Another factor - Baer

[NikeHawk21]

As we know this season has been a train wreck and that has been caused by a few factors. On this board we attribute to lack of guard play (particularly PG) and Fran. Those are certainly parts of the reason for the struggle but to there is one that hasn’t been mentioned much.

To me when I think back to what I thought this team would look like this year compared to what we’ve seen, one of the biggest differences comes from Nicholas Baer. He missed the beginning of the year with injury and has played very poorly since returning. I don’t mean to knock the kid because his story is awesome and because he works so hard.

Let’s look at the numbers.
16-17: 7.5 PPG / 5.8 RPG / 39% 3s
17-18: 5.0 PPG / 5.8 RPG / 27% 3s

The biggest difference though is in the turnovers. His turnover % this year has doubled from last year. He is also shooting free throws below 30%.

I expected we’d see Baer in the 25-30 minutes range doing what he does best in getting steals, blocking shots, and making the hustle plays. I would have thought something like:
7-8 PPG / 6-8 RPG / 33-40% 3s

Unfortunately his offense has been so bad that Fran has not been able to keep him on the court long enough to effect the game the way we would like.

 

[SheagleHawk]

As we know this season has been a train wreck and that has been caused by a few factors. On this board we attribute to lack of guard play (particularly PG) and Fran. Those are certainly parts of the reason for the struggle but to there is one that hasn’t been mentioned much.

To me when I think back to what I thought this team would look like this year compared to what we’ve seen, one of the biggest differences comes from Nicholas Baer. He missed the beginning of the year with injury and has played very poorly since returning. I don’t mean to knock the kid because his story is awesome and because he works so hard.

Let’s look at the numbers.
16-17: 7.5 PPG / 5.8 RPG / 39% 3s
17-18: 5.0 PPG / 5.8 RPG / 27% 3s

The biggest difference though is in the turnovers. His turnover % this year has doubled from last year. He is also shooting free throws below 30%.

I expected we’d see Baer in the 25-30 minutes range doing what he does best in getting steals, blocking shots, and making the hustle plays. I would have thought something like:
7-8 PPG / 6-8 RPG / 33-40% 3s

Unfortunately his offense has been so bad that Fran has not been able to keep him on the court long enough to effect the game the way we would like.

I really like Baer, I do. But that is perhaps one of the biggest indictments of Fran's recruiting when a walk ons performance has anything to do with our team's success. How many other power 5 teams are looking at a walk ons performance as to why their team is an absolute train wreck?

 

[Lietuva]

It could be that he is now a known quantity. Last year, teams did not focus on him (as much). Jok, Bohannon and Cook were seen as the three-headed monster that defenses had to stop - this gave Baer more of a chance to take advantage. This year, he is more of a focal point for the team and, I would expect, that his usage is higher this year than last - especially since the team has been without CM most of the season. If you have the ball in your hands more, there is a higher percentage for turnovers. The OP may certainly be right, just offering another view.

 

[PCHawk]

I really like Baer, I do. But that is perhaps one of the biggest indictments of Fran's recruiting when a walk ons performance has anything to do with our team's success. How many other power 5 teams are looking at a walk ons performance as to why their team is an absolute train wreck?

He's not a walk on. He's a former walk on because he plays like a scholarship player. If he still played like a walk on and we needed him, you would have a point.

It's like saying playing Dallas Clark was an indictment of Ferentz's recruiting because he was a walk on.

 

[SheagleHawk]

He's not a walk on. He's a former walk on because he plays like a scholarship player. If he still played like a walk on and we needed him, you would have a point.

It's like saying playing Dallas Clark was an indictment of Ferentz's recruiting because he was a walk on.

Let's not get crazy here. He was a walk on for a reason. He hustles, and I appreciate all his effort but we need, and should expect, better players on scholarship. The same goes for almost the entire roster. The fact that he's on scholarship, and we're playing 11 guys, should tell you how bad recruiting has been. Cook is probably the ONLY guy who would start for another B1G team. The rest of our starters would likely be 2nd or 3rd guy off the bench on most teams. And Dallas Clark played in the NFL for what....a decade? One of the best TEs ever at Iowa. That's a horrible comparison.

 

[NikeHawk21]

I really like Baer, I do. But that is perhaps one of the biggest indictments of Fran's recruiting when a walk ons performance has anything to do with our team's success. How many other power 5 teams are looking at a walk ons performance as to why their team is an absolute train wreck?

I had a suspicion someone was going to go this route. He was the returning B1G 6th man of the year, there were expectations for him regardless of what he was as a recruit.

 

[NikeHawk21]

Let's not get crazy here. He was a walk on for a reason. He hustles, and I appreciate all his effort but we need, and should expect, better players on scholarship. The same goes for almost the entire roster.

It’s like a broken record with guys like you. It’s always negative. Wasn’t Baer the only player in college BBall last year with 40 3s, 40 steals, and 40 blocks? He’s proved he can do it at this level, but he has just struggled for whatever reason this year.

 

[PCHawk]

Let's not get crazy here. He was a walk on for a reason. He hustles, and I appreciate all his effort but we need, and should expect, better players on scholarship. The same goes for almost the entire roster. The fact that he's on scholarship, and we're playing 11 guys, should tell you how bad recruiting has been. Cook is probably the ONLY guy who would start for another B1G team. The rest of our starters would likely be 2nd or 3rd guy off the bench on most teams. And Dallas Clark played in the NFL for what....a decade? One of the best TEs ever at Iowa. That's a horrible comparison.

It's horrible comprehension to think my point was to compare the talent of Baer and Clark.

 

[NikeHawk21]

Let's not get crazy here. He was a walk on for a reason. He hustles, and I appreciate all his effort but we need, and should expect, better players on scholarship. The same goes for almost the entire roster. The fact that he's on scholarship, and we're playing 11 guys, should tell you how bad recruiting has been.

Luke Maye is a former walkon who averages 18/10 for North Carolina. Is that an indictment of Roy Williams’ recruiting that a former walk on is getting minutes over other scholarship guys?

 

[thedukeofearl]

As we know this season has been a train wreck and that has been caused by a few factors. On this board we attribute to lack of guard play (particularly PG) and Fran. Those are certainly parts of the reason for the struggle but to there is one that hasn’t been mentioned much.

To me when I think back to what I thought this team would look like this year compared to what we’ve seen, one of the biggest differences comes from Nicholas Baer. He missed the beginning of the year with injury and has played very poorly since returning. I don’t mean to knock the kid because his story is awesome and because he works so hard.

Let’s look at the numbers.
16-17: 7.5 PPG / 5.8 RPG / 39% 3s
17-18: 5.0 PPG / 5.8 RPG / 27% 3s

The biggest difference though is in the turnovers. His turnover % this year has doubled from last year. He is also shooting free throws below 30%.

I expected we’d see Baer in the 25-30 minutes range doing what he does best in getting steals, blocking shots, and making the hustle plays. I would have thought something like:
7-8 PPG / 6-8 RPG / 33-40% 3s

Unfortunately his offense has been so bad that Fran has not been able to keep him on the court long enough to effect the game the way we would like.

Baer has not returned from his injury as quickly as I anticipated he would. There are flashes of his former play, Just might take a while to get back to his form. He might be targeted now, but his experience and ability should overcome that.....

 

[SheagleHawk]

Luke Maye is a former walkon who averages 18/10 for North Carolina. Is that an indictment of Roy Williams’ recruiting that a former walk on is getting minutes over other scholarship guys?

Uh Maye was a borderline top 150 guy who had better offers than anyone on our team except MAYBE Cook. He also was on scholarship before he even enrolled at UNC. So yeah...don't think I can answer your question. Guessing Roy hasn't, and won't.

 

[NikeHawk21]

Uh Maye was a borderline top 150 guy who had better offers than anyone on our team except MAYBE Cook. He also was on scholarship before he even enrolled at UNC. So yeah...don't think I can answer your question. Guessing Roy hasn't, and won't.

Fair enough. I didn’t know the whole Maye story but was just watching the UNC game.

Either way I think the point remains not all walk ons are the same. Care to comment on Baer being the only player in the NCAA with 40 3s, 40 steals, and 40 blocks? Any comment on Baer being the B1G 6th man of the year as a sophomore?

 

[PCHawk]

Fair enough. I didn’t know the whole Maye story but was just watching the UNC game.

Either way I think the point remains not all walk ons are the same. Care to comment on Baer being the only player in the NCAA with 40 3s, 40 steals, and 40 blocks? Any comment on Baer being the B1G 6th man of the year as a sophomore?

Little Lick was an indictment of Lick' s recruiting because he played a lot and he sucked. Baer belongs on the court and would be a top 6 player on almost every team in the conference. He has been in college for almost 4 years now so how much he was recruited out of high school is irrelevant. What a weird, un-thought out take that was.

 

[HaydenHawk56]

Production is down.....but we play fast!

That's The Bear Facts Folks!

 

[smitharooney]

It’s like a broken record with guys like you. It’s always negative. Wasn’t Baer the only player in college BBall last year with 40 3s, 40 steals, and 40 blocks? He’s proved he can do it at this level, but he has just struggled for whatever reason this year.

Boy do I miss the days of watching Kingsbury correctly shoot a basketball . You know where you look through the window and you don’t shoot with your guide hand? Instead we have fans drooling over a walk on who shoots a chicken wing directly above his forehead because he can jump and hustles. Where are the expectations of competing for a big ten championship as fans instead of defending players who would be lucky to be a gray shirt on Michigan st.

 

[NikeHawk21]

Boy do I miss the days of watching Kingsbury correctly shoot a basketball . You know where you look through the window and you don’t shoot with your guide hand? Instead we have fans drooling over a walk on who shoots a chicken wing directly above his forehead because he can jump and hustles. Where are the expectations of competing for a big ten championship as fans instead of defending players who would be lucky to be a gray shirt on Michigan st.

Was he or was he not the only player in college basketball with 40 3s, 40 steals, and 40 blocks? Was he or was he not the B1G 6th man of the year last year?

I’m not drooling over anyone. He was going to be an important role player for us. Not everything about his game is pretty but the above two sentences show he CAN do it at this level. He just hasn’t played up to that to date which is PART of the reason for the lack of success this year.

 

[smitharooney]

Was he or was he not the only player in college basketball with 40 3s, 40 steals, and 40 blocks? Was he or was he not the B1G 6th man of the year last year?

I’m not drooling over anyone. He was going to be an important role player for us. Not everything about his game is pretty but the above two sentences show he CAN do it at this level. He just hasn’t played up to that to date which is PART of the reason for the lack of success this year.

The steals and blocks are impressive but not the stat from downtown. He missed 65 threes !!!!!! 61 percent from the free throw line is dreadful. If we want to compete in the big ten he shouldn’t be playing an important role for us . He isn’t any better as a junior than he was as a freshman. Next years senior class of Ellingson , Baer and Wagner will lead us into another bottom feeder season next year

 

[NikeHawk21]

The steals and blocks are impressive but not the stat from downtown. He missed 65 threes !!!!!! 61 percent from the free throw line is dreadful. If we want to compete in the big ten he shouldn’t be playing an important role for us . He isn’t any better as a junior than he was as a freshman. Next years senior class of Ellingson , Baer and Wagner will lead us into another bottom feeder season next year

39% on 3s is what he shot last year which is above average and I’m sure you know that.... again his performance is why he was recognized as B1G 6th man of the year.

I agree on Ellingson and Wagner. Been saying for the last several weeks they have no business playing. Hoping that Ellingson grad transfers out at the end of the season.

 

[Robowe]

The steals and blocks are impressive but not the stat from downtown. He missed 65 threes !!!!!! 61 percent from the free throw line is dreadful. If we want to compete in the big ten he shouldn’t be playing an important role for us . He isn’t any better as a junior than he was as a freshman. Next years senior class of Ellingson , Baer and Wagner will lead us into another bottom feeder season next year

Baer shot 40% (46-116, OK, 39.7%) from three point range last year. By any measure, that is good. He is shooting 27.6% this year. He is struggling.

 

[InGoodCo]

This is so dumb. Baer has proven his a D1 player and a B1G caliber player. If Doug McDermott wanted to play at Iowa, he would have likely had to walk on. I think it's more of an endorsement to Fran's recruiting that he found him. You wanna throw names like Uhl, BE & Wagner out there as indictments on Fran's recruiting, I am all for it.