Who needs Bruce Pearl?

#2
#2
Not an expert by any means, but i think UT is dead last in the SEC against the 3? and i don't think we've been out rebounding too many teams....one thing though, we do get steals....which makes up for that a bit....maybe lackluster wasn't the right word, but i wouldn't say we had a very good D either....
 
#3
#3
"provided Chris Lofton, C.J. Watson, and Major Wingate improve upon their lackluster defense."
-from the Fox article

Seems he's giving the "lackluster" tag to just a few. That pressure we run gets applied after made baskets. If we aren't hitting shots, and get pushed into half court "D", it can look a little ragged....

Now from the "no props" category, SI runs a poll asking who ought to be in the AP25 that are not, and we don't even get a poll spot....


http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/ncaa/

poll at the bottom.

 
#5
#5
Calling out a guy on D that is 2nd in the league in steals per (Lofton) isn't exactly what I'd call good journalism.
 
#6
#6
All of these stats can be attributed to up-tempo style, from steals created off the press to giving up points and 3-pointers. I didn't read the paragraph as a slight, but rather an observation. In the OSU game (the only game I have been able to watch from beginning to end,) I kept seeing our guards get broken down and beaten off the dribble with no significant defensive presence in the middle to help. "Lackluster" might not be the right word, but it looked to me to be a weakness in this team.
 
#7
#7
What's going to be interesting is that Georgia plays pretty much the same game we do- their top 6 scorers play either guard or wing and they like it uptempo.

On the other hand, their defense and inside shooting is better, but their outside shooting and turnover ratio are worse.

It'll be interesting to see (so to speak) against a team we can't just outrun and shoot, even if they look to be weaker overall...
 
#9
#9
Would you prefer "inadequate defense"?

I don't have a problem with "lackluster" for that narrow aspect of the game, particularly since the steals are credited. You can't rely on steals and they definitely aren't a substitute for rebounds.

We've got a bunch of defensive areas we need to grow, and pretty soon, otherwise we'll end up like the hoops equivalent of the old BYU football teams (or this year's USC)- counting on outscoring opponents rather than controlling both sides of the court. I sincerely hope the press and Pearl keep the Vols' eyes on their D weaknesses. We've got a lot of road ahead of us, there are going to be some cold shooting nights along the way, and I want to do better than just make it to the NCAAs........
 
#10
#10
(jakez4ut @ Jan 11 said:
Not an expert by any means, but i think UT is dead last in the SEC against the 3? and i don't think we've been out rebounding too many teams....one thing though, we do get steals....which makes up for that a bit....maybe lackluster wasn't the right word, but i wouldn't say we had a very good D either....
Click to expand...
I think these are not indications of a lackluster defense. Instead, these are just indicators of the type of game that the Vols are playing now. TN plays a fast-paced, high pressure game that involves pushing the ball up and down the court. As a result, opponents are going to score a few point also. However, the pressure results in a number of turnovers. Playing such a tight man-to-man defense also lends itself sometimes to not having guys underneath to rebound. And let's face it - this team is built on speed, pressure, and shooting. We have been running a four guard set even deep in the second half protecting a lead. Four guards fit the game plan - but, they don't get you nearly as many rebounds. To compensate, Coarch Pearl has this team shooting somewhere around 50% from the field and just as good from 3-point range.

I think the steals indicate that the defense is operating as designed. When you see the kind of pressure they are putting on teams, it's hard to say they aren't operating at full throttle and effectively considering the defense they are running. I just see in my head over and over again the pressure that they put on South Carolina for the entire 40 minutes. They had that game won at the end. But, they were still using the full-court press and in the face of every player on SC's team.

I think this defense is awesome. It reminds me at times of the pressure defense used by Kentucky in the years of Ron Mercer. No opponent player ever had the ball in his hand without a KY player in his face challenging every move he made. That's the kind of D we have now. It's riskier and we're smaller. But, speed and pressure make the difference.
 
#11
#11
To point out an example, last night in the second half, full court press... Bradshaw nearly picked off the inbounds at mid court, causing the guy to pass it deep under the basket, where Watson and Wingate were waiting, got the strip, turnover, fast break layup. 2 pts, all started by a failed pick by Dane at half court.

Point being, this D doesn't rebound very well, but they also minimize the other team's shots with ball pressure and turnovers. You can't score or even rebound if you don't have an opportunity to put it up to the basket.
 
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