(01-12-2022 02:33 PM)Luckeyone Wrote: (01-12-2022 01:57 PM)Miggy Wrote: Emu has yet to play a team that is likely to finish in the MAC’s top 5 teams. EMU’s resounding win over Central Michigan,was against a team that did not play at full strength due to the Covid virus rendering many players unavailable to play, and is not good even when having all it’s players.
It’s my view, that no MAC team is a dominating team that cannot be beat. The race is wide-open. Where EMU will finish in MAC play is unknown and will likely remain so until EMU gets deep into it’s conference schedule.
The first real test will not be it’s next two opponents- Northern Illinois and Kent State, as neither are likely to be a top five MAC team. But losing to either would not be a good sign.
Following the Kent State game, EMU plays it’s first real test at Akron that is likely to be a top 5 MAC team. Between now and then we’ll get to see if both EMU’s high scoring offense, good defense and depth, are for real.
The Akron game is followed by Bowling Green and then Toledo. Those last games may well tell us how good a team EMU is.
It’s my view that EMU is fully capable of winning the MAC, but EMU still needs to improve in certain areas if it’s to have a chance to get to the top. A top level team has to reach consistency. EMU is not there yet, and I’m not confident that any other team is consistent as well.
We all have our views whether Toledo, Ohio, Akron, MOH or some other team are among the top five or even is the MAC’s best team. But such views may change as conference play unfolds. Each of those teams has a weakness.
I enjoy your posts, Miggy.
I watched Toledo the other day and they are good but definitely beatable. Their weakness is very little low post scoring options but as you know they have solid guard play. To be good means to be consistent. We’re such a young team sprinkled with senior role players excluding Monty. I believe this team will go as Monty goes. If Monty is on, it will reduce the pressure placed on his brother, Noah just a covid19 freshman. Golson could be the key to our low post scoring concerns and move us beyond Toledo. One reason why I think EMU can finish in the top 4 or 5 places is because we have arguably the best or second best coach (Boals is a proven winner like Heath).
I believe EMU will rise to the occasion and beat a top MAC team and then perhaps lose to lesser opponents. Why? We have to rely on too many freshman.
Let’s go Eagles!
I enjoy your posts as well.
My view of Toledo is that unlike EMU they don’t have nearly the number of players that can can take the ball to the hoop. They hide that weakness by having their taller players do back-cuts to the hoop where they receive timing passes and either lay the ball in or dunk it. EMU needs to interrupt those plays, and also defend their catch and shoot jump shots and they can be beat. Also, need to deny Rollins the ball and harass him to make him to pass the ball.
We differ on low-post play. I don’t like it for two reasons. One, a low post player is being guarded between him and the basket. added. Two, it prevents perimeter players from getting to the hoop. I spoke to legendary former Temple HC Fran Dunphy at length and he told me that low-play is no longer part of modern basketball. I agree with him, unless a Shaq-like player is on your team.
I tell players all the time that the most important thing is to get a open shot and not a contested one. Don’t like when players pass up open shot from 15-feet and dribble 6-feet forward or so to take a contested 8 foot shot. Love Golson’s mid-range shot. Dislike when passes that up and instead takes to hoop where he faces a contested shot. Like it when he has a clear path to the hoop. Just a question his learning in practice from trial and error.
Do think that Monty should play a bigger role, but other players don’t look for him as much as they should, or he gives up the ball too quickly rather than probe opponent defenses.
My main concern is EMU maintains a wide positive turnover margin over it’s opponents. Continue to do that and EMU almost impossible to beat. Not sure that Heath committed to playing a pressure outside defense as much as should throughout a game to force opponent turnovers. He needs to be. He seems more concerned to having guards help out inside which they rarely do.
Agree that some freshman may try to do to much. Do think Heath can help prevent that. Turnovers and excessive fouls are big problems for freshman but can be controlled by telling an offensive player like Noah to just shoot and not pass when moving. Also, fouls can be cut-down by telling players not to foul throughout the game, especially in the second-half.
I like EMU’s offense now. We are a guard driven scoring team and I like that. Do think EMU has the deepest good scoring guards in the conference, but when we play better teams, it’s my opinion, Monty has to be the go-to guy. Also, nice we have bigs that can shoot from the outside to stretch the defense.