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#1
Volnanza

Volnanza

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#1
We are going to drop a game after about every 4 - 5 wins. We seem to do that consistently. Perhaps ZZ really does need someone to give him a break. He was not good tonight. He might need a rest. We need someone else that can step up and lead. Very doubtful we catch bama to win the SEC. Lots of games left but we look like we peaked a couple weeks ago.
 
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#3
#3
I don’t think this team has peaked. Every team losses games. Five/six losses is what I anticipated and rt now we have four losses. We’ve had the easiest part of SEC schedule. May not catch Bama but all about March.
 
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#4
#4
Volnanza said:
We are going to drop a game after about every 4 - 5 wins. We seem to do that consistently. Perhaps ZZ really does need someone to give him a break. He was not good tonight. He might need a rest. We need someone else that can step up and lead. Very doubtful we catch bama to win the SEC. Lots of games left but we look like we peaked a couple weeks ago.
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Got several veteran players on this roster, but I don't see that alpha who I'd point to and say he's the "leader". Nice team with some complimentary players who work hard, but there's just something missing. That special personality....a spark if you will. Probably not the best way to describe it, but I'm at a loss to put my finger on a better way of saying it. Just don't see a player who has the "it" factor who will be able to put this team on his shoulders and carry them to a win when things aren't going well. Just enjoy the moments they're providing and temper expectations going forward.
 
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#9
#9
bleedingTNorange said:
How many around CBB can you?
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That's the thing - there isn't a team in all of CBB this season you can point to and say "they are a group that will string together six wins in March".

And the other thing is that we were never going to end up with 3-4 losses. I don't believe anyone will when it's all said and done except possibly Purdue because the Big 10 sucks. Expecting to win every game has never been more unrealistic.

The one thing I do agree with is the fact that the lack of a true go-to player in crunch time hurts our chances in the tournament. Having that guy who can get you a couple of buckets when the team is struggling late in games is a big part of virtually every team that wins the NCAA title. Hopefully that guy will emerge at some point before the big dance.
 
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#10
#10
Volnanza said:
We are going to drop a game after about every 4 - 5 wins. We seem to do that consistently. Perhaps ZZ really does need someone to give him a break. He was not good tonight. He might need a rest. We need someone else that can step up and lead. Very doubtful we catch bama to win the SEC. Lots of games left but we look like we peaked a couple weeks ago.
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So the solution is to lose last game of SEC tourney before a final four run!
 
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#13
#13
vol94 said:
I don’t think this team has peaked. Every team losses games. Five/six losses is what I anticipated and rt now we have four losses. We’ve had the easiest part of SEC schedule. May not catch Bama but all about March.
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This isn't necessarily directed at the OP, but building off of what you said, it's amazing how many people suddenly care about the regular season now that winning the SEC looks doubtful. The same people would be at the gates of Thompson-Boling with torches and pitchforks if Tennessee won the SEC and lost in the S16 because it's all about March and the regular season doesn’t matter. And yet, they'll moan and complain about a regular season loss in early February. Complainers gonna complain, I guess, but they can't have it both ways.
 
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#14
#14
cncchris33 said:
This isn't necessarily directed at the OP, but building off of what you said, it's amazing how many people suddenly care about the regular season now that winning the SEC looks doubtful. The same people would be at the gates of Thompson-Boling with torches and pitchforks if Tennessee won the SEC and lost in the S16 because it's all about March and the regular season doesn’t matter. And yet, they'll moan and complain about a regular season loss in early February. Complainers gonna complain, I guess, but they can't have it both ways.
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sec play only for me.. that's the show before the show in march.. these are the games to care about IMO
 
#15
#15
Volnanza said:
We are going to drop a game after about every 4 - 5 wins. We seem to do that consistently. Perhaps ZZ really does need someone to give him a break. He was not good tonight. He might need a rest. We need someone else that can step up and lead. Very doubtful we catch bama to win the SEC. Lots of games left but we look like we peaked a couple weeks ago.
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sounds like that if we lose in the SEC tournament then we should bring home our first Natty then
 
#16
#16
UT basketball is like a box of chocolates, you nev….

In several sports if you peak too early, you quit developing and set yourself up for a major let down.

In basketball I feel like you have be on the upswing and hit your stride at the right time to make a big run in the tourney, sweet 16 area IMO.
 
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#17
#17
cncchris33 said:
This isn't necessarily directed at the OP, but building off of what you said, it's amazing how many people suddenly care about the regular season now that winning the SEC looks doubtful. The same people would be at the gates of Thompson-Boling with torches and pitchforks if Tennessee won the SEC and lost in the S16 because it's all about March and the regular season doesn’t matter. And yet, they'll moan and complain about a regular season loss in early February. Complainers gonna complain, I guess, but they can't have it both ways.
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Agree. Same goes for weekly rankings and seeding, which everyone seems to be obsessed with.

Quite frankly, I don't care about rankings or even seeding - to me, all that matters is that we enter the tournament healthy and at the top of our game, having established a strategy to counteract the cold spells, and found that go-to guy in crunch time. Barnes has a month to find the answers, if they even exist, because without being able to address those two concerns it is highly unlikely we can string together six wins against that kind of competition in March.
 
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#19
#19
hatingbamaisawayoflife said:
Bama is a bad matchup for us imo. Being at home I hope helps. Beat auburn tomorrow then worry about next game
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I would have thought Mississippi State was a bad matchup for Alabama, too. They were 1-6 going into that game and offensively challenged. Yet, they took them to the very end on Bama’s court, and received several friendly calls. Just like The Big Dance, the regular season can be entirely inexplicable at times.
 
#20
#20
cncchris33 said:
This isn't necessarily directed at the OP, but building off of what you said, it's amazing how many people suddenly care about the regular season now that winning the SEC looks doubtful. The same people would be at the gates of Thompson-Boling with torches and pitchforks if Tennessee won the SEC and lost in the S16 because it's all about March and the regular season doesn’t matter. And yet, they'll moan and complain about a regular season loss in early February. Complainers gonna complain, I guess, but they can't have it both ways.
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I've posted elsewhere that I'd not worry about seeding now. I'd start relying on my bench more not less. Get legs rested and ready for the NCAAT. Not going to win the SEC and as we've seen the SECT means next to nothing. Just focus on March and get this team rested. I'm convinced the defense we play leads to these meltdowns that pop up from time to time. Barnes needs to change things up. Don't shorten the bench. Go deep into it. Try hitting the tournament with fresh legs for a change and see what happens. Hell, I won't mind an early exit from the SECT this time around.
 
#21
#21
CAVPUT said:
I've posted elsewhere that I'd not worry about seeding now. I'd start relying on my bench more not less. Get legs rested and ready for the NCAAT. Not going to win the SEC and as we've seen the SECT means next to nothing. Just focus on March and get this team rested. I'm convinced the defense we play leads to these meltdowns that pop up from time to time. Barnes needs to change things up. Don't shorten the bench. Go deep into it. Try hitting the tournament with fresh legs for a change and see what happens. Hell, I won't mind an early exit from the SECT this time around.
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You think our S16 chances are better as a 5/6 seed with rested legs or a 1 seed having played guys 30+mpg?
 
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#22
#22
bleedingTNorange said:
You think our S16 chances are better as a 5/6 seed with rested legs or a 1 seed having played guys 30+mpg?
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I don't think we'll lose enough to drop that low even if we go back to the early season bench minutes. I'm not saying sacrifice regular season wins to play your bench. I'm saying don't shorten your rotation at this point. Use the bench and watch your starters minutes the rest of the way.
 
#23
#23
CAVPUT said:
I don't think we'll lose enough to drop that low even if we go back to the early season bench minutes. I'm not saying sacrifice regular season wins to play your bench. I'm saying don't shorten your rotation at this point. Use the bench and watch your starters minutes the rest of the way.
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But if shortcoming your bench gives you the best chance to win close games in the regular season then not playing that way very well could be sacrificing wins…but regardless it was just a hypothetical.
 
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#24
#24
bleedingTNorange said:
But if shortcoming your bench gives you the best chance to win close games in the regular season then not playing that way very well could be sacrificing wins…but regardless it was just a hypothetical.
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Barnes has definitely shortened the rotation. Just think our system dictates a level of defense that will be difficult to maintain with a short bench as we reach tournament play. I also can't help but think that it has to impact our offensive performance. Barnes is paid to make these choices, but with what thes old eyes see in our losses, our post season history, and Barnes Texas history, I think the case could be made for trying something different.
 
#25
#25
CAVPUT said:
Barnes has definitely shortened the rotation. Just think our system dictates a level of defense that will be difficult to maintain with a short bench as we reach tournament play. I also can't help but think that it has to impact our offensive performance. Barnes is paid to make these choices, but with what thes old eyes see in our losses, our post season history, and Barnes Texas history, I think the case could be made for trying something different.
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Texas Tech 2019 which is one of the closest examples defensively to this team only played a 8 man rotation and made in to the finals, I think the talk over 20 year olds playing 35 vs. 30 minutes a game is a bit overblown.

I think there’s a fine line between resting guys and trying to get to our best, we haven’t been fully healthy for much of the season and JJJ didn’t practice leading up to season opener, so there’s not been a ton of practice or games with full compliment of players, so I get trying to figure things out.
 
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