Did anyone else watch this game? I was surprised how low scoring and sloppy it was, and at how disorganized Memphis' gameplan was. In the first half they were knocking down threes left and right and yet when it became obvious in the 2nd half that they'd gone cold they were still launching them up with abandon.
This is the first time I've watched Memphis for a full game so take this opinion for what you think it's worth but they did not look like a championship team to me. If you have the lowest FT % in Div1 how can you expect to stay in it during close games? You can't. And Calipari had some serious TO mistakes IMO, the one 30 seconds in was unnecessary and then he let his kids play w/out using his last one when they were holding for the last shot.
Tennessee, otoh, looked impressive. I would not want to run into them in the tourney.
didn't catch it but glad they finally went down.
I'm just amazed that a Division I guard can be a 47 percent freethrow shooter.
A probable ALL-AMERICAN guard, at that. I caught the end and almost fell off the couch when I heard that stat.
Tennessee did two very intelligent things; they decided on a gameplan and stuck with it, and they played the percentages, a la Dean Smith.
Memphis is a strong rebounding team and a dribble penetration team, so Tennessee's plan was to not go out and challenge them strongly on 3s, but rather to stay near the paint, defend dribble penetration and crash the boards with all five defenders.
Memphis lit it up from outside early on, but Tennessee stuck to their game plan and, like Dean always said, the odds will usually catch up to you on long outside shots, and that's exactly what happened.
Along with that, Tennessee hammered Memphis on the boards, made some plays when they had to, and Memphis, predictably, clanked it from the FT line at crunch time.
The Bomber Wrote:I'm just amazed that a Division I guard can be a 47 percent freethrow shooter.
wake's ish smith(say that fast 4 times) is shooting 32.6 percent from the line going into today's game.
go heels
Yeah, but he'll probably shoot "110 percent" against us.
Memphis is just like dook. Live by the 3, die by the three.
what a track meet. those two teams are exactly why I think this time without Lawson may offer Carolina a chance to choose the half-court style they're honing, that IMO would be an advantage against either TN or Memphis.
you get in a game like that and it would be a toss up, which that game basically was. Memphis missed a bunny to take the lead with a few seconds left, after failing to take a TO to set a play
Rose made one of the best passes I've ever seen on a break, a no look, perfect touch, perfect lead to a wing that caught the guy right in the hands on a dead run a step and a half away from the rim
Both teams impressed me as being better than any team in the ACC except our Heels when we're back to full speed (or close), and the intensity of the game gave it a tourney feel.
I expect to see these two teams go deep into the field for many years (assuming Pearl remains at UT and Calipari at Memphis).
Announcers tonight called Tennessee "Carolina without Tyler". May be something to that. Memphis like d***, I agree.
A friend of mine is an avid Tennessee native fan, and his concern about their team is that they have a tendency to blow a lead, blow an advantage or blow a game. I agree they stuck with it this time.
rickheel Wrote:Memphis is just like dook. Live by the 3, die by the three.
Memphis doesn't usually live by the 3. Memphis lives by defense, transition, penetration and rebounding.
I felt like I was watching Streetball on ESPN. When it comes to one-L-and-done-tourney- time, disciplined teams will play more conservatively and control the tempo against either one of these two teams. Color me unimpressed.
If Memphis were in the ACC, they'd be lucky to finish at 13-3 or 12-4. They play NO ONE of any consequence in their conference, and the conference tournament is on their home floor.
I wouldn't mind playing either of these teams in San Antonio.
I wasn't overly impressed by Memphis as far as being the 'best' team in the country. Obviously they're good because of the athletes, but they don't have a great outside or inside game. It's all Rose or CDR making a move. Their defense can be good, especially the perimeter but as soon as Dorsey gets in foul trouble - which he will against any kind of inside attack - they lose a lot. UNC, UCLA, or Kansas would take them. As for Tenn, I think they are better. They still lack an inside attack which will ultimately be their undoing.
I missed the opening to this game but caught most of the rest of it. I had seen Memphis play UAB earlier and felt that they were very talented but flawed. I have only seen Tenn play bits and pieces this year, so I still don't have a real grip on how good they actually are.
Obviously, both these teams could go quite deep in the tourney. Would agree with jws about Tenn sticking to a smart gameplan. It is probably a game plan that we should consider against Duke. I think you have take away penetration and let the 3 pointers even out over the course of a game.
biggie 4 Wrote:I missed the opening to this game but caught most of the rest of it. I had seen Memphis play UAB earlier and felt that they were very talented but flawed. I have only seen Tenn play bits and pieces this year, so I still don't have a real grip on how good they actually are.
Obviously, both these teams could go quite deep in the tourney. Would agree with jws about Tenn sticking to a smart gameplan. It is probably a game plan that we should consider against Duke. I think you have take away penetration and let the 3 pointers even out over the course of a game.
1.) I don't know that I would leave Duke open on their home court; I don't know but I would bet they shoot better at home than away
2.) they also have more wrinkles than just penetration/pitch out
Quote:they also have more wrinkles than just penetration/pitch out
Well yeah, they also penetrate and score.
I'm not trying to belittle the weapons Duke has at its disposal, but I think that one must minimize penetration, first and foremost.
Certainly, defensive preparation for Duke is key--but more than with other teams you must prepare offensively for Duke, for Duke's defense is the key to the way they play.
they do penetrate, but I think if you cut that off they'll adjust quickly and find anothe r way to break open a shooter
Bruce Pearl, btw, is exactly the kind of mid-major to major program coach I'm taking about
U of Wisconsin-Milwaukee to #1 in two and a half seasons
UWM appears to be another Xavier, producing Bo Ryan as well as Pearl
I would defend dook almost exactly the opposite of the way I'd defend Memphis.
Dook will almost always obliterate you if you let them shoot open 3s all night; whereas Memphis will almost never beat you from there.
What you have to do against dook is defend as well as you can one-on-one against penetration and if they score, they score; deny the kickout for the 3, and then pound the boards to limit them to one shot; either that or play some sort of matchup zone.
If you consistently get beat on penetration and rotate over to help, thus allowing kickouts for open 3s, you have to play a spectacular game offensively, not turn the ball over, and utterly dominate the boards to have any chance to beat dook.
I was surprised at how well Duke was able to battle inside with Thomas and Singler, but then they've generally been more about quick big men than powerful big men. they're a tough cover for Carolina. definitely a contrast in approaches. K said they are "unconventional"
Supersport Wrote:I was surprised at how well Duke was able to battle inside with Thomas and Singler, but then they've generally been more about quick big men than powerful big men. they're a tough cover for Carolina. definitely a contrast in approaches. K said they are "unconventional"
Thomas and Singler have gotten sand pounded up their arses in the post by most of the teams in the ACC. Dook has poor interior defense and rebounding, and exceptionally good perimeter defense and rebounding(Demarcus Nelson is the leading rebounder on the team); that's why they play the way they do.