Next 6 games - We might lose them all.

[VolFreakJosh]

You know this might sound a bit crazy, but I love how we rallied last night when ZZ went out. Like everyone else I was certainly worried about him, but felt like it might be a jolt that continued into the 2nd half. I didn't think ZZ would be available in the 2nd and felt like we could win without him, LAST NIGHT. As it turns out ZZ missed a ton of open looks, probably because he was pressing too much. Just my $ 0.02

I don’t think he played the same after he went out with the leg injury.

He looked a step slower and constantly let UK’s players blow by him.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

You know this might sound a bit crazy, but I love how we rallied last night when ZZ went out. Like everyone else I was certainly worried about him, but felt like it might be a jolt that continued into the 2nd half. I didn't think ZZ would be available in the 2nd and felt like we could win without him, LAST NIGHT. As it turns out ZZ missed a ton of open looks, probably because he was pressing too much. Just my $ 0.02

We didn’t see what happened and just saw him running toward the locker room. There was speculation that he had **** his pants.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

I don’t think he played the same after he went out with the leg injury.

He looked a step slower and constantly let UK’s players blow by him.

Yes. I seen it as well.

 

[thegeneralneyland]

4-2. I think we lose to UF Saturday and @ A&M, win the rest.

 

[BernardKingGOAT]

We didn’t see what happened and just saw him running toward the locker room. There was speculation that he had **** his pants.

My point was the way we played without him. We took the lead and looked confident how we were playing while taking the lead.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

My point was the way we played without him. We took the lead and looked confident how we were playing while taking the lead.

I know.

 

[BernardKingGOAT]

I know.

IOW, I think we would have won last night without him in the 2nd half. For the nothing that it's worth

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

IOW, I think we would have won last night without him in the 2nd half. For the nothing that it's worth

I think KY would have figured it out. We had a nice rally without him closing out the first half and we stunk at the start of the 2nd half with him playing. But if his night would have ended when he hurt his knee, we probably get blown out by 20, 25, or more. We just don’t have another option at PG that is close to ZZ.

 

[KptVFL]

...

 

[BernardKingGOAT]

I think KY would have figured it out. We had a nice rally without him closing out the first half and we stunk at the start of the 2nd half with him playing. But if his night would have ended when he hurt his knee, we probably get blown out by 20, 25, or more. We just don’t have another option at PG that is close to ZZ.

Totally disagree with that assessment

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Totally disagree with that assessment

Only if he was slowed by the injury. With only Mashack, Gaines, and Boswell available to bring the ball up court for the entire second half and KY would have smoked us. 7 upperclassmen (4 new to the program) and 1 freshman that’s not ready while losing your most experienced player and nearly exclusive ball handler isn’t going to get it done. KY might be down, but they still have a long bench full of 4 and 5 stars.

 

[BernardKingGOAT]

Only if he was slowed by the injury. With only Mashack, Gaines, and Boswell available to bring the ball up court for the entire second half and KY would have smoked us. 7 upperclassmen (4 new to the program) and 1 freshman that’s not ready while losing your most experienced player and nearly exclusive ball handler isn’t going to get it done. KY might be down, but they still have a long bench full of 4 and 5 stars.

I think in most games you would be spot on. I am speaking strictly in the vacuum of last night and the confidence we had built without ZZZ at the end of the first half. Plus, frankly, there have been the occasional game where ZZ's size becomes a bit of a liability. Lots of size and length in UK's backcourt

 

[VolFreakJosh]

I think in most games you would be spot on. I am speaking strictly in the vacuum of last night and the confidence we had built without ZZZ at the end of the first half. Plus, frankly, there have been the occasional game where ZZ's size becomes a bit of a liability. Lots of size and length in UK's backcourt

I get what you’re saying.

In the end, I don’t think it would have mattered considering Kentucky was getting anything they wanted on the offensive end.

Opposing team shooting over 50% from three was pretty much the deciding factor right there.

 

[cardvolfan]

Well, in the SEC, you MUST win your home games. That is the glaring deficiency; the Uk game was a must have. Vols can't score when it's imperative. Most every moron can see that.

Alabama lost a home game to Ole Miss. Florida lost a home game to Missouri. Were those games a glaring deficiency to those teams? Were those a “must have” for those teams? Are they out of the race?

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

I think in most games you would be spot on. I am speaking strictly in the vacuum of last night and the confidence we had built without ZZZ at the end of the first half. Plus, frankly, there have been the occasional game where ZZ's size becomes a bit of a liability. Lots of size and length in UK's backcourt

The replacement PG is 6’6”. I think that ZZ creates problems for that guy if he doesn’t get hurt. But I think the knee boo boo slowed him down a step. ZZ’s shot selection was the biggest problem. 1 for 11.

 

[BernardKingGOAT]

The replacement PG is 6’6”. I think that ZZ creates problems for that guy if he doesn’t get hurt. But I think the knee boo boo slowed him down a step. ZZ’s shot selection was the biggest problem. 1 for 11.

He was taking open shots. Got to make some of them. 3 for 11 would have been good enough for a win

 

[jtdavis]

I highly doubt we’ll be as good in year 1 of our guy as Pope and Byington have been. For one he’ll have to coach (and recruit) against their established programs.

Coach Cal took half of the team at kentucky with him

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

I get what you’re saying.

In the end, I don’t think it would have mattered considering Kentucky was getting anything they wanted on the offensive end.

Opposing team shooting over 50% from three was pretty much the deciding factor right there.

Their timing after every TN score that got the arena crowd about to blow the roof off was flawless. Until near the very end it seemed like every made 3 for TN was answered with one by KY. Same with most baskets. It took about 15 straight minutes of chasing after KY to finally get it down to a possession. Then nobody stepped up with a 3. In hindsight, a couple of 2s in the final minutes would have pulled off the win.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

He was taking open shots. Got to make some of them. 3 for 11 would have been good enough for a win

Yes. Not selection. Decision is the correct word. But Barnes has also made it clear that they should not pass up the good looks.

 

[jeff1vol]

When I said we were in trouble after the Vandy game I got trashed here. We have lost three of our last four and absolutely could loose the next 6.

I agree 100%. This team is simply bad offensively. Yes... I said it... BAD offensively. We got fooled early on with the weak schedule. From now on, we should all wait to make season predictions, etc until SEC play starts. We'll make the tourney and exit early. In other words, a typical UT basketball season.

 

[sami]

Well, in the SEC, you MUST win your home games. That is the glaring deficiency; the Uk game was a must have. Vols can't score when it's imperative. Most every moron can see that.

It was not a "must have" game in the big picture, which is having the team playing at its highest level a month and a half from now. Short term, yeah, bad loss, knocks us down in the rankings and the conference standings, but it's a hell of a lot better to be struggling in January than in early March.

The bigger issue is making some offensive adjustments and improving over the next month. We shot the ball hideously and had the #1 team in the country on the ropes and almost pulled out a game against UK we never should have been in given how we played. But it's easier to just throw in the towel and say all is lost, I suppose.

It's a remarkable thing how many fans who ostensibly watch this stuff regularly and see every year how quickly things can change can draw nightmare conclusions off of a couple of close losses and make statements like "our ceiling is the Elite 8" based on .... what has happened before any of these players were ever here or even born.

 

[sami]

I think the game that was "the season" was last night. You can't let your biggest rival who was down 2 of their better players and a team that's just been okay this year come in here and beat you on your home floor. Especially after losing a rock fight to AU. It just looks like we are defeated right now. We have zero offense and last night our defense wasn't even all that great.

So does this mean you aren't watching from this point because the season is over? Just asking.

 

[sami]

Agree with you but they HAVE to shoot better! Defense is unquestionably elite! If I remember correctly, Edit: against Florida, they had made, I believe, 4 shots in the entire game at almost half way through the 2nd half. Is a recurring problem.

They are a lock for the tourney and it's all about getting hot at the right time. GBO!!!!

Exactly, but I think it's more than simply shooting better, which there is no doubt they need to do. I don't agree with Barnes' comment that Cade and Felix need more paint touches simply because that isn't their game, but I do believe he needs to see what he can get out of Dubar and Igor on post up opportunities. Both guys have shown flashes of being able to finish at the rim, and there would be no better way to free up perimeter shooting than establishing some kind of inside scoring threats.

But you are 100% correct that it's all about playing at our peak a month and a half from now. Better to go through this in January than March.

 

[cardvolfan]

Their timing after every TN score that got the arena crowd about to blow the roof off was flawless. Until near the very end it seemed like every made 3 for TN was answered with one by KY. Same with most baskets. It took about 15 straight minutes of chasing after KY to finally get it down to a possession. Then nobody stepped up with a 3. In hindsight, a couple of 2s in the final minutes would have pulled off the win.

Interestingly, the last 5 minutes Kentucky took it to the hoop exclusively.

 

[VolGee4]

I think the game that was "the season" was last night. You can't let your biggest rival who was down 2 of their better players and a team that's just been okay this year come in here and beat you on your home floor. Especially after losing a rock fight to AU. It just looks like we are defeated right now. We have zero offense and last night our defense wasn't even all that great.

That was hardly “our season.” Long way to go.