After these 2 RIDICULOUS cupcakes that you can't schedule when you are in the 8th or 9th rated conference on the RPI, which got 2 bids out of 11 teams last year, we now move on to a great challenge in Wisconsin.
Let's start with a very simple premise: We can't guard Nigel Hayes without help. If we do it Dunphy's usual way, Bond will be on the bench with 2 fouls before the 1st TV timeout. Hayes MUST be doubled on every touch, and don't leave Koenig. Showalter is a mediocre shooter, and their 2 other bigs are not great offensive players. Wisconsin outrebounded Syracuse by 25 at the Dome last night, so we really need to recover quickly after doubling Hayes, and box out on every shot. We don't force turnovers and they don't turn the ball over. I believe that we will get shots, although we will take far too many 3's against their pack-line defense, but until last night, teams have been lighting it up from 3 against the Badgers. We will score enough, but Bond needs to play 35 minutes and that is only happening if he gets help from MINUTE ONE with Hayes.
As for the Penn game, Nelson-Henry is a one man team, much like Aaric Murray and Jerelle Benimon were. Those two guys AVERAGED 37 points and 12 rebounds against Temple in 3 combined games. He must also be doubled coming out of the locker room. The rest of their team stinks! Steve Donahue already badly outcoached Dunphy in the 2010 Tournament, when he force fed Jeff Foote, and Michael Eric couldn't guard him without help. Don't make the same mistake for the umpteenth time. You aren't Bobby Knight or Coach K at Army. Even Coach K plays more zone than Dunphy. Give these kids a chance to succeed defensively. Of the 8 returning letterman, only 2 (Brown and Bond) are above average defenders. The other 6 are average at best and the freshman aren't particularly good yet. That is a lot of weak links, leading to open 3's, layups and a parade to the foul line. A good coach would help mask these obvious deficiencies.
Thoughts?
