One of the principal frustrations about a team oriented offensive and defensive attack, especially in a sport that is embracing more and more of structure-less offensive and defensive schemes is that it doesn't promote all of those things that we have come to expect with modern basketball.
Travis values several things offensively and for the most part have been pretty successful over his tenure. The first he prefers efficiency over volume. His teams seem to really be averse to the early possession low quality shot, and while it might not always result in great possessions his teams make the opposition defend. The second is that this offense isn't designed for a volume scorer. Travis would rather have a guy go 8-12 for 16 than 8-22. I think last year that was the aversion with the three because I do believe it was about getting the players to manage the offense. The third is that he absolutely does not want to give the defense free possessions. His teams don't turn over the ball and they don't get run outs.
As I noted in the other post on this thread, if you look at the program and the scheme holistically, its really hard to argue with the results. I don't think the offensive issues that some have can be viewed outside of his overall philosophy of running offensive and defensive schemes that compliment each other. Drives me nuts that at times this team struggles getting easy shots, get manhandled physically, and are prone to absurd stretches of futility on offense. I'd love to see more sets, similar to those that were highly effective during Breunig and Rories tenure, but it is apparent he's really trying to build an offensive culture with this group that makes the team a sum of the parts more than a collection of individuals.
I have seen some progression this year where players have baited teams into early bad shot selection that has given Beasley and Whitney runnouts that we didn't see last year. There is offensive growth in this group, but maybe not what some would like. The chronic issue that played out in the ISU game is that if shots aren't falling within the system, and the players aren't getting touches at times there is literally no one who could take over a possession and get a score when it matters. There isn't a volume scorer, as I noted, that has the ability of carrying the team and putting up 30. If this team has an achilles heel, that might be it within construct of what Travis wants or expects out of this group. There isn't an offensive bully and like last year I don't currently the answer is on the team. Could Beasley be that guy? I think so, but clearly the offense is promoting diversity in options and some nights he just doesn't get the chances that Whitney or Parker do from the perimeter. Against superior opponents and athletes you'd like to see the team have a guy in the way that Anthony Johnson was, trusted to take over and impose their will. I just don't think that is what Travis wants. I get the sense the group has bought into it, because they don't show a ton of outward frustration toward each other or even bad body language when they aren't getting touches offensively.
