Less enthusiastic after that second half, but still, it was Florida.
Positives:
- More movement without the ball
- As a result, better interior passing. In general, I saw better team basketball rather than standing around waiting for a guard to do it on his own, or oftentimes just chucking a three. Even when they went in, it was bad offense.
- Frey will be good. It didn’t look like too big a spot for him. For him to come out firing? I like it. He came flying off screens and was ready to shoot. I think his long threes will be typical threes in conference play.
- The announcers. I thought they were great.
Negatives:
- Interior presence. We got very little from Fitz and Sarvan inside, on the glass or protecting the rim.
- TO has to look for his shot more. I thought he was fine taking it up and getting into the offense, and he’s quick, but he has to find a mid-range game. Maybe it’s there and just not tonight.
- Same for TSM. As much as the iso-heavy offense was painful the last couple years, we do need some of it. I was hoping to see TSM be more assertive offensively and be a 15 shot a night kind of guy. Still possible.
- Fitz from deep. Yikes. I dunno, guys.
- In general, almost nothing from the bench beyond Frey. Roberts the same, Pettway probably a spare part, Muratori made the trillion club except for turnovers and fouls. Are we really looking at being seven deep with Clarke?
I’m really eager to see us against the middle 75% of the country rather than blue bloods or nobodies. I think we’ll have a better idea of what things will actually look like.