Tipoff: Saturday, 4pm at Leavey TV: ESPN+ Line: Torvik- Broncos -20, 94% win probability; ESPN- no line yet, 93% win prob.
Fresno St.:
The Bulldogs are 3-5 on the season, are on a 3 game losing streaking most recently losing to San Diego St. by 22. And their 3 wins are all vs. sub-300 squads.
Starters / 6th man:
6-1 point guard Zaon Collins (14.2pts, 5 rebs, 3 assists,25% from 3 )
6-7 wing Mykell Robinson (11.9 pts, 6.5rebs, 22% from 3)
6-9 forward Elijah Price (8.8 pts, 9.1 rebs)
7-1 center Mor Seck (4.9 pts, 5.3rebs)
6th man: 6-7 wing Alex Crawford ( 9pts, 42% from 3 )
The analytics hate the Bulldogs evidenced by the fat spread and mid-90ās win probabilities.
The Bulldogs offense has really struggled, ranked 345th on Torvik. They have shot only 25% from 3, near the very bottom in the country and arenāt much better on 2 pointers.
The Broncos just need to play a clean game, limit the turnovers and control the glass. The Bulldogs have demonstrated that they arenāt likely to outshoot you; you only open the door for them if you cough up the ball or given them extra possessions and easy put backs by not controlling the glass. And if one or both of OāNeil and Bal break out of the shooting slumps thatās a bonus.
The Broncos have yet to win two games in a row this season; itās time to break that pattern.
Itās a Scott Garson vengeance game. After being passed over for the FSU head coaching job, the boys rally around Coach Scottās snub & dominate the game 82-58
Missed bunnies from Mahi, Bal, and OāNeil so far. Prioritizing shots at the rim sort of implies that you hit a high percentage of themā¦
Edit: Now Tilly with a dunk.
Not trying to be overly negative but when the team constantly struggles from three and has (correctly) eliminated the mid-range, you really canāt afford missed layups.
Just an OK half.
Defense OK but Fresno St. has been horrible on offense this season to date so far.
As Patty notes, too many missed bunnies. And Bal has been a mess, two travel calls, a missed easy layup and 0/3 from 3. Fortunately, 3ās were falling for Bryan and Tilly and rebounding has been solid.
Hopefully we can separate more early in the 2nd half. Donāt need a repeat of the N Dakota St. game where we let an inferior opponent hang around instead of burying them.
Mahi 1 for 5 inside the arc so far. Thereās a lot of talent there but he continues to try to force impossible shots in the key with three defenders on him.
Also, Bal with 3 TOs and 2 points is tough. I hope he can right the ship here.
When this journey is over. Remind me to warn EVERY EAST COAST player to NOT come to Santa Clara to play ball. Herbs no contact play or foul and sit nonsense is exhausting. They get FIVE. Just like Warriors - let our Draymond Green (aka Cam) play.
Does the analyst know that Fresno was supposed to be one of the 100 worst teams in the country this season? If anything, theyāre out-performing expectations in this game and on the season.
Santa Clara shot it as well from three as they did at the rim. Thatās umm not good. I think almost every player who saw the floor missed a layup or dunk. The three comes and goes. This game could have been scary if not for a decent showing at the arc.
Iāll remain the Ensminger defender here. He led in boards and assists and was one of the better defenders. Thatās his plus over OāNeil, especially when Johnny canāt hit the ocean. Jake at least doesnāt shoot you out of the game. Then again, he doesnāt add any scoring either, and teams barely guard him at the perimeter. He shouldnāt be on the floor with Knapper for that reasonātoo little offense.
I agree, Patty. Jake gives you solid D, good boards, and has turned it over only 4 times in 10 games. I would like to see him take the ball to the hoop more.
As long as OāNeilās shot is AWOL I donāt hate Ensminger starting at the 4. I just wish Sendek would give Cam some minutes at the 4 as well, whether he starts or not. The downside with the Ensminger/OāNeil combo at the 4 is scoringā¦they scored a grand total of 3pts on one made 3 from OāNeil. That said, those two did combine for 17rebounds and Jacob added 5 assists.
The challenge is the offensive system Sendek has employed expects and counts on the 4 spot being a perimeter scorer which Ensminger never has been and OāNeil isnāt as long as his shooting slump continues. This is why I continually harp on the offensive system. Our 3ās were falling in this game and we scored 81 points so those who donāt know any better might conclude, āhey the offense is greatā. But when we do produce decent results on offense, it is usually byproduct of good individual skill of several players and making plays in 1on1 or iso situations and less about the design and execution of the team offense generating good scoring opportunities.
Bryan, Stewart and Tilly led the offense in this one including a bunch of 3ās (9 makes between those three) and most of them where on pull up 3ās in transition, iso/stare downs, or in Tillyās case he was wide open as Fresno Stateās 5ās were camping in the lane and not extending out on Tilly and Camā¦none of this is a result of masterfully designed or executed team offense.
And finally another lineup noteā¦for the 2nd game in a row the āfinishingā lineup often consisted of Tilly, Mahi, Bryan, Bal, Stewart. They did rotate Tilly and Ensminger on offense/defense when the clock stopped with Jacob effectively the 5 presumably because his ball handling and passing is better suited to help break the press. I support this approach, but you have to ask what took the staff so long to figure out the lineup combo with Mahi playing the 4 makes since for certain stretches and situations??? In fact, it may be wise for them to use this lineup for stretches earlier in the game against certain teams and matchups.
Like the discussion re: lineup.
Based on latest performances I like the Stewart, Mahi, Bryan, Tilly, Jake as starters. Good scoring, less TOās, adequate rebounding with Tilly/Jake.
With Jake not scoring much he might be our best assist vs TOās guy. He can also post down if needed and shoot or dish.
That has a second unit of Knapper, Bal, OāNeil, Cam, Kosy, and/or Bucky for short minutes.
Bal looks tired to me. He struggles in D and has not been productive in his ISOās or with the ball in his hands late in the clock.
With the starting lineup above we should be more competitive versus Bradley and the next two games before the WCC league.
This team needs to āgelā fast which is really strange after playing together for over a year and a half?
More gristā¦.