Our basketball team is improved this year. No doubt in my mind! Currently, we have four more wins than I predicted at this time, and clearly have a great shot at a winning season (16-14 is my current guess). Moreover, I predicted five wins in conference and we're already at four. And while the conference is not as strong as I originally thought, I think we have a great chance to finish 7-9, maybe better. But recent play has been disappointing and Coach Conroy still makes statements that leave me perplexed. After today's loss to Temple he said, "for whatever reason we were not ready to start this basketball game from a defensive standpoint."
Huh?!? OK, he goes on to explain that poor defense in the first five minutes caused us to force the ball on offense. But, really!! We were 3 for 24 from the floor in the first half. We committed nine turnovers and scored 8 points. Eight points!! NO STARTER SCORED IN THE ENTIRE FIRST HALF. And defense was the problem? Heck, Temple only scored 28. And, they only shot 43.8% from the floor. It was not like our defense let them run wild.
And, yes, I understand that Temple went 5 for 6 in the first 4½ minutes. But we went 0 for 6, so we were not ready to start this basketball game from an offensive standpoint either. Regardless, that put us down 12-0. And 12 points is a lot in the first five minutes. That's a rate of 96 points in a full game. But Zero points is a rate of zero points in a complete game. Focusing on defensive shortcomings seems to fail to recognize the problems we had on offense.
To me, our problem was OFFENSE, Coach-- whatever the pressures, whatever the circumstance. We should win games when we allow 57 points. But our team is averaging less than 50 points a game in our last four contests. That simply won't cut it.
Roll Wave!!!
Huh?!? OK, he goes on to explain that poor defense in the first five minutes caused us to force the ball on offense. But, really!! We were 3 for 24 from the floor in the first half. We committed nine turnovers and scored 8 points. Eight points!! NO STARTER SCORED IN THE ENTIRE FIRST HALF. And defense was the problem? Heck, Temple only scored 28. And, they only shot 43.8% from the floor. It was not like our defense let them run wild.
And, yes, I understand that Temple went 5 for 6 in the first 4½ minutes. But we went 0 for 6, so we were not ready to start this basketball game from an offensive standpoint either. Regardless, that put us down 12-0. And 12 points is a lot in the first five minutes. That's a rate of 96 points in a full game. But Zero points is a rate of zero points in a complete game. Focusing on defensive shortcomings seems to fail to recognize the problems we had on offense.
To me, our problem was OFFENSE, Coach-- whatever the pressures, whatever the circumstance. We should win games when we allow 57 points. But our team is averaging less than 50 points a game in our last four contests. That simply won't cut it.
Roll Wave!!!