Saint Patrick's Day luck goes to the boys wearing green! A good omen. Is pinching the other team considered a foul?

I write sports for the Flat Hat, here's my preview article:

http://flathatnews.com/2015/03/17/mens-b...edemption/

- Tulsa has a bad offense
- They're in a slump, losing 3 of their last 4 and have only scored more than 70 points in regulation once in the last 14 games
- The AAC does not have any good offensive teams, save for Cincy and SMU (Who Tulsa is 0-3 against)
- Tulsa has a very good defense
- Tulsa will outrebound us

(03-17-2015 10:01 AM)TDenverFan Wrote:  I write sports for the Flat Hat, here's my preview article:

http://flathatnews.com/2015/03/17/mens-b...edemption/

- Tulsa has a bad offense
- They're in a slump, losing 3 of their last 4 and have only scored more than 70 points in regulation once in the last 14 games
- The AAC does not have any good offensive teams, save for Cincy and SMU (Who Tulsa is 0-3 against)
- Tulsa has a very good defense
- Tulsa will outrebound us

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That's a pretty good preview article TDenver - this is a winnable game, I predict a Big "W" for the Tribe!!!

Tulsa is no doubt a very tough draw and we will need to bring our best to win. However, this is still a winable game. We're facing a team that was on the bubble of making the NCAA. We played two other bubble teams this year, on the road, that are current #1 seeds in the NIT. I seem to remember we had our chances to win both (especially Richmond, had Prewitt's shot went in at the buzzer).

I would argue definitely UNC and maybe Wofford (and to a lesser extent Florida) are all better overall teams than Tulsa.

Tough game? Of course. We should be underdogs.....but.....I don't think our team will be necessarily intimidated and I look forward to a solid, great game!

(03-16-2015 07:44 PM)wml33t Wrote:  

(03-16-2015 07:35 PM)TribeInTheBurg Wrote:  I was thinking about it. Is that the only viewing party? I guess ESPN3 is hard to come by for local restaurants?

It's the only one I know of. I have to imagine very few, if any, restaurants are at all setup to stream ESPN3 games. I've not heard of any at least - most seem confused enough if you want something on ESPNU or NBCSN.

ESPN3 is strictly ESPN's internet platform, and broadcasts can only be viewed via an internet connection. For a sports bar or restaurant to show a game that is only being shown on ESPN3, they would either have to connect a computer to the television with an HDMI cable, have a smart TV that has access to the WATCH ESPN app, or have Apple TV attached to the TV since Apple TV has the WATCH ESPN app.

Speaking of Apple TV, if you happen to have this device connected to you television at home, you can watch the game tonight on your home television.

Chromecast is the answer

A couple of interesting stats.
- Tulsa averages 64.2 points and 36.5 rebounds, and a .418 field goal percentage and .327 3-point percentage. TU allows opponents 59.8 points and 34.3 rebounds per game, and a .392 field goal percentage and a .328 3-point shooting percentage.

- Tulsa has held 29 of its 32 opponents this season under 50 percent shooting from the field, and 61 of its last 66 opponents, dating back to last year. TU has also held 16 opponents below 40 percent shooting this season, and three opponents under 40 points in a game.

In my mind, if we shoot well, rebound and defend respectably, we should pull this out. Their defense is their key.

(03-17-2015 10:01 AM)TDenverFan Wrote:  I write sports for the Flat Hat, here's my preview article:

http://flathatnews.com/2015/03/17/mens-b...edemption/

- Tulsa has a bad offense
- They're in a slump, losing 3 of their last 4 and have only scored more than 70 points in regulation once in the last 14 games
- The AAC does not have any good offensive teams, save for Cincy and SMU (Who Tulsa is 0-3 against)
- Tulsa has a very good defense
- Tulsa will outrebound us

Tulsa fan here. Nice preview, thanks for posting.

I think there's 2 primary ways for beating this Tulsa team. The first is to beat us up inside. Cinci and SMU did this well. UConn was able to do it to a lesser extent with Brimah. Our bigs can be pushed around and our guards can get in a habit of driving with reckless abandon. The key is no easy baskets and if they call a foul then we're highly unlikely to make you pay from the line. I've only seen you guys play once this year, but this doesn't seem like your style.

The second way is to just pack it in and turn the game into a 3-point shooting contest. Your best bet here is to run some flavor of box-and-1 that keeps Woodard from ever seeing the ball. Harrison, Smith, and Curtis are all ready and willing to bomb away from deep despite limited success (~25%). In order for this work, you also need to turn it into a halfcourt game. Keep possession of the ball on your end and you'll prevent runouts that create the easy baskets we need to beat teams that pack it in. We run lots of zone so you'll have an opportunity to make this strategy work.

Good luck tonight and here's to a good game. I can't tell you how sweet it will be when you guys finally break into the NCAA tournament.

(03-17-2015 10:38 AM)WMTRIBE75 Wrote:  

(03-16-2015 07:44 PM)wml33t Wrote:  

(03-16-2015 07:35 PM)TribeInTheBurg Wrote:  I was thinking about it. Is that the only viewing party? I guess ESPN3 is hard to come by for local restaurants?

It's the only one I know of. I have to imagine very few, if any, restaurants are at all setup to stream ESPN3 games. I've not heard of any at least - most seem confused enough if you want something on ESPNU or NBCSN.

ESPN3 is strictly ESPN's internet platform, and broadcasts can only be viewed via an internet connection. For a sports bar or restaurant to show a game that is only being shown on ESPN3, they would either have to connect a computer to the television with an HDMI cable, have a smart TV that has access to the WATCH ESPN app, or have Apple TV attached to the TV since Apple TV has the WATCH ESPN app.

Speaking of Apple TV, if you happen to have this device connected to you television at home, you can watch the game tonight on your home television.

Right, this was my point.

(03-16-2015 06:58 PM)wml33t Wrote:  Anyone planning to go to Miller Hall for the viewing party? We are trying to decide whether we do that or not.

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I am planning to attend. I'll be really POed if I show up and there is nobody there. I'll report on the experience tomorrow. Edit [if there is nobody there, I'll report on the experiencet tonight!!!

(03-17-2015 12:28 PM)MarloStanfield Wrote:  

(03-17-2015 10:01 AM)TDenverFan Wrote:  I write sports for the Flat Hat, here's my preview article:

http://flathatnews.com/2015/03/17/mens-b...edemption/

- Tulsa has a bad offense
- They're in a slump, losing 3 of their last 4 and have only scored more than 70 points in regulation once in the last 14 games
- The AAC does not have any good offensive teams, save for Cincy and SMU (Who Tulsa is 0-3 against)
- Tulsa has a very good defense
- Tulsa will outrebound us

Tulsa fan here. Nice preview, thanks for posting.

I think there's 2 primary ways for beating this Tulsa team. The first is to beat us up inside. Cinci and SMU did this well. UConn was able to do it to a lesser extent with Brimah. Our bigs can be pushed around and our guards can get in a habit of driving with reckless abandon. The key is no easy baskets and if they call a foul then we're highly unlikely to make you pay from the line. I've only seen you guys play once this year, but this doesn't seem like your style.

The second way is to just pack it in and turn the game into a 3-point shooting contest. Your best bet here is to run some flavor of box-and-1 that keeps Woodard from ever seeing the ball. Harrison, Smith, and Curtis are all ready and willing to bomb away from deep despite limited success (~25%). In order for this work, you also need to turn it into a halfcourt game. Keep possession of the ball on your end and you'll prevent runouts that create the easy baskets we need to beat teams that pack it in. We run lots of zone so you'll have an opportunity to make this strategy work.

Good luck tonight and here's to a good game. I can't tell you how sweet it will be when you guys finally break into the NCAA tournament.

Thanks for the info. You are correct, your first scenario is not going to happen. That is definitely not our game. I hope we can keep the ball out of Woodard's hands. Not sure if Daniel is healthy enough to stay on him.

I wish it wasn't so hard to get to Tulsa. I was planning on going wherever we ended up.

(03-17-2015 12:28 PM)MarloStanfield Wrote:  I think there's 2 primary ways for beating this Tulsa team. The first is to beat us up inside.

Lol. Well I KNOW this isnt happening.

(03-17-2015 12:28 PM)MarloStanfield Wrote:  I've only seen you guys play once this year, but this doesn't seem like your style.

Very observant.

(03-17-2015 12:28 PM)MarloStanfield Wrote:  The second way is to just pack it in and turn the game into a 3-point shooting contest. Your best bet here is to run some flavor of box-and-1 that keeps Woodard from ever seeing the ball.

I'm all for this option. Let's just jack up 3's all game. Also I know in theory we can run a box and 1 but I don't think I've ever seen Tony actually use it.

I think they know this team goes as its guards go. I can't imagine they would pack into a zone - it plays to our strength. I think they want to disrupt the guards on the perimeter. I think they will be trying to put a lot of pressure on the ball handlers and passing lanes. I also think if we are hitting shots there will be a lot of backdoor opportunities. I worry about us finishing around the rim with their athletic rim protectors.

(03-16-2015 10:07 AM)mrjoolius Wrote:  I've never seen Tulsa play, but if Tulsa relies a great deal on penetration to score, a wider charge circle could be a big factor.

We definitely do until we're forced into jumpers against the teams in our league that were just bigger and longer than us.

We also don't like to play slow; quite the opposite. We're sometimes forced into that based on the opponent but you don't want to get into a sprinting match with us. Halfcourt offense isn't really our strong suit...we like to run.

On the attendance, we had a long spell with Doug Wojcik as head coach. (Y'all probably remember him from CofC) Danny Manning brought a lot of us back late last year and we're still trying to build. Woj was simultaneously the winningest coach in Tulsa history (no one stays 7 years anymore) and the attendance killer.

Really looking forward to getting to see the team in person one more time. The crowd will be only a few thousand but loud bc us riff raff could all get donor seats close to the action since the entire arena was open.

I hope the team still wants to play because I still want to watch.

(03-17-2015 04:15 PM)TUBballJunkie Wrote:  On the attendance, we had a long spell with Doug Wojcik as head coach. (Y'all probably remember him from CofC) Danny Manning brought a lot of us back late last year and we're still trying to build. Woj was simultaneously the winningest coach in Tulsa history (no one stays 7 years anymore) and the attendance killer.

Did he also try to pick fights with Tulsa players and call them "big, dumb gingers"? Damn I miss Wojcik.

(03-17-2015 12:28 PM)MarloStanfield Wrote:  

(03-17-2015 10:01 AM)TDenverFan Wrote:  I write sports for the Flat Hat, here's my preview article:

http://flathatnews.com/2015/03/17/mens-b...edemption/

- Tulsa has a bad offense
- They're in a slump, losing 3 of their last 4 and have only scored more than 70 points in regulation once in the last 14 games
- The AAC does not have any good offensive teams, save for Cincy and SMU (Who Tulsa is 0-3 against)
- Tulsa has a very good defense
- Tulsa will outrebound us

Tulsa fan here. Nice preview, thanks for posting.

I think there's 2 primary ways for beating this Tulsa team. The first is to beat us up inside. Cinci and SMU did this well. UConn was able to do it to a lesser extent with Brimah. Our bigs can be pushed around and our guards can get in a habit of driving with reckless abandon. The key is no easy baskets and if they call a foul then we're highly unlikely to make you pay from the line. I've only seen you guys play once this year, but this doesn't seem like your style.

The second way is to just pack it in and turn the game into a 3-point shooting contest. Your best bet here is to run some flavor of box-and-1 that keeps Woodard from ever seeing the ball. Harrison, Smith, and Curtis are all ready and willing to bomb away from deep despite limited success (~25%). In order for this work, you also need to turn it into a halfcourt game. Keep possession of the ball on your end and you'll prevent runouts that create the easy baskets we need to beat teams that pack it in. We run lots of zone so you'll have an opportunity to make this strategy work.

Good luck tonight and here's to a good game. I can't tell you how sweet it will be when you guys finally break into the NCAA tournament.

Thanks! Unfortunately I wasn't really able to watch any film on Tulsa, so do you know how often you guys use the whole shot clock on offense or force the opposing offense to use the whole shot clock? I'm trying to figure out how the 30 second clock will impact the game

Coach Haith has said we either want to score in the first 10 seconds of the shot clock or the last 10 seconds. In my opinion, we end up shooting in the last 10 seconds way too often.

(03-17-2015 05:18 PM)MarloStanfield Wrote:  Coach Haith has said we either want to score in the first 10 seconds of the shot clock or the last 10 seconds. In my opinion, we end up shooting in the last 10 seconds way too often.

Thanks. The 30 second shot clock might slightly help us then, but I'm not sure it'll be a huge difference maker either way. Just take the ball upcort a little faster after a basket and the change is neutered.

(03-17-2015 05:26 PM)TDenverFan Wrote:  

(03-17-2015 05:18 PM)MarloStanfield Wrote:  Coach Haith has said we either want to score in the first 10 seconds of the shot clock or the last 10 seconds. In my opinion, we end up shooting in the last 10 seconds way too often.

Thanks. The 30 second shot clock might slightly help us then, but I'm not sure it'll be a huge difference maker either way. Just take the ball upcort a little faster after a basket and the change is neutered.

I am not sure the 30 second shot clock helps us generally, but it definitely would have made the recent Northeastern game less maddening. Northeastern must have had 30+ points with 3 or less on the shot clock. They redefined milking the clock in that game once they got the lead.

Here we go...gametime.