Dean-ied in a close one once again: KU2 ADV

[sys]

but we are an exception.

 

[kso_FAN]

but we are an exception.

 

Too much data for me to buy into the lottery for this team. We'll likely have a game or two when someone shoots 30%, but so far 45% is just what we do.

[sys]

Too much data for me to buy into the lottery for this team.

almost 11 whole games worth.  very robust.

[Powercat Posse]

K-State's 3 point defense now stands at 45.6% allowed vs Big 12 teams.

7 out of 11 Big 12 opponents have shot 45% or better. 4 of 7 have shot 50% or better.

Every opponent except 1 (Texas) has exceeded their average 3PT% against us.

Big 12 opponents shoot nearly 9% better than their Big 12 3PT% against us.

I've always bought into the lack of control on defenses when it comes to 3PT%, but we are an exception as has been discussed multiple times here. Its not like this has been a consistent problem for oscar teams either, but there are systematic flaws in our defense this year leading to a major problem this year. Its a major reason for K-State's 5-6 Big 12 record.

Obviously our biggest issue in the half court is off the pick and roll and probably helping too much. We go over top the ball screen, which we have to, but a Big has to help on the ball handler, then a backside defender must come down to help make sure the Opponents big isn't rolling to the rim unguarded. Ku did this the first 2 trips in the 2nd half.  Both times Wes had to help off towards Lucas. Ku made a pass to Jackson at the wing. Wes was not able to get back in time to contest the 3pt shot.   There are times where we don't over help too much and can get back to the opponent player at the 3pt line, but we don't do it near well enough

Last night, 3 of 4 Ku 3pt makes in the 1st half  were not off regular half court offense. Mason got 1 in transistion when he pulled up from 23 feet as Ervin was too far off (about 7 feet off). The next 2 were off of ORs.  Jackson missed a contested bank shot, ball got tipped in the air. Brown was only player on either team leaking out to other end. The ball got tipped to Wide open Mason, who found open Svi for 3. Brown was on Mason so him not helping control DR cost us.  The other 3 was off of a missed FT. Bragg went up and just out battled DJamer for the OR. 1 pass to Graham who hits 3 from wing. Huge 5 point possession

[sys]

those do sound like defensive problems that are unique to kstate.

[Powercat Posse]

Our defense wasn't good, but I didn't think it was bad either. However, we had a lot more issues in the 1st half IMO.  Ku was able to score 13 pts before the shot clock ever got to 23.  They had 3 breakaway dunks off steals. Bragg got a dunk when no one picked him up (Bragg was 9th player to cross half court). Mason got an outlet off DR and got 1 on 1 layup. And then Mason hit that pull-up 3 in transition. Now part of these easy scores where set up by bad offense.

2nd half, the only bucket for Ku in the first 10 seconds of the shot clock was a Lucas dunk with 22 on clock after pick and roll.  And then we had to foul Frank in transition with the score 66-63.
From the 18:00 mark til they started shooting FTs with :45 left, I was pretty pleased with our effort on D. They got 22 pts in 26 Possessions in that time frame. 

We just needed to have a slim lead with 5:00 to go.  It's 59-58 Ku, and we had only committed 4 TOs our previous 51 Possessions (after 3 TO first 3 Poss), but the cold shooting and not converting our 20 ORs well enough was the main reason we didn't have a 5-7 point lead.

[kso_FAN]

Our defense wasn't good, but I didn't think it was bad either. However, we had a lot more issues in the 1st half IMO.  Ku was able to score 13 pts before the shot clock ever got to 23.  They had 3 breakaway dunks off steals. Bragg got a dunk when no one picked him up (Bragg was 9th player to cross half court). Mason got an outlet off DR and got 1 on 1 layup. And then Mason hit that pull-up 3 in transition. Now part of these easy scores where set up by bad offense.

2nd half, the only bucket for Ku in the first 10 seconds of the shot clock was a Lucas dunk with 22 on clock after pick and roll.  And then we had to foul Frank in transition with the score 66-63.
From the 18:00 mark til they started shooting FTs with :45 left, I was pretty pleased with our effort on D. They got 22 pts in 26 Possessions in that time frame. 

We just needed to have a slim lead with 5:00 to go.  It's 59-58 Ku, and we had only committed 4 TOs our previous 51 Possessions (after 3 TO first 3 Poss), but the cold shooting and not converting our 20 ORs well enough was the main reason we didn't have a 5-7 point lead.

They shot 55% against us. We have the worst eFG% defense in the league and shooting is the #1 factor for winning and losing basketball games. Our offense wasn't good, but when teams shoot 55% against you on a consistent basis you are going to lose games.

[Powercat Posse]

I agree. Allowing 55% isn't good, and 7 of 11 times in league someone has done this to us.
This isn't a strength of ours.   It would have nice to hold Ku to under their 54.5% average, but my point just was, we could have overcame that, had we not been 13-34 FG each half, having our worst 2pt% day by a ways.

[michigancat]

According to kenpom we have a decent defense

[#LIFE]

According to kenpom we have a decent defense

Guess that means we're pretty good considering their voters are biased against us

[kso_FAN]

According to kenpom we have a decent defense

Average in Big 12 play, of course no one besides Baylor really has good defensive efficiency.

Our ability to turn people over at a high rate somewhat makes up for terrible eFG% defense.

[Powercat Posse]

I think at best, our Defense can be considered average.  It's really slightly below Ave.

It was a little encouraging giving up 1.00, 0.98, 0.88 PPP to WV/Isu/BU in 3 of our 4 previous B12 games.
I wish we could have held Ku to 1.05, but I think WV is the only one that has held Ku to 1.04-1.05



As someone who hates Ku, this is something I just dislike about them....

Ku won these games...
* 90-88 vs Ksu. Never trailed 2nd Hf. Led by 10 at half. Game got tied 2 different occasions
* 86-80 vs Tcu. Never trailed 2nd Hf. Lead was 2-7 for 15 straight minutes.
* 87-80 vs OkSt. Never trailed final 9:05. Lead was 3 with 3:00, but no closer.
* 73-68 vs BU. Never trailed last 17:30. Game was tied with 3:00
* 76-72 vs Isu. Never trailed 2nd half. Lead was 4-10 entire half until Isu got it to 3 with :30
* 74-71 vs Ksu. Trailed for 1 Possession 2nd half. Tie game with 2:50

They just have slim lead in 2nd half and don't let a team get a run that puts them into a slight defecit. Isu finally got to them in AFH. Battled down 14, got it into OT and won.

[kso_FAN]

And ISU had two guys combine to go 13-20 from 3 and made 18 total to do it. Decent shooters at 36% and 37% for the year, but not expected.

[kim carnes]

Here are the main problems with this team:
1.  The players aren't very good
2.  The coaches aren't very good

[Skipper44]

According to kenpom we have a decent defense

Average in Big 12 play, of course no one besides Baylor really has good defensive efficiency.

Our ability to turn people over at a high rate somewhat makes up for terrible eFG% defense.

my gut tells me we haven't turned people over at the end of these close games and our eFG% is just as bad if not worse

[Clevey 2 Times]

I think at best, our Defense can be considered average.  It's really slightly below Ave.

It was a little encouraging giving up 1.00, 0.98, 0.88 PPP to WV/Isu/BU in 3 of our 4 previous B12 games.
I wish we could have held Ku to 1.05, but I think WV is the only one that has held Ku to 1.04-1.05



As someone who hates Ku, this is something I just dislike about them....

Ku won these games...
* 90-88 vs Ksu. Never trailed 2nd Hf. Led by 10 at half. Game got tied 2 different occasions
* 86-80 vs Tcu. Never trailed 2nd Hf. Lead was 2-7 for 15 straight minutes.
* 87-80 vs OkSt. Never trailed final 9:05. Lead was 3 with 3:00, but no closer.
* 73-68 vs BU. Never trailed last 17:30. Game was tied with 3:00
* 76-72 vs Isu. Never trailed 2nd half. Lead was 4-10 entire half until Isu got it to 3 with :30
* 74-71 vs Ksu. Trailed for 1 Possession 2nd half. Tie game with 2:50

They just have slim lead in 2nd half and don't let a team get a run that puts them into a slight defecit. Isu finally got to them in AFH. Battled down 14, got it into OT and won.

To reiterate a point I made about the Iowa State loss, in regard to those close W's for KU, they have closers. We don't. When it is crunch time, Kam is the closest we have that I can feel comfortable with, but even he has an erratic side and isn't the finisher in the paint that some of the top guards in conference are. I suppose this is something every mediocre team can say, but we're a few players away from contention.

[kso_FAN]

I think at best, our Defense can be considered average.  It's really slightly below Ave.

It was a little encouraging giving up 1.00, 0.98, 0.88 PPP to WV/Isu/BU in 3 of our 4 previous B12 games.
I wish we could have held Ku to 1.05, but I think WV is the only one that has held Ku to 1.04-1.05



As someone who hates Ku, this is something I just dislike about them....

Ku won these games...
* 90-88 vs Ksu. Never trailed 2nd Hf. Led by 10 at half. Game got tied 2 different occasions
* 86-80 vs Tcu. Never trailed 2nd Hf. Lead was 2-7 for 15 straight minutes.
* 87-80 vs OkSt. Never trailed final 9:05. Lead was 3 with 3:00, but no closer.
* 73-68 vs BU. Never trailed last 17:30. Game was tied with 3:00
* 76-72 vs Isu. Never trailed 2nd half. Lead was 4-10 entire half until Isu got it to 3 with :30
* 74-71 vs Ksu. Trailed for 1 Possession 2nd half. Tie game with 2:50

They just have slim lead in 2nd half and don't let a team get a run that puts them into a slight defecit. Isu finally got to them in AFH. Battled down 14, got it into OT and won.

To reiterate a point I made about the Iowa State loss, in regard to those close W's for KU, they have closers. We don't. When it is crunch time, Kam is the closest we have that I can feel comfortable with, but even he has an erratic side and isn't the finisher in the paint that some of the top guards in conference are. I suppose this is something every mediocre team can say, but we're a few players away from contention.

Yep. When you have NBA players, even guys that are going to ride the bench there, as oscar said they are going to make more plays.

Kam is our guy and he made a few plays against Baylor. He didn't against Kansas. The hope for this program is that he or Sneed or Wade can develop into a consistent guys that makes plays when it counts because that's a key factor in winning close games.

[catastrophe]

FWIW, I like the guys on our team. We are just severely lacking leadership it seems to get everyone to consistently play at a high level. I think Wade needs to be that guy but I don't think he wants to be.

[Clevey 2 Times]

FWIW, I like the guys on our team. We are just severely lacking leadership it seems to get everyone to consistently play at a high level. I think Wade needs to be that guy but I don't think he wants to be.

True on the leadership point, but Dean will not be that guy, unfortunately. I haven't seen it in him yet and he's had plenty of opportunity to be that guy.

[GregKSU1027]

FWIW, I like the guys on our team. We are just severely lacking leadership it seems to get everyone to consistently play at a high level. I think Wade needs to be that guy but I don't think he wants to be.

True on the leadership point, but Dean will not be that guy, unfortunately. I haven't seen it in him yet and he's had plenty of opportunity to be that guy.

Kamau or X is that guy.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[Mixed-Nutz]

Here are the main problems with this team:
1.  The players aren't very good
2.  The coaches aren't very good

Team has been bouncing between 33-26 in kenpom since conference play started. They are doing something right, they aren't bad. That is typical good enough to finish in the the top half of the big 12. This year that gets you around .500 plus adjusting for luck. Weber's complaints should not be about this year, should be about the last 3 years before.

[kso_FAN]

Here are the main problems with this team:
1.  The players aren't very good
2.  The coaches aren't very good

Team has been bouncing between 33-26 in kenpom since conference play started. They are doing something right, they aren't bad. That is typical good enough to finish in the the top half of the big 12. This year that gets you around .500 plus adjusting for luck. Weber's complaints should not be about this year, should be about the last 3 2 years before.

I had no major problems with year 2, it was a nice surprise in fact. Meltdown year during #3 and restart year during #4 were problems though. And yes, hovering around #30 so far is a quality (yet still frustrating) season, now they need to finish it right and take advantage of the schedulemakers' kindness.

[Rage Against the McKee]

I think if you asked oscar, he would want a bye right about now. The schedule makers weren't having that, though.

[420seriouscat69]

I think if you asked oscar, he would want a bye right about now. The schedule makers weren't having that, though.

I'll take what is "played out" for a 1000 Alex.

[Mixed-Nutz]

Here are the main problems with this team:
1.  The players aren't very good
2.  The coaches aren't very good

Team has been bouncing between 33-26 in kenpom since conference play started. They are doing something right, they aren't bad. That is typical good enough to finish in the the top half of the big 12. This year that gets you around .500 plus adjusting for luck. Weber's complaints should not be about this year, should be about the last 3 2 years before.

I had no major problems with year 2, it was a nice surprise in fact. Meltdown year during #3 and restart year during #4 were problems though. And yes, hovering around #30 so far is a quality (yet still frustrating) season, now they need to finish it right and take advantage of the schedulemakers' kindness.

In a vacum, I really don't have problem with year 4. If you consider it a rebuilding year and it was the the kenpom AdjEM was in reason of what we have been since Huggins.

These are the building/rebuilding years, imo.

Huggins first year, AdjEM +13.38 (+.026 luck). Bubble Popped
Franks 2nd year, AdjEM +13.86 (-.020 luck). Bubble Popped
Bruces 2nd year, AdjEM +14.06 (+.002 luck). Made the torment
Bruces 4th year, AdjEM +13.44 (-.052 luck). Bubble Popped

I added Luck because it will show how much the team out performed or under performed there expected outcome. Should give you a quick understanding of the resume.