So. 5 games left. We are in a good spot..wish we had 5 days off b4 Dayton instead of 1.
We have made as a team and as individuals a ton of improvement. What is left? If you had to pick something for the team or for an individual to improve on for the final run what would it be?
I am going to go with post recognition of double teams and passing out of those double teams.

You know, years ago we used to post this as a joke. But…not a joke since 2018

https://youtu.be/d-hDl6OALv4?si=nzTjX1nz1WHrPDep

What’s left to improve on? This one’s easy. Reduce the Fouls!! I’ll repeat - putting teams in the bonus and the double bonus early and often is going to come back to get us. It didn’t get us today because RI missed 9 or 10 free throws. But it will. In particular - let’s work with Miles on setting legal screens and on not fouling on defense 30 feet from the basket.

Honorable mention. While overall he has been terrific and in my opinion is our best player - Des needs to work on not forcing passes or throwing non chalant passes when the recipient is not open and/or is being defended. Happens at least a couple times every game. He’s too good a player to have this weakness in his game.

Win the whole F’n thing.

Fouls is the big one to me. I am curious the percentage of halves that we have put the other team in the bonus with 10+ minutes remaining. Seems like the majority of them, at least recently.

We seem to have cut our turnover problem in half, which is massive. But the fouling issue can really hurt us in close games against teams that shoot free throws well.

beat teams from the top 4 in the conference. 0-2 right now.

They have to find a reliable ballhandler to give Norris a break. This over reliance may work with multiple days between games but it will be problem with tournaments.

Since TOs and Fouls have been noted, and our FT percentage has become respectable, I think we need to watch our excitement to score after we steal or wind up with the ball out of a scramble. Be careful throwing the ball 60 feet as part of a fast break mentality. Often just holding and dribbling will do. Lastly, let's get better against the zone.

Long passes and the fast break mentality. That’s a good one. A few have worked - but more often we give the ball right back.

Long passes and the fast break mentality. That’s a good one. A few have worked - but more often we give the ball right back.

I don’t mind the “fast break mentality” in terms of getting up court quickly, especially against teams with good half court defenses. But, yeah, that doesn’t need to be a 40-60 foot pass, unless it’s wide open.