What I can tell is our head coach, Mike Woodson, wants this team to get out and run. He probably sees that other teams will struggle to keep up with this team’s makeup and playmaking ability. On top of that, he probably does believe that they should shoot the 3 more, have the confidence to do so in transition, and get more shots up in general.
When we see Mgbako shoot no hesitation and cash them like it was nothing like we did tonight, it’s evidence of where this team goes when the pieces are all working together.
Mike Woodson is not a fool of a head coach. I think he knows basketball and that players have to have confidence (like a Pro) to go out there and play. Undoubtedly, this is not the pros but the mindset can be the same. The success of Woodson-led teams is linked with their pro-mindedness makeup and talent. He has to have playmaking for his play style philosophy to work, and now he has his best-constructed roster for his vision to date
Rice is arguably his best floor general and he is cut from a different cloth. Carlyle is no slouch and if you can imagine him getting buckets then his value is ridiculously good for this team. Mgbako looked unbelievable shooting and can only keep stacking. He’s improving and that’s tremendous because he has the tools and traits to raise things up high by himself alone. Reneau and Ballo have yet to be mentioned, and, yet, they create their own nightmares for opponents. You have to have them start because one demands attention and the other will make you pay if you don’t give him enough.
How lucky is this team to have Reneau (who should go on to have a very good NBA career like TJD).
Reneau in his third year is looking to make a jump in his game much like TJD did with his own in his first year with Coach Woodson, which was also Year 3. His stroke looks smoother and it’s just a matter of getting his legs beneath his jump shot before he really takes off. You can see him building his confidence.
Like Reneau, his teammates are not Pros yet (for some), and that is the obvious-but-overlooked difference for Woody-led teams now vs. the pros. He knows the pro-game and his goal is to assemble as close to pro-level lineups as possible in all facets of the game in college.
Whether it works or not is yet to be determined as his 4th season’s just now here Yet after tonight there is no question if this is his best assembled team for his vision.
He appears eager to get out in transition and stay in front defensively.
My take from last night’s tip is he featured Ballo to start because he needs his big guy to buy into him fully since he demands A Lot from that position, especially defensively, and it’s a Long season.
While they figure it out together, this team has enough talent and play making ability to win. So we *should* expect them to get to Big Ten play undefeated. Even if they did lose one, it would not cause me to panic because the makeup of this team appears much stronger than years past.
We are lucky as fans to get to watch this kind of talent on our team, and it does not appear to be stopping any time soon because before we look too far into the future, we have this team.
The 125th team.
Go IU.
