What do you do when 21 percent of your production is suddenly gone?That was the question facing the Blue Demons after their leading scorer Cleveland Melvin was declared out for the final three games of the year with a thumb injury. Melvin had accumulated 386 points for the team this season. That is just over a fifth of the team’s offensive production (1,834 points total) in the 27 games in which Melvin was healthy.
As the team heads to New York for the Big East conference tournament, that question remains their biggest obstacle to successfully running the table, and pulling out a near-miracle NCAA tournament berth.
But just how different is the offense without Melvin? According to Head Coach Oliver Purnell, a lot.
“I mean obviously we look to throw him the ball a lot and get him in space and that kind of thing,” Purnell said. “That’s 15 points a game. It’s hard to kind of make up for that and it’s hard to get the ball to other people in the spots we get it to him because he’s a different kind of player.”
A chunk of that suddenly-gone production will now have to come from freshman starting point guard Brandon Young. While Young certainly provides an offensive punch-he is the team’s second-leading scorer with 12.7 points per game and is also first in assists with 107 in 29 games-the injury leaves the team without a dynamic scoring threat inside.
In Melvin’s place is Tony Freeland, a 6’6″ 225-pound sophomore who is averaging 9.1 points per game this season. He started the game on Feb. 26 against USF in Melvin’s first game out. Freeland and starting center Krys Faber (7.1 points per game) are both big, athletic bodies that provide a physical presence and take up space. But they cannot match the array of offensive moves that Melvin provides.
“He’s quick in space and that kind of thing,” Purnell said of Melvin’s abilities. “Whereas Krys [Faber] particularly and Tony [Freeland] are kind of stronger post guys that we don’t mind getting the ball to in a stationary position on the block.”
In the first two games without Melvin, Young took a total of 31 shots: 17 against USF, a season high, and then 14 against Rutgers, which tied for his third-highest total. But without Melvin attracting so much attention inside, that also means defenses are free to focus on Young. And they have, he said.
“People, they’re sending numerous guys at me,” said Young. “Taller defenders, athletic people, stuff like that. But if Cleve’s there, it’s really a different thing because they have to worry about Cleve, other people on the team like [Moses Morgan]. So without Cleve, yeah it’s been tough. But not nothing I can’t do.”
That means some of the other players will have to step up. One possibility is the fellow freshman that Young mentioned, Moses Morgan, who is averaging 9.1 points per game over the last month after a very slow start. His recent strong play has earned him an important energy role off the bench.
He has even found himself on the floor for the final minutes of close games, including last Wednesday against Rutgers when he had a chance to tie the game with 22 seconds left.
Trailing 65-62 with 29 seconds left and the shot clock turned off, Young took the inbounds pass down the court quickly and found Morgan behind the 3-point line to the left of the key. Morgan took the shot, but it hit the inside of the rim and bounced out. After the game, he said that it was a good look, but he might have had another opportunity.
“I felt it was a pretty good look, but now that I think about it, I had enough time to drive and maybe we could have fouled them and then it would have been another chance to go to overtime,” he said.
Still, it is a far cry from the player who looked lost and without confidence for the first two months of the season. His continued increase in production will be important if the Blue Demons want to advance in the Big East tournament that begins Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden.
“Earlier in the year, you know, it was real hard for me just because the style of play, getting used to the style of play,” Morgan said. “And once I started getting my confidence, I just felt more comfortable out there. And just coming off the bench I just wanted to bring energy. And I just wanted to help the team win, whatever way. Defense, offense, whether it’s knocking a shot down or getting a rebound.”
With only one guaranteed game left, Morgan’s contribution will be vital. While the team does have players coming off the bench that can produce similar point totals, the other qualities that Melvin possesses-the physicality, the attention he draws from a defense, the spin move-are all difficult to replicate.
“It affects us a lot, but not in a big way because we have other people that can step up and do the same thing as Cleve,” Young said. “But Cleve, he bangs down there. He gives us boards and aggressiveness and he just runs the floor well, and he just knows how to play the game and find open spots and get buckets for himself. I can tell you that we all miss Cleve.