Number 1..I still think you have a very good team . There are some nights when things just don't work well.

Number 2...I think one thing that hurt you defensively and even offensively was playing a zone. I have been watching Nevada/USU games for 30 years and the Aggies have always been a tough and nasty man to man team. I like your coach but he may have overthought that idea.

Sitting back like that limited your steals and any shot at transition buckets. You have a fabulous rim protector so your perimeter guys could have taken more chances. Plus you don't really have a lot of experience in the zone and Nevada sees it every game. They know how to go against it.

Number 3. Your big guy will be in the NBA..I don't see him as a 1 and done but I suspect you will lose him after next season.

Number 4. Merrill had an off night but he has really expanded his offensive game. He has a very sweet mid range game to go along with the 3 pointers.

Number 5 . Put me down as a Bean supporter. He appears to be bouncy and gets good rebounding position. He is a skinny and maybe he doesn't play well in practice but I think he is a guy who has considerable upside.

Thanks for the level headed thoughts. Definitely not our night, your defense was smothering. Our point guard spot is an enormous black hole being filled by 2 walk on caliber players for 25+ mins a night, and it's hurting us bad. Queta definitely good enough to get drafted after 2-3 years here, hoping we can keep him through his JR season. Bean is a bit of an enigma around here, I agree wholeheartedly with your opinion and think he needs more minutes...long, athletic, gets after offensive rebounds like nobodies business, he will develop into a good player.

Thx for the input spuds. USU had a bad night, but I think the Pack had quite a bit to do with it. Looks like your crew could go quite a distance in March.


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The Aggies got back into the game with the zone before half. It was three straight turnovers that went for layups that pushed the Nevada lead back to 10. Our man to man was much better with JK3 in the lineup and he's our best option at getting steals. Almost everyone else on the perimeter would've been blown by if they'd pressed too close to their player. I think we've backed off a bit to try and keep Queta out of foul trouble with the help defense.

Otherwise, I agree with your insight.

South Dakota State played man to man against Nevada but backed up and stacked the paint. The Pack is in a severe 3 point shooting slump so you may well have had greater success with that than a soft zone..Just my 2 cents worth..

I guess I just don't see defense being our problem last night. We held Nevada to 72 pts at home (only 4 pts more than South Dakota State and Akron allowed), and 39% shooting from the field. Nevada had 16 turnovers and we out rebounded them by 1.

Our problem last night was 20 TOs, most of which led directly to transition baskets, and we shot 26% from the field, along with 17 % from three. Our offense has one consistent scoring threat in Merrill. Everyone else is inconsistent or a net negative on the offensive end. Our PGs and starting 4 (who played 29 minutes) went O'fer from the field.

I thought the defense was fine..I just think it hurt your offense because you weren't generating transition baskets..Muss has mentioned before that zone defenses help the Pack because the slower pace allows him to play his starters more minutes..
He generally only plays 7 guys so the breathers help a bit.

I


I do think you accurately described the offensive problems though.

Maybe this is ridiculous, but I'm wondering if there comes a point at which you play more lineups without a traditional PG. We did this for a brief period of time last night. Our PGs don't really have the ability to break guys down off the dribble and create for others. They mostly just initiate the offense and then work within the flow. Maybe you throw out a lineup of Sam, Brock or Brito, Bean, Brown, and Queta? Ideally you would have a PG to run the show and get guys good looks, but I just don't know that we have a PG on the roster capable of that right now. Making a post entry pass isn't that difficult. It would at least reduce the athleticism/length advantage that a team like Nevada has over us.

gametime12 wrote: ↑

January 3rd, 2019, 1:31 pm

Maybe this is ridiculous, but I'm wondering if there comes a point at which you play more lineups without a traditional PG. We did this for a brief period of time last night. Our PGs don't really have the ability to break guys down off the dribble and create for others. They mostly just initiate the offense and then work within the flow. Maybe you throw out a lineup of Sam, Brock or Brito, Bean, Brown, and Queta? Ideally you would have a PG to run the show and get guys good looks, but I just don't know that we have a PG on the roster capable of that right now. Making a post entry pass isn't that difficult. It would at least reduce the athleticism/length advantage that a team like Nevada has over us.

This is probably the only solution at this point. Merrill has PG skills, and ran the point in high school. He’ll have to adjust his game but it makes sense to keep the ball in your best player’s hands as much as possible. You see it all the time these days. If we can get JK3 back I think he’s an option with the 2nd unit guys.

I'd love to see what a lineup of Merrill, Miller, Brown/Bean, Taylor and Queta would do. Until JK3 comes back (if he does) it would probably be our best option against top tier/more athletic teams in the MW. Against the rest we should be fine running Ainge/Brito/Porter at the point.

Bean needs to get more minutes one way or another

I was kind of wondering what you thought of all the new guys on the Nevada roster. At one time time Thurman was connected to USU..

nvspuds wrote: ↑

January 3rd, 2019, 6:48 pm

I was kind of wondering what you thought of all the new guys on the Nevada roster. At one time time Thurman was connected to USU..

I kept shaking my head all night thinking about Thurman. So crazy that just a few short years ago this kid had family ties to other USU players on the roster (Marcel Davis) and expressed hope that the Aggies would show some interest in him too. Of course our master evaluator of talent/head coach at the time said thanks but no thanks. You think Tre'Shawn was motivated to face the Aggies last night?

I have watched several of Nevada's games this season and I have been impressed mostly with Porter and Jazz Johnson. Neither are really a surprise, they have brought exactly what most people thought they would. Perhaps that, in its self, is what is most impressive, they have not disappointed. I really thought that despite Caroline playing bigger than he is and being an animal in the paint, that what Nevada sorely needed to make a deep run in the tourney was a taller and more dominant center and I think Porter provides that. Really the only worry I would have as a Nevada fan would be if Jazz and/or the Martins go cold from the outside in the same game. Speaking of which, I have no idea how Caleb's shot goes in, he has one of the most unorthodox shots I have ever witnessed - but it works for him so don't change I guess.

nvspuds wrote: ↑

January 3rd, 2019, 6:48 pm

I was kind of wondering what you thought of all the new guys on the Nevada roster. At one time time Thurman was connected to USU..

Thurman was literally begging to come to Utah State but alas Stew said no........

aggies22 wrote: ↑

January 4th, 2019, 8:32 am

nvspuds wrote: ↑

January 3rd, 2019, 6:48 pm

I was kind of wondering what you thought of all the new guys on the Nevada roster. At one time time Thurman was connected to USU..

Thurman was literally begging to come to Utah State but alas Stew said no........

All the fans on this board wanted him too, I believe after watching his tape. At least that's what I remember. But instead now we have to play against him 2-3 times this season. Stew was the greatest basketball coach in USU history, but he straight-up dropped the ball in recruiting his last few years. And he probably wasn't a great recruiter before that either.