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Stop falling in love with their jumpshots and get to the line.

(02-14-2016 12:27 PM)BamaScorpio69 Wrote:  

(02-14-2016 12:07 PM)The Answer UAB Wrote:  Lee also kind of disappeared this game. He didn't do much. He's super timid at going to the basket also

Lee didn't show up but I disagree about him being timid going to the basket. However, Lee needs to develop a low post game.

Tech scored only 16 points in the paint. Lee showed up on the defensive end of the court. He is the most intimidating shot blocker UAB has ever had. Mehinti, Cokley, Sullivan, and Williams shot altering/blocking capabilities certainly help, too. Perimeter defense faltered for a minute and a half and Tech scored four three pointers in that span. Norton, Brown, Baxter, and Watts are going to have to step it up a notch and guard the perimeter better.

(02-14-2016 02:29 PM)Memphis Blazer Wrote:  

(02-14-2016 01:53 PM)jthrashr Wrote:  I haven't had a chance to watch a lot of games lately (there's a new Blazer in the family), but it seems like a lot of these runs happen when the second group is in the game.

Also, I think most opposing coaches at this point know that to beat our defense, you just need to rotate the ball quickly, and the last big will always be slow to rotate and step out on the defender. That said, LT made several threes where the guards created their own shots.

Still, it's not the three pointers that lost the game for us (we made more). It's the huge discrepancy in free throws, which has been a deciding factor in four of our losses.

We've lost 3 of 4 games where we attempted less than 11 free throws (the one win was against UTSA, so it hardly counts). On the flipside, in four of our losses, our opponents attempted more than 25 free throws.

Also, in all of our overtime games, we shot .571 or worse from the free throw line.

Some of the free throw problem stems from our offensive sets. We always have at least one big operating on the perimeter, which is fine. Four out and one in is a common set, but it appears that we rarely throw it to the big down low, and I'm not really advocating that we do so either. Still, it's rare to see us truly attack the basket unless we're forcing up a shot due to an expiring clock.

Our bigs are mediocre at best at creating their own shots, but both Lee and Cokley are great at finishing around the rim. I'd love to see us pick & roll more, especially with Lee's leaping ability. Over the past couple of games, Norton has been more comfortable/confident in driving towards the rim, plus his passing ability is perfect for P&Rs.

With the ballhandler and the big both attacking the rim, we'll see the free throw rate climb quickly (plus we'll be treated to several highlight reel dunks every game). Whenever the opposing team starts cheating to bring over a help defender from the corner, Norton can throw it to Robert or Dirk for a high percentage corner three.

Effectively, successful pick and rolls will yield high percentage shots at the rim, open threes, or free throws.

Okay, I'm finished with the armchair coaching now.

Come times you can't just look at a stat sheet and decide what won or loss the game. It wasn't the free throws. It was the three pointers and mainly the unrelenting barrage of three pointers in the second half. Has happened two straight games now. We never recovered Saturday. Most of those free throws occurred when we were trying to get back in the game.

I was able to watch the LT game. Our lack of free throws were an issue, especially in a game where we made more three-pointers and field goals.

(02-14-2016 03:06 PM)LairDweller Wrote:  i hate when people point out (as the announcers did multiple times yesterday) that when a team wins, they average 28 FT's, but in the losses they average 20.
yeah, when teams are winning, they get sent to the FT line late. LT shoots 8 more FT's in the wins BECAUSE they were winning, not that they won because they shot 8 more FT's.

and yes, they shot more than us before the late fouls, but we all shouldve known that was going to happen. theyve shot 1 million more FT's than us on the season. it is what it is. its not why we lost

I'm not concerned about the actual volume of free throws the other teams attempt, it's the discrepancy of our free throw attempts versus our opponents.

i agree the discrepancy is an issue...but it was one that was very predictable coming into this game

(02-14-2016 03:49 PM)TheGORILLA Wrote:  

(02-14-2016 12:27 PM)BamaScorpio69 Wrote:  

(02-14-2016 12:07 PM)The Answer UAB Wrote:  Lee also kind of disappeared this game. He didn't do much. He's super timid at going to the basket also

Lee didn't show up but I disagree about him being timid going to the basket. However, Lee needs to develop a low post game.

Tech scored only 16 points in the paint. Lee showed up on the defensive end of the court. He is the most intimidating shot blocker UAB has ever had. Mehinti, Cokley, Sullivan, and Williams shot altering/blocking capabilities certainly help, too. Perimeter defense faltered for a minute and a half and Tech scored four three pointers in that span. Norton, Brown, Baxter, and Watts are going to have to step it up a notch and guard the perimeter better.

Lee was guarding McCree. Lee was slow on defense & McCree beat us almost single handedly.

All any coach can do on offense is design plays that provide good looks and good shots at the basket. He can't make the ball go into that basket. That is the job of the player and in this game our players missed too many of these opportunities to win while the LA Tech players were making theirs. Now one can question why our players suddenly lose their ability to score for several possessions, but that is what cost UAB this game. Had UAB maintained its 10 point lead, all those late FTs for LT would not have happened.

(02-14-2016 03:49 PM)TheGORILLA Wrote:  

(02-14-2016 12:27 PM)BamaScorpio69 Wrote:  

(02-14-2016 12:07 PM)The Answer UAB Wrote:  Lee also kind of disappeared this game. He didn't do much. He's super timid at going to the basket also

Lee didn't show up but I disagree about him being timid going to the basket. However, Lee needs to develop a low post game.

Tech scored only 16 points in the paint. Lee showed up on the defensive end of the court. He is the most intimidating shot blocker UAB has ever had. Mehinti, Cokley, Sullivan, and Williams shot altering/blocking capabilities certainly help, too. Perimeter defense faltered for a minute and a half and Tech scored four three pointers in that span. Norton, Brown, Baxter, and Watts are going to have to step it up a notch and guard the perimeter better.

Let me be more specific, Lee didn't show up offensively.

(02-14-2016 08:48 PM)BamaScorpio69 Wrote:  

(02-14-2016 03:49 PM)TheGORILLA Wrote:  

(02-14-2016 12:27 PM)BamaScorpio69 Wrote:  

(02-14-2016 12:07 PM)The Answer UAB Wrote:  Lee also kind of disappeared this game. He didn't do much. He's super timid at going to the basket also

Lee didn't show up but I disagree about him being timid going to the basket. However, Lee needs to develop a low post game.

Tech scored only 16 points in the paint. Lee showed up on the defensive end of the court. He is the most intimidating shot blocker UAB has ever had. Mehinti, Cokley, Sullivan, and Williams shot altering/blocking capabilities certainly help, too. Perimeter defense faltered for a minute and a half and Tech scored four three pointers in that span. Norton, Brown, Baxter, and Watts are going to have to step it up a notch and guard the perimeter better.

Let me be more specific, Lee didn't show up offensively.

The man Lee was assigned to guard scored a career high 33.

Club him like a baby seal.

(02-14-2016 09:20 PM)BlazerPhil Wrote:  

(02-14-2016 08:48 PM)BamaScorpio69 Wrote:  

(02-14-2016 03:49 PM)TheGORILLA Wrote:  

(02-14-2016 12:27 PM)BamaScorpio69 Wrote:  

(02-14-2016 12:07 PM)The Answer UAB Wrote:  Lee also kind of disappeared this game. He didn't do much. He's super timid at going to the basket also

Lee didn't show up but I disagree about him being timid going to the basket. However, Lee needs to develop a low post game.

Tech scored only 16 points in the paint. Lee showed up on the defensive end of the court. He is the most intimidating shot blocker UAB has ever had. Mehinti, Cokley, Sullivan, and Williams shot altering/blocking capabilities certainly help, too. Perimeter defense faltered for a minute and a half and Tech scored four three pointers in that span. Norton, Brown, Baxter, and Watts are going to have to step it up a notch and guard the perimeter better.

Let me be more specific, Lee didn't show up offensively.

The man Lee was assigned to guard scored a career high 33.

The LaTech coach said before the game the key was Lee vs McCree. Well...

My point is that there wasn't a noticeable switch to different defender from us on McCree. Go triangle & two and take the drive lane away from McCree & Hamilton. Play hack a McCree & let Smallwood & Madison stuff the stat sheet with fouls. Do anything, just give Lee some relief on the battle he was losing.

(02-15-2016 12:24 AM)BlazerPhil Wrote:  My point is that there wasn't a noticeable switch to different defender from us on McCree. Go triangle & two and take the drive lane away from McCree & Hamilton. Play hack a McCree & let Smallwood & Madison stuff the stat sheet with fouls. Do anything, just give Lee some relief on the battle he was losing.

McCree hit nine out of ten free throws. Lee had only one foul for the game. Hmm?

(02-14-2016 03:26 PM)Big Dee Wrote:  Stop falling in love with their jumpshots and get to the line.

I actually agree with Big Dee on this comment..

(02-15-2016 08:43 AM)Jball Wrote:  

(02-14-2016 03:26 PM)Big Dee Wrote:  Stop falling in love with their jumpshots and get to the line.

I actually agree with Big Dee on this comment..

We need to do both. We're actually somewhat competent shooting from three this season, so if anything, we should take more three pointers. However, we need the high percentage shots at the rim too, and those are more likely to draw fouls.