I was so damn ready to celebrate a great regular season ending win tonight.

For me, I did not like the coaching in the last two minutes of the second half. (Rozier is too small).
Duquesne finishes in 9th place.

 

I love Kareem Rozier's mentality as a team leader and love the attitude he brings to the game.  I think he is a warrior.

That being said, he's a liability, especially late in games. SLU attacked him directly shooting over him and the threes late were by the player he was defending and they were killers.  

On the tie up and turnover where he was trapped in the corner, it was a huge mistake to have him be the primary receiver.  He should have been the secondary option, afer the ball was inbounded.  I would have preferred to have Dinkins be the one to get the ball or Crawford/Williams.  The added height prevents SLU from having two bigger defenders trap on the baseline...we played right into their hands when Rozier caught the ball and stopped, allowing himself to be trapped, hoping to be bailed out by getting a foul call.

Dru will learn from that mistake, no doubt.  On that inbound play, the better option would have been to have Rozier inbound the ball, allowing him to receving the 2nd pass and drive up court.  

It was heartbreaking loss for a team that played a very good SLU team.  But it was also very encouraging to watch this team play in a very hostile environment and take every punch from them and keep fighting back.  Max was brilliant in the 2nd half, just wish he would have taken a mid-range jumper instead of the 3 at the end.
 

Generally I think the team with the better players wins & I don’t think the Xs and Os matter as much when the talent levels differ. Talent wins. Because I know I don’t know anywhere near what a college coach knows nor what players were told to do, I keep my thoughts on the coaching to myself.  Players have to execute to their best and I don’t like to criticize kids for mistakes. So, I try not to call out players. Finally not sure what good criticizing does. But last night…When the Dukes went up 6 they needed to get their best 3 point defenders in and make sure the guys knew to run everyone off the line. Take a TO if you have to. KR plays the drive & gives up a 3. I don’t have a big issue w him getting the inbounds- usually steady w ball & 1 of better FT options late. But cannot get tied up when arrow is going other way & had a TO left. Should have been told that but even if not told, experienced players should have known. 

This game analysis is spot-on. There was much coaching that could/should have been done to avoid playing straight into the Biliken's defensive strategy. Well stated 90.

There were several alternate strategies given that St. Louis still had a foul to give. Why not throw the ball into a big? How about a long pass?

After the ball went over to St. Louis, there was time to sub Kareem out for a better or more situation specific defender. I simply don't understand Dru's cost/benefit analysis of leaving Kareem in for this game scenario. If ever there was a call for an offense/defense substitution pattern this was it. 

DU90 wrote:

I love Kareem Rozier's mentality as a team leader and love the attitude he brings to the game.  I think he is a warrior.

That being said, he's a liability, especially late in games. SLU attacked him directly shooting over him and the threes late were by the player he was defending and they were killers.  

On the tie up and turnover where he was trapped in the corner, it was a huge mistake to have him be the primary receiver.  He should have been the secondary option, afer the ball was inbounded.  I would have preferred to have Dinkins be the one to get the ball or Crawford/Williams.  The added height prevents SLU from having two bigger defenders trap on the baseline...we played right into their hands when Rozier caught the ball and stopped, allowing himself to be trapped, hoping to be bailed out by getting a foul call.

Dru will learn from that mistake, no doubt.  On that inbound play, the better option would have been to have Rozier inbound the ball, allowing him to receving the 2nd pass and drive up court.  

It was heartbreaking loss for a team that played a very good SLU team.  But it was also very encouraging to watch this team play in a very hostile environment and take every punch from them and keep fighting back.  Max was brilliant in the 2nd half, just wish he would have taken a mid-range jumper instead of the 3 at the end.