Loss of opening momentum

[LibertyVolance]

The last 2 games we started with an early burst firing on all cylinders and opening a big lead. But our first substitutions that include Fulkerson halted that momentum. I know the need to play with a steady 7 or 8 that can be depended on to rest starters or sit guys in foul trouble. But I watch Fulky in his 7 or so minutes and the team's rhythm and flow are affected. Fulky's height doesn't pay off with rebounding advantage at either end like it should. He lacks body mass to hold his position inside. With his avg 4 ppg, are there no other options?

I thought Walker started the season looking a little overweight and slow. But in some recent games, he looked a bit lighter and more agile. Certainly has the body mass to muscle for rebounds, whereas Fulky doesn't even find position for rebounds often. I know I don't know anything and wouldn't second guess the coaches, but the quick turnaround in early momentum these last 2 games has been noticeable. I have seen some criticism directed at Pons for lack of production numbers. Yet, starting him and bringing Bowden off the bench has been terrific for Bowden's performance. But even though Pons isn't putting up big numbers, the fluidity of the team isn't affected and sometimes he makes some athletic plays. There is still 2/3 of the sec season to play. I wish they could find another substitution combo that could avoid momentum drop-offs. I know BB is often a game of runs and momentum changes, but it occurred to me last night at halftime that this looked familiar from the previous game. Early big lead and what looked like a breeze turning into a dogfight down the stretch.

 

[Caculator]

"I know I don't know anything and wouldn't second guess the coaches"


Salient point

 

[Vol49er]

I completely think Derrick Walker should start getting Fulky’s minutes

 

[VolsSportsFan]

Now you guys did it.....

 

[Fullfillmer]

Now you guys did it.....

Our reality is we are going to need both Walker and Fulky next season as we are losing a ton of talent. Those guys need to get a lot better in the interim. There are others rotating in and out - where we get hurt imo - the ball gets sticky in some of their hands and ball and player movement doesn't flow as well. They also need to Admiral cutting and working inside - he and Bowden are almost unstoppable at midrange - but run hot and cold from 3 pt range.

 

[Kristy*]

I completely think Derrick Walker should start getting Fulky’s minutes

Maybe some. Fulkerson has the worst hands and is pretty spastic. But even with that, he's looked better than Walker this year to me. I was higher on Walker last year, but he seems to have regressed.

To the OP's point, I also feel like momentum tends to swing away from us when Fulkerson comes in. But Alexander needs a sub sometimes, so what are you going to do? I really don't like when Fulkerson and Pons are on the court together; there's almost always a defensive miscue.

 

[VOLINVONORE]

I completely think Derrick Walker should start getting Fulky’s minutes

Lets look at this again. We are ranked #1 in the Nation, riding a long winning streak, haven't lost an SEC game this year, and fans want to become the coach and deteremine the lineup. I say let the coaches do their job coaching mostly 3* players to where we are now. I look forward to the rest of the year and the NCAA Tournament.

 

[vol41212]

Lets look at this again. We are ranked #1 in the Nation, riding a long winning streak, haven't lost an SEC game this year, and fans want to become the coach and deteremine the lineup. I say let the coaches do their job coaching mostly 3* players to where we are now. I look forward to the rest of the year and the NCAA Tournament.

No one is perfect or above reproach and Barnes' NCAA record should show you that he has some bad tendencies.

We all want the best, cohesive unit flowing and hitting on all cylinders come tourny time and this team is starting to regress at this point of the season. Some changes need to be made, if we want to have the type of season we are hoping for and that completely involves coaching decisions and being flexible.

 

[Lurker]

Lets look at this again. We are ranked #1 in the Nation, riding a long winning streak, haven't lost an SEC game this year, and fans want to become the coach and deteremine the lineup. I say let the coaches do their job coaching mostly 3* players to where we are now. I look forward to the rest of the year and the NCAA Tournament.

How un-Volnation! Trust the coach? Crazy talk!

 

[golfballs]

Good grief...

I think Walker is worse than Fulkerson in just about every respect at this point...

 

[Lurker]

Good grief...

I think Walker is worse than Fulkerson in just about every respect at this point...

Agree. And both of them are making progress and look like they are going to be potentially really good down the road. Barnes isn't building a team for one year. He's trying to build a team that reloads. Walker and Fulkerson are part of a long term plan as well as capable backups now. Admiral wasn't "this" Admiral when he was a freshman and neither was Grant. Barnes and company are teachers.

 

[GUNTERSVOL]

Agree. And both of them are making progress and look like they are going to be potentially really good down the road. Barnes isn't building a team for one year. He's trying to build a team that reloads. Walker and Fulkerson are part of a long term plan as well as capable backups now. Admiral wasn't "this" Admiral when he was a freshman and neither was Grant. Barnes and company are teachers.

To be fair Fulky and Grant were in the same class, though Fulky lost more than a whole year recovering from a series of very tough injuries.... He is kind of like in football where some guys try to make plays and one band or the other ends up playing.... He has unusual speed for his size but he sometimes overruns his high stops and creates problems recovering late to get back to his guy and causing swithches that lead to easier scores... but I cannot count the times he has created offensive rebound opportunities for teammates and causes problems passing with his reach... I do think he will have to play significant minutes the next two years and hopeful the staff can put some upper class magic on him like Punter and Admiral... Love for both these guys to significant minutes is some HOPEFULLY not so close games down the stretch with most of the starters....

 

[livefaith]

Lets look at this again. We are ranked #1 in the Nation, riding a long winning streak, haven't lost an SEC game this year, and fans want to become the coach and deteremine the lineup. I say let the coaches do their job coaching mostly 3* players to where we are now. I look forward to the rest of the year and the NCAA Tournament.

Calm down. It's a discussion forum. AFAIK, everyone is allowed to discuss UT basketball in this forum. And I think it's allowed regardless of ranking. Barnes may be thinking exactly what OP discussed. Or he met be totally opposite.

Regardless, if anyone wants to point out weaknesses that need solutions, then that's why we're here. #1 teams have warts too.

Nobody at least in this thread thinks they're better than CRB. Who is amazing.

 

[VEKZY]

Fulkerson currently has the 2nd highest plus-minus of anyone with significant minutes.

 

[livefaith]

Rewatched the Bama game. Had we just finished shots at the rim or wide open looks, we would have been up over 20 in the first half. And I'm not even taking about defensively and the ball screen breakdowns early.
We were on the verge of another rout, but our shooting died and they came back in. A little like VU game.

 

[cardvolfan]

Good grief...

I think Walker is worse than Fulkerson in just about every respect at this point...

I do, too. Walker actually came into the year looking trimmer and more fit, but really has shown nothing this year compared to what most of us saw last year as a lot of promise. Fulky gives us a lot of energy, and frankly, playing sporadically for 3-4 minutes at a time does lend itself to inconsistent performance. Our coaches see these guys in practice, workouts, etc and we really have no idea beyond the actual games what goes on for sure. I trust Barnes and company to put the best product possible on the court.

 

[fatal1]

ok guys my two cents worth as you all saw last night the worst team in the sec almost beat the vols playing for a win over no 1. my point here is if the worst team in the sec can come down and take ut to ot what are the better teams gonna do. the target on their backs keeps getting bigger and bigger and no player on uts team can afford a bad night like as had last night.they gonna have to play all of their best games.

 

[hUTch2002]

Rewatched the Bama game. Had we just finished shots at the rim or wide open looks, we would have been up over 20 in the first half. And I'm not even taking about defensively and the ball screen breakdowns early.
We were on the verge of another rout, but our shooting died and they came back in. A little like VU game.

I haven’t gone back and watched the games but it feels like we are starting to rely more on jumpers and one on one moves than good ball movement to attack the basket. The first half against Bama was solid. The last 3 halves were not as good. We definitely have to defend the 3 better or Auburn will beat us by 30.

 

[livefaith]

I haven’t gone back and watched the games but it feels like we are starting to rely more on jumpers and one on one moves than good ball movement to attack the basket. The first half against Bama was solid. The last 3 halves were not as good. We definitely have to defend the 3 better or Auburn will beat us by 30.

I thot our ball mvmnt in the 1st half was great. We sliced the up and got great looks in 2nd Q. Just didn't finish tons of easy ones. Couple that with forgetting what a ball screen swap is and we left a huge lead on the table for the 1st half.

Yeah, covering 3s can improve. But, we have had 2 hot shooting 3 teams in a row now. Above thier norm. What's scary is our ability to guard ON ball. Vandy just took our "switch 1 thru 5" defense and abused it with Lee all night. I think Barnes is going to have to move away from that. Williams, AS, Kyle and even Lamonte can't stay in front of quick guys. Didn't seem near as bad early in the season.

 

[Catbone]

In all honesty we haven't looked good oir last 2 games. Grant is single handedly keeping us alive right now

 

[zaqhhh]

Guys, guys... Fulky and Walker are both pretty bad. Honestly, neither of them should be playing significant minutes, really need some post recruits because our depth is lacking in talent compared to the guards.

 

[Rebel VOL]

Guys, guys... Fulky and Walker are both pretty bad. Honestly, neither of them should be playing significant minutes, really need some post recruits because our depth is lacking in talent compared to the guards.

Agree, fulky looks so uncomfortable out there everytime he touches the ball. You know he is about to shoot a brick or have the ball bounce off his hands.

 

[BowlBrother85]

The last 2 games we started with an early burst firing on all cylinders and opening a big lead. But our first substitutions that include Fulkerson halted that momentum. I know the need to play with a steady 7 or 8 that can be depended on to rest starters or sit guys in foul trouble. But I watch Fulky in his 7 or so minutes and the team's rhythm and flow are affected. Fulky's height doesn't pay off with rebounding advantage at either end like it should. He lacks body mass to hold his position inside. With his avg 4 ppg, are there no other options?

I thought Walker started the season looking a little overweight and slow. But in some recent games, he looked a bit lighter and more agile. Certainly has the body mass to muscle for rebounds, whereas Fulky doesn't even find position for rebounds often. I know I don't know anything and wouldn't second guess the coaches, but the quick turnaround in early momentum these last 2 games has been noticeable. I have seen some criticism directed at Pons for lack of production numbers. Yet, starting him and bringing Bowden off the bench has been terrific for Bowden's performance. But even though Pons isn't putting up big numbers, the fluidity of the team isn't affected and sometimes he makes some athletic plays. There is still 2/3 of the sec season to play. I wish they could find another substitution combo that could avoid momentum drop-offs. I know BB is often a game of runs and momentum changes, but it occurred to me last night at halftime that this looked familiar from the previous game. Early big lead and what looked like a breeze turning into a dogfight down the stretch.

I agree with this. I don't understand why there should be an immediate substitution after such a great start. 5 minutes into the game, we are up 15-2 and Vandy is in trouble. Instead of showing some killer instinct and going for their throat, we let them off the hook and allow a 7-0 run with a change in the lineup that was completely unnecessary. Maybe it would have happened anyway. Who knows? But you should let a run ride itself out with the lineup that got you there.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

I agree with this. I don't understand why there should be an immediate substitution after such a great start. 5 minutes into the game, we are up 15-2 and Vandy is in trouble. Instead of showing some killer instinct and going for their throat, we let them off the hook and allow a 7-0 run with a change in the lineup that was completely unnecessary. Maybe it would have happened anyway. Who knows? But you should let a run ride itself out with the lineup that got you there.

Substitutions are always made at the first media time out. That adds an extra 3 or 4 minutes to the rest and recovery time that the players coming out are able to utilize.

 

[rush1228]

I thought Walker started the season looking a little overweight and slow.

Stopped reading after that.