USF:
Dons are 19-13 overall, coming off the win over Pacific. They’re currently ranked 104th on Torvik, 117 in NET. For comparison, Broncos are 73rd and 82nd respectively.
Top players:
6-0 point guard Khalil Shabazz (16.9 pts, 5.4rebs, 2.9 assists, 34% from 3).
5-11 guard Tyrell Robersts (16.2 pts, 2.3assists, 39% from 3).
6-9 forward Zane Meeks ( 10.0pts, 5.1rebs)
6-8 forward Josh Kunen and 6-8 wing Isaiah Hawthorne are their other typical starters.
6th man, 6-2 guard Marcus Williams had a good game last night vs. Pacific with 18pts/8rebs/5assists/2steals.
Meeks didn’t play last night but is apparently likely to play tonight…we’ll have to wait and see if he’s limited in some fashion.
Shabazz and Roberts are key for the Dons. Roberts went off last night for 25pts; you first have to defend him beyond the 3 but he is also capable of driving though he’s not as dynamic as Shabazz. The more we can keep the ball out of the hands of Shabazz the better.
The Broncos have a size (and strength) advantage nearly across the board. Our bigs dominated in the last matchup with the Dons, that needs to continue, first and foremost with rebounding and rim protection but we should also get some low post touches for all the bigs. It will be interesting to see if the Dons play they’re two 7-footers off the bench (Gigiberia and Markovetskyy) more often to counter the Broncos bigs.
Podz or Justice will always have a 5 to 6 inch height advantage against USF’s small guards; both will have the advantage when USF plays their 3-guard lineup with Marcus Williams. I hope to see Podz and Justice post up a few times and take advantage of that size and maybe draw some fouls.
Prediction: Broncos get their 3rd win over the Dons 82-75.
Play perimeter D and protect the rim. Shabazz and Roberts won’t beat SCU with all the midrange shots in the world. I also preferred Pacific as an opponent, but maybe this is a blessing in disguise since the advantages and strategies that SCU needs to exploit are more clear across the board than they would be against UOP’s roughly position-less style of play.
This should be a game for Key to feast with his physical advantages over the USF lineup.
78-70 Santa Clara. Key gets a double-double and keeps the season alive (though I think SCU is pretty close to an NIT lock)
USF will have tired legs. Sunday is an off-day, so Herb should be telling the boys to RUN-RUN-RUN. Play smart but don’t play tight. Agree on the perimeter D; if they make mid-to-long 2pt shots, so be it; but our relative size advantage should give us a big rebounding edge.
Need the bigs to own the glass (where SCU has a clear advantage) and the rest will take care of itself. Even if Shabazz and Roberts are knocking down 3’s as long as SCU takes care of the boards there should be enough put backs and dunks to propel the Broncos to the W.
SCU 85
Hamburglers 72
USF shot 10% above its season average for 3’s last night. But to me a key difference was their bigs inside. Lots of offensive boards and second chance points.
I only watched a few mins of USF-Pacific, but Pacific’s lineup that typically consists of what amounts to two wings at 6-7/6-8 and three average sized guards probably enabled USF’s mediocre frontcourt to control the glass.
If our bigs and wings are playing the way they should, USF won’t be able to win the glass in this one.
THAT ridiculousness alone makes me want to BURY them. NO need to name call an opponent. Heck, it is a battle during game. When clock stops - game over - onto the next. No need to get all personal on a reddit board like that.
Its an old running joke from when Santa Clara, which was all male, was marked with an (m) in college guides, so it was SCU (m). Ancient history, but that’s the joke.
Not playing crisp basketball right now, but still up 2. Playing hard.
Justice needs to find his shot. That last Tongue 3 was a little rushed. Glad USF turned it over on ensuing possession. Our bigs are controlling the paint.
My heart is breaking for CAM. NOT a good night to have a bad game. He needs to move better when OFF the ball. Hope he responds second half better. They have shut Pods down. Pods needs to do better at getting open.