Good win over Vandy. The one negative…

[NighthawkVol]

I was waiting to post this under BTO’s report (which I always look forward to and, if he posts one, mods please feel free to move this to a reply in that thread).

Vanderbilt is a much improved team, gave Kentucky all it wanted in Rupp, then beat LSU and Missouri at home. They’re also the only team to win at Bud Walton this year, amazingly. They were coming in playing very well. So beating Vandy is no small task. Further, as a Nashvillian, beating them 10 straight is personally gratifying to me. Hope it goes to 30 straight. So I’m coming away from this game with a generally positive feeling.

I don’t really take much from KC’s bad game. He just never got in rhythm with the foul trouble (until the end) and he’ll bounce back. He was big when it was time to win the game. I don’t worry too much about losing the big lead and Vandy making it close. Like I said, they’ve become a good team and they always give Tennessee trouble. They weren’t going to go away without a fight.

But JJJ’s bad performance bothers me. I was really hoping “good JJJ” was what we would see going forward. I’d hoped he had turned the corner. Last night’s performance indicates that he hasn’t. He was 2-14, 1-7 from 3, and missed a ton of shots he’s been hitting. It’s no coincidence that his off night coincided with some regression from UT’s offense. He’s a guy who has the size and athleticism, when he’s on, to go get a bucket and break scoring droughts. But he looked like the JJJ from before the Texas game.

I really hope that was an aberration and good JJJ shows up the rest of the season.

 

[lostsheep]

If the ratio of "good JJJ" to "bad JJJ" continues to be about 3:1, then I'll take it.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

I mean, every player has a bad shooting night…Curry, LBJ, MJ none of them are exempt from having a cold night? I like that JJJ stayed aggressive and hunted his shot, attacked the basket hard even, also continued to defense and rebound (10) which positively effects the game even if his shot isn’t falling. If he has multiple cold shooting games then that will be worrisome, but considering the strong shooting numbers over a solid sample size I’m not taking much from 1 bad shooting game.

 

[feathersax]

If the ratio of "good JJJ" to "bad JJJ" continues to be about 3:1, then I'll take it.

His defense was superb.

 

[VolFreakJosh]

I agree partially.

However, he’s been great defensively and is a great rebounder.

He’s got an NBA ready body but doesn’t seem to be aggressive enough going to the rim. Worse case scenario, he gets fouled.

His shooting percentage has improved quite a bit so I don’t think he’s regressed in that area.

You can struggle on offense one night and still able to contribute on the defensive end, which clearly he did against Vandy.

 

[TheMookieMonster]

He didn’t shoot the ball well from the field, but he was 90% from the free throw line. He got to the line and he made his freebies. That’s exactly what you want in March.

 

[Clad in Big Orange]

He was so clutch with those free throws. I wouldn't have wanted anybody else at the line. Just an off night shooting for him.

 

[TheMookieMonster]

He was so clutch with those free throws. I wouldn't have wanted anybody else at the line. Just an off night shooting for him.

He was great. I was hoping we’d get the ball to Santi, but he was clearly “in the zone” from the line last night and he would not be denied. All credit to Josiah.

 

[VOLED]

I was waiting to post this under BTO’s report (which I always look forward to and, if he posts one, mods please feel free to move this to a reply in that thread).

Vanderbilt is a much improved team, gave Kentucky all it wanted in Rupp, then beat LSU and Missouri at home. They’re also the only team to win at Bud Walton this year, amazingly. They were coming in playing very well. So beating Vandy is no small task. Further, as a Nashvillian, beating them 10 straight is personally gratifying to me. Hope it goes to 30 straight. So I’m coming away from this game with a generally positive feeling.

I don’t really take much from KC’s bad game. He just never got in rhythm with the foul trouble (until the end) and he’ll bounce back. He was big when it was time to win the game. I don’t worry too much about losing the big lead and Vandy making it close. Like I said, they’ve become a good team and they always give Tennessee trouble. They weren’t going to go away without a fight.

But JJJ’s bad performance bothers me. I was really hoping “good JJJ” was what we would see going forward. I’d hoped he had turned the corner. Last night’s performance indicates that he hasn’t. He was 2-14, 1-7 from 3, and missed a ton of shots he’s been hitting. It’s no coincidence that his off night coincided with some regression from UT’s offense. He’s a guy who has the size and athleticism, when he’s on, to go get a bucket and break scoring droughts. But he looked like the JJJ from before the Texas game.

I really hope that was an aberration and good JJJ shows up the rest of the season.

As long as he doesn't lose confidence in his shot he will be fine. You are correct, when he is "on" we are a handful.

 

[ColinS]

I was waiting to post this under BTO’s report (which I always look forward to and, if he posts one, mods please feel free to move this to a reply in that thread).

Vanderbilt is a much improved team, gave Kentucky all it wanted in Rupp, then beat LSU and Missouri at home. They’re also the only team to win at Bud Walton this year, amazingly. They were coming in playing very well. So beating Vandy is no small task. Further, as a Nashvillian, beating them 10 straight is personally gratifying to me. Hope it goes to 30 straight. So I’m coming away from this game with a generally positive feeling.

I don’t really take much from KC’s bad game. He just never got in rhythm with the foul trouble (until the end) and he’ll bounce back. He was big when it was time to win the game. I don’t worry too much about losing the big lead and Vandy making it close. Like I said, they’ve become a good team and they always give Tennessee trouble. They weren’t going to go away without a fight.

But JJJ’s bad performance bothers me. I was really hoping “good JJJ” was what we would see going forward. I’d hoped he had turned the corner. Last night’s performance indicates that he hasn’t. He was 2-14, 1-7 from 3, and missed a ton of shots he’s been hitting. It’s no coincidence that his off night coincided with some regression from UT’s offense. He’s a guy who has the size and athleticism, when he’s on, to go get a bucket and break scoring droughts. But he looked like the JJJ from before the Texas game.

I really hope that was an aberration and good JJJ shows up the rest of the season.

James played a good game. He just didn't shoot well. He probably is just not gonna continue the torrid pace he was on.

 

[TomcatVolFan]

The biggest negative was the foul trouble. We absolutely need all weapons available to beat Kentucky. We need TBA to be rocking, everyone contributing, and we need to play with a high basketball IQ. GBO!

 

[NighthawkVol]

I get that he played great defense. But he always does that. The recent change has been to his offense and that’s been a big part of (the main reason for) Tennessee’s recent offensive surge.

And I get that everyone has bad shooting nights. But he’s already had about half a season’s worth of those. I’d like to see that good shooting nights are more the norm than an aberration. Last night was a step backward.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

I get that he played great defense. But he always does that. The recent change has been to his offense and that’s been a big part of (the main reason for) Tennessee’s recent offensive surge.

And I get that everyone has bad shooting nights. But he’s already had about half a season’s worth of those. I’d like to see that good shooting nights are more the norm than an aberration. Last night was a step backward.

He’s shot really well over the last 10 games, not sure how long you expected him to go without having a cold night?

 

[vol94]

I think I understand what the OP is trying to say, as we are difficult to beat when JJJ is an offensive weapon.

JJJ needs to continue to attack the rim as that builds his confidence for the three ball, imo. Some of the shots last nt were contested and the ball looked strange leaving JJJ’s hand, almost like a shot put, line drive.

 

[VolArmy74]

It's just who he is, he has 8 games above 50 percent this year and 8 games at 20 percent or below, he just happened to have 3 good ones in a row. He's normally prone to only shooting a few shots on bad nights but he almost always does well enough in other areas that he's valuable on the floor.

 

[calban]

Have to be doing something right to 'shoot poorly' and still make a double double. 90%from the line?

 

[ColinS]

As long as he doesn't revert back to the unsure of himself timid JJJ on the offensive end he will be fine. He has the game just needs to maintain that mentality.

 

[i2amavol]

He was great. I was hoping we’d get the ball to Santi, but he was clearly “in the zone” from the line last night and he would not be denied. All credit to Josiah.

Yeah, I only got to watch the 2nd half, and didn't focus on him. Sometimes, you get up against defenders that are playing you extra close. You may have a low shooting percentage, but get fouled a lot. From his number of free throws, this looks like that was the case. Hey, the points count, no matter how you get them.

In case no one noticed, he had a double-double. I think we need to pick on someone else.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

It's just who he is, he has 8 games above 50 percent this year and 8 games at 20 percent or below, he just happened to have 3 good ones in a row. He's normally prone to only shooting a few shots on bad nights but he almost always does well enough in other areas that he's valuable on the floor.

6 in a row, but I guess facts aren’t all that important when trying to down play someone’s play.

 

[gainesvol82]

I was waiting to post this under BTO’s report (which I always look forward to and, if he posts one, mods please feel free to move this to a reply in that thread).

Vanderbilt is a much improved team, gave Kentucky all it wanted in Rupp, then beat LSU and Missouri at home. They’re also the only team to win at Bud Walton this year, amazingly. They were coming in playing very well. So beating Vandy is no small task. Further, as a Nashvillian, beating them 10 straight is personally gratifying to me. Hope it goes to 30 straight. So I’m coming away from this game with a generally positive feeling.

I don’t really take much from KC’s bad game. He just never got in rhythm with the foul trouble (until the end) and he’ll bounce back. He was big when it was time to win the game. I don’t worry too much about losing the big lead and Vandy making it close. Like I said, they’ve become a good team and they always give Tennessee trouble. They weren’t going to go away without a fight.

But JJJ’s bad performance bothers me. I was really hoping “good JJJ” was what we would see going forward. I’d hoped he had turned the corner. Last night’s performance indicates that he hasn’t. He was 2-14, 1-7 from 3, and missed a ton of shots he’s been hitting. It’s no coincidence that his off night coincided with some regression from UT’s offense. He’s a guy who has the size and athleticism, when he’s on, to go get a bucket and break scoring droughts. But he looked like the JJJ from before the Texas game.

I really hope that was an aberration and good JJJ shows up the rest of the season.

I disagree and just posted about this in BTO's thread. He was going to have an off night shooting the ball eventually and I wanted to see how he, and the team, would handle it. Didn't phase them and JJJ stayed aggressive and was great on D. Still got 11 points(I think?) and a double double.

That was a good sign for me.

 

[VolArmy74]

6 in a row, but I guess facts aren’t all that important when trying to down play someone’s play.

He was 4-10 vs Texas (40%) and 3-8 vs Florida (37.5%) and 2-6 vs LSU (33%). If going 9-24 is what you consider a good 3 game stretch from the floor, well, sure, go ahead and call it a good 6 game stretch.

 

[LA vol7]

You just said that you didn't hold it against KC for his sub par night, then you are disappointed with JJJ? I saw him giving it everything he had, and he DID hit key free throws down the stretch to seal the game.

 

[gainesvol82]

He was 4-10 vs Texas (40%) and 3-8 vs Florida (37.5%) and 2-6 vs LSU (33%). If going 9-24 is what you consider a good 3 game stretch from the floor, well, sure, go ahead and call it a good 6 game stretch.

Pretty sure all of those shots were 3's except for a few dunks and midrange jumpers.

 

[VolArmy74]

Pretty sure all of those shots were 3's except for a few dunks and midrange jumpers.

He was 6-18 from 3 in those 3 games.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

He was 4-10 vs Texas (40%) and 3-8 vs Florida (37.5%) and 2-6 vs LSU (33%). If going 9-24 is what you consider a good 3 game stretch from the floor, well, sure, go ahead and call it a good 6 game stretch.

11/9/9 on points, so 29pts on 24 shots, that’s usually considered decent, had an EFG% around 52% in those 3 games which again is considered pretty solid.