There is a silver lining...

#1

BigOrangeArsenal

BLEED ORANGE!
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#1
The BasketVols record does not sum up how good this team is... They have hung tough with two top 10 teams and several different players have shown flashes of brilliance at some point in the season! Yes, they lost to Oakland tonight, but so did Pearl, even with Hopson and Harris. Also, they were obviously tired from their Hawaii trip! However, I don't want to make excuses for them, but I truly believe we have a decent team that will only get better with time:

Trae Golden - Started strong, obviously has limitless talent, but needs to work on consistency! He takes a lot of bad shots but I honestly think Coach Martin will put an end to that sooner rather than later...

Jeronne Maymon - We all saw just what he was capable of during the Maui Invitational... He lacks size but reminds me of (and kind of looks like) DeJuan Blair... Once he learns to box out every play and make the easy ones, he could be an all-conference type player!

Jordan McRae - Played pretty good tonight and shows good athleticism... He also shoots a high percentage from the FT line, which is really under-rated! He, too, needs to work on consistency but has the potential to be a premier scorer and leader on the floor.

IN CONCLUSION, WE HAVE GREAT PIECES, NOW WE JUST HAVE TO PLAY AS A TEAM!
 
#2
#2
Richardson and Yemi also have huge potential as well. We just make some wild plays sometimes. We rush shots, get lazy on the offensive boards, and stop penetrating the basket. All these things leads to a good ol fat L in the column. I may get lit for this on here, but we have exceed all expectations already this year. We scored 81 points, and for a team that really doesn't shot well that's awesome! Problem is we keep letting everyone else score in 80's too. I love Pearl. He's made us who we are, but I've said this for years to my best friend, who's had season tickets his whole life, that as a true basketball talent finder Pearl fails. Sure we got Chism, Harris, Tatum etc but our best players other than Harris and Chism have been all Juco players for Pearl. He never recruited a true shooter, and truthfully a true basketball player other than Harris and Chism out of high school. Scotty sucked. Tatum is mediocre. Williams exceeded all expectations but was still avg. Pearl won here because he's that great a coach. Martin is a great coach as well, but I also believe he knows how to find diamonds in the rough. Richardson, Washpun, and Yemi look like great prospects. Miller seams to be a solid find as well, and hopefully he can really improve over the summer to become a 10 and 8 post that I think he's capable of. If we want to win we have to find some serious shooters soon. We need at least 1, but really 2-3 guys, who can knock down the three ball and open shots. I believe McRae and Richardson have the ability to become good scorers. If we can add a few shooters with those guys and a dominate C we will be looking sexy really soon.
 
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#4
#4
The expectations for this team weren't high coming into the season. Hanging tough with two top 10 teams got people all excited. This team will lose games like last night a few times this season. It's a young team. I'll give CCM credit, he has this team playing hard.
 
#7
#7
I agree with your analysis, but there is a glaring weakness at the post position. We were out rebounded on the offensive boards, at key moments, by a decent mid-major team. Hall looks lost and I'm not sure he is ever going to be the player we hope he would be. Hoping someone can step up at post in a hurry!
 
#9
#9
Moral victories and losses. Now this is the pre-bruce basketball vols that I remember. Good thing I expected it, it makes the losses hurt less.

Bruce 2014/2015
 
#10
#10
Yeah, Bruce would have done so much more with this team. Why don't you just go support another team? Your hero is never coming back, but you don't want to accept reality.
 
#11
#11
Yeah, Bruce would have done so much more with this team. Why don't you just go support another team? Your hero is never coming back, but you don't want to accept reality.

Yeah, you are right. I should not have expected anything with Bruce since he only went to the tourney EVERY SINGLE YEAR HE WAS HERE. You're right. You are only a true vol fan if you accept moral victories and losses. You must be a big Dooley supporter also.
 
#12
#12
Yeah, you are right. I should not have expected anything with Bruce since he only went to the tourney EVERY SINGLE YEAR HE WAS HERE. You're right. You are only a true vol fan if you accept moral victories and losses. You must be a big Dooley supporter also.

Good one.:)
 
#13
#13
Yeah, you are right. I should not have expected anything with Bruce since he only went to the tourney EVERY SINGLE YEAR HE WAS HERE. You're right. You are only a true vol fan if you accept moral victories and losses. You must be a big Dooley supporter also.

I will support Dooley as long as he is coach and doesn't engage in unethical conduct or bring on NCAA investigations. Unlike you, I support our programs and our current coaches and want them to be successful. Am I happy with the performances of Dooley's teams and our win/loss record----NO! But, he is the coach and certainly hope he can turn it around and have a great program. I really don't see bashing him or any current coach as bringing about improvement in our win/loss records.
 
#15
#15
You guys notice how the posters who are complaining about others talking about moral victories are the only ones who are talking about moral victories?
 
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#17
#17
You guys notice how the posters who are complaining about others talking about moral victories are the only ones who are talking about moral victories?

That's BS. Some of you guys were proclaming Cuonzo as the next great thing after two LOSSES in Maui. You were one of the head cheerleaders.
 
#21
#21
The BasketVols record does not sum up how good this team is... They have hung tough with two top 10 teams and several different players have shown flashes of brilliance at some point in the season! Yes, they lost to Oakland tonight, but so did Pearl, even with Hopson and Harris. Also, they were obviously tired from their Hawaii trip! However, I don't want to make excuses for them, but I truly believe we have a decent team that will only get better with time:

Trae Golden - Started strong, obviously has limitless talent, but needs to work on consistency! He takes a lot of bad shots but I honestly think Coach Martin will put an end to that sooner rather than later...

Jeronne Maymon - We all saw just what he was capable of during the Maui Invitational... He lacks size but reminds me of (and kind of looks like) DeJuan Blair... Once he learns to box out every play and make the easy ones, he could be an all-conference type player!

Jordan McRae - Played pretty good tonight and shows good athleticism... He also shoots a high percentage from the FT line, which is really under-rated! He, too, needs to work on consistency but has the potential to be a premier scorer and leader on the floor.

IN CONCLUSION, WE HAVE GREAT PIECES, NOW WE JUST HAVE TO PLAY AS A TEAM!

I agree. As long as our lack of depth doesn't run us dry, I think we can make a run at playing in march.
 
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#22
#22
Under what basis of logic do you see us being more competitive against Pitt than against Oakland (Mi). Because it is at home? I am dying to hear this.

I'm speculating a more competitive game since we're coming off a tough loss, we'll be at home, Pitt has a target on their backs since they're pretty good this year, we'll be over the jet lag, etc. IMO, this adds up to more effort being put out by our guys. Could be wrong, but these are a few reasons I'm expecting a more competitive match on Saturday
 
#23
#23
I agree with your analysis, but there is a glaring weakness at the post position. We were out rebounded on the offensive boards, at key moments, by a decent mid-major team. Hall looks lost and I'm not sure he is ever going to be the player we hope he would be. Hoping someone can step up at post in a hurry!

You know it's funny because the last two years I have been screaming through the TV at Pearl to put Hall in, but you're right... I do not know what happened to him! He used to be a great utility guy, getting loose balls, critical rebounds and easy put-backs... You think he's out of shape?

Woolridge and Tatum are also two guys who have not really lived up to the hype (what an understatement)... If these three played liked how they were ranked coming out of high school, this would be a top 10 team easy!
 

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