Auburn vs Memphis

[Mikey 16,545]

Defense? Memphis made our defense look like junior high. We got schooled good. All we can hope for is the team takes the schooling and learns from it. We aren't ready for the big boys yet. Maybe getting taken to school is something we needed.

[e808 3,020]

I am going to keep the same energy as I do with football by calling a spade a spade. For two years now the team has continuously been allowed to play a way that they clearly aren’t effective at. I understand the player empowerment but at some point some coaching  has to be done and play to ur strengths. U can’t just have a team continuously jacking up 20 plus threes and hit maybe 5.

[CameronCrazy 1,057]

11 hours ago, Maverick.AU said:

We do need shooters, but here's the thing, there's a reason the saying goes "live by the 3, die by the 3". If anything BP has been trying to build a more balanced attack that would get us over the hump rather than "just relying on the 3 ball"

100% agree - we need both. I’m ecstatic that we are finally getting big men at Auburn like Kentucky has been doing for years. But we need guys at PG, SG, SF, and maybe the stretch 4 that can shoot 3’s consistently. We’ve been pretty bad the past 2 years. 

[jluvah 663]

8 hours ago, e808 said:

I am going to keep the same energy as I do with football by calling a spade a spade. For two years now the team has continuously been allowed to play a way that they clearly aren’t effective at. I understand the player empowerment but at some point some coaching  has to be done and play to ur strengths. U can’t just have a team continuously jacking up 20 plus threes and hit maybe 5.

I’ve said this before and gotten skewered for it. Bruce is a great recruiter but he is not a very good in-game COACH

[Tiger 8,817]

Justin Powell and Trey Alexander were supposed to be on this roster filling our most pressing needs right now - - shooting and ball handling. We caught unlucky breaks losing both of those guys. Powell was obviously in the program and Alexander was committed before NCAA stuff spooked him. 

This isn't all on Bruce. Sharife Cooper was on a 2 year plan going in. When he left after one Bruce had to scramble to get a point guard and ended up with Wendell and Zep. 

They're both mid major guards and they look like it when the competition ramps up.

Zep has been solid on D but an absolute non factor on offense, whether it be shooting, facilitating, just running the O and getting guys in their spots is just not his game. This forces Chance to be the PG2 which is painfully out of position for him. I get why Bruce is putting him there because he has natural playmaking ability but I just don't think that equates to being a floor general like we need at PG. It's not fault of Chance and unfortunately there are no other options.

I'm very much looking forward to the Aden Holloway era. 

Edited December 11, 2022 by Tiger

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,641]

9 hours ago, Tiger said:

Justin Powell and Trey Alexander were supposed to be on this roster filling our most pressing needs right now - - shooting and ball handling. We caught unlucky breaks losing both of those guys. Powell was obviously in the program and Alexander was committed before NCAA stuff spooked him. 

This isn't all on Bruce. Sharife Cooper was on a 2 year plan going in. When he left after one Bruce had to scramble to get a point guard and ended up with Wendell and Zep. 

They're both mid major guards and they look like it when the competition ramps up.

Zep has been solid on D but an absolute non factor on offense, whether it be shooting, facilitating, just running the O and getting guys in their spots is just not his game. This forces Chance to be the PG2 which is painfully out of position for him. I get why Bruce is putting him there because he has natural playmaking ability but I just don't think that equates to being a floor general like we need at PG. It's not fault of Chance and unfortunately there are no other options.

I'm very much looking forward to the Aden Holloway era. 

Trey is in a different league than JP as an overall player, but both could be defensively impotent and unable to dribble and still have an insane amount of value to this team right now. Just a guy that the defense can look at and say "hey he can shoot". Having ONE of those last year worked wonders. They realistically could've had both of the ones you listed at the same time

[AuburnNTexas 7,127]

This team is a work in progress. Bruce brought in Broome to help with inside game more of a true old school center but so far has not lived up to his billing, Traore has the tools but it will take time for him to make an impact. I think Westry should be our 2 with Tre as backup PG.  But Westry like Traore has the tools but has some growing to do.  This team maybe a year or two away from hitting its potential. The one player this year who has been very consistent is Chris Moore as he plays within his limits.  

[BHDAU1 240]

While this loss certainly hurt Auburn as far as national rankings and opinions go, I think it might very well end up being exactly what these guys needed to get their sh*t together.  The last few games prior to this one I came away with the feeling that our team had a really high overly-inflated opinion of themselves, in that they thought they could take plays off, not hustle back on defense each and every time, and get behind on the scoreboard, but would still always find a way to win in the end.  That is NOT a recipe for success long-term.  Ultimately this big nationally-televised "L" should hurt these guys pretty bad, maybe putting a dent in some egos.  They would have been in the top ten in the AP and Coaches poll had they won,  instead they are clinging to the bottom third of the rankings and are 0-1 in Quad 1 games.  I know I would be embarrassed if I were on the team.  The big guys have got to be more physical when it's called for, the whole team has to devote more energy to rebounding on both ends of the floor, and there can be no one taking plays off at any time, no matter the score.  If they can improve as a team in those three areas it will make a huge difference in the games.  With how deep the rotation is we should be tiring out everyone we play by the end of the 1st half.  If that is not happening then I think they are not playing to their potential. Yes, Auburn's shooting % needs to improve, but that is secondary IMO to everything else.  You can shoot 30% for a game and still win if you dominate the boards, play solid PHYSICAL defense in the paint, and play with 100% effort every trip up and down the floor.  We have given away more "free" points than I can keep track of this season simply because everyone doesn't get back fast enough on defense.  How many times have we seen one of our guys make a great play and then celebrate at that end while the opponent runs full-speed to get some easy uncontested points or score in a 5 on 4 situation?  Those kind of things are so maddening!      

[JerryAU 1,650]

17 hours ago, BHDAU1 said:

While this loss certainly hurt Auburn as far as national rankings and opinions go, I think it might very well end up being exactly what these guys needed to get their sh*t together.  The last few games prior to this one I came away with the feeling that our team had a really high overly-inflated opinion of themselves, in that they thought they could take plays off, not hustle back on defense each and every time, and get behind on the scoreboard, but would still always find a way to win in the end.  That is NOT a recipe for success long-term.  Ultimately this big nationally-televised "L" should hurt these guys pretty bad, maybe putting a dent in some egos.  They would have been in the top ten in the AP and Coaches poll had they won,  instead they are clinging to the bottom third of the rankings and are 0-1 in Quad 1 games.  I know I would be embarrassed if I were on the team.  The big guys have got to be more physical when it's called for, the whole team has to devote more energy to rebounding on both ends of the floor, and there can be no one taking plays off at any time, no matter the score.  If they can improve as a team in those three areas it will make a huge difference in the games.  With how deep the rotation is we should be tiring out everyone we play by the end of the 1st half.  If that is not happening then I think they are not playing to their potential. Yes, Auburn's shooting % needs to improve, but that is secondary IMO to everything else.  You can shoot 30% for a game and still win if you dominate the boards, play solid PHYSICAL defense in the paint, and play with 100% effort every trip up and down the floor.  We have given away more "free" points than I can keep track of this season simply because everyone doesn't get back fast enough on defense.  How many times have we seen one of our guys make a great play and then celebrate at that end while the opponent runs full-speed to get some easy uncontested points or score in a 5 on 4 situation?  Those kind of things are so maddening!      

Lack of focus, energy, effort, taking plays off, not playing to your potential with an overinflated ego.... are 100% coaching. 

[GTNupe11 2,033]

1 hour ago, JerryAU said:

Lack of focus, energy, effort, taking plays off, not playing to your potential with an overinflated ego.... are 100% coaching. 

Bruce has a knack for not making adjustments sometimes. He said so himself in his interview just yesterday. Not surprised he got out coached during this game.