The Big Picture: Defensively-challenged University of Bulls allow very average Western Michigan side that was coming off a two-game losing streak to shoot 60% from the field on their way to a 85-70 rout of UB. The loss, Buffalo’s third in their last four games, has the Bulls back in the middle of the MAC pack with a 4-4 conference mark (11-8 overall).
For the record, the Broncos came into tonight’s scrap shooting about 17% points worse than they did tonight (Western Michigan is 42% from the field on the season). Even more startling, the Broncos came into this game shooting 30% from the three-point strip, which was dead last in the MAC. They sank 11-of-22 triples against the Bulls tonight. Want more? David Kool and Company’s eFG for tonight’s game was probably 70%, which is 30% better than the 46.5% they’ve averaged this season. Makes it pretty easy to explain why Western Michigan scored the most points tonight that they’ve scored against any DI team this season.
In his post-game chat with WECK-AM’s Josh Wetzel, a frustrated and weary sounding Coach ‘Spoon put the onus on the Bulls saying, “Guys don’t understand the intensity with which they have to play defensive to be successful. They play for one or two possession and that’s it.”
The Good: Tough to find much positive about this game. Rodney Pierce scored 29 points, but 22 of them came in a second half that bordered on being extended garbage time. Beyond that, the Bulls once again seemed to keep the turnover bug in check, as they finished the game with only 11 turnovers.
Perhaps the other positive is that after seeing his team get blitzed by an opponent for the fourth game in a row, Coach ‘Spoon indicated that line-up changes may be on the way in his post-game chat, saying “Basically who we can play are the guys that we can trust on the defensive end. Guys who love playing on the defensive end.” Not sure who he has in mind, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see Sean Smiley, Jawaan Alston, and even Dave Barnett in the starting five come Thursday night at Central Michigan.
The Bad: Just about everything. As has seemingly become the norm the past four games, a team scores at will against UB. And the Bulls just aren’t constructed to win shootouts. Particularly with the way Zach Filzen, who was thought to be the team’s designated three-point sniper heading into the season, has struggles. Buffalo is a team that has win by defending and attacking the offensive glass. Their offensive rebounding rate of 32.9% is equal to the DI average. That isn’t good enough.
The Ugly: WMU’s Martelle McLemore had been 4-of-25 from the floor in his last three games. He got right real quick against UB’s shambolic perimeter D, knocking down 4-of-7 triples on his way to a career high 24 points. Tough to win when you’re allowing your opponents third and fourth option to go off for 24 points, which is exactly what the Bulls did tonight.
Who’s Got Next: In a game that has trouble written all over it, the Bulls travel to Mount Pleasant to square off with the Central Michigan Chippewa (10-9, 5-2), who just so happen to be one of the best jump-shooting sides in the MAC. Per Ken Pomeroy, they get 34.7% of their points from beyond the arc, which is 27th best in DI and tops in the MAC. Basketball State indicates that the Chips’ 36.7% 3PT% is second-best in MAC play, percentage points behind Bowling Green. Put simply, if the Bulls allow Robbie Harman and Jordan Blitzer the kinds of looks they allowed McLemore tonight, they’re going to get scorched. It’s that simple.
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