After the Buzzer: Akron

Quick Hitters

-This game was a much different experience for me as I was lucky enough to get some floor seats at the last minute. I was behind the basket in front of the Akron bench, so the view was certainly different than watching on TV or a computer. But alas, it doesn’t stop me from coming home to rewatch it so I can do this film review and try to catch things that I may have missed in person.

-Dwayne Sutton appreciation quick hitter. The man took three shots and finished with a double-double. It’s because he went to the line six times after being a beast on the boards or driving the lane. He had 10 points and 14 rebounds, with seven of those being offensive. Just another great game.

-I think that David Johnson is the real deal. He has come in in both games and shown no signs of being timid or nervous. Just comes in and gets two dunks in his first game and then scores nine points in eight minutes in this one. He was 4-5 from the field and also grabbed three rebounds and had an assist. He is the one I was unsure of about how he would fit into the rotation with Darius Perry, Ryan McMahon, and Fresh Kimble at the guard spots. It’s a small sample size so far, but I think he has to have a role.

-Steven Enoch had a solid game in the post. Whenever he gets position before he gets the ball, he is almost impossible to stop. It helps that he has a jump hook with either hand. With Malik Williams back, both guys should always be fresh and not playing too many minutes.

-Jordan Nwora assist/turnover watch: two assists and four turnovers this game, bringing his season totals to seven assists and 12 turnovers. This sparked some discussion last time. I will say that I don’t need him to average seven assists and only one turnover per game and play like a point guard. I am not looking for that. But after last year’s 44 assists and 80 turnovers, I would just like for that ratio to be closer to 1:1. That’s all.

-Speaking of Nwora, it was a tale of two halves on the offensive end. He was 5-11 in the first half and only 1-8 in the second half. It happens. Defenses are going to key on him. It felt like some of those in the second half were rushed or forced. But honestly, he made some shots in the first half that looked the same. They just look better when they go in. No reason to be concerned here.

-Coming into Sunday, Akron’s point totals were 81, 84, 57, 76, and 82. That team can score some points. While you would obviously like to see Louisville hang on to the big lead and not let it get that close at the end, I just can’t be concerned about it just yet. Yes, this happened last year a few times, but it’s still too early for me. Akron played a fast-paced game and the Cards rushed some shots late and let the Zips hang around and get back into it. Some people will freak out by it, but that’s just not my thing to do. One team builds a big lead and the other goes into desperation mode and could score in bunches. Louisville got out of there with a win, and it’s a bonus to be able to learn some lessons like that and still get the victory.

-I do have to throw in that I like Loren Cristian Jackson, the little guy for Akron. He is fearless and played like that annoying guy at the park who is 5’3 but thinks he is 6’5. You have to have that attitude to be that small and play at this level. I liked his game. Almost hated it at the end though, just saying.

-The schedule is about to pick up for the Cards. WKU is 6-1 and then you have Michigan, Pittsburgh, and Texas Tech. It’s about to get fun (I hope).

-I hope all of you have a Happy Thanksgiving and I truly appreciate you reading these and checking out the film reviews. The feedback is mostly positive and it’s humbling to see. Between this and the “Dear Scott Satterfield” post response, I can’t thank you enough for your words and can’t thank Mike enough for this platform. I love doing these film reviews and hope that they are worth your time and that maybe you start to notice some things later in the season that are repeated on these posts. Maybe you watch Steven Enoch before he gets the ball. Maybe you pick up on some set plays. Things like that. Let’s get a win on Friday. Go Cards!

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