I don’t want to hear about our great defense anymore

#28
#28
youcancallmeAl said:
The primary reason we don't have a good offense is because we don't have a threat to score in the post. If your offense is designed to be inside out, you'd better have a good inside scorer or you won't score inside or out.
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To me the biggest problem is that we don't have a go-to guy who can create for himself and score in a big spot. Everything in this offense is off of drive and kick or back screens to create catch and shoot opportunities. We don't have a single player you can hand the ball to and say "go get us a bucket", and we rarely get any easy baskets in transition. Teams that advance in March generally have both of those things.

I know defense is his focus, and while I love the way his teams play D the fact is that Rick has to start recruiting some offensive creators and shooters, even if they aren't quite at the level he likes defensively. In March, one bad half like this and you're out of the tournament, and his teams the last few seasons, as good as they've been, have been prone to bad shooting halves and games.

The free throw shooting is indefensible. Successful college programs just cannot shoot 4-14 and expect to compete on the biggest stage.
 
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#30
#30
The defense is there calling card. It's what win you more games then not. The problem is that with injuries to JJJ and Phillips,someone else has to step up who isn't used to that role,and they can't always handle the role. On the offensive end,I'll give credit to Vescovi for stepping up in the second half. Hoping for better success in what's left in the rest of the regular season.
 
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#31
#31
Barnes tries to win every game like the Auburn game, he coaches for 47-45. It’s boring and a bad recipe. Watching this team usually makes my eyes bleed
 
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#32
#32
StickMan said:
For the year, the defense has been elite and the offense has been horribly inconsistent. I'll never, ever understand why Vescovi always gets singled out as a liability. Just totally baffling to me. I guess I don't know what the heck I'm seeing.
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For me Santi in too many games spends the first half not really looking for a shot. He dribbles in circles through the lane never really going to the basket and he won’t take a shot unless he has 5 feet and 5 seconds to get a shot off.

Then when team is down many points and needing someone to step up before a blowout occurs, he throws caution to the wind and forces things and looks like a completely different player in second half. This team needs him to step up and be an aggressive offensive player for 40 minutes.

Today Santi was a tale of two halves.
 
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#34
#34
AthensVol2007 said:
Keep holding out hope that 2 sub 30% shooters will help the numbers.
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Well Phillips is actually 42% and JJJ 37% not to mention they're 82% and 90% from the foul line respectively........but what I was actually eluding to are the intangibles for JJJ (rebounding, senior leadership, directing off and def.) and Phillips is coming into his own as well. Both demand attention from the defense and when you field multiple threats it tends to free up more open shots and drives to the basket by various players..........thats what I was really meaning by them being assets.
 
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#36
#36
volfeeva said:
If I was the coach, I'd review game film with the players, then have them to go shoot jump shots while someone is guarding them. Turn around jump shots from 8' to 12'. Then I'd have them shoot free throws till they can hit at least some of them. Maybe bring in a coach that can help get their heads screwed on right about shooting. Nobody seems to have the confidence to want to take the shot.
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So, not to be a d!ck…but seriously?? You don’t think staff reviews game film with players and makes them shoot contested shots and free throws in practice??

At the end of the day, you can do this all you want, but if you’re limited in offensive talent, you’re going to reach a ceiling.
 
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#37
#37
Dadof2Vols said:
For me Santi in too many games spends the first half not really looking for a shot. He dribbles in circles through the lane never really going to the basket and he won’t take a shot unless he has 5 feet and 5 seconds to get a shot off.

Then when team is down many points and needing someone to step up before a blowout occurs, he throws caution to the wind and forces things and looks like a completely different player in second half. This team needs him to step up and be an aggressive offensive player for 40 minutes.

Today Santi was a tale of two halves.
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You are absolutely correct. Everyone is too passive and just passes the ball around in the first half waiting on someone else to shoot. There is no sense of urgency until the second half. We need to be more aggressive from the start and take the ball into the lane and draw fouls. Guard play is not good.
 
#38
#38
Other than second half of Mizzou game, Key has been MIA most of the season. Has never adjusted to SEC-level play, imo.

Another Vic Bailey type…but at least he plays some D.
 
#40
#40
StickMan said:
I keep hoping Nkamhoua will be that guy, but since the Texas game, he can't throw it in the ocean. I love Awaka, but he has hit a bit of a wall offensively. And neither he nor Uros can convert from the FT line. Very frustrating. I agree that's the most likely factor keeping us from making a deep run.
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ON can't play, never could!
 
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#41
#41
NATHAN05 said:
Well Phillips is actually 42% and JJJ 37% not to mention they're 82% and 90% from the foul line respectively........but what I was actually eluding to are the intangibles for JJJ (rebounding, senior leadership, directing off and def.) and Phillips is coming into his own as well. Both demand attention from the defense and when you field multiple threats it tends to free up more open shots and drives to the basket by various players..........thats what I was really meaning by them being assets.
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Sorry man JJJ is NOT our savior. Maybe Phillips at some point, but way to early to tell
 
#42
#42
NATHAN05 said:
Well Phillips is actually 42% and JJJ 37% not to mention they're 82% and 90% from the foul line respectively........but what I was actually eluding to are the intangibles for JJJ (rebounding, senior leadership, directing off and def.) and Phillips is coming into his own as well. Both demand attention from the defense and when you field multiple threats it tends to free up more open shots and drives to the basket by various players..........thats what I was really meaning by them being assets.
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Apologies I was referring to 3’s only, especially since JJJ likes to take 6 a game.
 
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#43
#43
Then practice. I'd bet 90% of practice time is devoted to defense. Offense always looks lost or confused. Nobody wants the rock
 
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#44
#44
Cartervol said:
It won't get them far come March. The offense is dragging them down. I'll say it again. They don't play smart at times and take bad shots. Can't do that on the road and expect to win many ballgames.
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You can’t expect to win many ballgames on the road …period! Especially in the SEC. While I wished we were a better offensive team of course it should in no way diminish the generational defense we have witnessed. JMO. Missed FT’s is something we might want to correct though. But I’m sure we’ll be longing for a defense like this in the coming years!
 
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#45
#45
Pennheel said:
The defense is there calling card. It's what win you more games then not. The problem is that with injuries to JJJ and Phillips,someone else has to step up who isn't used to that role,and they can't always handle the role. On the offensive end,I'll give credit to Vescovi for stepping up in the second half. Hoping for better success in what's left in the rest of the regular season.
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Great defensive teams will generally be successful in the regular season because they will suffocate lesser teams and even better teams at times enough to insure 25+ wins. The problem is that in March all it takes is one hot shooting team that is making everything or a bad shooting night for us, and you're gone. Teams that win in March play defense, but they have the ability to score the ball consistently. As good as we've been under Barnes, scoring droughts have done us in almost every year in March.
 
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#46
#46
This team has to bring the defense from tip to final horn like against Bama to win most games against good talent IMO....If they get down by a good margin we aren't good enough to overcome it with our lack of shooting. Bringing that type of defense two games in 4 days with a bad offense is a tough combination.
 
#50
#50
sami said:
Great defensive teams will generally be successful in the regular season because they will suffocate lesser teams and even better teams at times enough to insure 25+ wins. The problem is that in March all it takes is one hot shooting team that is making everything or a bad shooting night for us, and you're gone. Teams that win in March play defense, but they have the ability to score the ball consistently. As good as we've been under Barnes, scoring droughts have done us in almost every year in March.
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When we get behind by about 10 pts, we don't have a reliable shooter that can get you a few 3 pointers and get you back in the game. I wouldn't be surprised if we get bounced in the first game. At this stage of the season, you hope the team has seasoned and getting better each game but they don't seem to progress much above having a decent game every now and then.
 
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