• The KillerFrogs

2018-19 Basketball Season Thread

JogginFrog

Active Member
The floor has grown on me. Looked weird at first, but I like the unique look from a branding standpoint--on a highlight show, it signals TCU to people immediately.
 

Purp

Active Member
Without Azubuike rock chalk is going to more 4 guard play like in years past. This may bode well for us for a couple reasons.

1) Depth behind Samuel is less of a concern as JD and Lat can play the 5 when Kansas goes small.

2) Our length could actually be a big advantage inside, especially if we can get to the line and actually make the free throws.

3) Kansas has been very good playing small in the past, but they were lethal from 3 and our perimeter defense was a train wreck. This year, our perimeter D is MUCH better and Kansas is not very good from 3.

If they can't score as much from the perimeter as they have in years past I don't see them supplementing that production from the paint against us. I think they'll need to turn this into a defensive slugfest to beat us and this may be where missing Kaden on the defensive end could hurt us. Guard defense may be the most pivotal part of the game for us, especially is Fish is out.

RJ is going to get a chance to shine tonight. Guard depth will be huge if we win. Look for Noi to have a productive night offensively too. If they go small I'm not sure who they'll have to defend his shot from deep. If he finds his range early he could have a loud night.
 

Purp

Active Member
Without Azubuike rock chalk is going to more 4 guard play like in years past. This may bode well for us for a couple reasons.

1) Depth behind Samuel is less of a concern as JD and Lat can play the 5 when Kansas goes small.

2) Our length could actually be a big advantage inside, especially if we can get to the line and actually make the free throws.

3) Kansas has been very good playing small in the past, but they were lethal from 3 and our perimeter defense was a train wreck. This year, our perimeter D is MUCH better and Kansas is not very good from 3.

If they can't score as much from the perimeter as they have in years past I don't see them supplementing that production from the paint against us. I think they'll need to turn this into a defensive slugfest to beat us and this may be where missing Kaden on the defensive end could hurt us. Guard defense may be the most pivotal part of the game for us, especially is Fish is out.

RJ is going to get a chance to shine tonight. Guard depth will be huge if we win. Look for Noi to have a productive night offensively too. If they go small I'm not sure who they'll have to defend his shot from deep. If he finds his range early he could have a loud night.
So it looks like the only thing I was right about is RJ getting a chance to shine. They didn't kill us from 3, but murdered us in the paint. They also totally shut down ARob's distro game. I like our chances in Fort Dixon with a healthy Fish and Alok.
 

CountryFrog

Active Member
So it looks like the only thing I was right about is RJ getting a chance to shine. They didn't kill us from 3, but murdered us in the paint. They also totally shut down ARob's distro game. I like our chances in Fort Dixon with a healthy Fish and Alok.
A healthy Fisher provides better spacing and more room to operate for everyone including Robinson. His ball pressure on defense is key as well. Without him, there is just too much on AR's plate on both ends of the floor. We simply have to have Fisher on the floor if we're going to reach our full potential.

And I have to think that Alok's length alone could've caused a little more resistance against Lawson when Samuel was on the bench. If we just hold him under 25 then we probably win.
 

CountryFrog

Active Member
We went from having a ton of size and length at the beginning of the year to having not quite enough tonight with Angus and Archie gone and Alok and Mayen injured.
 

Purp

Active Member
A healthy Fisher provides better spacing and more room to operate for everyone including Robinson. His ball pressure on defense is key as well. Without him, there is just too much on AR's plate on both ends of the floor. We simply have to have Fisher on the floor if we're going to reach our full potential.

And I have to think that Alok's length alone could've caused a little more resistance against Lawson when Samuel was on the bench. If we just hold him under 25 then we probably win.
Yep. I think Azubuike's injury forced Kansas to overhaul their offense and we were their first experiment with it. Even with the same roster of healthy players I think we'd play them better every subsequent game now that we have some film on them. That said, you articulated my point better about why I think we'd beat them with a healthy Fish and Alok. What they did to us last night wouldn't have been as easy with Fish. Lawson scored a ton inside, but they got a lot of easy layups and dunks with other guys too. That has not been their game this season until they played us. Fish would make it harder for them to get those looks with guards. And Alok would give 5 more fouls from a big on Lawson to enable more aggressive D on him. He got whatever he wanted last night and was easily the best player of the game.
 
Top