Men's Basketball (2017-2018)

[mountainred]

Cornell trails Princeton 53-19 at the half.  The Tigers led 19-0 at one point.  Someone else can watch the second half, I don't have the stomach for it.

Let's just leave it at "Cornell finished the game with 54."

Princeton's decent, but no excuse for that type of shellacking.

Agreed.  Cornell took a similar beating at Louisville a few years back.  But the Cards were #1 and Cornell went on to finish 2-26.

The next two weekends are the Columbia home and home, starting at their place.  The Lions are in full desperation mode as they are 3-12.  Expect a determined effort from Columbia as they try to keep their season from completely collapsing.  Any chance of staying alive for the Ivy Tournament -- a long shot, but they are just 0-2 after the Penn/Princeton road games -- will require a sweep.

[semsox]

Just reading the last few posts, it makes me so mad that this program squandered what it had built with the 2008-2010 run. Yes, Donahue left right after, but to see the momentum from that just turn to nothing in like two years is so, so frustrating.

[ugarte]

Just reading the last few posts, it makes me so mad that this program squandered what it had built with the 2008-2010 run. Yes, Donahue left right after, but to see the momentum from that just turn to nothing in like two years is so, so frustrating.

that recruiting class was lightning in a bottle. dale wasn't recruited at all; wittman got hurt his senior year, everyone backed off, his dad is rich so he didn't need a scholarship; foote ended up at cornell because our best player almost died.

[mountainred]

Just reading the last few posts, it makes me so mad that this program squandered what it had built with the 2008-2010 run. Yes, Donahue left right after, but to see the momentum from that just turn to nothing in like two years is so, so frustrating.

that recruiting class was lightning in a bottle. dale wasn't recruited at all; wittman got hurt his senior year, everyone backed off, his dad is rich so he didn't need a scholarship; foote ended up at cornell because our best player almost died.

True, but you don't get many better opportunities for a paradigm shift (do folks still say that) on Big Red hoops than 3 straight Ivy titles and a Sweet Sixteen run.  If anything, the nature of the Class of 2010 is why the chance was so precious and unlikely to come around again.

[Ken711]

Just reading the last few posts, it makes me so mad that this program squandered what it had built with the 2008-2010 run. Yes, Donahue left right after, but to see the momentum from that just turn to nothing in like two years is so, so frustrating.

Andy picking the wrong coach for the job in replacing Donahue sure didn't help.

[TimV]

Coaching selection hasn't been a strong point lately.  Besides hoops, lacrosse with Kerwick and football with Archer.  The men's soccer guy is pretty good though.

[mountainred]

Ugh.  Columbia 88 Cornell 62.  20 turnovers for the Big Red, and the Lions hit 16 3's.  Columbia had won just 2 D1 games this year.

It was a tough night for McBride -- no points, no rebounds, 1 assist, 5 turnovers.  He'll have better days.  Boeheim had 6 points and 5 rebounds in one of his better games.

The guys haven't beaten a D1 school in a month.

[Ken711]

Cornell blown out by Columbia losing L 88-62.

[ugarte]

Ugh.  Columbia 88 Cornell 62.  20 turnovers for the Big Red, and the Lions hit 16 3's.  Columbia had won just 2 D1 games this year.

It was a tough night for McBride -- no points, no rebounds, 1 assist, 5 turnovers.  He'll have better days.  Boeheim had 6 points and 5 rebounds in one of his better games.

The guys haven't beaten a D1 school in a month.

This team is real bad. Clumsy ballhanding, spazzy dribbling, can't defend, can't shoot. Columbia didn't even look good.

[Al DeFlorio]

No clue what to do in the halfcourt game.  No system, no movement.  Pick-up style basketball.

[mountainred]

What is discouraging/frustrating to me is that the team is regressing. Before league play, the offense was moving the ball well especially when Stone controlled the play from the high post.  Two-thirds of the baskets were assisted and they were hitting well over 50% from inside the arc (because the ball and player movement were getting great looks).  When they were sloppy with the ball, they got killed (UML and Northeastern) but otherwise they were averaging 17 assists to just 12-13 turnovers and had one of the better offenses in the league based on the numbers.  

In league play, try 9 assists, 17 turnovers and 40% shooting.  That's dreadful.  And the turnovers aren't being forced, they are largely the result of sloppy play or being too cute with passes.  Throw in an already poor defense that is actually getting worse (Columbia's 57% 3 point shooting was just flukish, but they had way too many open looks), and Cornell is deservedly in the league basement.  The team's KenPom rating has dropped 42 places over the last two games.  That is really hard to do midway through the season.

I see where Al is coming from, but I don't agree that they are playing "pick-up" basketball.  There is an offense -- this isn't Courtney redux -- but Ivy League teams are well-versed in defending the Princeton attack.  So they anticipate the backdoor cuts better than ooc foes and Plan B is a combination of forcing a bad pass or "Matt, do something."

The last three games have been brutal and if that is new normal, Cornell will be hard-pressed to hold off Dartmouth for 7th place.  I think there is more talent than that, but am beginning to have serious doubts.

[Al DeFlorio]

What is discouraging/frustrating to me is that the team is regressing. Before league play, the offense was moving the ball well especially when Stone controlled the play from the high post.  Two-thirds of the baskets were assisted and they were hitting well over 50% from inside the arc (because the ball and player movement were getting great looks).  When they were sloppy with the ball, they got killed (UML and Northeastern) but otherwise they were averaging 17 assists to just 12-13 turnovers and had one of the better offenses in the league based on the numbers.  

In league play, try 9 assists, 17 turnovers and 40% shooting.  That's dreadful.  And the turnovers aren't being forced, they are largely the result of sloppy play or being too cute with passes.  Throw in an already poor defense that is actually getting worse (Columbia's 57% 3 point shooting was just flukish, but they had way too many open looks), and Cornell is deservedly in the league basement.  The team's KenPom rating has dropped 42 places over the last two games.  That is really hard to do midway through the season.

I see where Al is coming from, but I don't agree that they are playing "pick-up" basketball.  There is an offense -- this isn't Courtney redux -- but Ivy League teams are well-versed in defending the Princeton attack.  So they anticipate the backdoor cuts better than ooc foes and Plan B is a combination of forcing a bad pass or "Matt, do something."

The last three games have been brutal and if that is new normal, Cornell will be hard-pressed to hold off Dartmouth for 7th place.  I think there is more talent than that, but am beginning to have serious doubts.

Sorry, but I've seen no offensive system from Earl.  And, if Ivies are well-versed in defending the Princeton system, why is Princeton still succeeding?  And, if the Ivies are in fact so successful in defending it, why aren't we doing something else?  I'm not in the least impressed with what Earl is doing with the program so far.

[mountainred]

What is discouraging/frustrating to me is that the team is regressing. Before league play, the offense was moving the ball well especially when Stone controlled the play from the high post.  Two-thirds of the baskets were assisted and they were hitting well over 50% from inside the arc (because the ball and player movement were getting great looks).  When they were sloppy with the ball, they got killed (UML and Northeastern) but otherwise they were averaging 17 assists to just 12-13 turnovers and had one of the better offenses in the league based on the numbers.  

In league play, try 9 assists, 17 turnovers and 40% shooting.  That's dreadful.  And the turnovers aren't being forced, they are largely the result of sloppy play or being too cute with passes.  Throw in an already poor defense that is actually getting worse (Columbia's 57% 3 point shooting was just flukish, but they had way too many open looks), and Cornell is deservedly in the league basement.  The team's KenPom rating has dropped 42 places over the last two games.  That is really hard to do midway through the season.

I see where Al is coming from, but I don't agree that they are playing "pick-up" basketball.  There is an offense -- this isn't Courtney redux -- but Ivy League teams are well-versed in defending the Princeton attack.  So they anticipate the backdoor cuts better than ooc foes and Plan B is a combination of forcing a bad pass or "Matt, do something."

The last three games have been brutal and if that is new normal, Cornell will be hard-pressed to hold off Dartmouth for 7th place.  I think there is more talent than that, but am beginning to have serious doubts.

Sorry, but I've seen no offensive system from Earl.  And, if Ivies are well-versed in defending the Princeton system, why is Princeton still succeeding?  And, if the Ivies are in fact so successful in defending it, why aren't we doing something else?  I'm not in the least impressed with what Earl is doing with the program so far.

My best answers to your questions:
Why is Princeton still succeeding?  They are better at it, have more players who fit the system, and frankly have better players.  If the entire Cornell team transferred to Princeton, I'm not sure who would get much PT other than Matt and Stone.  And Matt isn't a great match for the system, but he's too talented to sit.
Why do we run it?  Fair question.  Probably because it is what Earl knows.  It's what every Princeton-trained coach knows.  

For six weeks I think the offense looked like a cohesive offensive system, especially compared to what we watched under Courtney.  Of course, that is faint praise and I won't try to sugarcoat the start of league play.  The internet thrives on hot takes, but "there is a system" and "that system is not good enough" can both be right.

[Ken711]

Courtney couldn't recruit a decent center in 6 years!  Earl needs to concentrate on bringing in a center either as freshman recruit, or as a transfer.

[mountainred]

The guys saved their season, sort of, with a 82-81 win over Columbia.  The biggest difference on defense is that the Lions shot 28% from 3, as opposed to 58%.  The Red had a bit more intensity on defense, but the quality of Columbia's looks was about the same.  It really was just bad luck last week and good luck this week for the guys.  Giving up 81 points on 73 possessions is nothing to write home about.

The offense was basically Matt (29 points) and Stone (25 points), though 19 assists on 26 made baskets was nice to see, as was going 22 for 25 at the line.  Warren had a solid game with 8 rebounds, including some huge ones late.

In short, they stopped the bleeding, and thankfully the bottom half of the league is pretty mediocre.  But my November optimism is pretty much gone.