Some less obvious reasons UMaine lost to St. Josephs 72-59 Sunday night

Although the obvious St. Joe’s scored more points then Maine did to win the game but there was also some non obvious reasons that a basketball novice might miss.

First, Maine only got to the foul line once and SJ got there for 19 foul shots.

SJ only committed 8 personal fouls Maine committed 19

St. J’s only made 3 turnovers and Maine committed 17

StJ’s scored 36 points in the paint Maine 22

Maine took half, 32 of 64, of their FGA’s as 3’s for 50% and out shot St. Joe’s from beyond the arc to 11 for 32 for 34.4% versus St.J’s 6 for 25 for 24% yet St. Joe’s won the game as only 24 of their FGA’s were 3’s out of 70 FGA’s for only 30.4%.

So these factors were big reasons that Maine lost tonight, especially being out shot 2-2 to 14-23 from the foul line a difference of 21 points, plus with only committing St. J’s turnovers being the 4th ranked team in the country in fewer turnovers. Maine scored 5 points off SJ’s 3 turnovers while St J’s scored 18 points off Maine’s 17 TO’s. So St.Joe’s had more possessions that turned into FGA’s and foul shots and there went your game.

Sometimes the most obvious things aren’t the things that leads to a victory or a loss in basketball, but instead those things that get you to the foul line less and your opponents more, fouling much more like tonight 19 to 8 plus the turnover points, Maine never got into the bonus. Teams build leads or cut into leads from the foul line with the clock stopped as much as anything. Plus, overuse of the 3’s even if you out shoot your opponents from beyond the arc. St.J’s scored 36 points in the Paint Maine had 22.

“Live by the three (as Maine did tonight) die by the 3” (like Maine tonight) and like 8 other losses this season with only one live by the 3 versus D-1 opponents.

The stats above determined the result of the game as much as any otner statistic even with St.J’s out scoring Maine 72-59 despite Maine having an early lead in the first half only to fall behind by 3 at the half.

It was much as what Maine did or didn’t do that cost Maine this game tonight rather than what St. J’s did do or didn’t do tonight as Maine set up St. Joe’s offense as much or more than St. Joe’s play and assists did.

Sometimes losing teams beat themselves as much as their opponents do because they have more turnovers, shoot fewer foul shots, commit more PF’s, over use the 3 and these things can be caused by making poor basketball decisions that lead to poor shot selection, more turnovers and increases fouling.

Good teams try not to beat themselves, poor teams have a tendency to beat themselves because they make poor basketball decisions based on basketball IQ’s of playing the game from the shoulders down instead of fom the shoulders up and relying on what athleticism they may have way too much. Biggest reason is coaches who let teams decide who shoots, when they shoot and where they shoot from instead of an offensive system to do that important part of the game.

What do you think who causes these losses the losing team or the winning team because the losing team gives the winning teams more opportunities to beat them…called beating themselves.

Teams that have less talent then their opponents must try not to beat themselves and make their opponents try to do it.