The Official “Regular Posters of the Basketball Forum” Thread

[OrangeInKy]

Same here.. we need a safe place other than the Official Regulars.

Most of us meet up at Hardee’s In Mayville the morning after a loss

 

[bleedingTNorange]

@walkenvol & @Willy14 appreciate that, I can try to get back to doing them

 

[VolCalls]

Remember the days when a 20 win season was a pipe dream?

Yes. All the more reason to soak up what a blessing it is to have Barnes at the helm. This has been the most enjoyable era for Tennessee Basketball I’ve ever experienced, and we’re at the point in the season where it starts to get really fun, even if we take another loss or two. There’s nothing like March Madness and to be in the thick of the national title hunt gives it another layer of excitement. Soak it up and enjoy the journey!

 

[VolCalls]

I would think Pope would stick with what worked for him last time until it doesn't. Ultimately, I think this game will come down to us slowing them down offensively - I'd love to chase them off the 3-pt. line and make them make tough 2's. It's harder to generate scoring runs without transition buckets or 3's, so not turning it over will also be huge.

I would guess that Mashack's minutes reduction has as much to do with Gainey's play and having multiple scoring threats on the floor at the same time without a big defensive dropoff as anything else. Igor's improvement as the season has gone on has probably reduced the 3-guard approach as well. Rick has improved quality depth and more lineup options to work with this year.

Excellent take. We have to force them inside the arc and not give them open looks outside. Rupp has always been a shooter’s gym - we can’t shoot much worse than we did in TBA two weeks ago so I’m hoping we can pick up where we left off at Oklahoma. Arkansas did it 10 days ago.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

Couple thoughts…

- great showing in Norman, would’ve loved to see a better second half offensively just because the first half was so elite that it could’ve really improved our metrics, but hard to fault them for playing with their food a bit. Too many turnovers and then some odd lineup combos didn’t help, but it allowed guys some rest and others some PT, can’t complain too much.

-the 2nd half against Missouri and 1st half against Oklahoma combined to make a full 40 minutes that Tennessee scored 102 points total, 60%FG and 63% from 3. Obviously you can’t expect that to be sustained, but Zeigler and Milicic finding their stroke to go along with Lanier is a big development and will further help spread things out and allow guys like Mashack & Okpara to be more effective in the paint. Hopefully this continues to give guys confidence on the offensive end.

-felt like a must win if we want to remain a serious threat for a 1 seed, imo 6-2 likely gets it done and that was one of the more winnable games of the remaining 8, great to see them handle business.

 

[sami]

-the 2nd half against Missouri and 1st half against Oklahoma combined to make a full 40 minutes that Tennessee scored 102 points total, 60%FG and 63% from 3. Obviously you can’t expect that to be sustained, but Zeigler and Milicic finding their stroke to go along with Lanier is a big development and will further help spread things out and allow guys like Mashack & Okpara to be more effective in the paint. Hopefully this continues to give guys confidence on the offensive end.

The improved shooting IMO has more to do with shots being taken in the rhythm of the offense, off of called actions and inside out passes after paint touches, and out of transition. The KY game at TBA was a lot of forced shots either early or late in the clock and totally out of rhythm after we fell behind.

If we get stops and get out and run, and run the offense the way we did in the MIZ and OK games, getting better quality looks, the shots will fall.

 

[MoCo_Vol]

Couple thoughts…

- great showing in Norman, would’ve loved to see a better second half offensively just because the first half was so elite that it could’ve really improved our metrics, but hard to fault them for playing with their food a bit. Too many turnovers and then some odd lineup combos didn’t help, but it allowed guys some rest and others some PT, can’t complain too much.

-the 2nd half against Missouri and 1st half against Oklahoma combined to make a full 40 minutes that Tennessee scored 102 points total, 60%FG and 63% from 3. Obviously you can’t expect that to be sustained, but Zeigler and Milicic finding their stroke to go along with Lanier is a big development and will further help spread things out and allow guys like Mashack & Okpara to be more effective in the paint. Hopefully this continues to give guys confidence on the offensive end.

-felt like a must win if we want to remain a serious threat for a 1 seed, imo 6-2 likely gets it done and that was one of the more winnable games of the remaining 8, great to see them handle business.

Just rewatched it, the 2nd half became a bit of a foul fest... officiating got a little tighter and it slowed things down to a crawl.

We did cool off, shot 69.2% FG and 58.3% 3PT in 1st half then in 2nd half that dropped to 50% FG and just 22.2% 3PT. We only took 5 FTs the entire game. OU got 12 and all of them came in the 2nd half... our defense was far better in the 2nd half though with the pace being slowed down and Barnes seeming to be okay with just leaving in more defensive lineups.

If we get the offense we've had the last 2 games and the defense we had at OU and vs Florida we won't lose another game... but of course that's a big IF

 

[cncchris33]

Couple thoughts…

- great showing in Norman, would’ve loved to see a better second half offensively just because the first half was so elite that it could’ve really improved our metrics, but hard to fault them for playing with their food a bit. Too many turnovers and then some odd lineup combos didn’t help, but it allowed guys some rest and others some PT, can’t complain too much.

-the 2nd half against Missouri and 1st half against Oklahoma combined to make a full 40 minutes that Tennessee scored 102 points total, 60%FG and 63% from 3. Obviously you can’t expect that to be sustained, but Zeigler and Milicic finding their stroke to go along with Lanier is a big development and will further help spread things out and allow guys like Mashack & Okpara to be more effective in the paint. Hopefully this continues to give guys confidence on the offensive end.

-felt like a must win if we want to remain a serious threat for a 1 seed, imo 6-2 likely gets it done and that was one of the more winnable games of the remaining 8, great to see them handle business.

No doubt on the odd lineup experiment. At one point, we had Boswell, Gainey, Dubar, Mashack, and Philips on the floor together. What an offensive disaster that lineup is. I bet those 5 haven't played together all year.

 

[Chaz-Vol]

Rest of the season, ideally try and go 1-2 or 2-1 on road games against UK, ole miss and AM. Have to not lose another game at home or on road against LSU to keep top 4 seed in SEC tournament and 1-2 seed in NCAA tournament.

 

[VolsSportsFan]

There's a thread in the Around the NCAA forum but anyone think Indiana is still Pearl's dream job? Because it's about to open up.

 

[GUNTERSVOL]

Just rewatched it, the 2nd half became a bit of a foul fest... officiating got a little tighter and it slowed things down to a crawl.

We did cool off, shot 69.2% FG and 58.3% 3PT in 1st half then in 2nd half that dropped to 50% FG and just 22.2% 3PT. We only took 5 FTs the entire game. OU got 12 and all of them came in the 2nd half... our defense was far better in the 2nd half though with the pace being slowed down and Barnes seeming to be okay with just leaving in more defensive lineups.

If we get the offense we've had the last 2 games and the defense we had at OU and vs Florida we won't lose another game... but of course that's a big IF

Sometimes that is what you get when you go into run the clock and get a late shot instead of finding the first good shot and compound it with big lead alternate lineups.

 

[cncchris33]

There's a thread in the Around the NCAA forum but anyone think Indiana is still Pearl's dream job? Because it's about to open up.

Can't see Pearl starting over at Indiana from the #1 team in the country at age 65 unless Indiana is willing to make some kind of guarantee that Auburn isn't willing to match, like naming Stephen head coach in waiting, or doubling Bruce's salary. Without any major concession, just making the jump to IU doesn't make a lot of sense for him.

 

[VolsSportsFan]

Can't see Pearl starting over at Indiana from the #1 team in the country at age 65 unless Indiana is willing to make some kind of guarantee that Auburn isn't willing to match, like naming Stephen head coach in waiting, or doubling Bruce's salary. Without any major concession, just making the jump to IU doesn't make a lot of sense for him.

I agree. Having a dream job when you're in your 40s and still on the rise is very different than 20 years later and you're well established. Also the Indiana job isn't the destination job it once was.

 

[MoCo_Vol]

Can't see Pearl starting over at Indiana from the #1 team in the country at age 65 unless Indiana is willing to make some kind of guarantee that Auburn isn't willing to match, like naming Stephen head coach in waiting, or doubling Bruce's salary. Without any major concession, just making the jump to IU doesn't make a lot of sense for him.

With the portal and NIL is there even a thing as "starting over" anymore?


Not a great example, since he's not produced results yet...but Coach Cal basically just shifted pieces. Bringing 3 UK players via the portal, and flipping 3 of his HS commits. I'm sure Pearl going to Auburn could do the same thing.

I don't know if he would leave, but if Pearl was ever going to bail I think this offseason is the most likely.

8 seniors dominating the minutes played per game only Pettiford & Howard see 10 mpg or more a game and aren't seniors.

 

[cncchris33]

With the portal and NIL is there even a thing as "starting over" anymore?


Not a great example, since he's not produced results yet...but Coach Cal basically just shifted pieces. Bringing 3 UK players via the portal, and flipping 3 of his HS commits. I'm sure Pearl going to Auburn could do the same thing.

I don't know if he would leave, but if Pearl was ever going to bail I think this offseason is the most likely.

8 seniors dominating the minutes played per game only Pettiford & Howard see 10 mpg or more a game and aren't seniors.

To answer your question, no, there really isn't. That isn't what I meant, though. I meant starting over from establishing a program. It's easy(ier) to build a team, now with NIL and the portal. But a 65, does he want to move his family to Bloomington, establish roots with a new administration, schmooze a new booster group, develop rapport with a new fan base, and establish a new culture and program? Doubtful, IMO. He has it made at Auburn. Cal didn't really have a choice. He reset his clock and was paid handsomely to do it. If Pearl were on the outside at AU like Cal was at UK, it makes a lot more sense.

 

[cncchris33]

.

 

[orangemadam]

The inconsistency of the Vols offense is still a major concern, even in the
blowout the 2nd half was ugly.

Inconsistent offense will be a major detriment when the big tourney comes. Can't
afford a bad half or you will be eliminated quickly. Defense can carry you for a game
or two in the tourney, but not a 5 or 6 game run.

 

[cncchris33]

The inconsistency of the Vols offense is still a major concern, even in the
blowout the 2nd half was ugly.

Inconsistent offense will be a major detriment when the big tourney comes. Can't
afford a bad half or you will be eliminated quickly. Defense can carry you for a game
or two in the tourney, but not a 5 or 6 game run.

Tennessee still shot 50% in the 2nd half. 18 of their 36 points in the paint came after halftime. Both halves featured a lot of TOs, but seeing us experiment with lineups and lose a little focus when we got up by 28 points wasn't totally surprising. The officials decided to call two entirely different games from half to half, too, which disrupted the flow in the 2nd half.

 

[MoCo_Vol]

Yeah, biggest difference in 2nd half was we weren't taking the first good look on shots.

But OU scored 27 points, 12 came from the FT line. We just burned clock and played defense, would have been out of their quicker if not for all the fouls suddenly being called.

 

[OrangeInKy]

There's a thread in the Around the NCAA forum but anyone think Indiana is still Pearl's dream job? Because it's about to open up.

I’ve heard he wouldn’t go to Louisville because they wouldn’t make Stevie Coach in waiting. I think he won’t go anywhere unless a school promises that. JMO

 

[VolsSportsFan]

I’ve heard he wouldn’t go to Louisville because they wouldn’t make Stevie Coach in waiting. I think he won’t go anywhere unless a school promises that. JMO

I can totally see Auburn doing that because just imo they will probably go back to being mostly irrelevant in basketball after he leaves.

 

[Delmar]

I’ve heard he wouldn’t go to Louisville because they wouldn’t make Stevie Coach in waiting. I think he won’t go anywhere unless a school promises that. JMO

Stevie as Coach in Waiting? So the school has to have some sort of death wish for its program before they can hire Bruce?

 

[Delmar]

I can totally see Auburn doing that because just imo they will probably go back to being mostly irrelevant in basketball after he leaves.

Yep. I’m going to enjoy watching Steven Pearl as a head coach.

 

[sami]

The inconsistency of the Vols offense is still a major concern, even in the
blowout the 2nd half was ugly.

Inconsistent offense will be a major detriment when the big tourney comes. Can't
afford a bad half or you will be eliminated quickly. Defense can carry you for a game
or two in the tourney, but not a 5 or 6 game run.

You throw out halves like that one. Leading by 20 in a game which there was little doubt would be a W, the focus is always going to drop a little, thus all the sloppy turnovers. But even playing with some unique lineups and burning the clock for the most part, we played them even.

 

[omghulkhands]

I’ve heard he wouldn’t go to Louisville because they wouldn’t make Stevie Coach in waiting. I think he won’t go anywhere unless a school promises that. JMO

Cause he’d coach for a year and retire lol