Yeah I agree ...all the analysts have different ideas and criticism but bottom line...well you stated it...we didn’t have any (I MEAN ZERO) help on the inside and we missed shots in boatloads. Make a few of those and it’s a different story. Stage was too big for our freshmen and James and Bailey were like 5-24. And Pons was like 0-3 from the field with 4 pts from FT line. We bad need 2 athletic bigs and a shooter would help. But hey doesn’t everyone?The problem with yesterdays game was they had a 7'1 center and (2) players that could hit a 3. And we had 5* freshmen who could not figure out how to play together all season. I knew in the first 3 minutes of that game we were not winning. They came out hitting shots and we were unfocused and played that way all game. The team played hard and gave a great effort especially in the second half but just could not hit the shots that mattered.
The problem with yesterdays game was they had a 7'1 center and (2) players that could hit a 3. And we had 5* freshmen who could not figure out how to play together all season. I knew in the first 3 minutes of that game we were not winning. They came out hitting shots and we were unfocused and played that way all game. The team played hard and gave a great effort especially in the second half but just could not hit the shots that mattered.
The most talented team in Vols history got beat by an average Purdue team in the sweet sixteen. The team that got beat by Louisville in the sweet sixteen had zero nba players on it and lost to a higher seed. Bruce Pearl matched or exceed his seed in the tournament ever single year. Barnes still hasn’t done it yet. That pretty much summarized it perfectly Pearl can coach in March. Barnes can’t.
The most talented team in Vols history got beat by an average Purdue team in the sweet sixteen. The team that got beat by Louisville in the sweet sixteen had zero nba players on it and lost to a higher seed. Bruce Pearl matched or exceed his seed in the tournament ever single year. Barnes still hasn’t done it yet. That pretty much summarized it perfectly Pearl can coach in March. Barnes can’t.
They tied for first and lost in the first round of big ten tournament in a year that the big ten was down. They were not as good as the Louisville team that beat the Vols in the S16.
That "average" Purdue team won the Big Ten regular season title. Getting beat in the Sweet Sixteen was certainly underachieving and disappointing given the players we had, but to say that was an average Purdue team just isn't accurate.
Lol this joker calls Purdue average but praises the UL team that whipped our ass in 2008 by almost 20 and they had virtually the same resumes.
The most talented team in Vols history got beat by an average Purdue team in the sweet sixteen. The team that got beat by Louisville in the sweet sixteen had zero nba players on it and lost to a higher seed. Bruce Pearl matched or exceed his seed in the tournament ever single year. Barnes still hasn’t done it yet. That pretty much summarized it perfectly Pearl can coach in March. Barnes can’t.
Look at the entire college basketball season. The reason we were flat is the same reason there have been inexplicable upsets throughout the year and the same reason KY and Duke are absent. The 5* One and Done model only works with ridiculous amounts of practice time. Covid killed that.
Teams with workhorse 3 and 2 stars who have played together for 5 years can overcome the talent of the fab freshmen. Our guys didn't have the time to gel properly. Losing Fulk only complicated that. Look at all the upsets already in the first round. Covid helped parity. I know it was disappointing for us to tank, but Barnes knows what he's doing.
Lol this joker calls Purdue average but praises the UL team that whipped our ass in 2008 by almost 20 and they had virtually the same resumes.
Admiral and Bone aren't in the NBA and Williams averages about 5 minutes and 3 points a game.I love CRB as a person and developer of men. Can also develop inside players given time. However he struggles as an X&Os coach and adjustments. With 3 NBA ready players, (Williams, Admiral, Bone) he still couldn’t win the SEC or get past the Sweet 16. This year he has potentially 3 league players and struggled in the SEC and AAs. I don’t think I have ever seen Ky, Duke, UNC, Kansas do that. Michigan played 5 FR and won (?) the title. Cal won with Freshmen at PG, Center, and wing players. Just enjoy Barnes during the regular season and don’t get your hopes too high.
I heard no less than 4-5 interviews with Barnes last week and even in his pregame yesterday he went out of his way to complain about how miserable life was in the bubble in every single one of them.
I think that mind set filtered thru to the team and they won’t admit it but they are glad they are free to go home.
one other thing Barnes mentioned in his pregame yesterday was the big 10 teams had been there much longer and we know they had a disaster of a day.
this tourney really is about the off the court battles imo
Their 7 ft center averaged 5 Ppg. Against us, he was 8 for 8 and scored a CAREER high 16 points. You have to love how our football and basketball teals can always make pedestrian players look like All AmericansThe problem with yesterdays game was they had a 7'1 center and (2) players that could hit a 3. And we had 5* freshmen who could not figure out how to play together all season. I knew in the first 3 minutes of that game we were not winning. They came out hitting shots and we were unfocused and played that way all game. The team played hard and gave a great effort especially in the second half but just could not hit the shots that mattered.
Defense is great? We let a horrible team shoot almost 50% and also knock down almost 50% of their 3’s. Our defense pretty much sucked, just like the rest of our game. It was obvious from the opening tip our team had no energy or desire to even win that game. We should have given our spot to a team that actuall wanted to be there, like Ole Miss who would have performed much betterYou gotta hit the shots if you plan to win games. If Tn has consistent problems all season hitting shots....practice, practice, practice. And then practice on your off time. Defense is great-- you gotta have it. But sometimes you just have to make your shots.
Flat aint got nothing to do with it ...like I've said all year .. we have NO bigs ... you are not gonna shoot well every game .. thats where the offensive boards come in play .. we get none ...