The Automatically Sit With 2 Fouls Rule Has To Change

[aceman509]

The unwritten rule of sitting guys with 2 fouls the rest of the first half has got to change. Reed was playing the best he has all season when he got a cheap second foul and then he is on the bench the next 13:10 of game time. Thats coaching malpractice.

Similarly, Dillingham picks up his 4th with 10:03 left in the game and doesn't come back until there is 4:03 remaining. This after coming in at the 10:53 mark after being benched 4 minutes, only to get pulled 50 seconds later. That is way too conservative. I know he came back in and gave up the threes at the end and chucked up a bad shot, but I really do think him being iced on the bench has a lot to do with that.

 

[St.PatterSoN-54-]

In the first half, for a guard with high bball IQ, I agree that Reed should have been left in. So what if he fouls out down the stretch?

Sure, Anthony Davis- sit him the rest of the first half. But someone with a hot hand who can be replaced? Let him ride.

But Cal is too damn stubborn.

 

[HalHR2500]

It's an outdated coaching maneuver...Analytics says more games are lost with this strategy, simply because it's never a good idea to intentionally bench your own best players for fear of possible foul trouble.

They have to be smart enough not to foul, it's not that freaking hard at this level, or simply, put them on the other teams worst offense players. That second move requires coaching which is why that doesn't ever happen.

 

[TCurtis75]

It's an outdated coaching maneiver...Analytics says more games are lost in first half than won in second half with this strategy. It's never a good idea to play your lesser players more time, never...

They have to be smart enough not to foul, it's not that freaking hard at this level.

They are also freshmen who haven't gotten that all figured out yet. If so, Dilly wouldn't have committed his 3rd and 4th fouls which were unnecessary.

 

[katwest]

Cal is not going to change anything rule like that, he's just not. They are young and overaggressive especially after hitting a shot or two. They always have done that and always will.

 

[FtWorthCat]

I would go with the following foul/bench guidelines:

2 fouls = out until 10 minute mark of 1st half
3 fouls = out until 2nd half
4 fouls = out until 10 minutes left in game

Doesn't mean I wouldn't sit a guy with 2 fouls in the first half, depending on the foul status of his potential replacements. I've always thought the automatic 2 fouls, out until halftime is too restrictive. But we did have a 7-point lead at the half, so it didn't really hurt us.

 

[JFCats22]

People act like this is only a Cal thing. Every coach in college does this same exact thing.

 

[Woodsmoke]

People act like this is only a Cal thing. Every coach in college does this same exact thing.

Evidently you didn’t pay attention to last night’s game. Kansas PG Harris picked up his 2nd foul in the first half and Self didn’t bench him. He even picked up a quick 3rd foul early in the 2nd half and stayed on the floor. Practically beat us on his own.

 

[Kentucky fan 1989]

I agree but I can see Cal's side too. He doesn't want our guy to get a cheap third foul which be honest... that would probably happen.

 

[JonathanW]

I agree completely. As a Statistician, I've been saying this for many years. You want to maximize the number of quality minutes you get from your best players. And it's debatable whether the last 4 minutes are any more important than any other 4 minutes.
I can see bringing a guy to the bench for a couple minutes, to let him get a breather, and remind him what to do or not do differently with the extra fouls. Then get him back out there (unless team playing better without him).

 

[Seth_C]

I agree but I can see Cal's side too. He doesn't want our guy to get a cheap third foul which be honest... that would probably happen.

How about time and situation? It's not wrong to consider sitting them, but if they have the hot hand I'm riding them and let's see if we can go into the half up 17 or 18 so they aren't needed as much in the second. If we had exactly one big man and he got two early ones, fine, I get it. Sit him. We have like 15 guards on the team. Ride the hot hand as long as you can.

 

[Mike-McD]

People act like this is only a Cal thing. Every coach in college does this same exact thing.

Self didn't, last night.