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| Tonye Jekiri(23) grabs a rebound against Boston College (Photo Credit: SunSentinel.com) |
Written By: Nathan Skinner (@Canedude08)
Canes Rising Contributor
It was closer that it should have been, but Miami got an important conference win. Boston College is a team that will finish near the bottom of the ACC, but they fought Miami until the final moments, falling 60-56. While the win was an important one, much work remains to be done before Tuesday's tilt at Cameron Indoor.
The Good
Tonye Jekiri--Boston College has significant size, but Tonye stood out amongst the trees. He was assertive early, gaining position in the post and dominating the glass. It was another double double for the big man, as he scored thirteen points, and snagged an amazing fifteen rebounds. What was truly impressive about Tonye's performance was his defensive effort. He played great defense without fouling, something that has been an issue for him in the past.
Angel Rodriguez--Angel will never be the shooter Jack McClinton was, but Angel is outstanding at what he does well. Rodriguez was able to get to the rim at will, and he used a couple of those drives to find open teammates. While shot selection is still an issue for Angel, he still scored a team high seventeen points.
The Bad
Offensive Flow--It's obvious that Miami has a ton of athletes who can create off of the dribble. The problem is that the offense degenerates into isolation basketball, which makes it far easier to defend the 'Canes. The inability of Miami to put together consistent offensive sets allowed Boston College to crawl back in the game. It's on Angel Rodriguez and Manu Lecomte to make sure that the offense is flowing.
Perimeter Defense--Apparently, Miami didn't get the memo about Olivier Hanlan being one of the best guards in the ACC. Hanlan scored an easy 19 points, most of it coming on open shots. BC is a one man team, and Miami found a way to lose that one man. A lot of those shots came from Hanlan working screens, Miami was unable to fight through and maintain contact with the shooter.
The Ugly
Free Throw Shooting--Another game, another example of mediocre free throw shooting. While Miami shot 64% from the line, it was the missed opportunities that stand out. The inability of Miami to consistently make the front ends of one and ones is troubling. Teams that are able to close out games from the free throw line are the ones who find their way into the NCAA Tournament. Unless there's a major change, Miami may end up being a team that shoots themselves out of the bracket.
Perimeter Shooting--While the percentage wasn't as horrifying as previous efforts, the shot selection was disconcerting. Miami fell in love with the outside shot early, despite having Tonye Jekiri established in the middle. It's rare that Jekiri is assertive in the post, and he should be rewarded when he is. Deandre Burnett has to understand that he can pass the ball as well as shoot it, he doesn't to hoist a shot whenever the ball comes to him.
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