After UConn game thoughts and rants

#1
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Peyton Berry

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#1
1. This loss is not as bad as it seems now that I've had time to reflect. We lost, respectably, to a very good top 10 team in the country at their place. Nice game plan defensively, esp. on Walker. They made him give up the ball and the other players made alot of big, key 3's in the game. We have got to improve our offensive execution in the halfcourt and stop all the isolation stuff. UT is better when they move the ball crisply and drive and dish. If they can play offense just close to the way they did against Memphis along with our team D, Tenn. is very tough to beat.

2. Goins was outstanding tonight. If he plays like this consistently, TN not only makes the tourney but makes a run in the tourney.

3. I am beginning to dislike Hopson more and more. One of the most inconsistent, really talented players I've ever watched at UT. Other than shooting 3-6 from 3, he was horrible. His defense was so-so as usual, and he only seems to hustle when he wants to. Also, If Scotty can't learn to tighten up his ball handling, he will never make an NBA team.

4. Another good game from Big Baby, he is playing with passion and looking like the Williams from the tourney last year.

5. Fields really hurt us tonight. I know of at least 3 times he had a dunk or lay-up spoon fed to him and he just went all Hopson with the ball. And his defense on the UConn big guy was not good at all.

6. Golden did not give us anything today, and seems to really have faded as of late. I think we will be better served to play both Bone and McBee more and sit Golden until he comes around, esp. with the way Bone and McBee have been playing lately.

With all that being said, TN is a much better team with Pearl coaching. Hopefully we can at least go 3-1 these next 4 games. GBO!
 
#2
#2
I like the attitude. 2 things to add:

1) Let's finally give a hand to Mr. S Pearl. Hussle plays when the rest of the team was falling flat, and really gave some added defensive help.

2) We need to get back to the 3-pt shooting. Tatum, Bone,McBee,Hopson,Goins, and even Harris will just need to get some open looks. Screens, drives, curls through picks, whatever. Think of many of the big wins we have in the last year alone. It usually includes clutch 3 from McBee or Tatum.
 
#3
#3
LIvol said:
I like the attitude. 2 things to add:

1) Let's finally give a hand to Mr. S Pearl. Hussle plays when the rest of the team was falling flat, and really gave some added defensive help.

2) We need to get back to the 3-pt shooting. Tatum, Bone,McBee,Hopson,Goins, and even Harris will just need to get some open looks. Screens, drives, curls through picks, whatever. Think of many of the big wins we have in the last year alone. It usually includes clutch 3 from McBee or Tatum.
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I was with you until you threw Mcmiss name in on the clutch 3s.I think the only game he has hit a 3 that you could count as clutch was in the Vandy game and he hit what 2 or 3 and then he hit what 1 at ga ? other than that name me any game he has hit a clutch 3 not just this year but last year also.I know the one he hit against Kansas.What is he on the year ? Im going out on a limb and say he is probably something like 11 for 39
 
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#4
#4
Peyton Berry said:
1. This loss is not as bad as it seems now that I've had time to reflect. We lost, respectably, to a very good top 10 team in the country at their place. Nice game plan defensively, esp. on Walker. They made him give up the ball and the other players made alot of big, key 3's in the game. We have got to improve our offensive execution in the halfcourt and stop all the isolation stuff. UT is better when they move the ball crisply and drive and dish. If they can play offense just close to the way they did against Memphis along with our team D, Tenn. is very tough to beat.

2. Goins was outstanding tonight. If he plays like this consistently, TN not only makes the tourney but makes a run in the tourney.

3. I am beginning to dislike Hopson more and more. One of the most inconsistent, really talented players I've ever watched at UT. Other than shooting 3-6 from 3, he was horrible. His defense was so-so as usual, and he only seems to hustle when he wants to. Also, If Scotty can't learn to tighten up his ball handling, he will never make an NBA team.

4. Another good game from Big Baby, he is playing with passion and looking like the Williams from the tourney last year.

5. Fields really hurt us tonight. I know of at least 3 times he had a dunk or lay-up spoon fed to him and he just went all Hopson with the ball. And his defense on the UConn big guy was not good at all.

6. Golden did not give us anything today, and seems to really have faded as of late. I think we will be better served to play both Bone and McBee more and sit Golden until he comes around, esp. with the way Bone and McBee have been playing lately.

With all that being said, TN is a much better team with Pearl coaching. Hopefully we can at least go 3-1 these next 4 games. GBO!
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Agree with most of this. Biggest disagreement: 3-1 in the next 4 is not acceptable if we want to hold our team to any sort of standard. It'll probably keep us on track to make the tournament (unless the loss is to LSU or Auburn), but we're better than that.
 
#5
#5
I'm a Bruce Pearl fan! BUT, I do believe you don't mess with chemistry. Bruce should not have coached this game. You don't switch horses in midstream.
That said...back to the SEC and start again.
GO VOLS!
 
#6
#6
Yeah, we're fine, we played a tough team tough. Can't ask for anything more. I think when Pearl is back on the side line, everything is back to normal, we'll string together some wins.

The most encouraging thing is it looks like we have a good team to do some damage in the SEC tourney. I'm looking forward to it. A few losses between now and then doesn't really matter.
 
#7
#7
Scotty did have some costly turnovers in the game. But he entered the game scoring
15+ in 8 straight games. The 3 from fields under the basket with a chance at a dunk or lay up could have changed the game. Those 3 times he could have got the basket was at a critical time in the game. It would have gave us a little spark everytime he would have scored. We lost to a great team that is playing well and has wins over Texas, Kentucky and Michigan State. It's not like they were USC or one of the other non-ranked teams we lost to. GO VOLS!!
 
#8
#8
I am not convinced this team is "fine". They run hot and cold, and have not developed the killer mentality. So, I expect to see win some, lose some the rest of the way.
 
#9
#9
Tatum is a mess, no effort, no brains, and little ability, he is the one who should never be in the game as far as I am concerned
 
#10
#10
I am more upset that because we lost to UCONN, we cannot win the BIG YEAST Championship. Lord knows we aren't going to win the SEC, so any conference championship would have been nice. I guess we'll have to wait and see if 2-1 vs. the BIG YEAST will get it done for us.
 
#12
#12
Tatum needs to sit for a while he's not helping at all on offense and surely not on defense start Bone
 
#13
#13
Wish Bruce would back off 2 a 9 man rotation, and pay more attention to which 5 he has on the floor. We should have won this one. Poor coaching IMO cost us this one.One more thing, how in the heck does a 6'1 guard drive on a 6'10 center and make him look helpless. Big Brian got torched under the goal more than once by walker.
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#14
#14
The starting 5 needs to be Williams, Harris, Hopson, Bone, and Goins with Pearl, McBee, Fields, and Golden being the subs. Tatum needs to sit. McBee should get more of Hopson's minutes.
 
#16
#16
Vols188 said:
Tatum needs to sit for a while he's not helping at all on offense and surely not on defense start Bone
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This i agree with. Bone has consistently been better than Tatum on the defensive side of the ball anyway. He can shoot fairly well also. He needs to be playing more.
 
#17
#17
Hi, long time lurker, first time poster. Class of 84, had season bball tickets and saw every home game that King and Grunfeld played.

Anyway, Eric Prisbell of the Washington Post predicts a 7 seed for Tennessee and also says they're the nation's "biggest enigma."
 
#18
#18
sfmcfar said:
Hi, long time lurker, first time poster. Class of 84, had season bball tickets and saw every home game that King and Grunfeld played.

Anyway, Eric Prisbell of the Washington Post predicts a 7 seed for Tennessee and also says they're the nation's "biggest enigma."
Click to expand...

Welcome aboard.
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#19
#19
1. If Tony Jones coached this game we would have lost by 20. Calhoun outcoached Pearl and it would have been a nightmare if Jones coached. We concentrated on Walker and UCONN countered by having Lamb and Roscoe Smith nail three's in our eyes all game. UCONN got lucky from the outside and there is no way Roscoe shoots like that the rest of the year, so it wasn't a bad risk by Pearl.

2. Melvin Goins is a big game player, he really showed up in the tournament last year and played great yesterday and in the preseason NIT. If Goins and Willaims can play like they have been the past week, then I think we have a shot at making a Sweet 16, or winning our first round game.

3. Williams needs to be reinserted into the starting lineup and Bone needs to replace Tatum. Tatum's inconsistency is intolerable as a Junior and getting lit up by a frosh yesterday was very embarrassing. I've been a big Tatum supporter, but I think he would be a better 6th man, like last year.
 
#20
#20
atxvol2010 said:
3. Williams needs to be reinserted into the starting lineup and Bone needs to replace Tatum. Tatum's inconsistency is intolerable as a Junior and getting lit up by a frosh yesterday was very embarrassing. I've been a big Tatum supporter, but I think he would be a better 6th man, like last year.
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Why do we need to put Williams in the starting lineup? He's playing first team minutes as is. He's coming in within 2.5 minutes of tipoff. What does making him a starter do?
 
#21
#21
3. Williams is a better overall player than Fields, especially as an offensive player. The knock on Fields before he came to UT was he had really bad hands and was a liability offensively, well he has lived up to the billing. He's good for 4 points a game. Williams will be starting against LSU. He sat on the bench because he had some bad games but has been playing better recently and has earned his job back.
 
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#22
#22
atxvol2010 said:
3. Williams is a better overall player than Fields, especially as an offensive player. The knock on Fields before he came to UT was he had really bad hands and was a liability offensively, well he has lived up to the billing. He's good for 4 points a game. Williams will be starting against LSU. He sat on the bench because he had some bad games but has been playing better recently and has earned his job back.
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I repeat:

Incipient said:
Why do we need to put Williams in the starting lineup? He's playing first team minutes as is. He's coming in within 2.5 minutes of tipoff. What does making him a starter do?
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He played 26 minutes against UConn. He played 21 against Georgia (despite foul trouble). More than Tatum in each game. Definitely more than Fields in each game. What does it matter if he's there for the opening tip? Maybe he does better off the bench.
 
#23
#23
Incipient said:
Agree with most of this. Biggest disagreement: 3-1 in the next 4 is not acceptable if we want to hold our team to any sort of standard. It'll probably keep us on track to make the tournament (unless the loss is to LSU or Auburn), but we're better than that.
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Thats why I said at least 3-1. But with Jones coaching and the teams inconsistent play, a loss wouldn't surprise me.
 
#24
#24
Surprised no one commented abt tobias getting owned by uconn big men.. He looked like a little boy out there. He's not nba ready and def needs to concentrate on hitting the weights in the off season.
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