Where was Awaka?

#1
S

SGidds

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#1
I may have missed some announcement about his status, but we could‘ve used our rebounding machine tonight. We weren’t hitting anything (not surprising), but we got also got killed on the glass by a smaller team . FAU flat out-hustled us to the ball most of the night.

I would’ve thought playing in New York would also be a big motivator for Awaka, too. Was he injured? Suspended?
 
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#3
#3
SGidds said:
I may have missed some announcement about his status, but we could‘ve used our rebounding machine tonight. We weren’t hitting anything (not surprising), but we got also got killed on the glass by a smaller team . FAU flat out-hustled us to the ball most of the night.

I would’ve thought playing in New York would also be a big motivator for Awaka, too. Was he injured? Suspended?
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I was at the game and remember them calling his name when he was subbed in once, but he was back out in a minute or two.
 
#4
#4
I think he went in, then FAU had the widest open look of the night for a layup, and Awaka was pulled out on a stoppage during TN’s possession that immediately followed. I guess it was a decision that he wasn’t going to match up with anybody to guard effectively. Sure could have used the rebounding effort that he typically brings though.
 
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#6
#6
berryvol said:
This was a pretty bad matchup for him. He doesn’t have the quickness to play defense on the perimeter and he doesn’t have the size to bother either of FAUs bigs down low. Idk why anyone would be surprised he didn’t play much.
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True, but to be fair the whole team minus Mashack looked like they were moving in mud.
 
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#7
#7
Thunder Good-Oil said:
I think he went in, then FAU had the widest open look of the night for a layup, and Awaka was pulled out on a stoppage during TN’s possession that immediately followed. I guess it was a decision that he wasn’t going to match up with anybody to guard effectively. Sure could have used the rebounding effort that he typically brings though.
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We missed so many shots at the rim tonight and that is what really cost us this game.

Could not take advantage of our superior height on a consistent basis.
 
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#8
#8
Volfan1000 said:
We missed so many shots at the rim tonight and that is what really cost us this game.

Could not take advantage of our superior height on a consistent basis.
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FAU hasn’t been much of an offensive rebounding team all year. They had 12 tonight and TN only had 7 more defensive rebounds. I haven’t seen second chance points, but I bet that the shorter team dominated that stat. Our 5 seniors missed 36 shots. 63 shots were put up by TN.
 
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#11
#11
SGidds said:
I may have missed some announcement about his status, but we could‘ve used our rebounding machine tonight. We weren’t hitting anything (not surprising), but we got also got killed on the glass by a smaller team . FAU flat out-hustled us to the ball most of the night.

I would’ve thought playing in New York would also be a big motivator for Awaka, too. Was he injured? Suspended?
Click to expand...
I was wondering the same thing as the box score showed he played 1 minute. Don't know why he did not get more PT as nothing else was working for us especially in the 2nd half which was terrible.
 
#12
#12
I understand the reasoning because of FAU's speed and Awaka's lack of it. When the wheels are coming off and a bunch of mites are killing us on the boards, you take a chance. Can't just sit our best rebounder the entire game because he's slow. Make adjustments elsewhere to make up for that.
 
#14
#14
berryvol said:
This was a pretty bad matchup for him. He doesn’t have the quickness to play defense on the perimeter and he doesn’t have the size to bother either of FAUs bigs down low. Idk why anyone would be surprised he didn’t play much.
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Great points, so why do many think he'll develop into a star? Looks like another role player, which is about all Barnes seems to want. I think Barnes loves "projects" and we have too many.
 
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#15
#15
Clad in Big Orange said:
Great points, so why do many think he'll develop into a star? Looks like another role player, which is about all Barnes seems to want. I think Barnes loves "projects" and we have too many.
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I was wondering this very thing. Some rave about his potential, but then there are times where he's simply a liability. Will he be a success story like Grant or will he be the next in the growing conga line of misses/transfers that Barnes has had? Wish we'd get guys who can score the ball and try to develop them into solid defenders not vice versa. At least get bigs that can make a FTs say....oh... 60% of the time? That asking too much?
 
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#17
#17
Awka is a good rebounder but he's not ready in any other facets of his game. He gets lost in the defensive rotation, and has no offensive game. Add to that GAU was shooting a lot of threes so most of the rebounds were long, it just wasn't a good game for him to be in.
 
#18
#18
K-town Vol Fan said:
Our 2 best players shot 6-22 combined. That's not coaching. Guys have to make shots.
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Might not be "coaching" per se, but it certainly is an indictment of recruiting. Sure, even the best shooters can have off nights, but when the outlier is a good shooting night, you start questioning the recruiting.
 
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#19
#19
mr.checkerboards said:
Awka is a good rebounder but he's not ready in any other facets of his game. He gets lost in the defensive rotation, and has no offensive game. Add to that GAU was shooting a lot of threes so most of the rebounds were long, it just wasn't a good game for him to be in.
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Sounds a lot like Edwards. Jury is out on the guys that RS, but I still say we desperately need to kill it in the portal this year. Have to bridge the gap until these guys reach their potential as what...juniors?
 
#20
#20
We didn’t see him because this wasn’t a good matchup for him. Who on FAU does he guard? He’s not big enough to guard the big Russian dude and not quick enough to match up with any of the 4 guards they played.
 
#21
#21
CAVPUT said:
Sounds a lot like Edwards. Jury is out on the guys that RS, but I still say we desperately need to kill it in the portal this year. Have to bridge the gap until these guys reach their potential as what...juniors?
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Edwards didn't get in because Barnes doesn't like him. I wouldn't be surprised if he portals out.
 
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#22
#22
mr.checkerboards said:
Edwards didn't get in because Barnes doesn't like him. I wouldn't be surprised if he portals out.
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Lol. The kid did absolutely nothing this year when he checked in a game. There was no vendetta against him. He just wasn’t ready yet. Maybe he will be next year, or maybe he’s just not good and never will contribute. But he didn’t earn major minutes this year and that’s why he didn’t get them.
 
#23
#23
SGMVols said:
Lol. The kid did absolutely nothing this year when he checked in a game. There was no vendetta against him. He just wasn’t ready yet. Maybe he will be next year, or maybe he’s just not good and never will contribute. But he didn’t earn major minutes this year and that’s why he didn’t get them.
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I'm not going to argue that his defense wasn't great, but it's not like he got a real shot. 4mpg is 3 trips up and down and you're out. Hard to get in a rhythm that way.
 
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#24
#24
berryvol said:
This was a pretty bad matchup for him. He doesn’t have the quickness to play defense on the perimeter and he doesn’t have the size to bother either of FAUs bigs down low. Idk why anyone would be surprised he didn’t play much.
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Not surprised, but I would have been surprised if he didn't rack up a bunch of rebounds if they would've left him in the game.
 
#25
#25
mr.checkerboards said:
Edwards didn't get in because Barnes doesn't like him. I wouldn't be surprised if he portals out.
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Or, maybe....

Just maybe.....

Barnes doesn't think he's better than other options.

Good grief dude. I've never seen so many grown men make silly knee-jerk statements in my life.
 
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