If we want to average 70 PPG next year. Who will give us those points?

[nwahogfan1]

We lost 85% or so of our scoring from last year.  Our 2nd string last year did not score much so my question is where do we get out points?

With Portis and Qualls leaving it left CMA really searching to find points.  I think by college most kids are either scorers or they are not. Mike must of known the huge chance of losing Portis and Qualls and the lack of natural scorers coming back so to me he should of over signed at least one to bring in a big scorer.  But that is just me.

This is where most people are really concerned with CMA's ability to keep this program consistent year in and year out.  Its his recruiting of quality depth to replace the ones that move on.

He keeps recruiting so secret so maybe he has a 2 or 3 really talented scorers coming in but if not I see a big, big drop off next year.  Maybe winning only 12-15 games and really struggling to score.   

[lefty08]

the thing about scoring is you have to shoot to score. What % of shots are we losing? I think there we will find our answer

[jry04]

We will average over 70 ppg without a doubt. Current players will improve, plus get more attempts. Whitt will probably average 10+ from day one if he is good as we all expect.

[poloprince]

MA has never had a losing season as a head coach. 12-15 wins is just a dumb insinuation if you ask me.

[Marshfieldhog]

Next years team has NIT written all over it. I'm cool with it as long as signs a killer class in November.

[latrops]

Scoring won't be a huge problem.  Sure, we will have dry spells, but the average ppg isn't going to be the issue.  We averaged 72 ppg in CMA's first year, and 77 ppg this year.  There is a good chance we are less efficient on offense next season (decrease in points per possession).  Hopefully we can offset that by being more efficient on defense.  Portis, Qualls, and Madden weren't great defenders, so the team could improve there. 

We shouldn't consider next year to be a lost cause already, though things don't look very good right now.  Signing a useful player or two with our three available scholarships would be a big help.

[intelligence]

Scoring won't be a huge problem.  Sure, we will have dry spells, but the average ppg isn't going to be the issue.  We averaged 72 ppg in CMA's first year, and 77 ppg this year.  There is a good chance we are less efficient on offense next season (decrease in points per possession).  Hopefully we can offset that by being more efficient on defense.  Portis, Qualls, and Madden weren't great defenders, so the team could improve there. 

We shouldn't consider next year to be a lost cause already, though things don't look very good right now.  Signing a useful player or two with our three available scholarships would be a big help.

Portis and Qualls were our best defenders IMO

[lefty08]

Portis and Qualls were our best defenders IMO

Your entitled to your opinion but that's just not accurate

[Big Nasty 34]

I could see it going something like this:
Beard 9 Durham 5
Whitt 7 Hannahs 7
Bell 12 Watkins 5
Jacory 7 Kapita 3 Miles 5
Kingsley 7 Thompson 3

[jry04]

Portis and Qualls were our best defenders IMO

There will not be many who share that same opinion, with regards to Portis' defense. We are going to miss him greatly, but his defense was average at best. He was not a very good defender. There is a reason every talented big that we played ate him up. Niang(ISU), Jones (Vandy), Martin (LSU), Thomas(Wake), JW3 had a double double twice against Bobby (Mizzou), Laury (Iona), all of the UK players, Ware (MSU), and the list goes on of players who had their way with Bobby for the most part when they had the ball. However, Bobby was incredible offensively, and often matched or surpassed the opposing player's production.

It goes much deeper than stats, too. Against Ole Miss, when we lost in BWA, I saw Bobby's man screen Bell's guy under the basket, and Bell's guy run across the court to the corner. Every time Bobby followed Bell's man, and Bell had to scramble back to cover Bobby's guy and got posted up for an easy two, or both followed and Bobby's man was left under the basket wide open. Bobby was not supposed to switch on the screen, and Mike made sure he heard it during the timeout. That is just an example of many times Bobby was lost on defense, and did not really adjust.

[Thepigdoctor]

There will not be many who share that same opinion, with regards to Portis' defense. We are going to miss him greatly, but his defense was average at best. He was not a very good defender. There is a reason every talented big that we played ate him up. Niang(ISU), Jones (Vandy), Martin (LSU), Thomas(Wake), JW3 had a double double twice against Bobby (Mizzou), Laury (Iona), all of the UK players, Ware (MSU), and the list goes on of players who had their way with Bobby for the most part when they had the ball. However, Bobby was incredible offensively, and often matched or surpassed the opposing player's production.

It goes much deeper than stats, too. Against Ole Miss, when we lost in BWA, I saw Bobby's man screen Bell's guy under the basket, and Bell's guy run across the court to the corner. Every time Bobby followed Bell's man, and Bell had to scramble back to cover Bobby's guy and got posted up for an easy two, or both followed and Bobby's man was left under the basket wide open. Bobby was not supposed to switch on the screen, and Mike made sure he heard it during the timeout. That is just an example of many times Bobby was lost on defense, and did not really adjust.

Excellent post. One of the main reasons I think next year will not be a total fallout. What we'll gain defensively will be huge.

[Big Nasty 34]

Who replaces Harris defensively? Miles?

[Thepigdoctor]

Who replaces Harris defensively? Miles?

Intensity wise, hopefully someone but as a greatly undersized four, again this is a spot we stand to improve.

[Hogfaniam]

70 ppg will not get us in the NCAA tourney.  Need close to 80. 

[gmarv]

Scoring won't be a huge problem.  Sure, we will have dry spells, but the average ppg isn't going to be the issue.  We averaged 72 ppg in CMA's first year, and 77 ppg this year.  There is a good chance we are less efficient on offense next season (decrease in points per possession).  Hopefully we can offset that by being more efficient on defense.  Portis, Qualls, and Madden weren't great defenders, so the team could improve there. 

We shouldn't consider next year to be a lost cause already, though things don't look very good right now.  Signing a useful player or two with our three available scholarships would be a big help.

I like the way you think.

[VirginiaHog]

I could see it going something like this:
Beard 9 Durham 5
Whitt 7 Hannahs 7
Bell 12 Watkins 5
Jacory 7 Kapita 3 Miles 5
Kingsley 7 Thompson 3

Actually that may be close. That is about 80 a game. But it is 11 guys scoring and i think more like 8 a game will score. I see about 75 a game but better defense means we dont need as many to win. Also better defense equals more transition points.

[moses_007]

From what I saw this past season, our bench will be lucky to score 45 points a game.  We'd better hope Whitt can come in and average at least 30 by himself or we may be sunk.  I think next year's team will be about like Auburn's was this past season.

[Tusks]

where do you people come from?  is there like 4 posters with 20 hogville accounts.

[nwahogfan1]

I could see it going something like this:
Beard 9 Durham 5
Whitt 7 Hannahs 7
Bell 12 Watkins 5
Jacory 7 Kapita 3 Miles 5
Kingsley 7 Thompson 3

Thank you.  Finally someone gave me some numbers.  I hope Bell gives us 12 ppg but unless he learns to score in more ways that just his 3 point shot I just don't see it maybe 8.   Lets see about the others but I think you are a few points high on most of them.  I just don't see the returning guys consistently scoring that high especially in the athletic SEC.  Hope your right but I am not as optimistic.  I only see 40-50 points tops out of the guys who played last year tops.  The rest must come from guys coming in.

IMO if we can get 40-50 from those that played last year then sign a 6'5+ scoring 3/4 man who can create 10 ppg, Whitt to average 8 ppg, Hannahs 6 ppg plus hope Kapita is healthy enough to get us 6 garbage ppg then we may reach close to 70.

[intelligence]

There will not be many who share that same opinion, with regards to Portis' defense. We are going to miss him greatly, but his defense was average at best. He was not a very good defender. There is a reason every talented big that we played ate him up. Niang(ISU), Jones (Vandy), Martin (LSU), Thomas(Wake), JW3 had a double double twice against Bobby (Mizzou), Laury (Iona), all of the UK players, Ware (MSU), and the list goes on of players who had their way with Bobby for the most part when they had the ball. However, Bobby was incredible offensively, and often matched or surpassed the opposing player's production.

It goes much deeper than stats, too. Against Ole Miss, when we lost in BWA, I saw Bobby's man screen Bell's guy under the basket, and Bell's guy run across the court to the corner. Every time Bobby followed Bell's man, and Bell had to scramble back to cover Bobby's guy and got posted up for an easy two, or both followed and Bobby's man was left under the basket wide open. Bobby was not supposed to switch on the screen, and Mike made sure he heard it during the timeout. That is just an example of many times Bobby was lost on defense, and did not really adjust.

Sorry but you are wrong. Every player we faced did their damage while portis was on the bench. Calipari stated that their strategy was to get portis away from the basket so they could score in the paint easier. Just go back and watch the SEC championship game. No one scored on Portis until the second half unless he was out of position. Some people just aren't very perceptive, but portis was by far our best defender in the post.

[jry04]

Sorry but you are wrong. Every player we faced did their damage while portis was on the bench. Calipari stated that their strategy was to get portis away from the basket so they could score in the paint easier. Just go back and watch the SEC championship game. No one scored on Portis until the second half unless he was out of position. Some people just aren't very perceptive, but portis was by far our best defender in the post.

Yeah, I definitely am not wrong, but we can agree to disagree. One of the biggest knocks on him was his post defense. He is great at coming off the ball and making a block or deflection, but when his guy got the ball, he was ate up quite a bit this season. I attended every home game, watched every road game. I know what I saw, and he most certainly was on the floor when Damian Jones was dunking it, and Martin was backing him down for an easy hook. He most certainly was on the floor when Niang was hitting his mid-range bank shot off the glass in his face, and he definitely got backed down by Ware in our 20 point home win multiple times. You did not pay much attention to the game if you think everyone did their damage when Bobby was on the bench.

We can agree to disagree, but I know what I saw. Of course that is Calipari's plan. That is not a very good example. If you pull Portis away from the basket, you are left with Qualls or Harris to defend someone on the block posting up. Harris couldn't guard a 7' WCS/KAT at 6'6". and Qualls couldn't guard a 6'11" Trey Lyles and 6'5". You take away the one guy we have on the court over 6'10" and your chances to score go up tremendously. The other teams did not have that luxury.

[jry04]

Here is an article by a Milwaukee Buck's beat writer saying one of his weaknesses is defense. May not be the most credible guy, but it is at least noticed.

http://behindthebuckpass.com/2015/03/18/bobby-portis-putting-power-power-forward/2/

NBA Draft is one of the more respected sites out there. Look at the weaknesses.
http://www.nbadraft.net/players/bobby-portis

Here is another saying he needs to work on his defense in the post.
http://www.hoopsrumors.com/bobby-portis

Again, we can agree to disagree, but this isn't coming out of nowhere. A lot of national analysts and so called "experts" have had the same complain about Bobby all year. Above average defender for his size away from the basket and in space, but struggles when someone has him in the post. The good thing about Portis is you cannot teach the motor he has. If anyone will get bigger, stronger, and faster to improve their defense it will be Bobby.

[hawginbigd1]

IMO it has been pretty easy to se that BP is a "-" defender, his value is offensive potential, and motor.

[jry04]

IMO it has been pretty easy to se that BP is a "-" defender, his value is offensive potential, and motor.

Agreed.

[Atlhogfan1]

Portis and Qualls also had to conserve some energy and remain out of foul trouble in order to carry the team offensively.

The decision making is the most troubling aspect of our defense.  To improve, many players have to get much better at it as some have been lost or have not taken big enough steps with multiple seasons in the system. 

[WayneHawg]

Jimmy Whitt 67,Jacory Williams 3

[PonderinHog]

Jimmy Whitt 67,Jacory Williams 3

Jacorey drawing lots of fouls will open up Jimmy to do what he can do...