I think it is interesting to consider the differences between this squad and last season's squad. There are a lot of them, and it is not just due to Cade.
Three to consider:
1). Shots- Last season, we were very perimeter oriented, and struggled to enter the ball into the paint and score at the rim. This season, it is the opposite. We rarely shoot from 3 and score almost all of our points in the paint.
2). Defense- Last season, we were sieve-like. A big part of that was due to having Lindy and Dz on the floor. Both were just poor defenders. This season, we have so much more athleticism and length, that we are much better at covering for each other and making it hard on opponents.
3). Speed of play- Last season, we took the word methodical to a new high. Plodding might be a better word. The ball just stuck in everyone's hands and opposing defenses hardly had to work to prevent open shots. This year, we are one of the fastest teams in the country.
This is one of the reasons I love college basketball. Roster turnover makes it common for things to change significantly from season to season, and it is pretty awesome to watch the coaches and players figure it out and try to figure out how to get peak performance from the pieces they are working with.
Three to consider:
1). Shots- Last season, we were very perimeter oriented, and struggled to enter the ball into the paint and score at the rim. This season, it is the opposite. We rarely shoot from 3 and score almost all of our points in the paint.
2). Defense- Last season, we were sieve-like. A big part of that was due to having Lindy and Dz on the floor. Both were just poor defenders. This season, we have so much more athleticism and length, that we are much better at covering for each other and making it hard on opponents.
3). Speed of play- Last season, we took the word methodical to a new high. Plodding might be a better word. The ball just stuck in everyone's hands and opposing defenses hardly had to work to prevent open shots. This year, we are one of the fastest teams in the country.
This is one of the reasons I love college basketball. Roster turnover makes it common for things to change significantly from season to season, and it is pretty awesome to watch the coaches and players figure it out and try to figure out how to get peak performance from the pieces they are working with.
