Georgetown - TCU 12/2/23 Discussion

[DanMcQ]

Big East - Big 12 Challenge

[daveg023]

I actually look forward to a game where I have no expectations as opposed to playing a low mid major where anything but a 15 point win will be concerning.

That being said there is a very real chance we get blown out by 25 here, but barring that I like the thought how we play can only exceed expectations for a change.

[SSHoya]

I'd like to see us play up to the level of our competition instead of the converse. Hopefully, the hurtin' Hoyas are physically on the mend.

Looking for a solid game from Massoud.

[hoyasaxa18]

Obviously this game is not likely to go well, but it would be nice to see ball movement improve from our last HM game against Rutgers. The key thing I'm watching is Cook on defense - he really needs to be instructed to stop going for so many blocks, as he isn't getting any of them anyway, and is leaving his man wide open for easy putbacks consistently. Please box out and stop jumping for blocks, Supreme!

[ColumbiaHeightsHoya]

With Massoud back, I think we will see some gradual improvement from this bunch over the next month. I think I saw in the Merrimack game a line-up with Fielder, Massoud and Cook in there once. That is a good amount of length especially if you pair it with Styles and one of our guards. We don't have anyone who can get an inside back to the basket bucket but Massoud gives us some things in terms of maturity and flexibility in the line-ups.

Rutgers was a good team on D. TCU is untested and largely a good team on O although their D isn't bad. I think these are the games that can make us a lot better in big east play. The growth of the team is coming and although I don't think we can compete with the top half of the conference this year, I think the Depaul, Seton Hall, St. Johns, Xavier & Butler teams are all ones we can sneak up on on any given night. I think the chances of that against the Marquette, UConn, Creightons of the world are just too much of a talent gap. And with Nova & Providence, you never know if a team is just off. We just need to salvage an OK season for the grad transfer wire to open up to some real possibilities for next year to compliment the young guys coming in and the roster staying in tact for once.

[traversb]

Only 5 teams have played a worse SOS than us. TCU is one of them and it's been really bad. Nobody has any clue what they are right now. Their bigs aren't that good and they are an average shooting team so that should help. Put Styles on Coles and hope steps up to the challenge. We will be see if Massoud can actually defend. JNJr doesn't scare me. As far as good teams go they are a decent matchup for us but we are going to need to show a lot more than we did against Rutgers.

[EtomicB]

Take video fwiw..

[hoyas315]

[Nevada Hoya]

And of course, the coach is an old "friend" of ours, Jamie Dixon, who coached Pitt before going to his alma mater.

[hoyasaxa2003]

Dec 1, 2023 13:01:17 GMT -5 traversb said:

Only 5 teams have played a worse SOS than us. TCU is one of them and it's been really bad. Nobody has any clue what they are right now. Their bigs aren't that good and they are an average shooting team so that should help. Put Styles on Coles and hope steps up to the challenge. We will be see if Massoud can actually defend. JNJr doesn't scare me. As far as good teams go they are a decent matchup for us but we are going to need to show a lot more than we did against Rutgers.

TCU does not shoot threes well (33.6%), but so far they have been one of the best two point teams (62.3%). Even if the high 2 PT FG% is partially playing the bad teams, that's still very good. TCU also does not defend the three particularly well, and they allow opponents to take a lot of threes.

Otherwise, they are really good so far on almost everything else. They rebound both sides pretty well, they block shots, and on defense they are 7th best in forcing turnovers. That latter fact, combined with our propensity to cough up a lot of stupid turnovers could make for a long game. We will see.

The path to not getting blown out and/or winning is to play good defense, rebound well, and get hot from three point range. TCU will really test our inside defense near the rim, too.

It would be an upset if we won, but we are home and we have a few guys who can get hot from three. The best chance we have of "stealing" some wins against better teams is for our guys to get hot from three, and for the other team to have a poor game. TCU doesn't shoot a lot of threes either (and we actually have been defending the three pretty well-46th best in D1).

[xpathoya]

Roster composition-wise, this looks like a terrible matchup. Outside of their center Udeh, their entire starting lineup is 4th or 5th year guys. Their PG Jameer Nelson is ranked 5th in the nation in steals/game right now. 6'8" off-guard Micah Peavy looks like a stud who can get to the rack at will (but is awful from the line BTW). Based on the following blurbs, I don't think we really want to run with them or play too up-tempo:

"TCU leads the nation with 30.5 fastbreak points per game."
"TCU ranks second nationally (Kansas) in assists with 23.0 per game and shooting percentage at 53.7 percent."

Approaching this one w/ tempered expectations, and hoping we can keep it respectable and within the +11.5 spread.

[DanMcQ]

[hoyasaxa2003]

Dec 1, 2023 23:32:14 GMT -5 xpathoya said:

Roster composition-wise, this looks like a terrible matchup. Outside of their center Udeh, their entire starting lineup is 4th or 5th year guys. Their PG Jameer Nelson is ranked 5th in the nation in steals/game right now. 6'8" off-guard Micah Peavy looks like a stud who can get to the rack at will (but is awful from the line BTW). Based on the following blurbs, I don't think we really want to run with them or play too up-tempo:

"TCU leads the nation with 30.5 fastbreak points per game."
"TCU ranks second nationally (Kansas) in assists with 23.0 per game and shooting percentage at 53.7 percent."

Approaching this one w/ tempered expectations, and hoping we can keep it respectable and within the +11.5 spread.

TCU's offense is the second fastest in the country. 21st fastest pace overall. They are a very fast team. Because they are better, it probably plays to our strengths to keep it slow. It'll be interesting to see if they pressure us on defense. Most teams have since it's been pretty effective against us.

[DanMcQ]

Defensive stops and rebounding are going to be very important in this one.

[hibernatinghoyafan]

Not expecting much. Would love to be pleasantly surprised.

[jackofjoy]

Me thinks we might be in for a Dunk City redux (unfortunately)

[bigskyhoya]

An easy win is probably too much to hope for so how about a Heart Attack Hoyas redux?

[KenteKrazies]

Dec 2, 2023 10:22:21 GMT -5 bigskyhoya said:

An easy win is probably too much to hope for so how about a Heart Attack Hoyas redux?

It’s our only hope. And hope is a dangerous thing.

[CTHoya08]

Dec 2, 2023 9:21:46 GMT -5 jackofjoy said:

Me thinks we might be in for a Dunk City redux (unfortunately)

Nothing that happens in a non-league game in an obvious rebuilding year will ever, ever be a “redux” of getting shown up by a 15 seed in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

[prhoya]

Release the Kraken!

Freshman Mutombo’s line vs TCU two years ago:
Mutombo 12mins 3-6FGs 2-4FTs 6rebs 0 2 8pts