MBB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[BillyRayJimBob]

Thoughts from last night's 76-68 win in Etta...that was a rough first half for both teams, but especially Mount on the offensive end.  I think they shot around 30% in the half.  I mentioned before that I think the BanJo is the toughest place to play and it seemed like some of the guys were a little amped up early on and not playing like they normally do.  I think at one point they had taken six 3's and airballed 3 of them.  They were a different team in the second half though.  Moore and Steele being hot from deep was the difference in the game. 

Farrington's absence was noticeable.  Mainly on the glass.  With him out it basically forced Taylor to be the second main rebounder after Parker.  Taylor did a good job, but the impact down the chain of Taylor now being your second rebounder instead of third, etc. was evident.  Etta seemed to be snagging quite a few offensive rebounds.

Bottom line is if you go on the road into that gym minus your starting PG and C, start two freshmen and leave with a W chalk that up as a big win.

Doc -
Appreciate your posts after every game.
I watch them all, but don't have the game-knowledge to express my observations the way that you do.
As I may have said before in limited posts, the free throw shooting, Parker's foul trouble (some deserved), and to a lesser degree, the turnovers and 3-point shot selection (Steele and Moore in this particular game notwithstanding ... 67% incredible) can become frustrating ... as well as some collective first half outputs.
I think that the Purple Raiders are a better team than what they are showing us so far ... period ... and that is with the players that are sidelined.  In the Marietta game, I tried to focus on Parker because of the foul trouble issues, and I thought that his 3 fouls/19 points was as we should expect in that sort of physical game. Marietta seemed to know that they needed to pressure him in order to get him into foul trouble, but it never really materialized.  There was a lot of contact on both ends of the court, but nothing that really got him in trouble. He does have a little acting ability of "I didn't do that" during non-calls ... IMHO ... which is fine ... LOL!
So glad that Marietta threw up so many of those 3-point air balls. I see that a lot in the junior high leagues. 

[D3fanboy]

what a physical first half in Alliance.  Wilma is trying to bully Mount, the Raiders need to play smart and clean in the second half

what is it with Wilmington? terrible loss for the Raiders

[D3fanboy]

Marietta beats JCU...what a missed opportunity for the first place team to make a little room while playing the last place team

[Dr. Acula]

what a physical first half in Alliance.  Wilma is trying to bully Mount, the Raiders need to play smart and clean in the second half

what is it with Wilmington? terrible loss for the Raiders

They gave that one away in the last minute.  Up 77-72 and in order the PBP is:

01:05--Defensive lapse and give up an easy layup on the baseline.  77-74
00:38--Parker draws a foul.  Misses both FT.
00:28--Wilm draws a foul.  Makes both FT.  77-76
00:18--Steele is fouled.  Misses both FT.
00:07--Wilm hits a 3 pointer.  79-77

Finished 15-28 at the line.  Wilm was 13-17.  Guys not named Moore or Casenhiser were 7-20.  At some point it was going to cost them a game.  You can't play that many close games and shoot that poorly and escape 100% of the time.  FWIW when they were down 61-60 and had a couple technical FT to shoot Fuline put Casenhiser on the line for his first 2 attempts of the game (he made both).  He and Moore (6-6) were the only two I wanted at the line today.  I would say I hope it gets corrected, but at this point in the season it is what it is.  Some games they're gonna shoot 75% at the line.  Some games they're gonna shoot 50% at the line. 

And I don't know what it is, but it seems like Wilm gets in their head.  They always seem to play sloppy against the Quakers.  It's like they pull Mount down in the mud with them.  Luckily JCU and Musky both lost today too.

 

[D3 Poster]

It's the most competitive I can recall seeing the OAC top to bottom in a long time, but also the first time in awhile lacking a really, really good team or two.

[Dr. Acula]

Perfectly stated.  There seem to have been very few blowouts this season and there definitely isn't a top tier team like there's been.

[BillyRayJimBob]

what a physical first half in Alliance.  Wilma is trying to bully Mount, the Raiders need to play smart and clean in the second half

what is it with Wilmington? terrible loss for the Raiders

Seriously? ... Wilmington?! ... On your home floor?!?!
SMH

[BillyRayJimBob]

what a physical first half in Alliance.  Wilma is trying to bully Mount, the Raiders need to play smart and clean in the second half

what is it with Wilmington? terrible loss for the Raiders

They gave that one away in the last minute.  Up 77-72 and in order the PBP is:

01:05--Defensive lapse and give up an easy layup on the baseline.  77-74
00:38--Parker draws a foul.  Misses both FT.
00:28--Wilm draws a foul.  Makes both FT.  77-76
00:18--Steele is fouled.  Misses both FT.
00:07--Wilm hits a 3 pointer.  79-77

Finished 15-28 at the line.  Wilm was 13-17.  Guys not named Moore or Casenhiser were 7-20.  At some point it was going to cost them a game.  You can't play that many close games and shoot that poorly and escape 100% of the time.  FWIW when they were down 61-60 and had a couple technical FT to shoot Fuline put Casenhiser on the line for his first 2 attempts of the game (he made both).  He and Moore (6-6) were the only two I wanted at the line today.  I would say I hope it gets corrected, but at this point in the season it is what it is.  Some games they're gonna shoot 75% at the line.  Some games they're gonna shoot 50% at the line. 

And I don't know what it is, but it seems like Wilm gets in their head.  They always seem to play sloppy against the Quakers.  It's like they pull Mount down in the mud with them.  Luckily JCU and Musky both lost today too.

 

The free throw line ... AGAIN!

[Dr. Acula]

BRJB, I wish I thought it was gonna change but it isn't.  This is the current squad.  Now can you brick 4 straight FT in crunch time?  No.  That's bad for MS hoops.  It's absurd.  They dealt themselves that loss yesterday.  I will reiterate as much as I don't love it for a potential NCAA tourney team if they win the conf tourney, the fact that a freshman is clearly the most reliable answer to ball handler to beat pressure and FT shooter in leverage situations is a double edged sword.  Not ideal now.  Great for the next 3 yrs.  But at this point if Hudson is hurt and it's crunch time close game the ball needs to be in Casenhiser's hands.

[D3fanboy]

hopefully all the Raiders fans have eaten their lucky Hood burgers, didn't step on the MUC crest and prayed to their LK candles for good free throw shooting tonight

[D3fanboy]

turnovers and shooting 3's....ugh

[Dr. Acula]

The prayers for FT shooting have worked thus far.  Let's come out strong and open this lead up a little bit early on.

[D3fanboy]

the Raiders offense is so much better when they actually run it and dont play one on one from the top of the 3 pt line

[Dr. Acula]

You mean 24% shooting isn't good?  No one is a bigger Casenhiser fan than me but he shot terribly in the 2nd half.  Parker was amazing from the line but also awful from the floor in the 2nd half.  You've got guys who barely play going one on one with no passing taking contested elbow jumpers.  JCU completely out-executed them the entire second half.  Granted, if they play again I'm fairly confident Raynor won't have a second greatest game of his life though.  Everything he was throwing up was going in.

[Dr. Acula]

Mount guts out another close one 69-66 over Ott at the MAAC.  JCU, Berg and Musky also hold serve. 

Today was the definition of balance.  Parker, Farrington, Moore with 12 each.  Casenhiser 11, Collier 8.  Moore was 4-8 from 3.  Collier was 2-4 from 3.  Casenhiser was 4-4 from the floor including 3-3 from deep.  They shot very well from deep today (13-24).