This season has been a roller coaster of ups and downs. We have seen the best this team has to offer on both sides of the coin in wins and losses. We have seen some dark times when losing, we have seen some anger translating into wins.
This team does a lot of talking. A lot.
It can't back up the talking. It can only do what it does which is very par for the course.
Texas Tech:
We saw an opponent lose to us because they insisted on chucking 3s to a detriment. Had they bulled to the rim, they probably would have taken us down.
We have see our "shooters" brick just about everything.
Carter was used as the scapegoat tonight for the cheapie fouls to get the game back under control.
Until the stretch run, this game was like 8-10 FT's per team. We benefited massively attacking the rim and not settling for lazy outside jumpers.
Hank the Tank played Mean basketball that night. His anger really pushed our team into the next gear defensively especially.
We didn't really get enough Awaka considering the kind of game he was having.
Tommy can't seem to figure out how to play Henri, Tobe, and Carter together.
Kansas State:
Tommy was a true deer in headlights. He expected way too much from this team.
KSU clogged the lane and didn't allow Bradley, Love, or Lewis to get their Layups, while Tommy didn't clog the lane at all and let KSU hit all their running layups.
In a game where only Three 3pt shots were made out of over 40, the strategy should have been to force KSU to take 3s until they proved they could make some.
Tommy abandoned Dell Orso way too early. A couple of shots from him would have went a long way in this one.
We took a ton of terrible 3's. Poor looks = Poor results.
Tommy couldn't draw up on of those "Hand Turkey's" that all the kids draw in Elementary School for Thanksgiving tonight.
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Summary:
I was hesitant to post my analysis of the Texas Tech game because I knew what I saw in that game. It was a lack of coaching that did in the Red Raiders.
Tonight it was our lack of Coaching that did us in. No different in the macro.
The Formula:
The day Tommy figures out that he needs to involve a PG who is willing to break a defense down and kick the ball out is the day we can begin to blame the players fully.
I think the formula is as follows:
Conrad
Bradley
Carter
Tobe
Henri
There needs to be someone willing to break down a defense and pass the ball. There needs to be what we saw Steve Nash do forever. There needs to be what we see a CP3 do.
Use Henri, Tobe, and Carter in the screen and roll, pick and pop.
It doesn't need to be the starting line up. It is just something that we have in the arsenal to go to in a game especially like tonight where we needed some sort of competitive edge and Tommy has to figure it out before he allows Caleb Love to shoot us out of a game.. or the season for that matter.
The only times we gained momentum and control back during this game was when we had a player drive into the Phalanx Defense Jerome Tang setup down low and broke it down into a pass where we got an easy dunk or layup.
It is VERY difficult to play disciplined basketball for 40 minutes trusting your teammates to not "break" and to "hold the line" in these mini-triangle defenses down low that are designed to stop a Love/Bradley type from coming with a full head of steam to the rim.
It really is 1 game at a time right now, but Tommy cannot afford to go to 6-7 players and expect us to power through.
Now this game vs Houston is 100% for the Banner. A loss and we will have officially lost the Big12 Banner in my book. A win and we will have to be absolutely perfect the rest of the way until Houston flinches.
I am not confident that we can run the table, but we can apply pressure if we can win vs Houston and sometimes pressure makes diamonds and other times pressure can smash anything into smithereens.
Let's learn from this one.
Onward and Up,
Beardown.
Hard to argue any of that. Very tough to watch ZERO adjustments being made. In his defense, we shot terrible from 3. BEAR DOWN !!
Luckily, we have a cupcake matchup this weekend to get back into our groove. Houston may be one of the six worst basketball teams ever assembled.
Hard to watch is obvious!
Your shots are not falling you quit taking the dial it up area code shots. Find a way to take high percentage shots where you can also get to the line. Hell, we are giving up FTs three at a time.
A coaches job is to coach. Lute let them play but corrected them and had them making changes.
Lloyd let's them play, but no adjustments. At least make a change somewhere.
I really question the IQ of the team. We learn from our mistakes is how we grow and improve. We continue to go on without changes, growth, maturity, or even accountability.
We could win a NC with this team, or we could lose to a 16 seed. We often tend to play to our competion.
KJ is still making way too many mistakes out there. Love his hustle but he's gonna clean the play by March or we don't have a chance to make a deep run.
Quote from: Little George on February 12, 2025, 09:10:58 AMHard to watch is obvious!
Your shots are not falling you quit taking the dial it up area code shots. Find a way to take high percentage shots where you can also get to the line. Hell, we are giving up FTs three at a time.
A coaches job is to coach. Lute let them play but corrected them and had them making changes.
Lloyd let's them play, but no adjustments. At least make a change somewhere.
I really question the IQ of the team. We learn from our mistakes is how we grow and improve. We continue to go on without changes, growth, maturity, or even accountability.
We could win a NC with this team, or we could lose to a 16 seed. We often tend to play to our competion.
I actually screamed at my TV a few times 'LOW IQ. THIS IS LOW IQ BASKETBALL". Funny enough.
Too many simpleton mistakes and it feels like Tommy would rather be the team's friend than it's leader or father figure out there.
Quote from: AztecWildcat on February 12, 2025, 11:03:58 AMKJ is still making way too many mistakes out there. Love his hustle but he's gonna clean the play by March or we don't have a chance to make a deep run.
I think there are many times where it is perfectly acceptable to step inside the 3pt line, get around the FT or Elbow Area and take a jump shot. Those should be basically equal to whatever a FT shooter is. Slightly less if it is defended, but muscle memory doesn't just forget.
A 80-90% FT shooter will be around 70%+ in-game. So it doesn't always have to be Layups or 3s.
In fact, Booker and KD are masters of "getting to their spots, rising up, and letting it rip". No, these guys aren't legends, but they could learn from it. Especially in a game like that. Make a few of those, force defenders out of the lane... rise up, pump fake, then Pass inside for the easy one.
The players all look at Lloyd as a father figure. Coach is not afraid to let the players know when the make mistakes. We sat near the bench and he was ripping everybody for sloppy offensive play, but everybody still had a positive mentality. Arizona was intense and never looked shaken.
The team buys into the system and they respect each other. It's obvious from an up-close perspective.
Quote from: arxpert on February 12, 2025, 02:10:03 PMQuote from: AztecWildcat on February 12, 2025, 11:03:58 AMKJ is still making way too many mistakes out there. Love his hustle but he's gonna clean the play by March or we don't have a chance to make a deep run.
I think there are many times where it is perfectly acceptable to step inside the 3pt line, get around the FT or Elbow Area and take a jump shot. Those should be basically equal to whatever a FT shooter is. Slightly less if it is defended, but muscle memory doesn't just forget.
A 80-90% FT shooter will be around 70%+ in-game. So it doesn't always have to be Layups or 3s.
In fact, Booker and KD are masters of "getting to their spots, rising up, and letting it rip". No, these guys aren't legends, but they could learn from it. Especially in a game like that. Make a few of those, force defenders out of the lane... rise up, pump fake, then Pass inside for the easy one.
This is what I've been saying for a couple of years. You said it better though.
I love how the players miss open shots and make dumb turnovers and somehow it's Tommy's fault. I agree that this team has a low IQ.
Quote from: Naterade on February 12, 2025, 07:09:06 PMI love how the players miss open shots and make dumb turnovers and somehow it's Tommy's fault. I agree that this team has a low IQ.
Only in that a player will get a faster recognition of a mistake if there are consequences. The consequences may very well be a spot on the bench for a short spell?
There is a difference between verbally addressing an issue and physically addressing it through pulling a player and letting him sit. Accountability has consequences.
That falls totally upon Lloyd
Tommy Lloyd did exactly that. Conrad allowed an easy bucket and he sat for the rest of the game.
In the prior matchup, he did it to Stephen.
Maybe Tom should ride the bench every
time he does something nonsensical.
Quote from: Naterade on February 12, 2025, 07:09:06 PMI love how the players miss open shots and make dumb turnovers and somehow it's Tommy's fault. I agree that this team has a low IQ.
The only reason I would blame Tommy at all for it is because he refused to adjust nor adapt. He did the whole definition of insanity thing and hoped to see a different result. That part is on Tommy.
Also Tommy has a very limited rotation. No one is getting "benched" for taking a 17ft jump shot instead of bricking a 3 or missing a layup with 4 guys crashing on him.
Quote from: KansasCityCats on February 12, 2025, 08:44:00 PMTommy Lloyd did exactly that. Conrad allowed an easy bucket and he sat for the rest of the game.
In the prior matchup, he did it to Stephen.
This comment right here is why we lose games. Tommy is punishing the 2 players who don't matter to anything.
OMG Conrad allowed an easy bucket 1 time. Let's ship him back to Spain while we are at it.
Sheesh. It's not like Love, Lewis, Bradley didn't allow anyone to score. Give me a break.
I agree that he pulls the plug too early but every possession in this specific game counted and Martinez didn't even switch; he just completely lost his guy.
Dug was a beast but generally speaking, our guards shut everybody down. Most of that argument is evidenced by the 1 of 19 three-point shooting by the Purple Cats.
Great defense...but it doesn't matter when you can't hit your own shots. I'm hoping we see more of Stephen when Arizona plays teams with an inside presence. Houston won't be that matchup but possibly Kansas. If Martinez sticks around, he'll definitely play a role next season.
Quote from: KansasCityCats on February 13, 2025, 01:57:34 PMI agree that he pulls the plug too early but every possession in this specific game counted and Martinez didn't even switch; he just completely lost his guy.
Dug was a beast but generally speaking, our guards shut everybody down. Most of that argument is evidenced by the 1 of 19 three-point shooting by the Purple Cats.
Great defense...but it doesn't matter when you can't hit your own shots. I'm hoping we see more of Stephen when Arizona plays teams with an inside presence. Houston won't be that matchup but possibly Kansas. If Martinez sticks around, he'll definitely play a role next season.
I still don't think this game was unwinnable. Tommy refused to force KSU to make a 3 and I know you say that KSU making a 3 could have unlocked a barrage that would have blown the roof of the joint, but everyone knows no one wins in Manhattan. In that situation, we were equally as bad from 3, but the difference I saw was there weren't enough Open looks.
The inside cannot be clogged and the Outside be smothered at the same time.
Maybe our little Weave Around the Perimeter to get switches wasn't working, but when that is the case you need to have 1 guy who can run an offense and call plays.
It is literally OK to have Conrad, Love, Bradley dribble the air out of the ball if it means other players are moving without the ball.
Tommy's system doesn't reward the ole "Rip Hamilton" way where Rip/Ray Allen made a career out of running wild around screens and a PG finding them for a 15-17ft catch and shoot.
I seriously believe that description of an offensive play has almost entirely disappeared from basketball, but there is no reason that it can't exist as a "Go-To" for 5-8 shots in a game like we just played...
Have to have different looks for different scenarios. Can't just go to a little bit of a half court "press" to try to speed up KSU 5-8 times per game and not have something different on Offense too.
Are they going to not play Stephen the rest of the year in an attempt to file an appeal to have his redshirt restored? If not, let the dude play a handful of minutes per game. E-Man fan is losing patience here.
Arizona was constantly moving without the ball and the PG was forced to dribble in circles. We couldn't separate ourselves from the defender. Those kids are just playing solid defense, regardless of how hard we slipped around screens. Both teams played with intensity and it sucks to say that making THREE 3's in a 40-minute game could have been the difference in a road win...
Quote from: arxpert on February 13, 2025, 07:31:25 PMQuote from: KansasCityCats on February 13, 2025, 01:57:34 PMI agree that he pulls the plug too early but every possession in this specific game counted and Martinez didn't even switch; he just completely lost his guy.
Dug was a beast but generally speaking, our guards shut everybody down. Most of that argument is evidenced by the 1 of 19 three-point shooting by the Purple Cats.
Great defense...but it doesn't matter when you can't hit your own shots. I'm hoping we see more of Stephen when Arizona plays teams with an inside presence. Houston won't be that matchup but possibly Kansas. If Martinez sticks around, he'll definitely play a role next season.
I still don't think this game was unwinnable. Tommy refused to force KSU to make a 3 and I know you say that KSU making a 3 could have unlocked a barrage that would have blown the roof of the joint, but everyone knows no one wins in Manhattan. In that situation, we were equally as bad from 3, but the difference I saw was there weren't enough Open looks.
The inside cannot be clogged and the Outside be smothered at the same time.
Maybe our little Weave Around the Perimeter to get switches wasn't working, but when that is the case you need to have 1 guy who can run an offense and call plays.
It is literally OK to have Conrad, Love, Bradley dribble the air out of the ball if it means other players are moving without the ball.
Tommy's system doesn't reward the ole "Rip Hamilton" way where Rip/Ray Allen made a career out of running wild around screens and a PG finding them for a 15-17ft catch and shoot.
I seriously believe that description of an offensive play has almost entirely disappeared from basketball, but there is no reason that it can't exist as a "Go-To" for 5-8 shots in a game like we just played...
Have to have different looks for different scenarios. Can't just go to a little bit of a half court "press" to try to speed up KSU 5-8 times per game and not have something different on Offense too.
Totally winnable. Just had to shoot somewhere close to our 3pt season average of ~31% vs ~5%
Quote from: |ᴘ|ʀ|ʏ|ᴍ|ᴇ| on February 13, 2025, 08:03:11 PMAre they going to not play Stephen the rest of the year in an attempt to file an appeal to have his redshirt restored? If not, let the dude play a handful of minutes per game. E-Man fan is losing patience here.
Could turnout to be another one of Tommy's World Famous Transfers. Hard to imagine he would stay if Krivas and Henri are ahead of him. I don't really think Krivas is all that, but maybe others see something I don't. I prefer the more athletic big man who can protect the rim. EMan might have been a good "body" to put into this Houston game for a minute or two just to play "springy/bouncy" defense and let Henri play weak side help defender.
Basically what they do with Henri and Carter. Carter is an elite help defender.