Looking at the way we are trending downward (the Niagara game aside; where we played an opponent with even less interest in D than Iona has), I can't help but think that the Manhattan games have high potential to be an embarrassment. I especially hope that the home game where Ritchie Guerin will be honored doesn't turn into a debacle.
chels, never said we can coach better, but tell me which part of what I said was wrong? we go to every game, tell me the pays we call? when jeff was the coach we had 4 or 5 plays w knew hat they were since we were at the games. I have nets season tickets, when frank used to call out plays we knew what they were- name me one play that we have besides the weave
Chelseadal, you are right that we should not have any say in what happens with the team from a coaching standpoint. Through this board we are making observations from our limited perspectives and expressing our frustration over what has happened this season. We all know it is very easy to find apparent fault, but very difficult to find the magic or easy fix. I know as frustrated as we are with the results thus far, the coaches and players are that much more frustrated. Coach Cluess is still trying different rotations to find the combinations that work in different situations. Given the current situation where the regular season is minimized as the NCAA tourney bid is decided at the conference tournament I do not fault Cluess' continued experimenting. I have to remind myself that it is how we end the season that matters, just like last year. We have high expectations with the collection of individual talent we possess. Each year under Coach Cluess the team has had a different personality dictated by the leading players strengths. This years strength is the 3 point shooting with the primary weakness being rebounding. No rebounding means no fast break, limited transition points. Very difficult to win on a consistent basis when being outrebounded. Hopefully we find a way. At some point hopefully certain team members will become role players that focus on rebounding above all else.
chels, never said we can coach better, but tell me which part of what I said was wrong? we go to every game, tell me the pays we call? when jeff was the coach we had 4 or 5 plays w knew hat they were since we were at the games. I have nets season tickets, when frank used to call out plays we knew what they were- name me one play that we have besides the weave
I am not going to analyze your in game philosophy. I do know that this coach has done very well the last few years. I also know that you don't know the strengths and weaknesses of this team as well as he does. We all say what we feel on the board which is great. I just got sick of reading what we need to do to fix the team from high school coaches.
Last words before moving on. Five 3 pointers by Quinnipiac in the first 3 and half minutes were absolutely killer as they raced out to a 17-2 lead. That in my opinion was the difference in the game, outside of rebounding margin. Very few teams can crawl out of a hole that big that early. We got a taste of our own medicine (when hot from deep) and it does not taste good. Time to focus on Fairfield.
While it is obvious the defense is a major problem, IMO the bigger issue that needs to be resolved can be answered in 2 words...point guard. 13 games into the season TC has started 4 different PGS (I believe Poole started at least 1 game). It has been years since Iona has not been stable at the most important position on the team. So far this year TC has a had a hard time finding a constant rotation due to injuries and the IW situation. Looks like Sledge is about back to 100% and need to get Robinson back on the court. He was starting to show signs blocking shots. His size is desperately needed, even just for depth and 5 more fouls. Going forward IMO I would like to see Gomez/Sledge take over the PG role. English is better off the ball. I like Hines and Laury starting together because their games compliment each other. Having Poole, Bowman, Sledge and Robinson coming off the bench to supply a spark. Have no idea whats going on with Ellis. Just my humble opinion but lets remember that despite last nights disaster Fairfield and Siena are 2 games we should win, which puts us at 5-1 in the MAAC and at worst in second place and lets see what the Jaspers do Thursday night at Quinny. That game is on SNY if anybody wants to take a look at Manhattan. Maybe its the 2 degree weather making me think crazy but I think the Gaels are tied for first in the MAAC come Sunday night. Go Gaels !!
Last words before moving on. Five 3 pointers by Quinnipiac in the first 3 and half minutes were absolutely killer as they raced out to a 17-2 lead. That in my opinion was the difference in the game, outside of rebounding margin. Very few teams can crawl out of a hole that big that early. We got a taste of our own medicine (when hot from deep) and it does not taste good. Time to focus on Fairfield.
I totally agree with Husker76 here. QU only shot 29.2% from behind the arc prior to last nights game, so I'm sure Cluess was willing to let them shoot the three. They made 5 in a row and that rattled our offense as we were throwing up bricks early on. Tough to recover from that. As for rebounding margin, I'm not sure what people were expecting. QU averages 50 boards a game versus 32 for us.
chels you speak about rotations and experimenting as excuses- no coach is experimenting knowing they might get down 20 in a big conf game, just answer 1 question in four yrs do we have any half court plays?
Lots of hand wringing out here. Relax, boys. The season comes down to 3 games in March, and our chances are good in that scenario.
Also, there is so much analysis about the defense, but this is the same system Cluess has used since coming here (and long before). You can't recruit to this system and play this style without giving something up, and what we give up is in-your-face D and rebounding, because the system is based on finesse and speed. The system also does not lend itself to many true centers, which of course help in the rebounding and anchor the middle of the D. That's why the develop of Daniel Robinson will be CRUCIAL to the program's success in the coming years. (Speaking of Robinson--when is he back?)
There is no questioning the talent level of this team, but roles need to be developed. Armand, as a senior and the "star", has to take over when the team needs points. Laury simply has to be challenged to be more aggressive on both ends, fouls or no fouls. English has done everything asked of him. Bowman needs to stay focused on both ends, even when his shots aren't falling. Poole needs to attack the basket more and stop shooting perimeter. Same with Sledge when he's out there. Gomez is the better offensive option but is a sieve on defense. Really, much of the team is. What I'd like to see is Iona simply just go 1980s LMU and keep rolling in different players and press full court for 40 minutes. If your halfcourt D stinks anyway and you don't want to allow fouls, the least you can do is pick up some more steals and get some easy points in transition.
The bottom line is that Iona will continue to beat the bad teams and struggle against the good teams. The question is whether Iona can find enough to win 3 times in Springfield, and that could very well depend on the seed. As pointed out above, despite how Iona has struggled, they're looking at 5-1 in the league and are still very likely to finish top 4 (and remember the tourney format change). Quinny is a horrible matchup for Iona, though I am curious to see what happens when they play in New Rochelle. Manhattan isn't a great matchup either. Teams like Canisius and rising Marist are better matchups. But it only takes one win to get to the next round, and then one win after that to get to the final, and then you're playing for a berth. Let's just get healthy and keep working and see where we are in about 8 weeks.
The greatest poster in the history of the MAAC as determined by THREE separate polls.
Lots of hand wringing out here. Relax, boys. The season comes down to 3 games in March, and our chances are good in that scenario.
Also, there is so much analysis about the defense, but this is the same system Cluess has used since coming here (and long before). You can't recruit to this system and play this style without giving something up, and what we give up is in-your-face D and rebounding, because the system is based on finesse and speed. The system also does not lend itself to many true centers, which of course help in the rebounding and anchor the middle of the D. That's why the develop of Daniel Robinson will be CRUCIAL to the program's success in the coming years. (Speaking of Robinson--when is he back?)
There is no questioning the talent level of this team, but roles need to be developed. Armand, as a senior and the "star", has to take over when the team needs points. Laury simply has to be challenged to be more aggressive on both ends, fouls or no fouls. English has done everything asked of him. Bowman needs to stay focused on both ends, even when his shots aren't falling. Poole needs to attack the basket more and stop shooting perimeter. Same with Sledge when he's out there. Gomez is the better offensive option but is a sieve on defense. Really, much of the team is. What I'd like to see is Iona simply just go 1980s LMU and keep rolling in different players and press full court for 40 minutes. If your halfcourt D stinks anyway and you don't want to allow fouls, the least you can do is pick up some more steals and get some easy points in transition.
The bottom line is that Iona will continue to beat the bad teams and struggle against the good teams. The question is whether Iona can find enough to win 3 times in Springfield, and that could very well depend on the seed. As pointed out above, despite how Iona has struggled, they're looking at 5-1 in the league and are still very likely to finish top 4 (and remember the tourney format change). Quinny is a horrible matchup for Iona, though I am curious to see what happens when they play in New Rochelle. Manhattan isn't a great matchup either. Teams like Canisius and rising Marist are better matchups. But it only takes one win to get to the next round, and then one win after that to get to the final, and then you're playing for a berth. Let's just get healthy and keep working and see where we are in about 8 weeks.
What I'd like to see is Iona simply just go 1980s LMU and keep rolling in different players and press full court for 40 minutes. If your halfcourt D stinks anyway and you don't want to allow fouls, the least you can do is pick up some more steals and get some easy points in transition.
Ditto that for sure. Take some gambles, at least the tenacity in the defense will look like a concerted effort to play some defense and rattle some of the offenses.
Guy, I agree we should just play like LMU, its what we are good at, and it it is what we are. We are built to win at our level not to beat teams that are bigger and better. We are what we are I good mid major, not a Gonazaga or other mid majors built to make a run in the NCAA tourney. Maybe if we were hot we could win a NCAA game by running a team out of the gym.
chels you speak about rotations and experimenting as excuses- no coach is experimenting knowing they might get down 20 in a big conf game, just answer 1 question in four yrs do we have any half court plays?
I never mentioned rotations and experimenting? I don't know how you got that. He runs a run, run, run style. You may not like it, but he picks players to play in that system. The only half court sets that I remember were with Scott. And they weren't used often.
Some really good posts above. Agreed that it all boils down to 3 games in March as always...but still kills me that we are giving away seeds because of our poor midseason form. Same thing happened last year, and likely cost us 1-2 seeds in the tourney and was the difference between us drawing a winnable matchup as a 13/14 seed and an impossible matchup (OSU in Dayton). I know I'm probably in the minority here, but a MAAC title that comes along with a 15/16 seed just isn't the same.