Outside of Harrison St. John's didn't play that poorly offensively. The problem was on the glass not protecting their own basket. Can't give Hoya's second chances especially at home. I thought Greene, Pointer, and Sampson continued to play well.
Also Hoya's played awesome. They hit tough shots, moved the ball extremely well, and contested everything defensively. It's 1 game on the road which everyone penciled in as an L at the beginning of the season.
Next game is a better matchup with UConn. Less beef more guard play.
Your right. Defensively was a nightmare. They still run around like chickens with their head cut off. And can we get some big body down low? Anyone? Bueller?
Gift would have worked there moose. It's the one major issue I have with Lavin's roster management. I agree with Dave, this is the first game that Bourgault played with a purpose. It showed. Ever watch Marshall Henderson at Ole Miss run around the court? If Marco ran half that much, he'd get plenty of shots. Gotta play hard to get shots at is level. Today he did. IMO we would have won several games with Gift down low. Gift wuldnt have gotten pushed around by Lubick who has had career days against us. Gift would have kept us in both games with his strength and rebounding at minimum.
These are numbers for God'sgift last year against Georgetown. I'm not sure how much of a difference he would have made if any today.
2-8 shooting 4 pts 5 reb in 30 min
http://espn.go.com/ncb/boxscore?gameId=320152599
1-6 shooting 2 pts 3 reb in 22 min (Lubick owned him this game)
http://espn.go.com/ncb/boxscore?gameId=320430046
True, but Georgetown is a bit different this year without sims etc. Gift had sme good games in the Big East last year though too. Against this Georgetown lineup, and Obekpa next to him, I don't think they'd have the same games they did. Just an opinion.
Gift's best attribute was he ran rim to rim well. You're giving him entirely too much credit. I think he could be serviceable this year but long term it will work.
You think Lubck would have back to back career games if Gift were on him with Obekpa next to him? I don't. Lubick abused Obekpa and everybody else because we are weak. I think Gift was strong enough by far not to let Lubick abuse him, and that would have helped a ton in both games.
Yes, I do. Last year I saw Gift attempt to guard.. Anthony Davis, Giorgi Deng, Fab Melo, Drummond, fat Josh Smith, Cooley, and Sims. All of them scored easily on him. Lubick would've been no different.
And Gift was a terrible rebounder for his size, he averaged like 5 Rebs a game... we get more than that from Garrett and Dom.
I don't know where you're getting the notion that he played good low post defense or rebounded....those were actually his weaknesses. I don't want to see him playing - but if he did, he would provide an upgrade offensively, Gift had that one low post move were he spun baseline, and he could shoot foul shots decently. That's one more move than Obekpa has, and obviously an upgrade at the line. That's what Gift would help with if he was playing.
But God's Gift is neither the problem, nor the answer.
In November we all said this team didn't have any height, and didn't shoot very well.
And, in the long run....those initial observations have proven true.