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Couch Musings - January 17, 2006
January 17, 2006 | By Benjamin Miraski
It is halftime of the Illinois-Indiana game and already I am starting to worry about my article from Monday. Why is it that nothing can actually go the way that I think it will? A couple of thoughts on last night's contests.
- At least Gonzaga won last night, which is nothing new. What is new is that they had huge contributions from JP Batista and Derek Raivio to beat Loyola Marymount soundly. The Zags are starting to get the contributions from the other players to support the play of Adam Morrison. I am not ready to give them the Final Four like some ESPN announcers just yet, but this is a good sign for a team that I am skeptical of.
- I guess we saw last night which way the Kansas season is going to go. They shot terribly for long stretches of the game and the freshman problems are more evident than they are hidden. First, you have to make your free throws. Shooting only 60% from the line is not going to win you games and in this case, it probably cost them the game. Early in the contest against Missouri, they were leading by a slim margin. At the time, they were 2 for 8 from the free throw line. Now, imagine just hitting a few more of those free throws. All of a sudden, a four point lead is an eight point lead. That is a major difference in terms of perception for a Missouri team that needed that win just as much as Kansas did. Of course, the most obvious missed free throws were at the end of regulation when Christian Moody missed two shots when making just one would have secured the win for Kansas. Second, the late game ball management by Brandon Rush was atrocious. With time running down in overtime, Rush threw the ball away after driving to the hoop. This was not the only time that Rush mishandled the ball in the overtime and more than anything players need to know their roles late in games. He should know that he is a shooter and not a fancy play maker. He is not a ball handler and should not be dribbling more than required to get close to the basket. If anything you can blame that second point both on the players and the coaching staff. Coaching is paramount late in games, especially when your team's season may hang in the balance. This was a misstep by the Kansas coaches, one they may not have a chance to get back.
- Despite the poor play of Kansas both at the free throw line and late in the overtime, let's take nothing away from Missouri's Thomas Gardner and Jimmy McKinney. Both players made huge contributions for their team and helped to lead the comeback by the Tigers and even get them to overtime. Gardner finished with 40 points, a career high, and was the focus of the Tiger offense all evening. McKinney contributed when needed to take the heat away from Gardner and give the Kansas defense a second target to concentrate on. McKinney finished with 19 including 5 during a very key stretch in the second half. Missouri took this game away from Kansas and these two were the keys.
- Connecticut is beginning to scare me. They look good and proved it last night in the victory over Syracuse even if the final numbers don't show the domination they had in the game. 16 blocks are nothing to laugh at. 19 assists are nothing to laugh at, including 11 from Marcus Williams, playing in only his 5th game this season. This wasn't Savannah State that Connecticut was playing. This was Syracuse, winners of 12 straight games. What scares me the most is that this team looks a lot like Syracuse, just not Syracuse of 2005-6. They look like Syracuse of 200-2-3 who won the National Title. What do I mean? Look at the domination inside. Early in the season that year, I commented on how tough the Orange were going to be to beat because of the zone and the size they boasted inside. Now look at Connecticut with Hilton Armstrong leading the way and tell me that the Huskies don't have they same look. Look at the great court presence from the point and a strong forward. Back in Syracuse's season, it was Carmelo Anthony and Jerry McNamara. Now we have Rudy Gay and Marcus Williams. And just like Syracuse that season, Connecticut just can't seem to climb in the MRI and that is a scary sign. The only difference between their seasons? Connecticut is getting love in the polls and won't be a surprise if they take it all this season.
Posted January 17, 2006 6:52 PM
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