Next 11 games

[JRVOL11]

Texas win this Saturday would be huge !

 

[Ericvol2096]

Win does the committee reveal their top 16?

 

[bleedingTNorange]

Bump this for perspective, it included the Memphis game which was projected as a win, so you remove a W and it looks like this.

Top 5: 7-3
Top 10: 6-4
Top 20: 5-5
Top 40: 4-6

Where it’s at…3-3 with 4 remaining.
Arizona W
@ Bama L
Ole Miss W
@ LSU L
South Carolina W
@ Kentucky L
@ Vandy
LSU
Florida
@ Texas


Going 2-2 over next 4 games is what a Top 20 team would’ve been expected to do, and that looks very plausible as an outcome, obviously 3-1 would feel better.

So 6-3 with 1 game remaining

 

[mr.checkerboards]

Arkansas has turned it around. Not really sure what to think of them.

 

[mr.checkerboards]

So 6-3 with 1 game remaining

So am I still crazy for thinking this should be a top 10 or better team?

 

[TheMookieMonster]

So am I still crazy for thinking this should be a top 10 or better team?

Well, win the game Saturday and that’s exactly what the statistics say we are.

 

[JMSqb11]

I could see us winning out with just as much certainty as I could see us going 6-5 these remaining 11 games. This closing stretch gonna give all the fans heartburn because it’s one game at a time and inconsistency. Giddy up.

 

[mr.checkerboards]

I

Well, win the game Saturday and that’s exactly what the statistics say we are.

Which is where my frustrations with Barnes were. This team is much better than it was playing. It has the build at least of a team that could make a deep run. 2 good guards, 3 point shooting. Good enough big. A decent few off the bench to spell the starters. An elite defender or two that can shut other teams best player down or at least slow them down.

 

[southgatevol]

I
Which is where my frustrations with Barnes were. This team is much better than it was playing. It has the build at least of a team that could make a deep run. 2 good guards, 3 point shooting. Good enough big. A decent few off the bench to spell the starters. An elite defender or two that can shut other teams best player down or at least slow them down.

Conversely you have a freshman point guard who is expectedly inconsistent, lazy with the ball at times, and hasn't figured out how to play team defense. Do we have a good enough big? At times seems yes, at times seems no. Team looks top 10 at times and not top 25 at times. IMO Barnes has done a good job with this team considering its deficiencies.

 

[mr.checkerboards]

Conversely you have a freshman point guard who is expectedly inconsistent, lazy with the ball at times, and hasn't figured out how to play team defense. Do we have a good enough big? At times seems yes, at times seems no. Team looks top 10 at times and not top 25 at times. IMO Barnes has done a good job with this team considering its deficiencies.

Yes. At the level the 4 are playing now our big are plenty fine. I agree that 1 FR guard is inconsistent but there's another Freshnam to rotate him with and a JR. Plenty of options there.

 

[whobethis16]

I
Which is where my frustrations with Barnes were. This team is much better than it was playing. It has the build at least of a team that could make a deep run. 2 good guards, 3 point shooting. Good enough big. A decent few off the bench to spell the starters. An elite defender or two that can shut other teams best player down or at least slow them down.

Sooo...maybe it was a premature reaction on your part?

 

[southgatevol]

Yes. At the level the 4 are playing now our big are plenty fine. I agree that 1 FR guard is inconsistent but there's another Freshnam to rotate him with and a JR. Plenty of options there.

The 4, Fulky who can't play more than a few minutes which is not his fault and hopefully gets better, ON who is like a box of chocolates, Plav who can't decide to play basketball vs MMA, and HH who has talent but is as lost on a court as anyone I have seen recently. Thus the inconsistencies. If they could give you the LSU and Vandy games consistently would definitely be fine.

 

[JelloPuddinPup]

The 4, Fulky who can't play more than a few minutes which is not his fault and hopefully gets better, ON who is like a box of chocolates, Plav who can't decide to play basketball vs MMA, and HH who has talent but is as lost on a court as anyone I have seen recently. Thus the inconsistencies. If they could give you the LSU and Vandy games consistently would definitely be fine.

I just have to laugh every time we do a baseline inbounds play on our side of the court. The ref has already handed the ball to our inbounder and they're still trying to get BHH to the right spot to run the play that he already has forgotten. Amazing to me that we even get the ball in on those plays when he's in the game. Love the kid, and he's improving, but the dots still haven't been connected all that well for him. I can't wait until they do though!

 

[bleedingTNorange]

So am I still crazy for thinking this should be a top 10 or better team?

Lol that’s quite the way to spin what your takes were.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

I
Which is where my frustrations with Barnes were. This team is much better than it was playing. It has the build at least of a team that could make a deep run. 2 good guards, 3 point shooting. Good enough big. A decent few off the bench to spell the starters. An elite defender or two that can shut other teams best player down or at least slow them down.

Weren’t you always saying Barnes had to play BHH big minutes for this team to be good? They’ve gone on this win streak with BHH playing just the same as he has been all year for the most part.

 

[walkenvol]

The 4, Fulky who can't play more than a few minutes which is not his fault and hopefully gets better, ON who is like a box of chocolates, Plav who can't decide to play basketball vs MMA, and HH who has talent but is as lost on a court as anyone I have seen recently. Thus the inconsistencies. If they could give you the LSU and Vandy games consistently would definitely be fine.

I believe you’ve come up with the perfect description for ON!

 

[southgatevol]

Weren’t you always saying Barnes had to play BHH big minutes for this team to be good? They’ve gone on this win streak with BHH playing just the same as he has been all year for the most part.

The 4 bigs combined for 21 and 6 vs Kentucky and that is with HH scoring 11. Do we expect 11 from him on a consistent basis? He has tremendous talent but is NOT ready for pressure minutes.

 

[Stoerner Fumbles]

Conversely you have a freshman point guard who is expectedly inconsistent, lazy with the ball at times, and hasn't figured out how to play team defense. Do we have a good enough big? At times seems yes, at times seems no. Team looks top 10 at times and not top 25 at times. IMO Barnes has done a good job with this team considering its deficiencies.

I agree. We’re playing above our potential at most spots. Hard to argue with the output of two Freshmen guards and SV. JJ is a mystery. If he can play well in the big lineup and hit shots, it drastically changes how long we can play that set and get opponents in foul trouble. I really think the team will go the way Fulk goes. If he’s playing full Mayfield in March, we are going to be a bad matchup for most teams.

 

[southgatevol]

I agree. We’re playing above our potential at most spots. Hard to argue with the output of two Freshmen guards and SV. JJ is a mystery. If he can play well in the big lineup and hit shots, it drastically changes how long we can play that set and get opponents in foul trouble. I really think the team we’ll go the way Fulk goes. If he’s playing full Mayfield in March, we are going to be a bad matchup for most teams.

If Fulky was 100% I would have extremely high hopes. I see him in the upclose video on the FT line and he looks like he has zero energy. Hopefully he will get better as the season progresses.

 

[walkenvol]

Weren’t you always saying Barnes had to play BHH big minutes for this team to be good? They’ve gone on this win streak with BHH playing just the same as he has been all year for the most part.

I recall you recently called for shortening the rotation which I’ve been trying to digest. On the surface I like that CRB keeps giving minutes to BHH, Mashack, and even a few to Bailey.

Bailey has proven himself in the past to be a streaky and occasionally prolific scorer who is battling a season long shooting slump. If he could get hot he could really help when we’re struggling to score.

BHH & Mashack both have obvious talent. Neither are a finished product but without giving talented newcomers regular minutes it would seem their progress would be slowed. Would hate to drop a game pre-tournament but if we did it likely wouldn’t keep us out of the NCAA’s.

It seems like everything is hinging on Fulky regaining some stamina and ON finding consistency before the season ends. UP has shown he can be somewhat effective against bigger lineups but not as much in a fast moving game.

Since you appear to have some inside info to the program, In your opinion is there much hope for Fulky to return from a health perspective such that he can play hard for 20+ minutes a night? I thought we were at our best in the second half when the ball went to him and he could get a high percentage shot or make the right pass. To go far I believe that will be the key but it appears to hinge on his health?

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

I recall you recently called for shortening the rotation which I’ve been trying to digest. On the surface I like that CRB keeps giving minutes to BHH, Mashack, and even a few to Bailey.

Bailey has proven himself in the past to be a streaky and occasionally prolific scorer who is battling a season long shooting slump. If he could get hot he could really help when we’re struggling to score.

BHH & Mashack both have obvious talent. Neither are a finished product but without giving talented newcomers regular minutes it would seem their progress would be slowed. Would hate to drop a game pre-tournament but if we did it likely wouldn’t keep us out of the NCAA’s.

It seems like everything is hinging on Fulky regaining some stamina and ON finding consistency before the season ends. UP has shown he can be somewhat effective against bigger lineups but not as much in a fast moving game.

Since you appear to have some inside info to the program, In your opinion is there much hope for Fulky to return from a health perspective such that he can play hard for 20+ minutes a night? I thought we were at our best in the second half when the ball went to him and he could get a high percentage shot or make the right pass. To go far I believe that will be the key but it appears to hinge on his health?

After getting bounced in the NCAAT with Kyle Alexander’s hip injury and Fulk having his face smashed I like going 11 deep. I wouldn’t even be upset if Aidoo and Quintin were getting some minutes as the 12th and 13th. But 11 is good with BHH, Fulk, JP, ZZZ, VJ, and JM. Keep them all ready.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

The 4 bigs combined for 21 and 6 vs Kentucky and that is with HH scoring 11. Do we expect 11 from him on a consistent basis? He has tremendous talent but is NOT ready for pressure minutes.

And all of those minutes were with UK benching their best defensive big…there’s not much of an argument to be made at this point to give him more minutes.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

Since you appear to have some inside info to the program, In your opinion is there much hope for Fulky to return from a health perspective such that he can play hard for 20+ minutes a night? I thought we were at our best in the second half when the ball went to him and he could get a high percentage shot or make the right pass. To go far I believe that will be the key but it appears to hinge on his health?

Since going to the bench Fulky has averaged 16mpg 6.3ppg 55%fg 88%ft 2.3rpg 1.3bpg, I’m not sure they expect to consistently get 20+mpg from him, but I think that’s about what they’re looking for 18-20mpg. If you’re going to go predominantly small ball you only need Fulk to play about 20mpg.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

After getting bounced in the NCAAT with Kyle Alexander’s hip injury and Fulk having his face smashed I like going 11 deep. I wouldn’t even be upset if Aidoo and Quintin were getting some minutes as the 12th and 13th. But 11 is good with BHH, Fulk, JP, ZZZ, VJ, and JM. Keep them all ready.

I know you’re going to disagree so I won’t go on a back and forth, just gonna say this…there’s a reason nobody else that is good is playing 11/12 guys come February. Early on it’s fine, but you need to find as much cohesion and consistency as you can among your main rotation and not plan for a fluke occurrence, that’s what preseason and early games are for…you’re much more likely to get through NCAAT without injuries/sickness than to have someone held out, get your main guys ready and roll.

 

[walkenvol]

Since going to the bench Fulky has averaged 16mpg 6.3ppg 55%fg 88%ft 2.3rpg 1.3bpg, I’m not sure they expect to consistently get 20+mpg from him, but I think that’s about what they’re looking for 18-20mpg. If you’re going to go predominantly small ball you only need Fulk to play about 20mpg.

From my untrained perspective, we’re at our best in the half court when the ball flows through Fulky opposed to our guards making their own shots. CRB comments the same to the media. Come tourney play, we’re going to want him 25+ a game. Hope he can do it. JMO