Hello HOB. I'll be following along with the CC Show again tonight and sharing all the noteworthy bits for those of you who may not be able to listen along live. Show starts at 7 ET. Stay tuned...
* Losing stinks, Cal said, and it was a long trip back to Lexington because of the way they played. Thinks it's going to take some time to get things together. Need practice time (together as a full team) more than anything. MSU and GON were way better prepared than them to handle late-game stuff.
* Told the team he was proud that they fought to get back in the game, but when it came time to winning or losing, it just wasn't good enough execution. After film review today, the players said they think they need to scrimmage more because they haven't done much 5-on-5 work in practice. Need to do that to have better communication.
* Cal says Collins was the best player in their practices prior to the tragedy with his father's death. Trying to help him get thru that and playing at that level of confidence again.
* Texter asks about not getting blocked shots and having Gonzaga score so many points inside... Cal says they were throwing it to their 4 and 5, and just taking the ball on the run against the defenders. You have to "make the court tight" so that a big man will turn it over doing that. Cal says he's never seen them do that before. Big guys have to be better prepared to defend big guys on the perimeter where they don't get a 4-5 step running start on you. Collins is a big piece to the puzzle, though, because of his shot-blocking ability.
* Texter asks why there wasn't energy or passion at the start of the game... Cal says it wasn't that, it was missing every shot that takes the wind out of your sails. If you're just 3/10 instead of 0/10, you're only down six points and everybody is OK. But you go 0/10, you get down 12, and everyone looks down and out.
* Caller asks about the lack of spacing for shooters and having too many people on the court who aren't shooters... Cal says spacing is really important in basketball, and you'd ideally like to have five guys who can shoot, maybe four with an unbelievable screener and rebounder. Likes this team because he thinks you'll see four shooters at some point. Not doing a good job with skip passes. Until the last game, they were the highest 3P% team in the league, "but you've got to do that in the big games."
* Asked why the practice in the Bahamas didn't help more, Cal says it was a lot looser in structure, intended more for team-building and chemistry.
* You can't learn about your team against Popcorn State, Cal says. You've got to learn on the road and against teams like that in that kind of environment. Really praised Gonzaga for a great atmosphere.
* Caller asks why he didn't try some zone... Cal says the problem with a team like Gonzaga is they have two great shooters and a really good big guy in the middle. Hard to zone that personnel. Thinks maybe he should have tried more with the press, traps.
* Still not rebounding enough offensively, Cal says. Need more guys crashing the offensive glass.
* "Look folks, this stuff is all fixable. We've got a good team... We just have work to do so that I can get them moving in the right direction." Notes that the two teams in last year's championship game lost games, including both to UK early in the season. "You're playing for March."
* On what lineup he prefers when the opponent has two bigs... Still looking at that, Cal says. You want them to adjust to you as well. But adds "We've got to look at Lance playing some 4 with Oscar (at the 5)." Maybe Collins and Ugonna.
* If you're not making shots, what are you doing to help us win? Going to hold guys more accountable for doing other things.
* Losing stinks, Cal said, and it was a long trip back to Lexington because of the way they played. Thinks it's going to take some time to get things together. Need practice time (together as a full team) more than anything. MSU and GON were way better prepared than them to handle late-game stuff.
* Told the team he was proud that they fought to get back in the game, but when it came time to winning or losing, it just wasn't good enough execution. After film review today, the players said they think they need to scrimmage more because they haven't done much 5-on-5 work in practice. Need to do that to have better communication.
* Cal says Collins was the best player in their practices prior to the tragedy with his father's death. Trying to help him get thru that and playing at that level of confidence again.
* Texter asks about not getting blocked shots and having Gonzaga score so many points inside... Cal says they were throwing it to their 4 and 5, and just taking the ball on the run against the defenders. You have to "make the court tight" so that a big man will turn it over doing that. Cal says he's never seen them do that before. Big guys have to be better prepared to defend big guys on the perimeter where they don't get a 4-5 step running start on you. Collins is a big piece to the puzzle, though, because of his shot-blocking ability.
* Texter asks why there wasn't energy or passion at the start of the game... Cal says it wasn't that, it was missing every shot that takes the wind out of your sails. If you're just 3/10 instead of 0/10, you're only down six points and everybody is OK. But you go 0/10, you get down 12, and everyone looks down and out.
* Caller asks about the lack of spacing for shooters and having too many people on the court who aren't shooters... Cal says spacing is really important in basketball, and you'd ideally like to have five guys who can shoot, maybe four with an unbelievable screener and rebounder. Likes this team because he thinks you'll see four shooters at some point. Not doing a good job with skip passes. Until the last game, they were the highest 3P% team in the league, "but you've got to do that in the big games."
* Asked why the practice in the Bahamas didn't help more, Cal says it was a lot looser in structure, intended more for team-building and chemistry.
* You can't learn about your team against Popcorn State, Cal says. You've got to learn on the road and against teams like that in that kind of environment. Really praised Gonzaga for a great atmosphere.
* Caller asks why he didn't try some zone... Cal says the problem with a team like Gonzaga is they have two great shooters and a really good big guy in the middle. Hard to zone that personnel. Thinks maybe he should have tried more with the press, traps.
* Still not rebounding enough offensively, Cal says. Need more guys crashing the offensive glass.
* "Look folks, this stuff is all fixable. We've got a good team... We just have work to do so that I can get them moving in the right direction." Notes that the two teams in last year's championship game lost games, including both to UK early in the season. "You're playing for March."
* On what lineup he prefers when the opponent has two bigs... Still looking at that, Cal says. You want them to adjust to you as well. But adds "We've got to look at Lance playing some 4 with Oscar (at the 5)." Maybe Collins and Ugonna.
* If you're not making shots, what are you doing to help us win? Going to hold guys more accountable for doing other things.
