Tough loss tonight....

[maroonmania]

TN came ready to play and we just couldn't match them. We also came out ready but just could keep up the intensity. We actually had a 25-17 lead in the first half but were outscored by 30 points on our home floor after that point. When did i KNOW it was over? When the TN dude banked in the 3 pointer from about 8 feet behind the 3 point line with the shot clock expiring. When those type things happen, its just not our night.

[Lord McBuckethead]

Yep. That is when I also knew the game was over. Something like 13 minutes left.
All I can say about it is, we had a bad overall night. Couldn't shoot it, d looked overmatched, ball handling was poor, got man handled on the glass. Tough loss, but we still have a shot. Keep growing and working. Everything is still in front of us. Just every loss adds to the issue at hand. Vandy and Mizzou could have built a cushion, now they are starting to weigh us down.

[maroonwhitedawg3ddd]

We just got our ASSES KICKED!!! Ado and Holman couldn't rebound our Defend... Shooting ,Lack of offensive sets, A lot of one on one BS.. One of the worse games we played all year!!

[Dawg61]

Tennessee couldn't miss a free throw. That's when I knew it wasn't our night. Hate to say it but we needed Herard and Kegler's size tonight. Williams and Schofield destroyed us.

[louisvilledawg]

Tennessee couldn't miss a free throw. That's when I knew it wasn't our night. Hate to say it but we needed Herard and Kegler's size tonight. Williams and Schofield destroyed us.

Not to hijack the thread, but why did Kegler leave again? He wasn't getting to play the position he wanted to?

[TXDawg]

Guys, let's face it. We played this game exactly the same way we've played our last 5 or 6. The difference was, we actually played a good team. You can use the excuse "our shots weren't falling" all you want, but the reality is that we are NOT a good offensive basketball team. If you can stop us in transition and make us run a half-court offense, we can't do it. We don't pass the ball, we don't move without the ball, we don't box out and rebound well, the list goes on. Our only "offense" is either the isolation one-on-one game, or jack up a contested step-back three.

Until this "team" learns to play together and can consistently run a half-court offense, we'll continue to suffer losses like these when we play good teams.

All that said, I liked our defensive effort in the first half. Second half, not so much. It seemed like once we got down big, we pretty much gave up.

[MarketingBully]

Guys, let's face it. We played this game exactly the same way we've played our last 5 or 6. The difference was, we actually played a good team. You can use the excuse "our shots weren't falling" all you want, but the reality is that we are NOT a good offensive basketball team. If you can stop us in transition and make us run a half-court offense, we can't do it. We don't pass the ball, we don't move without the ball, we don't box out and rebound well, the list goes on. Our only "offense" is either the isolation one-on-one game, or jack up a contested step-back three.

Until this "team" learns to play together and can consistently run a half-court offense, we'll continue to suffer losses like these when we play good teams.

All that said, I liked our defensive effort in the first half. Second half, not so much. It seemed like once we got down big, we pretty much gave up.

This is bullshit. Stop posting about basketball.

[DanDority]

This is bullshit. Stop posting about basketball.

I thought his post was spot on, guess I don't know enough about basketball either. Sorry, but I think you're wrong!

[tcdog70]

our half-court offense is a high ball screen where our guards--Lamar (mostly) and the spoons create off that. it has worked fine. If we were a lit bit lucky we would have won 9 in a row with that offense. How about the idea that last night Tenn. was just the better team They had lost 2 out of their last 3. I like our Young team and we have improved vastly as the season has rocked along. So how about let's be happy that Basketball is relevant at MSU once again. Why not Beat LSU then go into the SEC Tourney and play like our asses are on fire and see what happens.

[TXDawg]

And that "high ball screen, isolation" offense will work just fine against mediocre teams. It won't work against good teams like TN and others. Sorry, but "drive the lane and chuck it up against the bigs" isn't going to work when the other team's bigs can play. One-on-four only works when you significantly out talent the other team. We didn't last night and we won't against most Top 25 teams.

We have to do something differently on the offensive end if we want to be a good basketball team.

[thf24]

And that "high ball screen, isolation" offense will work just fine against mediocre teams. It won't work against good teams like TN and others. Sorry, but "drive the lane and chuck it up against the bigs" isn't going to work when the other team's bigs can play. One-on-four only works when you significantly out talent the other team. We didn't last night and we won't against most Top 25 teams.

We have to do something differently on the offensive end if we want to be a good basketball team.

So Tennessee is the only good team we've played this year? Okay...

I'll never understand this condition our fanbase has of jumping to downplay previous successes based on a single failure. It's the complete opposite of the norm.

[TXDawg]

Not downplaying previous successes at all. Just saying that if we want to be a consistently good, we've got to get better on offense. Running isolation plays and jacking up step-back 3's isn't going to get it done consistently. I think we all saw that last night.

[HoopsDawg]

So Tennessee is the only good team we've played this year? Okay...

I'll never understand this condition our fanbase has of jumping to downplay previous successes based on a single failure. It's the complete opposite of the norm.

I would say we have 6 nice wins this year. Arkansas, Mizzou, @South Carolina, UGA, Alabama, @Texas A&M

We needed a year like this to take the next step and hopefully next year we can take another step and make the NCAAT. I still wish we had a knock down shooter, but maybe Tyson Carter can add some weight and be that guy next year.

[Commercecomet24]

I would say we have 6 nice wins this year. Arkansas, Mizzou, @South Carolina, UGA, Alabama, @Texas A&M

We needed a year like this to take the next step and hopefully next year we can take another step and make the NCAAT. I still wish we had a knock down shooter, but maybe Tyson Carter can add some weight and be that guy next year.

Agree on all.

[MarketingBully]

Not downplaying previous successes at all. Just saying that if we want to be a consistently good, we've got to get better on offense. Running isolation plays and jacking up step-back 3's isn't going to get it done consistently. I think we all saw that last night.

That never works but we haven’t been doing that all year. In the games we won 7 out of 9, our guards were getting to the rim and either finishing at the rim or passing out to open perimeter shooters. We didn’t do that last night. Our guards weren’t penetrating even though they had the advantage with the big switching to them and we settled for contested jump shots. When we had open perimeter shots in the first half, we took them and for the most part made them. We just got flustered because they were able to hand check on defense and we couldn’t get passed that point due to our maturity level as a team. That’s the next step. Got to play through getting screwed by the refs and last night we just couldn’t do it. Also, an offense works extremely well when the other team is able to utilize the rolling/moving screen to free up the guards for entry passes in the post and their main player is able to get MJ type calls from the refs as well.

[tcdog70]

Not downplaying previous successes at all. Just saying that if we want to be a consistently good, we've got to get better on offense. Running isolation plays and jacking up step-back 3's isn't going to get it done consistently. I think we all saw that last night.

It worked to start the game. Then we started jacking up 3's. the problem was the Refs started allowing hand checks and stopped calling fouls on drives to the basket. that and our Bigs suxed. How many balls did ADO fumble and how many chances for offensive rebounds did he let slip away. I know Q was fouled at least 6 times on drives that the Refs swallowed their whistle. you have to adjust to how the game is called, we didn't adjust. I think our advantage on offense is we have 3 guards that beat you off the dribble, so that is what we will do. When it works we win when it doesn't we lose.

[Ifyouonlyknew]

I would say we have 6 nice wins this year. Arkansas, Mizzou, @South Carolina, UGA, Alabama, @Texas A&M

We needed a year like this to take the next step and hopefully next year we can take another step and make the NCAAT. I still wish we had a knock down shooter, but maybe Tyson Carter can add some weight and be that guy next year.

I think having a more complete team with a deeper bench will help. Also a fully engaged Lamar from the jump & aggressive Nick from opening tip will really help. Next year's team will be Nick's team. He will be the vocal & emotional leader we've needed.

[MarketingBully]

I think having a more complete team with a deeper bench will help. Also a fully engaged Lamar from the jump & aggressive Nick from opening tip will really help. Next year's team will be Nick's team. He will be the vocal & emotional leader we've needed.

Please tell me Lamar is going to stay and be here next year. I hate that we even have to discuss it but with the Kegler incident last year where he told us he was staying until he wasn?t has me leary.

[MarketingBully]

It worked to start the game. Then we started jacking up 3's. the problem was the Refs started allowing hand checks and stopped calling fouls on drives to the basket. that and our Bigs suxed. How many balls did ADO fumble and how many chances for offensive rebounds did he let slip away. I know Q was fouled at least 6 times on drives that the Refs swallowed their whistle. you have to adjust to how the game is called, we didn't adjust. I think our advantage on offense is we have 3 guards that beat you off the dribble, so that is what we will do. When it works we win when it doesn't we lose.

I can agree with this.

[Ifyouonlyknew]

Please tell me Lamar is going to stay and be here next year. I hate that we even have to discuss it but with the Kegler incident last year where he told us he was staying until he wasn?t has me leary.

There was never any thought of Lamar transferring. He was thinking of turning pro & letting the chips fall but that talk has died out & he's expected back. He understands he didn't have the year he needed & needs a good year before he leaves. He also understands that most of the problems were self-inflicted. He's still maturing but he's getting there.