Got out the gym early from training, grabbed my son, and watched tonight from row #2 right across from the bench. It's just a different game from that close, I see/notice so much more than on TV or sitting anywhere else.
+3
1. Half-court defense. I know Rutgers isn't a good offensive team, outside the top 100. But holding them to 34% from the floor and 12% from 3 is really getting the job done. I thought they ran some really good double-ball screen into complex actions to get good looks, but so many times we scrambled recovered, and contested. College basketball has become a game of dribble penetration and it's so hard to get in the lane vs. Walker, Hoggard, Holloman, and Akins.
2. Shooting the rock. #MakeShots. 47% from the floor and 55% from "3" on twelve makes. We also made some TOUGH 3's. Walker made one where he caught it at his chest/chin level and shot it from there due to close-out. Joey made one off a quick shot-fake then back into the shot from the corner. AJ hit a BOMB with the shot-clock running down. Every one Walker shoots right now looks like it's going in. Great to see Akins hit those two late. We are 3rd in the B1G in 3-point percentage.
3. Bring Your Own Guts. Big-time gut check game after tough losses to Illinois and Purdue. Playing against a very physical team, on more rest, and is ready to punch you in the mouth. This is the game where you learn a lot about the guts of your team and the team answered the bell tonight.
-3
1. I do think Rutgers was the tougher team, physically. Showed in the ability to get post position, was very clear on the boards. That never feels quite right for an Izzo team at Breslin. Sure, they shot a lot of bricks, but 18 offensive rebounds is still a lot. That's a bunch of strong and athletic dudes. I see and admire what Pikiell is building, following the Izzo model. But they are dead last in 3's made. He's going to have to add some skill to go with that toughness.
2. Another rough start offensively, something like 13-5 early, after scoring 5 points in the first 10 minutes vs. Purdue. Recovered quickly tonight.
3. Only 7 free throws attempted. For the third straight game, I didn't think we got a great whistle, but I guess we can own some of that, too. I think officials have went over the top with the verticality pieces around the rim when there is a lot of contact and that impacted us tonight. Pendulum on that has just swung a little too far.
MISC
* Just how hard it is to position yourself, jump high enough, secure the rebound with 2 hands, and then bring it down, is one of the things that always stands out to me when I sit that close. For everyone who yells, "just rebound" when watching TV, I wish they could see just how hard it is up close.
* Jaden Akins is on the brink of breaking out. He's right there. 11 points, 5 rebounds, 4 steals, 4 assists, only 1 turnover, and missed some shots that I still feel like he can make. I think he's right there...
* Kohler was our most skilled big the second he stepped on campus. He will continue to be our most skilled big this entire season. He has the best footwork, is the best shooter, and has the best touch. For all he is or isn't at this point, his skill level and effort are clear strengths
* If MSU's players were fighting fatigue and tired legs, I didn't see it, and I was looking
* Not going on too much of a tangent here, but I feel like "ball-screen defense" gets thrown around on social media and message boards almost as much as "RPO's" in football. Lots of people talk about it, but not sure how many really understand. First, it has very little to do with the initial ice/switch/hedge/jam. Being able to attend multiple Izzo practices has really helped me far beyond what I thought I knew as a coach or watching on TV. Once I had done that, the game-planning for and against ball-screen actions allowed me to see it in a completely different light than watching on TV. It's really the tags and rotations after the big has stepped out that help coaches assess how well the ball screen was played. The ability by the big to recover to their man man, x-out switch to another offensive player, stick with the ball-handler due to defender being screened out of the play, those are really the things to look for when seeing how well the big has defended the ball screen. I think Kohler will grade out close to Mady and Cooper in that aspect tonight, which is major improvement. On the flip side, Rutgers defended our ball screens just like Michigan did. They basically doubled the ball-handler and just let our 5-man roll, unguarded/with a slight tag from the weak-side guard. That's how teams will continue to defend us as long as they don't have a defensive stiff like Hunter or Edey.
* Saw some good things from Pierre Brooks. Responded to some intense interactions on the bench. Showed "want-to" and really communicated on the defensive end on a few different occasions
* Watched the game with some players on the MSU women's team. Love to hear the perspective of college athletes watching other college athletes. That perspective always helps me
* 2 big discussion points with my son on the 75-minute drive home. Which MSU basketball player will have their jersey retired next? If you had to bet $10,000 on which current MSU player would play 1 second in an NBA game, who would it be? My son took Akins. As crazy as it may have sounded at one point, I think AJ is 10ish% improvement from the 3-point line from having a shot.
* 3 college hoops games for me in 4 days...love this time of year!
* Hunter Dickinson should 100% be suspended for that "celebration" at Maryland tonight.
+3
1. Half-court defense. I know Rutgers isn't a good offensive team, outside the top 100. But holding them to 34% from the floor and 12% from 3 is really getting the job done. I thought they ran some really good double-ball screen into complex actions to get good looks, but so many times we scrambled recovered, and contested. College basketball has become a game of dribble penetration and it's so hard to get in the lane vs. Walker, Hoggard, Holloman, and Akins.
2. Shooting the rock. #MakeShots. 47% from the floor and 55% from "3" on twelve makes. We also made some TOUGH 3's. Walker made one where he caught it at his chest/chin level and shot it from there due to close-out. Joey made one off a quick shot-fake then back into the shot from the corner. AJ hit a BOMB with the shot-clock running down. Every one Walker shoots right now looks like it's going in. Great to see Akins hit those two late. We are 3rd in the B1G in 3-point percentage.
3. Bring Your Own Guts. Big-time gut check game after tough losses to Illinois and Purdue. Playing against a very physical team, on more rest, and is ready to punch you in the mouth. This is the game where you learn a lot about the guts of your team and the team answered the bell tonight.
-3
1. I do think Rutgers was the tougher team, physically. Showed in the ability to get post position, was very clear on the boards. That never feels quite right for an Izzo team at Breslin. Sure, they shot a lot of bricks, but 18 offensive rebounds is still a lot. That's a bunch of strong and athletic dudes. I see and admire what Pikiell is building, following the Izzo model. But they are dead last in 3's made. He's going to have to add some skill to go with that toughness.
2. Another rough start offensively, something like 13-5 early, after scoring 5 points in the first 10 minutes vs. Purdue. Recovered quickly tonight.
3. Only 7 free throws attempted. For the third straight game, I didn't think we got a great whistle, but I guess we can own some of that, too. I think officials have went over the top with the verticality pieces around the rim when there is a lot of contact and that impacted us tonight. Pendulum on that has just swung a little too far.
MISC
* Just how hard it is to position yourself, jump high enough, secure the rebound with 2 hands, and then bring it down, is one of the things that always stands out to me when I sit that close. For everyone who yells, "just rebound" when watching TV, I wish they could see just how hard it is up close.
* Jaden Akins is on the brink of breaking out. He's right there. 11 points, 5 rebounds, 4 steals, 4 assists, only 1 turnover, and missed some shots that I still feel like he can make. I think he's right there...
* Kohler was our most skilled big the second he stepped on campus. He will continue to be our most skilled big this entire season. He has the best footwork, is the best shooter, and has the best touch. For all he is or isn't at this point, his skill level and effort are clear strengths
* If MSU's players were fighting fatigue and tired legs, I didn't see it, and I was looking
* Not going on too much of a tangent here, but I feel like "ball-screen defense" gets thrown around on social media and message boards almost as much as "RPO's" in football. Lots of people talk about it, but not sure how many really understand. First, it has very little to do with the initial ice/switch/hedge/jam. Being able to attend multiple Izzo practices has really helped me far beyond what I thought I knew as a coach or watching on TV. Once I had done that, the game-planning for and against ball-screen actions allowed me to see it in a completely different light than watching on TV. It's really the tags and rotations after the big has stepped out that help coaches assess how well the ball screen was played. The ability by the big to recover to their man man, x-out switch to another offensive player, stick with the ball-handler due to defender being screened out of the play, those are really the things to look for when seeing how well the big has defended the ball screen. I think Kohler will grade out close to Mady and Cooper in that aspect tonight, which is major improvement. On the flip side, Rutgers defended our ball screens just like Michigan did. They basically doubled the ball-handler and just let our 5-man roll, unguarded/with a slight tag from the weak-side guard. That's how teams will continue to defend us as long as they don't have a defensive stiff like Hunter or Edey.
* Saw some good things from Pierre Brooks. Responded to some intense interactions on the bench. Showed "want-to" and really communicated on the defensive end on a few different occasions
* Watched the game with some players on the MSU women's team. Love to hear the perspective of college athletes watching other college athletes. That perspective always helps me
* 2 big discussion points with my son on the 75-minute drive home. Which MSU basketball player will have their jersey retired next? If you had to bet $10,000 on which current MSU player would play 1 second in an NBA game, who would it be? My son took Akins. As crazy as it may have sounded at one point, I think AJ is 10ish% improvement from the 3-point line from having a shot.
* 3 college hoops games for me in 4 days...love this time of year!
* Hunter Dickinson should 100% be suspended for that "celebration" at Maryland tonight.
