Maine men's BB outscored UML & UNH 78-28 in the paint!

[bcbc55]

In their last two games it appears that the UMaine men's basketball team made a change in their offensive strategy and it produced back-to-back conference wins.

They out scored UML 46-20 in the paint and only took 18 3 point attempts and followed that right up out scoring UNH in the paint 32-8 and only took 15 3 point attempts. That is a 50 point difference as they out scored the two teams 78-28 in the paint.

Even though they only shot 7 for 33 for threes for 21.2% in those 2 games they only took 33 of their FGA's as 3's of their total 111 FGA's for just 29.9% of their FGA's as 3 pointers meaning that they took 70.1% of their field goal attempts as 2 pointers shooting and scored 78 of their 137 total 2 game points in the paint or 56.9% from the paint.

Even more impressive was that of their 2 pointers total of 96 points 78 came from in the paint or 81.3%.

They shot 53-111 for 49.6 from the floor combing 2's and 3's and shot 7-33 for 3's for 21.1% and 48 for 78 for 2's for 61.6%.

Maine is 541 for 1520 for 43.3% for Field Goal %.
Maine is 149 for 498 for 29.9% for 3 point shooting %.
Maine is 392 for 752 for 52.1% for 2 point shooting %.
Maine is 217 for 332 for 65.4% for foul shooting %.

Andrew Fleming himself out scored both UML (36) and UNH (2) 38 to 28 in the paint in the 2 games.

Despite not making their threes better they still came out with 2 wins because they went inside more than they had in previous games.

But it just goes to show that you can still win AE Conference games if you can get the ball to the paint as much as Maine did in the past two wins even if you shoot poorly from the 3 point arc.

For teams to stop Maine's new inside attack teams have got to either go zone or when man to man they have to double the players on the block before or after they get the ball. If this happens then it will give Maine's 3 point shooters more open less rushed 3's looks which should increase their 3 point percentage, which UML and UNH did not do.

It was great when Fleming had 36 points in the paint in the big 19 point 75-59 win over UML, but team and win wise it was even greater to see Larsson, Darwich and Eze take over in the paint against UNH when Fleming was struggling on 1 for 11 from the floor after going 18 for 20 from the floor vs. UML.

The big question is will Maine still try to get the ball inside to the paint and will it be as effective in their 8 remaining America East regular season games and tournament quarter-final game as they did against UML and UNH??????????????????????????????????????????????????????

By forcing teams to double down on the block to stop Maine's new paint game will that improve their 3 point shooting as they are only shooting just 29.9% for the year so far. In fact, in their 3 previous losses they shot 43% in 2 games in a row and 29% in one other.

Interesting that Maine shot 43% for 3's and lose two conference games and win 2 games shooting 21.1% for 3's.

GO FIGURE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Blind Zebra]

Interested to see how Maine attacks Vermont? In first game, Maine tried to go inside to Fleming and Eze with very little success. They were bothered by the physical strength of Lamb and Moll and the shot blocking of Dingba. Vermont packed it in and was still able to close out to shooters and limit Maine’s success from long range. I think we will see Maine try to post Larsson and El-Darwich like they did against UNH. Although Vermont has decent size in the backcourt. Maine will need an excellent defensive effort to compete with Vermont. Must keep Lamb from going off and limit open 3s from the Duncan bros and Stef Smith.

[bcbc55]

Interested to see how Maine attacks Vermont? In first game, Maine tried to go inside to Fleming and Eze with very little success. They were bothered by the physical strength of Lamb and Moll and the shot blocking of Dingba. Vermont packed it in and was still able to close out to shooters and limit Maine’s success from long range. I think we will see Maine try to post Larsson and El-Darwich like they did against UNH. Although Vermont has decent size in the backcourt. Maine will need an excellent defensive effort to compete with Vermont. Must keep Lamb from going off and limit open 3s from the Duncan bros and Stef Smith.

"BZ": I agree it will be interesting against Vermont especially on the road. Last game at home Vermont won 73-49 and Maine was 19 for 57 from the floor for 33.3%, 8 for 28 for 3's 28.6%, 11 for 29 for 2 pointers for 37.4% and 3 for 8 for 37,5% from the foul line.

Vermont out scored Maine from the paint 28-18.

As you say Vermont, the best team in the conference has more size to match up Maine inside then UML and UNH had) and are good at closing out on the 3 point shooters as shown in the first game against Maine in Bangor.

So it will be interesting to see how UMaine approaches this game offensively after their two wins in a row and giving Stonybrook 77-76 and Hartford 64-61 good games at home and giving Binghamton a go 78-66 on the road before the two wins and how Vermont defends them.

[Justabasketballfan]

Simple cases of "adjusting" strategy to take best advantage of opponents' weaknesses.
That's good coaching.
But, it's not a total philosophical change in playing style. It's just taking what the opponent gives you.

[bcbc55]

Simple cases of "adjusting" strategy to take best advantage of opponents' weaknesses.
That's good coaching.
But, it's not a total philosophical change in playing style. It's just taking what the opponent gives you.

"Justabasketballfan": Agreed on adjusting strategy. Those two wins were the first time Maine took under 20 (18 vs. UML and 15 vs. UNH) 3 point attempts after taking 20 or more for 21 straight games. Scouting reports must have said that UML and UNH did not defend players in the post very well. Most I have ever seen any college team go inside was in the UML game where they out scored UML 46-20 and Fleming outscored UML 36 to 20 in the paint by himself.

[Justabasketballfan]

Agree bcbc55. Coaches adjust playing styles, shot-selection emphasis, based on the opposition.
You've been a proponent of fewer 3-point shots by our program.
But, the likelihood is that some opponents have strong interior defense, which results in our team taking more 3's.
UNH has very little inside, particularly since its best rebounder/post defender did not play against us.
Same with Mass-Lowell ... no big man.
We had the "inside advantage" in both games. Only made sense to eschew the 3-pointer for more of an emphasis in the post.
This is what good coaches do.