The Turkey Lasagna Is Great Postgame Report.

1. That was an utterly disheartening performance. They were outplayed and outcoached.
2. Stubbornly playing Maymon and Stokes together will cost Cuonzo Martin his job. The only decent moments UT had tonight were the result of going small and extending the defense.
3. Gee, I guess Trae Golden wasn't the reason this group's zone offense is inept. Antonio Barton and Darius Thompson were atrocious.
4. Stokes and Maymon being smothered by height is as predictable as the sunrise. They've added nothing to their games to counteract that fact.
5. Jordan McRae turned in exactly the kind of performance that will have him in need of a passport to earn a living next year. He was alternately completely out of control and totally passive.
6. UTEP may well win Conference USA. There's still no excuse for getting dominated by them on a neutral floor.
7. AJ Davis and Josh Richardson who showed any real competitive fire. The lack of overall intensity was palpable.
8. It was if UT was totally shocked at UTEP playing multiple defenses. That's ludicrous, considering Tim's been doing that for over a year now.
9. If this season keeps playing out as it has in the early portions, change will have to be made. If that's the case, the guy on the other bench tonight should get one of the first calls.
10. There's no time for patience. Tomorrow's game is as close to crucial as one in November can be.

 

Agree with all except 8. I didn't see them play anything other than the triangle and 2, which just adds to your point. They played a junk, gimmick, defense the entire game, and we never adjusted once.

 

I'm a blind Martin lover, but it's obvious that he must make the tournament if he wants a fourth year. To miss with this squad is inexcusable. That said, I wonder what the cutoff with Hart will be? If Martin does get canned, what type of hire will Hart make? I have absolutely no faith in him to upgrade the position at all, if it comes down to it.

 

Cuonzo had a really long leash in my eyes. I'm honestly a little surprised its slipping out of my hands. There's almost no coaching.

 

It's unfortunate, too. Most of the rational fans genuinely like the guy. I'm also wondering how much Bruce Pearl is on his mind? Though it sounds idiotic for a guy who preaches constant mental toughness, I think Bruce is in the back of his mind.

 

These were pretty much the extent of my thoughts while watching that game.

 

I agree with Hat regarding Floyd. He personally would be my number one choice. Tennessee would consistently be a Top 15 program.

 

If this is a problem for him, he should leave the pressure cooker that is division 1 athletics. He is not head coaching material. Pearl being in the background is not close to the intensity of some of the fires a college coach has to put out.

 

I actually wish that was the case. If it were, he'd be trying to play an uptempo style to appease people. That would suit this team.

 

Mentioned this in another thread, but worth mentioning here I guess....Saw that Martin's buyout cuts in half on April 1st from 2.6 mil to 1.3 mil

 

That's how inept this offense is. Running doesn't suit this team at all in my opinion, neither of the bigs run the court well and while your wings are athletic, neither of them scare an opponent from distance. I 100% agree about Stokes and Maymon playing together, two lane clogging, non-athletic "bigs" spell disaster for a team lacking outside shooting. I'd honestly bring Stokes off the bench but that would require a thoughtful substitution, something he's completely void of. He has the absolute worst sub patterns I've ever seen, at any level.

It sucks that Bruce is slimy but a good coach and the opposite is true of Counzo.

I've pretty much lost all hope for UT athletics for the next 2 years, I really hoped that this team would give me something to be proud of and maybe it will happen but I'm losing hope by the game.

 

Last night was my official breaking point. Cuonzo isn't the guy. Offense is awful. Defense is pathetic, and this team has no killer instinct.

 

Mine too. I'm done with Cuonzo unless he does something the rest of the year that he's shown no ability to do in the last two.

 

The fact Maymon and Stokes don't run well is why they shouldn't play in tandem.

 

Imagine playing one at a time and having a fresh big man on the court at all times. Amazing.