Cats at PSU Vikings

[lv2hoop]

A road sweep needed so the men can hang with the top 4 in the conference at this stage of the season.

[BelgradeBobcat]

Adamu and Fernandez aren't on the trip due to protocols. All that more impressive beating NAU without Adamu who I think is one of our best players.
PSU game starting out a little shaky. Way too many turnovers. PSU isn't making us pay yet though.

[BelgradeBobcat]

A Gazelas three puts up by three at the half. PSU announcer: "That Battle is bouncy". Battle had a good shift out there. Belo sat the last 6 minutes with 2 fouls. Osobor is doing a good job inside.

[lv2hoop]

13 point lead with 15:35 left. This team is versatile. Let's hang onto the lead and get a road sweep!!!

[MSU01]

Nice little 12-2 run here to start the half and put MSU up 13. Hope they keep their foot on the gas!

[msu_agfan]

It seems our team came out of half with determination. Their many passes were crisp ball movement was great. Belo got a 3rd foul and Bishop seems to have a hurt ankle? and we seemed to lose some steam... but 10 minutes to go and we are still up by 13.

[BelgradeBobcat]

I'll never trust this team with a big lead, but it's going pretty well right now. PSU will have to really really heat up to get back in this one.
Cats up 63-48 with 7 to go.

[AFCAT]

Nice win!

[BelgradeBobcat]

Bobcats win 73-60. It felt like a much wider margin. We were content to burn clock down the stretch and thus waste some possessions. Pretty impressive road sweep without one of our best players.

[mslacatfan]

Go cats!

[BleedingBLue]

When was the last time we had an overall record anywhere near 14-5 or were 9 games over .500 at this point in the season?

[bpcats20]

Ever since Sprinkle took over the program every thing seems to make sense. You can really see our players play free and continuously improve.

We are going to be tough to beat.

[MSU01]

Wow, things are looking way way up for both MSU basketball teams and for the conference in general with a full schedule of games played this weekend and no postponements. Go Cats!

[tetoncat]

I'll never trust this team with a big lead, but it's going pretty well right now. PSU will have to really really heat up to get back in this one.
Cats up 63-48 with 7 to go.

I said this earlier in the season. If we are up double figures with 8 to go we start milking every possession. I agree using some clock but getting to final 5 seconds and having to put up a driving shot at the buzzer has let a lot of teams back in it. I wish we would still get into a post at about 15. And we did not shoot good free throws down the stretch

[nevadacat]

I'll never trust this team with a big lead, but it's going pretty well right now. PSU will have to really really heat up to get back in this one.
Cats up 63-48 with 7 to go.

I said this earlier in the season. If we are up double figures with 8 to go we start milking every possession. I agree using some clock but getting to final 5 seconds and having to put up a driving shot at the buzzer has let a lot of teams back in it. I wish we would still get into a post at about 15. And we did not shoot good free throws down the stretch

This has bugged me all season — and the last couple seasons — with both the men and women. They wait until 10 on the shot clock to START moving and more times than not end up with a bad shot or turn it over. I’m with tetoncat; I’d rather see a little less clock burned to get a better look at decent shot.

[MSU01]

I'll never trust this team with a big lead, but it's going pretty well right now. PSU will have to really really heat up to get back in this one.
Cats up 63-48 with 7 to go.

I said this earlier in the season. If we are up double figures with 8 to go we start milking every possession. I agree using some clock but getting to final 5 seconds and having to put up a driving shot at the buzzer has let a lot of teams back in it. I wish we would still get into a post at about 15. And we did not shoot good free throws down the stretch

This has bugged me all season — and the last couple seasons — with both the men and women. They wait until 10 on the shot clock to START moving and more times than not end up with a bad shot or turn it over. I’m with tetoncat; I’d rather see a little less clock burned to get a better look at decent shot.

I wonder if there are analytics out there to help tell coaches at what point a lead is "safe" enough that they're statistically better off just running clock as opposed to running a normal offense and risking a quick possession without scoring. It does seem like getting overly conservative too soon can lead to trouble if the other team hits a few shots as you're not scoring. This phenomenon is most definitely not unique to MSU, you see it all the time in both college and the NBA.

[Joe Bobcat]

I'll never trust this team with a big lead, but it's going pretty well right now. PSU will have to really really heat up to get back in this one.
Cats up 63-48 with 7 to go.

I said this earlier in the season. If we are up double figures with 8 to go we start milking every possession. I agree using some clock but getting to final 5 seconds and having to put up a driving shot at the buzzer has let a lot of teams back in it. I wish we would still get into a post at about 15. And we did not shoot good free throws down the stretch

This has bugged me all season — and the last couple seasons — with both the men and women. They wait until 10 on the shot clock to START moving and more times than not end up with a bad shot or turn it over. I’m with tetoncat; I’d rather see a little less clock burned to get a better look at decent shot.

I wonder if there are analytics out there to help tell coaches at what point a lead is "safe" enough that they're statistically better off just running clock as opposed to running a normal offense and risking a quick possession without scoring. It does seem like getting overly conservative too soon can lead to trouble if the other team hits a few shots as you're not scoring. This phenomenon is most definitely not unique to MSU, you see it all the time in both college and the NBA.

Here's how I'd describe our clock eating ?plan? and technic. The point guard stands and lackadaisically dribbles the ball at least 40 feet from the basket (unless of course a defender gets after him, in which case he's put himself in a tough position and may end up turning the ball over.) All other players on the team pretty much just stand around not looking for or expecting a pass. Why would they? The point guard is too far out and is in no way attempting to set anything up, and not looking for any player who has moved himself into a position of advantage to score. Now the shot clock gets down to between 11 and 8 seconds. Without having set the table and no tempo being established the point guard kicks it into gear and franticly looks for someone to pass to or makes a move himself as other players go from their no tempo dead stop to franticly trying to get open somewhere anywhere on the court (no evidence of a plan or play). Once in every great while someone gets in a good position to get a pass and attempt a shot but more likely a prayer gets thrown up.
We've seen that scenario way too many times.

[thefrank1]

I'll never trust this team with a big lead, but it's going pretty well right now. PSU will have to really really heat up to get back in this one.
Cats up 63-48 with 7 to go.

I said this earlier in the season. If we are up double figures with 8 to go we start milking every possession. I agree using some clock but getting to final 5 seconds and having to put up a driving shot at the buzzer has let a lot of teams back in it. I wish we would still get into a post at about 15. And we did not shoot good free throws down the stretch

This has bugged me all season — and the last couple seasons — with both the men and women. They wait until 10 on the shot clock to START moving and more times than not end up with a bad shot or turn it over. I’m with tetoncat; I’d rather see a little less clock burned to get a better look at decent shot.

I wonder if there are analytics out there to help tell coaches at what point a lead is "safe" enough that they're statistically better off just running clock as opposed to running a normal offense and risking a quick possession without scoring. It does seem like getting overly conservative too soon can lead to trouble if the other team hits a few shots as you're not scoring. This phenomenon is most definitely not unique to MSU, you see it all the time in both college and the NBA.

Here's how I'd describe our clock eating ?plan? and technic. The point guard stands and lackadaisically dribbles the ball at least 40 feet from the basket (unless of course a defender gets after him, in which case he's put himself in a tough position and may end up turning the ball over.) All other players on the team pretty much just stand around not looking for or expecting a pass. Why would they? The point guard is too far out and is in no way attempting to set anything up, and not looking for any player who has moved himself into a position of advantage to score. Now the shot clock gets down to between 11 and 8 seconds. Without having set the table and no tempo being established the point guard kicks it into gear and franticly looks for someone to pass to or makes a move himself as other players go from their no tempo dead stop to franticly trying to get open somewhere anywhere on the court (no evidence of a plan or play). Once in every great while someone gets in a good position to get a pass and attempt a shot but more likely a prayer gets thrown up.
We've seen that scenario way too many times.

Well said!