MBB Game 11 - UMass, 12/11/22, 7 PM EST

[Wags]

Hofstra had 15 points (while building an eight-point lead) in the first 7:17, but has scored just six points over the last 10:02. UMass leads, 24-21, at the U4 (3:15).

[Wags]

Tied up at halftime, 30-30, with the help of two Barrouk 3s sandwiched around a Thomas 3 toward the end of the half.

Later, Williams scores to give him 10 pts. Finally the first player in the game to score in double figures, at the 14:04 mark. Hofstra up on that bucket, 41-40.

HU fortunate that UMass is just 5/13 at the line (all in the first half).

[Wags]

U12 (11:43) with UMass scoring the last six on a three-point play and a 3-point FG to go up 46-41. Marshall, coming off his impressive 24-point game in his first start (at Purdue) is making Hofstra miss Estrada tonight, with just 4 pts on 1/9 fg (0/4 from 3).

[Wags]

HU offense struggling to keep up here. Game-turning 16-2 run for UMass has turned that 41-40 HU lead on WIlliams' 9th & 10th points into a decided 56-43 UMass advantage at the U8 (7:36). Hofstra has missed 11 of 13 shots.

[Wags]

Make it a 22-2 run. Missing some easy ones now. Game over. Just went cold. Very hard to judge them in a game that was close throughout until it completely got away with Estrada unavailable to turn to in order to keep them in it. Turn the page. A couple more left OOC then CAA play to hopefully put things together. But much work to do. Shame Estrada got hurt for this game. Would have been a good test with him healthy. But they're a different team without him, as they should be, so tough to judge them there.

[Wags]

Game started 12-2, Hofstra in the paint.
Game finished 34-12, UMass in the paint (including 26-8 in the second half) after that start.

[HUSID80]

Absolutely the worst effort I have seen from our team since the MO Cassara Era. Horrible shooting, no rebounding and a lot of wasted dribbling...we need Estrada BADLY...UMss was not good, no guards and we let them abuse us in the second half.
Very disappointing.

[triplec2195]

A brutal game to watch especially when u have to go out of your way to see it. Where’s Estrada??

[Wags]

A brutal game to watch especially when u have to go out of your way to see it. Where’s Estrada??

Were you expecting him to play? We knew he was hurt.

[Pride97]

It was really rough to watch (especially factoring in the trek to see it).

No fluidity to offense at all. Carlos penetrating and looking to pass all the way - everyone knew it too. No threat to shoot.

They had a hard time dealing with Umass’ size as well. Layups blocked and redirected constantly. Thees were way off for the most part. Looked like they just sent in Barrouk to chuck them at one point.

Marshall and Thomas has really poor games which didn’t help.

The lone bright spot for me was Williams. He looked to have something going down low and they maybe should have tried forcing that more.

Really disappointing effort. I know Estrada is out and that affected things, but should have still been a winnable game. UMass not a great shooting team and awful at the line. But as usual we were beat up on the boards. Doesn’t even look as bad in the box score as it was watching it. Still don’t know why we never try for offensive boards - it an automatic clear out after a shot and it’s a mistake IMO.

Not much more to say here. Really hope Speedy gets on the for this one.


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[dutchalum01]

Horrible display tonight. Just ugly. Need to figure out the point on this team - No fluidity, poor ball movement. The game should have been competitive even without Estrada. Disappointing to say the least. Speedy better get it figured out sooner than later or year 2 will be a bust. Still waiting for JC to grow as a floor general.


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[Wags]

Still time for Carlos to grow into his role this season, but that this point, he is still too inconsistent to be relied upon on that role. It seems like things are heading toward Estrada having to do sort of double duty as the top-scoring option and as the PG to set others up when he's healthy again. He did that well when called upon to do so last year, and right now, that seems like it might be the best option for this team down the road this year. That would be kind of a shame because it was trending toward Carlos taking that role in an ideal situation earlier this year, but he needs to be more consistent to keep that role. Otherwise, the offense doesn't work. But I also think you kind of throw these last two games out. What team IS going to be able to function well offensively when you take its best player and top scorer away, especially when one of those is the #4 team in the nation against a mid-major like HU? The first 6-7 games in CAA play will tell a lot more, but the problem is they kind of already needed to have their identity figured out going into that (which is what OOC play was supposed to be for). It's hard to figure out that identity during that stretch, because you want to have already established by then, get some wins, and grow that identity over the final 11-12 games of CAA play before the conference tourney. So, the timetable, which seemed to have been ahead of the curve after the first three games, now seems like it might be a little slower than they might have wanted. But no one cuts the nets in December. Still time to answer a lot of questions and to figure it all out. What to do with the PG spot, whether it'll be Carlos (ideally) or Estrada (out of necessity, if Carlos doesn't work out there) is where it all starts and extends from offensively. Defensively, they have to be more consistent across the board. They won the league three years ago because of solid, reliable TEAM defense, and they have to figure out how they can do that with this group. That's more effort than personnel or schemes than the offense is, so should be easier to fix, even if there are at times, size issues protecting the rim and with defensive rebounding.

[triplec2195]

A brutal game to watch especially when u have to go out of your way to see it. Where’s Estrada??

Were you expecting him to play? We knew he was hurt.

Just a cry for help obviously knew Estrada wasn't going to be playing and quite honestly wasn't all that encouraged seeing him walking around at Barclay's. He was definitely favoring the ankle so realistically it may be some time before we see him on the floor. It becomes so evident on how important Estrada is to this team watching our inept offense and our game plan according to Speedy's post presser was to penetrate and kick out for three's. That's a great game plan if you can hit those three's consistently but without Aaron on the floor who gets double and triple teamed sometimes we just don't have the firepower. His presence on the floor opens things up for other players to get good shots especially Thomas who can be locked down when he's not getting open shots. It can't be underestimated how much we not only miss his 21+ points a game but what about his 4 assists and 5+boards. It could be tough for us for a while until his return.

[Wags]

A brutal game to watch especially when u have to go out of your way to see it. Where’s Estrada??

Were you expecting him to play? We knew he was hurt.

Just a cry for help obviously knew Estrada wasn't going to be playing and quite honestly wasn't all that encouraged seeing him walking around at Barclay's. He was definitely favoring the ankle so realistically it may be some time before we see him on the floor. It becomes so evident on how important Estrada is to this team watching our inept offense and our game plan according to Speedy's post presser was to penetrate and kick out for three's. That's a great game plan if you can hit those three's consistently but without Aaron on the floor who gets double and triple teamed sometimes we just don't have the firepower. His presence on the floor opens things up for other players to get good shots especially Thomas who can be locked down when he's not getting open shots. It can't be underestimated how much we not only miss his 21+ points a game but what about his 4 assists and 5+boards. It could be tough for us for a while until his return.

That's fine. If he has to be hurt, now is the perfect time. CAA play still 17 days aways. Only South Florida and Old Westbury (who cares?) before then. The nature of his injury, he should be fine by the time they play their first CAA game on 12/29. It really only matters from that point forward anyway.

[triplec2195]

A brutal game to watch especially when u have to go out of your way to see it. Where’s Estrada??

Were you expecting him to play? We knew he was hurt.

Just a cry for help obviously knew Estrada wasn't going to be playing and quite honestly wasn't all that encouraged seeing him walking around at Barclay's. He was definitely favoring the ankle so realistically it may be some time before we see him on the floor. It becomes so evident on how important Estrada is to this team watching our inept offense and our game plan according to Speedy's post presser was to penetrate and kick out for three's. That's a great game plan if you can hit those three's consistently but without Aaron on the floor who gets double and triple teamed sometimes we just don't have the firepower. His presence on the floor opens things up for other players to get good shots especially Thomas who can be locked down when he's not getting open shots. It can't be underestimated how much we not only miss his 21+ points a game but what about his 4 assists and 5+boards. It could be tough for us for a while until his return.

That's fine. If he has to be hurt, now is the perfect time. CAA play still 17 days aways. Only South Florida and Old Westbury (who cares?) before then. The nature of his injury, he should be fine by the time they play their first CAA game on 12/29. It really only matters from that point forward anyway.

Yeah all that's true but unfortunately with him missing a lot of time and maybe not being able to practice much what Estrada will we get when he finally is able to return. How long will it take for him to be in GOOD GAME SHAPE? That's the important question moving forward.

[HUSID80]

Word is that Estrada was close to playing yesterday but he was held out so as not to risk his progress...he should be a go for SFlorida as that game is in a week...plenty of time to get him CAA ready.
Also this week gives this team a chance to catch its breath, self-scout and perhaps make some lineup and role changes. I would like to see Williams start with Bochie coming off the bench...disappointed in Plotnikov's perfromance yesterday but still see him as a come off the bench energy guy...Washington has been a real disappointment and yesterday Thomas and Marshall were eseentially non-factors.
I think Carlos should continue to start but with Estrada assuming more PG responsibilities.

[Wags]

Yeah all that's true but unfortunately with him missing a lot of time and maybe not being able to practice much what Estrada will we get when he finally is able to return. How long will it take for him to be in GOOD GAME SHAPE? That's the important question moving forward.

Fair question with regard to some other players, but Estrada is one guy I have complete confidence in being able to pick things up whenever he returns (see his 27 pts on 12/19 fg in the season opener at Princeton following a whole offseason). We're only talking about an ankle sprain so he'll likely play in one or both of the next games anyway, but even if he misses one or both of those, he still wouldn't be in that much of a different situation than anyone else on the team with only two games before the CAA opener still 17 days away. He'll be fine regardless of when he returns. It's how his supporting cast pans out that is the thing to worry about.

[Wags]

Word is that Estrada was close to playing yesterday but he was held out so as not to risk his progress

Right call. No point in risking further injury yesterday. As things turned out prior to yesterday's game, CAA play is all that matters with this team this year.

[triplec2195]

Word is that Estrada was close to playing yesterday but he was held out so as not to risk his progress...he should be a go for SFlorida as that game is in a week...plenty of time to get him CAA ready.
Also this week gives this team a chance to catch its breath, self-scout and perhaps make some lineup and role changes. I would like to see Williams start with Bochie coming off the bench...disappointed in Plotnikov's perfromance yesterday but still see him as a come off the bench energy guy...Washington has been a real disappointment and yesterday Thomas and Marshall were eseentially non-factors.
I think Carlos should continue to start but with Estrada assuming more PG responsibilities.

I like the idea here of starting Williams especially now when we need scoring options. Like Nelson's game and believe he can score but he looks to pass first but he has a solid game all around. I agree that Washington has been an under performer and that's disappointing but Thomas with 8 points made a contribution in this game.Agree It wasn't his best performance. Marshall got caught up in the moment and maybe just put too much pressure on himself. His shots yesterday were way off. Carlos handles the ball well but doesn't give us a lot of offense and his height makes him vulnerable guarding BIG guards. Although Barrouk missed a few shots he could help this team coming in to shoot three's. He has good size and will give us more offense then Washington. Plotnikov is up and down but plays with a lot of intensity.

[Cards]

I think Carlos should continue to start but with Estrada assuming more PG responsibilities.

I continue to be concerned about JQ's level of contribution. I am OK with him not being a scoring option as long as he does a great job handling the ball and racking up assists. But 11 games in, he is averaging 32 mpg with only about 3 assists per game. His asst/TO ratio is 1.42 (296th in D1). I would expect much more playmaking from a guy who is not expected to score. Where is the benefit in so much playing time without results to show for it? Are we waiting for him to turn it around... or grow into the position.... or is he our best/only choice right now??