Very Impressive!

Last night was a very impressive victory for the Gauchos. They looked good on all fronts against the Mustangs. Here is the link to the boxscore:

http://ucsbgauchos.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/stats/2007-2008/cpmbb17.html

Let's look at the Four Factors:

1. Shooting %

UCSB: 20-53, 37.7%
CPSU: 23-54, 42.6%

Although UCSB didn't shoot as high a percentage as Cal Poly, the impressive stat line is the three point shooting of the Gauchos. UCSB went 10 for 20 from beyond the arc, which is just ridiculous. Shooting that well can be a curse, as well as a blessing. A blessing because if you're team can shoot 50% from beyond the arc you keep shooting it. A curse because shooting that well can encourage the players to eschew the two and fall in love with the three (and it really hurts when you shoot a poor percentage).

If you read this blog before the game last night, you'll recall that Cal Poly is shooting 29.7% from the three, while shooting a greater percentage of their total shots beyond the arc than UCSB. TGM's recommendation was to sag off the three point line and pack it inside the arc, thereby encouraging CPSU to fire away.

Cal Poly shot 2-19 from the three for a 10.5% percent. That is absolutely horrible even by Cal Poly standards. I didn't see the game, so I have no idea if they encouraged the Mustangs to shoot the three, but this quote from Bob Williams gives some insight into their strategy. "We did a pretty good job of harassing their shooters tonight," said Gaucho head coach Bob Williams. "They really killed us with three-pointers last year and we were determined that the same thing wouldn't happen this year. "

From the looks of it, Coach Williams seems to be implying that one of their strategies was to make Cal Poly shoot a low percentage from outside the arc. The problem with this strategy is that Cal Poly was shooting a poor percentage even before the game (although the Gauchos held them to a lower % then Poly normally shoots). If we're reading correctly into Coach Williams strategy, I'm a bit concerned with this. Clearly, there was no need to harass their shooters from beyond the arc since they already shot a poor percentage. It appears to me that UCSB could have made better use of their energy preventing Poly from scoring inside the arc. Of course, if the Mustang shooters started heating up, Williams could have changed the strategy, but their was no need to focus your resources on an area where they aren't needed. It's like a football team devoting the majority of their energy to stopping the run attack of the 32nd ranked run offense just because they got ran over the season before.

Let's hope that we're incorrect and that Coach Williams saw something that we didn't. I know last year, Dawin Whiten went 5 for 10 from the three against us in one game, so that might be what was making him focus on that.

2. Offensive Rebounding

UCSB: 12
CPSU: 7

There isn't much to say here, except that I am pleasantly surprised that the Gauchos were able to prevent the 'Stangs from outrebounding them on the offensive end.

3. FT's

UCSB: 25-30, 83.3%
CPSU: 12-18, 66.7%

Here is where UCSB really laid the smack down on the Mustangs. I'm extremely impressed that they got to the line 30 times in this game. Even more impressive than that is the fact that they only missed 5 shots. Kudos to Alex Harris and James Powell for getting to the line at least 10 times and shooting 19 for 22.

The high amount of FT's, coupled with the high % means that UCSB did a great job of attacking the basket and that some of their missed shots came on those fouls. They made Cal Poly pay for putting them on the line.

4. Turnovers

UCSB: 12 turnovers, 5 steals
CPSU: 12 turnovers, 7 steals

While it was a tie, I'll take it. UCSB had been getting sloppy with the ball over the last couple weeks. They kept their turnovers 4 below their average. It would have been nice to see them force more from Cal Poly, but now we're nitpicking.

Good job Gauchos, I like what I see. Keep this up against Pacific.