Another close win

[Pigonometry]

Over the last few years it seems we always found a way to lose close games.  Now we keep finding ways to win them. 

Good win tonight.  Woo Pig Sooie!

[Danny J]

I will take em any wake we can get em.

[3of5-2]

I agree, and have stated that these are the games that we lose in past years. Fortunately, we have found a way to win these games, and it feels good. HOWEVER, something or someone has got to be changed at the end of the first half and at the end of these close games, or we are going to get beat when we play a good team.

[Pistol Pete]

It was a really good win.
However, we have to play smarter....
1. Near the end of the game, why did we collapse to the middle to defend a 2 pointer when we were up by 3? They passed outside for the 3, but fortunately missed.
2. Bobby needs to quit putting the ball on the floor (dribbling) when he gets it on the low post. Broken record. Just go straight up with it.
3. We had a forward or center under the basket alone several times tonight without getting the ball passed to him. Passing has to get better.
4. We need to practice on passing down low. We have to size inside, pass, catch, put in the hole, don't dribble when you're 4 feet from the basket. Please....

Finally, I'm admittedly spoiled by watching Corliss and Oliver years ago (yes, I'm old). They had the best passing skills and hands I've ever seen... we have the horses, they need to learn.

[Lanny]

Over the last few years it seems we always found a way to lose close games.  Now we keep finding ways to win them. 

Good win tonight.  Woo Pig Sooie!

You can't be happy with the lack of defense on this team.

[lefty08]

You can't be happy with the lack of defense on this team.

I'm happy with another W. There isn't a team in the country without deficiencies. We are on pace to peak at the right time. Its exciting to be winning these games while not playing particularly well

[ricepig]

You can't be happy with the lack of defense on this team.

Our ability to stop the dribble penetration is atrocious. I've already questioned the switching 30ft from the basket, it's obviously something we're going to do, I'm left with hoping other teams have bad shooting nights.

[latrops]

I'm happy with another W. There isn't a team in the country without deficiencies. We are on pace to peak at the right time. Its exciting to be winning these games while not playing particularly well

That is the one truly positive thing in all of this.  In spite of inconsistency all over the place right now, we are still eeking out wins.  We have to get some things straightened out a bit to get where we want to go, but at least our recent struggles haven't been enough to throw us off course.

[HoopS]

You can't be happy with the lack of defense on this team.

happy? No.

But I can be happy with winning close games and being up to 17th in the latest rpi.

[The_Iceman]

You can't be happy with the lack of defense on this team.

Our opponents have scored 60 and 64 points the last 2 games.

[hogsanity]

You can't be happy with the lack of defense on this team.

If my years here have taught me anything, 95% of fans do not care about defense. Defense is as uninteresting to them as it appears to be to some of the players.

[HoopS]

Our opponents have scored 60 and 64 points the last 2 games.

then there's that.

They haven't lit the scoreboard up like you'd expect, given how terrible and fundamentally unsound everyone seems to think we are.

This team is 16-4 yet, if you only read the comments, you'd swear we weren't even a .500 team.

Our program has stunk for a long time. Now we are setting ourselves up for a bid and we want to nitpick every aspect of this team.

I've never seen anything like it.

Totally takes the fun out of enjoying a win. That's not good enough. It has to be done in a way that some of our fans want it done or they sound alarms.

Man. 16-4. And unhappy.

[hobhog]

Our ability to stop the dribble penetration is atrocious. I've already questioned the switching 30ft from the basket, it's obviously something we're going to do, I'm left with hoping other teams have bad shooting nights.

I think the switch/trap attempt at top of the key is breaking down our whole defense. It never works and opens the lane to a drive or kick out. I just don't get it.

Wins are great and we should gain confidence with each, but just feels like something's missing on this team( not talent). Florida will tell me a lot but not optimistic.

Still lots of season left. Like OP said, just going to try and enjoy the ride as better than past 10 years.

[ArkieBrat]

then there's that.

They haven't lit the scoreboard up like you'd expect, given how terrible and fundamentally unsound everyone seems to think we are.

This team is 16-4 yet, if you only read the comments, you'd swear we weren't even a .500 team.

Our program has stunk for a long time. Now we are setting ourselves up for a bid and we want to nitpick every aspect of this team.

I've never seen anything like it.

Totally takes the fun out of enjoying a win. That's not good enough. It has to be done in a way that some of our fans want it done or they sound alarms.

Man. 16-4. And unhappy.

+1  I am as happy as a pig in slop. 

Yes, there are some things that need to be fixed

BUT....we are STILL 16-4 AND tied for 2nd in the SEC!!!!

When was the last time that has happened?

GO HOGS!!!!!!!!!!    WOO PIG SOOOIE!!!!!!!!!!!!   :razorback:  :razorback:  :razorback:

[hogsanity]

then there's that.

They haven't lit the scoreboard up like you'd expect, given how terrible and fundamentally unsound everyone seems to think we are.

Mizzu and Tn are terrible offensively. Both rank in the mid 250's in ppg. The Hogs held both to just about a basket under their avg ppg.

Pointing out things does not mean someone is unhappy to be 16-4. Last night, several times, the Hogs switched out top again, and it got the Hogs into terrible mismatches. Then at the end of the game, knowing TN needed a 3, the Hogs collapsed on the drive, and left a player wide open for a three, which did everything but go down. Also, it was the 4th game in a row where had the Hogs shot 75% from the FT line, instead of in the 65-68% range, TN would never have had a shot to tie the game.

They have been winning, in spite of the short comings, which is a step up from the last two years, but those problems are still going to limit this team at some point.

[Athog]

The best news is winning while not playing well.

[HoopS]

I don't disagree.

I am disappointed that really only Madden has what I like in a free throw approach. Same thing. Everytime. Technically sound. Same rhythm. Good results.

Bobby also is pretty consistent in his approach. Though I don't care for the overhead approach. He's consistent though.

If we are going to have two guys we can depend on on the stripe, those are two key ones. Would like to see Qualls find a better rhythm there.

Jacorey - slow down. Put some arc on it. 


But overall, yes we can find a lot of things we don't like. What I DO like is we are finding ways to win. I also really like Beard a lot.

[DeltaBoy]

It still a W with 1 point or 75.

[hawgsalot]

Mizzu and Tn are terrible offensively. Both rank in the mid 250's in ppg. The Hogs held both to just about a basket under their avg ppg.

Pointing out things does not mean someone is unhappy to be 16-4. Last night, several times, the Hogs switched out top again, and it got the Hogs into terrible mismatches. Then at the end of the game, knowing TN needed a 3, the Hogs collapsed on the drive, and left a player wide open for a three, which did everything but go down. Also, it was the 4th game in a row where had the Hogs shot 75% from the FT line, instead of in the 65-68% range, TN would never have had a shot to tie the game.

They have been winning, in spite of the short comings, which is a step up from the last two years, but those problems are still going to limit this team at some point.

Well if we held them to a basket below their ppg, then the D couldn't have been as horrible as some make it out to be right?  Our team is going to give up some things on D and it's by design, like it our not.  When you play like we do sometimes the risk = reward, sometime it equals easy buckets.  One thing its designed to do is wear those legs out late in the second half and create half court disruption leading to turnovers.  It worked last night, no one could hit a shot for TN expect their senior stud guard and they had what 17 turnovers?  Our real deficiency is that this team doesn't have an elite defending guard, this team doesn't have a quick guard that can consistently break a defense down with the dribble.  We are long and good shooter though and that's the trade off it has obvious advantages

[hogsanity]

Well if we held them to a basket below their ppg, then the D couldn't have been as horrible as some make it out to be right?  Our team is going to give up some things on D and it's by design, like it our not.  When you play like we do sometimes the risk = reward, sometime it equals easy buckets.  One thing its designed to do is wear those legs out late in the second half and create half court disruption leading to turnovers.  It worked last night, no one could hit a shot for TN expect their senior stud guard and they had what 17 turnovers?  Our real deficiency is that this team doesn't have an elite defending guard, this team doesn't have a quick guard that can consistently break a defense down with the dribble.  We are long and good shooter though and that's the trade off it has obvious advantages

I am not talking about giving things up in the press, those are by design I suppose, but I am talking about the poor half court D, and it has been a problem all year.

BTW, the Hogs were -2 in turnovers last night, tn had 16 hogs turned it over 18 times.

[lefty08]

I am not talking about giving things up in the press, those are by design I suppose, but I am talking about the poor half court D, and it has been a problem all year.

BTW, the Hogs were -2 in turnovers last night, tn had 16 hogs turned it over 18 times.

Yep, and we still won. Let that sink in