Detroit Game - What Lessons Were Learned from CSU?

[Captain Kangaroo]

CSU smothered us on the perimeter, and out-quicked us across the board. Does this Zips team have the capability to counteract a squad with similar strengths like Detroit?

Can Zeke toss down some dunks with authority from 3-feet, rather than use the glass...can he skooch-in a few more feet on his 13-foot hook shots?

Can Nick finish strong around the hoop? Can he clean some glass? Or is his focus on the Euro pros, and making babies?

Will Steve McNees erupt from his offensive slumber?

Can Abreu compete defensively? Can he adjust to the speed of solid mid-major opposing guards?

Will KD modify his inside-out approach at all?

Can we keep an opposing "star" guard from going off and single-handedly controlling the game...or better yet...can a Zips player step up and be an offensive "stud?" McClanahan...you got it in you?

Hopefully motivation from the CSU whuppin' + last few days of practice have the Zips loaded for bear tomorrow. We need a win over a solid Horizon opponent.

[Quickzips]

My best guesses.

CSU smothered us on the perimeter, and out-quicked us across the board. Does this Zips team have the capability to counteract a squad with similar strengths like Detroit?

The capability? Yes. Will they? I don't think so, not this time around. The best way to counteract a team like that is to make them play to your strengths. Right now, the Zips still aren't entirely sure what their strengths are. Are they a run and gun team? Are they a defensive minded, grind it out in the halfcourt team? Are they an inside out team? Are they a live by the 3 die by the 3 team? Until we really start to come up with answers to some of these questions it is going to be hard to counterbalance the strengths of good teams like CSU and Detroit.

Can Zeke toss down some dunks with authority from 3-feet, rather than use the glass...can he skooch-in a few more feet on his 13-foot hook shots?

God I hope so. Zeke has it in him to throw down some monster dunks. It is the highest percentage shot in any big mans arsenal, but too often we frustratingly see him turn an obvious dunk into an awkward layup. Part of Zeke's development is going to have to be recognizing when to go for that layup and when to bring down the hoop. Hopefully KD showed him some of the tape from the CSU game where he did a particularly poor job in recognizing the difference. I have pretty good confidence in his ability to make those hook shots. I suspect though that this week will be a bit of a mixed bag. We will probably see him go up strong a few more times than usual, but we will probably also see a couple of those tenative, awkward layups from 3 feet as well.

Can Nick finish strong around the hoop? Can he clean some glass? Or is his focus on the Euro pros, and making babies?

He is going to have to if we want to have any shot at winning this thing. KD has been on him about it publicly (and I'm sure privately as well). If Nik doesn't go after the boards aggressively we don't have much of a shot in this one IMO. He has the physical ability in him, but often times rebounding is simply about wanting it more than the other guy. If Nik wants to impress pro scouts at any level he is going to have to show how bad he wants it. Unfortunatly I don't have a very good feeling about this one.

Will Steve McNees erupt from his offensive slumber?

I think he will. Steve is a smart veteran, and he works very hard at his craft. It isn't necessarily that his shot has been off this season, but he hasn't been looking for it. I'm sure he's aware of the fact that we need more scoring out of him and I look for him to come out firing a little more.

Can Abreu compete defensively? Can he adjust to the speed of solid mid-major opposing guards?

Can he compete? Yes. Can he adjust? Yes. He's faced guards at least as good as what we have been seeing so far this season when he was at prep school and on the Puerto Rican National Team and he's produced just fine in those venues. He has the tools to be a good defensive player if he stops gambling on the steal every time. I think after a week of practice we will start to see him turn the corner a bit. I don't think it will be a night and day difference, but I think he will do enough to warrant some more playing time.

Will KD modify his inside-out approach at all?

To a degree I think he will. I think you will see more focus on perimeter shooting and less focus on force feeding the post early in the ballgame in an attempt to get McNees going. If Steve, Daryl and Nitro get established early then I think you will see us go back to the post game as Detroit's defense has to respect the 3 point line more.

Can we keep an opposing "star" guard from going off and single-handedly controlling the game...or better yet...can a Zips player step up and be an offensive "stud?" McClanahan...you got it in you?

Not as worried about McCallum as I am about their big post man. McCallum is good, but he's still a freshman finding his way at this level. I think you will see a lot of McClanahan matched up against him, and I think you will see Nitro keep McCallum in check for most of the game much the way he did with Norris Cole (although Cole got hot at the end when Nitro was gassed from chasing him around for too many minutes). I'm much more worried about their star big man who is a double double machine. Zeke has shown the ability to keep guys like this in check (thinking back to Texas A&M last year). He will have to come up with a big game like that again tomorow. As far as Nitro, I expect to see a similar performance from him to what we've gotten so far this year. I don't quite see the "take over a game" ability in Nitro yet, but if he can give us 15 and 8 and play good defense on McCallum it will go a long way towards the Zips taking the upset.

[eguins]

Detroit is very very good. They have some mammoth size down low and that Eli Holman will give your big guy, Zeke?, a run for his money all night. The coaches son was a top 10 ESPN recruit: Ray McCallum Jr. that had offers to play at Kansas, UCLA, etc. etc. In my eyes, they have the talent to win the HL this year.

Live Video Feed from the Horizon League Network:

http://www.horizonleaguenetwork.tv/live/1858

Of course, I have to cheer for my HL brethren! Go Titans! I think Detroit wins by 6-8. For whatever reason they haven't played to their potential just yet, so Akron will keep it close.

[Dr Z]

Titans Favored by Five

I hope Zeke is ready tonight. He has a battle brewing down low tonight. Preview