Why only March Matters...

[OrangeUTopia]

I hate to bring it up but this season followed a similar trajectory to some of Barnes' seasons at Texas. We might have to get used to this.

It's what I was afraid of, but seems par for the course for TN basketball.

I've been following VOLS basketball since the early 80's. Still waiting to see us win the SECT. Still hoping one year we can get in position and get hot in March and make a run to the Final Four. But so far our most promising seasons always ends with a close heartbreaking loss and a bunch of woulda, coulda, shoulda.

Oh well, I'll keep hoping we'll improve and then finally breakthrough. Just hope the past doesn't prove the future where our pinnacle is coming up short and then a coaching change doesn't get us over the hump but takes us backwards instead.

 

[VolsSportsFan]

I hate to bring it up but this season followed a similar trajectory to some of Barnes' seasons at Texas. We might have to get used to this.

Get used to making the round of 32? As opposed to the previous 3 years of .500 or less basketball? And putting up with it until Barnes retires and we hire someone to take over a stable program?

Yeah, sounds awful.

 

[1985Vols]

No. I just think they had a good defensive gameplan for us.

Also I think coming out early and getting a 9 point lead ended up hurting us. We let our guard down then Admiral went out and we couldn't score.

Taking Admiral out of the game at that point was a huge mistake . As much as I like what Barnes has done, his rotations make no sense sometimes. Starting Fulkerson in that game was a bad decision as well. Should have played a 3 guard lineup.

 

[BruinVol]

Taking Admiral out of the game at that point was a huge mistake . As much as I like what Barnes has done, his rotations make no sense sometimes. Starting Fulkerson in that game was a bad decision as well. Should have played a 3 guard lineup.

Wait you don't think Schofield should have been taken out after getting his 2nd foul?

 

[McCat]

Tennessee didn't get any credit for " winning the SEC" during the AU/ Clemson game last night as the announcers kept saying " Auburn was the SEC regular season champion". Never once even mentioned that TENN was co- champion.

That beat down tho...

 

[ZZ13]

Wait you don't think Schofield should have been taken out after getting his 2nd foul?

I don't. He can't produce from the bench. Bernard King played a game at Ole Miss where Mears left him in with foul trouble and he had 4 fouls at halftime. The game was even at the half. King played the entire second half and never picked up his fifth foul. We won by 20.

 

[BruinVol]

I don't. He can't produce from the bench. Bernard King played a game at Ole Miss where Mears left him in with foul trouble and he had 4 fouls at halftime. The game was even at the half. King played the entire second half and never picked up his fifth foul. We won by 20.

Basketball is a lot different now than it was then. No one and I mean no one lets guys play with 2 fouls when they get them the first 5-7 minutes of the game. Schofield did come back in during the first half which was a sign of how things were going

 

[walkenvol]

Should add in or to get out rebounded...I’m guessing those 3 things weren’t on the board in the locker room pre game of things to do.

Is it always the coach's fault when a young team doesn't follow the game plan? We are about a sophomore averaged team experience wise. Next year it'll be a Junior experience level team with 2 senior starters (if healthy). This years experience can only help them improve their ability to keep their composure and stick to the game plan. Every reason for fans to be excited about next season - no logical reason for the pessimistic outlook and bashing of coaches and players. VN has way way too many Ricky Bobby types if you ain't first you're last mentality? Obviously never competed at a high level athletiy themselves and they have no clue how much the Stars have to allign for a program like UT's to complete for the ncaa championship.

Personally, I appreciate a program where the athletes represent the school well on and off the court and still compete at a high l like they did this season. Looking forward to next years bball season much more than the fball season

 

[wmcovol]

Got a good matchup?

They beat Carolina in Charlotte

AM strength is their huge front line and Carolinas weakness is their young front line.

 

[Dougie_D]

Pearl got a nice setup for his E8 run, Martin got a nice set up for the S16, it happens and if people are gonna pick those apart that’s on them...it’s CBB and that stuff happens in the tourney, no point in trying to minimize it, never have understood that.

You wouldn’t agree that TN had a nice set up going against Loyola- Chicago?

This is off topic a bit, but I’ll give you a a different scenario though... Bruce came from Milwaukee Wisconsin .. Martin came Missouri State or whatever.. They both had that fire and excitement. Coach Barnes came from Texas.

Right now all these coaches seem to lost that edge or “spark” IMO.

As for Barnes, I hope he still has that fire and spark after losing like this... he did make that comment that he would trade 10 regular season championships for that 1 big one.

I think Bob Huggins is the only other coach that is near his age bracket that hasn’t won yet.

If West Virginia wins, I could see Huggins retire.

 

[The Dog]

You wouldn’t agree that TN had a nice set up going against Loyola- Chicago?

This is off topic a bit, but I’ll give you a a different scenario though... Bruce came from Milwaukee Wisconsin .. Martin came Missouri State or whatever.. They both had that fire and excitement. Coach Barnes came from Texas.

Right now all these coaches seem to lost that edge or “spark” IMO.

As for Barnes, I hope he still has that fire and spark after losing like this... he did make that comment that he would trade 10 regular season championships for that 1 big one.

I think Bob Huggins is the only other coach that is near his age bracket that hasn’t won yet.

If West Virginia wins, I could see Huggins retire.

Dude, u are tied for like 426th in the NCAA Tourney Bracket out of 450-something, that makes all your opinions and theories, imo, irrelevant.

 

[1985Vols]

Wait you don't think Schofield should have been taken out after getting his 2nd foul?

Barnes took him out at the first media timeout, at which point he only had 1 foul. He picked up his second foul when Bone missed the layup which was around midway through the first half.

 

[Dougie_D]

Dude, u are tied for like 426th in the NCAA Tourney Bracket out of 450-something, that makes all your opinions and theories, imo, irrelevant.

Why does that matter? ... but for the Record I still have 3/4 of my Final Four left.

I have Michigan, Villanova, and Kansas.

I eventually had Tennessee vs Kansas with Kansas winning it all.

How many Final 4 teams do you have left?

 

[BruinVol]

Barnes took him out at the first media timeout, at which point he only had 1 foul. He picked up his second foul when Bone missed the layup which was around midway through the first half.

Ok. Same rotation as always on coming out the first time


You don't think he should have come out after the second foul?

 

[bleedingTNorange]

You wouldn’t agree that TN had a nice set up going against Loyola- Chicago?

Considering many were saying before the tourney started that they’d rather play Miami than Loyola, no, I don’t think Tennessee got some gift of a second round matchup.

Kansas State had a nice set up with Virginia losing and getting to play a 16 seed for a trip to the S16, but sometimes that’s just the way it works out, gotta beat wherever it is that’s in front of you.

 

[BigZiti09]

Considering many were saying before the tourney started that they’d rather play Miami than Loyola, no, I don’t think Tennessee got some gift of a second round matchup.

Kansas State had a nice set up with Virginia losing and getting to play a 16 seed for a trip to the S16, but sometimes that’s just the way it works out, gotta beat wherever it is that’s in front of you.

I'll take a 14, 11 seed path to get to the s16 every single year. That's a gift.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

I'll take a 14, 11 seed path to get to the s16 every single year. That's a gift.

The 14 was a product of your season, so that’s what Tennessee earned over a 30+ game season...but sure, count that as a gift lol.

Like I said many said Loyola was better than Miami, not everyone but a lot of people did, now if you wanna look further ahead and say E8 path or F4...yea that was a nice set up, but trying to throw in your opening round game as a gift because we had a great regular season is about as foolish as Bruin’s reseeding idea.

 

[BigZiti09]

The 14 was a product of your season, so that’s what Tennessee earned over a 30+ game season...but sure, count that as a gift lol.

Like I said many said Loyola was better than Miami, not everyone but a lot of people did, now if you wanna look further ahead and say E8 path or F4...yea that was a nice set up, but trying to throw in your opening round game as a gift because we had a great regular season is about as foolish as Bruin’s reseeding idea.

Ok. Let me rephrase since you're nitpicking the part of my post that has no bearing on what we are talking about.

I will take an 11 seed in the round of 32 to get to the s16 every single year. That was a gift.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

Ok. Let me rephrase since you're nitpicking the part of my post that has no bearing on what we are talking about.

I will take an 11 seed in the round of 32 to get to the s16 every single year. That was a gift.

Again...as a 3 seed you’re playing 11 or a 6, based on recent history you’ve got about a 35% chance of playing a 11 seed...I wouldn’t consider it a gift, especially considering just about every metric said the 6/11 were equal quality opponents. Many said Miami was over seeded and Loyola underseeded, that’s why that 6/11 game was just about a pick em’.

 

[BigZiti09]

Again...as a 3 seed you’re playing 11 or a 6, based on recent history you’ve got about a 35% chance of playing a 11 seed...I wouldn’t consider it a gift, especially considering just about every metric said the 6/11 were equal quality opponents. Many said Miami was over seeded and Loyola underseeded, that’s why that 6/11 game was just about a pick em’.

Give me an 11 seed each and every year in the round of 32 and I'll be happy. Gift.

Easy to pump up loyola after they won. If I'm choosing our path we got the right draw all the way through and we blew it.

 

[BruinVol]

Give me an 11 seed each and every year in the round of 32 and I'll be happy. Gift.

Easy to pump up loyola after they won. If I'm choosing our path we got the right draw all the way through and we blew it.

I agree with both of you.

11 seeds are either going to be a power 5 bubble team after 2 wins with some mo or a very good mid major. The 11 seed isn't what it used to be imo

 

[bleedingTNorange]

Give me an 11 seed each and every year in the round of 32 and I'll be happy. Gift.

Easy to pump up loyola after they won. If I'm choosing our path we got the right draw all the way through and we blew it.

I said I ageee about looking ahead to E8 and F4, that was a nice setup as was Pearl’s run to the E8, he had a gift set up to make the F4....it happens, which is why you always wanna make the NCAAT because you will get some good draws every now and again.

But again, I was solely talking about first 2 rounds in my reply to OP, I mentioned the other day and you’re doing it again...responding to a poster who wasn’t replying to you and then moving the goal posts about what was being discussed. The 14 wasn’t a gift, it was earned, so then it’s simply an 11 vs. 6 seed...Syracuse beat TCU in another 11 vs. 6, so it was 50% in those games this year as to which team you will face, and like I said in this particular matchup Miami/Loyola was seen as a pretty equal matchup and people were 50/50 on which team they would rather play.

To me a gift would be say CCM’s run to the S16...am overseeded 6 seed UMASS and then Mercer beating Duke to get to play a 14 instead of a 3.

 

[BigZiti09]

I said I ageee about looking ahead to E8 and F4, that was a nice setup as was Pearl’s run to the E8, he had a gift set up to make the F4....it happens, which is why you always wanna make the NCAAT because you will get some good draws every now and again.

But again, I was solely talking about first 2 rounds in my reply to OP, I mentioned the other day and you’re doing it again...responding to a poster who wasn’t replying to you and then moving the goal posts about what was being discussed. The 14 wasn’t a gift, it was earned, so then it’s simply an 11 vs. 6 seed...Syracuse beat TCU in another 11 vs. 6, so it was 50% in those games this year as to which team you will face, and like I said in this particular matchup Miami/Loyola was seen as a pretty equal matchup and people were 50/50 on which team they would rather play.

To me a gift would be say CCM’s run to the S16...am overseeded 6 seed UMASS and then Mercer beating Duke to get to play a 14 instead of a 3.

You're the one who keeps talking about other stuff. You keep talking about the 14. Ignore that. The 11 was a gift. Loyola wasn't a slouch I get it but give me the 11 seed all day every day. The path ahead is a gift as well but we didn't cash in.

This draw was easier than Pearl's elite 8 run. We beat a 2 in the s16. We would be facing a 7 this week in that round. Also SDST > Loyola as an 11 seed.

 

[Lurker]

Is it always the coach's fault when a young team doesn't follow the game plan? We are about a sophomore averaged team experience wise. Next year it'll be a Junior experience level team with 2 senior starters (if healthy). This years experience can only help them improve their ability to keep their composure and stick to the game plan. Every reason for fans to be excited about next season - no logical reason for the pessimistic outlook and bashing of coaches and players. VN has way way too many Ricky Bobby types if you ain't first you're last mentality? Obviously never competed at a high level athletiy themselves and they have no clue how much the Stars have to allign for a program like UT's to complete for the ncaa championship.

Personally, I appreciate a program where the athletes represent the school well on and off the court and still compete at a high l like they did this season. Looking forward to next years bball season much more than the fball season

This. :lolabove:

It has been a long time since I have been this pumped about a "next year" in any UT sport. This team and this coach are pure class! Could the season have gone better? Sure, all of them can if you loose your last game. Short of that, this team is the very definition of hard work, achievement and success.

Oh yea, I wish Kyle Alexander had been available too. The season, without question, wouldn't be over if he could have played. And I also believe, if he could have played, he would have played!

The Vols were one stop or one basket away from the Sweet 16 and I'm proud of them and their coaches! I'm ready for next year!:clap:

 

[bleedingTNorange]

You're the one who keeps talking about other stuff. You keep talking about the 14. Ignore that. The 11 was a gift. Loyola wasn't a slouch I get it but give me the 11 seed all day every day. The path ahead is a gift as well but we didn't cash in.

This draw was easier than Pearl's elite 8 run. We beat a 2 in the s16. We would be facing a 7 this week in that round. Also SDST > Loyola as an 11 seed.

Lulz

He wants to discredit an 11 seed and then with no factual basis say one 11 was better than the other, GTFO

And yet you’re STILL talking about the further path, I replied to OP about Loyola that was it, metrics shows it was pretty much a toss up with Loyola and Miami, neither one was Duke but neither was a gift either, they were pretty equal teams.