Oregon (Sweet 16)

We could analyze the plays that lost it for us to death. Came down to one play, you can pick which one. Good game, good run, good season. Looking forward to the next one.

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Heartbreaking loss. Donā€™t think we played well although I donā€™t think Oregon did either. Walton had a good look at it, just came up a bit short. Walton and Irvin were amazing though. They hit some great shots. So proud of those guys. They deserved to keep playing but the margin is so small in these games.

A couple of rim out threeā€™s by Duncan or a rebound off a free throw and we probably win. Iā€™m sure Oregon can say the same as they missed a lot of free throws and had an offensive goaltend.

We needed more from Rahk and Wagner for sure. They were both really bad. It seems like if Wagnerā€™s shot if off early, then it doesnā€™t get fixed. Some games, he comes out on fire and then other games, heā€™s way off.

Great season. Just wish it was continuing.

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So I taped the game and I turned my phone on driving home and my moron friend says too bad he shook him too

Obviously I know what that means so I just fast forwarded to the last 8 minutes. MAar looked bad when I saw him. I donā€™t agree with leaving moe on the bench like that though. Belein did that quite a few times late in the year it seemed like.

I donā€™t care how bad moe played early ( didnā€™t see) but moe makes us what we are and is a major reason our offense churns. You have to give him a shot to get going. Heā€™s incredibly hard to match up with. Also heā€™s clearly a better rebounder then Duncan. We gave up two major rebounds. We do that with moe on the court too but Iā€™d trust him fighting for the board there more.

Huge error imo

Yeah, Belein plays it safe in that way, but itā€™s hard to second guess the dude and be right.

to sum it up:
Zak = Dorsey
Bell > Wagner + Wilson
Walton > Pritchard
Dorsey > MAAR
Ennis > MAAR
DRob = Benson

Difference was rebounding and shot distribution.
They took 41 2-pt shots, we took 28. We took 31 3-pt they took 17.
We were better inside %-wise. They were better %-wise outside.

Not angry or complaining, just surprised they didnā€™t go to the Louisville strategy in this game. The switches were mostly there and the opportunity to go down low to Moe in the mismatch had its opportunities. They really didnā€™t even look for it.

He had plenty of shots to get going, he just didnā€™t. The offense wasnā€™t churning with him and his defense was a net negative. During the second half the radio guys said that Donlon was screaming at Moe over a lapse and thatā€™s after they commented on a similar situation in the first half. I was disappointed in his game but not as much as I was in MAARā€™s.

He only played 24 more minutes though. He still was 3-6. I gotta watch the first half but this is a tactical error imo. Moe always gets going if you feed him. Itā€™s not if itā€™s when. You have to play your best 5 in that scenario imo. From what I saw Duncan wasnā€™t exactly killing it on either end. The mere threat of moe on the p n r alters the landscape. Heā€™s got to be out there. Also he has a nack for big plays on either end in big moments. You have to go down with him. Heā€™s gonna make his mistakes in every game but what he brings on the flip side is a net positive. I just donā€™t like it.

Itā€™s ok to be angry and complain. The program just lost a chance at a championship which I think they had a real chance at. Just cause your upset about the outcome or decisions doesnā€™t mean you arenā€™t proud of the team or season or that you are a bad fan.

I just like him out there. Feed him and let him try and make something happen. If you look at the season which games did we lose? The games where moe was in foul trouble and stuck on the bench most the game so he couldnā€™t get going or gave in impact. He has to play a big role for us to hit our potential.

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Donā€™t wanna be overly critical or dwell on one play when several changed the game, but I donā€™t think DJ realized on that Oregon free throw that it was a 1-and-1. Or maybe he just spaced out for a bit? His hands are still on his knees as the ball is released. Look at every other player compared to him:

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Great observation

As much as Iā€™m proud of the guys for getting this far and still accomplishing some wonderful things this season, thereā€™s no doubt that we shouldā€™ve won that game. We didnā€™t play to the best of our ability, but we just needed to grab a defensive rebound and the game is (probably) iced. I think 8/10 weā€™d win that game, especially considering it was strictly Irvin and Walton showing out today.

Hindsight is 20/20 though. I hope Oregon does well, their players seem like high quality guys.

Canā€™t really criticize the decision to sit Moe. He was shooting terrible and was lucky he only had 2 turnovers IMO. DRob had two threes that went in and out. One of those goes down and weā€™re talking about what a great decision it was for JB to keep Moe on the bench.

We had the open shots last night. Just missed them.

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I agree, need to find any way possible to get him going in a game. He shied away on a couple attempts and got stripped on another, so it wasnā€™t a great first half. However, they didnā€™t get him in the position like they did against Louisville.

I was surprised they didnā€™t run much action like Sunday. Go to the 1-5 PnR with him every time down and get the switch. Feed him in the mismatch. I donā€™t think they got him the ball once with the guard on him, or tried to get the switch much.

I knew it was going to be a rough night for Wagner when they tried to go to him down low early and he looked really awkward. Then his outside shot was way off. If he comes out hot, heā€™s really good but if not, it might be a long night.

His highs were really high in the postseason but he also had some games where he was flat out bad. He only averaged 10.6 ppg and 3.3 rpg. He shot 4/19 on 3ā€™s. He clearly has a lot of talent. Now he just needs to develop consistency and learn how to play without fouling so much.

Thatā€™s what really surprised me though. I could definitely be wrong here, but I believe all his early post-ups were on Bell. Thatā€™s a TOUGH one on one battle to win.

I really really thought theyā€™d try to fully exploit the 1-5 PnR all game. Freshmen PG against a red hot Walton. If they switch, show the patience they did Sunday and let Moe go to work.

All we needed was one of Mo, MAAR, or Duncan to have an average shooting night, with how efficient Derrick and Zak had been. Iā€™ll have nightmares of Waltonā€™s missed 3, and DJā€™s missed layup & boxout, but in reality we just didnt play well, as a team. Oregon didnā€™t either, missing a lot of 5ft shots and FTs, which is why it was even close. That first half was the ugliest half of basketball, between two talented teams, that I had have seen in a while.

I think Duncan did have an average shooting night and if those two missed 3 pointers that were in had stayed in, he would have had a great shooting night.

He still shot 3-6. I guess my thing is you gotta get him out there. He always gets going. He makes big plays in big moments. Whether itā€™s a basket, strip, loose ball, heā€™s that kinda guy.

Mo shot 3-10 last night.

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