bobinator said:
I think this is a more complicated question than it would typically be because of how we were forced to play last year.
We were so bad at shooting last year that a lot of times our best bet was to just take the first decent look, especially if the defense wasn't set yet, because it increased our likelihood of getting the offensive rebound and it was unlikely we were going to eventually get a better look anyway.
If Payne is a true low post scoring threat like we all hope he is, then I think you could see us be a little more deliberate in offensive sets this year, especially if someone other than Taylor proves they can hit open threes at a decent clip. If you have those threats, then it makes sense to work the ball and try to find angles. Last year our offense basically became Wade, Boots and Manny just charging at the basket and hoping for the best depending on which matchup we liked best.
But the real key to the tempo is going to be our defense. We were mid-pack at forcing live ball turnovers which is what really juices the tempo.
Complicated indeed. I think the biggest factor in Aggies' style of play was the lack of Julius Marbles. Without out a post, we became a tip-it-to-the-edge rebounding team. This lead to the odd stat of being one of the highest offensive rebounding teams in the country despite having a small team on the court. AND, the only way to have an offensive board is you first have to miss! We missed quite a few shots.
Hopefully with better shooting and a post presence we can make the basket the first time.
Will be an interesting season not like last year, but better!
