Sunday discussion.. UK makes the final four if…….

[BigKari]

Gotta hand the team over to Reed and Dillingham, Reeves just keeps piling on buckets like he has been. Thiero gets boosted too, as minutes for Edwards, Wagner, and Bradshaw tighten. Need Ivisic to come along more to crack the 7 man rotation, or expand it to 8. Basically, this can be Final 4 team if Cal figures out a rotation.

Right now for me it would be:

G - Dillingham
G - Reeves
F- Thiero
F- Mitchell
C- Onyenso

G- Sheppard
G - Wagner
F/C - Ivisic

Dillingham, Reeves, and Sheppard all play 30+ mins. Wagner and Thiero split minutes, obviously going 3 guard while Wagner is in. Ivisic backs up Onyenso and Mitchell.

 

[storm1507]

I posted this a month or so ago in a thread here. Maybe not word for word, but............. get better defensively and rebounding, everyone be healthy, and no drama. I'll stick with that statement.

 

[Titpwhami2014]

Move Wagner off the ball. He has no business playing point if he’s not going to look for his teammates. I get that he’s wired to score, but his hero ball is going to cost us in March if he’s still the primary point.

 

[catben]

4 things that could make us better in a month:

Reed as the PG- He is steady, plays better with that ball in his hands because it makes him more aggressive, he is our best passer and can make shots when needed.

Use Z and Ugo more at the 4/5. Ugo was great on the defensive end yesterday. He hedges better than our other Bigs(even Mitchell), he rotates better, he is the best rim protector we have and he DUNKS IT when he has a bunny. Z has the ability to make 3's, stretch the defense, uses his length on defense and is a heady kid. just needs more strength, which is why he should get no more than 15 minutes/game. Mitchell still has to play 30 minutes/game.

STOP with the help defense on EVERY drive!!! This is an area that is causing opponents to get open looks from 3. Funnel every thing into the shot blockers(Ugo, Theiro, Bradshaw, Z) use those 7 footers as a backstop. Of course this also means EVERYONE must learn the proper way to rotate when the shot blockers protect the rim so we don't give up offensive rebounds which has KILLED us!!

MOVE THE BASKETBALL!!! No more pounding it out front!!! The more we share the ball, the more efficient we become and more deadly!!

 

[UKBB4Ever]

Improve defensive rebounding is the major thing that needs to happen.

But we are going the FF as is.

 

[Mike-McD]

1. we get no worse than a 3 seed
2. After the first week-end our bracket gets busted
3. We are healthy and have an 8 man rotation
4. Either or both Bradshaw and Edwards have limited roles(less than 8 minutes)

In other words a good draw + a busted bracket. We are going to need some help in the second week-end. We are a good team but we aren't as good as we appear at times. How far can Reeves, Mitchell, Sheppard and one other guy (to be named in the next month) take us?

5. Cal gets himself thrown out of the Sweet Sixteen game in the first 5 minutes

 

[bowfreak]

…..if about 12 teams miss their flight.

 

[Fox2monk]

Outside of the obvious answer “win four games”. What adjustments and keys do the Bennies believe have to happen to make a run come March. I’d like to preface this isn’t meant to be a Cal bashing thread but a discussion of how we can actually make the run we all want to see happen. Regardless of the recent struggle the pieces are certainly there.

Consistent lineup, Cal needs to get Z more minutes but make a decision and play only 1 big major minutes. Only rely on Bradshaw and Edwards in games they can play in and for short breathers. Get back to sharing the ball, passing, and shooting 3’s. Keep some defensive pressure up like last game.

 

[CapnBlubs]

On defense, quite frankly, I think LESS coaching could have helped us out at times this year and in other recent seasons. We've had so many players capable of jumping passing lanes who (it seemed to me) were discouraged from doing so.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

Bradshaw and Edwards out of the rotation.

Go with Onyenso, Big Z, Mitchell, Thiero, Reeves, Dillingham, Wagner, Sheppard. Start Reed at point guard. Play Wagner off the ball. Move Reeves to the 3. Dillingham remains your spark off the bench.

Bye bye to Justin and Aaron.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

Consistent lineup, Cal needs to get Z more minutes but make a decision and play only 1 big major minutes. Only rely on Bradshaw and Edwards in games they can play in and for short breathers. Get back to sharing the ball, passing, and shooting 3’s. Keep some defensive pressure up like last game.

Does Cal have the courage to cut playing time for his Klutch superstars?

 

[FurdTerguson]

This isn't the 2012 or 2015 team. It's not even the 2014 team. We're going to need one of the guards to be Brandon Knight. It wouldn't hurt if Goose Givens showed Edwards how he can dominate as a small forward just by taking that open 15- footer all game long. Right now I think Edwards tried to be everything he is not.

 

[AGEE11]

Didn't read the whole thread so most of this has probably been covered.

Better D

• PnR was better and D as a whole against Arkansas, need to keep building
• Add some zone for 4-5 plays a game just to throw the other team off
• Work on blocking out better. Ugo, and Thiero do this well, sometimes Mitchell too. But focus on it

Rotations

• Bradshaw and Edwards should get around 10 minutes per game, no more. (He did this against Arkansas Bradshaw 12, Edwards 9).
• Cal has to quit pulling players after one mistake. He admitted he screwed up with Reed at SC and fixed it with him against Arkansas. Now do the same for Big Z.
• Wagner, Reed, Dillingham, Reeves, Thiero, Mitchell, Ugo, Z is the main 8 man rotation. Don't care who starts, but play the hot hands to finish.

Offense

• Hard to fault anything here as we are at the top. Last two games were drawn out and everyone will try that now.
• More pin down screens for Shep and Reeves. Use the play Tubby ran for his daddy to get Reed more looks (Reeves too and Dillingham when he's on)
• Wagner/Reed/Dillingham and Tre in PnR like Knight and Jorts (went to this late last game and it worked almost every time).

 

[K_TIME]

Outside of the obvious answer “win four games”. What adjustments and keys do the Bennies believe have to happen to make a run come March. I’d like to preface this isn’t meant to be a Cal bashing thread but a discussion of how we can actually make the run we all want to see happen. Regardless of the recent struggle the pieces are certainly there.

1. Let’s start whittling down the minutes and rotations. Reed needs to start, move DJ off ball more (bench Edwards)

2. To fix the defense…I think it’s more Ugo (25 mpg) and more Thiero (25mpg)….and those minutes need to come at the expense of Brasdahaw at the center spot….Edwards and a few of Mitchell minutes at the forwards spots

3. Scheme wise….everyone high ball screens us as we play zero zone…so if it’s Ugo…go over screen and get him playing a drop coverage and force teams to attack him…he has shown he’s a handful to shoot at…..if it’s Mitchell/bradshaw….trap that ball screen and rotate to the shooter …running them off 3pt line and into Ugo who is again a handful to drive into

3. I don’t know fully what to do with Ivisic….he may be a big piece…or maybe he’s not…I simply can’t make a call on a few games (and his minutes in Arkansas game were literally two)

Those are my thoughts to Maximize the roster we have

 

[CatPhight]

If Calipari is named head coach of the Indiana Mad Ants...

 

[qwesley]

What about going back to Mitchell at the 5 and bringing the 7footers ALL off the bench unless we are playing a team with a dominant big. Run run run everyone out of the gym like earlier this year with the comfort of 15 talented fouls from 7 footers off the bench?

Because, like every year, the longer the season goes the more contact allowed eases back in. Plus Mitchell is really not a physical guy to pair with. That style would not work late in the year and in the tourney but would like to see it in certain situations or certain opponents. We have to get tougher....fast.

Invest in Z for a few games, best option to lift our ceiling. Otherwise Ugo for 25+ mins
Sit JE and AB, 8 man rotation. Seen enough, it isn't happening.
28-30 mins of RS running point working off high ball screens and making decisions. Needs more shots.
Keep Mitchell down in the 28 min range and tell him to shoot if open
Thiero needs 20 mins at least (12 at PF, 3-4 at SF, 3-4 small ball), toughest guy needs to play

 

[TFCats11]

When you are a life long fan of a team that has a coach that does things that are unprecedented, and not in a good way, that no other coach in history, of any sport does, it’s going to be called out.

No way, no how, is the OP a genuine life long member of BBN! Actions speak louder than words.

 

[TTTblue24]

NCAA tournament games seem to trend to slow paced and grind it out type most often, need to establish a legit motion offense with screens away from the ball to free up shooters. We’ve got to keep people out of the lane, especially pgs and need a post threat. Mitchell or thiero on the block occasionally with AB or Z from 15-18 ft for a jumper, but we can’t post those 2. Maybe ugo can throw in a jump hook here & there but we need his defense and rebounding.

 

[know1]

Better defense. Better rebounding. And a coach who cares about winning games and isn't too lazy to watch film and game plan and understands how to make in game adjustments that will benefit the team.