Men vs Texas A&M Game Thread

[GwillMac6 20,688]

18 minutes ago, JuscAUse! said:

I've noticed this ,too. It's weird in a way. It's like fans expect us to go undefeated in basketball. A&M for the year has been a team that was not a factor at the 3 point line. Then they went off the first half against us. Their guards are bigger and longer than ours, and the way the game was called wasn't beneficial for us with our smaller front court. Aside from maybe playing zone the first half, I don't know what else BP could have done. It was just one of those games. 

It’s like our fans are way more passionate about us losing than winning. 

[abw0004 10,125]

7 hours ago, GwillMac6 said:

What is up with our game threads having a LOT more comments when we lose than win? That’s disturbing to me.

People are more likely to comment or leave feedback when things are going really well or really bad.  It's the reason why you take online reviews of businesses with a grain of salt.  The people motivated to post are doing so off of emotion.

[KansasTiger 3,248]

2 hours ago, GwillMac6 said:

Arky? The team we just beat by double digits? 

I mean, didn't they have their top two scorers out with injuries? Imagine us playing without WG and Broome. Think we would be even close to a boderline top 25 team like they are?

[AuburnNTexas 7,154]

9 hours ago, TigerPAC said:

Too many issues tonight but if Jaylin has his usual game, this would be a nail biter. 

Jaylin needs ball movement to have his game. Jaylin moves and gets open when there is ball movement and passing. Tonight it was about selfish guard play and a lot of ineffective dribbling out front. The press took Wendell out of his game then when he was pressed nobody had moved out to help him with a passing lane. 

There are a couple ways to beat a press near half court One is to see it and pass it before second man gets there and the other is to dribble it right at the the second man in the press while he is coming at you then go around him. The one thing you can't do is stop your dribble before you are ready to pass the ball. On the see it and pass it. It is not all on the man being doubled it is on the man where double team is coming from making himself visible in a quickly closing passing lane.

[JDUBB4AU 5,121]

Tough game last night . This team still hasn’t clicked . Time to practice harder and get back to work 

[Old fan 47 773]

40 minutes ago, GwillMac6 said:

No sir. 1 and done Vs them this year. Unless we play them in the sec tourney.

Well that’s good news. I just don’t think we have enough talent. We are definitely missing guys that can shoot the 3 consistently. Westry not playing does not help. I don’t believe in living by the 3 but it sure helps to be decent at shooting them. Won’t KD and AF be gone after this season? 

[GwillMac6 20,688]

8 minutes ago, Old fan 47 said:

Well that’s good news. I just don’t think we have enough talent. We are definitely missing guys that can shoot the 3 consistently. Westry not playing does not help. I don’t believe in living by the 3 but it sure helps to be decent at shooting them. Won’t KD and AF be gone after this season? 

Oh I def agree. That’s why some of these takes about bruce and staff coaching is ridiculous. This is our least talented team since Bruce’s second season. 

[e808 3,028]

51 minutes ago, GwillMac6 said:

Oh I def agree. That’s why some of these takes about bruce and staff coaching is ridiculous. This is our least talented team since Bruce’s second season. 

This is his least talented team. However there wasn’t much done to fix the flaws that plagued the team from last year. Couldn’t shoot the 3 then and can’t now.

 Auburn is also much better now than when he started. Even with the #1 ranking the team still underachieved IMO. Team had an early round  exits in the SEC and NCAA tourney.  It seems when X’s and O’s are needed there are none. For example at the end of quarters how many times Auburn ends up with no or bad shot. Again Auburn is better now than before but u can see Bruce gets outcoached often .

Edited January 26, 2023 by e808

[ArgoEagle 1,790]

2 specific areas BP needs to focus on in recruiting this next season... Got to get a couple of zone busters in here that can really shoot the 3, and need a dominant big man to compliment Broome..Must haves!

[fishepa 1,906]

9 hours ago, GwillMac6 said:

What is up with our game threads having a LOT more comments when we lose than win? That’s disturbing to me.

Probably because we are frustrated and want to talk about it.

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,676]

9 hours ago, GwillMac6 said:

What is up with our game threads having a LOT more comments when we lose than win? That’s disturbing to me.

To play devil’s advocate, I don’t think we’ve had a great win other than maybe Arkansas (which I remember being a lively thread) and we have some pretty loud losses 

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,676]

1 hour ago, AuburnNTexas said:

Jaylin needs ball movement to have his game. Jaylin moves and gets open when there is ball movement and passing. Tonight it was about selfish guard play and a lot of ineffective dribbling out front. The press took Wendell out of his game then when he was pressed nobody had moved out to help him with a passing lane. 

There are a couple ways to beat a press near half court One is to see it and pass it before second man gets there and the other is to dribble it right at the the second man in the press while he is coming at you then go around him. The one thing you can't do is stop your dribble before you are ready to pass the ball. On the see it and pass it. It is not all on the man being doubled it is on the man where double team is coming from making himself visible in a quickly closing passing lane.

Even without it having to be a designed play, there should be a focus to get Jaylin to his spots for at least 5 shots a game imo. Bare minimum 

Even with WGJ improving, I think that’s the one thing that he lacks - that natural PG instinct to make sure everyone is engaged. Not something that’s common on the college level, but definitely an instinct needed with how much this scheme puts on a ball handler’s shoulders 

[BigSammyK 171]

4 hours ago, NWALA Tiger said:

Cause he plays hard on defense. That's Pearl's mantra for KD.  Play hard on defense... Bull in a china shop on offense.

Disagree. KD is a liability on defense because of his constant efforts to make steals that just aren't going to happen resulting in us having to rotate to cover for him when he ends up out of position. Watch him closely and you'll see that more often than not he's asking for someone to take his man because he's lost position.

He's out there because this offense desperately needs someone that can step up and make plays and I think Bruce is hoping and praying that he could be that guy.

[NWALA Tiger 3,535]

8 minutes ago, BigSammyK said:

Disagree. KD is a liability on defense because of his constant efforts to make steals that just aren't going to happen resulting in us having to rotate to cover for him when he ends up out of position. Watch him closely and you'll see that more often than not he's asking for someone to take his man because he's lost position.

He's out there because this offense desperately needs someone that can step up and make plays and I think Bruce is hoping and praying that he could be that guy.

Fair point. However, I disagree that he is out there for his offense or potential offense.. Nothing I've seen from him lately screams he is the answer to our offensive woes.. With him, it's mostly head down 100 MPH to the basket and hoping for a foul. Also, I said he plays hard on Defense,  not necessarily smart. Big difference 

 

Edited January 26, 2023 by NWALA Tiger

[creed 1,641]

Texas A&M is a better team. Better at almost every position, so the outcome reflected that. 

Also, the girl screaming constantly during the espn2 broadcast about drove me to insane. Someone from media relations needs to stop that type of fan. It was as bad as someone dragging their fingernails across a chalkboard. 

Edited January 26, 2023 by creed

[BigSammyK 171]

8 minutes ago, NWALA Tiger said:

Fair point. However, I disagree that he is out there for his offense or potential offense.. Nothing I've seen from him lately screams he is the answer to our offensive woes.. With him, it's mostly head down 100 MPH to the basket and hoping for a foul. Also, I said he plays hard on Defense,  not necessarily smart. Big difference 

 

Yeah, I mean, offensively it's obviously not working... but I do believe that's the hope. He averaged 13 ppg two years ago and 12 last year. Seems like defenses have figured him out. I just don't think any coach in the country is putting him out there to play "hard" on defense knowing that he costs us a lot of points.

[JuscAUse! 1,427]

We were 3 for 16 on mostly wide open threes and KD missed more layups than most teams get in a game. Yes they, were contested, by much larger players, and no the refs were not gonna bail him out when he went in out of control. And the refs haven't all year and he should realize that fact. If KD hits one of his open teammates - whose opposite number is rushing to the paint to cause a 1 on 3 situation while he throws up a prayer and hopes for a foul - he might get more love from the officials. Not that anyone could have hit an open shot last night. 

 

[NWALA Tiger 3,535]

54 minutes ago, BigSammyK said:

Yeah, I mean, offensively it's obviously not working... but I do believe that's the hope. He averaged 13 ppg two years ago and 12 last year. Seems like defenses have figured him out. I just don't think any coach in the country is putting him out there to play "hard" on defense knowing that he costs us a lot of points.

I've heard Bruce say he gives players leeway on shooting 3s , if they play hard on D. KD is out there cause we have no other options. Same goes for alot of the players this yr

[KansasTiger 3,248]

56 minutes ago, JuscAUse! said:

We were 3 for 16 on mostly wide open threes and KD missed more layups than most teams get in a game. Yes they, were contested, by much larger players, and no the refs were not gonna bail him out when he went in out of control. And the refs haven't all year and he should realize that fact. If KD hits one of his open teammates - whose opposite number is rushing to the paint to cause a 1 on 3 situation while he throws up a prayer and hopes for a foul - he might get more love from the officials. Not that anyone could have hit an open shot last night. 

 

I have been ridiculed by some on here for sharing similar sentiments.

Edited January 26, 2023 by KansasTiger

[Scottie 124]

Guard play over the last couple of years has not been great for the most part; it has been our Achilles heel especially against "better" teams. We don't have the players to hit threes consistently (anymore), as others have said, to open up the inside. Some of the looks are there, but the players just aren't making the shot. 

Our three main guards shot under 30% overall (1 for 9 in terms of 3's sans FTs) last night and accounted for 9 turnovers.  The players we expected to take a step forward haven't, and maybe the role they are asked to play now is too much for them. While I appreciate the leeway to play how they want, there needs to be some discipline around it.

[GwillMac6 20,688]

3 hours ago, e808 said:

This is his least talented team. However there wasn’t much done to fix the flaws that plagued the team from last year. Couldn’t shoot the 3 then and can’t now.

 Auburn is also much better now than when he started. Even with the #1 ranking the team still underachieved IMO. Team had an early round  exits in the SEC and NCAA tourney.  It seems when X’s and O’s are needed there are none. For example at the end of quarters how many times Auburn ends up with no or bad shot. Again Auburn is better now than before but u can see Bruce gets outcoached often .

Yah you are def going on ignore. 

[GwillMac6 20,688]

3 hours ago, fishepa said:

Probably because we are frustrated and want to talk about it.

Now I’m just spitballing here but I’m way more inclined to want to talk about a W than a loss because I’m overjoyed and excited and want to share that feeling with my fellow AU brethren. 

[GwillMac6 20,688]

3 hours ago, ArgoEagle said:

2 specific areas BP needs to focus on in recruiting this next season... Got to get a couple of zone busters in here that can really shoot the 3, and need a dominant big man to compliment Broome..Must haves!

What do you think Aden Holloway is? And genuinely curious what college team in 2023 do you know that has more than even 1 dominant interior big man? Hell that is even rare….

Edited January 26, 2023 by GwillMac6

[KansasTiger 3,248]

3 minutes ago, GwillMac6 said:

What do you think Aden Holloway is? And genuinely curious what college team in 2022 do you know that has more than even 1 dominant big man? Hell that is even rare….

Never mind I went and read the thread.

Edited January 26, 2023 by KansasTiger

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,676]

2 hours ago, BigSammyK said:

Disagree. KD is a liability on defense because of his constant efforts to make steals that just aren't going to happen resulting in us having to rotate to cover for him when he ends up out of position. Watch him closely and you'll see that more often than not he's asking for someone to take his man because he's lost position.

He's out there because this offense desperately needs someone that can step up and make plays and I think Bruce is hoping and praying that he could be that guy.

Facts!!! So many 7 feet above the 3 point line reaches from Wendell (who’s better at not doing that as much this season) and KD, which just results in our wings either having to overhelp or pulling our bigs up. 
 

As good as our defense USUALLY is, I feel like just being able to sit in front of your man and staying in his pocket would be much better. More Zep, less KD. 
 

Now, generating turnovers would be nice if it felt like we could do a dang thing with them in transition.