This team...

[pdub]

Mitch is a great story. He's a solid backup.
You don't need to double him ( watch when DMac gets the ball if he is doubled ) on the offensive side and you can put him in spots where he can't defend the post. He doesn't have the bulk to stop players from backing into him - and so we have to bring help defense if the big gets the ball ( like the other teams do to DMac ).

Enaruna is an interesting candidate - and I think in stretches you play him with MG, Ochai, Braun, Wilson ( and Self has ). He's been playing better lately - but he's been a turnover machine at key moments. I don't believe that's our peak lineup ( things clicking, moving ) because DMac brings something no one else on the team can ( post scoring, height/bulk on defense ). Self doesn't either.

What I do think DMac needs to do is know when the double team has arrived and to pass out of it more often. He has the moves to take on one defender - and needs to make his move to the basket faster. I do find it funny that a number of posters on this bored would bitch about how all Dok could do was dunk. Well, we could use those dunks right about now.

[ousdahl]

we were still like 3 or 4 bonehead plays away from winning it. those sorts of "sloppy pass that leads to a fast break dunk for the other team" plays will be ironed out.

but yeah, we need to rethink the offense. forcing the post isn't getting us much. We need to run things through guards, but the guards are prone to standing around. We need a driver looking to kick, and shooters looking for their spots.

I don't understand X's and O's like I should, but I still don't understand why Bill Self offenses never feature our best shooter/s constantly moving off the ball. Have Och and Christian sprinting around screens, Rip Hamilton style.

[pdub]

We need a driver looking to kick, and shooters looking for their spots.

I think this is our biggest issue, more than DMac's eFG%.
The guy we thought would be an AA candidate is struggling scoring AND distributing.

[ousdahl]

oh, and how much do we really want Marcus and Dajuan on the floor at the same time?

[ousdahl]

I think DMac's eFG% will go up once he gets used to just taking what comes to him.

Unless it's some obvious mismatch or broken play, I don't think we should be forcing it to him.

And I know he can get in a groove and hit them, but a center taking mid range fadeaways just doesn't seem like it should be a big feature of the offense.

[Deleted User 89]

i don’t think baylor is that much better, if any, skill-wise

they played better as a team and didn’t shoot themselves in the foot. like Ousie said, and i said multiple times last night, we had multiple opportunities to blow the game open when we cut it to 5 or 7...then the brain farts set in and we strung together a bunch of bonehead plays that they capitalized on

i just don’t know if the mental part of that scenario will get fixed without a better leader on the floor

[pdub]

I dunno.
I think Baylor is in a different class this year.
Butler is better than anyone on our roster. Teague is in Ochai's vicinity.

Swarming defense ( 17th in the nation in scoring defense ), high powered offense ( 6th in the nation in scoring offense ) with good 3 point shooters ( 5th in 3 point in the nation in 3 point % ).

Only Scott Drew can fuck this roster up when it matters.

[CrimsonNBlue]

Baylor’s top end talent is much better than ours. I’m not sure how you could conclude any differently after last night.

They’re also better overall than they were last year, and they beat us pretty good last year.

[ousdahl]

Butler also had a career game, as is so often the case when KU looses.

you can't expect that every single night. hold him to his season averages, and we win.

[ousdahl]

they beat us this time last year, when Devon was hurt.

we went down there later in the season and beat them.

[CrimsonNBlue]

The problem is in exchange for the good things we get from David (some post scoring), we give up too much more (ball movement, spacing, shooting). And he doesn’t make up for it on the other end.

What I see in this year’s team is just a bunch of miscast guys. Och should be a great #3 option or a strong #2, not a guy you need to rely on. Push those numbers back by one for Braun.

As the primary ballhandler, Garrett hasn’t been able to get by people as well as he could when getting the ball off the catch or by handoff. This is because defenders can comfortably play ten feet off of him, without consequence.

It’s drawing board time for Bill. There are pieces here for a team that will have as good a shot as any (outside of Baylor and Gonzaga) to get to the Final Four, but the way we’re using them now ain’t it.

All spot on. The personnel isn’t this bad, it’s the way we are currently using them. I was hard on DMac early, but the last month or so it’s apparent we need him but we just don’t use him correctly. Needs to be a 4th or 5th option on offense. If you force feed him, the ball sticks and you’re counting on his low success rate on the block. He’ll get you 20 points but you’ll lose the game after struggling offensively.

Garrett’s just not right and putting him on the floor with 2 non shooters makes no sense. Play to his strengths, get the ball out of his hands and create a mismatch. Bill was super cocky after last year’s OU game that he was just going to turn MG into one of our last 3 PG’s.

Yes, we’ve been outmatched against Zags, Baylor, maybe even UT on the court, but I think our staff haven’t had a good showing thus far. Adapt to the team strengths.

[pdub]

After we lost in AFH to them last year, people were calling it quits, thought we didn't have a shot at a Big 12 title ( or simply did the whole, 'Big 12 doesn't matter' deal ).

I won't give up on thinking they can - but this team feels much different than last.
We had two clear superstars ( you could even see that in January ) on our team.
I just don't see us going on a run, winning the B12, and getting a top 2 seed.

Love to be surprised.

[pdub]

"He’ll get you 20 points but you’ll lose the game after struggling offensively."

This is a bad take and it's revisionist.
DMac making his shots doesn't mean the guards can't.
In fact, in theory, ( and in practice ), it will open the perimeter pressure.

[ousdahl]

It’s the end of January. Still lots of ball left to play.

Going forward, who would you rather have from now until March: Drew, or Self?

[sdoyel]

Self is stubborn. Just read his comments after the game last night. Nothing is going to change.

[jfish26]

"He’ll get you 20 points but you’ll lose the game after struggling offensively."

This is a bad take and it's revisionist.
DMac making his shots doesn't mean the guards can't.
In fact, in theory, ( and in practice ), it will open the perimeter pressure.

But, it hasn't.

[pdub]

DMac 7-9, 20 points.
KU 40% from 3, 19 Ochai, 16 Wilson, 12 Enaruna, 10 Braun.
Just 13 days ago.

DMac 10-18, 24 points.
KU 23% from 3. Braun 1-4. Garrett 0-3. Wilson 0-4.
7 days ago. DMac isn't missing those 3's.

[holidaysmore]

Whose rosters do we get?

[jfish26]

DMac 7-9, 20 points.
KU 40% from 3, 19 Ochai, 16 Wilson, 12 Enaruna, 10 Braun.
Just 13 days ago.

DMac 10-18, 24 points.
KU 23% from 3. Braun 1-4. Garrett 0-3. Wilson 0-4.
7 days ago. DMac isn't missing those 3's.

So...what you're saying is that Mac doesn't have a bearing on the quality of shots we're getting?

What I'm seeing - and this is honestly not worth that much - is that we're shooting at a percentage far below our true talent level, because we're getting horrendous looks.

[sdoyel]

Agree 1000%. Our tempo is also dead last meaning we are probably taking a ton of late shot clock shots.

Not many of our guards are driving to score or driving to assist. They just hand off around the perimeter for 30 seconds or watch as 3 guys collapse on McCormack as he takes an awful 15 footer.