Thoughts on the Auburn loss

[Jordan Harper]

People will overreact because of the Missouri loss on Saturday, and rightfully so, but I thought they played really well most of the game but a few stretches killed them with silly mistakes and Auburn making good tough shots. You could tell attacking Kessler was their game plan and they succeeded. He’s a guy who doesn’t like contact and they forced it on him. The decision making and shot making ability just isn’t there right now. It only comes in spurts seems like. We got hot at the right time and played good defense as well. This team just needs to lock down like that for more than 10 minutes a night.

The shooting doesn’t bother me because I know they’ll get it going, but the decision making is what is frustrating. Taking jump shots with 7 footers in front of you isn’t smart and we got blocked multiple times because of it. Passing up open shots for tougher shots isn’t good. Give it to Auburn though, they have a great team and Jabari is the best player in the country. When you have him you have a good chance every night.

Alabama needs to win Saturday badly before taking on Georgia and Missouri coming up. Then it’s murders row after that with LSU thrown in there. This team will get going I can see it.

 

[frazor]

People will overreact because of the Missouri loss on Saturday, and rightfully so, but I thought they played really well most of the game but a few stretches killed them with silly mistakes and Auburn making good tough shots. You could tell attacking Kessler was their game plan and they succeeded. He’s a guy who doesn’t like contact and they forced it on him. The decision making and shot making ability just isn’t there right now. It only comes in spurts seems like. We got hot at the right time and played good defense as well. This team just needs to lock down like that for more than 10 minutes a night.

The shooting doesn’t bother me because I know they’ll get it going, but the decision making is what is frustrating. Taking jump shots with 7 footers in front of you isn’t smart and we got blocked multiple times because of it. Passing up open shots for tougher shots isn’t good. Give it to Auburn though, they have a great team and Jabari is the best player in the country. When you have him you have a good chance every night.

Alabama needs to win Saturday badly before taking on Georgia and Missouri coming up. Then it’s murders row after that with LSU thrown in there. This team will get going I can see it.

I know it's a terrible thing to speculate based solely on live play but is it possible @Harper41 that not everybody has bought in this season?

 

[Jordan Harper]

I know it's a terrible thing to speculate based solely on live play but is it possible @Harper41 that not everybody has bought in this season?

Well I can’t discount that and that’s what is sad to me. Some nights you see effort from everyone but not every night. That lets you know there’s a problem with buying in.

 

[TideFever]

Miss St this Sat and LSU next Wed will tell us if the loss to Mizzou was a fluke or the start of a bad stretch. We really need to win 3 of 4 if not all 4 before the Baylor game. That Baylor/Au/Uk stretch will be brutal if we get there under .500 in SEC play.

Mizzou is absolutely stinking the gym up in Bud Walton against the Hogs. Almost 30 points down before halftime. That loss was almost as bad as if we lost to uga in a few weeks.

I'm not as down about the loss last night as that was a legitimately good team. Still smh though over the corner shot that Quin didn't take near the end. The one time in the game he needed to put something up he hesitated and then tried to drive the rim in a forest of shot blockers.

 

[frazor]

Well I can’t discount that and that’s what is sad to me. Some nights you see effort from everyone but not every night. That lets you know there’s a problem with buying in.

Yeah I wont call any names but one upperclassmen in particular seems almost unphased by defeat. Very little passion if you will. If you can't show passion and emotion then how can you lead on the court?

 

[D Isaiah T Billings-Clyde7]

I don’t necessarily think it’s always a matter of buy in as much as guys thinking we have arrived and can throw our jerseys on the court and win against “bad” teams and that’s just not the case. Team needs humble pie imo

 

[D Isaiah T Billings-Clyde7]

Must win Saturday to get us back on track then take care of LSU at home. If we can win these next two we will be on track to have a very solid conference season and lock in a 5-6 seed. If we split the next two I’m pretty concerned, if we lose the next 2 I gotta admit I’ll panic. Time to get back right

 

[jtr4dad]

Miss St this Sat and LSU next Wed will tell us if the loss to Mizzou was a fluke or the start of a bad stretch. We really need to win 3 of 4 if not all 4 before the Baylor game. That Baylor/Au/Uk stretch will be brutal if we get there under .500 in SEC play.

Mizzou is absolutely stinking the gym up in Bud Walton against the Hogs. Almost 30 points down before halftime. That loss was almost as bad as if we lost to uga in a few weeks.

I'm not as down about the loss last night as that was a legitimately good team. Still smh though over the corner shot that Quin didn't take near the end. The one time in the game he needed to put something up he hesitated and then tried to drive the rim in a forest of shot blockers.

The Missouri team that absolutely torched us for 92 points Saturday is down 49-15 at the half to an Arkansas squad that is 0-3 in the SEC. They’re 3/24 from the field and only made it to double digits by being 8/8 from the free throw line. Just another reminder of how pathetic our effort was in Columbia.

 

[StablerCountry]

There appears to be a team chemistry problem to me. The guys don't play together as a team good enough.
Add in below average 3 point shooting from a offense designed to take 30 shots and lack of defense and we have a recipe for under achieving.
This team has time to turn it around. But its now that they have to do it.

 

[Bama Swoosh]

There appears to be a team chemistry problem to me. The guys don't play together as a team good enough.
Add in below average 3 point shooting from a offense designed to take 30 shots and lack of defense and we have a recipe for under achieving.
This team has time to turn it around. But its now that they have to do it.

Agreed - who is our vocal leader? Who is the guy who won't let our intensity die? I'm not sure we have one. That's a huge void. It seems like we have 3 guys that do that for a minute or two (Keon, JQ, Shack), but nobody has taken that role that I can see. Shack's intensity picks up as he scores, and he's been off for a month.

Defensive stopper - last year we had the best in the country in Herb, and Petty became a pretty good running mate on that front with Keon a 3rd cog in that wheel. I was thinking Keon would make a leap on this front and he's doing OK, but not dominant. As a team, other than the 10-minute spurt in Gainesville, I haven't seen good defense. Just not happening.

I still absolutely believe we have plenty of pieces. This is a tournament team. We've seen the ceiling in the win at Gonzaga. We know it's there. My hope is this is a rough patch and we'll find our mojo again. I think we will. Go to Starkville if you can.

 

[D Isaiah T Billings-Clyde7]

Agreed - who is our vocal leader? Who is the guy who won't let our intensity die? I'm not sure we have one. That's a huge void. It seems like we have 3 guys that do that for a minute or two (Keon, JQ, Shack), but nobody has taken that role that I can see. Shack's intensity picks up as he scores, and he's been off for a month.

Defensive stopper - last year we had the best in the country in Herb, and Petty became a pretty good running mate on that front with Keon a 3rd cog in that wheel. I was thinking Keon would make a leap on this front and he's doing OK, but not dominant. As a team, other than the 10-minute spurt in Gainesville, I haven't seen good defense. Just not happening.

I still absolutely believe we have plenty of pieces. This is a tournament team. We've seen the ceiling in the win at Gonzaga. We know it's there. My hope is this is a rough patch and we'll find our mojo again. I think we will. Go to Starkville if you can.

Last year we caught fire in a major way for the first 6-8 games of sec play. If we could get on that type roll in March we may be final 4. Bball is a lot about getting hot at the right time, but you have to position yourself to actually be there at the right time. I’m ok with us being a little off in mid January, but gotta find wins still. Gotta start this Saturday against a good team on the road then Wednesday against a possible top 10 at home

 

[Sweetlou2.0]

Last year we caught fire in a major way for the first 6-8 games of sec play. If we could get on that type roll in March we may be final 4. Bball is a lot about getting hot at the right time, but you have to position yourself to actually be there at the right time. I’m ok with us being a little off in mid January, but gotta find wins still. Gotta start this Saturday against a good team on the road then Wednesday against a possible top 10 at home

Yep. Auburn's Final Four team a few years ago wasn't too impressive most of the season. Absolutely caught fire the last month.

 

[pwestbro61]

The Missouri loss was ridiculous and unacceptable. Just the 100% truth. Worst effort on D I have seen/ well since the Memphis game. LOL.

Missouri lost to Arkansas by 44.

 

[pwestbro61]

Tide shoots 30 3’s a game/ problem is they rank about 230 or so in 3 point percentage.

 

[BamaNavyCPO]

Tide shoots 30 3’s a game/ problem is they rank about 230 or so in 3 point percentage.

A secondary problem is the wrong individuals taking those 3s. Even Bediako jacked up a 3 with disastrous results.

 

[BamaLegacy]

A secondary problem is the wrong individuals taking those 3s. Even Bediako jacked up a 3 with disastrous results.

Biggest issue imo is Bama lost 4 outside shooting threats with good size from last year’s squad and replaced them with only 2 quality shooters then one of them got hurt.

The above coupled with JQ’s inexplicable regression from outside and Bama is not nearly as deep and has placed a lot more pressure on the remaining shooters to try and keep the floor spaced.

Very glad to see Gurley starting to make a few because I think his role is critical, and Bama really needs Miles to be reliable. Miles has already probably exceeded expectations for this year, but he has an opportunity and has shown flashes of being able to be a key contributor.

Obviously Bama has had some struggles with D lately, but it is harder to play D when teams are taking misses off the rim and running out. If Bama can start making open shots at a better rate the D will benefit.

Need to get a road win against MSST today.

 

[Codie B]

Biggest issue imo is Bama lost 4 outside shooting threats with good size from last year’s squad and replaced them with only 2 quality shooters then one of them got hurt.

The above coupled with JQ’s inexplicable regression from outside and Bama is not nearly as deep and has placed a lot more pressure on the remaining shooters to try and keep the floor spaced.

Very glad to see Gurley starting to make a few because I think his role is critical, and Bama really needs Miles to be reliable. Miles has already probably exceeded expectations for this year, but he has an opportunity and has shown flashes of being able to be a key contributor.

Obviously Bama has had some struggles with D lately, but it is harder to play D when teams are taking misses off the rim and running out. If Bama can start making open shots at a better rate the D will benefit.

Need to get a road win against MSST today.

This ^^^^^^^.