Fran has been pretty darn good at running out of bounds plays under the basket for quick buckets. Why he hasn't been able to parlay that into running late game situational plays kinda has me scratching my head too. How much is execution/strategy I guess we'd have to be able to sit down and watch tape with him to know exactly. But with this young team they were going to have games like this. Nebraska's good. No shame in this loss at all. On to Rutgers
Fran strategy really lacks at end of games
- Thread starter HaydenHawk56
- Start date
You mean, like having to be physically restrained from going after the official scorer sitting at the scores table in overtime???
Really good information. Thanks!
I'll bite. Here is Coach McCaffery's W/L record in games decided by 5 points or less broken down by year.
2010-11: 2-7
2011-12: 5-3
2012-13: 2-7
2013-14: 2-7
2014-15: 3-4
2015-16: 3-6
2016-17: 1-1 YTD
Total - 18-35 (34.0%)
Here is the breakdown of OT games:
2010-11: 0-2
2011-12: 0-0
2012-13: 0-2
2013-14: 1-3
2014-15: 1-1
2015-16: 2-0
2016-17: 1-1 YTD
Total - 5-9 (35.7%)
Huck, I think this data is relevant to the first part of your question regarding win/loss record in close games. I don't have the time to go back and look at box scores to answer your second question about having a lead going into the last few minutes. Feel free to check my work (sources were 2017 Iowa Men's Basketball Media Guide for past seasons and espn.com for current season).
This is not an impressive 7 year track record in close games. It doesn't seem to matter whether we have a young team or a veteran team. That's not to say that Coach McCaffery hasn't done good things for the program in recruiting, sustained competitiveness, post-season experiences, etc. He has. However, I think there is enough information (both raw data and subjective observation) to fairly criticize his end of game strategy/execution.
homes
Well-Known Member
Exactly. I don't understand the strategic difference.
InGoodCo
Well-Known Member
close games go one way or the other - You win some of those and lose some of those - breaks, luck, refs all factor... You may take some things away from those #'s and think they are horrible and that's fine, they are what they are - but I think to be completely fair maybe we should take a look at the games he had no business winning and had a double digit lead and didn't have to worry about it.
Bigtenchamp
Well-Known Member
Couldn't disagree more... sometimes your going to win easily and sometimes you are going to lose easily.
But in every sport it comes down who can win the close games... Fran is a good coach- but this trend his disheartening.
Bigtenchamp
Well-Known Member
This data pretty much backs up what most of us have noticed...
There is such a night and day difference between how we played at the end last night and how last year's class played throughout their career. I know some people just see the loss and call it the same, but it wasn't even close. Last year's class chocked all the time. This year we won one close game and lost one. And other than a play here and there (which will always happen) we looked good in both games at the end.
InGoodCo
Well-Known Member
Bigtenchamp
Well-Known Member
They were up 4 pts with 1:00 left in OT.... they also had the last shot of the game and somehow managed to turn it over and should have lost.
I kind of get what you are saying... but in the end it was the same mental mistakes.,, Jok was tired and made some really bad decisions at the end.
Exactly. Fran has explained this. If he calls timeout and sets up a play against man to man defense, then they come out in zone, what's the point? He can communicate everything he needs to from the bench while knowing what defense they are in.
If people want to argue he should call timeout to settle them down, that's one thing. But people sound dumb saying he needs to call timeout to call a play.
I think the young team needed to gather themselves last night and a timeout could've helped. Also Jok could've used the rest.
When Pemsl turned it over up 4 points, I thought he was fouled. Then on the replay it showed it was really good defense that helped force the turnover. Same as Jok at the end of regulation. I was pissed he didn't wait longer until I realized he saw he could toast his man (which he did) so he took it. He had a pull up 10 footer for the win but again it was a great defensive play to poke the ball loose.
To me, there is night and day difference between those plays and the plays that happened repeatedly the last few years. Jok throwing the half court pass for no reason was one of those plays. But that was the only one that game. The inbounds pass against Michigan that got stolen was another play that looked like last year. But again, that was the only one.
Last year they would have 3 or 4 terrible plays like that on offense and 3 or 4 terrible breakdowns on defense all in the last couple minutes of close games. The defensive ones even stood out more because they wouldn't do it all game, then in the last 2 minutes, they would suddenly give up 2 wade open layups in a row.
Also the last few years there was maybe 3 or 4 clutch shots made in all close games. This year's team is making clutch shots like crazy. It wasn't enough last night because Nebraska made a bunch of clutch shots too and someone has to win.
Last night we let one get away for sure. But we didn't choke it away and that's the difference. I've always said once last year's class graduates, we will see that Fran isn't somehow some terrible close game coach (I find it funny that people think coaching has much impact at all in close basketball games, but that's another topic). So far it's a small sample size, but he is 1-1 with a bunch of freshmen.
He did not take the timeout in OT. He only used the time out in double OT to "ice" the Nebraska free throw shooter. In regulation, he did not call timeout until Nebraska was shooting free throws, and then again with .8 seconds left. He should've used his time outs to gather everyone, take a deep breath and maybe draw something up, although as mentioned before, NE could've come out in a different defense so it may not have mattered. All I know is that Jok was dying at the end of the game, and maybe the break could've helped. Or maybe not, but maybe it's worth a shot.
HuckFinn
Well-Known Member
Very interesting stuff. I must say I am surprised, but that is why I like to see data. You were not lazy like me and knew where to find it...thanks! I would have liked to see something north of 50%.
