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LA Ute
11-26-2016, 07:18 AM
This game will be a serious test for the Utes.

http://butlersports.com/news/2016/11/26/mens-basketball-butlermbb-takes-las-vegas-invitational-with-69-65-win-over-8-arizona.aspx


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sancho
11-26-2016, 09:23 AM
It's hard to know much about the team after watching 4 fairly meaningless games. Here are some facts and opinions:

As a team, we are at 33% from behind the 3 point line. Connor is the only Ute above 40%, though Zamora is at 39%. Kuzma will keep shooting threes. He's at 31% so far. I would love to see this at 35% by season's end, but I'm not optimistic with his shooting.

For FG% in general, we are at 50%, with Bonam, Rawson, Daniels, and Connor all north of 50%. Lots of layups so far.

We are at 71% from the line as a team, and Kuzma is at 77%. That is significant if it continues. We can inbound to Bonam, Kuzma, Daniels or Rawson at the end of close games and feel pretty good about our FT chances.

Bonam is turning the ball over a lot - 3.5 per game. Kuzma at 2.3. Rawson leading the team in assists since we are putting him at the FT line against the zone.

Kuzma, Bonam, Zamora, Rawson, PVD, and Daniels are averaging more than 20 minutes per game. Add Johnson, Barefield, and Collette, and that's our 9 man rotation. I think we'll end up using mainly 8, and PVD/Zamora are battling for minutes.

Johnson is getting 9 rebounds in 17 minutes so far. Obviously, the competition will get stronger. I am hoping he can be a Bachynski type for us. He seems less explosive than Dalin though.

Kuzma is averaging a double double so far.

sancho
11-26-2016, 09:37 AM
It's hard to know much about the team after watching 4 fairly meaningless games. Here are some facts and opinions:


I'm not sure who can play defense on this team. I guess we'll find out. I have to hope that Daniels can turn into a defensive stopper. If he can, he'd be able to guard 2's and 3's. Bonam and Kuzma didn't really play great defense last season. Maybe Zamora has it in him to pester opposing PGs.

Old Standing ute
11-26-2016, 12:21 PM
When Barefield is up to speed---hopefully when conference starts he will have the ball in his hands most of the time. He can break down defenders & is probably the best 3 point shooter.

Bonam may be better as a "2" guard--posting up & also attacking off a wing.

Dwight Schr-Ute
11-28-2016, 12:13 PM
The closer I look at this Butler team, the more I think Utah comes away with the win. I think we dust 'em.

2030

311ute
11-28-2016, 12:41 PM
Honestly I'm pretty surprised the line opened at just -1 for Butler (currently at -2). I was very impressed with what I saw from Butler the other night. They remind me of a Wichita St... not a ton of size, but a bunch of 6-7 type bigs who are skilled and can bang. A VERY well coached team, on both sides of the ball. I worry we'll have a hard time scoring against these guys. We're going to need to be hitting the 3-ball.

sancho
11-28-2016, 03:59 PM
Honestly I'm pretty surprised the line opened at just -1 for Butler (currently at -2).

I agree. Butler is coming off a road tournament in Vegas, though. They played on Thursday and Friday, and now they are coming to elevation in SLC. If we had any players who had played more than 25 minutes in a game this season, we could run 'em out of SLC.

Rocker Ute
11-28-2016, 05:45 PM
Regardless a win here for Utah will be huge and in my opinion very unexpected.


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Mormon Red Death
11-28-2016, 07:32 PM
We had some Chris reyes disease early but we can beat this team

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Mormon Red Death
11-28-2016, 07:42 PM
We need to shoot better

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Mormon Red Death
11-28-2016, 07:50 PM
It'd be nice if we shot better than 28%

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sancho
11-28-2016, 07:51 PM
They upped the defensive intensity towards the end of the half, and we peed our pants.

Looks like a winnable game to me, though.

LA Ute
11-28-2016, 08:16 PM
It'd be nice if we shot better than 28%

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I'm not in a place where I can watch but I see on ESPN.com that in the first half Butler shot 51.7% from the field, 37.5% from trey range, and 50% from the line. Utah was in the 33% in FG shooting and even worse from 3-point range -- 14%? It's a wonder we are not getting beaten badly. Just based on those stats the game seems winnable if the Utes can produce at a decent level.

sancho
11-28-2016, 08:37 PM
I'm not in a place where I can watch

Lucky

UtahsMrSports
11-28-2016, 08:37 PM
This game has gone about how is hoped. We hung in there early but our guys are not used to a team like this.

I'm encouraged by the rebounding and effort. I'm disappointed in a number of things.

Solon
11-28-2016, 08:50 PM
This game has gone about how is hoped. We hung in there early but our guys are not used to a team like this.

I'm encouraged by the rebounding and effort. I'm disappointed in a number of things.
Turnovers are tough to overcome.

LuckyUte
11-28-2016, 08:57 PM
Turnovers are tough to overcome.

So is not playing any interior defense.

LA Ute
11-28-2016, 09:36 PM
Win or lose, playing preseason games against tough opponents does pay off as the season wears on. So there's that.


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Old Standing ute
11-28-2016, 09:59 PM
We have 20 points sitting on the bench. Add that in & the fact that Barefield handles the point & thus turnovers are reduced by half & it may be a different result.
Bonam is not a point guard---he is a scorer, will be better not trying to be in charge. He is great driving off a pick & roll---but his first & basically only move is to drive---he does not hit the pick who slides to the hoop. Rawson is very good at that, but does not get the ball.
Rawson did get a lesson tonight---he finally slowed down & played well down the stretch.
2 Freshmen---Jayce & Daniels showed their potential. Daniels is fearless & Jayce battled some big experienced guys down low. He had some nice rebounds & hustle plays.

JoJo looked overmatched---by the Butler point guard--who the Muss rightly named "Frodo". Ouch.
And Bealer still looks clueless half the time. Welcome to the bench when the rotation gets tight.

No way this was a Butler by 1 game----should have bet the house on that.

Old Standing ute
11-28-2016, 10:02 PM
Forgot
Donnie Tillman was in the crowd.

Muss kept chanting "we want Donnie & we want Tillman".

He & his mother both seemed to enjoy the attention.

311ute
11-29-2016, 07:40 AM
4 assists, 18 TO's and 3-20 from deep. I have no idea how we kept it as close as we did. Thought our guys battled, played really hard. I agree 100%, the addition of Barefield (true PG and another perimeter scoring threat) and Collette (a scoring presence in the post) will be a god send.

Gotta get at least some production from Zamora and PVD. This team needs outside shooters and those two can provide that. But they were both non-existent and hesitant on the offensive end last night.

Good news is we have just 3 more games without Barefield and Collette. Bad news is one of those games is in Cincy vs Xavier.

sancho
11-29-2016, 08:57 AM
Maybe having Kuzma shoot 3's is like having Troy Williams run the read option. It would be wonderful and powerful if it could work, and it's super tempting because of that, but it's just not in the wheelhouse.

I don't know what goes into PER, but I bet Kuzma could improve his more by attacking the basket than by shooting 3's. Of course, he has NBA aspirations, and he'll never make it without that outside shot.

mUUser
11-29-2016, 09:56 AM
Through 5 games I see a lack of raw athletic ability and no pure shooters. The only offensive play in which I have any confidence is Bonham going to the hole with his left hand.

True Barefield and Collette could pick up some scoring (never seen either play, however), but, it will dig into Kuzma and Bonham. Offensive threats off the bench is bare minimum.

Much can be improved between now and conference, including interior defense, turnovers, and better offensive looks. I don't know how you address lack of athleticism.

UtahsMrSports
11-29-2016, 11:04 AM
Through 5 games I see a lack of raw athletic ability and no pure shooters. The only offensive play in which I have any confidence is Bonham going to the hole with his left hand.

True Barefield and Collette could pick up some scoring (never seen either play, however), but, it will dig into Kuzma and Bonham. Offensive threats off the bench is bare minimum.

Much can be improved between now and conference, including interior defense, turnovers, and better offensive looks. I don't know how you address lack of athleticism.

The impact of Barefield and Collette goes deeper than them being able to shoulder some of the scoring load, though that will certainly be a welcome addition. It allows bonam to play more off the ball (hes been bad as a full time offense initiator, putting up a 1-2 assist to turnover ratio when last year he was almost 2-1 with brandon taylor to help shoulder that load. Barefield is a guy who can create for others, he has that knack. That alone will help with rhythm and flow. Having a legit post up scorer will bring defenders inside and give the outside guys more space.