Four Games Left... How do we Finish?

[jd82tide]

Sucks we blew a great start vs. UK but I still had that penciled in as a loss. So we have at Vandy, USCe and TAMU at home, then at Corndogs. A split would put us at 19-12, for some reason 20-11 sounds so much better. Watching a game at Vandy is like watching at 13 inch black and white TV with an antenna. Hate their court and the camera shots there. Nate has tried everything but starting 5 walk ons. I think we can finish 3-1 but 2-2 seems more likely unless that fire CNO lit really works. Be curious to see who's playing defense tonight. I worry our road woes will continue. If we get a dub tonight we could finish 3-1 or even 4-0. A loss tonight and I expect 2-2.

 

[frazor]

2-2

 

[Sweetlou2.0]

I’m gonna say we go 3-1. I could see us sweeping 4-0

 

[HOUNDZTOOTH1]

I am interested in seeing who steps up to play Defense and if they do how long they last foul wise because from what i have seen of this team is they either outscore the other team or they simply do not win because they as a unit do not play tough defense. So...how in the world can Oats expect Great Defensive Effort going forward when the team as a whole has not played Great Defense for 27 games. And...that folks is on the Coaching Staff!

 

[Bama924]

Sucks we blew a great start vs. UK but I still had that penciled in as a loss. So we have at Vandy, USCe and TAMU at home, then at Corndogs. A split would put us at 19-12, for some reason 20-11 sounds so much better. Watching a game at Vandy is like watching at 13 inch black and white TV with an antenna. Hate their court and the camera shots there. Nate has tried everything but starting 5 walk ons. I think we can finish 3-1 but 2-2 seems more likely unless that fire CNO lit really works. Be curious to see who's playing defense tonight. I worry our road woes will continue. If we get a dub tonight we could finish 3-1 or even 4-0. A loss tonight and I expect 2-2.

I expect 2-2 not but not the obviuos. Ie you'd think loss at Vandy,@corndogs and sin 2 home games. Im thinking lose Vandy and USCe and beat LSU on the road. Would be about par got this team.

 

[jtr4dad]

2-2

That's probably how I would lean right now. I think we drop the 2 road games, and I'm hoping we can sweep the 2 at home. Neither will be easy. Frank Martin and Buzz Williams are excellent coaches and will have their teams well prepared for us.

 

[Sweetlou2.0]

I am interested in seeing who steps up to play Defense and if they do how long they last foul wise because from what i have seen of this team is they either outscore the other team or they simply do not win because they as a unit do not play tough defense. So...how in the world can Oats expect Great Defensive Effort going forward when the team as a whole has not played Great Defense for 27 games. And...that folks is on the Coaching Staff!

The problem is our two best offensive players, Shack and Q are subpar defensive players. They’ve both played better defense than previous years, but they’re just never going to be great defensively. In addition, we’ve got two freshmen who tend to get lost on defense and leave open alley oop dunks or open threes. Miles is a great help defender but cannot stay in front of anyone.

 

[jd82tide]

We must lead the nation in alley oops given up. JD and several of our guys get lost or caught reaching. It is what it is now. Gotta get hot from three and find some stops.

 

[OF3052]

Sucks we blew a great start vs. UK but I still had that penciled in as a loss.

I had it penciled in as a loss also but if you had told me the CATS would be without their top two point guards AND that we would get 28 from Keon.....I would have fully expected a win.

This was a huge blown opportunity.

I will go with 2-2 over the last four also.

 

[rsaxoniii]

Predict! You can't predict anything about what any individual player will do from game to game much less the team.
Any correct answer is just luck.

We got 4 guys who might score 20-30 tonight or 0-5.
We might play defense or everyone might foul out.
Gary could score 15 or 0
Gurley could put it all together hit 3s and start dominating the post or not and score 0.

This team has no consistent rhythm and struggles to control the tempo throughout a game or from game to game.

I'm a little impressed how a team like this will make the tournament compared to all our past teams that haven't.

3-1


Ps: I wish we would gamble and just full court press and trap the whole game. Open things up and try to outscore everyone.

 

[BamaNavyCPO]

I'm a little puzzled as to why Oats has waited 27 games to figure out that defense is important. All of a sudden you want to buckle down on defense? I agree with rsaxoniii, we don't know what team or player(s) will show up...no consistency. I also agree that JQ and Shack just aren't good defensive players and most likely never will be, regardless of threats levied. You can tell that JD never really had to play defense of any significance. He is usually chasing his man instead of staying in front of him. One good item about JD is his rebounding.

 

[Sweetlou2.0]

We must lead the nation in alley oops given up. JD and several of our guys get lost or caught reaching. It is what it is now. Gotta get hot from three and find some stops.

If we’re actually going with the best defensive lineup JD and Miles cannot play a single second. Gary has to get at least 25 minutes and Holt needs to play a ton.

 

[Sweetlou2.0]

I'm a little puzzled as to why Oats has waited 27 games to figure out that defense is important. All of a sudden you want to buckle down on defense? I agree with rsaxoniii, we don't know what team or player(s) will show up...no consistency. I also agree that JQ and Shack just aren't good defensive players and most likely never will be, regardless of threats levied. You can tell that JD never really had to play defense of any significance. He is usually chasing his man instead of staying in front of him. One good item about JD is his rebounding.

Yep. I don’t think with Q and Shack it’s an effort problem. I just don’t think they’re built to be great defensively. However, JD leads the world in half hearted close outs and getting a three splashed in his face.

 

[frazor]

I'm a little puzzled as to why Oats has waited 27 games to figure out that defense is important. All of a sudden you want to buckle down on defense? I agree with rsaxoniii, we don't know what team or player(s) will show up...no consistency. I also agree that JQ and Shack just aren't good defensive players and most likely never will be, regardless of threats levied. You can tell that JD never really had to play defense of any significance. He is usually chasing his man instead of staying in front of him. One good item about JD is his rebounding.

Oats has always preached defense going all the way back to when he first got to Alabama. I know that offensive and defensive schemes work together and that Oats' offense often gets ridiculed but if you show up and play defense your offensive style really shouldn't matter that much.

 

[HOUNDZTOOTH1]

If three play great defense and two does not, the problem still exist that Oats thinks he is going to solve 27 games into the season. I think the best he can do is continue to strive to get the players on the court to play as a UNIT defensively and shoot the heck out of the ball hoping for the best going forward for the rest of the season. The team may improve for the rest of the season but this is a problem (DEFENSE) he has to stress in the off season and training camp.

 

[BamaNavyCPO]

If three play great defense and two does not, the problem still exist that Oats thinks he is going to solve 27 games into the season. I think the best he can do is continue to strive to get the players on the court to play as a UNIT defensively and shoot the heck out of the ball hoping for the best going forward for the rest of the season. The team may improve for the rest of the season but this is a problem (DEFENSE) he has to stress in the off season and training camp.

This ^^^

 

[BamaNavyCPO]

Oats has always preached defense going all the way back to when he first got to Alabama. I know that offensive and defensive schemes work together and that Oats' offense often gets ridiculed but if you show up and play defense your offensive style really shouldn't matter that much.

Don't just "preach it," instill it! Tough hard-nosed defense can offset poor offensive play.

 

[RANGER520]

Guys , we do not a lot of quick players to play good defense , but I will say this , they never cut the baseline , never protect the week side block for rebounds , never block out , all the things that is taught in 1st grade basketball ? maybe Oats teaches these things , but the players do not respond , it is mind boggling?

 

[Codie B]

Predict! You can't predict anything about what any individual player will do from game to game much less the team.
Any correct answer is just luck.

We got 4 guys who might score 20-30 tonight or 0-5.
We might play defense or everyone might foul out.
Gary could score 15 or 0
Gurley could put it all together hit 3s and start dominating the post or not and score 0.

This team has no consistent rhythm and struggles to control the tempo throughout a game or from game to game.

I'm a little impressed how a team like this will make the tournament compared to all our past teams that haven't.

3-1


Ps: I wish we would gamble and just full court press and trap the whole game. Open things up and try to outscore everyone.

This ^^^^^^^. Trying to figure out how this team will play one half to the next, forget one game to the next, is impossible imop. Outside of playing better at home, which we could say about practically every team in college BB, there is not a lot of consistency.

 

[BamaNavyCPO]

Guys , we do not a lot of quick players to play good defense , but I will say this , they never cut the baseline , never protect the week side block for rebounds , never block out , all the things that is taught in 1st grade basketball ? maybe Oats teaches these things , but the players do not respond , it is mind boggling?

Agreed. Oats shouldn't have to teach the basics but emphasize and strengthen them. I know jacking up 3s is sexy but there is a lot more to playing sound bb than dunks and 3s (see Bama v. Davidson).

 

[jd82tide]

Predict! You can't predict anything about what any individual player will do from game to game much less the team.
Any correct answer is just luck.

We got 4 guys who might score 20-30 tonight or 0-5.
We might play defense or everyone might foul out.
Gary could score 15 or 0
Gurley could put it all together hit 3s and start dominating the post or not and score 0.

This team has no consistent rhythm and struggles to control the tempo throughout a game or from game to game.

I'm a little impressed how a team like this will make the tournament compared to all our past teams that haven't.

3-1


Ps: I wish we would gamble and just full court press and trap the whole game. Open things up and try to outscore everyone.

Pretty much sums up the season here.

 

[jd82tide]

Agreed. Oats shouldn't have to teach the basics but emphasize and strengthen them. I know jacking up 3s is sexy but there is a lot more to playing sound bb than dunks and 3s (see Bama v. Davidson).

Saw that Davidson game in person... sitting near a man dressed in full auburn gear chanting overrated all night long. Not a fun night... and he was right even though I wanted to split open his nose. Big guys, rebounding, boxing out, limiting us to one shot, knocking down important threes. They looked like the ranked team in that game.

 

[StablerCountry]

If I have ever seen a team that has never come together as a team, it is this one. I’m saying they finish next four games at 3 and 1 just because I wear crimson glasses.

 

[BeastofBourbon]

I think we'll be favored in every game except @ LSU. So logic says 3-1 is how we'll finish, but I wouldn't be surprised if we finished 1-3. You just don't know with this team. The level of inconsistency with this team is mind numbing. Not just the team as a whole, but every individual player. There's not 1 guy who you can say, well at least we can count on his solid defense every night, or we at least count on this guy to put up his 15 points every night. It's like every guy we play can either go for 30 any game or 3.

 

[Sassy12]

The most consistent thing about this team is that they play differently every game. One game they hit the 3s, the next game they throw up 30 attempts and hit 3. Some games they rebound well and the next very few rebounds. Usually you would get some kind of pattern established over the season, but this year it is a new pattern each game. We truly don’t know what to expect. Saying all that, I hope to win 2 out of the 4. The Vandy court gives us fits with our best teams, so I expect this group to fall apart there. Hopefully, we can hold court at home against USC and TAMU.

 

[G.O.A.T-23]

Most likely: 2-2
Next likely: 1-3
Next likely: 3-1
Next likely: 0-4
Least likely: 4-0

 

[D Isaiah T Billings-Clyde7]

Definitely 3-1 or 2-2. I don’t see us winning at lsu so tonight will tell us. Can easily see us losing tonight

I think basically 4-0 finish we could get 4 seed regardless of sec tournament

3-1 finish we lock in a 5 seed and could still potentially bump to 4 with a couple wins in Tampa

2-2 finish I think probably sitting on the 6 line with a chance to bump back up to 5 with a win or 2 in Tampa

1-3 and the 7 line definitely in play

0-4 and 8 line in play.

My prediction is we’re sitting at a 6 heading into the sec tournament

Ofcourse what the other teams in the 4-7 seed range do down the stretch matters as well

 

[jtr4dad]

The most consistent thing about this team is that they play differently every game. One game they hit the 3s, the next game they throw up 30 attempts and hit 3. Some games they rebound well and the next very few rebounds. Usually you would get some kind of pattern established over the season, but this year it is a new pattern each game. We truly don’t know what to expect. Saying all that, I hope to win 2 out of the 4. The Vandy court gives us fits with our best teams, so I expect this group to fall apart there. Hopefully, we can hold court at home against USC and TAMU.

We went through a pretty long dry spell in Nashville, but we have actually won our last 2 games at Vandy. Hope that streak gets extended tonight.