In Reply to: Hard to say what's going on with Dent posted by traprh on November 19, 2025 at 09:27:41
I thought his demeanor when he went to shoot those two FTs was awful. I thought in his early games he was a far better FT shooter but he seemed to go up there just to get it over with.
I wonder if it's the pressure of being pressed to be better on defense. After all, Bilodeau is frighteningly inept at playing defense - and not for lack of hustle or trying - it's just every time you look up and focus on him, someone is shooting over him, or he's a step late closing out or they're just going around him. And his - Tyler's - offense is enough to keep him on the court.
Dent's passing out there is brilliant, it's a joy to watch. He's making great passes all over the place. His shooting has been off but his passing is terrific. But when Cronin puts him out on the court with the aforementioned Bilodeau, Dailey, Booker and Clark, what we see of the TEAM bears little resemblance to the best of Mick Cronin's teams.
In fact, I thought the first five minutes last night were the most enjoyable to watch of any basketball the team has played all season. There was focus and hustle and cohesiveness. Perry looked excellent and Brown looked to me like the glue guy who made everything work and everyone better.
With the first teasers out there it all looked like a heavy grind.
The level of the opposition - which was just barely that - no doubt contributed to the success of the five who started the game but made the game with the presumed first teamers even harder to take.
Dailey said it after the game. DonnyMac said it throughout the game. Tracey Murray has been saying it all season. A Mick Cronin team has to play committed and coordinated and energetic defense. And the first teasers just aren't constructed that way. Dent and Clark are a really short tandem in today's game. It hurts them especially on defense and Dent has to learn the energy and effort level required, seemingly learning it from the start. Bilodeau lacks the quickness to pull it off. Booker is learning the play in the middle seemingly for the first time - showing moments of real promise but other times getting lost, getting beaten for balls. And Dailey gives up quickness against really good opponents at the wing spot. Brown also it has appeared - he does everything out there against overmatched opponents but not so much when the opposition is of a higher caliber.
It was nice to see Freeny get some minutes late in the game. That and the basket for Seidler were the fun moments of that second half for me. In fact, the bench's celebration of the walk on's basket was the one moment last night I thought I saw the entire team lay down their various and sundry burdens and freely celebrate something that happened out on the court.