Whatever food Vanderbilt fans had left in their stomachs from Thanksgiving gluttony probably didn't stay down long with the diagnosis that freshman sensation, Darius Garland, has torn a meniscus in his left knee.
The injury occured two minutes into the fifth game of the season. Garland left the game. His knee was looked at on the bench (above). Garland then went to the locker room and did not return until the second half, when he came out wearing warmups.
The point guard was ruled out from returning to yesterday's game in the first half. He was ruled out from further participation in a press release from Vanderbilt this morning that informed us of the injury.
The announcement made no mention of the extent of the injury, whether surgery would be required, or how long he could potentially be sidelined.
While questions and speculation swirl, there is one fact. This Vanderbilt team will have to get used to playing without him. In a perfect world, he will be out for the rest of November and December at best.
So what is Bryce Drew to do? We take a look at some of the adjustments and improvements this team will have make in Garland's absence.
The defense is going to have to improve.
This is non-negotiable, and would have been a must even if Garland were one-hundred percent.
On the season, the Commodores are giving up 40.2 field-goal percentage, and 71.6 points per game. Opponents' 3-point percentage is just 29.6 percent, and they are allowing 17.4 free throws per game.
None of that sounds bad, but in all fairness, the team has basically gone through a non-conference schedule of mid and low-majors in the early season as the coaches looked to use this portion of the season to target problems and work out the kinks.
But in the last three games, they have had problems getting stops against Alcorn State, Liberty, and Kent State. All three had disturbing scoring runs, and were in the game in the second half. This proved to be lethal versus the Golden Flashes.
Perhaps the injury to Garland will grab the players' attention and convince them that they can no longer be satisfied with simply trying to outscore their opponents. Garland's absence takes away 19.8 points per game when healthy. He has already showcased one thirty-plus point performance.
I detailed three ways yesterday that this team needs to improve its defense. 1) Better post defense against ball-screens. 2) Better communication in scrambling situations out of post doubles and in secondary and transition situations. 3) Better transition and early half court defense.
Personally, I feel that the perimeter combinations of Saben Lee, Joe Toye, Aaron Nesmith and Maxwell Evans can guard and apply pressure. I also believe Matt Ryan is underrated as a defender. Simi Shittu and Clevon Brown must improve from their post spots. The inability to guard the ball-screen by the bigs has been particularly disturbing.
On the bright side, Matthew Moyer and Yanni Wetzell seem to be able to provide answers on the defensive side of the ball, but on the flip side, they do not provide the offense that Shittu does. Still, look for these two to get more opportunities to add their own imprints to the program.
If Shittu could pick up his performance guarding the ball and defending ball-screens, the team's improvement would go through the roof.
The point guard spot will have to produce results
Not only will the loss of Garland result in a deficit in scoring as we have already detailed, but the quarterbacking portion of the job description will also have to be addressed.
Let's start out by speaking on the depth issue. Maxwell Evans came in Friday night and ran some point guard. He gave the team a burst. The staff has been working with him over time trying to improve his ball-handling and point guard skills. Earlier, they weren't up to par. He came in as an undersized two. If he could make the needed improvements and be able to handle the point duties against better teams, it would be a great help.
From a scoring standpoint, Saben Lee will not be able to bring 19 points per game to the table, but he is going for 12.2 in his own right, but the dynamic is different. Garland is virtually unguardable in the ball-screen game. Go under the screen and he will hit the 3-pointer. Go over and he will get to the rim and score in a variety of ways.
Lee is explosive, but he is a pure penetrator. He is only 2 of 11 from behind the arc for 18.2 percent on the season. Teams will adjust by going under the ball-screen. Look for the Commodores to swing the ball more, run longer possessions, and try to create off the ball-screen from the wing after forcing the defense to move side to side from ball reversals.
The gift that Garland had though was an ability to take over a game. He could score in bunches from just about every way imaginable. Now, it will be more scoring by committee.
The issue of more importance right now may be running the team. Garland was turning the ball over some in his own right, but Lee has 18 on the year through five games. More disturbingly, 11 of those have come in the past two games.
Friday was the first game without Garland, and it was a role Lee had to adjust to on the fly. Last season, he had an experienced Riley LaChance along with him. Now, it will be his show. He will have to walk the fine line of bearing a lot of responsibility without pressing. I'm sure the first thing Coach Drew will tell him is, "You have good talent around you. Let the game come to you."
Who picks up the scoring burden?
Vanderbilt has four others currently averaging double figures. Shittu is now the team's leading scorer at 16 points per game, followed by Toye at 15, Lee at 12.2, and Matt Ryan with 10. The roster that fans have been so excited about wasn't built around one player.
Aaron Nesmith is averaging 5.6 points per game, Matthew Moyer 4.0, Clevon Brown 3.2, Maxwell Evans 3.0, and Yanni Wetzell 1.2.
The four starters is double figures are averaging a combined 53.2 points per game. Of course the question has to be how much did the presence of Garland create for them? Toye and Shittu can create. Can Ryan get the same catch and shoot looks because his defender leaves him to help against penetration? Can Lee create, and how many opportunities did Garland allow for him?
Nesmith and Moyer could be players who step it up as they get more acclimated to their new surroundings. Nesmith came in with the reputation as one of the top five 3-point shooting freshmen in the country. Moyer is one of the five highest ranked high school players ever signed by the Commodores.
Nesmith admittedly is trying to get used to the pace and speed of the college game. Once he does, he will be invaluable. But the injury to Garland, makes that adjustment a sooner rather than later situation. Moyer has only been eligible for a week, and is trying to work himself into game shape as well as quickly being thrust into a major role with this team.
The pieces from an offensive perspective are there. Not only are there four players averaging double-figures, there are two more players with the ability to join them. The complimentary strengths are also present.
Lee, Toye, and Maxwell are dribble penetrators who can set up the shooters. Ryan, Nesmith, and Toye give the Commodores plenty of jump shooting capabilities. Shittu is a game changer in the post, and Moyer can help as well.
It may not come as quickly with Garland coming off an initial ball-screen. But look for Drew to stay with the continuous ball-screen motion and positionless basketball. It may just happen with more patience and more side-to-side ball movement and reversals.
