BTO’s Texas A&M postgame report

#1
bleedingTNorange

bleedingTNorange

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2012
Messages
75,488
Likes
56,097
#1
1. We are ranked #1, hold a 20-1 record, the only undefeated team in the SEC, and just set a school record for longest winning streak...life is good for Tennessee hoops. It wasn’t pretty tonight but it’s not always going to be, Vols still round a way to win by double digits and lead wire to wire, hard to really complain about that too much considering it was a road conference game.

2. Jordan Bone is continuing to get more praise finally, I’ve been beating the drum all year but this guy is playing like one of IF NOT the best point guards in the country. 18pts 10ast 5rbd 2tos, 7-7fg 4-4 from deep, absolutely nutty stat line. As this team continues to play on a national stage he will get more recognition, but right now he’s very deserving of 1st team All-SEC and All-American honors as well, not a PG I would rather have in the country.

3. Turner & Bowden are playing phenomenal basketball right now, 35pts 15-28fg 11ast and just1to, that is absolutely bonkers...I love the lineup with Bone, Turner, Bowden, Schofield, Williams...we don’t see it a ton right now but late in games we’ve seen is a lot, and Alexander mixed in as well, I think those 6 are going to get as many minutes as they can handle come tougher games.

4. Seems crazy not to lead off with a guy giving you 22&10 that shoots 75%, but that’s just what we’ve come to expect from GW...he was very efficient tonight, and a very quiet 22pts, he played within himself and when we needed baskets he got us one or set up someone else, hard to put into words just how consistent he is out there.

5. Offensively we were amazing, I haven’t seen the final numbers yet but that probably will go down as our best offensive performance of the season...on the flip side that very well might also go down as our worst defensive performance of the season. As we’ve seen a few times this year a team that isn’t typically good from 3 shoots above their average from deep, so part of that was strategy and trusting percentages, but there was also some breakdowns as well. Additionally allowing 13 offensive rebounds, and who knows how many were putback dunks, is also a good way to make your defense look really bad...I’ve accepted we aren’t going to be a very good rebounding team, but some of our defensive performances are becoming worrisome especially considering the opponents.

6. Alright, I started the tracker weeks ago about looking ahead to UK...we’ve now gotten through the road slate and come back to TBA for 3 games against teams we’ve already beaten at their houses. If the Vols can win these next 3 we will be at 23-1(11-0) and headed to Lexington for what very well could be a Top 3 or Top 5 showdown with UK. The Wildcats are playing their best ball of the year and are regaining national title talk, talk about what a hyped up national game that would be, but first things first gotta take care of these next 3. With that said, if you’ve got a chance to get out there and watch these guys play do yourself a favor and do so, speaking solely regular season there’s a really good chance this team goes down as the greatest to ever wear the Tennessee jersey, get out there and witness history if you’re capable of doing so, if not then continue to tune in and cheer like crazy from your couch.

GBO!!!
 
  • Like
Reactions: WilliamDuVOL, VolsFan6, Neyland Law Vol and 72 others
#4
#4
There’s a reason Bone is doing so well and Schofield isn’t. One is forcing shots and the other is not, and ironically I think it’s Bones NBA stock which has risen the most, not Schofield. He needs to quit forcing it
 
  • Like
Reactions: onevol74, nalliszing, dcm3w and 8 others
#6
#6
I hear people asking if this team has a weakness and I believe it does. 3 point defense. Granted teams shoot above and beyond against us from behind the arc. Some of those contested, but a lot are open looks. I don't know if it's over helping, losing their man, or bad rotation, but sometimes we don't look good at all. Maybe it's playing down to the competition or just not enough intensity on defense. I feel confident they can fix this, but sometimes watching makes my hair get a little more gray. Go Vols!!!
 
  • Like
Reactions: nalliszing, crazyguy and VOLuntary
#8
#8
Having suffered through many droughts with the Vols b-ball program since I started watching early in the Devoe era, I never imagined we'd be where this program is at the moment. Trying to make sure I soak it in and enjoy it while it's lasting, because as Vol fans we've learned to never take success for granted. I love watching these guys play and appreciate what they've done for UT b-ball.

That being said...what is up with our D? I know we are going to get team's best efforts, but it seems more often than not we are suffering some break-downs on the defensive end of the court. Is it our on-ball D, lack of ability to recover when helping out, or is it something in our defensive philosophy?? My fear is once we face a top tier team in the tourney that our lack of D will create runs that will put us out of the game.
 
  • Like
Reactions: nalliszing, Volle, VOLuntary and 2 others
#9
#9
I understand people who are concerned about the defense. I have said since the beginning of the season that we need to improve on defending the perimeter, but I don't understand how you can be upset with tonight's performance. Who cares if your opponent makes 12 three pointers if your team shoots 65% and wins by 17 with only 4 FTA's. The Warriors have never been the best defensive team in the NBA, yet they have won 3 of the last 4 titles with their unstoppable offense, and that's the way our offense looked tonight with Bone running the show.

I also hope the defense improves, but tonight was a great game for our Vols.
 
  • Like
Reactions: VOLSanon, aurabass, StrangeVol and 3 others
#12
#12
KoachKrab127 said:
I understand people who are concerned about the defense. I have said since the beginning of the season that we need to improve on defending the perimeter, but I don't understand how you can be upset with tonight's performance. Who cares if your opponent makes 12 three pointers if your team shoots 65% and wins by 17 with only 4 FTA's. The Warriors have never been the best defensive team in the NBA, yet they have won 3 of the last 4 titles with their unstoppable offense, and that's the way our offense looked tonight with Bone running the show.

I also hope the defense improves, but tonight was a great game for our Vols.
Click to expand...
I agree with most of your comment, but the Warriors have usually been elite on D. Draymond and Igudela and Durant are no joke on that end
 
  • Like
Reactions: therealitytheory, Smokeyman and Vols All Day
#13
#13
Every game we get off to a great start and Barnes puts in Pons and Fulkerson it kills us. I love Barnes and don't want to question him but this just doesn't make sense based on how Pons and Fulky are playing. It seems like a 2 point lead is a 10 point lead with this team. Fun to watch for sure!
 
  • Like
Reactions: crazyguy, Smokeyman, Orange Swagger and 2 others
#14
#14
I’ve been a big fan of Yves’ potential, but he played rough tonight. No stats in five minutes and a -12 plus minus, easily the worst on the team.
Other than that and what BTO already covered, exciting win and an exciting time to be a fan
 
  • Like
Reactions: lynnh and Vols All Day
#21
#21
I've said Bone was a jump shot away from leaving as a junior. I'm getting concerned. I agree; not another PG in the country I'd rather have, right now.

Bowden's transformation still has me stunned. It's like he's an entirely different player. Like he's been hypnotized. He has changed his game almost overnight. I hope he never wakes up from whatever dream he's in.

Grant is just unguardable when he can shoot that fadeaway so effectively. He's a bully in the paint, but he is so much more, too. Finesse, jump shot, FT shooter, passer. He affects the game in so many ways.

Turner in the starting 5 is a great move. He is playing his best ball right now, too. 3rd straight game with three 3s, and 20 assists in his last four games. He is playing lights out.

28 assists to 8 TOs. That is elite level efficiency.

Only one player shot less than 50%, and he was 0-1. Wow...

Now the bad...

aTm hit a season high in 3s, most of which were wide open. I thought we had fixed that problem.

aTm had 13 offensive rebs, and how many were putback dunks where we didn't put a body on anyone under the basket? Inexcusable. They only commit 8 fouls for the entire game, and a big reason for that is because we didn't make them work for rebounds on the offensive glass. Shockingly, we managed to outrebound them overall.

Transition defense gave up several easy buckets too because we didn't stop the ball. That is elementary-level, fundamental stuff.
 
  • Like
Reactions: nalliszing, StrangeVol, Big Orange#1 and 5 others
New posts
You must log in or register to reply here.

VN Store



Back
Top