The Official “Regular Posters of the Basketball Forum” Thread

[VolsSportsFan]

Looks like Saturday is going to be a slug fest.

Don’t think Tennessee nor KY can stop each other from scoring.

SC is a much better defensive team.

I hate to be pessimistic but I’ll be shocked if we win and I won’t be shocked if we lose convincingly. I don’t think UK is that great but it’s Rupp.

 

[walkenvol]

I don’t really think there is a way to sugar coat it. Just an inexcusable loss. Losing on the road is one thing. Losing at home to an unranked opponent is another.

Tonight, Barnes did get throughly out-coached. And now it’s a steep climb if you want to win the conference.

Cmon Mookie - Barnes didn’t miss all those bunnies and free throws. You can question going small at the end, but I didn’t realize they had changed the rules to allow you to just ban, bam, bam knocking the defender out of his position.

 

[TheMookieMonster]

Cmon Mookie - Barnes didn’t miss all those bunnies and free throws. You can question going small at the end, but I didn’t realize they had changed the rules to allow you to just ban, bam, bam knocking the defender out of his position.

I understand that the team missed a lot of open shots. I’m not saying this particular game is entirely one person’s fault. There is a lot of blame to go around.

But South Carolina did exactly what we expected South Carolina to do. They slowed the game down and we let them dictate the pace for all 40 minutes. That is not entirely on coaching, but you have to do more to try and force the team to play your style of basketball. I’m not saying Barnes should own this loss. Tons of players didn’t do their job. Just an observation that LaMont Paris was the better coach tonight.

 

[berryvol]

Cmon Mookie - Barnes didn’t miss all those bunnies and free throws. You can question going small at the end, but I didn’t realize they had changed the rules to allow you to just ban, bam, bam knocking the defender out of his position.

He can’t, but our defense and rebounding were also horrid tonight, outside of the final 3ish mins. We didn’t adjust on either all night and continued giving them good looks - as many layups as we missed, they definitely missed the same amount of wide open corner 3s.

 

[rush1228]

Why does nobody expect Barnes to loose a game AT HOME to a bad team. It happens every year.

Really dude??List a few them..

 

[OrangeInKy]

I hate to be pessimistic but I’ll be shocked if we win and I won’t be shocked if we lose convincingly. I don’t think UK is that great but it’s Rupp.

If they roll out Gainey for 22 minutes like they did tonight, there is no shot . Mashack got like 14. Coaching malpractice.

 

[BisonVol]

I hate to be pessimistic but I’ll be shocked if we win and I won’t be shocked if we lose convincingly. I don’t think UK is that great but it’s Rupp.

Same. The SEC Tournament championship team got run out of the gym in Rupp a couple of years ago. Pearl’s 31-5 SEC champion team lost up there. Just not a lot of success for us up there.

I suspect Kentucky will make a lot of contested tough shots and put up a lot of points. We’ll have to have a great offensive performance. Possible, but not likely given how things usually go for us in Rupp.

 

[BisonVol]

Why does nobody expect Barnes to loose a game AT HOME to a bad team. It happens every year.

Care to list a few? We lost to Kentucky and Mizzou (buzzer beater) at home last season, both tournament teams, and went undefeated at home the season before.

 

[walkenvol]

He can’t, but our defense and rebounding were also horrid tonight, outside of the final 3ish mins. We didn’t adjust on either all night and continued giving them good looks - as many layups as we missed, they definitely missed the same amount of wide open corner 3s.

SC made 10/29 3’s for 34.5% which is a percentage we would be fine with most knights. Can you really compare missing bunnies with missing 3’s anyway? Apples to oranges IMO

 

[Chaz-Vol]

I understand that the team missed a lot of open shots. I’m not saying this particular game is entirely one person’s fault. There is a lot of blame to go around.

But South Carolina did exactly what we expected South Carolina to do. They slowed the game down and we let them dictate the pace for all 40 minutes. That is not entirely on coaching, but you have to do more to try and force the team to play your style of basketball. I’m not saying Barnes should own this loss. Tons of players didn’t do their job. Just an observation that LaMont Paris was the better coach tonight.

Paris cooked Barnes when vols were on D. Both getting it to Mack when vols had 4 guard lineup plus dribble penetration to open 3 point shooters. No adjustments on defense.

Offense is entirely on players. For whatever reason they weren't confident at FT line and missed easy layups. Possibly win if they just make their free throws.

 

[walkenvol]

If they roll out Gainey for 22 minutes like they did tonight, there is no shot . Mashack got like 14. Coaching malpractice.

Gainey played great Saturday and was solid all around tonight. Only recall him taking 2 3’s that both rimmed out. We needed points and Mashack has quit shooting the last few games?

 

[OrangeInKy]

Gainey played great Saturday and was solid all around tonight. Only recall him taking 2 3’s that both rimmed out. We needed points and Mashack has quit shooting the last few games?

You don’t think he was a liability on defense? You think he deserves more minutes than Mashack? I’m a game like that?

 

[BisonVol]

Where I think Barnes was outcoached was in the area of tempo. We never found a way to speed up the game. Some of that is because we were shooting the ball so poorly, but it didn’t seem we made any apparent defensive adjustments until the end when we were in desperation mode.

He can’t help that the players missed a zillion layups, though. If we hit the layups, we aren’t even talking about SC controlling the tempo. If anything, we’re talking about how well prepared the team was to beat SC at its own game.

Sucks to lose this one, but it is what it is. Should light a fire under them. About to find out what this team is made of.

 

[BisonVol]

Paris cooked Barnes when vols were on D. Both getting it to Mack when vols had 4 guard lineup plus dribble penetration to open 3 point shooters. No adjustments on defense.

Offense is entirely on players. For whatever reason they weren't confident at FT line and missed easy layups. Possibly win if they just make their free throws.

I’m really curious why we didn’t start hitting the deck when Mack trucked his way to the rim. Seems like falling would make the ref call something or at the very least draw the crowd’s ire enough to make him call a charge the next time.

 

[berryvol]

SC made 10/29 3’s for 34.5% which is a percentage we would be fine with most knights. Can you really compare missing bunnies with missing 3’s anyway? Apples to oranges IMO

I agree, it’s totally different. I’m just saying, if USCjr was shown the looks they were gonna get all night tonight, they probably think they should have scored more. If we leave shooters open like we did tonight, on Saturday, things are going to get very ugly. Hoping this is just a 1-off.

 

[berryvol]

Gainey played great Saturday and was solid all around tonight. Only recall him taking 2 3’s that both rimmed out. We needed points and Mashack has quit shooting the last few games?

Yup and on Gainey, his perimeter defense is good enough to not play him off the court. With the effort we’re getting from JJJ on both ends, Shack needs a lot more (as you alluded to, need him to get aggressive again too) and Gainey should get a few more too. Gainey may have a bad shooting night, but he’s FAR more likely to hit a few threes and spark a run than JJJ.

 

[sportsnut624]

Care to list a few? We lost to Kentucky and Mizzou (buzzer beater) at home last season, both tournament teams, and went undefeated at home the season before.

The last real bad home loss I can remember was Texas am in 2020. We are very good at home.

 

[BisonVol]

Yup and on Gainey, his perimeter defense is good enough to not play him off the court. With the effort we’re getting from JJJ on both ends, Shack needs a lot more (as you alluded to, need him to get aggressive again too) and Gainey should get a few more too. Gainey may have a bad shooting night, but he’s FAR more likely to hit a few threes and spark a run than JJJ.

Gainey is at least willing to shoot. He may miss, but just the fact he is willing to shoot makes teams have to guard him. Right now, teams barely have to guard JJJ. It’s like 5 on 4 when he’s on the court.

 

[ColinS]

Are people seriously discussing a 1 seed. We are trending towards double digit loses. Saturday will most likely makes 6. Three loses in the second half of the conference schedule plus a loss on the conference tourny makes 10. That's who we are, live in denial all you want. Doesn't mean we still can't make a run in the NCAAs but we want be seeded that high.

 

[TheMookieMonster]

This man needs some help from…..basically anyone else on the team.

 

[BisonVol]

This man needs some help from…..basically anyone else on the team.

Has to be 25. Too many games that Aidoo isn’t physical enough to be a reliable second scoring option and Zeigler is more distributor than pure scorer. Santi has to step up and take on the number two scoring role.

 

[berryvol]

This man needs some help from…..basically anyone else on the team.

I love him and appreciate him so much, and I’m so glad his comments after the vandy game shows that he’s feeling the love from this fan base. Win or lose, we gotta cherish the time we get to watch DK play. Once in a lifetime scorer, hard worker, and just all around great dude. Don’t even want to think about where we’d be without him.

 

[berryvol]

 

[walkenvol]

You don’t think he was a liability on defense? You think he deserves more minutes than Mashack? I’m a game like that?

No, I don’t think he’s superior to Mashack defensively, but he’s not a liability on defense at all. We needed points, and Mashack has quit trying to even shoot the last few games.

We’ve got 8-9 guys currently demonstrated being capable of competent SEC level play. When 5 of them can’t throw the ball in the ocean, then just calling to bench them all isn’t an option

 

[OrangeInKy]

No, I don’t think he’s superior to Mashack defensively, but he’s not a liability on defense at all. We needed points, and Mashack has quit trying to even shoot the last few games.

We’ve got 8-9 guys currently demonstrated being capable of competent SEC level play. When 5 of them can’t throw the ball in the ocean, then just calling to bench them all isn’t an option

Who said anything about benching anyone? I’m talking and minutes being played and situational basketball.