The McGuire Room

funny you did this........I did a average of the last six games (starting with North Carolina thru Ohio St.) of the major stats collected in a game and came out with this

USC

PPG: 63.2
FG %: 141-323 (43.6%)
3pt %: 39-111 ( 35.1%)
FT %: 58-76 (76.3 %)
RPG: 31
APG: 10.3
BPG: 5.7
SPG: 5.7
TOPG: 14.5
PFPG: 18.2

Compare that to last season's stats:

PPG: 68
FG %: 39.5%
3P %: 31.3
FT %: 66.3
RPG: 38
APG: 11
BPG: 6
SPG: 7

I chose the North Carolina Game to start with because, to me, it felt like they finally hit a turning point........Even though we lost by 25, and turned the ball over 25 times (most in the first half) It felt like we gained some confidence in playing hard with North Carolina.........Granted, Win-loss.....they haven't been there ( we are 2-4 since that game, but I've felt like we've played with more confidence and more of a sense of purpose than we had the first 4 or 5 games)

I personally feel like the Ohio St. game is a great Game for these youngsters to go back and watch Over and Over and Over again........For Everything we Did well, there are equally great Learning points you can throw out there rewatching the game.....Stuff like shot selection, Boxing out (of course), Not leaving your position on Defense, etc. etc. etc.......

I feel after this game that 3 starters are Settled when SEC Play comes around:

1) Malik Cooke- Senior Leader
2) Bruce Ellington- Most explosive Playmaker
3) Anthony Gill- Best Big man we have

The only thing is, Ellington and Gill HAVE GOT TO LEARN to stay out of Foul Trouble........Along with Cooke leaving the game because of his cut twice, I think the biggest factors were Ellington and Gill being out with foul trouble in the game.......Especially Gill.....I don't think there is another Guy in the SEC with his size and Strength that is a bigger threat face up from 22 or down low from 8 or so.....maybe there is one I'm overlooking or just don't know about.........Maybe Terrance Jones???? IDK........but if we have those 3 in the majority of the games, i don't think we'll be hurtin in many games during sec play....

Other than the Providence Game, Leonard and Richardson, I believe, have gotten the point that they need to be more selective with their shots and combine that with the fact that we have tried more to go inside, and it makes for better overall percentages........I know in two of those game that Leonard has come off the bench and provided a spark......actually, it's been the last 2 games where he has come off the bench and knocked down some shots.......Richardson took a back seat against ohio st. along with Williams (I'm thinking they are working Williams back in.....seems like he was back a little bit earlier than expected) but I continue to believe that now that we have all the guys healthy and can move forward with the whole team that we will continue to see improvement........Honestly, the only teams that I believe are Good in the SEC are Miss St., Kentucky, Florida, and Alabama.....I believe we have the potential to beat all the other teams where things stand right now......

We cannot afford to have our opponents shoot more FT than we do. We have to get to the line and make FT in order to have a chance to beat a lot of the teams on our schedule.

....and when you think about it, it's a double-edged sword!!! You cut down fouls, you cut down free throws and points for the other team, while your players (possibly your top 2 (Ellington, Gill)) Get more time on the court and make your offense more productive!!!