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1. So, based on what we saw, did UT just get thrown off with a junk defense against UTEP and just not have answers? The offensive gameplan was excellent against Xavier and Wake Forest, and both teams tried man and zone. That seems to be the most logical answer. I doubt anybody is going to try a triangle and 2 again again, and UT did miss some layups (while absolutely sucking at free throws). I don't think you can say "Tennessee just missed shots" nor can you say "The UT coaching staff sucked out loud and deserves all the blame." The loss is inexcusable and falls on the coaching staff as a failure, but I'm not sure that wasn't more of a fluke, especially with such a weird venue. UT didn't shoot well outside the whole tournament. Other than the first half against Xavier and the UTEP game, the offense has been solid the rest of the year.
2. However, UT might have found the answer with some side screens. Side screens are used for athletic swingmen to attack the basket. A team that uses it is are the Indiana Pacers with Paul George and Lance Stephenson. They both have smart, intelligent big men in Roy Hibbert and David West, especially Hibbert, who played a complicated motion offense (The Princeton offense) at Georgetown. Maymon is a good passer, and Jarnell is more than capable of a passer at the C position. UT ran more handoffs and cuts out of this offense too, running it through the high post. It opened up lanes and interestingly enough, shrinking the offense increased spacing for Tennessee. They also ran the offense instead of jogging it, something I've *****ed about since Martin took over at Tennessee. When Tennessee attacks the basket, they win basketball games. It's that simple, and the offensive gameplan the last two games gave UT opportunities to attack the basket.
3. We can talk about the offense all day, but really it came down to defense. Tennessee shot way too many three pointers against UTEP (3-21, dear God!), but if you look at their two point percentage, 19-42 isn't terrible, plus they hit 23 free throws (out of 39, ugh). UTEP shot 58% the first game from the field and over 60% inside the perimeter. That's beyond awful. Xavier shot 40.4% from the field and Wake Forest shot 42%. As always, this team will go as its defense goes. Sure the offense can be ugly, but if Tennessee doesn't defend, Tennessee doesn't win under Cuonzo Martin.
4. Now, what did they do in the last two games? One, they guarded off ball better. Defense is all about off ball defense and being in the correct guarding position when the ball comes in to the offensive player. They also installed more pack line defense. As I stated in the postgame report, a pack line keeps all the defenders inside the perimeter. The goal is to force more jumpers, and that's what Tennessee did. Wafe Forest only had 26 paint points, while UTEP had 36. Xavier did have 35 paint points, but it just goes to show how bad Xavier was outside since they scored 49 total points. With Tennessee's incredible length on the perimeter, it's easier to close out shooters. Tennessee should take advantage of that. UT also has zero shot blockers and the post defense is not where it should be. Add in the hand checking rules, which makes it easier for players to drive to the hoop, and you have a recipe for more pack line defense.
5. I thought the biggest thing you can take away from a player standpoint was Jarnell Stokes. I saw things Jarnell hasn't shown before. In the Xavier game, he finished with his left hand multiple times, he moved without the ball aggressively, and he kept the ball high on his finishes. He was also more decisive. In the Wake Forest game, I saw a bounce in his step that you usually don't see from Jarnell. He's a laid back player, which is perfectly fine. You don't see Tim Duncan going bonkers every game. But there was just an extra activity level. He was more vocal, he was more demonstrative, he had a smile on his face that you don't see very often. He also looked very active on defense, something that Jarnell has never really shown before. I don't know if it's a new Jarnell, and it's not like he was bad before; he's a solid player. But maybe he's ready to take a new step. It's only two games, but I loved it.
6. One issue I do have with Tennessee is that they are not guarding the nail of the floor. I don't want to sound too much like Jimmy Dykes here, but the nail of the floor is the middle of the free throw line. UT is overplaying baseline, which is okay in of itself, but if you do force to the middle like UT does, you must help out before he gets to the paint, and UT is late right now doing that. You have to rotate quicker if you play this defense, especially since you can't funnel drivers to a shot blocker and your paint defense is very shoddy right now. I would just play defense straight up. Don't give up baseline necessarily, but I wouldn't worry about funneling guys to the paint right now.
7. 3-21. 2-14. 4-11. That is Tennessee's three point shooting game by game for the B4A tournament. That's a total of 11-46. That's really bad. However, UT adjusted and attacked the basket all tournament, shooting almost 95 free throws in three days. That's winning basketball. Tennessee was shooting 44% before the tournament from three, so Tennessee has shot the ball well from deep before the B4A. However, UT needs to keep the three point shooting number at 15-17. They should not be shooting 20 three pointers a game.
8. Tennessee has found its rotation. I still think Armani Moore should get 10 minutes a game, but it's obvious that the freshmen should be the first three off the bench getting 12 minutes or more a game. Thompson had his best game against Wake. Robert Hubbs is becoming more aggressive each game. A.J. Davis provides a spark with his energy and hustle. The more they play, the better for the program because those three are the future.
9. I thought Jeronne Maymon looked liked his old self the past two games, and he needs more time as the only post. You are at a disadvantage defensively if you play a solid offensive post with some height, but Maymon is such a good rebounder you can still compensate. He looks more active on offense with the four guard lineup. Getting him 10-15 minutes a game at the center spot is a good idea. A lineup I would love to see is Barton/Thompson/Richardson/Moore/Maymon. You have two shooters and two drivers, good rebounders from the wing spots, and a very active defense with four players that can switch. If you want, you can swap Moore for McRae, and go with Richardson at the 4.
10. It's hard for me to deem this a positive experience, and I won't. That lost to UTEP is just totally inexcusable. Yet UT won comfortably against two power conference teams, avenged their loss against Xavier, played MUCH better, and maybe turned a corner (though it's too early to tell). Was that UTEP game just something we look back on at the end of the year and say "**** happens"? Possible. But that's far away. I think so far with this team you take a cautiously optimistic approach. You also have to give credit to the coaching staff and players coming back from such a disappointing loss and coming strong from start to finish in back to back games to make something out of this. This easily could have been a 0-3 tournament and the season would have most likely been over before it even began. Coach Martin rallied the troops and got two wins. 5-2 is a hell of a lot better than 4-3 and most definitely better than 3-4. A huge opportunity in two weeks to go on the road and get a huge win against Wichita State. If Tennessee can get that victory, the complexion of the season changes. Let's hope that the Bahamas is the beginning of paradise for Tennessee basketball this season.
Go Vols!!! :hi:
2. However, UT might have found the answer with some side screens. Side screens are used for athletic swingmen to attack the basket. A team that uses it is are the Indiana Pacers with Paul George and Lance Stephenson. They both have smart, intelligent big men in Roy Hibbert and David West, especially Hibbert, who played a complicated motion offense (The Princeton offense) at Georgetown. Maymon is a good passer, and Jarnell is more than capable of a passer at the C position. UT ran more handoffs and cuts out of this offense too, running it through the high post. It opened up lanes and interestingly enough, shrinking the offense increased spacing for Tennessee. They also ran the offense instead of jogging it, something I've *****ed about since Martin took over at Tennessee. When Tennessee attacks the basket, they win basketball games. It's that simple, and the offensive gameplan the last two games gave UT opportunities to attack the basket.
3. We can talk about the offense all day, but really it came down to defense. Tennessee shot way too many three pointers against UTEP (3-21, dear God!), but if you look at their two point percentage, 19-42 isn't terrible, plus they hit 23 free throws (out of 39, ugh). UTEP shot 58% the first game from the field and over 60% inside the perimeter. That's beyond awful. Xavier shot 40.4% from the field and Wake Forest shot 42%. As always, this team will go as its defense goes. Sure the offense can be ugly, but if Tennessee doesn't defend, Tennessee doesn't win under Cuonzo Martin.
4. Now, what did they do in the last two games? One, they guarded off ball better. Defense is all about off ball defense and being in the correct guarding position when the ball comes in to the offensive player. They also installed more pack line defense. As I stated in the postgame report, a pack line keeps all the defenders inside the perimeter. The goal is to force more jumpers, and that's what Tennessee did. Wafe Forest only had 26 paint points, while UTEP had 36. Xavier did have 35 paint points, but it just goes to show how bad Xavier was outside since they scored 49 total points. With Tennessee's incredible length on the perimeter, it's easier to close out shooters. Tennessee should take advantage of that. UT also has zero shot blockers and the post defense is not where it should be. Add in the hand checking rules, which makes it easier for players to drive to the hoop, and you have a recipe for more pack line defense.
5. I thought the biggest thing you can take away from a player standpoint was Jarnell Stokes. I saw things Jarnell hasn't shown before. In the Xavier game, he finished with his left hand multiple times, he moved without the ball aggressively, and he kept the ball high on his finishes. He was also more decisive. In the Wake Forest game, I saw a bounce in his step that you usually don't see from Jarnell. He's a laid back player, which is perfectly fine. You don't see Tim Duncan going bonkers every game. But there was just an extra activity level. He was more vocal, he was more demonstrative, he had a smile on his face that you don't see very often. He also looked very active on defense, something that Jarnell has never really shown before. I don't know if it's a new Jarnell, and it's not like he was bad before; he's a solid player. But maybe he's ready to take a new step. It's only two games, but I loved it.
6. One issue I do have with Tennessee is that they are not guarding the nail of the floor. I don't want to sound too much like Jimmy Dykes here, but the nail of the floor is the middle of the free throw line. UT is overplaying baseline, which is okay in of itself, but if you do force to the middle like UT does, you must help out before he gets to the paint, and UT is late right now doing that. You have to rotate quicker if you play this defense, especially since you can't funnel drivers to a shot blocker and your paint defense is very shoddy right now. I would just play defense straight up. Don't give up baseline necessarily, but I wouldn't worry about funneling guys to the paint right now.
7. 3-21. 2-14. 4-11. That is Tennessee's three point shooting game by game for the B4A tournament. That's a total of 11-46. That's really bad. However, UT adjusted and attacked the basket all tournament, shooting almost 95 free throws in three days. That's winning basketball. Tennessee was shooting 44% before the tournament from three, so Tennessee has shot the ball well from deep before the B4A. However, UT needs to keep the three point shooting number at 15-17. They should not be shooting 20 three pointers a game.
8. Tennessee has found its rotation. I still think Armani Moore should get 10 minutes a game, but it's obvious that the freshmen should be the first three off the bench getting 12 minutes or more a game. Thompson had his best game against Wake. Robert Hubbs is becoming more aggressive each game. A.J. Davis provides a spark with his energy and hustle. The more they play, the better for the program because those three are the future.
9. I thought Jeronne Maymon looked liked his old self the past two games, and he needs more time as the only post. You are at a disadvantage defensively if you play a solid offensive post with some height, but Maymon is such a good rebounder you can still compensate. He looks more active on offense with the four guard lineup. Getting him 10-15 minutes a game at the center spot is a good idea. A lineup I would love to see is Barton/Thompson/Richardson/Moore/Maymon. You have two shooters and two drivers, good rebounders from the wing spots, and a very active defense with four players that can switch. If you want, you can swap Moore for McRae, and go with Richardson at the 4.
10. It's hard for me to deem this a positive experience, and I won't. That lost to UTEP is just totally inexcusable. Yet UT won comfortably against two power conference teams, avenged their loss against Xavier, played MUCH better, and maybe turned a corner (though it's too early to tell). Was that UTEP game just something we look back on at the end of the year and say "**** happens"? Possible. But that's far away. I think so far with this team you take a cautiously optimistic approach. You also have to give credit to the coaching staff and players coming back from such a disappointing loss and coming strong from start to finish in back to back games to make something out of this. This easily could have been a 0-3 tournament and the season would have most likely been over before it even began. Coach Martin rallied the troops and got two wins. 5-2 is a hell of a lot better than 4-3 and most definitely better than 3-4. A huge opportunity in two weeks to go on the road and get a huge win against Wichita State. If Tennessee can get that victory, the complexion of the season changes. Let's hope that the Bahamas is the beginning of paradise for Tennessee basketball this season.
Go Vols!!! :hi:
