mobrien
Masters Student
Posts: 402
Loc: New York
Reg: 04-18-17
|
02-02-24 11:50 AM - Post#362554
This is a game we absolutely need. Columbia has three point shooting, but not a lot bulk inside. Ajogbor and Okpara should be able to dominate the paint; they'll need to knock down their free throws too.
Columbia's lack of size should make it easier for Mack to drive too. I'd like to see him get a few easy ones to start the game and not just settle for threes. We need to get him back on track.
|
84grad
Junior
Posts: 277
Age: 64
Reg: 11-09-17
|
02-02-24 01:31 PM - Post#362561
In response to mobrien
Agree it's essential, notwithstanding the parity for the 4th spot. Not counting on win tomorrow, although we've done better vs. Cornell than YPP.
With Mack and Okpara having the potential to dominate, our 3rd option (Lesmond) needs to have a solid game (both halves).
Flight to Boston now boarding.
|
HARVARDDADGRAD
Postdoc
Posts: 2692
Loc: New Jersey
Reg: 01-21-14
|
Columbia I
02-02-24 03:17 PM - Post#362572
In response to 84grad
Enjoy the traditional back to back gentlemen. Had hoped to join you but not happening.
At least one of the those competing for 4th place will sweep at least one of their competitors. Can’t afford to be swept. Important game to win. Wonder if Columbia packs it in and challenges us to shoot. Mack/Ajogbor on the pick n roll and Okpara/Pigge around the hoop are needed, along with a reasonable performance from 3.
I’d say pushing the pace as well, but with Cornell tomorrow we’re in for a track meet. Hoping Dartmouth keeps tonight’s game against Cornell in Hanover competitive.
Penn at Brown tonight will inform somewhat on the race.
I’m very much disappointed I can’t make it.
Edited by HARVARDDADGRAD on 02-02-24 03:18 PM. Reason for edit: No reason given.
|
HARVARDDADGRAD
Postdoc
Posts: 2692
Loc: New Jersey
Reg: 01-21-14
|
02-02-24 05:23 PM - Post#362579
In response to HARVARDDADGRAD
Harvard -7.5 vs Columbia seems ambitious
Other than our opening 3 games when a healthy squad beat UMass /Boston, Northeastern and Rice by nice margins, we haven’t beaten anyone by that margin other than Penn.
|
mobrien
Masters Student
Posts: 402
Loc: New York
Reg: 04-18-17
|
02-02-24 11:19 PM - Post#362631
In response to HARVARDDADGRAD
Survive and advance. Survive and advance. Sometimes that's all there is to say.
We gave up 30 points in the first 10 minutes, and 29 points in the next 29. Okpara couldn't make a free throw; Batties couldn't make a shot; Mack should have had 4 or 5 more assists if not for the fact that guys kept fumbling easy passes right in front of the hoop for no apparent reason. It was ugly.
But we still managed to come back from down 20 to win. It really seemed like it was going to be one of those games where we just couldn't get over the hump, where we kept cutting it down to one possession only for Columbia to reply with a big three, before Mack took the lead for good on that big three pointer. Unfortunately, he tried his hardest to give the game away in the last 2 minutes, with a couple of bad hero ball shots, the bad foul on the three, and the missed front end ... but we survived.
Ajogbor is a defensive beast. It's too bad he's one of the worst passers out of a double team that I've ever seen. He needs to make quicker decisions, and not wait until it's too late to try to make a pass.
In any case, we need to be a lot better to beat Cornell tomorrow. We need to shoot better, take care of the ball better, and guard better.
The only thing worse than winning ugly is losing ugly, so at least we have that going for us.
|
CrimsonBlood
Freshman
Posts: 46
Age: 33
Reg: 03-15-18
|
02-03-24 02:07 AM - Post#362639
In response to mobrien
agree @mobrien… that was an ugly win but still a win.
Really ugly basketball from both teams.
Harvard can’t seem to make free throws or break the press.
Ajogbor is maybe the worst free throw shooter I’ve ever seen.
If I’m the opposing coach, I’m hacking him immediately late in any game… strong odds he misses both badly.
I will support this team like all years and am hoping they can muster a way to get in the ILT as the #4. Hard for me to see any upside behind that given the glaring weakness. In particular: no depth, lack of another strong ball handler after Mack, poor shooting (FT and 3PT). But if you have a ticket to the tournament, you never know.
Mack and Okpara give us a core to potentially build around.
Ajogbor’s defense will be tough to replace though.
Hopefully Harvard can put together a better performance tonight. They will need it to keep the game close.
|
HARVARDDADGRAD
Postdoc
Posts: 2692
Loc: New Jersey
Reg: 01-21-14
|
02-03-24 07:51 AM - Post#362642
In response to CrimsonBlood
Ajogbor follows a legacy of 5’s recruited by Amaker who are bigger, stronger and more athletic than their league counterparts but simply can’t shoot or pass.
Like the announcers, I don’t understand how blocks are recorded. Right after one announcer remarked that Ajogbor had been given credit for only 2 blocks when he should have 5, the game was stopped briefly because Columbia felt Ajogbor’s deflection of an opposing layup might have been goaltending. Because a non-call of goaltending isn’t reviewable - even in the final 2 minutes - the block was good and the game resumed. Ajogbor still finished the game with only 2 blocks! I’ve been noticing this undercounting for a few games now.
Regardless, onward vs Cornell tonight. Someone in the bottom five will beat a top 3 team and leverage that to make the tournament. Hopeful.
|
HARVARDDADGRAD
Postdoc
Posts: 2692
Loc: New Jersey
Reg: 01-21-14
|
Columbia I
02-03-24 08:54 AM - Post#362646
In response to HARVARDDADGRAD
Upon re-reading I should clarify that Ajogbor’s block was legit on replay and should have been his 3rd (or 6th) of the game.
Despite his issues, Ajogbor’s defense and rebounding is indispensable on this team. Batties had a weak game (1-8, 2 rbs) and Ace-Nestaski was invisible. What happens next year? I’m reading Seth Towns still has a year of NCAA eligibility!
Edited by HARVARDDADGRAD on 02-03-24 08:58 AM. Reason for edit: No reason given.
|
