Coming off the most impressive performance of the season, the men's Big Green basketball team had a decision to make. The team could either make the logical progression toward success by playing with a sense of purpose and intensity or they could come out flat and let the bigger, buffer Hartford Hawks push them around in the paint. It seemed as if Dartmouth decided to follow both courses of action in last night's 67-65 overtime loss.
Who needs a packed house full of electricity and charisma to get motivated? The one-tenth capacity crowd did not phase the home team. They found inspiration from within and their discovered "swagger" from the drudging of the University of Albany four nights earlier. A few die-hard Dartmouth students managed to provide plenty of home team support as well, with one fan consistently yelling out Shakespeare lines while Hartford players shot free throws, causing them to miss a fair share.
It seemed as if the Big Green ballers took energy from Shakespeare's beauty and flowed like poetry in motion, as "swagger" they did in the first half. Steve Callahan '05 and Greg Friel '03 made it rain threes inside Leede Arena, helping the Big Green out to nearly 50 percent shooting from behind the arc and a nine-point halftime lead. However, when you live by the three you also die by the three. As much success as the men's hoopsters had on the perimeter in the first half, they failed to duplicate that success in the second half.
"We've relied on the perimeter game all year, and when it's working we have success, but when it's not working we struggle with offensive rhythm," coach Dave Faucher said. Tonight's game proved to be a paragon of Faucher's claim.
As senior sensation Vedad Osmanovic, Callahan and Friel drained multiple threes in the first half, the inside opened up, creating some easy lay-ins and a comfortable halftime lead. The team seemed to get fueled and have a sense of purpose and rhythm. On defense every passing lane was filled, every loose ball was hustled after, and the Big Green boxed-out well and found positioning underneath the boards. Success from the perimeter-oriented offensive game plan carried over to intensity and tenacity on the defensive side of the ball. Furthermore, the success from the perimeter and fast pace style of play enabled the Big Green hoopsters to counteract the size and strength of the Hartford Hawks.
The Big Green's composure and good fortunes stayed in the locker room as the second half started. The on-court poetry left the building along with the fans during halftime and the swagger quickly turned into more of a waddle. However, credit must be given where credit is due. Hartford slowed the pace of the game, using the size and physicality of its players to wear down the Big Green. As Dartmouth began missing more and more perimeter field goals, the Hawks threw the ball down low and got easy scores. The momentum instantly changed and Hartford emerged as the aggressor, getting to all the loose balls and stepping up their defensive intensity. This change in fates represents the pitfall of Dartmouth's perimeter-oriented game.
"When we couldn't hit our shots and respond to the Hartford's increased intensity, our wings fell out from underneath us," Faucher said.
Last night's loss for the Big Green didn't come down to heart, the men showed plenty of it, or physical stature. It came down to style of play. Hartford took the energy away from the Dartmouth perimeter game by strong inside play, a strategically valuable move by Hartford coach Larry Harrison. Basically, the Big Green found no answers to counter Harrison's move and eventually died by their one-dimensional game. To be contenders in the upcoming Ivy League season, the Big Green will need to be able to establish an inside presence and take pressure off the perimeter shooters. If they fail to accomplish this and continue their reliance on making tough outside shots it may continue to be a long conference season, beginning this Friday at Yale where Dartmouth looks for its first league win.
