Ruffin update?

[BradleyBrave]

I want to make just one more remark. Bradley's system on D works best with on ball pressure and there is no one in the back court right now that can play in your face D as a healthy DR. We have been really good on D when we have 2-3 really quick smart defensive guards to disrupt the other team. Lat year we had DR and WF who played that role. JC and as much as I like SM do not fit that mold. JC never has and hopefully SM will become quicker as he matures. Does this excuse our biggies, NO, but it would have helped.

Perhaps, but defense is just as much about positioning and help as it is quickness and athleticism. TCS is arguably quicker and more athletic than any player we've seen all year, yet he's an average on-ball defender and terrible team defender. Conversely, Brian Mullins isn't very athletic at all, yet is one of the best on-ball AND team defenders in the league. BU is flat out a terrible defensive team. There were below-average when Ruffin was playing, now they're just bad. Adding Dan Ruffin, a very good individual defender, will help that a bit. But he isn't going to make up for 4 other players being bad defenders. There's only one guy in the Jim Les era that had that capability, and he's riding the pine for the Golden State Warriors right now. Those guys don't come along very often, so sooner or later BU is going to have to learn how to play some team defense. They did the last 2 years, but for some reason they can't anymore. Go figure.

FWIW - I'm not going after you or your opinion Pete, just expressing my viewpoint on this discussion. Regardless of any of our viewpoints, we all want Ruff back sooner than later.

[CABUFan]

So would I, but Ruffin isn't the reason we got pounded on the boards against UNI, MSU, WSU, or Drake. I'm sorry, but his 3 rebounds a game wouldn't have been difference-makers in those games.

I completely agree that not having Ruffin was not the reason we got killed on the boards in these games. But it's no coincidence that we went from winning the battle on the boards almost every night (with MSU being one glaring exception), to getting out-rebounded so badly on a regular basis beginning with the first game Ruff was gone. I think the big difference was we stopped playing with confidence once he went down, and started getting beat at everything as a result.

Over the last three games, the team has figured out they can win without him, but I still expect we will get a big lift in confidence just having Ruff back on the floor.

That said, Ruffin's return certainly is not going to solve the problems we had before he left, i.e., overall mediocre defense and the lack of a consistent presence inside.

[shaunguth]

We're 2-6 since Ruffin has been out. Here's my take on the games.

Losses where Ruffin makes the difference -

VCU (home) - BU won the rebounding battle 41-37, Maynor would not have gone for a career-high on Ruffin.
Drake (home) - BU outrebouned 34-27 but outshoots Drake in every category; Emmenecker doesn't get in the lane if Ruffin plays and we don't have the inbounding issues.

Losses where Ruffin doesn't make the difference -

Northern Iowa (home) - BU outrebounded 45-27.
Missouri St (away) - BU outrebounded 43-33 and gave up 85 points in 32 minutes.
Wichita St (home) - BU outrebounded 38-22 and allowed a team scoring in the 50's to score 51 2nd half points while shooting 69%.
SIU (away) - BU outrebounded by 3, Matt Shaw scores 18, Falker scores 14, Fay scores 11.


So, by witnessing the games (as I know most of us on here have), and looking at the stats, I think it's pretty evident that Ruffin's impact is not quite what some would have you believe. Very few players in America are good enough to be able to make up for double-digit rebounding deficits and frontcourt abuse that BU has been victim of. Add to that Sam's numbers in Ruffin's absence - nearly identical in all categories - and the argument gets even harder.

Obviously Sam has proven himself to be quite the player in Ruffin's absence, but it is my belief that TCS is the one on the floor due ONLY to the injury to Ruffin. I say this because he has done absolutely nothing to show he deserves playing time. Let's see what he's done in the same games you mention above...

VCU (home) - 21 minutes, 1-7 from the field, 0-1 from 3pt., 2 points, 0 rebounds.

Drake (home) - 15 minutes, 1-2 from the field, 1-2 from 3pt., 3 points, 1 rebound.

Northern Iowa (home) - 13 minutes, 1-5 from the field, 0-3 from 3pt., 2 points, 0 rebounds.

Missouri St (away) - 17 minutes, 1-6 from the field, 0-3 from 3pt., 3 points, 1 rebound.

Wichita St (home) - 8 minutes, 1-5 from the field, 1-3 from 3pt., 3 points, 0 rebounds.

SIU (away) - 15 minutes, 1-6 from the field, 1-4 from 3pt., 5 points, 0 rebounds.

Six-game totals....

89 minutes, 6-31 (19%) from the field, 3-16 (19%) from 3pt., 18 points, 2 rebounds.

I cannot wait until Ruffin comes back and then hopefully TCS will have his minutes cut and we can give someone else a chance. Let's just hope it's someone that can contribute a little more.

[onetuffshot]

Post reply

BB I agree with most of what you say but DR is our only real disrupter and makes it much harder for the opponents guard to get the ball inside. Consequently the other teams big needs to step outside to set picks which keeps them from rebounding as easy. He does contribute to our rebounding indirectly and also does a great job of keeping his man away from the basket. When he plays the other guards need to pay attention to him and do not have the luxury of going for the ball. I know where you are going with this line and agree partially but a healthy DR in my humble opnion makes a difference.

I want to make just one more remark. Bradley's system on D works best with on ball pressure and there is no one in the back court right now that can play in your face D as a healthy DR. We have been really good on D when we have 2-3 really quick smart defensive guards to disrupt the other team. Lat year we had DR and WF who played that role. JC and as much as I like SM do not fit that mold. JC never has and hopefully SM will become quicker as he matures. Does this excuse our biggies, NO, but it would have helped.

Good post, Pete. Ruff's absence does impact the rebounding and the overall defense. You need to get back here and watch some games in person, though, as you have Crouch's defense vastly under-rated. He's no JJ, but makes up for it with his head. He's by far our best off ball defender. Saved our last two wins with late game steals.

[houstontxbrave]

A statistic that is drasticly different since Ruffin went out injuried is our our overall shooting percentage.

In the 11 games he played in before his injury we averaged

45.8% from the field

Low was 38% v MSU
High was 56% v Maryland Eastern Shore
We also shot 49% v Vanderbilt

Since his injury we have averaged

39.5% from the field

Low 31% v UNI
High 47% v Drake

His controling of the game and ability to create shot opportunites by driving to the basket moving the defense and passing definitly have made a huge difference in our ability to make shots. Not to mention his defense creates havic on the ball and allows our other players especially Wilson, JC and Warren to play more aggressively and jump into or take more chances in the passing lanes.

[ph]

Houston, did you just discover the rebounding answer?
The more missed shots, the more board opportunities.

Theortically, offensively you are usually out of rebounding position. Defensivly you should be in position, and we know teams have been shooting well agains up without Ruff.

[SFP]

Good post, Pete. Ruff's absence does impact the rebounding and the overall defense. You need to get back here and watch some games in person, though, as you have Crouch's defense vastly under-rated. He's no JJ, but makes up for it with his head. He's by far our best off ball defender. Saved our last two wins with late game steals.

Wish I had the time to check out a game in person. What I have seen of JC is that he does not have the quickness to keep up with the quicker guards man 2 man. As BB said we use to have a guy that could make up for that type of deficiency but right now we do not. Playing good D is about what BB talked about and smarts. JC has the basketball acumen and relentless hustle but you cannot teach speed. I'm not saying he is terrible either just that in this system a person of DR's ability is what is needed.

Note: BB no offense taken from you ever. If everyone agreed with everyone all the time the Sun would still be rotating around the earth.

[ph]

Is Ruff undergoing any electro shock therapy?

http://crave.cnet.com/8301-1_105-9853837-1.html?tag=nl.e501

Weird and interesting at the same time. And in Ruff's case, vs say a broken bone, I do not think 100% muscle usage is what you want.

[Da Coach]

I recommend you test this form of physiotherapy out yourself, ph, and report back to us. If it is effective, maybe we can recommend it to Marcus Ohnemus!

[DUBrave5]

I recommend you test this form of physiotherapy out yourself, ph, and report back to us. If it is effective, maybe we can recommend it to Marcus Ohnemus!

I've actually tried something like this and it isn't very comfortable. I'm sure that Bradley's trainers are doing everything they can to get Ruffin back on the court ASAP.

[ph]

I recommend you test this form of physiotherapy out yourself, ph, and report back to us. If it is effective, maybe we can recommend it to Marcus Ohnemus!

I do not have any need for super strength, but some ankle and core strength would be somewhat beneficial for a stagnant person like me.

Thinking about it, I know of past stories about MJ using some electrical stimulating device on his knees during team flights. I also cannot believe that BU's trainers are completely out of the loop in regards to legal olympic training machines, so I'm sure it has been considered.

I just saw that story today in one of my newsletters, and it reminded me of this thread, so I thought I'd post it.

[Da Coach]

It looked painful to me. In fact the picture looked the guy using it was in pain.

I have heard of electrical stimulation to accelerate bone growth and healing, but there isn't much evidence that it helps tissue healing.

I was just kidding about you being commissioned to test it!

[SFP]

I just cracked a rib the other day playing ball does anyone have any remedies for me.

[mike radigan]

I just cracked a rib the other day playing ball does anyone have any remedies for me.

Yeah, take 2 aspirin and call me in the morning. That will be $50.

[SFP]

Yeah, take 2 aspirin and call me in the morning. That will be $50.

My GF's left over Vicodin with a glass of wine does something for the pain