The ISU men and women open regular season play Friday night with a doubleheader: the women playing Colorado Christian at 6, the men taking on Great Falls at 8 (or thereabouts. They are going to clear the gym between games, so trying to get the second one started at 8 sounds a little ambitious to me. And I'll be running from the women's post-game to the men's pre-game, so I hope so. 
).
In doing my research for the men's game, one thing really stood out: the men are bombing away from 3 like crazy, but their most "active shooters" are their worst so far. None of these stats count because they were in exhibition games, but they do give cause for concern. So far Ethan Telfair, Clint Nwosuh, Ali Faruq-bey and Erik Nakken have taken a combined 46 treys (an average of 23 a game between the four of them) -- and made just 10. That's just under 22 percent. Clearly, Bill Evans and his staff have hitched their star to the three-point shot with this team (ISU is averaging 31 trey attempts a game), but if they are going to be successful, their most frequent gunners are going to have to do a LOT better than that.
The good news is that Gary Chivichyan had a very nice debut (5 of 6 from three), and Geno Luzcando, who made only 28 percent from the arc last year, is off to a hot, 5 of 8 start. It will be interesting to see how the Chivichyan-Bill Evans relationship develops, since the freshman was a "DNP-coach's decision" vs. Westminster last week. I think we're all crossing our fingers this doesn't develop into another Ian Fox situation.
The Bengals are defending the three much better (small sample size, easier competition warnings aside), holding their two exhibition foes to 28 percent from the arc, after giving up 37 percent last year (and a hideous 41 percent to conference foes).
The next two games, against Great Falls and Dickinson State, will be sharpening games, allowing Evans to whittle down his rotation, and hopefully helping the Bengals adjust to the new, tighter rules interpretations. (ISU has committed 46 fouls in two games, with three DQs -- two by Luzcando). Turnovers have been issue for the suddenly uptempo Bengals, too -- they are averaging 17.5 a contest (as opposed to less than 12 a game last year). ISU is putting up 65 shots a game this year, vs. 52 last season. (Unfortunately, the Bengals' opponents have hoisted 7 more shots than ISU, which is largely a product of all those turnovers).
On the women's side, the Bengals continue to adjust to the loss of Grace Kenyon for the season. Hopefully, Megan Hochstein will be back in the lineup this week. She did not play in the first exhibition contest, and without Kenyon, Megan's size is important this season.
Come on out to Reed Gym tomorrow night and watch the evolution continue for both Bengal squads.
).In doing my research for the men's game, one thing really stood out: the men are bombing away from 3 like crazy, but their most "active shooters" are their worst so far. None of these stats count because they were in exhibition games, but they do give cause for concern. So far Ethan Telfair, Clint Nwosuh, Ali Faruq-bey and Erik Nakken have taken a combined 46 treys (an average of 23 a game between the four of them) -- and made just 10. That's just under 22 percent. Clearly, Bill Evans and his staff have hitched their star to the three-point shot with this team (ISU is averaging 31 trey attempts a game), but if they are going to be successful, their most frequent gunners are going to have to do a LOT better than that.
The good news is that Gary Chivichyan had a very nice debut (5 of 6 from three), and Geno Luzcando, who made only 28 percent from the arc last year, is off to a hot, 5 of 8 start. It will be interesting to see how the Chivichyan-Bill Evans relationship develops, since the freshman was a "DNP-coach's decision" vs. Westminster last week. I think we're all crossing our fingers this doesn't develop into another Ian Fox situation.
The Bengals are defending the three much better (small sample size, easier competition warnings aside), holding their two exhibition foes to 28 percent from the arc, after giving up 37 percent last year (and a hideous 41 percent to conference foes).
The next two games, against Great Falls and Dickinson State, will be sharpening games, allowing Evans to whittle down his rotation, and hopefully helping the Bengals adjust to the new, tighter rules interpretations. (ISU has committed 46 fouls in two games, with three DQs -- two by Luzcando). Turnovers have been issue for the suddenly uptempo Bengals, too -- they are averaging 17.5 a contest (as opposed to less than 12 a game last year). ISU is putting up 65 shots a game this year, vs. 52 last season. (Unfortunately, the Bengals' opponents have hoisted 7 more shots than ISU, which is largely a product of all those turnovers).
On the women's side, the Bengals continue to adjust to the loss of Grace Kenyon for the season. Hopefully, Megan Hochstein will be back in the lineup this week. She did not play in the first exhibition contest, and without Kenyon, Megan's size is important this season.
Come on out to Reed Gym tomorrow night and watch the evolution continue for both Bengal squads.
