BTO’s Kansas Postgame Report

[bleedingTNorange]

**I didn’t get to watch full game until this morning so I held off on this thinking @cncchris33 might have done one, but since not I’ll go ahead...**



1. This is exactly why you don’t rush to judgment based off a 3 game stretch of games in which we were without arguably our best player in Jaden Springer. There’s no need to revamp the offense, or make philosophical changes, the team was getting good shots but was simply missing, missing too many free throws and turning it over too much. That would’ve been worrisome had it been a seasons trend, but it wasn’t, it swung back in a big way last night to a point that’s also not sustainable though. 53% fg, 62%3pt, 94%ft against a Top 20 defense is not going to be a seasons average, but it’s a positive sign and hopefully a confidence builder.

2. There is very little doubt in my opinion that Springer makes a huge difference to this team, and for multiple reasons. Offensively he breaks down the defense and has REALLY good vision when he gets into the lane (those 2 rim lobs come to mind) and also can finish in the paint, something Vescovi struggles at. On the flip side there’s things Vescovi does well Springer necessarily doesn’t, but having both keeps defenses on their toes and unable to scout to just the 1 as both can play PG and both can be on the court together. I think Springer is better with Vescovi out there and I definitely think Vescovi benefits from Springer being out there, his shooting numbers with/without Springer are pretty drastic I would guess.

3. Yves Pons has been on a recent tear and for the first time in awhile Fulky looked a little bit like Fulky from last year...we need to continue to push those guys to be aggressive and continue to play through them, they are both willing passers and they need to be involved.

4. I will be tracking the offense closely going forward, with Springer back out there I want to see how we perform. We climbed about 10 spots nationally in offensive efficiency after last nights game, but we got about another 40 spots to go to be where we need to be. Obviously it’s about how you’re playing heading into the dance so even if we don’t climb all the way into the Top 20-25 nationally if we are playing as a Top 20 offensive unit since Springer’s return that will be worth noting. Last nights offensive rating of 1.21 would rank 4th nationally, the number we want to see going forward is 1.13 or better.

5. Maybe it was the benching or maybe it was just a random outing, but JJJ played one of his better games, 11 rebounds is likely not sustainable for him but if he plays with that aggression and focus he can pull down 7+ a night which would be a big help for a team that struggles to rebound. I also though Bailey played one of his best games, he didn’t force shots, was actually super efficient with 11pts on 4 shots, and played really good defense out there, again maybe it was sitting on then bench like JJJ that sparked him.

6. Tennessee is probably going to lose again guys, just so you are aware, we sit at 12-3(5-3), we’ve got 9 games remaining assuming the SC game isn’t made up. The goal now is to continue to gel offensively with this group of guys and stay healthy, I think 7-2 or better down the stretch gets us a 4 seed or better in the NCAAT.

GBO!

 

[USAFgolferVol]

**I didn’t get to watch full game until this morning so I held off on this thinking @cncchris33 might have done one, but since not I’ll go ahead...**



1. This is exactly why you don’t rush to judgment based off a 3 game stretch of games in which we were without arguably our best player in Jaden Springer. There’s no need to revamp the offense, or make philosophical changes, the team was getting good shots but was simply missing, missing too many free throws and turning it over too much. That would’ve been worrisome had it been a seasons trend, but it wasn’t, it swung back in a big way last night to a point that’s also not sustainable though. 53% fg, 62%3pt, 94%ft against a Top 20 defense is not going to be a seasons average, but it’s a positive sign and hopefully a confidence builder.

2. There is very little doubt in my opinion that Springer makes a huge difference to this team, and for multiple reasons. Offensively he breaks down the defense and has REALLY good vision when he gets into the lane (those 2 rim lobs come to mind) and also can finish in the paint, something Vescovi struggles at. On the flip side there’s things Vescovi does well Springer necessarily doesn’t, but having both keeps defenses on their toes and unable to scout to just the 1 as both can play PG and both can be on the court together. I think Springer is better with Vescovi out there and I definitely think Vescovi benefits from Springer being out there, his shooting numbers with/without Springer are pretty drastic I would guess.

3. Yves Pons has been on a recent tear and for the first time in awhile Fulky looked a little bit like Fulky from last year...we need to continue to push those guys to be aggressive and continue to play through them, they are both willing passers and they need to be involved.

4. I will be tracking the offense closely going forward, with Springer back out there I want to see how we perform. We climbed about 10 spots nationally in offensive efficiency after last nights game, but we got about another 40 spots to go to be where we need to be. Obviously it’s about how you’re playing heading into the dance so even if we don’t climb all the way into the Top 20-25 nationally if we are playing as a Top 20 offensive unit since Springer’s return that will be worth noting. Last nights offensive rating of 1.21 would rank 4th nationally, the number we want to see going forward is 1.13 or better.

5. Maybe it was the benching or maybe it was just a random outing, but JJJ played one of his better games, 11 rebounds is likely not sustainable for him but if he plays with that aggression and focus he can pull down 7+ a night which would be a big help for a team that struggles to rebound. I also though Bailey played one of his best games, he didn’t force shots, was actually super efficient with 11pts on 4 shots, and played really good defense out there, again maybe it was sitting on then bench like JJJ that sparked him.

6. Tennessee is probably going to lose again guys, just so you are aware, we sit at 12-3(5-3), we’ve got 9 games remaining assuming the SC game isn’t made up. The goal now is to continue to gel offensively with this group of guys and stay healthy, I think 7-2 or better down the stretch gets us a 4 seed or better in the NCAAT.

GBO!

Thanks for the analysis. Maybe James will be more aggressive coming off the bench. He certainly had one of his better games last night. It certainly makes us a much more formidable opponent when he plays with passion

 

[alvinkamara]

We played at a high level, no doubt.......But Kansas is hot garbage, not a top 30 team IMO.......As stated above, those shooting numbers are not sustainable, especially from 3pt range, but it will give us confidence moving forward. We have to find some game in game out consistency as the tourn. approaches. Keeping Springer on the floor and getting Fulk healthy are vital to consistent play. I agree that 7-2 going down the stretch would be acceptable. I honestly think an elite eight is the ceiling for this year's team.....but I hope for more.

 

[Border Vol]

We played at a high level, no doubt.......But Kansas is hot garbage, not a top 30 team IMO.......As stated above, those shooting numbers are not sustainable, especially from 3pt range, but it will give us confidence moving forward. We have to find some game in game out consistency as the tourn. approaches. Keeping Springer on the floor and getting Fulk healthy are vital to consistent play. I agree that 7-2 going down the stretch would be acceptable. I honestly think an elite eight is the ceiling for this year's team.....but I hope for more.

I think this team will be a #3 Seed in the NCAA Tournament.

 

[Roustabout]

We played at a high level, no doubt.......But Kansas is hot garbage, not a top 30 team IMO.......As stated above, those shooting numbers are not sustainable, especially from 3pt range, but it will give us confidence moving forward. We have to find some game in game out consistency as the tourn. approaches. Keeping Springer on the floor and getting Fulk healthy are vital to consistent play. I agree that 7-2 going down the stretch would be acceptable. I honestly think an elite eight is the ceiling for this year's team.....but I hope for more.

Kansas is depleted and just had a pretty serious pay for play allegation circulating. Butt Hey, it’s a blowout win against Kansas and those don’t happen.

Barnes managed his roster the best he has this year. Bailey and James coming off the bench is a better call. This lit a fire under JJJ. Bailey still seems off. Shortening Fulks minutes was needed and finally got some quality time from ON. Now we just need to get Springer bringing the ball up court. So, much better minutes from the bench and assist to TO ratio where it needs to be.

Ultimately this game was about who shot the ball well. UT was lights out and Kansas was ice cold. How UT can look so bad and then look so good is a mystery.

 

[Warriorvol]

Oliver played his best game of the year yesterday, gave us a little production from the bench post. Better than anoskie has given us this year.

 

[Doctrippin]

We played at a high level, no doubt.......But Kansas is hot garbage, not a top 30 team IMO.......As stated above, those shooting numbers are not sustainable, especially from 3pt range, but it will give us confidence moving forward. We have to find some game in game out consistency as the tourn. approaches. Keeping Springer on the floor and getting Fulk healthy are vital to consistent play. I agree that 7-2 going down the stretch would be acceptable. I honestly think an elite eight is the ceiling for this year's team.....but I hope for more.

Yes, any team that plays good defense shuts us down on offense. We are prone to cold shooting streaks that have happened even in games we won

 

[vol94]

It was nice to see some offense last night and taking the mid-range jumpers. Turnovers still drive me crazy, but, it’s part of the game.

Springer is definitely a difference maker and probably our best offensive player.

It’s all about matchups in the NCAA tourney. Hopefully we aren’t in the same bracket as Gonzaga or Baylor as they are definitely the best two teams in the country.

 

[volinbama256]

So are we out of our FUNK and back on track? Was this a flash or is this what we should be doing and growing from moving forward?

 

[ColinS]

A well played game on the offensive end. Crisp passing and good off the ball movement. The shots were falling. The next question is can we consistently do what we did last night moving forward?

 

[esarmstrong]

Springer's presence on the floor really is important for this team going forward. Everyone benefits from his presence.

 

[vol94]

It was nice to see some offense last night and taking the mid-range jumpers. Turnovers still drive me crazy, but, it’s part of the game.

Springer is definitely a difference maker and probably our best offensive player.

It’s all about matchups in the NCAA tourney. Hopefully we aren’t in the same bracket as Gonzaga or Baylor as they are definitely the best two teams in the country.

 

[VolinMichigan]

I thought Pons and Fulk were very aggressive and were making things happen offensively. It’s pretty clear that Vescovi can’t get the basket. He’s just too slow. Needs to stay on the perimeter. I thought ON got some solid minutes and made the most of them. Need him to come along. Was Anosike injured? Didn’t seem to miss him much. JJJ has a very workman like game. His rebounding was key.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Seeing Vescovi score off of the dribble instead of just being a catch and shoot threat leverages the entire offensive attack. Same when JJJ and Pons hit outside shots. It was also great to see Bailey and Pons hit several shots and still be selective instead of jacking it up every time they touch the ball afterwards. I also like to see Pons set up near the paint and wander out to the perimeter instead of going straight to the 3-PL in the half court. The offense clicks when Fulk and JJJ are more selfish and Bailey and Pons are less selfish.

 

[Hbg]

**I didn’t get to watch full game until this morning so I held off on this thinking @cncchris33 might have done one, but since not I’ll go ahead...**



1. This is exactly why you don’t rush to judgment based off a 3 game stretch of games in which we were without arguably our best player in Jaden Springer. There’s no need to revamp the offense, or make philosophical changes, the team was getting good shots but was simply missing, missing too many free throws and turning it over too much. That would’ve been worrisome had it been a seasons trend, but it wasn’t, it swung back in a big way last night to a point that’s also not sustainable though. 53% fg, 62%3pt, 94%ft against a Top 20 defense is not going to be a seasons average, but it’s a positive sign and hopefully a confidence builder.

2. There is very little doubt in my opinion that Springer makes a huge difference to this team, and for multiple reasons. Offensively he breaks down the defense and has REALLY good vision when he gets into the lane (those 2 rim lobs come to mind) and also can finish in the paint, something Vescovi struggles at. On the flip side there’s things Vescovi does well Springer necessarily doesn’t, but having both keeps defenses on their toes and unable to scout to just the 1 as both can play PG and both can be on the court together. I think Springer is better with Vescovi out there and I definitely think Vescovi benefits from Springer being out there, his shooting numbers with/without Springer are pretty drastic I would guess.

3. Yves Pons has been on a recent tear and for the first time in awhile Fulky looked a little bit like Fulky from last year...we need to continue to push those guys to be aggressive and continue to play through them, they are both willing passers and they need to be involved.

4. I will be tracking the offense closely going forward, with Springer back out there I want to see how we perform. We climbed about 10 spots nationally in offensive efficiency after last nights game, but we got about another 40 spots to go to be where we need to be. Obviously it’s about how you’re playing heading into the dance so even if we don’t climb all the way into the Top 20-25 nationally if we are playing as a Top 20 offensive unit since Springer’s return that will be worth noting. Last nights offensive rating of 1.21 would rank 4th nationally, the number we want to see going forward is 1.13 or better.

5. Maybe it was the benching or maybe it was just a random outing, but JJJ played one of his better games, 11 rebounds is likely not sustainable for him but if he plays with that aggression and focus he can pull down 7+ a night which would be a big help for a team that struggles to rebound. I also though Bailey played one of his best games, he didn’t force shots, was actually super efficient with 11pts on 4 shots, and played really good defense out there, again maybe it was sitting on then bench like JJJ that sparked him.

6. Tennessee is probably going to lose again guys, just so you are aware, we sit at 12-3(5-3), we’ve got 9 games remaining assuming the SC game isn’t made up. The goal now is to continue to gel offensively with this group of guys and stay healthy, I think 7-2 or better down the stretch gets us a 4 seed or better in the NCAAT.

GBO!

I don’t necessarily disagree with anything you’ve said however the overall team effort last night was much diff than during the losing streak. They’ve just been going through the motions of playing, almost looking like they didn’t even want to. yesterday was different, I wish I knew why and I bet crb would like to know as well.

 

[allvol123]

Dont get too excited yet. Still think the offense is a mess. When Pons starts hitting everything he throws up then everything looks great, not sure if he has reached a point offensively that he can do that on a reliable basis.

The 3s were falling for everyone last night. That will fix anyone's offense.

 

[Vol49er]

We played at a high level, no doubt.......But Kansas is hot garbage, not a top 30 team IMO.......As stated above, those shooting numbers are not sustainable, especially from 3pt range, but it will give us confidence moving forward. We have to find some game in game out consistency as the tourn. approaches. Keeping Springer on the floor and getting Fulk healthy are vital to consistent play. I agree that 7-2 going down the stretch would be acceptable. I honestly think an elite eight is the ceiling for this year's team.....but I hope for more.

Theyre not your usual Kansas team, and theyre in a funk right now, but hot garbage they are not. They've beaten Creighton, West Virginia, and Texas Tech.
We had some things go our way (them playing Thursday, them being cold), but let's not miss the forest for the trees. We beat a nationally ranked Kansas team by 19, and it could have been more easily if we don't take our foot off the gas. It's a great win and hopefully a catalyst to get us out of a bit of a lull we were in

 

[bleedingTNorange]

We played at a high level, no doubt.......But Kansas is hot garbage, not a top 30 team IMO.......As stated above, those shooting numbers are not sustainable, especially from 3pt range, but it will give us confidence moving forward. We have to find some game in game out consistency as the tourn. approaches. Keeping Springer on the floor and getting Fulk healthy are vital to consistent play. I agree that 7-2 going down the stretch would be acceptable. I honestly think an elite eight is the ceiling for this year's team.....but I hope for more.

Kansas is #21 on NET, so that’s a Q1 win for us, their worst loss is to 11-4 Oklahoma State who’s a Top 40 team, definitely not considered hot garbage...they may not be their perennial self but they are still a ranked team that will be in the dance, and fact is they’re still Kansas so nationally that game still gets some attention.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

Dont get too excited yet. Still think the offense is a mess. When Pons starts hitting everything he throws up then everything looks great, not sure if he has reached a point offensively that he can do that on a reliable basis.

The 3s were falling for everyone last night. That will fix anyone's offense.

Even shooting 40% from 3 last night we’d have had a good offensive showing

 

[ReadCT]

Vols are going to win in the tourney until they meet Baylor or Gonzaga. Those two are just on a different level this year. Alabama is strangly good of late as well. Glad we do not see them again this year.

 

[papatomany]

You mention the mid-range game. One of the things I've wondered is, what happened to the top of the paint curl we ran so frequently and so well in previous years? It's exactly what James needs, and Springer and Keon would eat it up, too. Is it possible it left with Rob Lanier?

 

[Vols8086]

Much needed win last night, but let's hold off on the celebratory champagne here and put some things into context. Kansas was struggling more than we were coming into this game. They are still a solid team, but this is a down year by their standards. To win a game in today's era by 19 with only 8 three balls made says a lot about our defense, but I still think our offense needs work. We still generate way too many mid range jumpers and I'm not sure how often we are going to see Pons jab step a defender and then launch a 3. It just seemed like our night last night shooting the ball. Fulky hit a nice mid range jumper and James first (I believe) 3 was in rhythm and a quick shot with a defender there which is something he hasn't shown often. Maybe that is a sign of things to come but I need to see that more often before I am declaring that the norm.

While there were overreactions from the losing streak it seems there are equal overreactions from this game on the other side. The truth is somewhere in the middle. When this team plays defense like that and shoots a high percentage from everywhere, we will be tough to beat. The problem is this is a tournament sport and I'm not sure we will put together enough consecutive games to get where we want to go. I still think our offense needs work and is dated to a degree, but the offense doesn't have to be great if the defense is.

 

[allvol123]

Even shooting 40% from 3 last night we’d have had a good offensive showing

Pons and Fulky hit their mid range stuff. When that happens we will most likely have a good night.

 

[tennrich1]

I don’t necessarily disagree with anything you’ve said however the overall team effort last night was much diff than during the losing streak. They’ve just been going through the motions of playing, almost looking like they didn’t even want to. yesterday was different, I wish I knew why and I bet crb would like to know as well.

Yeah I told a friend right after the game ended that we played with the same enthusiasm, energy, and focus that Florida and Alabama did when they beat us. I do however think Springer would have made a difference in those two games but not for sure he could have lit the proverbial fire under us to make the enough difference.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Much needed win last night, but let's hold off on the celebratory champagne here and put some things into context. Kansas was struggling more than we were coming into this game. They are still a solid team, but this is a down year by their standards. To win a game in today's era by 19 with only 8 three balls made says a lot about our defense, but I still think our offense needs work. We still generate way too many mid range jumpers and I'm not sure how often we are going to see Pons jab step a defender and then launch a 3. It just seemed like our night last night shooting the ball. Fulky hit a nice mid range jumper and James first (I believe) 3 was in rhythm and a quick shot with a defender there which is something he hasn't shown often. Maybe that is a sign of things to come but I need to see that more often before I am declaring that the norm.

While there were overreactions from the losing streak it seems there are equal overreactions from this game on the other side. The truth is somewhere in the middle. When this team plays defense like that and shoots a high percentage from everywhere, we will be tough to beat. The problem is this is a tournament sport and I'm not sure we will put together enough consecutive games to get where we want to go. I still think our offense needs work and is dated to a degree, but the offense doesn't have to be great if the defense is.

It’s not just that shots were falling. They were moving and sharing the ball very well. Also the rebounding effort was much improved. Often there were 3 orange and white shirts with excellent positioning instead of one guy’s great effort pulling them down. Somebody has been coaching them up.