Let me gripe a little

[Rockfly78]

Ok, I’m stoked to beat UL. Forever and always. I’m not trying to be a drag. But a pattern has emerged. We are nowhere near physical enough and we don’t sell out for lose balls and rebounds. This is a big issue. It’s with all our guys too. Garrison buddy that was shameful to let that UL kid slide under you to grab that ball. We tap rebounds around instead of grabbing them. We don’t shoot in to block out with force. We try to dribble loose balls and frankly we just stand and watch too much when there’s a ball to be had. I’ll say too that we hunt for fouls in the paint instead of finishing strong and trying to score.

The SEC slate will not allow this to continue.

 

[oldsports_]

Ok
...



.

......

 

[UKortho]

We are 9-1. Beat Duke. Beat Gonzaga.. Beat UL. Are you expecting perfection in college ball?

 

[DerekMcPwn]

We are 9-1. Beat Duke. Beat Gonzaga.. Beat UL. Are you expecting perfection in college ball?

This.

I’m so glad we’re back to a point where the fans are complaining about our top 5 team not “wanting it” enough.

 

[mebeblue2]

Ok, I’m stoked to beat UL. Forever and always. I’m not trying to be a drag. But a pattern has emerged. We are nowhere near physical enough and we don’t sell out for lose balls and rebounds. This is a big issue. It’s with all our guys too. Garrison buddy that was shameful to let that UL kid slide under you to grab that ball. We tap rebounds around instead of grabbing them. We don’t shoot in to block out with force. We try to dribble loose balls and frankly we just stand and watch too much when there’s a ball to be had. I’ll say too that we hunt for fouls in the paint instead of finishing strong and trying to score.

The SEC slate will not allow this to continue.

how was he supposed to stop the ul player from sliding under him
was he supposed to put his leg down like he was blocking home plate

 

[UK67KU59]

We have a lot of work ahead of us. The effort plays haven’t been there the last 2 games. Waterman was flying all over the court grabbing offensive boards (no wonder Pope recruited him) and our guys were just watching. Cardinals were getting wide open shots and our guys just didn’t seem interested in fighting on defense. We’ve got to get there mentally before we can get there physically.

 

[twwilliams9]

Ok, I’m stoked to beat UL. Forever and always. I’m not trying to be a drag. But a pattern has emerged. We are nowhere near physical enough and we don’t sell out for lose balls and rebounds. This is a big issue. It’s with all our guys too. Garrison buddy that was shameful to let that UL kid slide under you to grab that ball. We tap rebounds around instead of grabbing them. We don’t shoot in to block out with force. We try to dribble loose balls and frankly we just stand and watch too much when there’s a ball to be had. I’ll say too that we hunt for fouls in the paint instead of finishing strong and trying to score.

The SEC slate will not allow this to continue.

You didn’t say anything about Garrison’s hustle in saving the ball right in front of our bench.

 

[otis-gip]

We play hard but we lack speed . It is very apparent when we go to a big line up and Brea. I still love to watch this team because they can pass and they share the ball.

 

[Rockfly78]

You didn’t say anything about Garrison’s hustle in saving the ball right in front of our bench.

That was awesome.

Now I have

 

[Rockfly78]

We are 9-1. Beat Duke. Beat Gonzaga.. Beat UL. Are you expecting perfection in college ball?

Perfection? No. Hustle? Yes

 

[Fox2monk]

Ok, I’m stoked to beat UL. Forever and always. I’m not trying to be a drag. But a pattern has emerged. We are nowhere near physical enough and we don’t sell out for lose balls and rebounds. This is a big issue. It’s with all our guys too. Garrison buddy that was shameful to let that UL kid slide under you to grab that ball. We tap rebounds around instead of grabbing them. We don’t shoot in to block out with force. We try to dribble loose balls and frankly we just stand and watch too much when there’s a ball to be had. I’ll say too that we hunt for fouls in the paint instead of finishing strong and trying to score.

The SEC slate will not allow this to continue.

Definitely areas we need to fix to stay elite and have a chance. If we do the sky is the limit. If we don’t, we gonna lose a few and not go as far as we can. Simple as that. Great season so far. One bad half and a possession away from being undefeated with this schedule. Awesome sauce.

 

[Rockfly78]

how was he supposed to stop the ul player from sliding under him
was he supposed to put his leg down like he was blocking home plate

No he was supposed to be on his belly to get the ball. He was closer, it was his ball. He bent over for the ball instead of getting his ass on the floor.

 

[K_TIME]

1. We have three solid players in Butler , Oweh and Carr…
2. Jaxon and Berea are good to average..I probably should push Berea to first list but his defense is so so. Jaxon is so up and down for a super senior
3. The bigs are hit and miss. Amari Williams is limited on offense..which is fine. But he isn’t near the defensive force I was expecting. Garrison is like a baby horse out there…full of burst and energy..but has zero skill
4. Travis Perry is really bad. ..on both ends of floor..we’ll miss Kerissa. Have no idea where Chandler is at


All in all . Great job by Pope running this ship to this record. Now we’ll get to see what kind of coach pope at improving player from beginning to end of a season…Pitino was especially good at this and Cal wasn’t bad at improving a kid from start to end…I hope Pope can get rotation minutes from chandler or Perry…we have to get another guy to play

 

[bluefaithful]

Too funny. Learn basketball

 

[AshWilliams]

Ok, I’m stoked to beat UL. Forever and always. I’m not trying to be a drag. But a pattern has emerged. We are nowhere near physical enough and we don’t sell out for lose balls and rebounds. This is a big issue. It’s with all our guys too. Garrison buddy that was shameful to let that UL kid slide under you to grab that ball. We tap rebounds around instead of grabbing them. We don’t shoot in to block out with force. We try to dribble loose balls and frankly we just stand and watch too much when there’s a ball to be had. I’ll say too that we hunt for fouls in the paint instead of finishing strong and trying to score.

The SEC slate will not allow this to continue.

Yep, we would have won by 20 if we dove for every loose ball and mad scrambled for rebounds.

We'll be lucky to have a winning record in the SEC if we don't buckle down.

 

[AshWilliams]

No he was supposed to be on his belly to get the ball. He was closer, it was his ball. He bent over for the ball instead of getting his ass on the floor.

Not only that, he waited for the ball to roll to him.

 

[CatFanInIlliniLand]

10-1.

 

[BBNinSC]

Who among us expected this team to be the #5 team in the country before Christmas?
This team has an experienced roster but are still learning to play together and for Coach Pope.
The polls are right about us, we are one of the best teams right now.

 

[tf4fun]

Ok, I’m stoked to beat UL. Forever and always. I’m not trying to be a drag. But a pattern has emerged. We are nowhere near physical enough and we don’t sell out for lose balls and rebounds. This is a big issue. It’s with all our guys too. Garrison buddy that was shameful to let that UL kid slide under you to grab that ball. We tap rebounds around instead of grabbing them. We don’t shoot in to block out with force. We try to dribble loose balls and frankly we just stand and watch too much when there’s a ball to be had. I’ll say too that we hunt for fouls in the paint instead of finishing strong and trying to score.

The SEC slate will not allow this to continue.

I agree. They do that in the sec it will result in a lose!

 

[Rockfly78]

Too funny. Learn basketball

Who you directing this towards?

 

[HagginHall1999]

No interest from my perspective in picking this team apart. The games are very entertaining and this a a very likeable group.

I'm enjoying this season to it's fullest. No team is perfect. Our team is really, really good.

 

[screwduke1]

I love the 10-1 start but I kind of get OPs point. It feels like we give up a million offensive rebounds every game too and that needs to eventually get better.

 

[MonsterMash79]

I love the 10-1 start but I kind of get OPs point. It feels like we give up a million offensive rebounds every game too and that needs to eventually get better.

The boards… And getting lost on defense against screens… If we just cut it in half, they’ll be lookin even better 👌

 

[HagginHall1999]

I love the 10-1 start but I kind of get OPs point. It feels like we give up a million offensive rebounds every game too and that needs to eventually get better.

Feels like is the key though. Louisville had 10 offensive boards and were -10 overall. They shot 39 three's....56% of their shots were from deep. Ten offensive boards on 70 shots isnt that bad, especially when the majority were from deep.

 

[UK67KU59]

You didn’t say anything about Garrison’s hustle in saving the ball right in front of our bench.

This was a huge play and probably why Garrison got the run at the end. He showed he wanted to win.

 

[screwduke1]

Feels like is the key though. Louisville had 10 offensive boards and were -10 overall. They shot 39 three's....56% of their shots were from deep. Ten offensive boards on 70 shots isnt that bad, especially when the majority were from deep.

I think at one point they had one like 2 or 3 possessions in a row late in the game...making it feel like they had way more than that.

 

[deep3]

Ok, I’m stoked to beat UL. Forever and always. I’m not trying to be a drag. But a pattern has emerged. We are nowhere near physical enough and we don’t sell out for lose balls and rebounds. This is a big issue. It’s with all our guys too. Garrison buddy that was shameful to let that UL kid slide under you to grab that ball. We tap rebounds around instead of grabbing them. We don’t shoot in to block out with force. We try to dribble loose balls and frankly we just stand and watch too much when there’s a ball to be had. I’ll say too that we hunt for fouls in the paint instead of finishing strong and trying to score.

The SEC slate will not allow this to continue.

Let me me give my counter thoughts,

New coach/ZERO returning players/portal already at full throttle/ WE BEAT DUKE/GONZAGA final four teams/top 5 now and we are probably a top 25 with this talent.

Enjoy he is going to do very well here give Him time guy is one hell of a bench coach and fyi CALAMARI yes Squid might get us but this guy gets it done here period imo.

 

[kats23]

The dog we saw in the first few weeks just isn’t there right now but I fully expect it to return once they take a lump or two in the SEC and realize they aren’t as good as they think they are.

Regardless, it’s a whole new team with no phenoms. It is interesting to me that the hard core Cal defenders from last season seem to be the most critical of this team

 

[UK67KU59]

Kenpom defensive efficiency is tanking. Now down to 45th. They have to figure out that side of the ball.

 

[Bungalow Bill]

Doesn't change that I'm ecstatic about what Coach Pope has been able to do in year 1.....but. This is the 6th game in a row the opponent has played harder than us minus the 2nd half/OT against Gonzaga. UL played so much harder than we did. The combination of being at home, Butler going off and having more talent got us the W tonight but that isn't going to be the case many times in the league. Watching the SEC I see a bunch of the top teams that go really hard and probably have more talent than we do. That is not a recipe for success in the SEC this year. Besides Butler and Oweh nobody else is stepping up consistently in the out-effort your opponent department. Robinson kind of wilts in these high energy games. He floats as does Brea. You need quick twitch against top level athletes AND superior effort. Our guys need to ramp it up over this next 2 week period with only 2 games before league play. We can be a very good team but going against this gauntlet we're going to have to do it by effort and coaching. I'm hoping CMP can get that out of this group. Funsies are about over. It's about to get very tough to win games.

 

[rockhound24]

I see us as a team where the sum is greater than the parts. Each of our players has strengths but most of them have easily seen weaknesses as well. Overall, we've played hard, but we lack team quickness and physicality at times. I prefer to look at the positive side of things we've seen so far this season. We were down to Duke and mauled them in the 2nd half to win a huge game for the players and the program. Down 16 to Gonzaga and our coach and players came out with a plan and a mindset to just play hard. There is A LOT to be said when your team/coaches find ways to overcome rough periods. Our guys have answered almost every challenge this season has presented so far. IMO, we beat Clemson if Butler plays a few more minutes.

The SEC Hoops season is going to closely resemble the SEC football season. There are going to be several good SEC basketball teams that will lose 7-10 league games.

Enjoy the fact that our previous coach left this program with NOTHING, and yet we are currently 10-1 and ranked in the Top 5. Our coach understands the assignment, and our team cares about winning. We aren't perfect, but I am fully invested in the journey of this season.

 

[MathUK]

Ok, I’m stoked to beat UL. Forever and always. I’m not trying to be a drag. But a pattern has emerged. We are nowhere near physical enough and we don’t sell out for lose balls and rebounds. This is a big issue. It’s with all our guys too. Garrison buddy that was shameful to let that UL kid slide under you to grab that ball. We tap rebounds around instead of grabbing them. We don’t shoot in to block out with force. We try to dribble loose balls and frankly we just stand and watch too much when there’s a ball to be had. I’ll say too that we hunt for fouls in the paint instead of finishing strong and trying to score.

The SEC slate will not allow this to continue.

I totally agree with you on that play with Garrison. He should’ve been down on the floor before that guy was.

 

[bnewt]

Robinson and Williams have not been as good as advertised. Rebounding is a problem. The bigger problem is free throw shooting. Gonna cost a win down the line.

 

[twwilliams9]

Are we 10-1 for the first time since ‘17-‘18 or are we 1-10? I can’t tell with the all the hand wringing goin’ on.

 

[Rockfly78]

Are we 10-1 for the first time since ‘17-‘18 or are we 1-10? I can’t tell with the all the hand wringing goin’ on.

Being 10-1 isn’t the goal. This team can contend for a title. But not if some of these issues aren’t cleaned up. I promise you no one is happier than me. But we can still talk ball.

 

[CatFanInIlliniLand]

I agree. They do that in the sec it will result in a lose!

In a lose?

Is this a loss loss situation?

 

[RunninRichie]

1. We have three solid players in Butler , Oweh and Carr…
2. Jaxon and Berea are good to average..I probably should push Berea to first list but his defense is so so. Jaxon is so up and down for a super senior
3. The bigs are hit and miss. Amari Williams is limited on offense..which is fine. But he isn’t near the defensive force I was expecting. Garrison is like a baby horse out there…full of burst and energy..but has zero skill
4. Travis Perry is really bad. ..on both ends of floor..we’ll miss Kerissa. Have no idea where Chandler is at


All in all . Great job by Pope running this ship to this record. Now we’ll get to see what kind of coach pope at improving player from beginning to end of a season…Pitino was especially good at this and Cal wasn’t bad at improving a kid from start to end…I hope Pope can get rotation minutes from chandler or Perry…we have to get another guy to play

Not sure it's fair to say Garrison has no skill.