The Official “Regular Posters of the Basketball Forum” Thread

[cncchris33]

Probably take 24-48 hours away, my thoughts…



Outside of the hit your free throws, dunk the ball type stuff, overall game thoughts….



We lost that game on defense, not offense, which is something nobody would’ve expected. Season worst for fg% allowed, made 3’s allowed and 3pt% allowed, that’s some rough luck. With that said no reason to lose this game, went too many empty possessions late when we did actually get some stops, needed to push it to 2 or 3 possessions.



Sucks ass, needed to take advantage and pad wins in winnable games and that one was. Not a “bad loss” in committee eyes but you keep dropping games and the seed lines keep dropping too, now you have to respond against what’s probably a bit tougher Missouri game and then have the brutal part of the schedule. This team definitely doesn’t want to make things easy on themselves.

And you've likely lost JJJ for at least a couple weeks.

This has to be one of, if not the worst defensive performance of the year.

 

[Willy14]

Probably take 24-48 hours away, my thoughts…

Outside of the hit your free throws, dunk the ball type stuff, overall game thoughts….

We lost that game on defense, not offense, which is something nobody would’ve expected. Season worst for fg% allowed, made 3’s allowed and 3pt% allowed, that’s some rough luck. With that said no reason to lose this game, went too many empty possessions late when we did actually get some stops, needed to push it to 2 or 3 possessions.

Sucks ass, needed to take advantage and pad wins in winnable games and that one was. Not a “bad loss” in committee eyes but you keep dropping games and the seed lines keep dropping too, now you have to respond against what’s probably a bit tougher Missouri game and then have the brutal part of the schedule. This team definitely doesn’t want to make things easy on themselves.

I agree, it seems our offense was better this game than the last two but our defense was not there at all. Combine that with Vandy shooting there best game all year and you end up with what we got

 

[VolsSportsFan]

Well on the bright side, we can stop worrying about SEC Championships and 1 seeds or being the "best UT team ever" because all that is probably out the window.

Well the "best UT team ever" might still be up for grabs depending on the postseason, but I'm not getting my hopes up. This team is trending the wrong way and if they don't fix some crap fast it's going to be another sad offseason.

 

[MoCo_Vol]

I know there is about to be 10 new threads get started after the loss, but man I am just upset with the way we finished that game. Awaka fouls 3 point shooter, Phillips passes an open dunk, senior leader bricks a 1 and 1 and leave a 3 wide open to win the ball game. Don’t think it could have been worse than that. Just disappointed right now

Yeah, Santi has to know a 2 only ties it. Leaving his man wide open in the corner was rough.

 

[Willy14]

And you've likely lost JJJ for at least a couple weeks.

This has to be one of, if not the worst defensive performance of the year.

How ya feeling after that game? Im trying not to get too worked up over one loss, but it just seems like it’s a continuous trend this year. Colorado, Kentucky, Florida, and now Vandy. (Arizona I would say we actually played good).

I just wish we would quit shooting ourselves in the foot

 

[VolsSportsFan]

How ya feeling after that game? Im trying not to get too worked up over one loss, but it just seems like it’s a continuous trend this year. Colorado, Kentucky, Florida, and now Vandy. (Arizona I would say we actually played good).

I just wish we would quit shooting ourselves in the foot

I'm more worried it's 3 games in a row we've played rather badly. And 3 games in a row IMO you can't just chalk up to "trap game, bad luck, etc." You don' thave 3 trap games in a row.

 

[MoCo_Vol]

He won’t do it, but I wish Barnes would just do a team building fun outing. Get these guys playing loose again.

They seem drained right now, definitely not ready to have the target on the back.

 

[mr.checkerboards]

We dont have an alpha that can handle the pressure. Someone needs to step up.

 

[Willy14]

I'm more worried it's 3 games in a row we've played rather badly. And 3 games in a row IMO you can't just chalk up to "trap game, bad luck, etc." You don' thave 3 trap games in a row.

Yeah I get that, it seems our offense just went disappeared after the Texas game. But kind of like BTO said, I feel like we played better offensively this game, not great, but better. Our defense just didn’t show up at all

 

[cncchris33]

How ya feeling after that game? Im trying not to get too worked up over one loss, but it just seems like it’s a continuous trend this year. Colorado, Kentucky, Florida, and now Vandy. (Arizona I would say we actually played good).

I just wish we would quit shooting ourselves in the foot

Terrible. Losing like this sucks. I'm concerned. The offense isn't good. We experience so many droughts and our defense is the only thing keeping us in games, and even that was brutal, tonight. Our shooting has just been in the tank for too long, now. And we've likely lost JJJ for some time to boot. Lately, it feels like we've been playing to the level of our competition. Lights out vs Texas, and very pedestrian against Vandy and Florida.

 

[MoCo_Vol]

Maybe Julian and Mashack step up in JJJ’s absence, they played better earlier in the year when he wasn’t playing.

Really hope Awaka continues to get more minutes, he’s the future. Aidoo still seems lost on defense when pulled out to perimeter.

 

[TheMookieMonster]

I’m just frustrated. This team should be better than this. It’s quite baffling to win as many games as we have and then stumble against some of the weakest teams on your schedule (Colorado, Vandy). Elite teams don’t do that.

Most of all, I’m just concerned about this team’s confidence. They do not look like they “have that dog in them” as the saying goes. The energy clearly wasn’t there tonight, they look easily rattled, and 3 straight putrid performances would indicate there is something deeper going on than bad luck.

Are we playing scared? Does Julian pass up that game-sealing dunk because he’s scared he might make the wrong decision and spark Barnes’ ire? I mean I truly don’t get it.

I don’t really know what else to say. I just wonder if this team peaked already.

 

[Willy14]

It’s things like this that make the loss so embarrassing.

 

[VolFreakJosh]

View attachment 535347

It’s things like this that make the loss so embarrassing.

One was at Bama and the other one was at Vandy.

It’s almost as if winning an SEC road game is tough.

 

[TheMookieMonster]

View attachment 535347

It’s things like this that make the loss so embarrassing.

Alabama is a real Top 10 team. We very clearly are not. We learned that tonight.

 

[berryvol]

This team has 2021 written all over them.

I’ll never give up on a tourney run bc it’s so matchup and luck based that you’d be crazy to. That said, the way this team is playing right now… yuck.

 

[TooLegit2Quit]

View attachment 535347

It’s things like this that make the loss so embarrassing.

Almost like those two games were played in two different venues? Now do records and deficit when playing @ 12-11 Oklahoma Fox!

 

[Govolsman98]

This team has 2021 written all over them.

I’ll never give up on a tourney run bc it’s so matchup and luck based that you’d be crazy to. That said, the way this team is playing right now… yuck.

Good comparison

 

[TheMookieMonster]

Meanwhile Alabama is up 30 on Florida. It’s like night and day. We might get bent over a barrel next Wednesday if we don’t figure something out quick. Alabama has turned an embarassing 30 point road beat down into the spark plug for their season, and we turned a home win against Texas into quite possibly the peak. It’s absolutely wild.

 

[VolsSportsFan]

I’m just frustrated. This team should be better than this. It’s quite baffling to win as many games as we have and then stumble against some of the weakest teams on your schedule (Colorado, Vandy). Elite teams don’t do that.

Most of all, I’m just concerned about this team’s confidence. They do not look like they “have that dog in them” as the saying goes. The energy clearly wasn’t there tonight, they look easily rattled, and 3 straight putrid performances would indicate there is something deeper going on than bad luck.

Are we playing scared? Does Julian pass up that game-sealing dunk because he’s scared he might make the wrong decision and spark Barnes’ ire? I mean I truly don’t get it.

I don’t really know what else to say. I just wonder if this team peaked already.

I'm trying not to overreact but a few weeks ago we're talking #1 seed and if this was the "best UT team ever" and now we're looking like we're on a bad downward trend. It sucks but it is what it is. I hate cliches but we really are about to find out what the team is made of, which is what I said after Florida and so far I'm not liking what I've seen.

 

[VolsSportsFan]

This team has 2021 written all over them.

I’ll never give up on a tourney run bc it’s so matchup and luck based that you’d be crazy to. That said, the way this team is playing right now… yuck.

Pretty much. If I'm being really honest, after 2019 and 2021 it's gotten harder for me to get really into regular season peformance. Even a few weeks ago when we were talking how great this team was, there was a part of me still holding back and now I see why.

I don't want to be gloom and doom and "here we go again" but I'd be lying if I said it's not creeping up on me.

 

[cncchris33]

I'm trying not to overreact but a few weeks ago we're talking #1 seed and if this was the "best UT team ever" and now we're looking like we're on a bad downward trend. It sucks but it is what it is. I hate cliches but we really are about to find out what the team is made of, which is what I said after Florida and so far I'm not liking what I've seen.

Yep, after three games, it's absolutely fair to be concerned. The offense, while better overall, tonight, still isn't good enough to be a difference on a night when our defense isn't playing at an elite level like tonight. Statistically, we were good offensively, but it just seems like...and it's felt like this for a few years since Grant and Admiral left...we just don't have a guy that can consistently go get a bucket. That lack of an alpha dog is our achilles heel.

Guys like Nkamhoua just make you want pull every hairpin your head out. He is one of the lowest IQ players I can remember. All the ability in the world but he just does some incredibly stupid stuff with the basketball.

Zeigler is limited and he is getting worn down. He almost never scores in the paint due to his lack of size, but his expended effort on defense and his number of minutes is affecting his shot. He just looks tired.

Vescovi is about two steps slower than he was in November and is clearly bothered by his shoulder.

Aidoo has regressed a good deal.

JJJ is just so hit and miss due to time missed with injury, and he's injured again, now.

Key is streaky, as well.

There are a lot of question marks and I don't blame people for being concerned. This team has warts that are often masked by the one thing they do really well. But on a night like tonight, when they don't bring it on defense, they lose their one advantage they almost always has, and even a good offensive performance (in terms of shooting %) won't make the difference.

The team looks tired, beaten down, and they don't look like they have much confidence, nor much fun playing.

 

[TheMookieMonster]

The team looks tired, beaten down, and they don't look like they have much confidence, nor much fun playing.

This is my biggest takeaway from tonight. Usually the lines like “This team is tired” are cliche, but no I can’t remember the last time I saw a team that looked more visibly beaten down and exhausted than us tonight. Shots continue to be short each game. Our guys body language becomes visibly tight when the game is close down the stretch. It was a miracle we didn’t blow the Auburn game on Saturday and tonight we clenched up and choked this late lead.

It took until the beginning of February, so longer than expected, but I think the lack of another true PG is finally catching up with us in the worst way. Man, if this team had KC it would be completely different.

 

[berryvol]

Pretty much. If I'm being really honest, after 2019 and 2021 it's gotten harder for me to get really into regular season peformance. Even a few weeks ago when we were talking how great this team was, there was a part of me still holding back and now I see why.

I don't want to be gloom and doom and "here we go again" but I'd be lying if I said it's not creeping up on me.

The 2019 team was very good. The 2021 team was poo and anyone who was paying halfway attention to them in February knew it. There’s plenty of time to turn this around, but we are 1/4 of our way into a similar February collapse as that team had.

 

[cncchris33]

This is my biggest takeaway from tonight. Usually the lines like “This team is tired” are cliche, but no I can’t remember the last time I saw a team that looked more visibly beaten down and exhausted than us tonight. Shots continue to be short each game. Our guys body language becomes visibly tight when the game is close down the stretch. It was a miracle we didn’t blow the Auburn game on Saturday and tonight we clenched up and choked this late lead.



It took until the beginning of February, so longer than expected, but I think the lack of another true PG is finally catching up with us in the worst way. Man, if this team had KC it would be completely different.

My main concern dating back to the summer.