Mich vs VCU

[Big Zip]

Funny you wrote a whole post based on two words in one tweet. You probably shouldn't read anything if that is all it takes to send you over the edge.

The other three tweets still made me chuckle.

On a side note Mentor won the State Championship in Ohio yesterday with their form of havoc. A team that doesn't have single Div. 1 basketball player on the team My only point is to share that at the high school level it seems that team work and pressing fast paced defensive game plan looks like a substitute for having "pure athletes" and in college it seems to be the exact opposite. Not to say the Mentor team isn't talented but some of the teams they've been this year and on the road to the state championship had quite a few more talented players.

[Zipsrifle]

I was telling everyone how the Zips were gong to make a run. How embarrassing was that blowout?! Though I was mad after the game, I wasn't mad at anyone but more at the negative press we were bound to receive. I too was wondering why VCU just kept pouring it on? This morning it occurred to me that even at halftime of the game, I was 100% convinced that the Zips would make this a game. This season Akron ALWAYS came back and almost always won! Shaka was well aware of this and frankly, I think he was going to pour it on as long as he could until he was absolutely sure Akron couldn't come back. How many of our opponents this season thought it was in the bag only to lose? Boy did that hurt but hopefully KD learns from this and we are better prepared in the future.

[Blue & Gold]

Zipsrifle, welcome back! It's been a while.

^^^One of the nicest posters on the board.

[GP1]

Funny you wrote a whole post based on two words in one tweet. You probably shouldn't read anything if that is all it takes to send you over the edge.

I wasn't over the edge. Pointing out the stupidity that permeates Twitter takes longer than a usual post. It can cause dead fingers.

[LZIp]

I wasn't over the edge. Pointing out the stupidity that permeates Twitter takes longer than a usual post. It can cause dead fingers.

There is plenty of valuable information to be found on twitter.

[Dave in Green]

The "dead legs" comment is demonstrably silly. Against the Zips, 11 VCU players played from 10-26 minutes each. That would not come close to giving them dead legs against Michigan. Each VCU player probably expends more energy in one of Coach Smart's practices than they did in the Zips game. The reality is that VCU made 60% of their shots against the Zips in the first half, including most of the open looks, and used every made field goal as an opportunity to turn havoc loose on the Zips. Against Michigan, VCU made only 30% of their shots in the first half, including missing most of the open looks, and therefore had only half as many opportunities to use havoc on the Wolverines.

[Blue & Gold]

The "dead legs" comment is demonstrably silly. Against the Zips, 11 VCU players played from 10-26 minutes each. That would not come close to giving them dead legs against Michigan. Each VCU player probably expends more energy in one of Coach Smart's practices than they did in the Zips game. The reality is that VCU made 60% of their shots against the Zips in the first half, including most of the open looks, and used every made field goal as an opportunity to turn havoc loose on the Zips. Against Michigan, VCU made only 30% of their shots in the first half, including missing most of the open looks, and therefore had only half as many opportunities to use havoc on the Wolverines.

How would those of you who know more basketball than me explain this?

Fluke?

Was Michigan defending them schematically differently?

Did we simply allow VCU to get into a comfort zone against us?

[Dave in Green]

@Blue & Gold, I was present for the Zips game. The VCU players were hitting everything they threw up. Some of the shots were contested and some were open looks. It didn't seem to matter. I watched the Michigan game on TV. Michigan's players were a little quicker, so VCU wasn't getting quite as many open looks. But they still had plenty of makeable shots. They just flat were not going in. We've seen it happen to the Zips. It happens to every team. Sometimes you're hot and sometimes you're not. The shot I remember most from the Michigan game was a VCU player standing right under the bucket. A perfect pass was rifled to him. He jumped high for an uncontested bunny. His hands were literally a couple of feet from the rim. He released the shot and it went over the rim to the other side without hitting anything. He shot an airball from 2 feet away. It was a worse miss than anything I've ever seen from any Zips player. Michigan's defense may have been a little bit better than the Zips' defense, but not the difference between 30% shooting and 60% shooting.

[zippy_ua_00]

Here's my thought on the blowout by vcu. I have NO problem with them pressing up until the 5 min mark. They could press the whole game for all I care. The point if the game is to score as many points as u can and hold the opponent to as little as possible. I wouldn't want any team to take it easy in us no matter the score. It would be insulting to me. It sucks, yes, but that's just how it is. Besides I recall many posters saying we need to put our foot on many of the cupcakes throats this season and beat them by 40 or more. Why is it any different? Because Shaka and coach D are friends? That's just ridiculous. We got our asses beat by a better team on that night, albeit missing some players, but I'm not gonna cry like a baby about it. If anything, that loss should motivate and make sure it NEVER happens again. I respect coach smart and the vcu program and hope that we could be a 5 seed in the big dance and crush good teams like try did to us.

[Dave in Green]

..... Besides I recall many posters saying we need to put our foot on many of the cupcakes throats this season and beat them by 40 or more. Why is it any different?

Excellent observation. Brings back memories of my childhood when I first learned that the kids who liked to dish it out the most were the ones who squealed the loudest when the shoe was on the other foot.

[BirdZip]

Excellent observation. Brings back memories of my childhood when I first learned that the kids who liked to dish it out the most were the ones who squealed the loudest when the shoe was on the other foot.

You're right. Some of my best childhood memories are humiliating my best friend. Whenever I was ahead at anything, i always made sure i kicked him in the nadz at least once, just to ensure he was inspired to get better.

Unwritten rules of basketball: See number 3.

I have no problem with running up the score (to a point) under normal circumstances. Shoot your threes, play regular defense, etc., but at some point is crosses a line.

I agree with those that say this is big boy basketball and if you don't like it, get better. Any rational person can see that you have to make sure you win the game, beyond any doubt. Any rational person should also be able to see, though, that at some point it's overboard. Shaka gave KD a proverbial kick in the nadz.