse.

I think in general, our team schematically tries to play basketball more similarly to how it was played 20 years ago than the most optimal way to play it today. Doesn't mean you can't win and be successful, but it does mean you're making it harder on yourself and every mistake on the players is magnified because they aren't in the most optimal position to begin with. 

[5 championships]

1 minute ago, KoB2011 said:

Yes, my contention after watching 2+ years of our defense is that over helping and collapsing too much is the scheme. 

Do I think the players execute well? No, and that obviously makes the issues worse.

I think in general, our team schematically tries to play basketball more similarly to how it was played 20 years ago than the most optimal way to play it today. Doesn't mean you can't win and be successful, but it does mean you're making it harder on yourself and every mistake on the players is magnified because they aren't in the most optimal position to begin with. 

Exactly 

[KoB2011]

4 hours ago, IUFLA said:

 

I hear you both, but if better communication and recognition leads to better execution (and listening to Woody, he did say our defensive woes were "fixable") shouldn't we work on those issues and stick with it? 

I realize now that my first response missed an entire conversation, I just wanted to respond before reading everything since you tagged me...

That said, I still think even if we had better communication and recognition our scheme would not have the same ceiling as the way other teams play defense. I think if you look at Woodson's first season that was about our peak on defense, which was a fringe top 25 defense.

At this point in the year I think it's too late to completely overhaul what we are doing on defense, but long term I think Mike Woodson needs to think long and hard about his approach to both sides of the ball. He has said it himself, he is here to win championships. It's much less likely to happen with the type of things we are trying to do on both sides of the ball. 

Edited November 28, 2023 by KoB2011

[FKIM01]

On 11/27/2023 at 11:22 AM, kyhoosier29 said:

Worse than us? Wow, watch what happens. 😂 EVERY flipping game somebody has a career night and makes more than we do as a team. Maybe that streak ends Fri. 

I thought the same thing.  If they are going to shoot 24%, I'm 100% fine with them shooting a bunch of 3's.  Shooting just 45% from 2 would beat that.

If I'm Maryland, I'm sagging on the outside shooters until IU proves they can hit at a better than 24% clip.  Deny entry passes and help on Reneau and Ware.  That could be a recipe for Mgbako to continue the trend up.

Edited November 29, 2023 by FKIM01

[bronkonagurski]

I do NOT fear the turtle. 

[Purdue7]

Hard to get Nova or Davidson games out of my head…..they looked terrible 💩

Healthy XJ to guard Young & handle pressure is critical 

 

[Seeking6]

Coach said that Malik is good to go on Friday. Still evaluating Xavier. That has me concerned as we open at 2 point favorites.

[Parakeet Jones]

The closer we get to this one, the more excited I get. Unfortunately, my wife’s work Christmas party is at the same time and my presence is, um, “requested.”  Getting off to a 1-0 start in B1G play would be huge. We wouldn’t be playing from a deficit record wise in conference play and we wouldn’t be down a home game. As I said in my other post in this thread, huge game. 

[Seeking6]

11 minutes ago, Parakeet Jones said:

The closer we get to this one, the more excited I get. Unfortunately, my wife’s work Christmas party is at the same time and my presence is, um, “requested.”  Getting off to a 1-0 start in B1G play would be huge. We wouldn’t be playing from a deficit record wise in conference play and we wouldn’t be down a home game. As I said in my other post in this thread, huge game. 

Trust me. Have funeral during day, Christmas party for wife's friends, and IU at 7.....can't these people figure out the calendar?

[Parakeet Jones]

4 minutes ago, Seeking6 said:

Trust me. Have funeral during day, Christmas party for wife's friends, and IU at 7.....can't these people figure out the calendar?

Her company owners are big IU fans too. I don’t get it. It’s at a place with televisions, but I would rather it not be on. I would prefer toget home later and watch it on DVR when I can focus. 

[NCHoosier32]

Friday game stinks.  Not sure if I can watch.  

[5fouls]

Small pre-game thread.

[bluegrassIU]

4 minutes ago, 5fouls said:

Small pre-game thread.

Probably why you have so many ex-wives. 

[Reacher]

1 hour ago, 5fouls said:

Small pre-game thread.

I think people are distracted by the football board. I'd expect things to heat up Fri