National Championship is Ours…

#52
#52
UTodd01 said:
Eh....Purdue's guards are average at best. We all know what happens with average guards in the tournament. Just a matter of time.
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We've already played Purdue within a few points and no ZZ on the floor. It will be a different game if we face them. Don't sleep on Gonzaga either, they are on a tear.
 
#56
#56
UTodd01 said:
Eh....Purdue's guards are average at best. We all know what happens with average guards in the tournament. Just a matter of time.
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I don't think this is true at all this year. Edey hurt us the first time around, but the guards put the nail in the coffin. They may not be elite, but they're better than average, and that's dangerous when you've got a 7'4" national POY down low.
 
#57
#57
Volumnus 2011 said:
I don't think this is true at all this year. Edey hurt us the first time around, but the guards put the nail in the coffin. They may not be elite, but they're better than average, and that's dangerous when you've got a 7'4" national POY down low.
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they also shot 48 free throws, something I've yet to see repeated by any team this year.
 
#59
#59
Dadof2Vols said:
Purdue gets beat if Edey gets called for just half of his over the back rebounds.
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An Athletic article addressed how Edey is hard to officiate.

“You have to watch him on every single play, get your head on a swivel,” says former NCAA coordinator of officials J.D. Collins, who retired from his position in 2022. “If he’s setting a screen, posting up, dunking, every single play he’s involved in, we need to decide if it’s legal or a foul.”
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“They all scream, ‘Over the back,’” Boroski says. “And my answer is, ‘The rule is on the back.’ That’s a big distinction.” The optical illusion does, however, require a little nuancing from the refs. The lead official on the baseline might be the closest to the play, but he’s only seeing what everybody else is seeing – Edey’s arms above his opponent, reaching for the ball. “You’ve got no angle to determine if he’s on the back or just reaching for the ball,” Collins says. “The outside official might have a better view, so you really have to work together.”
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Whistles and no-calls merit equal attention. Big Ten coaches and opposing fans screeching about the first, Purdue fans enraged at the second. Northwestern coach Chris Collins earned himself an ejection after storming the court to vent his frustration after Edey earned 17 trips to the free-throw line while Collins’ entire team took eight from the charity stripe. And an irate Tom Izzo, when asked by Fox during a timeout of Michigan State’s Big Ten tournament quarterfinal against Purdue how his team might better defend Edey, bristled. “I don’t like how it’s being called. How’s that?” And in a tourney semifinal, Edey alone fouled out three Wisconsin players.
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The article mentions how Edey leads the nation in fouls drawn per 60 minutes and how he broke a 62-year-old record for free throws attempted in a single season in the Big Ten. He's an anomaly that officials don't know how to deal with because nothing looks like a foul when he does it because he's bigger and it's expected that he's going to be able to move guys and rebound over them. Plus he works to stay out of situations where he might get a 50-50 call against him.

That's tough for a Tennessee team that has struggled against bigs all season.

Source:
theathletic.com

Purdue's Zach Edey is difficult to defend. The 7-foot-4 star is even harder to officiate

The Athletic talked to five recently retired officials and coordinators and one currently working to ask them about the challenge.
theathletic.com theathletic.com
 
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#60
#60
posivol said:
they also shot 48 free throws, something I've yet to see repeated by any team this year.
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Edey broke a 62-year-old Big Ten record for fouls drawn per 60 minutes. Purdue is 6th in the nation in free throw attempts. Purdue is 8th in the nation in free throw attempts per field goal attempts.

They shot 48 free throws against us, which was their season high, but they shot 46 against Northwestern, 41 against Northwestern a different time, 40 against Texas Southern, 33 against Indiana, 32 against Minnesota and Wisconsin, and 30 against Michigan State.

I agree with your point, though. Edey got so many favorable whistles against us, and once Aidoo and Awaka were both in foul trouble, we didn't have anywhere to turn. But he's gotten favorable whistles against everyone, which puts the guards on the line more by default because they're more likely to be in the bonus. We would need officials to let us play in order to beat them, IMO.
 
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#61
#61
Volumnus 2011 said:
Edey broke a 62-year-old Big Ten record for fouls drawn per 60 minutes. Purdue is 6th in the nation in free throw attempts. Purdue is 8th in the nation in free throw attempts per field goal attempts.

They shot 48 free throws against us, which was their season high, but they shot 46 against Northwestern, 41 against Northwestern a different time, 40 against Texas Southern, 33 against Indiana, 32 against Minnesota and Wisconsin, and 30 against Michigan State.

I agree with your point, though. Edey got so many favorable whistles against us, and once Aidoo and Awaka were both in foul trouble, we didn't have anywhere to turn. But he's gotten favorable whistles against everyone, which puts the guards on the line more by default because they're more likely to be in the bonus. We would need officials to let us play in order to beat them, IMO.
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I bet Barnes is working we with the team on how to play him this week. About a month or so I remember the post game comments where the players said they practiced exactly what was needed. This experienced team can take the coaching. They have the focus. The main issue will continue to be the confidence to take and make open shots by the full team.
 
#62
#62
Johnnyreb#VFL said:
If there is a loose ball within 2.5 miles around Vescovi, he comes up with it 11/10 times
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Seriously. Also multiple steals per game (set the record against TX) and always a threat if left open.

Also, are people forgetting how aggressive JJJ played up until conference play? He was shooting at a very high level from 3 and mid range.

Both did some great things against TX with their defense and rebounding and added around 10-12 points between them. It doesn't have to be specifically them scoring.

We just need around 20-25 points between JJJ, SV, Mashack and Gainey along with the other things they do. We got that in a low scoring game so not really much need for complaint.
 
#63
#63
All Vol! said:
Santi used to often do that little catch and fake, dribble side step and shoot that was very effective. Don’t think I’ve seen him do it all year this year. I think relinquishing his role as the sharp shooter and living in the shadow of Knecht are likely the reasons we’ve seen SV’s confidence take a hit and his offense take a step back this year. If so then it’s on him to overcome that.

I also think Knecht’s offense and accuracy has dropped off the last few games because he is clearly making a conscious effort to do as Barnes instructed and share the ball more. You can see him hesitating and passing up shots now that he didn’t before. Previously he played more fluidly and attacked without hesitation, now he’s thinking about it, and it’s throwing his game off. That’s my assessment anyway.
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We have played against some pretty good/great defenses in the last few games which has had a major impact.
 
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#66
#66
Volumnus 2011 said:
An Athletic article addressed how Edey is hard to officiate.







The article mentions how Edey leads the nation in fouls drawn per 60 minutes and how he broke a 62-year-old record for free throws attempted in a single season in the Big Ten. He's an anomaly that officials don't know how to deal with because nothing looks like a foul when he does it because he's bigger and it's expected that he's going to be able to move guys and rebound over them. Plus he works to stay out of situations where he might get a 50-50 call against him.

That's tough for a Tennessee team that has struggled against bigs all season.

Source:
theathletic.com

Purdue's Zach Edey is difficult to defend. The 7-foot-4 star is even harder to officiate

The Athletic talked to five recently retired officials and coordinators and one currently working to ask them about the challenge.
theathletic.com theathletic.com
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Of course when Edey’s arm is laying on the shoulder of the guy in front of him that is a foul regardless of whether he touched his back. This is part of problem Edey has such long arms that he lays them on the guy in front of him and they say he didn’t touch the back or push the guy in front of him. BS
 
#69
#69
spyfish007 said:
I bet Barnes is working we with the team on how to play him this week. About a month or so I remember the post game comments where the players said they practiced exactly what was needed. This experienced team can take the coaching. They have the focus. The main issue will continue to be the confidence to take and make open shots by the full team.
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Let's don't get ahead of ourselves. Creighton first. (Posted this since I was thinking it and thought it best to say it now, and maybe prevent bad things).
 
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#70
#70
BernardKingGOAT said:
I believe we can call the season a success right now. Champions in a tough league by winning a bunch of big games down the stretch and now advancing to the sweet 16. Winning Friday will only enhance it. I think our coaches and players know it's one game at a time, winning the next game by any means necessary
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Agree, overall a successful season. However…to have an all-American/SEC POY, a top level PG, above average big man, and veteran players not go to the elite 8 is going to feel like another missed opportunity underachievement. That’s not a nega shot, just truth.
 
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#71
#71
JMSqb11 said:
I don't understand this notion that Santi has to be a consistent scorer for us.... He admitted he was willing to give up his scoring opportunities because DK came in here and took the load.

I'm with you on JJJ needing to be a consistent scorer for us to keep going. But I just laugh at these people who complain when Santi doesn't score a lot as some big problem. Santi is more valuable on defense for us than he ever will be on offense. Santi just needs to stay out of foul trouble.
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Mostly agreed but he does need to be a threat to hit 3's or drive and get an easy bucket or find an open man for our offensive spacing. If the open 3 or easy layup isn't there for SV then finding open bigs when the D collapses, an open 3 point shooter or a cutting Knecht, JJJ, Mashack or Gainey is necessary.

He has mostly done well at this but he has a tendency to leave his feet in no-man's-land or pick up his dribble too soon at times. The rest of the guys on the court need to make hard cuts to help him out too.

Not sure if his changed/lessened role has impacted his shooting confidence, if he is expending so much energy on defense or if the death in his family early in the year is the cause but I'm guessing it's a combination of all of it.

Still, his shooting reputation alone helps our spacing and he is still clutch late at the FT line. If he can hit at least 1 out of 3 on his open 3's, get a layup or two per game, a couple assists and play strong defense then he is valuable to the team and provides an extra ball handler when teams press/trap. Add in his experience and the fact the he is an extension of the coaching staff on the floor and his value increases further.
 
#72
#72
Well! I think after coming home for a little bit after the Texas game, these guys know what they have to do, and know that their shooting has to get better now. I wouldn’t be surprised if they had an extra shooting practice added for this week for a shoot around. Or some has been on the court for extra time shooting the ball. A little bit of shooting extra just might get all of the players in rhythm before the game. I don’t know if they will have a shoot around on Friday or not, but everyday for just a little while shooting isn’t going to hurt no one. Just can’t get tired out for doing it though.
 
#73
#73
I am 1000% focused on Creighton. They are well coached and play really fundamentally sound ball. We are better, but I won’t allow myself tj look ahead because I’ve been hurt WAY too many times!
 
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#74
#74
With a healthy ZZ and typical Tennessee defense, they beat Purdue in a rematch. I'm more worried about Creighton
 
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