If you were the TN coach today, how do approach the SEC tourney?

[Johnnyreb#VFL]

You must not know Barnes too well? Can you imagine him saying anything even remotely close to option 2?

 

[keenobserver]

Someone que Herm Edwards

Edit: thanks yankee

 

[jmcarr33]

With a NCAA spot and 3 seed probably locked in and winning the tourney only gets you the leagues automatic bid, do you:

1. Go full out and play to win the tourney and keep the momentum going?

2. Rest some of your starters with limited playing time to let them heal up and not risk injuries when winning the tourney doesn't win you anything you don't already have?

I know the second strategy is done by college BB teams in the SEC tourney to rest pitchers when they know they have a regional already locked up.

I think someone like Fulky would benefit from not playing much but it;s his last yr so it would be tough to hold him out. I'm torn on what I would do.

Option 1 and play for a #2 seed

 

[LA vol7]

If they turn on the lights and the scoreboard, you play to win!

 

[Fatdad32]

Go win the tournament!

 

[chuck0303]

You can still improve your seed in the tourney. Winning it would almost certainly make us a two seed. I don't think that is much better than a three, but regardless of when or where your playing you want to play to win and give all out effort.

First, I'd approach the tourney by going through the front door. Once there, I'd play to win. Duh?

 

[Sheik Yerbouti]

Winning is a habit. Keep it up.

 

[VolunteerCeltic]

 

[VolunteerCeltic]

 

[savannahfan]

With a NCAA spot and 3 seed probably locked in and winning the tourney only gets you the leagues automatic bid, do you:

1. Go full out and play to win the tourney and keep the momentum going?

2. Rest some of your starters with limited playing time to let them heal up and not risk injuries when winning the tourney doesn't win you anything you don't already have?

I know the second strategy is done by college BB teams in the SEC tourney to rest pitchers when they know they have a regional already locked up.

I think someone like Fulky would benefit from not playing much but it;s his last yr so it would be tough to hold him out. I'm torn on what I would do.

I agree with no. 1..
Go all out all the time. If you play that way all the time, you never have to "get back up to speed". If they can't go all the time by this point in the season, then they have not had to or are not going to put out now. Going for broke when you are playing "win in or lose out" games is the only way to stay in the mix. That is because most everyone playing is there to win, not rest.

 

[livefaith]

I feel like we need as many more games as we possibly can get. Our youth movement is the key to a deep tourney run. The more minutes the two bigs, KC, & ZZ get the better. Especially the bigs. If we could make it to the finals, then it would help us IMO. Our team is deep and spreads minutes. No excuse with fatigue compared to most teams.

That said, where can we vote to drop the SECT?

 

[livefaith]

In a fat

There is still plenty of play for, I can’t imagine just basically tossing in the towel, weird move.

In a fatigue or injury recovery situation, I could see a little sandbagging for the greater good. All anyone will remember in 2 years is the NCAAT.

 

[Sam I Am]

"Anything less than the best is a felony...Love it or Leave it....You better gang way...You better hit the bull's eye...The kid don't play...
And if there is a problem....Yo, Rick will solve it...Check out the hook while the DJ revolves it...
Ice Ice bball Vols...Ice Ice bball Vols....."

Word to your mother.

 

[OrangeBeachVol]

You must not know Barnes too well? Can you imagine him saying anything even remotely close to option 2?

My title was not what do you think Barnes would do but what would you do if you were Barnes. Maybe I could have said that a little better.

 

[Stoerner Fumbles]

If I were Barnes, I’d measure the rim in front of the players at every new arena. We don’t shoot well away. This worked in the movie Hoosiers. Also, I’d try to find one of the players who has a drunk dad, and get him to help coach. If this doesn’t work, I’d put a golden retriever on the team. People love that.

 

[VolunteerCeltic]

If I were Barnes, I’d measure the rim in front of the players at every new arena. We don’t shoot well away. This worked in the movie Hoosiers. Also, I’d try to find one of the players who has a drunk dad, and get him to help coach. If this doesn’t work, I’d put a golden retriever on the team. People love that.

I am 60% sure all of that would work...........

 

[UnkieVol]

Don't let anybody play through an injury. Other than that, play to win.

 

[Hbg]

One of the main goals of playing is to win championships, wouldn’t playing to win possibly get us one?

 

[Brave Volunteer]

To quote Herm Edwards "YOU PLAY TO WIN THE GAME! HELLO??!??"

 

[walkenvol]

I am 60% sure all of that would work...........

 

[VOLtaism]

I go full out for the 2 seed with 1 exception, I don't play anyone who has injuries that need to heel. Need to have all of my guns ready for the tournament. Need to work the 2 freshmen big men, get the ball turn and move to the basket, no dribbling.

 

[turbovol]

1. Outside of potentially getting a #2 seed, every game Aidoo and BHH seem to get more comfortable so the more game experience they can get in the SEC tourny by making a run the better off they should be for the NCAA tournament.

Agree here. Barnes will play to win, and he should, because you really want to give Aidoo and BHH as many games, as much playing time, as you can. They are beginning to contribute in meaningful ways, and the more they play, the more potential they have to positively influence games. Getting some good play out of those two will be crucial in the NCAA.

 

[SN-A-C Orange]

For what is worth, Barnes is a mere two years older than me..... I can still beat my 24 yr old daughter at racket ball.
In basketball, the nickname I acquired from another team was "the punisher" and let me tell you ... I earned it.
I got sick and tired of one guy driving the lane and I determined it was time to give him something to think about next time he drove the lane.
So, next time he took his man to the hole ... I bailed on my guy and set up plenty early for a legal charge and he expected me to just move out of the way ... he elevated and flipped and landed on his back. Knocked the wind out of him. People looked at me like I was crazy.
Nope, I am very competitive, very physical and I hate losing because I did not give it everything I had. And if you can't shoot free throws - I will never give you a bunny. You are going to earn it at the line. So, with that said ...

I would play to win ... with this caveat ... I am going to play lots of players to keep their bodies fresh. Against MS/SC ... I am going to play 10-11.
I want to grow experience in tournament settings for all my young players. They need the experience and they need the minutes ... the only way they get MORE minutes is by winning the game!
However, I also see the big picture ... we still have another game next week on Thursday/Friday.
I will not sacrifice the entirety of the season to win ONE game!
Win on Friday and I will trim the play list but not by much ... it will still be a lot of people 8-9-10 ... depends on circumstances, etc.
Win on Saturday and I will be back to playing 10 people ... thinking that fresher players will lead to a victory. If not, no big deal - the bigger memory is still in front of the players ...
Winning the NCAAT is >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> than an SECT title.
If I can grab both rings ... I do! But I am focused on the Gold medal! The last man standing in New Orleans ... in the Superdome. That is the stuff of lifetime legends!

 

[SN-A-C Orange]

I want to win 3 straight and take two days off and win 2 more games and take 3 days off and win 2 more games and take 4 days off and now we only have 1 game left on Saturday ... then we have ONE final game on Monday.

Friday we can match our season high win streak at 5.
But ... we were one shot away from a 9 game win streak.
Not saying it will happen, but this staff and this team is deep enough that winning a series of two day tournaments is possible. (I am, however, an unapologetic optimist.)

 

[SouthKnoxVOL]

Lmao...he wants to win the tourney. I cant believe this is a thread Barnes has been to the championship game 2 out of the past 3 tourneys....bet damn well he wants to win this. Win this tourney and I think they have as good an argument as any to be a 1 seed.