The Vanderbilt Postgame Report

#76
#76
OrangeBalls said:
Another thing to consider is this was UT's 3rd game in 6 days. We went 2-1 and had a chance to win at Ole Miss. I haven't watched the game but I'd imagine fatigue set in some. Now we don't have anymore of those damn Thu night games if I remember correctly and maybe the guys can get some rest before going to Ark.
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Thurs-Sat-Tue turnaround...first one on the road, not an east task, I'll take 2-1.
 
#77
#77
Spartacavolus said:
Stockton used to have a little quick underhand flip with no elevation and get it up before the D could help quite often when he had a lane. Don't know why more don't do the same.
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Rondo has mastered the quick flip layups, going off the wrong foot and everything...anything to mess up thr bigs timing.
 
#78
#78
I haven't heard a word about Ark this year...haven't seen them play, nothing...
I'm pretty sure we can beat them if we play good.
 
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#79
#79
Fullfillmer said:
Golden is one of the worse passing point guards in the history of point guard play.I would bet Golden has the majority of his games with 1 or fewer assists.
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Golden avgs 3.54 apg, and has the second most assists in his career of active SEC players.

I hardly call that one of the worst passing guards in the history of pg play.
 
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#80
#80
"No offense - but if Lopez can't be as good a passer as Golden we should take away his scholarship -- oh wait.

Golden is one of the worse passing point guards in the history of point guard play. Lopez, who is 5' not much - and hasn't played in 5 games out played and out passed Golden in the time he was in there. He had 3 assists in his few minutes and I would bet Golden has the majority of his games with 1 or fewer assists. Golden is all dribble driver and throw it up amongst the trees and when he is not doing that -- he is thinking about dribble drive"


I totally agree with this comment! No doubt Lopez isn't a scorming machine, but if Golden can't produce we need to look elsewhere. Stokes looked good tonight, hopefully he can be consistent.
 
#81
#81
zjcvols said:
Lopez is a nice little player, but highly limited. Golden is still the best ball handler and passer. If Lopez was as good you say, he'd playing over Trae.
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Lopez is a better passer. Not sure on ball-handling as we haven't seen enough of Lopez to determine that.

I would like to see more of Lopez going forward.
 
#82
#82
zjcvols said:
I wouldn't say positive was exactly my feelings. I was on the couch and after the missed tip in I dropped to the floor and scream "Thank God we escaped!"

And I never disagreed with your assessment this isn't a good basketball team.
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Actually, you did say they're not a bad basketball team a few posts ago, but no big deal. I guess I just don't like the "demeanor" or personality of this team. I know they play hard and but they just don't play smart and no one seems to step up and make a play late when they need one. Even McRae, who's been awesome in SEC play has been bad late in games when they need him, especially at the free throw line where he's normally 80% or so. I find it much easier to pull for teams like when Lofton and Bradshaw were here, guys who played smart, tough, tenacious and clutch basketball beyond even their talent level. If UT had played well tonight, good fundamental smart basketball, and won by one, I'd have been good. But after the season they've put up so far and to see them escape with a win vs an also ran like vandy, I just couldn't take it.:mf_surrender:
 
#85
#85
Would rather have good Golden and Moore than give Lopez more minutes at this point. Could change though.
 
#86
#86
zjcvols said:
1. Dear God, a win is a win, but can we stop with the close games? Geesh.

2. Cuonzo's decision to go with Lopez and Hall in the final seconds instead of Moore and Stokes was inexcusable and almost cost UT this game. Watching the final play, Lopez gets blown by, and Hall just stands there with the game deciding rebound in the air. Does that happen with Stokes? Nope. Cuonzo should thank the Lord they missed those shots.

3. Tennessee was 12-15 from the free throw line...then went 0-3 and missed three front ends. That was almost a disaster.

4. Bernard King Player of the Game: Jarnell Stokes. Box score stuffer tonight with 19 points/11 boards/3 assists/3 blocks and a steal. He was aggressive, and his offensive rebounding was the key in the game. He's improving and he handled double teams extremely well today. 8-12 from the field and 3-4 from the line. You take that all day, every day.

5. However, they have to run every play through him when he's on the floor. His scoring and playmaking is this team's greatest asset and he's the key to it. He would have had 25 had they gotten him the ball more.

6. Jordan McRae was 2-10 from the field and had no assists, while Trae Golden didn't play the second half. UT was able to still win. There weren't a ton of positives, but that was one.

7. Speaking of Golden, this team needs him. He's struggled mightily, but he's still the best ball handler and passer on the team. I like Brandon Lopez, but if Golden is out for an extended period of time, UT is screwed.

8. UT's defensive inconsistency was the reason the game was close. For whatever reason, the perimeter defense was not there. They looked slow moving their feet, and I felt like they gave up with on ball screens too much. I was disappointed with the defense and I'm sure Cuonzo was too.

9. The good news? Tennessee only had nine turnovers tonight. They did a better job protecting the ball, and for the most part had better passes...but they still throw bad entry passes.

10. It's a win. It was ugly and tough to watch in the sense that UT just couldn't put Vandy away, but without Golden and McRae no showing, UT can get to .500 Saturday with a road win at Arkansas. UT gets a couple extra days off and hopefully UT can fix the defensive issues. Any time the Vols win is a good night.

Go Vols! :hi:
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Another good report. I have only one exception, and that is that I believe Lopez is a much better distributor, and at worst, is as good a ball-handler as Golden. Now, I don't think he has near the natural talent and scoring ability as Golden, but in those two areas (passing and ball-handling), I think he's at least as capable or better. The ball-handling especially seems to be Golden's achilles heel right now, followed by decision-making.

Edit: I hadn't read all the way through this thread when I posted and I see now this seems to be a topic of debate. Sorry for the late added opinion. Just had a baby two days ago and time's a limited commodity.
 
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#88
#88
Suck it Stallings. This is OUR state.

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#90
#90
cncchris33 said:
Another good report. I have only one exception, and that is that I believe Lopez is a much better distributor, and at worst, is as good a ball-handler as Golden. Now, I don't think he has near the natural talent and scoring ability as Golden, but in those two areas (passing and ball-handling), I think he's at least as capable or better. The ball-handling especially seems to be Golden's achilles heel right now, followed by decision-making.

Edit: I hadn't read all the way through this thread when I posted and I see now this seems to be a topic of debate. Sorry for the late added opinion. Just had a baby two days ago and time's a limited commodity.
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Congrats!!! Boy or girl?

And welcome to the end of your life. :)
 
#91
#91
cncchris33 said:
Another good report. I have only one exception, and that is that I believe Lopez is a much better distributor, and at worst, is as good a ball-handler as Golden. Now, I don't think he has near the natural talent and scoring ability as Golden, but in those two areas (passing and ball-handling), I think he's at least as capable or better. The ball-handling especially seems to be Golden's achilles heel right now, followed by decision-making.

Edit: I hadn't read all the way through this thread when I posted and I see now this seems to be a topic of debate. Sorry for the late added opinion. Just had a baby two days ago and time's a limited commodity.
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zjcvols said:
Congrats!!! Boy or girl?

And welcome to the end of your life. :)
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Baby? What? Congrats!

Welcome to the end of your free time. Your life will change in a different direction. I'd like to say you'll get to see more UT games, but those first few years, sheesh. You'll learn to love that DVR.
 
#93
#93
Fullfillmer said:
Golden is one of the worse passing point guards in the history of point guard play.
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This statement is unfair because:

a) It's completely and utterly false. (averaging 4.1 assists this season)

b) Golden wasn't recruited as a point guard. It's like calling Steve Nash the worst center ever.
 
#94
#94
zjcvols said:
2. Cuonzo's decision to go with Lopez and Hall in the final seconds instead of Moore and Stokes was inexcusable and almost cost UT this game. Watching the final play, Lopez gets blown by, and Hall just stands there with the game deciding rebound in the air. Does that happen with Stokes? Nope. Cuonzo should thank the Lord they missed those shots.
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This is asinine. The very definition of idiocy. I didn't catch the last play, so I had no idea Stokes wasn't in there. But I admit I actually got a little angry when I read this in your report.

There is no defending this. Vandy called timeout before the play, so we knew we were on defense and CCM had a chance to sub in Stokes. You're going to tell me you're leaving your best rebounder, an absolute monster, on the bench as the opposition takes its shot at the game?

And look what happened. Vanderbilt had not 1 but 2 tip attempts. Does that happen if Stokes is in there? No freaking chance. Worst case scenario is he gets the rebound, Vandy fouls him, and he misses. Guess what? Score's the same, only now Vandy has to go the length of the court again.

I cannot understate my disappointment in CCM for this decision. You guys know I'm an avid supporter of the 'jury's still out' theory concerning Coach Martin, but goodness. Decisions like this one really do make me wonder if he can make it for us.
 
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#95
#95
And just so you guys know, despite my previous post, I'm still enjoying the hell out of this win. It is a win and will remain a win, and you better believe I'll take it, especially with this team.

I don't think it's wrong to be disappointed in our performance, as Vandy is a team we ought to beat by 10-15, but as I said, it is still, at the end of the day, a win.

Go Vols!
 
#96
#96
KBVol said:
We will agree to disagree. Beating a low talent, awful rebounding, worst SEC free throw shooting team at home by one..... I just don't see what you see. I'm a Vol through and through (class of 90, my oldest starts school there in the fall), but I see this team for what it is- a below average team that is not performing to its talent level. Hopefully we play some postseason ball in the NIT.
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In my opinion you are taking way too much out of just one game. Vandy almost beat Ole Miss... would you call Ole Miss a bad team? We beat Wichita State. I could take that game and counter everything you're arguing. There are countless examples. It's just 1 game. Promise.

Now I get that certain things have been consistent throughout this year (the anemic offense, hot/cold defense, weak in the clutch, ****ty free throw shooting), but you must admit that even for this Tennessee team, this was a well below average performance.

We're not going to play like that every game. Jordan isn't going to go 2-10 every game. And quite frankly, you are failing to consider the possibility that maybe Vandy just played well. Bad teams can play well on a given night and beat lots of teams. Texas nearly beat Kansas, for instance.

I don't know, man. I see where you're coming from, truly. But I think that's too much doom and gloom for a game we won.
 
#98
#98
Whew! Cuonzo and the Vols managed to somehow eke out another much-needed victory. On the downside, Wichita State lost, so there goes our RPI.
 
#99
#99
Special Ed said:
Whew! Cuonzo and the Vols managed to somehow eke out another much-needed victory. On the downside, Wichita State lost, so there goes our RPI.
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We remained at 79 with our win.
KY with a win over Ole Miss moved into the top 50 rpi.
4 teams now in top 50.
Bama sitting at 62.
 
#100
#100
My comment on Wichita St. was meant as a joke. Not every post is meant to be taken seriously. Besides that, the ever-changing RPI numbers will probably be refigured before the day is over. I believe we were at 79 before last night's game. I only wonder whether the Vols will move up or down now, or stay in neutral.
 
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