Need to get our Big Men More Involved in the Game

[StandUp]

How can we get our Big Men more involved in the Game? Yanick Moriera, Ben Moore, Markus Kennedy and Cannen Cunningham have all played well at times and have all had their moments this season.

Over the past 2 or 3 games our bigs, with the exception of maybe Markus Kennedy, have all disappeared for long stretches. I am not even talking about getting our bigs to score more. How about maybe grabbing some more rebounds, maybe blocking a few shots, maybe setting more screens. Watch any of our games and count the number of times that our guards end up getting offensive and defensive rebounds. Overall our team is definitely playing well together. Don't get me wrong. I am really proud of our team, I just believe that our bigs could play a much greater role. It concerns me that we are relying too much on Nic Moore, Nick Russell, Sterling Brown, and Keith Frazier. Pony Up!

[Treadway21]

Well. I'm some respects you are right. But if you look at the stats, we score a bunch of points in the paint. Off the top of my head I don't have the breakdown, but if I recall we have two or three game with over 50 points from the paint. Whether the bigs are scoring all those or not, they must be creating and passing for us to have those sorts of numbers. Nic Moore does carry a big load of the scoring and needs others to pick up where he leaves off. I am hopeful that Russell continues to score like he did against UConn to help keep the pressure off Moore.

The same point can be made on rebounding. Our guys, as a team out rebound the opponent by 9 rebounds a game. Honestly with that number, I don't care who gets the rebound. The bigs are doing something right to be so consistent on the boards.

I think the numbers are kingdof deceptive because they are spread between 4 guys.

[SMU 86]

Our bigs are our first option in the offense but you can't force the ball to them if they are covered. Since we are not playing teams like McNeese St anymore the low post defenses we face are better so are bigs are getting covered better. And they are still rebounding well. We are fine.

[Digetydog]

How can we get our Big Men more involved in the Game? Yanick Moriera, Ben Moore, Markus Kennedy and Cannen Cunningham have all played well at times and have all had their moments this season.

Over the past 2 or 3 games our bigs, with the exception of maybe Markus Kennedy, have all disappeared for long stretches. I am not even talking about getting our bigs to score more. How about maybe grabbing some more rebounds, maybe blocking a few shots, maybe setting more screens. Watch any of our games and count the number of times that our guards end up getting offensive and defensive rebounds. Overall our team is definitely playing well together. Don't get me wrong. I am really proud of our team, I just believe that our bigs could play a much greater role. It concerns me that we are relying too much on Nic Moore, Nick Russell, Sterling Brown, and Keith Frazier. Pony Up!

My knowledge of college BB coaching is somewhat limited, but I am pretty sure my defensive plan would involve forcing SMU to beat me with the outside shot. I would do everything possible to prevent the big guys from getting the ball in good positions to score.

[ojaipony]

I'm no expert either as hoopmanx has clearly pointed out on many occasions. However I think our size and use of that size can really be an advantage in the AAC. It showed against UConn and I bet it does the same against Louisville (not that we beat them but their strength is in the backcourt just like UConn). So that, coupled with Nic Moore and if Frazier gets on a roll, we are a tough team to beat. And I mean front court DEFENSE seems pretty solid; I'd like to see more offense from our front court although our offensive rebounding has been impressive.

[StandUp]

Our Team is definitely playing well together. We are playing Winning Basketball! Could not be more excited. Great Team Defense. Great Team Rebounding (mostly done by our guards). Yes we are playing tougher competition, but our Bigs need to step up. Just wish we had more rebounds, blocked shots, and scoring from our Bigs. I don't know what the magic formula is to get our Bigs more involved.

[Stallion]

Been to every game-don't understand the criticism. Our big guys are playing pretty damn good. Their low numbers are simply a matter of playing fewer minutes. Moreira and Kennedy rarely play at the same time. Ben Moore and Caneen Cunningham get significant playing time too, Shawn Williams works the baseline and in the Paint. The inside guys have scored about 35 points per game out of about 73 points per game and have about 21 rebounds out of 38 rebounds per game. They are hitting on over 58% -from the Field. Take a look at what Cincy and UCONN did from the Field-not so hot. What's the problem.

[gostangs]

This is a fix in search of something broken. The bigs and their productivity are our strength - not our weakness. Next topic.

[Grant Carter]

Been to every game-don't understand the criticism. Our big guys are playing pretty damn good. Their low numbers are simply a matter of playing fewer minutes. Moreira and Kennedy rarely play at the same time. Ben Moore and Caneen Cunningham get significant playing time too, Shawn Williams works the baseline and in the Paint. The inside guys have scored about 35 points per game out of about 73 points per game and have about 21 rebounds out of 38 rebounds per game. They are hitting on over 58% -from the Field. Take a look at what Cincy and UCONN did from the Field-not so hot. What's the problem.

Agreed, well said.

[ojaipony]

This is a fix in search of something broken. The bigs and their productivity are our strength - not our weakness. Next topic.

Agree.

Although, and I know this is an extremely petty criticism, is that l'd like to see about 5-10 more points out of our bigs (esp Yanick). (do that and we beat UVA and maybe make Cincy a W as well). In close games, another bucket or 2 from your bigs is huge - makes the defense collapse more/honor the paint more but maybe by taking more shots you put your bigs out of rebounding position and the 5-10 points you get isn't a NET gain.

Anyway, I'm over analyzing. They are definitely our strength, ESPECIALLY in AAC play.

[Stallion]

I think we may get it just though natural experience and maturity. You know Moreira only played 11.5 minutes per game against Cincy and UConn. Kennedy has improved more than any player on team. Ben Moore is going to get better and better. I even believe Cunningham still has a lot of upside potential. And they all return next year

[gostangs]

they all return, and we probably get a big out of this next class for 14/15

[SMU 86]

This is a fix in search of something broken. The bigs and their productivity are our strength - not our weakness. Next topic.

Agree.

Although, and I know this is an extremely petty criticism, is that l'd like to see about 5-10 more points out of our bigs (esp Yanick). (do that and we beat UVA and maybe make Cincy a W as well). In close games, another bucket or 2 from your bigs is huge - makes the defense collapse more/honor the paint more but maybe by taking more shots you put your bigs out of rebounding position and the 5-10 points you get isn't a NET gain.

Anyway, I'm over analyzing. They are definitely our strength, ESPECIALLY in AAC play.

I think you are over analyzing. Teams are reading the scouting report and have the athletes to guard our bigs better. Again, we are trying to go to them first but they can't force the ball to them when they are well covered.

[Treadway21]

Also it might be deceiving since our big shoot very poorly from the free throw line.

Kennedy: 58% (37-63 .587)
Moore, B.*: 45% (13-29 .448)
Cunningham: 78% (18-23 .783)
Moreira: 66% (29-44 .659)
Average = .618 or 62%

Add in Williams who does not shoot very many (6-11 54%) and it would be even worse.

Bring that average up (and there is some missed 1 and 1's in there), and your get some moderate increase in point production from the group of 4. At and average of 75% from that group, you would score and additional 22 points or 1.5 point per game and would increase our F-Throws made per game from 14.9 to 16.4 which would almost equal our opponents F-Throw made per game of 16.9.

Even if we do not need the boost to scoring for the big men, they need to get those averages up or it might cost us a close game. It especially applies to the team free throws. The team really need to get its free throw average up - right now it is sitting at .673 and that is without pressure games.

*In honor of uniwatch and our unusual FIOB, Line P. (http://www.uni-watch.com/2013/08/31/smu-running-back-prescott-line-wears-unusual-nameplate-format/

[Treadway21]

This is a fix in search of something broken. The bigs and their productivity are our strength - not our weakness. Next topic.

Agree.

Although, and I know this is an extremely petty criticism, is that l'd like to see about 5-10 more points out of our bigs (esp Yanick). (do that and we beat UVA and maybe make Cincy a W as well). In close games, another bucket or 2 from your bigs is huge - makes the defense collapse more/honor the paint more but maybe by taking more shots you put your bigs out of rebounding position and the 5-10 points you get isn't a NET gain.

Anyway, I'm over analyzing. They are definitely our strength, ESPECIALLY in AAC play.

I think you are over analyzing. Teams are reading the scouting report and have the athletes to guard our bigs better. Again, we are trying to go to them first but they can't force the ball to them when they are well covered.

Then I really over analyzed with my last post.