Vols dropped 3 of last 4

[mattvols]

The Vols appear to be falling apart defensively as teams have figured out how to beat us, send it inside as much as possible. Pearl's teams know for playing with heart and determination have been playing heartless uninspired basketball. What can Pearl do to fix this, as many know the biggest thing about the NCAA tourney selection is how you've done your last 10 games. I'm driving over to Vandy this weekend, the game has me worried.

 

[hatvol96]

The Vols appear to be falling apart defensively as teams have figured out how to beat us, send it inside as much as possible. Pearl's teams know for playing with heart and determination have been playing heartless uninspired basketball. What can Pearl do to fix this, as many know the biggest thing about the NCAA tourney selection is how you've done your last 10 games. I'm driving over to Vandy this weekend, the game has me worried.

I completely disagree with the "heartless" "uninspired" assessment. If a plowhorse enters the Kentucky Derby, I don't care how much heart it has, or how inspired it is, the thoroughbreds will eventually run by it. Even the best jockey can't save the plowhorse. This team is an example of how the season eventually exposes everything and the best teams rise to the top. Short of being able to make people grow bigger and stronger in the next two weeks, Pearl simply has to play the hand he's dealt as best he can.

 

[OWB]

Pearl's teams know for playing with heart and determination have been playing heartless uninspired basketball.

With the exception of the Arkansas game in which they were obviously tired from the Florida trip, this statement is just silly. Did you watch the game last night? Don't confuse bad half court defense with lack of heart, determination and uninspired basketball.

We have depended on the press and now the good teams have figured out how to beat it by going over the top. We are very beatable when we can't force the turnovers since the turnovers made up for our lack of rebounding. I also think that we have depended on the press so much that we really don't know how to play defense or forgot.

Right now, I'm not sure what else we can expect from them. They have done so much already. If the season ended today, I would be left feeling very pleased about this season and the direction that our basketball program is heading.

This team still has some fire and still has some wins in them. If they can improve their defense just a little, they'll be winning again. Bama shot 76% percent against us in one half while Kentucky shot 78% in a half. Knock it down to 50 or 60 and we win both. :twocents:

 

[volmanjr]

We also have no inside presence to take some pressure off the perimeter, Wingate looked better last night(until he missed the dunk)but you can still just stomp your foot at him and he misses the shot. Live by the 3 die by the 3.

 

[rwemyss]

The press will be more effective in the tourney if we get past the first round... there's not time to practice breaking it.

 

[OWB]

The press will be more effective in the tourney if we get past the first round... there's not time to practice breaking it.

That's a good point, but we'll have to wait and see.

 

[hatvol96]

The press will be more effective in the tourney if we get past the first round... there's not time to practice breaking it.

Actually, if you look at Tom Davis's NCAA record, the opposite appears to be true. He's something like 9-1 in first round games, but has a progressively worse record in the other rounds.

 

[rwemyss]

What about Pitino's NCAA record?

 

[hatvol96]

What about Pitino's NCAA record?

1. Depends on how you judge it, given that most of his teams have been seeded 5 or higher, you would always expect them to win 2 games.
2. His best team, the '96 championsip team didn't press as much as his other teams. He had enough talent, he didn't need the gimmick of a press.
3. My observation is that Pitino's teams aren't as dependent on the press as those from the Davis stable, i.e. Pearl, Gary Williams.

All those things said, Pitino does have a very good tourney record.

 

[lawgator1]

My post on this topic from another thread:

I flipped back and forth between your game and the FSU-Duke game. Sadly, for me both games ended the way I did not want them to end. I wanted you to beat UK so that Florida would get the #2 seed in the SECE and therefore a tournament first round bye and of course I loathe FSU just because and now I have to hear about them beating the #1 team for, oh I don't know, infinity.


As to the contention that Pearl cost your team the W, I just think that is plain ridiculous. I was rolling my eyes midway through the first half when you were up somethinglike 21-7 and there was Pearl, screaming his head off at your players. I really thought you had the game well in hand and it looked like a blowout and here's this lunatic looking like he's going to stroke out right there on the floor. Turns out, he knoew that the intensity for your team was waning. Its hard to get that back once a good team makes a run at you, which is what happened. I give Pearl tremendous credit for TRYING to keep your team from getting complacent at that point.

I believe the reason you lost is three-fold, and basically is a combination of what has been said by others before.

First, I do think that UK played very well in a must-win situation. Credit them for wanting it.

Second, I agree with those who point out that you just do not have a lot of size. When a team with size comes at you determined to win, well, unless you play way over your head with a ridiculous perimter shooting percentage, then you are in trouble. It is, as others have pointed out, a weakness inherent in your team. Yes, NCAA teams are going to take advantage of it. Guess what? Not much you can do about it. It is the way it is and if you want to advance you are going to have shoot a high percentage from the outside because you will get outrebounded.

Third, I also buy into the fatigue argument. But I think 80 percent of that is mental. Right now, I do believe your team is a little gassed upstairs. They will get it back together when they get into SEC tourney play and I am certain they will get it back for the NCAA's.

In short, the fatigue issue will take care of itself and you will be fine come tourney time. But there is simply nothing you can do about the size and depth issues. They are what they are. Pearl has done a masterful job of coaching around those problems. And when you get into the NCAAs you will face some teams that have the edge matching up to you in that regard and you'll either get that high percentage offensively or you will lose. No big deal. It happens to 64 of the 65 tournament teams at some point.

 

[volfan2024]

I think teams playing one another numerous times doesn't translate into teams falling apart.I'm ready for the NCAA's and to play somebody different! SEC has the most balanced league it has had in a long stretch.Any given night, anyone (practically) can win, anywhere. :dunno:

 

[bigdaddy]

I think that this team has done about all it can do this season. We have given up two 14 point leads in a row. People shoot 70 % on you because you cant play defense. The press is easily broken now and there is plenty of film to watch for other teams to figure it out. I am proud of this team for all they have done and I hope like hell that they win the sec tourney, but I think that they might have ran out of tricks this season. I will still pay a pretty penny to see them play in the sec tourney next week and will cheer them on win or lose. If we get hot, who knows what will happen. Any way I look at it, this season is a win no matter what happens in the next to weeks. I cant imagine what CBP will do with talent here-scary.

 

[mattvols]

The press will be more effective in the tourney if we get past the first round... there's not time to practice breaking it.

not it wont it'll be terrible for tourney. Do you know how much worn down we will be after round 2? we were dead 4 days after playing Florida, we will definitly be dead the next night. NCAA tourney it'll work alright but if your talkin SEC it'll be terrible

 

[Freak]

Actually, if you look at Tom Davis's NCAA record, the opposite appears to be true. He's something like 9-1 in first round games, but has a progressively worse record in the other rounds.

Wouldn't that be true with most teams/coaches?

 

[GAVol]

Wouldn't that be true with most teams/coaches?

One would think. :focus:

 

[hatvol96]

Wouldn't that be true with most teams/coaches?

To some extent. But 9-1 in first round games, with no Final Fours and only two regional finals is a pretty wide chasm. Also, for example Bob Knight has a better winning percentage in Final Four games than he does in 1st round games. Your point is well taken, I was simply pointing out that the lack of prep time between the 1st and 2nd round isn't necessarily an advantage for a team that plays our system.

 

[mattvols]

if your any good of a coach at all you should be better in 1st round games then 2nd considering you could be playing a 16th seed in the 1st then normally a 4 or 5 in the 2nd

 

[milohimself]

you mean 8 or 9 seed in the second round...

 

[hatvol96]

if your any good of a coach at all you should be better in 1st round games then 2nd considering you could be playing a 16th seed in the 1st then normally a 4 or 5 in the 2nd

You're only playing the 16 if you're a number 1 seed. The highest I ever remember any team coached by Davis being seeded was #2 in the West in '87. They lost to UNLV in the regional final.

 

[mattvols]

that wasnt my point, my point was that its totally obvious that you'd be a better 1st round team when you are playing a much better team 2nd

 

[mildcatjanie]

I just posted for the first time today, but now I'm going on a spree.

-First of all, the '96 Pitino team did press and trap and play the up tempo game. They were so impressive because of their depth more than anything. At that point, Pitino had so many great players that he'd created a J.V. team. He was actually subbing in 5 players at a time. The second team being just as good as the first. The run and press game relies heavily on depth if you're going to execute for the entire season. Pitino didn't so much see the press as a "gimmick". He lived it as a system. In fact, that was the name of his book.

- Pearl is running this system because he wants to wear other teams down. He's not so much concerned about the press being an effective way to prevent an individual score. It just forces teams to work harder to get the ball down the floor. Pearl is counting on conditioning winning out late in the game. Plus, run and gun is an exciting system of play.

- The lack of depth is of great concern to me right now. I think that's why they're a bit worn down at this point. The upcoming week of rest is going to be very beneficial going into the post-season. That being said, I really think they'll kick butt in Nashville if they get their legs back.

 

[hatvol96]

I just posted for the first time today, but now I'm going on a spree.

-First of all, the '96 Pitino team did press and trap and play the up tempo game. They were so impressive because of their depth more than anything. At that point, Pitino had so many great players that he'd created a J.V. team. He was actually subbing in 5 players at a time. The second team being just as good as the first. The run and press game relies heavily on depth if you're going to execute for the entire season. Pitino didn't so much see the press as a "gimmick". He lived it as a system. In fact, that was the name of his book.

- Pearl is running this system because he wants to wear other teams down. He's not so much concerned about the press being an effective way to prevent an individual score. It just forces teams to work harder to get the ball down the floor. Pearl is counting on conditioning winning out late in the game. Plus, run and gun is an exciting system of play.

- The lack of depth is of great concern to me right now. I think that's why they're a bit worn down at this point. The upcoming week of rest is going to be very beneficial going into the post-season. That being said, I really think they'll kick butt in Nashville if they get their legs back.

The '96 team didn't press as much as the early '90s Pelphrey, Farmer, etc. teams. If you'll remember, UMASS torched the press in the opener that year. Pitino used the press strategically, not constantly, the rest of the season. Certainly they played an uptempo game, they just didn't extend the floor defensively as much as they had previously.

 

[therickbol]

The question on the thread was "what can Pearl do to fix this" and I think he answer is that he has already done everything he can to fix the biggest problem costing us games. Its called Wayne Chism and Duke Crews. That is what he has done to fix the biggest fault this team has right now. Now, unfortunately due to these little things called rules we can't allow those two guys to play for us until next season. But, once they are here our inside presence on defense...and offense...will improve drastically. For the rest of this year, we need to keep getting by as best we can with what inside game we have. Cross our fingers. And, hope for the best.

 

[emainvol]

fellas fellas, have a little faith, yes we have been playing uninspired basketball the last coupla games, but only in the second halves of each. the alabama game was more or less a breakdown all around but who doesn't have one or two of those type games in a year. these guys will be pumped for the sec and ncaa tourneys, don't think they won't. i hate that they seem to be giving up but, there is much more to play for come tourney time. we already wrapped up that first round bye lest ye forget

 

[ukvols]

You're right, but it we need to beat Vandy to get some positive momentum going and to avoid having our NCAA seed slip continue to slip.