| Offseason Marquette and Oso LovePaint Touches
I don’t normally like to be an “aggregator” of other people’s work, since I usually share what I find interesting on Twitter, and I don’t mean to steal anyone’s credit.
But there were two videos this week already that were so good, I’m going to break my usual embargo and link to them here as well, so it gets a wider audience and is easier to find at a later date.
Step Up Screens
Jordan Sperber is one of college basketball’s best analysts and usually takes on projects no one else is even thinking about. He’s definitely worth a follow on Twitter (below) or a sub at his site, https://hoopvision.substack.com/, which has a paid component if you are interested in his work.
For this video, he focused on Marquette’s use of the “step-up” screen last season, and how it differs from the way a majority of teams use ball screens.
One additional note here is that Marquette’s offense looks so good not just because of the tremendous Xs and Os behind it, but because instead of having a playbook that’s scripted, the players are mostly reacting to what the defense is showing with the concepts they have internalized so well.
It’s also partially due to the fact that Tyler Kolek and Oso Ighodaro are such special, unique players. Every time I watch the clip above I catch a little more of their wizardry even without the ball. We are so lucky to get another year with them.
Oso Spotlight
And speaking of Oso, while it wouldn’t be fair to say that he underrated at this point, as most coaches and pundits often sing his praises, I still think there is a level to go until the commentary around him matches the productivity.
Enter The Box And One, a site (and Twitter Account) that is primarily focused on the NBA side of prospects and college basketball, but which I’m constantly citing and linking to. Coach Spins has long been hip to Oso’s incredible passing acumen, posting this clip before last season even started: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFcIYfxzhBk.
But this time, he went long on documenting everything that makes Oso a wonderful basketball player, to the tune of a nearly 20 minute narrated video (below) and accompanying post here, behind a paywall: https://theboxandone.substack.com/p/upperclassman-spotlight-oso-ighodaro.
There’s so much there, but one callout I particularly liked was seeing his unorthodox push shot appreciated, as a way to make defenses pay when he can’t get to the rim. Per CBB Analytics, Oso was in the 90th% nationally for shots from 4-10 ft and 92nd% for shots from 10-15. And he made them at a great rate.
This is a video you come back to down the road as well, to see the progression of his game as a senior.
Kolek Love
And as you can’t have peanut butter without a little jelly, it’s also a good opportunity to throw it back a few weeks and marvel at Kolek’s point guard feel.
And one more for good measure.
We are beyond lucky to get a third year with this duo.
May these clips tide you over until we can once again obsess over practice footage.