#15 Oregon @ Penn State (Sun 1 PM, BTN)

[UOducksTK1]

Once Angel gets back on track, I think games like this will be more comfortable wins.

[whosyourwally]

Observations from watching highlights. Someone fact-check me if the sample size doesn't represent what actually happened:


-pick n roll defense looked bad.
-cannot have Angel + another big on the floor at the same time. Not enough speed to match up with other teams' guards.
-Bamba looks athletically less impressive compared to earlier in the year.
-Bittle looks aggressive on offense. Great sign.
-our defense seems to have taken a big step backwards from earlier in the year. For a good 15-minute stretch, our defense was awful (end of 1st half and first 12 minutes of 2nd half). We looked lazy, undisciplined, and slow. It seems like it wasn't until the end of the game that our D finally picked up. This is the biggest area of concern, but fortunately, it be be solved...
-Shelstead's energy on both sides was infectious at the end of the game. Big time!
-Kwame seemed mentally checked out until the end of the game. He is such a crucial player for us. Need him to be at his best.

This all feels right. Watching again and again as the seas part when opposing teams drive to the hoop is concerning. Bittle keeps getting pulled up/over to stop an uncontested drive. If said player reads Bittle correctly, either dishing to a post or finishing the shot, it’s points every time. We have to be quicker on the perimeter, either in switches or zone rotations and stay in front of opposing guards.

On offense, it’s only been Shelstad, Bittle, and Barthelemy who consistently show any confidence in creating/taking shots. Bamba and Evans have shown sports where they attack, Bamba with mixed results, Evans with generally positive results. I’d love to see him stay on the gas for a whole game.

But in Altman we trust. We’re getting to the part of the year where his teams, like clockwork, turn the corner. While this hasn’t felt like a 15-2 team, here we are, and I’m thrilled Oregon is approaching that turning point with a 15-2 record this time around. Tighten up the perimeter D and see a bit more confidence/efficiency from any of Evans, Angel, or Bamba, and we hopefully start to see a run of 40 minute games from this team.


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[73duck]

I don't know anything about Penn State, but they had a guy named Kerns (who the announcer said can't hit shots from outside) run a layup drill in the second half that put them up 7 late. I left the room for a few minutes and then remembered that the other team always runs out of gas playing this year's ducks. So I got to see the finish.