My admittedly off-base Kansas Game recap (L, 68-74)

#26
#26
golfballs said:
Turnovers hurt. JJJ made some bad plays, but he’s been improving so I’m not too down on one bad game. I thought defensively we allowed them to get to the rim too easily. I believe Dotson was 7/10 at the rim which is the 2nd most effective he’s been at getting to the basket this season only behind his 9/10 against Dayton.

Thing I’m most pleased with is our veterans all finally played like veterans - esp Bowden. Hopefully things clicked and we can get consistent production from them and let the freshmen continue to improve. If so, this will be a tourney team.
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Good point. The young guys are coming along, but something close to this is what we need to have every game, if we are going to have any chance at all. There is nothing stopping Bowden, but Bowden.
 
#27
#27
I know Barnes has said he likes ORNs potential and his ceiling is high but he is just not showing that at all. Yesterday there was a sequence of 5 possessions on O and D where ORN was responsible for 2 turnovers on O a foul on D and 4 points to Udoka. He literally was almost solely responsible for their 8 straight points by KU. I understand he is just a freshman but that was a critical point in the game and he hurt us. Him and JJJ have got to be more consistent if we want to hit 18-20 wins.
 
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#28
#28
Azubuike had seven fouls in this game if you just go by the ones that Jay Bilas pointed out on the broadcast. There were a couple others that were questionable, too. Now, if they call him for the obvious push-off in the first half, he's not in the game to get his second foul the way he actually did, so maybe you wash those and just focus on the moving screen that they failed to call late, where I'm pretty sure they were about to but realized it was gonna be his fifth and so they lamely just gave it to Fulkerson for doing nothing instead.

I'm guessing if you watch Kansas every game, you'd see this little dance by the officials every game in regards to Azubuike, so I don't think we're special in that regard or anything, but it's just kind of irritating...
 
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#29
#29
I was disappointed our 7 footer didn't help out more against Azubuike . I know it's early for Plavsic but that's where he can contribute. He was a non factor today
 
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#30
#30
WBO said:
Taking the #3 team to the wire on its home court, this may have been Barnes best coaching job yet at UT.
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You lost me with that last line. Yeah, it was nice we didn't get blown out but we ought not give out such lofty accolades for moral victories. After all he's done for us, coach Barnes has done far better coaching jobs than 6 point losses to Kansas
 
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#31
#31
Sea Ray said:
I was disappointed our 7 footer didn't help out more against Azubuike . I know it's early for Plavsic but that's where he can contribute. He was a non factor today
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I'm not going to say that he would have won most of the battles, but I don't see how he could have done worse than ORN. I think if he had been in there longer, he would have figured it out, and at least put up a decent resistance. At the very least, he might have kept some of our other (key) players out of foul trouble.
 
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#32
#32
i2amavol said:
I'm not going to say that he would have won most of the battles, but I don't see how he could have done worse than ORN. I think if he had been in there longer, he would have figured it out, and at least put up a decent resistance. At the very least, he might have kept some of our other (key) players out of foul trouble.
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Should have bodied up and banged with Buike. If they call fouls so be it but you make a guy like that work, get tired and frustrate him and good things will happen.

You don't front that guy when you know the refs are allowing him to push off. Game prep should have been getting ORN and Plavsic ready to do this and use their fouls and they should have been instructed to foul hard when beat. Instead we just let him eat.
 
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#34
#34
James did not score yesterday while Bowden, Pons and Fulkerson did the heavy lifting.

Tennessee will not face another player like Adubuike this season.

This loss will help the team grow.

We have a couple of winnable games this week against Texas A&M and Mississippi State.
 
#35
#35
Volle said:
Vescovi is better than JJJ now, maybe Gaines is too, surprised he's not playing more.
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If Gaines had JJJ's frame he would be a star. I think James will really benefit from a full off-season and will look like a lottery pick next year.

The kid has tons of potential and a great attitude. I get the feeling that he is enjoying college and could possibly come back for a Jr. year even if he gets a good draft grade next year.
 
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#36
#36
JoAllan said:
With James......and even Johnson (Johnson “offensively”) when you got 4 guys giving you 67 points, you can’t expect everyone else to give you a bunch.....BUT when you got 2 guys combining for 49 minutes, and you get ONE point out of their 49 minutes........oh my goodness!

I do not think Johnson “hurt” this team yesterday like James, and I thought Johnson played D well.

But 49 minutes and 1 point....wow.
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Maybe it's directly related to an absence of scoring, but Johnson also has the 2nd lowest +/- at -18. He hurt the team, but we just don't expect much from him, anyway, so it doesn't stick out as much. James was -20, but we expect much more from him, so it more obvious.

You are correct, though. Both guys getting 1 point in 49 minutes was bad.
 
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#37
#37
cncchris33 said:
Maybe it's directly related to an absence of scoring, but Johnson also has the 2nd lowest +/- at -18. He hurt the team, but we just don't expect much from him, anyway, so it doesn't stick out as much. James was -20, but we expect much more from him, so it more obvious.

You are correct, though. Both guys getting 1 point in 49 minutes was bad.
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A lot of the things that Johnson does don't show up. Most of his shots look good but just aren't going down. He needs to stop getting lost on defense, though.
 
#38
#38
gainesvol82 said:
If Gaines had JJJ's frame he would be a star. I think James will really benefit from a full off-season and will look like a lottery pick next year.

The kid has tons of potential and a great attitude. I get the feeling that he is enjoying college and could possibly come back for a Jr. year even if he gets a good draft grade next year.
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I like your enthusiasm for James. He has miles to go, but I'm not going to say you are wrong. I will be happy if he does that by his senior year.
 
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#39
#39
nirwin said:
Azubuike had seven fouls in this game if you just go by the ones that Jay Bilas pointed out on the broadcast. There were a couple others that were questionable, too. Now, if they call him for the obvious push-off in the first half, he's not in the game to get his second foul the way he actually did, so maybe you wash those and just focus on the moving screen that they failed to call late, where I'm pretty sure they were about to but realized it was gonna be his fifth and so they lamely just gave it to Fulkerson for doing nothing instead.

I'm guessing if you watch Kansas every game, you'd see this little dance by the officials every game in regards to Azubuike, so I don't think we're special in that regard or anything, but it's just kind of irritating...
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Bingo
 
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#41
#41
i2amavol said:
I'm not going to say that he would have won most of the battles, but I don't see how he could have done worse than ORN. I think if he had been in there longer, he would have figured it out, and at least put up a decent resistance. At the very least, he might have kept some of our other (key) players out of foul trouble.
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I agree with that.
 
#42
#42
gainesvol82 said:
Should have bodied up and banged with Buike. If they call fouls so be it but you make a guy like that work, get tired and frustrate him and good things will happen.

You don't front that guy when you know the refs are allowing him to push off. Game prep should have been getting ORN and Plavsic ready to do this and use their fouls and they should have been instructed to foul hard when beat. Instead we just let him eat.
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Not sure about the fouling hard anymore. I understand the safety concern, but basketball has gotten soft. Even if you try to block a shot with a guy in the air and make contact, they are going to call a flagrant.

But yes, I agree with your premise.
 
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#43
#43
Too often when the screener is late even the slightest brush brings on a cheap foul call. If the defender is unaffected the refs need to swallow their whistle on those - save the calls for all the wrestling going on down low. This "special emphasis" on setting ball screens is getting a little ridiculous.
 
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#45
#45
i2amavol said:
1. Tennessee can win a lot of games playing as well as they played today. Not many teams have an Azubuike, or maybe that much home court advantage. Oviously we had a couple of players who didn't bring their 'A' game, but overall a good step in the right direction against a good team.

2. I wish Tennessee wouldn't schedule games against the major cheaters. It is an extra smack in the face when we lose to teams with greater talent that was likely gotten the wrong way. I know we have no choice with LSU, but it just gets old. Just don't get me started (I know, I started it myself).

3. My opinions of Fulkerson have been on a bit of a roller coaster ride, throughout his career at Tennessee. I was majorly on his bandwagon after his injuries, and thought that he would make a major comeback at some point last year. When it didn't happen, and then this year, he had some moments when he wasn't getting it done, I began to doubt my prior analysis. However, he is now showing out a bit, and it is fun to watch.

4. Pons is another one that it was hard to envision him making the strides that he has made. I guess the sky is the limit for him. I think he can continue to add to his skill set, and one day find a place in the NBA. He obviously has a bit of work to do, to make that happen though.

5. If Bowden could only find consistency from game to game, he will be able to take it to the next level too. He has the physical tools, he just needs to get it settled between his ears.

6. It is hard to imagine all these freshmen being able to pull us through on the road in the SEC. So, it is anybody's guess as to where we go from here. We are going to need more good minutes from Plavsic than we got today. We are also going to need more zero - yes, I said zero - turnover nights from Vescovi, and he needs to get his 3 point shooting touch back.

7. I am resigned to Olivier, Gaines and Pember not helping a whole lot this year. I guess they will all have their moments, but that is about all we can expect. They all need to camp out in the weight room over the Summer, and bring lots of snacks and/or protein shakes.

8. If you don't want me to continue doing this, you need to do your job and give us our regularly scheduled recaps. You know who you are.(Disclamer: ignore all attempts at dry humor. No animals were harmed in the making of this summary. Taxes and title extra. Not available in all states.)
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Is there any chance of putting the final score in your recap?
 
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#46
#46
Now Texas A&M becomes the current "must win" game. Almost need to win every game that isn't Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, and KY unless one or two of those can be beaten in the TBA. 9-9 and probably need 2 wins in the SECT. Speaking in terms of getting the NCAAT invite.
 
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#47
#47
i2amavol said:
I'm not going to say that he would have won most of the battles, but I don't see how he could have done worse than ORN. I think if he had been in there longer, he would have figured it out, and at least put up a decent resistance. At the very least, he might have kept some of our other (key) players out of foul trouble.
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Agree completely. Barely had a chance to get his feet wet. Inexperience, not having played much the last 2 years, going against the biggest, most physical center, and being outweighed by 35 pounds is a lot to ask.
 
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#48
#48
VOLINVONORE said:
I do. He was as athletic as any vol basketball I have ever seen.
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Nix was very athletic, for sure. Two things stand out to me on the Pons vs. Nix comparison: (1) Nix was thinner and less physical as a result and (2) Nix was nowhere near the shot blocker Pons is.

Nix was quick and was a scorer, but Pons freakish athleticism and physicality is fun to watch.
 
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#49
#49
Which is more important, playing in the first round of SECT in order to get more wins or getting a bye in the first round hoping to go further?
 
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