NCAA Title Game

[Brian]

The only change in college basketball that I would consider is moving the 3 point line back.

The college game is long enough to implement 6 fouls.

[Felix]

The only change in college basketball that I would consider is moving the 3 point line back.

Why? Personally, I think thats part of what makes the game so great. It gives more teams the chance to upset a "bigger power."

[southsider2k5]

Billy Donovan>Thad Motta

 

This game was totally determined by the coaches. Motta made the mistake of worrying about foul trouble instead of the game plan, and it killed him. Florida got so many clean looks at three pointers it was sick. FLAs 3 pt percentage reflected that. They kept running the pick and roll off of the top of the key, and instead of the big man (usually Oden) jumping the screener to force the play deep, they made the little man fight through the screens with no help. The result was that not only did FLA get a ton of open looks, but the OSU guards worked their asses off on the D-end of the floor. That showed as their legs were not their on their three pointers all night long. I believe that is what contributed to the low 3pt % of OSU. Plus Donavan made the smart move by allowing his big men to play Oden one on one, and made the rest of the Buckeyes beat them one on one. Oden did his damage, but no one else from OSU really picked up the load. The three point stripe was covered, and their were no extra driving lanes open because everyone played honestly.

 

Billy Donavan pretty much owned Motta in every facet of this game.

[RockRaines]

Billy Donovan>Thad Motta

 

This game was totally determined by the coaches. Motta made the mistake of worrying about foul trouble instead of the game plan, and it killed him. Florida got so many clean looks at three pointers it was sick. FLAs 3 pt percentage reflected that. They kept running the pick and roll off of the top of the key, and instead of the big man (usually Oden) jumping the screener to force the play deep, they made the little man fight through the screens with no help. The result was that not only did FLA get a ton of open looks, but the OSU guards worked their asses off on the D-end of the floor. That showed as their legs were not their on their three pointers all night long. I believe that is what contributed to the low 3pt % of OSU. Plus Donavan made the smart move by allowing his big men to play Oden one on one, and made the rest of the Buckeyes beat them one on one. Oden did his damage, but no one else from OSU really picked up the load. The three point stripe was covered, and their were no extra driving lanes open because everyone played honestly.

 

Billy Donavan pretty much owned Motta in every facet of this game.

Wow, I couldnt disagree much more. OSU had just as many wide open looks behind the arc as Fla did. They even had several breakaways where they pulled up for a brick from 3. If OSU shoots even remotely better from behind the arc they make it a different game. The name of the game was 10-18 that Fla put up. Both teams had huge open looks. Matta even made great defensive changes in the 2nd half that shut down Brewer and the post players for much of the half. He used a front guy on Noah basically making him ineffective on the offensive end. If Matta had something to do with the worst shooting game of the tourney by OSU then maybe you are correct.

 

 

OSU shoots about 36 percent from behind the arc as a team. Last night they shot .174. Their top 3 point shooters are Harris, Butler and Lewis. Last night they went 3-18. If you REALLY think that Donovan had that much effect on their shooting, and Matta hurt it that much, then you give WAY too much credit to coaching. I guess Donovan coached his team to a .556 ungodly shooting percentage from 3 as well?

Edited April 3, 2007 by RockRaines

[southsider2k5]

Wow, I couldnt disagree much more. OSU had just as many wide open looks behind the arc as Fla did. They even had several breakaways where they pulled up for a brick from 3. If OSU shoots even remotely better from behind the arc they make it a different game. The name of the game was 10-18 that Fla put up. Both teams had huge open looks. Matta even made great defensive changes in the 2nd half that shut down Brewer and the post players for much of the half. He used a front guy on Noah basically making him ineffective on the offensive end. If Matta had something to do with the worst shooting game of the tourney by OSU then maybe you are correct.

OSU shoots about 36 percent from behind the arc as a team. Last night they shot .174. Their top 3 point shooters are Harris, Butler and Lewis. Last night they went 3-18. If you REALLY think that Donovan had that much effect on their shooting, and Matta hurt it that much, then you give WAY too much credit to coaching. I guess Donovan coached his team to a .556 ungodly shooting percentage from 3 as well?

 

I know you are really biased when it comes to your teams, but the proof is in the pudding.

 

Florida's guards didn't have to work for a thing last night, because Motta was too scared of picking up cheap fouls on Oden hedging the screen. OSUs guards got beat up all night long on screens by Florida's big men, and didn't have the legs to shoot the ball as the game progressed. Plus being one on one all night, versus having a ton of open looks they are used to with other teams who double and triple teamed Oden in the post, means those guards had to work harder to get open on offense as well. You are looking at the shooting percentages the completely wrong way. If anything they reinforce my points instead of deny them. Florida's guards didn't have to work nearly as hard as the Buckeyes did, and it showed in the box score. Thad Motta made a huge mistake in this game by sagging his big men on the Florida pick and roll, plus Donovan was smart to not double team Oden. They dared the rest of OSU to beat them, and they couldn't, because they were too tired.

[RockRaines]

I know you are really biased when it comes to your teams, but the proof is in the pudding.

 

Florida's guards didn't have to work for a thing last night, because Motta was too scared of picking up cheap fouls on Oden hedging the screen. OSUs guards got beat up all night long on screens by Florida's big men, and didn't have the legs to shoot the ball as the game progressed.

They made maybe 2 3's coming off ball screens at the top of the key. A majority of the 3's Fla made were on unselfish passes or kick outs after blocks or rebounds. OSU didnt shoot the 3 well ALL game, so the tired legs argument doesnt hold much water. Even the fresh players off the bench (cook,Lighty) could hit a damn thing either. Fla was more clutch, and a better team, putting any of that blame on Matta doesnt make much sense. They couldnt hit, Fla could.

 

BTW, even though they are my team, I can be very unbiased when it comes down to breaking down the game last night. Fla proved to not only be a ridiculously unselfish team, but one of the most clutch teams of all time as well. They were aggressive from the start, played well all game, and whenever OSU tried to get on a run, they were there with a 3. If OSU shoots as well as they usually do, it may have been a different game, but most likely Fla still closes them out. I couldnt see many teams in the past 10 years beating that Fla team last night. They are truly one of the best teams of all time. OSU would have needed to bring back Michael Redd to beat them.

Edited April 3, 2007 by RockRaines

[southsider2k5]

They made maybe 2 3's coming off ball screens at the top of the key. A majority of the 3's Fla made were on unselfish passes or kick outs after blocks or rebounds. OSU didnt shoot the 3 well ALL game, so the tired legs argument doesnt hold much water. Even the fresh players off the bench (cook,Lighty) could hit a damn thing either. Fla was more clutch, and a better team, putting any of that blame on Matta doesnt make much sense. They couldnt hit, Fla could.

 

You really aren't following what I am saying at all.

 

Both teams had open looks. That is pretty darned obvious, and I never said otherwise.

 

One team's guards worked a lot harder on offense, because they were guarded closer than usual and they worked harder on defense, because they didn't get any help on screen. Those guys got tired from working a lot harder than usual.

 

One team's guard got a free pass because the other team did not make them work on offense, and they didn't have to scramble on defense, because they weren't double teaming at all.

 

One team hit a lot of their shots and the other didn't. One teams legs were fresher than the others because of their workloads.

 

The coaches each put in the strategies that led to their teams respective style of play.

 

The numbers bear out that one team's guards were fresher than the other team's guards.

[Soxbadger]

I think the difference is that Florida came out like a champion and knew how to win the game. It wasnt so much about their shooting pct it was more when they would hit them. Every time OSU started to work back into the game Florida would hit a 3 that would undo 1.5 possessions of work.

 

If OSU shoots even decently I think that they win that game. It was one of those few occassions where you can say without a doubt the team that won played the better game for 40 minutes. I thought for sure it was going to be one of those Florida hot in the first and OSU hot in the second. But Florida kept making its shots and OSU kept missing theirs.

 

The only questionable coaching decisions for Matta were:

 

A) Not having some one stay on Humphrey constantly. Many plays that broke down Humphrey would be wide open at the end.

 

B) Not using the press earlier. Had he switched it up in the middle started doing different thigns who knows.

 

C) Forcing Florida inside. After it became apparent florida was going insane from behind 3 they should have forced florida to hit mid range jumpers which are basically the same difficulty but are only worth 2 points.

[Rex Hudler]

Man, I'll tell ya, it seems to me we should be giving Florida more credit rather than blaming Matta's game plan. While OSU's guards where tired, they were in the game. Their tired legs didn't keep Conley and Lewis from being able to drive and score in the lane in the 2nd half.

 

Not all of Florida's threes were open looks. Several times a Gator nailed a back-breaking three with a hand in his face. Horford making 12-15 footers hurt, especially the two or three he hit as the shot clock was winding down.

 

Hell, if you want to blame Matta, blame him for not getting Oden more rest. Oden was defitiely spent at the end.

 

I just think Florida hit big shots at huge moments. Everytime OSU seemed ready to make that big run, Florida stopped it cold. I see what SS2k is saying, but I don't think it was that easy on UF. They got open looks often because they had good ball movement, they hit the boards after a long rebound or they found the open man on a broken play.

[whitesoxfan101]

Matta had NOTHING to do with that loss. If Ohio State doesn't miss open 3's all night when they doubled/cheated on the post, they win. They didn't, so they lost. That's just one of those things that is on the players. I said the same thing when we lost to UNC in the title game 2 years ago, although we didn't miss as many looks.

 

As for the rules, I'd like to see the line moved back to international distance. It's only about an extra 9 inches (I think college is 19'9", international is 20'6") but it would make a moderate difference and the move could be used. Also, 6 fouls are needed. Yes the college game is 8 minutes shorter, but it's also called much tighter than NBA games, and too many college games are decided by the refs.