A warning about SEC Play

[steeleagle 2,945]

16 hours ago, cole256 said:

This wasn't their best though....their leading scorer and best shooter hit one shot. We could learn alot from them. They adjusted. We're just not as good as we were thinking we were

We always had a 3-headed monster in scoring last year, and then throw in some support from Murray, Okeke, and Anferee, and we had a consistent scoring team.

This year, we are struggling to continue that consistent 3 in scoring. Doughty is up and down. As is Okeke. Dunbar is actually improved. But we have to get more offense from Okeke and Wiley.

Last night our inside game was nil. Every time Wiley got the ball inside he was double-teamed and he struggled handling it except when he was fouled. I remember one time, he got the ball was double teamed and SPencer or Okeke rolled around to the basket and if Wiley sensed it he could have passed it for a slam dunk or layup by them. He needs to learn this.

 

[AURex 1,984]

This was what I was seeing as well. Nobody was attacking the basket with authority. There was a lot of limp-wristed "toss it in the air with a prayer." Auburn did improve offensive rebounding in the second half, but the power punches weren't there.

Auburn also turned the ball over way too much. Most of that was from lack of focus and sloppiness. Auburn is a good defensive team, but sure seemed to allow a lot of backdoors.

Overall, a lackluster effort by Auburn and results to prove it.

 

[cole256 17,039]

1 hour ago, tigerbrotha12 said:

Davis had 27 pts, 12 rebs

 

Buffen had 16 pts, 4 rebs, 3 steals

 

Shuler had 14 pts

 

I think we were able to stop Tyree pretty well but a lot of his supporting cast had pretty big games scoring wise. 

I agree that a lot of our trouble is self-inflicted. When we get down, we don't have much trouble coming back to even up the score, but then its like we start to relax again because we think we've got it. Good thing is I think that can be brought out of a team over the course of a season. Ours in not a talent issue, it seems like we have some scheme confusion as well as a little pride that we needed knocked down a bit. I'm hoping to see us play like the underdog we were last season again. 

 

Out of those stats buffen is the only one that's a little surprising. But even those aren't super numbers. We've been showing it most this season and we keep making excuses for for it. Other teams players are more than capable. We don't outclass teams in talent level. Especially the guards. We should say we out work them but we haven't been able to say that lately either. It's about time people start holding this team accountable. 

There is sort of a talent issue and ego issue. As far as talent we aren't a good shooting team. We never have been really. This last game from Brown wasn't a blip bad game. This is how he shoots if we let him shoot this many times. 24 shots to get 23 points just isn't efficient. He needs 12-14 less shots and they need to be distributed through out the team. We should be better at free throws. We should stop relying so much on that many 3's. The best shooters don't shoot that many and he's not a high percentage shooter. 

We're not individually more talented than other teams. The guys that are don't get the ball enough. We can be special as a TEAM. Until they realize that it's going to be problems

[cole256 17,039]

1 hour ago, steeleagle said:

We always had a 3-headed monster in scoring last year, and then throw in some support from Murray, Okeke, and Anferee, and we had a consistent scoring team.

This year, we are struggling to continue that consistent 3 in scoring. Doughty is up and down. As is Okeke. Dunbar is actually improved. But we have to get more offense from Okeke and Wiley.

Last night our inside game was nil. Every time Wiley got the ball inside he was double-teamed and he struggled handling it except when he was fouled. I remember one time, he got the ball was double teamed and SPencer or Okeke rolled around to the basket and if Wiley sensed it he could have passed it for a slam dunk or layup by them. He needs to learn this.

 

Everybody on this team is up and down. Wiley did have a bad game, but everybody did. You would like for your team to do what they did.....if your number 1 guy is off he doesn't still be the leading shot taker by a large amount and everybody attacks the rim. At least Wiley did that. This is like the 5th game in a row where teams that are smaller than us kills us at free throw attempts. 20 more free throw attempts? And it's not the refs which we had cried about. It's all on us.

[AU64 10,122]

1 hour ago, cole256 said:

He needs 12-14 less shots and they need to be distributed through out the team

Agree but if you watched the game...nobody else wanted those shots....Okeke passed up who knows how many looks inside and the other guys just passed the ball around the perimeter until BB apparently looked at the clock and decided to take the shot.   Dunbar lit a little fire in the second half but made a couple really bad defensive efforts that seemed to offset his shooting.  

Wondering where McCormick was …...thought he was pretty useful the last game out....but almost no play last night.... 

[KolchakAU85 430]

Back when Pearl was recruiting Austin Wiley, opposing coaches told Wiley and his family that while Pearl is an excellent coach, his game revolves around athletic guards, transition play, and perimeter shooting.  And as such he has never developed a great big man.

Pearl himself made mention of this 2 years ago when Wiley played his first game at AU.

Maybe those opposing coaches had a good point. 

I know nothing about how to assess basketball talent in terms of "star ratings", but I'm shocked that Wiley was a 5-star.

I'm not sure if Wiley is gonna get strong enough and physically solid enough to compete with some of the better big men he will face.  This has surprised me this year, because he was supposedly a great rebounder for Team USA.

[KolchakAU85 430]

Austin Wiley's build reminds me of Bobby Lee Hurt (Alabama player from long ago), except he doesn't shoot near as well as Hurt did.

[KolchakAU85 430]

I've been very encouraged by the play of Dunbar lately.  I know he made some bad plays last night, but he brings some toughness and scoring off the bench.  I hope he gets more playing time.

[KolchakAU85 430]

On 1/9/2019 at 10:24 AM, boisnumber1 said:

I've tempered my expectations for this team. I just havent seen it come together to this point like I expected. There's plenty of time left for that to happen, but I haven't seen that dominant team I expected. Maybe my expectations were too high, maybe being too critical, but I am in wait and see mode with this team still. A disappointing season would not surprise me at this point.

I agree.

I'm not sure this team is as disappointing as it was overrated by the talking heads.  It wouldn't be the first time the sports analysts were wrong.

Personally, I see now that I expected too much from them, and I'm trying to adjust my perception.  They are in the midst of showing the world who they are, so we won't have to wonder much longer.  Conference play/records don't usually lie.  So I'm in wait and see mode, as you are.

WDE.

[AU64 10,122]

12 hours ago, KolchakAU85 said:

I agree.

I'm not sure this team is as disappointing as it was overrated by the talking heads.  It wouldn't be the first time the sports analysts were wrong.

Personally, I see now that I expected too much from them, and I'm trying to adjust my perception.  They are in the midst of showing the world who they are, so we won't have to wonder much longer.  Conference play/records don't usually lie.  So I'm in wait and see mode, as you are.

WDE.

Thus far the team is less than the sum of its parts.   Some very good individuals who are not playing well together.

[KolchakAU85 430]

33 minutes ago, AU64 said:

Thus far the team is less than the sum of its parts.   Some very good individuals who are not playing well together.

And a coach who will not put a stop to Spencer and Wiley shooting 3-pointers, and will let Bryce Brown shoot 20+ of them, while hitting only 7.

I've been disappointed in Pearl's offensive scheme this year, or lack thereof.  Surely there's a better scheme than jacking up a bunch of 25 foot shots with 35 seconds left on the shot clock.  I can't remember a single game in which I didn't hear the broadcast team analyst comment several times on how Auburn has very poor shot selection.

However, someone pointed out in a thread a few weeks ago that this is Pearl's game, live or die by the 3-pointer, all else be damned, and we'd better just get used to it.  It's great when it works, but IMO we do not shoot the 3-ball near well enough this year to run that offense.

[tigerbrotha12 2,362]

I think we ought to run Mac back out there with the starting 5. We need to accept the identity of our team, and not try to force Wiley in there. He's a good player, but Mac runs the floor better and can pop out away from the basket, which opens up the lane for our guards to drive the ball. Wiley can come in with the second team to give us a different look and mix it up when Mac is on the bench, but right now, we're not able to get AM into the flow of the game. I think he's better for our high-speed attack from our starters, and then when the starters need a blow, you throw a big lineup at them with Wiley, Spencer, and Dunbar to mix it up. Just seems like Mac fits this style of a team more than Wiley. 

[abw0004 10,108]

As long as we win all of our games against UGA I will be a happy camper.

[KolchakAU85 430]

20 minutes ago, tigerbrotha12 said:

I think we ought to run Mac back out there with the starting 5. We need to accept the identity of our team, and not try to force Wiley in there. He's a good player, but Mac runs the floor better and can pop out away from the basket, which opens up the lane for our guards to drive the ball. Wiley can come in with the second team to give us a different look and mix it up when Mac is on the bench, but right now, we're not able to get AM into the flow of the game. I think he's better for our high-speed attack from our starters, and then when the starters need a blow, you throw a big lineup at them with Wiley, Spencer, and Dunbar to mix it up. Just seems like Mac fits this style of a team more than Wiley. 

Yes, I too think Mac fits the starting role better than Wiley.  And Wiley would be a match up problem for the opposing 2nd teamers he would face.

And I'd like to see Dunbar get more minutes.

[KolchakAU85 430]

21 minutes ago, abw0004 said:

As long as we win all of our games against UGA I will be a happy camper.

And the bammers.

[gravejd 3,269]

13 minutes ago, KolchakAU85 said:

And the bammers.

I'll be major disappointed if we don't make the tourney. Not fire Pearl disappointed but maybe put him on notice disappointed. Well maybe not put him on notice.....stern talking to by AD for sure

[AU64 10,122]

24 minutes ago, gravejd said:

I'll be major disappointed if we don't make the tourney. Not fire Pearl disappointed but maybe put him on notice disappointed. Well maybe not put him on notice.....stern talking to by AD for sure

That's tough to say....but we have the best talent overall in a very long time.....so high expectations are reasonable.   BUT...we typically play bad on the road so no putting all of that on BP right yet. ...though he's supposed to deal with stuff like that.   

Hoping the guys are amped up tomorrow and the Arena is packed and rowdy. 

[Tiger 8,818]

It feels like McLemore is no longer a threat to make the 3. He does several things well but that is what really made us dangerous last year. A rim protecting, lob catching, 3 point shooter at 6'7 with his athletic prowess was a nightmare for opponents. Also Desean Murray's toughness on the glass allowed Mac to float out there and not have us forfeit our 2nd chance opportunities. But now Mac is just a rim protecting lob catcher who teams don't have to respect from outside anymore so they can sag off him or let him shoot clogging up the once open space for our guards/wings to attack and create, which also hurts our rebounding because if he's on the perimeter we don't have anyone crashing the glass like Murray used to do.

We were undersized but a fantastic rebounding team. This year we are not undersized (except at the 1 and 2 spots) but we are getting out rebounded with a true big man on the floor.

[tigerbrotha12 2,362]

40 minutes ago, AU64 said:

That's tough to say....but we have the best talent overall in a very long time.....so high expectations are reasonable.   BUT...we typically play bad on the road so no putting all of that on BP right yet. ...though he's supposed to deal with stuff like that.   

Hoping the guys are amped up tomorrow and the Arena is packed and rowdy. 

Yep. One of these games this team is going to come out and hit on all cylinders again. Losing road games will be common for most teams this season. Long as we take care of the home court and win a few road games, we'll be fine. Hope we figure it out and peak at the right time. 

[KolchakAU85 430]

5 hours ago, Tiger said:

It feels like McLemore is no longer a threat to make the 3. He does several things well but that is what really made us dangerous last year. A rim protecting, lob catching, 3 point shooter at 6'7 with his athletic prowess was a nightmare for opponents. Also Desean Murray's toughness on the glass allowed Mac to float out there and not have us forfeit our 2nd chance opportunities. But now Mac is just a rim protecting lob catcher who teams don't have to respect from outside anymore so they can sag off him or let him shoot clogging up the once open space for our guards/wings to attack and create, which also hurts our rebounding because if he's on the perimeter we don't have anyone crashing the glass like Murray used to do.

We were undersized but a fantastic rebounding team. This year we are not undersized (except at the 1 and 2 spots) but we are getting out rebounded with a true big man on the floor.

I love Mac.  He broke the mold for the center position last year, and amazed me with his all around game.  But after that horrific injury, he's not quite the same player.  Maybe he just needs more time to get back to where he was.

[Tiger 8,818]

2 hours ago, KolchakAU85 said:

I love Mac.  He broke the mold for the center position last year, and amazed me with his all around game.  But after that horrific injury, he's not quite the same player.  Maybe he just needs more time to get back to where he was.

I agree. But to be quite honest I was actually expecting less from him this season. He was developing into one hell of a 5 man for us but an injury that severe really threw him off course. I think by next year he could be all the way back 

[cole256 17,039]

On 1/11/2019 at 12:16 PM, KolchakAU85 said:

Yes, I too think Mac fits the starting role better than Wiley.  And Wiley would be a match up problem for the opposing 2nd teamers he would face.

And I'd like to see Dunbar get more minutes.

You're almost there, this team would improve immediately if Brown came off the bench

[AUBwins 10,064]

Just now, cole256 said:

You're almost there, this team would improve immediately if Brown came off the bench

I can see that. It would force the team to move the ball around with more of a manufacturing points mindset. 

[cole256 17,039]

2 minutes ago, AUBwins said:

I can see that. It would force the team to move the ball around with more of a manufacturing points mindset. 

And he could shoot to his hearts desire without messing up the flow of the game for everybody else

[AU64 10,122]

Tennessee beat gators on the road today.....vols are definitely the real deal at this point.  seem to be ahead of the rest of the SEC while AU and UK are trying to find their identities now. 

Our next game is at TAUM who beat bama in ttown today with shot at the buzzer.    tide let that game get away.