#1 Ranked Vols?

Our ability to play great defense was the singlemost consistent thing that steadied me last year, but which seems to be our biggest liability this season.

I’m not sure what’s changed, but would love for someone to explain it to me.

 

If it happen Saturday I would legitimately be upset. A&M is very bad. Probably worst team in conference.

 

Stops on a dime and pops from 10-15 as good as anyone.

Excellent decision maker, everything runs through him and he’s not turning the ball over.

 

Agree, but they clipped K State on Saturday, who was looking like the 2nd best team in Big 12.

 

Bruce. Weber.

 

I’m not at all miserable, and am enjoying this season more than any other in recent memory. And I’m no more complaining than I’m miserable. Instead of vaguities and emotionally-driven overreactions - each, the inherent hallmarks of one expressing mere misery and complaint - I think I concisely laid out my areas of specific concern, and to how those reasonably lead to the conclusions that I reached.

If any one or all of those are erroneous, of course, it changes the conclusion. So, if one is wrong, or merely not as correct and complete as it should be, tell me where and how it’s wrong. I’m happy to be educated, and most particularly as it relates to basketball, and where I am so notably - and transparently honest - as to my ignorance.

However, I don’t see the harm in being honest as to what I think, where this team is, and what they are most liky to be capable of, at least, as best as I or anyone else can see and understand it. In fact, I think it’s more odd to ignore reasonable questions, than to ask them.

 

Yea it’s been frustrating for sure. And then there’s the fact that it seems like we’re late to adjust or don’t at all (Vandy game comes to mind)

 

Overanalyze away then. I'm going to sit back and enjoy it. Every college team is flawed and beatable. This is a great team fully capable of winning it all, and like every other team can be beaten by a tournament team if they have a bad night. It's the best chance we've ever had of making a Final Four and winning it all.

 

Let me tell you the lone thing to worry about - a team with a really, really quick guard and a couple of guys on fire from the outside. That's our kryptonite.

 

its aight to not be happy with the way we look at times. Barnes said after the game he doesnt like where we are right this second as far as consistency.
Coach K not too happy Duke looked as flat as us Saturday. Basketball is a wonderful sport, partly due to not getting bama'd year aftet year like football. One player off or hot and its a ballgame.

 

The latest slump seems more mental than anything else. Schofield is his own worst enemy at the moment. Williams is more concerned with getting buckets than the rest of his game - especially rebounding. Bowden went through a spell of no confidence. Pons isn't adding much of anything at the moment.

And UT is still sitting with only 1 loss. I can think of worse things to happen. Bone has been consistently good. Turner's heating up. Bowden is finding consistency again.

Alexander has faded a bit but he's the defensive anchor more than anything else.

UT's in fine shape right now.

 

isn't that everybody's kryptonite? isn't that what Tennessee looks like with bone sometimes?

 

This. Plus, it may be the easiest team to support that we've ever had. Well-coached, talented, unselfish, motivated, great personalities, etc. I look forward to every single game. It's just fun to watch. No idea how it will end but enjoy the ride.

 

Moreso us because of the way we play defense and rotate over. It's been that way Barnes' entire tenure.

 

Easily. UVA has been the most consistent defensive team in the country for years and UMBC shot 12-24 from behind the arc, along with dominating guard play.

It happens.

 

Lucky to beat UVA 2 of 10 times? I don't see that. Don't agree with Duke either.

 

It's considered gimmicky, but I love a good Box and 1 or Triangle 2 defense when the situation presents itself. One of those things I don't understand why more coaches don't keep at their disposal.

 

UVA can't score enough to win in March. You have that number transposed. We could play them ten times, and we win eight of those.

Look, UT is good. Damn good. In fact we are so good that we have hit a lull, which is good to hit in January rather than March btw- and we are still winning games. Admiral is struggling with his shot, but his stroke is too good to stay that way for long. Pons is lost defensively, and honestly never brought anything to the table offensively anyway minus some boards and easy put-backs.

I'll urge yet again, we can't look at basketball with the football mentality. We are going to get everyone's best punch. We have to take it and roll with it. We took W.Va's best punch, and held them scoreless for the better part of 8 minutes. Eight. Basketball. Minutes.

 

When Petty went wild, I just chalked it up to an anomaly.

But then Vandy shot 60% from 3 with multiple people contributing to it... and then the early stages of the WVU game..

It makes me fear that inferior teams are just going to bomb the 3, because it both gives them a chance to beat us, but also because we’re terrible defending it.

 

What this guy said.