I really like how hard we play on defense but it looks like..

[aj&uscgrad]

it comes back to bite us later in the game. Our guards seem to always be in danger of picking up fouls by overplaying so much. Most of the times the other teams beat us to the bonus both halves and our guards are sitting out key parts of the game with foul trouble. It also seems we are worse defensively the last 10 minutes of the game, maybe fatigue? All of that definitely seemed to happen yesterday. Right after we went up 12 VU started picking up easy points from the free throw line and then when Notice sat with 4 we just couldn't score anymore and kept fouling, not rebounding or doing anything as well as we did earlier in the game.

 

[ReadR00ster]

They're picking up fouls because they can't stay with quick players not matter how hard they try on defense.

 

[kappa kock]

Also, we look afraid to shoot the ball. We hardly ever are in a position to make an easy shot. we seem to fight for every shot and the other team have many more easy shots.

 

[uscfan1981]

Originally posted by kappa kock:
Also, we look afraid to shoot the ball. We hardly ever are in a position to make an easy shot. we seem to fight for every shot and the other team have many more easy shots.

I agree but we are much better defensively than the dunk fest that was the Darrin Horn era defense.

 

[4thgengamecock]

Originally posted by uscfan1981:

Originally posted by kappa kock:
Also, we look afraid to shoot the ball. We hardly ever are in a position to make an easy shot. we seem to fight for every shot and the other team have many more easy shots.

I agree but we are much better defensively than the dunk fest that was the Darrin Horn era defense.

Speaking of dunks, the one thing that really annoys me about our otherwise excellent defense is that we seem to, at least once or twice a game, give up a monster, from-the-free-throw-line jam. It gives the other team so much momentum when plays like that happen. A small complaint, all things considered, but it does irk me. It wouldn't even bother me so much if we weren't so mentally weak. One big play like that and we seem to fold like a deck of cards.

This post was edited on 2/8 7:03 PM by 4thgengamecock

 

[stevestrat2]

I still havent figured this team out- I think we have a decent nucleus, but just cant seem to close out the win. I still have faith that better days are ahead.

 

[aj&uscgrad]

We are not very good at finishing fast breaks either. It looks like many of our guards just go right in without looking to pass. i also don't understand why we are so poor attacking the press. We almost always have a 3 guard lineup on the floor but we seem like we can't attack it for easy shots and commit way too many turnovers.

 

[Garnet chicken]

In the Vandy game the defense gave up back door cuts and no block outs for the thunder dunks. It seems if you had competition in your blood that would make you mad and not want it to happen again. Same old problem with shooting. No one has confidence in their shot or their scoring ability. They need practice after practice with just shooting.

 

[wallycock]

I have not watched as many games as many of you have, but I agree that we play good, tenacious, but exhausting defense. We do not have enough deadly shooters, nor do we do not have enough depth. With just 1 additional shot maker, many of our single digit L's would be W's. The reason we are losing winnable games is our exhaustive defense, which we are able to play for 35 mins; however, we are totally gassed in every game with 5 mins left, when we totally collapse. There is too little left to finish games. Other teams exploit this by speeding up their play, and attacking. We don't have enough quality depth to play that game a full 40 mins. We commit more fouls which means our best players spend too many mins on the bench, and opponents shoot far more free throws than us. Our shooting deficiencies are magnified by our fatigue when we just can't buy a basket. My answer is to slow down on offense. Shorten the game. Conserve energy. Run and take the fast break when you have the advantage, but don't force it like we do off every single rebound. Walk the Ball up the court like the great Frank McGuire teams did. Our big guys will be thankful for that. You can also lull your opponent to sleep that way. Then all of a sudden you selectively play the fast break game off of a timeout, and perhaps pick up a few cheap points. We just might have enough left to challenge opponents at the end.

 

[SClanding]

Reshaaaa...we have been building "a defensive" basketball team

for going on `15 years so frankly don't give a darn about that any longer....The object of basketball is getting the basketball into the basket....

They just went 12 MINUTES against VANDY putting the ball into the basket ONE SINGLE TIME...they are not a basketball team.


They are a soccer team on hard court......

 

[4thgengamecock]

Originally posted by wallycock:
I have not watched as many games as many of you have, but I agree that we play good, tenacious, but exhausting defense. We do not have enough deadly shooters, nor do we do not have enough depth. With just 1 additional shot maker, many of our single digit L's would be W's. The reason we are losing winnable games is our exhaustive defense, which we are able to play for 35 mins; however, we are totally gassed in every game with 5 mins left, when we totally collapse. There is too little left to finish games. Other teams exploit this by speeding up their play, and attacking. We don't have enough quality depth to play that game a full 40 mins. We commit more fouls which means our best players spend too many mins on the bench, and opponents shoot far more free throws than us. Our shooting deficiencies are magnified by our fatigue when we just can't buy a basket. My answer is to slow down on offense. Shorten the game. Conserve energy. Run and take the fast break when you have the advantage, but don't force it like we do off every single rebound. Walk the Ball up the court like the great Frank McGuire teams did. Our big guys will be thankful for that. You can also lull your opponent to sleep that way. Then all of a sudden you selectively play the fast break game off of a timeout, and perhaps pick up a few cheap points. We just might have enough left to challenge opponents at the end.

That was what really cost us against Arkansas and Vandy. We completely lost control and focus on the offensive end late in both those games, and just jacked up any old shot as quickly as we could. When we run things through our offense, we move slowly and methodically. Our intent is to be the basketball equivalent of of a ball-control football team--grind clock when we're in possession, and suffocate them with defense when we're not. When we lose control and let the other team speed us up, we get into trouble. It's a mental thing, and it's an experience thing.