Such a frustrating game last night that capped a very frustrating season in so many ways. Hated that we lost and that the season is over, but honestly being knocked out of the NIT certainly does not have the sting of last year's loss in the first round and certainly not the UMBC loss. Would have been great to get to Madison Square Garden, but the way we've been playing in the postseason could have been hard to watch. Luckily we can now focus on next year and the incoming class plus any potential transfer additions.
When looking back at the season I think the thing that was most frustrating was our inconsistency on both ends of the court. Some times we'd look like we finally had it figured out on defense then other times (like last night) we'd let people continually drive to the basket for easy layups, get into foul trouble with dumb fouls or just be lazy and late on rotations. I hate to think of what we would have been like this year on defense without Beekman who was incredible all year on that side of the ball.
On offense it seemed each game we'd have this long scoring droughts as a team which would be our downfall in so many games that we were in and looking like we could win until that dread drought would appear. From game to game so many players lacked consistency on offense. Clark and Franklin are two prime examples. For much of the year Franklin was pretty bad on 3 point shots, but did well on his two point attempts with pull ups and driving to the basket. However, near the end in the last two games he found his stroke from three, but ended the season going 1 for 15 on two point shots including taking just one his last two games. I'd argue though that Clark was even more inconsistent on offense. Had some really great games, but finished the season 4-24 from three and 20-62 overall as well as many duds throughout the year. Hard to win with your 2nd and 3rd leading scorers were so inconsistent and our post scoring was similar with Caffaro and Sheddrick really only being able to score from a couple of feet away much of the time. In many ways it's amazing that we averaged the 62 ppg that we did.
Listening to Bennett's press conference I have this deep fear that Clark and possibly Stattman could return (when he was talking about the great experience Stattman gained in the postseason this year as if it would help next year). I was really worried to hear him talk about the incoming first years having the strong possibility of not playing much (which again leads me to think there is a better than not chance of Clark and/or Stattman returning) and it shows that he has not changed his philosophy even in this new era of college basketball. He did reference that St. Bonaventure had five seniors and how key that was (which it is), but how likely are we ever going to be led by juniors and seniors if players are not playing much in their first and second years with the new transfer rules? The only way you can get that level of experience will be to play players early because if not you will lose many of them to transfer.
Really optimistic about next year (and beyond) "IF" Clark and Stattman don't return and we can keep at least one (hopefully both) of Murry and Milicic, but if Clark and/or Stattman return I am afraid of what it will do to the program the following years as well given that it will mean many of the incoming players won't play much at all next year.
When looking back at the season I think the thing that was most frustrating was our inconsistency on both ends of the court. Some times we'd look like we finally had it figured out on defense then other times (like last night) we'd let people continually drive to the basket for easy layups, get into foul trouble with dumb fouls or just be lazy and late on rotations. I hate to think of what we would have been like this year on defense without Beekman who was incredible all year on that side of the ball.
On offense it seemed each game we'd have this long scoring droughts as a team which would be our downfall in so many games that we were in and looking like we could win until that dread drought would appear. From game to game so many players lacked consistency on offense. Clark and Franklin are two prime examples. For much of the year Franklin was pretty bad on 3 point shots, but did well on his two point attempts with pull ups and driving to the basket. However, near the end in the last two games he found his stroke from three, but ended the season going 1 for 15 on two point shots including taking just one his last two games. I'd argue though that Clark was even more inconsistent on offense. Had some really great games, but finished the season 4-24 from three and 20-62 overall as well as many duds throughout the year. Hard to win with your 2nd and 3rd leading scorers were so inconsistent and our post scoring was similar with Caffaro and Sheddrick really only being able to score from a couple of feet away much of the time. In many ways it's amazing that we averaged the 62 ppg that we did.
Listening to Bennett's press conference I have this deep fear that Clark and possibly Stattman could return (when he was talking about the great experience Stattman gained in the postseason this year as if it would help next year). I was really worried to hear him talk about the incoming first years having the strong possibility of not playing much (which again leads me to think there is a better than not chance of Clark and/or Stattman returning) and it shows that he has not changed his philosophy even in this new era of college basketball. He did reference that St. Bonaventure had five seniors and how key that was (which it is), but how likely are we ever going to be led by juniors and seniors if players are not playing much in their first and second years with the new transfer rules? The only way you can get that level of experience will be to play players early because if not you will lose many of them to transfer.
Really optimistic about next year (and beyond) "IF" Clark and Stattman don't return and we can keep at least one (hopefully both) of Murry and Milicic, but if Clark and/or Stattman return I am afraid of what it will do to the program the following years as well given that it will mean many of the incoming players won't play much at all next year.
