Sunday, November 29, 2015

Syracuse Orange vs Texas A&M Aggies: Battle 4 Atlantis final

I've been traveling back home from the holidays. So, this post is a little late. 

Battle 4 Atlantis Final
25 Texas A&M vs Syracuse
Syracuse Orange
C DaJuan Coleman: 5
DaJuan Coleman got into foul trouble against Texas A&M. He picked up his third foul in the first two minutes of the second half, and his fourth with more than seven minutes remaining in the game. So, he only played 18 minutes. Coleman only scored four points, shooting 2-4, but he did post up nicely on one possession, backed up his opponent and made the hook. It looked pretty, and made me wish he showed that ability more. I still feel Coleman could be a low post threat, which would add to Syracuse's offensive versatility, and help them rely less on the three point shot. Coleman collected six rebounds this game. He also played fairly well in the middle of the zone despite being Syracuse being outsized by A&M. Coleman did a nice job of coming out to challenge Trocha, who can hit a jumper. However, the Aggies did a nice job of adjusting, and had Trocha feed the other big man Tyler Davis when Coleman came out, and Tyler Roberson was late to help. Coleman had Syracuse's only block this game.
F Tyler Roberson: 2.5
Roberson was rendered ineffective against Texas A&M. He shot only 3-6, and scored six points. He struggled against the bigger Aggies lineup, and doesn't have a mid range jumper to fall back on. Roberson also had trouble rebounding against the Aggies; he finished the game with only four, and had only one offensive rebound. Roberson also picked up four fouls, though he did not pick up his fourth until late in the second half. This was far from Roberson's best performance. He was beginning to make some progress prior to this matchup. Usually he at least is a good contributor on the glass, but not this game.
F Malachi Richardson: 4.5
Malachi Richardson's biggest struggle in this game was what it has been thus far this season: shot selection. He shot 4-11 from the field, and made only two of eight of his 3pt attempts. Richardson continues to struggle when shooting early in the shot clock, but has more success when driving to the basket. Richardson did shot well from the FT line though, making all six of his attempts. He scored 16 points overall. Richardson did a better job cutting down his turnovers, only turning the ball over once this game.
G Trevor Cooney: 5.5
Cooney continues to accumulate points; he scored 15. But, he is still shooting poorly, shooting 5-16 and 2-8 from beyond the arc. On the season Cooney has only shot 36% from the field, and 21% from 3pt range, both of those numbers are in line with Cooney's disappointing junior year. Despite his inconsistent shooting, Cooney remains one of the best top of the zone defenders in Syracuse's history. He stole the ball three times this game. Cooney also finished the game with five assists and five steals.
G Michael Gbinije: 8.5
The Syracuse leader had an outstanding tournament, averaging 21 points through the three game series. Gbinije had his worst shooting game of the week, making only four of his eleven attempts. However, all four of his buckets were made from 3pt point range. He also shot 8-11 from the FT line, scoring a total of 20 points. On the season Gbinije is shooting 53% overall, and 51.3% from beyond the arc, which are a couple of incredibly rates. He is averaging just under 20 points a game. Gbinije has increased his turnover rate this season. He is turning the ball over 2.8 times this season, compared to 2.1 times last year (with the same number of minutes). But, he is also accumulating more assists this season 4.2 to 3.6. He had four assists and four turnovers against Texas A&M. Gbinije continues to be a great top of the zone defender. He positions himself well, is one of the biggest threats to gather steals in the country, and is long enough to challenge shooters from anywhere. Jalen Jones did give him some trouble this game, as he stationed himself just above the FT line, and found lots of scoring opportunities there.
F Tyler Lydon: 8
Tyler Lydon has played well all season, but this tournament may have been his coming out celebration. Lydon scored 13 points against the Aggies, while taking only five shots; he made four f them. He hit all three of his 3pt attempts, scoring 13 points total. Thus far on the season, he is shooting 52.5% from the field, and almost 59% from three! Lydon is also proving to be a good rebounder despite his lack of girth, instead he uses his length to capture the ball high, especially on the defensive end. He grabbed eight rebounds this game. Lydon struggled some in the middle of the zone against Texas A&M. Jalen Jones caused problems for him on the short corner, luckily neither Trocha nor Davis took many shots inside for the Aggies. I still worry Lydon will struggle against ACC teams with solid big men: Miami, with Jekiri, Duke with Plumlee and Jefferson, UNC with Meeks and Brice Johnson, etc.
G Kaleb Joseph: N/A
Did not play enough to qualify.
Team Rating: 5.78
Syracuse had a great tournament, playing up to the higher level of competition, after looking pretty bad their first three games. The front court looked good against UCONN and Charlotte, but struggled some against the bigger Aggies. Syracuse was out rebounded this game as well. Syracuse is winning games right now on the strength of their shooters. Richardson, Cooney, Lydon, and Gbinije—particularly the latter two—have been playing well on the offensive end. The team is shooting 41.1% from 3pt range thus far this season, which is ten points higher than last season when they shot 30.1%. This, combined with the fact the frontcourt has been inconsistent, has me worried. Will Syracuse be able to put points on the board when the 3's aren't falling? The team needs to continue to commit to driving to the basket. That will free up shooters, and hopefully, the post players as well. The zone is interesting this year. Gbinije and Cooney may be the best tandem at the top of the zone in Syracuse's history. However, the middle is filled by the inexperienced Coleman and Lydon. Coleman lacks height, and Lydon is built like a pencil. I worry they'll be overmatched by stronger, bigger frontcourts. Syracuse also has very little depth down low, so they cannot afford to lose their big men to foul trouble. Syracuse did a lot to prove their doubters this week. They will be ranked tomorrow, and will possibly break into the top-20. They will be favored in upcoming games against Georgetown and Wisconsin. However, there is still work to do for the Orange, and many areas for improvement.
Texas A&M Aggies
C Tonny Trocha-Morelos: 4
Trocha is a big man who can also stretch the floor. He was shooting 11-14 from beyond the arc coming into this game against Syracuse. However, he failed to make a 3pt shot for just the second time this season. He also failed to score in double digits for just the second time this season, only accumulating six points against the Orange. Trocha was an asset on the offensive glass though; he grabbed eight total rebounds, and six came on the offensive end. Unfortunately, he struggled finishing, shooting only 3-11 from the field, and only one missed field goal was from 3pt range.
C Tyler Davis: 5
Tyler Davis is probably the toughest big man Syracuse has faced this season. A top-50 recruit coming into the season, Davis has had a lot of success early this year. Davis played good defense against Syracuse inside. He blocked three shots, and finished the game with seven rebounds. Davis was not as successful on the offensive end. He was held to just five field goal attempts, and scored only eight points. Davis had scored in double digits his first five college games. Davis did miss some time in the second half trying to clean up a bloodied hand. But, he still played 22 minutes (24 minutes is his career high).
G Danuel House: 6
House made a few clutch shots in the second half, which prevented Syracuse from taking control until late despite the game's tide turning. However, he missed a lot of shots too, trying to force things against the zone, and having his worst shooting performance of the year. He finished 5-12 from the field, and 3-8 from 3pt range for a total of 15 points. House added five rebounds as well. But, he struggled defensively against the seemingly quicker and more athletic Richardson when the latter decided to take the ball to the basket in the second half.
G Alex Caruso: 4.5
Caruso's greatest contributions in this game came on the defensive end, where he did a great job of drawing offensive fouls against Syracuse's bigger, and sometimes reckless guards. Caruso also showed off some quick hands, snagging three steals. One of which he took right out of Tyler Roberson's hands following a pass from Gbinije. Caruso has now recorded three steals in four different games this year. Despite a stellar defensive performance, Caruso scored zero points, despite playing 26 minutes. He was 0-3 from the field, taking all three of his shots from beyond the arc. Caruso did have five assists in the game, but he also turned the ball over five times. Caruso is a difficult player to grade because he helped out a lot on defensive disturbing Syracuse's offense, but he had nothing to offer offensively.
G Anthony Collins: 4
Anthony Collins has become Texas A&M's primary ball handler in place of Caruso. He is not a dynamic scorer; he's only scored in double figures once in seven games this season, and that was with a seven made FT performance against Texas earlier this tournament He scored only two points this game, making his only field goal attempt. Collins is however, a good ball handler, and has does well directing this team thus far this season. He tallied five assists this game and did not turn the ball over against Syracuse. Collins did well to penetrate the zone off the dribble, and press the attack down the stretch. However, Collins was responsible for the flagrant foul against Malachi Richardson, which proved to be a momentum shifter. He also struggled defensively against Syracuse's bigger guards.
F DJ Hogg: 3.5
DJ Hogg is another top-50 recruit who is a small forward with skills like a guard. He came off the bench, and played 21 minutes against Syracuse. Hogg had a tough shooting night though. He was only 2-8 from the field, and made only one of his five attempts from deep. Hogg struggled this tournament on the offensive end after scoring in double figures his first three collegiate games. Hogg was a necessary defender in place of Collins or Caruso at times due to the size of Syracuse's guards.
G Jalen Jones: 9
Jalen Jones has had a slow start to the season after being named to the All-SEC second team last year. He missed the first four games of the season, and scored nine and six points in the Aggies' first two games of this tournament. However, Jones kick started his season in the Battle 4 Atlantis final against Syracuse. Jones, again coming off the bench, took roamed the 2-3 zone's two biggest areas of weakness all game: the short corner, and just above the free throw line. From those two positions he pestered Syracuse hitting mid range jumpers, and easily accessing the basket for lay ins. Jones finished the game 10-17, and even hit his only 3pt attempt, scoring a total of 23 points. He also added six rebounds, three of which came on offense. Jones kept Texas A&M in this game until the final minutes, and the Aggies should see his resurgence as a positive takeaway from this game.
G Admon Gilder: 6
Admon Gilder is a third four-star recruit for the Aggies. He has been playing some big minutes thus far this season, but has yielded some to Jones since he came back this tournament. This game he did a good job of giving his team an additional offensive spark. He shot 3-6 from the field, and made one of two 3pt shots. He scored eight points.
F Tavario Miller: N/A
Did not play enough to qualify.
F Elijah Thoma: N/A
Thomas gives Texas A&M a third top-50 recruit this season, and fourth four-star freshman. However, he played only three minutes in this game, fouling three times quickly, and turning it over twice. He thankfully did not play enough to qualify.
Team Rating: 5.48
Texas A&M had a very good tournament, which included a close takedown of #10, Gonzaga. They struggled against Syracuse's zone this game however, shooting only 30% from 3pt range, and 42.2% overall. Their big man Tonny Trocha-Morelos was especially ineffective despite being bigger than Syracuse's big men, and grabbing six offensive rebounds. Jalen Jones took advantage of the zone's areas of weakness, but the rest of the team struggled to get involved. DJ Hogg would have added a wrinkle if he could knock down some shots from the corners, and force Syracuse's wings to play deeper, rather than give them the ability to extend the zone. The Aggies did a good job of containing Syracuse in the first half, and forced several offensive fouls, while failing to foul themselves. However, that changed in the second half, when Syracuse found themselves in the bonus situation with more than 13 minutes remaining in the game. Jalen Jones' comeback gives Texas A&M another potent scorer beside Danuel House, and the team should be dangerous moving forward if their shooters can hit more shots. I do not love that the Aggies start two backcourt players with limited offensive upside: Collins and Caruso, and think Jones and Gilder may be better options. Still, this is a fun team with a lot of potential. They have a good mix of seniors: House, Caruso, and Jones, and high upside freshman: Davis, Hogg, Gilder, and Thomas.


Friday, November 27, 2015

Syracuse Orange vs UConn Huskies: Player Ratings for Battle 4 Atlantis Semifinal

Syracuse Orange vs Connecticut Huskies
Syracuse
C DaJuan Coleman: 5.5
After playing 21 minutes in the quarterfinal game, Coleman only played 13 minutes against Uconn. Despite playing only sparingly, the big man grabbed eight rebounds...eight rebounds in 13 minutes. That is an incredible rate. He also played good defense in the middle of the zone. He is not a classic rim protector. He lacks the length and athleticism to be a great threat to block shots, but he does a great job of taking up space in the middle, comes out to meet defenders rather than letting them come to him, and is a great area rebounder underneath the basket. Syracuse benefits when Coleman plays more minutes in the center of the zone. Coleman unfortunately got in to foul trouble this game, which effected his minutes. He picked up his fourth foul with more than 15 minutes still to play in the game. Coleman only scored two points, from free throws, and missed his only field goal attempt.
F Tyler Roberson: 7
Uconn gave Roberson a lot of space when he received the ball more than 15 feet from the basket. Given that space, Roberson committed to driving to the basket, which earned him many fouls this game. Roberson took 13 foul shots this game. Unfortunately, he only made six of them—less than 50%. He needs to do better than that from the free throw line, especially if he is going to earn that many chances. Roberson shot 4-6, taking most of his shots close to the basket, but making his lone jumper from mid range. He scored 14 points total. Roberson continues to be a beast on the offensive glass, grabbing five offensive rebounds this game, though only nine overall. Consistently driving to the basket opened things up for Roberson passing wise, and he finished the game with three assists. He also had two of Syracuse's three blocks this game. Roberson did turn the ball over three times, which makes sense considering how often he handled it, and picked up four fouls, which seems like the new norm under the new rules.
F Malachi Richardson: 6
Richardson took a couple bad shots early in the game, and had to sit early after picking up two fouls in the first five minutes. However, after that he settled in, and played productively. He finished the game 4-9 from the field, and 3-5 from 3pt range, scoring 13 points. Richardson has now scored no less than thirteen points in each of his first five games. Turnovers continue to be a problem for him; he had five more in this game. I still contend that he is a fine ball handler, but his decision making, and passing is lacking. Richardson rebounded well this game, grabbing six. That will be key for the team if they continue to play small.
G Trevor Cooney: 5.5
Cooney struggled with shot selection, yet again, this game. He shot 4-10, and 2-6 from three. He took too many shots early in possession instead of looking for a better one, and rarely drove to the basket, something he did to great effect against Charlotte in the quarterfinal. Cooney also turned the ball over four times. Cooney did score 17 points, thanks to free throw shooting down the stretch; he shot 7-8 from the line. He also played good defense at the top of the zone, as usual.
G Michael Gbinije: 9
Michael Gbinije once again led Syracuse this game, continuing his run of good form of late. He shot 7-12 for 17 points. Although, he fell in love with the three at times, despite making a couple of clutch ones (he was 2-6 from three). Gbinije excelled, though, driving to the basket. He had no trouble getting past Uconn's guards, and got into dangerous positions inside. There he finished the ball well, as well as found teammates. He finished the game with seven assists. Gbinije is developing into one of Syracuse's best top of the zone defenders. Using his length, and high energy style to wreak havoc on defenses. He stole the ball six times this game. Gbinije continues to do well controlling the ball; he turned the ball over just once this game.
F Tyler Lydon: 9
Lydon played outstanding against a Uconn team I thought would give him more of a test. Lydon did suffer from Cooney and Richardson disease, that is: Shot Selection, in the first half. However, he once again showed the qualities that make him Syracuse's most intriguing player. He moves well without the ball, is capable of driving to the basket with the ball, post up and use his length against smaller opponents, and he shoots exceptionally well from deep. He was 2-3 from 3pt range this game, and scored 16 total points. Lydon also played great defense this game, both underneath the basket, and alongside Coleman on the wing. I am still concerned more powerful and skilled frontcourts are going to cause him fits, but Lydon did a great job yesterday, and kept himself out of foul trouble all game. He is also proving to be a great rebounder, using his long arms to receive the ball up high. He had 12 rebounds this game.
G Kaleb Joseph: N/A
Joseph came into the game in the first half, and quickly picked up two fouls. Then he went back to the bench. He did not play enough minutes to qualify for a grade.
G: Franklin Howard: N/A
Howard did not play enough to qualify for a grade.
Team Rating: 7.28
Don't look now, but there is a good chance Syracuse will be a ranked team come Monday. Syracuse has played great thus far this tournament, and led Connecticut throughout the second half, holding on to the win in the end. Syracuse continues to play good defense when the zone gets a chance to set, and Lydon and Coleman have been better than I expected underneath the basket. Syracuse's shooters need to do a better job with shot selection throughout the game, and all are more effective when they drive to the basket, opening up their three point chances. Turnovers continue to be a problem for the Cuse; they had 15 this game, and they also shoot terribly from the FT line (61.5%, while taking 39 shots). Syracuse also continues to show they can be broken defensively when you attack early. That means they will struggle against teams like Miami. However, this tournament has been a big step forward from the team as they continue to showcase their offensive potency.
Uconn
C Amida Brimah: 6
Brimah looked fantastic in the first half. He did a great job on the defensive end, disrupting shots, and making a few spectacular blocks (he finished the game with three). He also did a surprisingly good job on finishing shots, shooting 4-5, and scoring 10 total points. Late in the first half, and in the second Syracuse did a better job of getting to the basket causing Brimah to foul. Brimah picked up his fourth foul with 8:18 left in the game, and played only 19 minutes.
F Shonn Miller: 3
Miller looked much better in the quarterfinal game than he did against Syracuse. He had trouble attacking Syracuse's front line, only shooting 2-6. He also only grabbed four rebounds. Miller, like Brimah, picked up four fouls, although he picked up his fourth in the final minute of the game. He only played 20 minutes.
F Daniel Hamilton: 7.5
Hamilton was the star for Uconn this game. He shot 7-15, 2-7 from 3pt range, scoring 18 points. Hamilton showed he can score in a variety of ways, driving to the basket, picking up offensive rebounds, and hitting an occasionally three. Although, he took too many threes this game against Syracuse's zone. Hamilton often drove to the basket, which opened up players around him. He ended the game with seven assists. Hamilton also had twelve rebounds, and three on the offensive end. Hamilton shows potential of being an unstoppable college player, but he took more jump shots than he should as the Huskies' other shooters struggled. Hamilton struggled on defense at times this game as he was often forced to play either Roberson or Lydon down low; Connecticut had to play small often, especially down the stretch.
G Sterling Gibbs: 4.5
Gibbs hit two 3pt shots in the first three minutes of the game, then he failed to make a 3pt attempt the rest of the game. He finished 2-7 beyond the arc, and 3-10 overall, scoring 12 points. Gibbs did do a nice job distributing the ball, dishing six assists. Gibbs also stole the ball three times, though he also picked up four fouls.
G Rodney Purvis: 4.5
Purvis was very quiet for much of the game, but helped Uconn stay in it late. He made all three of his 3pt point shots in a two minute span down the stretch. He finished the game 4-12 from the field, scoring 12 points. Purvis struggled defensively against Syracuse's guards, and was Uconn player to finish the game with four fouls.
F Kentan Facey: 5
Facey, much like Uconn's other big men, was a thorn in Syracuse's side in the first half. He came off the bench, grabbed a couple offensive rebounds, and scored around the basket. However, he failed to make a mark in the second half, and only finished with eight points, and five rebounds.
G Jalen Adams: 1
Adams played 16 very quiet minutes. He scored only two points, on free throws, while missing both of his two field goal attempts. Adams has now scored only two points in three of Uconn's five games, and has scored in double digits just once. Adams picked up four fouls during his 16 minutes on the court, or one every four minutes. Adams was a top-25 recruit coming into the season as a potentially dynamic combo guard, but he has yet to live up to that billing.
G Omar Calhoun: 7
Calhoun came off the bench, and made some big shots to keep Uconn in the game late. He shot 3-4, all 3pt shots, scoring nine points.
F Phillip Nolan: N/A
Nolan did not play enough to qualify for a grade.
G Sam Cassell Jr: N/A
Cassell did not play enough to qualify for a grade.
Team Rating: 5.00

Uconn had a lot of success against Syracuse early. They led by ten at one point. The defense forced the Orange—or, the Orange chose to, shoot poor shots, and Brimah did well to stop them inside. However, Syracuse soon committed to driving to the basket, and did so effectively. This forced Uconn to foul—the Huskies had six players finish with four fouls. This opened up Syracuse's shooters. Uconn stayed in the game late thanks to Hamilton, and some timely three point shots by Purvis and Calhoun. But, Syracuse proved to be too potent this game. Uconn needs their guards to be more efficient shooters, and their frontcourt disappeared after the first ten or twelve minutes of the game.

Thursday, November 26, 2015

Syracuse vs Charlotte: Player Ratings for the Battle 4 Atlantis Quarter Final

Here is a recap of Syracuse's performance against Charlotte in the Battle 4 Atlantis quarter final game, along with game ratings for every Syracuse player.

Syracuse vs Charlotte
Syracuse Orange
C DaJuan Coleman: 5.5
Don't look now, but DaJuan Coleman played 21 minutes tonight! That alone deserves a ton of recognition, and it is awesome to see. Coleman only scored two points this game, despite playing just more than half of it. However, he made some big contributions in other ways. Coleman grabbed seven rebounds. He also acquitted himself to middle of the zone, and blocked three shots. Although, he also ended the game with four fouls. Coleman proved to be a decent passer for a big man; he had three assists, including one from the perimeter where he dropped a pass to Gbinije on the low block over his opponent for an easy two. One of the most intriguing moments of the game came when DaJuan Coleman, Tyler Roberson, and Tyler Lydon all occupied the frontcourt simultaneously. That lineup was only in for a minute or two, so it is difficult to project just how productive it would be, but it is an interesting look that may need to be tested against bigger teams.
F Tyler Roberson: 3.5
Roberson, coming off a career high 20 points effort against Elon, struggled to find the bottom of the net. He shot only 3-10, scoring six points. His shots often came off of offensive rebounds, and in traffic underneath basket, where Tyler struggled to finish. Roberson also continues to prove to be an inconsistent jump shooter at best. Furthermore, he struggled trying to drive to the basket with the ball, and ended up turning the ball over four times. Combine all of that, and it is easy to see this was a forgettable night for Roberson. He did finish the game with eleven rebounds—six of which came on the offensive glass, but it is frustrating that he could not make more of his followup shots. Roberson shows flashes of being an outstanding, versatile forward, who can play at a high level on both ends of the floor, but he is hugely inconsistent.
F Malachi Richardson: 7.5
It would be easy to look at Richardson's point total, 12, the lowest of his four game career, and suggest he had a down game. However, the biggest criticism I have had of him this season has been his shot selection. Richardson shot four of six from the field, and three of four from beyond the arc. That is a very good line for the team's third scoring option. Richardson could one day be the star for Syracuse, but right now I like seeing him defer to the seniors, when they're on—that helps, and take fewer—better—shots.
G Trevor Cooney: 8.5
The old adage is let shooters shoot their way out of shooting slumps (say that ten times fast). I typically roll my eyes when announces suggest this as basketball gospel. Sure, let a struggling shooter shoot his way out of a slump—but let him do so in practice, or in the shoot around before the game. More missed shots are just as likely to further dampen the confidence of a struggling shooter, as made shots are to lift his confidence. That said, Trevor Cooney entered tonight's game shooting 31.4% from the FIELD, and shot 47.1% while taking a team high 17 shots. He scored 19 points. In addition to his offensive resurgence, Cooney proved to be Syracuse's emotional leader, constantly playing with 100% effort on both sides of the ball. Cooney also dished out five assists, and only turned the ball over once.
G Michael Gbinije: 9
Michael Gbinije was lights out on offense tonight. He shot 9-11 from the field, making six of his eight shots from behind the arc, scoring 26 points. Incredible. He also record four assists, and turned the ball over only twice. I criticized Gbinije's shot selection (yes, I criticize most of Syracuse's shot selection) in the first couple games, but he has been on fire lately. In his last two games Gbinije has shot 9-11 from 3pt range, and is now shooting 42% from there for the season. His two turnovers against Charlotte was his lowest total thus far this season. Despite how great Gbinije was on the offensive end, he was dreadful on defense, particularly in the final ten minutes of the game. He just did not seem to care that Charlotte were taking the ball passed him for easy layups consistently.
F Tyler Lydon: 10
Tyler Lydon played less than 30 minutes for the first game since the opener, but that did not stop him from having the most productive game of his young career. Lydon played most of his minutes under the basket like he has most of the season, but the increase in Coleman's playing time meant Lydon also spent a significant amount of time on the wing as well. Lydon came into this game 6-15 shooting. He shot 7-10 from the field against Charlotte, and 2-4 from three point range. In all he scored a career high 18 points. Lydon showed off a good variety in his offense this game. He knocked down 3pt shots when left open, and showed effort running the floor to score in transition. Lydon is proving to be an interesting asset in the middle of the zone. He is extremely long, and troubles attackers when the zone is set. He blocked six shots this game. Lydon also grabbed eight rebounds (seven of which came on the defensive end), and two steals. Nothing more could be asked of Lydon than how he performed tonight. However, I still have a could worries about Lydon...that is, I have worries about how Syracuse intends to use Lydon moving forward. Lydon is very slight of frame. It is a good thing basketball is played inside the dome, because if he was outside I'm afraid Lydon would be swept up by the wind, and sent spiraling down the hill toward Marshall Street. I fear Lydon is going to be bullied by bigger teams, who have big men capable of scoring inside. I'm thinking about teams like North Carolin with Kennedy Meeks and Brice Johnson, and Miami with Tonye Jekiri in the ACC specifically. Can Lydon defend against punishing big men? Will he become foul prone when facing better big men? I just don't know, and I'm afraid Syracuse doesn't have another option right now.
G Kaleb Joseph: 3
Joseph played more against Charlotte than he had in Syracuse's past two games behind. Joseph ran the point for the Orange while he was on the court, often with both Gbinije and Cooney playing with him. Joseph misses all six of his shot attempts, including four from 3pt range. However, he did finish the game with two assists, and only one turnover—limited playing time though. Joseph was not impressive on the defensive end, and helped to spearhead, along with Gbinije, the lackadaisical defense that allowed Charlotte to come back some in the final ten minutes. Joseph is clearly behind Cooney, Gbinije, and Richardson who will soak up most of the minutes during conference play. The way he is playing Joseph may need to worry about Howard jumping him on the depth chart next season, especially with Tyus Battle coming to the team, and another scholarship opening up.
G Franklin Howard: N/A
Franklin Howard has played just a little in each of Syracuse's first four games. He has yet to make a field goal attempt, and has made only one free throw in four tries. Despite having trouble putting the ball in the basket, Howard has looked good dishing out assists (he's averaged more than one a game), and using his considerable size for his position to grab rebounds as well (he has averaged 1.5 of those a game). Howard has also yet to turn the ball over. Howard will likely continue to play sparingly this season, but he looks to have some good skills, and is getting some experience for next season. He did not play enough this game to qualify for a grade.
C Chinoso Obokoh: N/A
Obokoh has hardly played the three games. He looked like a solid defensive specialist in the opener against Lehigh. However, Syracuse seems to be committed to Tyler Lydon in the center of the zone this season. He did not play enough this game to qualify for a grade.
Team Rating: 7.35

This was far and away the best Syracuse has looked all season. The offense, and particularly the distance shooters were firing on all cylinders. Syracuse as a team shot 49.2% from the field, and 50% (14-28) from three point range. When Syracuse is shoots like they did today, they can compete with anyone. Gbinije is finally playing like the star I predicted him to be in my ACC preview. However, Gbinije, Cooney, and now Malachi Richardson are all streaky shooters, and need to show more consistency. The frontcourt of Tyler Roberson and DaJuan Coleman also struggled offensive this game, combining to shoot just 4-15 from the field. It is encouraging to see Coleman play more, and he should improve the more he plays. Roberson is just another terribly inconsistent player. He has great potential. His combination of strength, athleticism, length, and tenacity allows him to be one of the best rebounders in his conference, but he needs to do a better job of finishing the ball in traffic, and needs to improve his jump shot. One of the people I was watching the game with was disgusted with Syracuse's defense in the second, especially in the final ten minutes. Charlotte kept pushing the ball up court quickly, and scored easy layups on five or six consecutive possessions. Gbinije and Joseph (specifically, though there were others) kept just backing up on these attackers, and did nothing to disrupt them on their way to the basket. My companion suggested they needed to stop Charlotte before they reached the free throw line, and Boeheim teams had a common weakness waiting too long to cover the drive. I am curious if the new rules caused Syracuse defenders to back up, and hesitate to attack the ball carrier for fear of fouling. It could also be lazy defender when up by double digits late in the game. Regardless of the reason, Charlotte exposed the not-so-secret weakness of the zone—attacking it before it is set up. The other big problem I find with the zone involves the man occupying the center of it, either Lydon or Coleman in most cases. Both Lydon and Coleman did a great job when the zone was set this game. However, in other games the zone has looked weak. One of the main causes for this is the absence of Rakeem Christmas, who was more than just a great rim protector on defense. He was Syracuse's defensive leader. He controlled that zone, and commanded his teammates around him. This year there are a couple of newcomers, and no one commanding in the middle. Also, Lydon has been relied on heavily to play underneath the basket, but I question how effective he is going to play there against bigger, better teams. Syracuse will get a chance to begin to answer this question tomorrow night, as they will play 18th ranked UCONN, who have seven-footer, Amida Brimah. 

Sunday, November 22, 2015

Syracuse vs Elon: Player Ratings

The following are player ratings for Syracuse following their victory over Elon Saturday night. 

This year I am recapping games in a similar fashion that soccer matches are recapped. Following a game, each player receives a rating 1-10 based upon their performance. Over the course of time you can see how they are playing in stretches, and how the team overall is performing based upon the form of their players. I think this is an effective way to evaluate basketball games. Especially when, at the end of the season, it is not always the most talented team that wins, or the team that had the most victories during the season, but the team that is experiencing the greatest of run of form. 

Syracuse 66 vs Elon 55
Syracuse Orange[men]
C DaJuan Coleman: 4
This felt like a now-or-never game for DaJuan Coleman. Elon is undersized and ripe for Coleman to power his way through. However, Coleman only played ten minutes. He took one shot, scoring two points off of it. He also had a rebound, and two blocks, while turning the ball over twice. It's a shame Syracuse could not have closed out Elon earlier, so Coleman could have played more minutes.
F Tyler Roberson: 10
Roberson struggled in Syracuse's first two games. However, he exploded against Elon. Roberson was a dominate force throughout the game, finally giving Syracuse a presence down low. He scored a game high 20 points, shooting 9-15 from the field. Roberson mixed in some jumpers along with his work in the post. On one particular play, he ran the pick and pop, shooting near the three point line. Roberson would be nearly unstoppable if he could hit that shot consistently. Roberson grabbed a third of the team's total rebounds. He had 16 total rebounds, seven of which came off the offensive glass. Roberson banged in the post al game, and only picked up two fouls. That's impressive.
F Malachi Richardson: 5.5
Malachi Richardson had the worst shooting performance of his short career against Elon. He shot only 1-7 from the field, all of one of his shots came from 3pt range (1-6). Richardson struggled with shot selection, like most of Syracuse's team does, early in the game. He took 3pt shots early in the shot clock, and without much ball movement, or passing to set up the shot. Later in the game Richardson committed to driving into the paint. This proved more effective as Richardson consistently drew fouls on his way to the basket. Richardson took twelve free throw shots, making ten of them. Richardson continued to show good passing ability this game, and has improved his ball control. He had three assists, and two turnovers this game.
G Trevor Cooney: 4.5
Cooney has had a terrible start tot he season. He has shot only 32% from the field, and 29.4% from 3pt range so far this season. Against Elon Cooney shot 3-10, scoring eight points. He only took three 3pt shots this game (making one), and instead varied his shot selection, which at least seems an improvement. The nice thing about Cooney is that he always finds a way to contribute. He finished the game with six rebounds, and four assists. He also played good defense once again, and stole a couple balls.
G Michael Gbinije: 6
Gbinije had his most efficient game offensively this season, although he took a couple ill advised shots at the beginning of the game. He took only nine shots, making four of them. But, he made all three of his 3pt attempts, and additionally went five for five from the line. Gbinije was good on defense, once again using his length. He grabbed six defensive rebounds, and had four steals. Gbinije has split ball handling duties with Cooney and Richardson. He finished this game with only two assists, and three turnovers.
F Tyler Lydon: 5
Tyler Lydon played 35 minutes, and played almost the entire second half when the game was on the line. He scored five points, going 2-5 from the field, and making one of his two 3pt attempts. Lydon played the center position this entire game, where he proved effective, at least against Elon's smaller team. He grabbed seven rebounds, and managed to block four shots, while defending under the basket. Lydon now looks to be Syracuse's go to big man. He has the ability to stretch defenses, which could open things inside for Roberson to have continued success.
G Franklin Howard: N/A
Howard did not play enough minutes to qualify.
G Kaleb Joseph: N/A
Joseph did not play enough minutes to qualify. Joseph's playing time has dropped considerably since the first game against Lehigh when he played fairly well.
C Chinoso Obokoh: N/A
Obokoh did not play enough minutes to qualify. Obokoh came in early for Coleman, and at one point he was on the floor with both Lydon and Roberson, but he did not stay in the game long.
Team Rating: 5.50

Syracuse's rating is inflated due to Roberson's 10. Truth be told, this was another mediocre performance by the team. Syracuse started strong, but gave up a lead, and had to battle with Elon in the second half to secure the win. Just once it would be nice to see Syracuse starch an overmatched opponent. It is nice to see Syracuse's shooters vary their attack, and not just rely on 3pt shooting. Hopefully they can begin to put it all together next week in the Battle 4 Atlantis. Roberson's emergence in this game was also a positive sign. Syracuse needs him to be a reliable inside presence to help balance the team. All signs point to Tyler Lydon receiving the lion's share of minutes at the center position moving forward. However, I wonder how he will fare defensively against more physical teams. Next week's tournament in the Bahamas will be important as Syracuse faces their first quality opponent's of the season. Hopefully the team rises to the occasion.

Duke vs VCU: Player Ratings and Recap

Here are player ratings for the Duke vs VCU semifinal game of the 2k Sports Classic. You can find player ratings for the first semifinal between Georgetown and Wisconsin below this one. Tomorrow Duke will play Georgetown in the 2k Sports Classic final, and I will have player ratings posted for that game Sunday night. 

This year I am recapping games in a similar fashion that soccer matches are recapped. Following a game, each player receives a rating 1-10 based upon their performance. Over the course of time you can see how they are playing in stretches, and how the team overall is performing based upon the form of their players. I think this is an effective way to evaluate basketball games. Especially when, at the end of the season, it is not always the most talented team that wins, or the team that had the most victories during the season, but the team that is experiencing the greatest of run of form. 

5 Duke 79 vs Virginia Commonwealth 71
Duke
C Marshall Plumlee: 5
Plumlee played much fewer minutes than he did earlier in the week against Kentucky. Duke employed a smaller lineup for most of the game. So, Plumlee ended up with only 21 minutes. He scored only four points this game, on two field goals, and scored no points from the time there was 12 minutes remaining in the first half onward. Plumlee also finished the game with three rebounds, two steals, and a block. Plumlee has seen a lot of time thus far this season; he has averaged over 26 minutes a game. However, there will be games when Duke's style of play does not work with the 7-footer. This was one of those games.
F Amile Jefferson: 6
This was Jefferson's worst scoring game of the season thus far. He scored only six points, but only took three shots, making two of them. He shot 2-7 from the FT line as well. Instead, Jefferson looked like last year's version of himself, doing everything he can to help his team win, and playing good defense. He grabbed seven rebounds, with four coming on the offensive end. He also blocked three shots.
F Brandon Ingram: 2
Brandon Ingram has looked extremely raw in the two games I have seen him in. He has not shot the ball well, and in this game he went 2-7 from the field, missing all three of his 3pt attempts. He has missed from far, and has also struggled finishing when he drives to the basket. He also had two turnovers in this game, which is technically an improvement upon the four he had against Kentucky. However, the turnovers he had this game were unnecessary. He drove into traffic, and lost the ball for one, and the other came when he had a lazy pass picked off. The most frustrating thing from Ingram in this game though was his failure to make free throws down the stretch. He took six free throws in the final minute of the game, and missed the first four of the game—when the game was still up in the air. Finally, he missed the final two, but at that time the outcome of the game was decided. Ridiculous.
G Matt Jones: 5.5
Matt Jones had his worst shooting game of the season. He shot 4-11 from the field, and 2-6 from beyond the arc. He still managed to score 10 points; he has scored in double digits each of the first four games this season. Jones had more rebounds this game, six, than he had in the previous three games. That could be because he had to play a more forward role as Duke played a smaller lineup. Jones turned the ball over four times this game, and a couple were silly mistakes. He had a lazy pass picked off on the perimeter, and he traveled before driving to the basket. Jones had three assists this game as well.
G Derryck Thornton: 7.5
Thronton started his first game for Duke against VCU. He made the most of the opportunity, scoring 19 points, a career high. He did so shooting an excellent 7-11 from the field, and making two of his three attempts from outside. Thornton is best when he is driving to the basket. He looked very quick and agile against VCU, maneuvering around multiple defenders, and finishing at the basket. Thornton is also a good defense. He was a big reason JeQuan Lewis had four turnovers, and only scored six points. Thornton had two steals of his own. He needs to limit his number of mistakes. He turned the ball over three times, and also got into foul trouble early in the game. But, this was a very positive performance from Thornton. Duke looked like a better team with a natural point guard in the lineup.
G Grayson Allen: 9.5
Grayson Allen came off the bench in this game. Perhaps it was punishment for being absolutely dreadful against Kentucky, or maybe Coach K thought it would light a fire under him. Allen did not stay on the bench long though. Allen came in on the first whistle, and played 37 minutes. Allen scored a season high 30 points. He did so shooting 9-15, and making 50% of his 3pt attempts (4-8). He also shot 8-9 from the free throw line. Allen was constantly in attack mode this game. He took the ball to the basket at every opportunity. It was nice to see Allen show a varied attack this game. He was able to score, while driving to the basket, taking pull-up jump shots from mid-range, shooting off the dribble, catching and shooting, and hitting threes. He did it all, getting to showcase all the different aspects of his game he did not get to against Kentucky. Allen even grabbed six rebounds, showing some nice springs on his feet as he got a couple rebounds in traffic. Allen also finished the game with three assists, but also turned the ball over three times.
G Luke Kennard: 3
It may be nerves at this point, because Luke Kennard continues to shoot the ball terribly. For the season, he has shot 34.6% from the field, and 14.3% from 3pt range. Coming into his freshman year, Kennard was considered one of the best pure shooters in the class, and a great all-around scorer. This game Kennard went 0-4 from the field, and missed three from deep. His only two points came from the line. Despite his offensive struggles, Kennard continues to play plenty of minutes. He came off the bench to play 20 minutes last night.
Team Rating: 5.25
Duke struggled against VCU for much of the game. They were losing at half, and needed till the final minutes of the game to close the Rams out. Duke received a bounce back performance from Grayson Allen, who looked like the team's new star. Derryck Thornton was also impressive this game, and looks to be a solid starter for the Blue Devils going forward. However, the rest of the team took a step back. Amile Jefferson and Matt Jones only slightly so. The two veterans are usually rocks for the team, however, they need to be able to step up and be more consistent scorers when some of the freshmen struggle like they did in this game. Duke is not getting the production from Brandon Ingram, Luke Kennard, and Chase Jeter (who did not even play in this game) that they thought they would, and that's holding them back right now. Ingram especially needs to get right for Duke to be a top-ten team. He will be important against Georgetown Sunday, because Georgetown has several skilled forwards who are too big for Duke to play a four guard lineup against, like they did against VCU.
VCU
F Mo Alie-Cox: 6
Alie-Cox was an offensive force early in the game, but he cooled off later. He scored 15 points total, shooting 6-9 from the field. He only grabbed two rebounds though, and both came on the offensive end. He also turned the ball over three times.
F Justin Tillman: 6
Tillman may not have been a threat on offense. He scored three points on 1-5 shooting. But, he can really rebound the ball. He finished the game with eight rebounds, despite playing only 16 minutes. That's one rebound every two minutes. Three of his rebounds came on the offensive end.
G Melvin Johnson: 7.5
Johnson is VCU's best scorer. He scored 20 this game, shooting 7-13, and 4-6 from beyond the arc. Johnson is mostly a catch and shoot player; he does not excel at creating his own shot. He is not a great defender, and doesn't rebound. Although he also does not turn the ball over.
G Jordan Burgess: 5.5
Burgess is VCU's combo guard/forward. He is good at pulling down rebounds despite being only 6-5. He had seven rebounds this game. He scored 10 points on 4-10 shooting, and missed all of his three attempts. He also turned the ball over three times.
G JeQuan Lewis: 5.5
Lewis is VCU's point guard. He is at his best when driving to the basket, and does a good job finding teammates in a position to score while he is doing so. Derryck Thornton did a good job of limiting his scoring this game though, and forced four turnovers from him. Lewis only had six points this game, but had six assists, and two steals.
F Ahmad Hamdy-Mohamed: 7
Hamdy-Mohamed proved to be VCU's most effective player after Johnson. He scored 10 points, shooting 5-8, while also grabbing three rebounds inside. Due to his effectiveness, and size—he's listed at 6'9, it is a wonder why VCU only played him 12 mintes.
G Korey Billbury: 6
Billbury played more minutes than any other VCU reserve player, 23. He proved to be one of VCU's most effective player. He kept an upbeat tempo, and was constantly pressuring whether on offense or defense. He scored eight points, shooting 4-10, and also had three rebounds, three assists, and most memorably, two steals. However, due to his aggressive style, Billbury also turned the ball over twice and fouled four times. Billbury is a good reserve player, who should be an asset for VCU this season.
G Torey Burston: N/A
Did not play enough minutes to qualify.
G Doug Brooks: 3
Brooks had the unfortunate job of coming off the bench, and defending Grayson Allen. He did not do so effectively. He also was unable to score on the offensive end in 14 minutes, though he did have two assists.
G Jonathan Williams: 2
Williams came off the bench to guard Derryck Thornton, which he struggled doing.
F Michael Gilmore: N/A
Did not play enough minutes to qualify
Team Rating: 5.85

What do I mean VCU has a higher team rating than Duke even though they won? Well, Duke looked pretty bad in victory, while VCU, unranked, looked pretty good this game. VCU has some nice potential offensively, with Alie-Cox inside, Melvin Johnson outside, with JeQuan Lewis penetrating with the ball. They also have a couple of nice bench pieces in Billbury and Hamdy-Mohamed who have good motors and can contribute on both ends of the floor. VCU actually did a really nice job of preventing Dukes' frontcourt from dominating them. Plumlee, Jefferson, and Ingram should have been able to destroy VCU with their size, but they didn't. On the other hand though, VCU absolutely could not keep up with Grayson Allen and Derryck Thornton, allowing them to shoot a combined 16-26. VCU will get to face a struggling Wisconsin team Sunday. Unfortunately, I think Wisconsin is a bad matchup for them.

Saturday, November 21, 2015

Georgetown vs Wisconsin: Player Ratings and Recap

Here are player ratings for the first Semi-Final game of the 2k Sports Classic between Wisconsin and Georgetown. Later, I will release the player ratings for the second game between Duke and VCU in advance of the final tomorrow. 

This year I am recapping games in a similar fashion that soccer matches are recapped. Following a game, each player receives a rating 1-10 based upon their performance. Over the course of time you can see how they are playing in stretches, and how the team overall is performing based upon the form of their players. I think this is an effective way to evaluate basketball games. Especially when, at the end of the season, it is not always the most talented team that wins, or the team that had the most victories during the season, but the team that is experiencing the greatest of run of form. 

Georgetown 71 vs Wisconsin 61
Wisconsin
F Ethan Happ: 7
Ethan Happ is a redshirt freshman. He is the tallest member of Wisconsin's starting lineup, listed at 6'9. He did an excellent job grabbing rebounds this game, doing so effectively against a tough, and physical Georgetown frontcourt. Happ ended the game with 11 rebounds, and six of them came on the offensive end. Unfortunately, despite getting many second chance opportunities, Happ struggled finishing around the basket. He shot only 3-8. Lucky for him, he took a couple trips to the line near the end of the game, and went a perfect 6-6 from the charity stripe to boost his scoring number to 12 this game. Happ also finished the game with a pair of steals and a block.
F Nigel Hayes: 7.5
Nigel Hayes is the new star on this Badgers team now that Frank Kaminsky and Sam Dekker have left. He is a really good college player. He is versatile enough to score both on the inside, and on shoot outside. He can also defend on the perimeter, or in the post. His versatility made him an excellent third option behind the aforementioned forwards, but he has yet to transition to the elite level this season. Against Georgetown, Hayes led all players in scoring with 22 points. However, he did so on 7-17 shooting, 41.2%. That is actually one of his better scoring performances, because he is shooting 40.6% thus far this season. This would not be so bad, except Hayes shot 49.7% last year, and is only taking two more shots per game. Hayes is also down in 3pt%, 37.5 compared to 39.8% last year (although 37.5% for a 6'8 forward is nothing to scoff at), and FT%, 68.8 compared to 74.4. This is just to say Hayes is having trouble transitioning into a starring role. Hayes, and Wisconsin would be playing much better if Hayes could get his shooting numbers closer to last years level, while elevating the number of shots he takes.
Hayes struggled getting inside against the Hoyas. He had no problem getting past defenders outside, but once he got inside he missed a lot of shots near the basket, and also lost a couple balls while trying to get his shot up in traffic—he turned the ball over for the first three times this season during this game. This had a lot to do with Georgetown's excellent group of frontcourt players, and their solid interior defense. This also partially explains why Hayes was limited to only four rebounds, although three of which came on the offensive end.
Hayes once again showed he can play solid defense in this game. He does a good job guarding out on the perimeter, and is also solid defending the low post. He had two steals this game.
F Vitto Brown: 5
Brown is another versatile forward. He is 6'8, allowing him to guard either forward position, and likes to shoot jump shots on offense. Brown scored 9 points this game, but he did not shoot well. He was only 4-13 from the field, and 1-3 from 3pt range. He look a large number of jump shots against Georgetown. Brown has been dreadful from three thus far this season, shooting only 16.7% from there coming into the game. However, he has shot 46.7% from the field, and this is the first game in which he has failed to score in double digits. Brown was an asset grabbing rebounds, he had seven. Brown did foul out this game. However, he stayed in the game until the two minute mark despite picking up his fourth foul with seven to play.
G Zak Showalter: 5
Somehow 6'2 Zak Showalter is a pretty good rebounder. He averaged 5.3 coming into this game, and picked up another seven against the Hoyas, four of which came on the offensive end—that's all hustle. Although he helped out on the glass—or perhaps below the glass would be more apt, Showalter did not shoot great this game. He was 3-7 from the field, scoring seven points total. He was also one for three from 3pt range, which is in line with his 33.3% 3pt% this season. Showalter also turned the ball over three times, and fouled out of the game with six minutes left.
G Bronson Koenig: 3.5
Bronson Koenig found his stock to be very high following a strong performance in the tournament last season, and the departures of Frank Kaminsky and Sam Dekker. Koenig was touted as a potential all-conference performer, in a similar manner that Duke's Grayson Allen was. He, also like Allen, began the season with strong scoring performances. However, I do not think Koenig can be the second best player on a team that competes for a championship.
Against Georgetown, Koenig struggled mightily shooting. He was only 2-12 from the field, and made a single 3pt attempt of six. He scored nine points, four of which came from the free throw line. Koenig lacks vision as a point guard, and has trouble setting up teammates. He instead often looks first to shoot. This does benefit the team when Koenig is shooting well, but when he is not he struggles to help the offense in other ways.
F Khalil Iverson: 3
Iverson was the only bench player to receive significant minutes. He 21 due to the foul trouble Brown and Showalter were in much of the game. He showed a good ability to get up, and challenge Georgetown's bigs for rebounds, despite being only 6'5. However, he disappeared in the second half. He finished the game 1-3 shooting for two points, grabbing four rebounds, and also had two assists. He needed to be a more prominent presence when Brown or Showalter were sitting.
F Charlie Thomas: N/A
Did not play enough minutes to qualify.
F Alex Illikainen: N/A
Did not play enough minutes to qualify.
G Jordan Hill: N/A
Did not play enough minutes to qualify.
G TJ Schlundt: N/A
Did not play enough minutes to qualify.
Team Rating: 5.05
Wisconsin could not come back to defeat Georgetown, and as a result pick up their second loss of the season. Koenig struggled shooting, which left Wisconsin without a number two option on offense. Nigel Hayes is a great college player, but he is not capable of carrying this team. It also did not help that Wisconsin's next best scorers, Showalter and Brown, were in foul trouble down the stretch, and Wisconsin lacks depth. Georgetown was a good measuring stick game for Wisconsin. They were both fringe top-25 teams coming into the season, in my opinion. It's now going to be interesting to see how they fare against Syracuse in a couple of weeks.
Georgetown
C Bradley Hayes: 2
Bradley Hayes had played well in Georgetown's first two games, averaging 30 minutes and 17.5 points. However, he sat on the bench for much of this game in favor of four-star freshman Jesse Govan who was playing excellently.
Hayes played only 14 minutes, shooting 2-6 for four points, and picking up two rebounds. Another reason he was likely benched for most of the game, and down the stretch, were his four turnovers. Four turnovers in 14 minutes will get you benched.
F Isaac Copeland: 8
With Smith-Rivera struggling, Copeland took over for Georgetown, especially in the second half. He shot 5-9, and 3-4 from beyond the arc, to score a season high 15 points. Copeland has been very consistent offensively thus far. He has scored 11, 13, and 15 in the Hoyas' first three games, and has shot over 50% both from the field, and from three point range. Copeland added eight rebounds. Although, he also turned the ball over four times. Copeland is a great asset for this team as a versatile forward who can guard multiple positions, and score from anyway. It was good to see he has the ability to lead on offense when needed as well.
F Marcus Dickerson: 3.5
Dickerson, like Hayes, saw limited time this game despite starting. He shot 0-2, and finished the game with zero points. He played seven minutes total, and finished with three rebounds and assists. Unlike Hayes, Dickerson did not turn the ball over excessively. He simply sat because Reggie Cameron was playing so effectively off the bench.
G LJ Peak: 4
LJ Peak only played 21 minutes this game. He took only five shots from the field, making two of them. He added another five points from the free throw line, bringing his point total up to nine points, which falls in line with his season average of 9.3. Peak has yet to make a 3pt FG this season, but had some mild success driving to the basket. Peak was a four-star recruit a year ago, but has yet to step up his sophomore season like he was expected to with Jabril Trawick gone.
G D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera: 5
Georgetown's expectations for this season grew last summer when Smith-Rivera decided to come back to school, after initially declaring for the draft. Thus far this year, Smith-Rivera's ppg, FG%, and 3pt% have all lowered compared to last year. He did not shoot well against Wisconsin. He went 2-9 from the field, and one for four from three. Smith-Rivera did end up with 12 points, but only because he took many FT at the end of the game; he finished 7-10 from the line. Smith-Rivera at least helps the team in multiple ways. He grabbed five rebounds, had four assists this game, to lead the team, and had three steals. Smith-Rivera also only turned the ball once despite playing more than 30 minutes. Smith-Rivera has down a good job with the ball in his hands at least this season. He has averaged 4.3 assists, and only averaged 1.0 turnovers.
C Jessie Govan: 7.5
Govan was Georgetown's highest rated recruit; he was a consensus top-50 player coming into the season. He is a skilled big man, and gives the team a unique look when he is on the court. Govan scored a career high, 13 points, against Wisconsin. He scores just as much from outside as he does inside. He made a three pointer, and shoots jumpers away from the basket consistently. He was 3-7 from the field, making one of his two three attempts. Govan is also an excellent FT shooter, making all six of his attempts. In addition to being a good shooter, Govan is a surprisingly effective passer. He ended this game with three assists. Because Govan is threat from outside, he draws defenders out, and that frees up the inside where he can pass the ball for a teammate to pick up an easy two points. In addition to being a skilled offensive player, Govan is a gifted low post defender. He played nice defense against Happ when he had the ball inside, and had three blocks in the game. Govan also grabbed five rebounds.
F Reggie Cameron: 6.5
Reggie Cameron exploded on offense in the first half. He sunk four three pointers, and scored a total of 14 points in the half. However, Cameron disappeared in the second half, and did not score another point. He finished the game 5-7 from the field. He also finished the game with three rebounds, two assists, and two steals. Cameron is an intriguing player for Georgetown, because if he can play like he did in the first half consistently, he will give Georgetown a second versatile forward who will stretch defenses even further. However, Cameron does not have a great track record. He has averaged seven points in eighteen minutes this season, and averaged only 1.2 points in 4.6 minutes last season as a sophomore. At worst though, Cameron is a live shooter off the bench who can contribute solid minutes.
G Kaleb Johnson: 3
Johnson was a third bench player to receive more than 20 minutes this game. He was not as effective as Cameron and Govan though. Johnson is a tall, 6'6, freshman guard. Due to his height he is able to help out grabbing rebounds; he has now grabbed three in back-to-back games. However, he is yet to show much on the offensive end. He made two of three field goals against Wisconsin for four points. He also fouled out late in the game, and turned the ball over three times. Johnson got quite a bit of playing time this game, ahead of starter, LJ Peak, but based upon his production it may not have been warranted.
F Trey Mourning: N/A
Did not play enough minutes to qualify.
G Riyan Williams: N/A
Did not play enough minutes to qualify.
Team Rating: 5.40

Georgetown they were better than their 0-2 record when they defeated Wisconsin, moving to 1-2. The continued success of standouts Copeland and Govan are essential to Georgetown this season. Copeland is a great second option who can stretch defenses. Govan is great on both ends of the floor, and has a much higher upside than Hayes. I would actually like to see Georgetown play big with Hayes, Govan, and Copeland all on the court at the same time. Smith-Rivera's struggles shooting are a concern; he needs to be the leader of this team. They could be very dangerous if he average 16+ points per game again. It will be very interesting to see what they can do against Duke tomorrow.

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Player Ratings and Recap: 2 Kentucky vs 5 Duke 11/17


This year I am recapping games in a similar fashion that soccer matches are recapped. Following a game, each player receives a rating 1-10 based upon their performance. Over the course of time you can see how they are playing in stretches, and how the team overall is performing based upon the form of their players. I think this is an effective way to evaluate basketball games. Especially when, at the end of the season, it is not always the most talented team that wins, or the team that had the most victories during the season, but the team that is experiencing the greatest of run of form. 

This post will cover last night's clash between defending Champion Duke, and perennial contender, Kentucky. 

Player Ratings are weighted based on playing time when determining team ratings. 

This is going to be my last post till probably Friday. 

2 Kentucky 74 vs 5 Duke 63


Kentucky Wildcats

F Skal Labissiere: 4

Skal Labissiere, the 6'11 consensus top recruit in the nation, played only 13 minutes this game. He was in foul trouble throughout the game, picking up two fouls in the first eight minutes of the game, and sitting the remainder of the half. He then fouled out with five minutes remaining in the game. Labissiere scored seven points while on the court, shooting three for five from the field, he also grabbed two rebounds, but turned the ball over twice. Labissiere's seven points in just 13 minutes is actually a pretty good number; at that rate he would have scored 14 points in 26 minutes. He also scored 26 points in an earlier game for Kentucky, and has shot an impressive 73% from the field through three games. Labissiere looked overmatched against Duke's veteran forwards who were tenacious on the offensive boards. So, Kentucky went with more physical forwards in place of Labissiere this game, especially once Skal got into early foul trouble. Marshall Plumlee went on an O-rebound, and scoring surge early in the game, before Skal went to the bench, and slowed down once Skal came out.

F Marcus Lee: 7

Marcus Lee had a very good night for Kentucky. He scored ten points on 5-10 shooting, grabbing 10 rebounds, five on the offensive end, and also blocked two shots. Lee used his length and athleticism to great effect on both ends of the court, and between he and Poythress there was also a big going after a rebound, and a big running down the court to score quickly on the other end. Lee, like Skal found himself in foul trouble throughout the game, and he ended up fouling out a little ahead of the freshman. Luckily, Kentucky has good depth at the position. They will not want to make a habit of fouling out two of their bigs.

G Isaiah Briscoe: 7.5

Isaiah Briscoe looked impressive in this game agains the Blue Devils. He is one of three point guards in Kentucky's starting lineup, but although he could run the offense, he is the guard most likely to defer to the other two (Murray and Ulis). As a result, Briscoe took less shots than the other two guards, but he finished with a higher shooting percentage. He scored 12 points, on 5-8 shooting, making his only 3pt attempt. He showed his ability to catch and shoot, and showed he could get to the basket, and scored off of a nice crossover in the first half. Briscoe's greatest contribution to the team was his defense. He did a great job containing his man, and also picked up a pair of steals. Briscoe is not as flashy as Ulis or Murray, and may not get the headlines they receive, but he looks like a steady, well disciplined player who is just as important to Kentucky's success. He turned over the ball just once, and also only fouled once.

G Jamal Murray: 8

Murray looked like an explosive talent against Duke. Based on this game, I would be shocked if he isn't a top-five pick next summer. He looks to have everything you want in an NBA point guard prospect. Murray scored 16 points, but he took 17 shots to do it, making 7 of them. He did not always show restraint with his shot selection, and often looked only to get himself an opportunity on offense, rather than looking for teammates. He is a very skilled player, who showed excellent ability off the dribble, and made Grayson Allen look silly most of the game. He also was aggressive on the offensive boards, grabbing three, and five rebounds total, and dished five assists. He was also prone to make mistakes though, and turned the ball over three times. Murray also looked to have the tools on defense, doing a good job to hold Duke's guards, and grabbing a team high, four steals. Murray looked like the best NBA talent in this game, but he still has to improve his decision making.

G Henry Ulis: 8.5

Henry Ulis was the clear leader of this Wildcats team, and were at their best when he was running the team, with an occasional dynamic possession with Murray at the helm sprinkled in. He led the team scoring 18 points on 6 of 13 shooting, although he missed all four of his 3pt attempts, and is just 2 for 11 in the early going of the season from beyond the arc. Ulis also ended the game with six asssits, while not turning the ball over all game, despite being the primary ball handler for all 40 minutes of the game. He also played foul free. Ulis is also a good defender, despite being only 5'9, but it looked like Briscoe was a better man marker, and on the ball defender. Ulis does not have the same potential or electric style that Murray possesses, but he plays error free ball, and is a great team player.

F Alex Poythress: 5

Poythress played 30 minutes coming off of the bench. He played extended minutes in place of Skal and Lee who faced foul trouble, although Poythress ended the game with four fouls himself. Poythress was a solid contributor. He scored nine points, but on 3 for 10 shooting. He grabbed seven rebounds, and four on the offensive end, and also blocked a shot. Poythress' numbers are consistent with his averages, but there should be an uptick due to the minutes he played, and the number of shots he took. Poythress was most effective when playing alongside Lee. The two of them are big athletes, and gave Duke's formidable frontcourt the most trouble. Ultimately though, no Kentucky big was able to stop the duo of Plumlee and Jefferson, who combined for 12 offensive rebounds, and 28 points.

F Isaac Humphries: 6

Humphries played 12 solid minutes for Kentucky. He grabbed three rebounds, and blocked a pair of shots, while fouling once every four minutes, accumulating three in the game. Humphries did fine when called upon, but I'm sure Calipari would rather his three bigs not combine for 14 fouls, and play Humphries only a handful of minutes.

G Charles Matthews: N/A

Charles did not play enough to be rated. He is the reserve guard for Kentucky, but all three of the Wildcats' starters will average more than 30 minutes per game. Against Duke Ulis played 40 minutes, and Murray played 38. It may be tough for Matthews to find playing time.

F Derek Willis: N/A

Willis did not play enough to be rated this game. He came into the game often as a third forward, and will therefore likely share time with Matthews.

Team Rating: 6.70

Kentucky was a team I was skeptical about coming into this game. They lost seven of their top nine players from a year ago, and it can be argued that Duke had the better recruiting class this season. Well, not anymore. Jamal Murray played like an elite NBA prospect, and all three guards played really well. I still think they need to work Briscoe in more, maybe take three shots away from Murray and give them to Briscoe. The most impressive aspect of the backcourt though was their defense. The trio absolutely shut down Brandon Ingram and Grayson Allen who had been Duke's most impressive players. They also stole the ball eight times between them. The frontcourt wasn't great, but they did enough. Amile Jefferson and Marshall Plumlee got the best of them for much of the game, but unfortunately for Duke, Jefferson and Plumlee cannot defeat a top-five opponent on their own. Kentucky does need Skal Labissiere to be a more consistent player; he has scored double digit points just once this season in three games. He also needs to learn how to defend the interior. Kentucky ended up dominating Duke as it was not competitive in the second half. The question of this season may not become, which is greater: Kentucky's Backcourt, or North Carolina's Frontcourt?

Duke Blue Devils

C Marshall Plumlee: 8

Mason Plu...I'm sorry, Miles Plum...Sorry again...Marshall Plumlee scored Duke's first nine points. He finished the first half with 11 points, 8 rebounds, and five blocks, which is an extraordinary line. However, he only scored a single points, grabbed two rebounds, and blocked one additional shot in the second half. That is a massive drop off in production. Even though Plumlee disappeared in the second half he had the most production game of his career against Kentucky. 12 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 blocks, are more than any one should reasonably expect from the senior, and Amile Jefferson took over where Plumlee left off in the second half.

F Amile Jefferson: 8.5

Amile Jefferson was an absolute beast in the second half of this game, and is the only reason Duke was not completely embarrassed by the Wildcats. Jefferson scored 16 points, and grabbed fifteen rebounds. 8 of his 15 rebounds came on the offensive end, which is incredible, especially considering the players he is taking those from. Jefferson, and Plumlee as well, only picked up two fouls the entire game, and played solid defense as usual. Unfortunately, his best efforts could not propel the Blue Devils.

F Brandon Ingram: 1

We've seen the good, now here comes the ugly. Brandon Ingram was a top-five recruit coming into the season, but he did not shine in this early showcase game. He scored only four points, making just one of his six field goal attempts. He rebounded just one ball, and blocked one shot. Meanwhile, he turned the ball over four times, and also picked up four fouls. Yikes. I always saw Ingram as a raw prospect, but he had a really good start to the season scoring 15 and 21 points in Duke's first two games of the year. However, this game was a real stinker; he couldn't get anything going.

G Matt Jones: 7.5

Jones provided a small bright spot for Duke. He shot 5-11 for 16 points, which tied Amile Jefferson for most on the team, and made 50% of his 3pt attempts. Jones has been a playing really well this season. He is averaging 15 ppg, and shooting 57% from the field, and 56% from three. However, Jones is best as a second or third scorer.

G Grayson Allen: 2

Grayson Allen was the other big loser in this game. Allen had the world thinking he was a superstar after the National Title game last season, and scoring 26 points and 28 points in Duke's first two games this season. However, he was completely exposed against Kentucky. He shot just 2-11 from the field, and was 0 for 9 in the first half. He also looked dreadful defensively trying to cover Murray, foolishly dreadful. Finally, Allen finished the game with four turnovers and four assists. Allen at least made some progress in the second half going 2-2, and making a 3pt shot, ending the game with six points. But, it wasn't near the dynamic performance Duke needed to win. This doesn't mean Allen is a complete fraud. He could turn things around, and help Duke win some big games this year, but this is a really bad sign for the team.

G Derryck Thornton: 3.5

Thornton played more minutes this game than he did in either of the previous two games. That makes sense as he is Duke's only natural point guard, and they desperately needed one this game. However, Thorton had only mild success. He scored seven points on three of seven shooting, grabbed three rebounds, and had three assists. Thornton also played pretty good defense, better at least than Duke's other guards. However, he like others on Duke's team, committed four turnovers.

G Luke Kennard: 2

Luke Kennard came into his freshman season with the reputation of being an elite level shooter. However, Kennard shot 0 for five from the field, and missed all three of his 3pt attempts. Kennard will be counted on to be Duke's second or third scoring option at times this season, especially when either Allen, or Ingram, or both struggle. He had the opportunity to do so this game, but could not make a shot. He made two free throws, for two points, and also got two rebounds, on the plus side, he did not turnover the ball.

F Chase Jeter: N/A

Jeter only played four minutes, which isn't enough to assign him a rating. But, he looked completely lost when h was on the floor, and picked up three fouls in his short time on the court.

Team Rating: 5.45


Strong performances by role players Marshall Plumlee, Amile Jefferson, and Matt Jones salvaged this game, and prevented it from being a complete embarrassment. However, Duke needs their “stars” to play well if they are going to compete for another National Title. Brandon Ingram and Grayson Allen were rendered completely useless by Kentucky, and some of Duke's other young players, Luke Kennard and Derryck Thornton could not fill in for them. That said, I do not think that this loss means that Duke can not be a good team this year, or can not compete for a National Title at the end of the year. They lost a lot following last season, and you would have to expect some struggle as the team rebuilds and transitions. It will be interesting to see how Duke rebounds leading up to the ACC regular season. I think this game speaks more about how good Kentucky is than how hopeless Duke is. 

Player Ratings and Recap from the Champions Classic: Kansas Jayhawks vs Michigan State Spartans


This year I am recapping games in a similar fashion that soccer matches are recapped. Following a game, each player receives a rating 1-10 based upon their performance. Over the course of time you can see how they are playing in stretches, and how the team overall is performing based upon the form of their players. I think this is an effective way to evaluate basketball games. Especially when, at the end of the season, it is not always the most talented team that wins, or the team that had the most victories during the season, but the team that is experiencing the greatest of run of form. So, with no further introduction, here are player ratings from the ESPN Champions Classic game between 4 Kansas and 13 Michigan State, where Michigan State stormed back in the second half to win. 

Still to come is my recap of last night's Kentucky-Duke game. 

4 Kansas 73 vs 13 Michigan State 79


This was my first chance to see both Kansas and Michigan State this season. I watched most of the game, but was often distracted, and missed the first part of the second half.


Kansas Jayhawks

F Perry Ellis: 7.5

Perry Ellis looked like the best player on Kansas' team against the Spartans. He scored, a team high, 21 points on 9-18 shooting. He was one for two beyond the arc. Ellis only grabbed six rebounds, but three of them came on the offensive end. He became less effective in the second half, making only three of seven shots in the second frame.

F Jamari Traylor: 4.5

Traylor got the start for Kansas in place of a yet to be cleared by the NCAA freshman. He is not a forward with high offensive potential. He averaged less than five points per game last season, while playing more than 20 minutes. Traylor scored six points this game, going one for one, and hitting all four of his free throw attempts. Traylor, along with Landen Lucas, led the Jayhawks in rebounds, with seven. Traylor only played 18 minutes, because he

G Frank Mason III: 5.5

Frank Mason shot a spectacular 43% from three last season. Unfortunately for Kansas, he went 0 for 3 from that range against Michigan State. In all, he went just 5-15, 33%, from the field, and scored 14 points. Despite not being an efficient scorer, Mason contributed in other ways. He grabbed five rebounds, dished out three assists, and also picked up three assists. Mason also only turned the ball over once despite playing 34 minutes, and often handling the ball while Kansas was on offense.

G Wayne Selden Jr: 4.5

Seldon was an even less efficient scorer than Mason. He shot 3-12, although he was better from three, going two for six from that range. Seldon hit a clutch 3pt shot late in the game to take a one point lead at the time, but Michigan State ended up taking the lead back, and keeping it. Seldon scored twelve points total in the game. Seldon was not much of an asset defensively this game, and he turned the ball over twice.

G Devonte' Graham: 4

Graham seemed to disappear for long stretches. He ended up shooting just one for nine, and missed all four of his 3pt shots. For the game, he scored only four points, and also had four assists, while turning the ball over once. Through two games Graham is shooting only 20%, which is disappointing considering he was expected to become a much more prominent part of the offense this season as a starter. On the plus side though, Graham has averaged only a single turnover through two games, and has averaged six assists.

F Landen Lucas: 6

Lucas was the first man off the bench in this game, and also led Kansas reserves in minutes played. This was a changeup to the previous game when Carlton Bragg led backups in minutes. Lucas only scored two points on one for five shooting. However, he was a bigger factor on the defensive end. He also grabbed seven rebounds, in 14 minutes played. So, he grabbed a rebound every two minutes he was on the court.

F Carlton Bragg Jr: 5

Bragg made a quick impact on the game late in the first half after he made two jump shots in a span of a minute and thirty seconds. Those became the only two shots he took all game though. It's frustrating that Bragg started the game encouragingly, but then became a complete non-factor. Perhaps, the Jayhawks wanted to stay small to better defend MSU's three guards, and Lucas provided better rebounding—Bragg finished the game with zero rebounds. Bragg has the higher upside though, and if he is consistently hitting a mid range jumper, he could become a strong offensive player.

G Sviatoslav Mykhailuk: 5

Myhailuk came in and provided some solid minutes in the first half. The highlight of his night came in the first half when he grabbed a defensive rebound, and took the ball down the court, and finished at the rim on the other side. That was his only field goal though, and went one for four throughout the course of the game.He finished the game with four points, a rebound, and two assists, while playing twelve minutes.

C Chieck Diallo: N/A

I was incredibly disappointed that the NCAA did not make a decision regarding Chieck Diallo in time for this game. This was a game that I, like many others, had highlighted on the schedule, and it's a shame Diallo was not able to participate. I

Team Rating: 5.33

Kansas was playing very well in the first half led by Perry Ellis. Then Denzel Valentine took over in the second half, and Kansas had no answer for him. Kansas did a bad job of defending the inside. They let guards, Valentine, drive inside too easily, and posed no threat protecting the rim. The team blocked just one shot. They were also out rebounded 35 to 45. Despite these deficiencies, this was a game Kansas was in a position to win. They grabbed seven steals, and shot an incredibly impressive 80% from the free throw line. However, the Jayhawks ultimately scored due to inconsistent shooting by their guards, and Perry down the stretch. This would have been a much different game if Chieck Diallo had played. The two things Kansas struggled at most: defending the interior and rebounding, are what Diallo excels at.

Michigan State Spartans

F Matt Costello: 6.5

Michigan State is not a particularly big team, and Costello serves as their big man. He was not a huge part of the offense, but was a consistent contributor. He scored 10 points, shooting four of seven. He was in foul trouble since picking up a technical late in the first half, and picked up his fourth foul with seven minutes to go, and fouling out with less than a minute to play. However, Costello did well to stay in the game for quite a while down the stretch, and played some clutch defense down the stretch. His only block of the game came with less than a minute to go when he swatted a Wayne Seldon layup. Costello will be a big part of this team as the Spartan's biggest player. Luckily, he should get some help from top-50 recruit Devonta Davis.

F Javon Bess: 6

Despite starting the game, Bess only played 15 minutes. He did finish the game with four fouls, but that should not have effected his playing time too much. He picked up his second foul with about eight minutes to go in the first, and did not pick up a third foul until there was 13 minutes left in the second. Bess is an undersized forward, at 6'5. He blocked two shots, both of which came early in the first, and grabbed only a single rebound, which also came early in the first. Bess scored six points, shooting three of four, and all of his points were scored—you guessed it, in the first half. Bess was not playing poorly, so Tom Izzo must have kept Bess out much of the second half because Devonta Davis and Matt McQuaid were helping the team mount a comback. That's fair. Bess still played well in limited minutes, and should get more of an opportunity in the future.

G Denzel Valentine: 10

Denzel Valentine (funny, I definitely just typed “Denzel Washington” instead of Valentine. Oops.) is staking an early claim to National Player of the Year. He was responsible for Michigan State's comeback victory. Valentine scored 29 points, shooting 10-23, and 3-9 from three point range. More impressively though, Valentine had a triple-double as he also recorded 12 rebounds, and 12 assists. Michigan State made 28 field goals during this game. Valentine made 10 of them, and assisted another 12, which means there were only SIX field goals he did not have a direct hand in—that's 79% of Michigan State's offense.

And this is what a perfect-10 looks like.

G Bryn Forbes: 7

Forbes was primarily just a shooter last season; he shot 43% from three, and averaged just 1.4 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game. This season does not appear to be much different. He finished the game with zero assists, and just one rebound. However, he does shoot really well, and scored 13 points on 4-8 shooting, and was 50%, 3-9, from three point range.

G Lourawls Nairn Jr: 3

Nairn is technically the “point guard” on this team, but really Valentine runs the offense, because he is a more highly skilled and dynamic player. So, Nairn is just an additional guard who does not shoot well. That is probably why he played only 15 minutes this game. Nairn scored two points, shooting one for five, and dished two assists.

F Devonta Davis: 6.5

Devonta Davis was Michigan State's highest touted recruit coming into this season. He is still a raw prospect on the offensive end, but is lauded for his rebounding, defensive abilities, and athleticism. Davis showed off his strengths in this game, grabbing six rebounds, and blocking two shots. He also scored four points, making one of his two field goal attempts. Davis was shown a lot of trust last night, as he played a lot in the second half, and the ended the game playing 23 minutes.

G Eron Harris: 2

Eron Harris was a standout player for West Virginia two years ago. He averaged over 17 points per game, and was expected to be one of the most impactful transfers this season. That has not panned out as of yet. Eron Harris has come off the bench in both games, and has only averaged 13.5 minutes and 3 points a game. Harris has struggled to score, shooting 27.3% from the field, and has yet to make a 3pt shot, these are the likely reasons he has yet to gain significant playing time for the Spartans. He scored two points, turned the ball over twice, and picked up three fouls in ten minutes this game.

G Matt McQuaid: 8

McQuaid is four-star freshman known for his ability to shoot the three. That is exactly what he did in this game. He scored nine points, shooting three for three from beyond the arc, and 3-5 overall. He also blocked a shot in the waning minutes of the game. The one negative part of his game last night, were the three turnovers he gave up. He will need to protect the ball better if he wants to continue to receive significant playing time.

F Colby Wollenman: 5.5

Wollenman came in and played some good minutes. He had six rebounds, three assists, and scored four points in just 13 minutes. Wollenman was responsible for a team high, three turnovers though, and again, in just 13 minutes.

Team Rating: 6.75


Michigan State did not look like a top-ten team in the first half. However, Denzel Valentine took his game to new level in the second half, and made every one on his team 5x better. He is a special college player, and by far the best I have seen play this year (and I've seen some good ones play: Kentucky freshmen Skal and Murray, Brice Johnson, Malcolm Brogdon, Buddy Hield, Perry Ellis, Cat Barber, Georges Niang, and Trevor Cooney...ha! I was just kidding about Cooney.) The rest of the players on this team are good, but there is no clear number two next to him. Costello, Bess, Forbes, and Nairn are all suited as role players, and although Davis has high upside, I don't think he reaches that level this season. That leaves Eron Harris. Harris showed he could be a top scorer while at West Virginia, and Michigan State needs him to be just that if they want to make a serious run in March. If Kansas had Chieck Diallo this game, I think Michigan State would have lost handedly. So, despite the win, they have quite a bit of work to do. Still, this is a very solid team, and I think they are definitely a top ten team. Right now, I definitely have them above Iowa State and Virginia of the teams I have seen. But, they are probably still behind Oklahoma. I will have my complete ranking of the teams I have seen this coming Monday. So, you will have to wait till then to see where Michigan State ends up.