cncchris33
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2009
- Messages
- 32,321
- Likes
- 44,811
Since BTO didn't do one, I'll step out of retirement for one last go at it now that I have emotionally let it sink in that we blew our best, and easiest path to the Final Four we may ever have.
1. Alexander not playing was a backbreaker. He would have provided so much better interior defensive presence, and if only 4 rebounds, it may have been the difference in two points.
2. Just like against Kentucky in the SECT Championship, when Admiral goes out for long periods, we are offensively challenged. He is the closest thing we have to a guy that can go get his own points. The foul trouble early on when we had them on the ropes down 9 hurt us. Up by 3, wheb he picked up his 2nd, we went dead silent offensively with him out of the game.
3. Uncharacteristic of us this season, but we stood around with little to no movement offensively in this game. On the other hand, Loyola put on a clinic in offensive movement against us. They got plenty of easy baskets, and we had to work for everything and settled for a lot of jumpers because we didn't move on offense.
4. Schofield played well, but his 3-pt shot at 1:04 to play was questionable shot selection. 14 seconds on the shot clock and he peels off a shoots a contested 3 slightly fading away. I can appreciate him owning that moment and not being scared, but I just feel a better shot was possible with the time on the clock.
5. When Turner and Bowden are your leading rebounder, your bigs didn't do their job.
6. Loyola-Chicago shot 50%. You don't win many NCAAT games allowing your opponent to hit half their shots.
7. Some of this was just purely bad luck. How many lose/batted/ricocheted balls went their way? How many shots did they hit that bounced around on the rim several times?
8. Free throw discrepancy is suspicious. 16-6 looks a little off to me. Our settling for jumpers helped to cement that number, but there were some very questionable calls that led to points for L-C, and others that took points away from us. That said, we didn't hit but 3 of 6 we took, and that's on our guys. At least one miss came on a 1 and 1, and that may as well be two misses.
9. Jordan Bowden has to become more aggressive over the off season. He had to develop a short memory and use his size to get to the basket instead of being a wallflower offensively. Grant needs to work on just playing ball, and develop a Wayne Chism-like jumper from the top of the key. Fulk, Alexander, and Kent just need to get stronger, meaner, and develop their post games. If A couple of those things happen, I like what we have coming back.
10. This season was, hands down, the most fun I've had watching Vol basketball since the early Pearl era. There is something satisfying about being picked near the end and blowing up the establishment. No loss can take away the enjoyment of the past 5 months. If you consider THIS SEASON a disappointment because of the final 3 games, then you are short-sighted and perpetually miserable. You don't deserve a team like this to cheer for.
1. Alexander not playing was a backbreaker. He would have provided so much better interior defensive presence, and if only 4 rebounds, it may have been the difference in two points.
2. Just like against Kentucky in the SECT Championship, when Admiral goes out for long periods, we are offensively challenged. He is the closest thing we have to a guy that can go get his own points. The foul trouble early on when we had them on the ropes down 9 hurt us. Up by 3, wheb he picked up his 2nd, we went dead silent offensively with him out of the game.
3. Uncharacteristic of us this season, but we stood around with little to no movement offensively in this game. On the other hand, Loyola put on a clinic in offensive movement against us. They got plenty of easy baskets, and we had to work for everything and settled for a lot of jumpers because we didn't move on offense.
4. Schofield played well, but his 3-pt shot at 1:04 to play was questionable shot selection. 14 seconds on the shot clock and he peels off a shoots a contested 3 slightly fading away. I can appreciate him owning that moment and not being scared, but I just feel a better shot was possible with the time on the clock.
5. When Turner and Bowden are your leading rebounder, your bigs didn't do their job.
6. Loyola-Chicago shot 50%. You don't win many NCAAT games allowing your opponent to hit half their shots.
7. Some of this was just purely bad luck. How many lose/batted/ricocheted balls went their way? How many shots did they hit that bounced around on the rim several times?
8. Free throw discrepancy is suspicious. 16-6 looks a little off to me. Our settling for jumpers helped to cement that number, but there were some very questionable calls that led to points for L-C, and others that took points away from us. That said, we didn't hit but 3 of 6 we took, and that's on our guys. At least one miss came on a 1 and 1, and that may as well be two misses.
9. Jordan Bowden has to become more aggressive over the off season. He had to develop a short memory and use his size to get to the basket instead of being a wallflower offensively. Grant needs to work on just playing ball, and develop a Wayne Chism-like jumper from the top of the key. Fulk, Alexander, and Kent just need to get stronger, meaner, and develop their post games. If A couple of those things happen, I like what we have coming back.
10. This season was, hands down, the most fun I've had watching Vol basketball since the early Pearl era. There is something satisfying about being picked near the end and blowing up the establishment. No loss can take away the enjoyment of the past 5 months. If you consider THIS SEASON a disappointment because of the final 3 games, then you are short-sighted and perpetually miserable. You don't deserve a team like this to cheer for.