For all the upset fans about Arkansas losing in the first round

[Lanny]

Let's go back and look at the other teams losing in the NCAAT.  If your team is dependent on shooting 3's, when a team has a cold shooting night, nothing seems to look good.  The defense gives up shots, rebounding is lobsided.  Basketball is all about shooting the ball through the basket, when your team has a cold shooting night, that team generally loses.  As for the Arkansas vs. Butler game, Arkansas was cold as ice, couldn't get the shots to fall, rushed to fight back and took a lot of chances on defense that made the team look bad.

North Carolina, Virginia, Auburn...etc teams rated higher lost bad when they couldn't shoot.

One more thing, Could Kentucky have a easier path to the Final Four.   Geeze............

[Beaverfever]

Arkansas isn't dependent on the three point shot.  We haven't taken more threes than our opponent in almost 10 games.  For some reason we practically stopped shooting threes which is a very odd development.

[DeltaBoy]

Cold nights shooting dooms the best teams.

[jst01]

When it happens 10 times a season, it's more than a bad night problem. It's a systematic failure of preparation and game play. After MA gets canned and we hire a coach that understands today's game, it will be clear to all.

[The_Iceman]

Arkansas isn't dependent on the three point shot.  We haven't taken more threes than our opponent in almost 10 games.  For some reason we practically stopped shooting threes which is a very odd development.

Because we are easy to defend. Teams are daring us to try and attack the rim. They hedged out on all our guards because they were no threat to attack.

[steveaustin69]

When it happens 10 times a season, it's more than a bad night problem. It's a systematic failure of preparation and game play. After MA gets canned and we hire a coach that understands today's game, it will be clear to all.

Bingo.

[HognotinMemphis]

Agree with Lanny. Unfortunately, this happens too regularly with this team. About 1 of every 3 games on average, maybe a bit more than that, is a "cold shooting" game. As I have said all year, very inconsistent. If I had one word to use to describe this team this season it would be inconsistent. That is coaching.

[hogsanity]

When it happens 10 times a season, it's more than a bad night problem. It's a systematic failure of preparation and game play. After MA gets canned and we hire a coach that understands today's game, it will be clear to all.

See, that is my issue. They lost Butler just like the lost to KY, UNC, Aub, A&M, Houston, LSU ( twice ), FLA, TN. Same exact way they have been losing since Mike got here really. Poor perimeter D, poor offensive movement, poor rebounding, and stupid fouls 75ft from the basket.

[OkieBack]

See, that is my issue. They lost Butler just like the lost to KY, UNC, Aub, A&M, Houston, LSU ( twice ), FLA, TN. Same exact way they have been losing since Mike got here really. Poor perimeter D, poor offensive movement, poor rebounding, and stupid fouls 75ft from the basket.

That's why Mike needs to fire an assistant and bring in someone who is a true check mate and devils advocate.  CMA doesn't need two or three more coaches sitting on the bench saying the same thing he is yelling.  He needs a disciplinarian who preaches fundamentals and watches film.  For real.  That seems to be the only thing that will save CMA's version of Hawgball.  That and a crazy recruiting class.   

[Letsroll1200]

Because we are easy to defend. Teams are daring us to try and attack the rim. They hedged out on all our guards because they were no threat to attack.

Had nobody on the team that was a threat to penetrate and make plays for others. As good as Macon and Barford where, they struggled against long and quick guards. Not having a consistently 4 man that could stretch the floor didn't help matters. However, offense was not a issue for the Hogs. I think they still finished second in the SEC in scoring.

[hogsanity]

Had nobody on the team that was a threat to penetrate and make plays for others. As good as Macon and Barford where, they struggled against long and quick guards. Not having a consistently 4 man that could stretch the floor didn't help matters. However, offense was not a issue for the Hogs. I think they still finished second in the SEC in scoring.

Offense was an issue, it was just hidden by how well the offense played in a few games, but it was not an issue on the same level as the poor D was.

[HF#1]

I watched West Virginia put a hurt on Marshall last night. The entire game I kept thinking, man, they play our style better than we do, I wish we played like that. I was thoroughly entertained and they are in the Sweet 16.

[OkieBack]

I watched West Virginia put a hurt on Marshall last night. The entire game I kept thinking, man, they play our style better than we do, I wish we played like that. I was thoroughly entertained and they are in the Sweet 16.

Its man-up time for CMA.  This year was his wake up call.  Either he is going to rebuild a raging fire within his coaching ranks and team, or else he is going to wake up this time next year to find his style has passed him by and that his time as coach is done. 

[LRHawg]

We were unprepared for Butler and it showed. Always next year, right? maybe not. We don't make the Tourney and Hunter Y may pull the trigger.

After MA gets canned and we hire a coach that understands today's game, it will be clear to all.

Truth hurts.

[Mellon Collie]

When it happens 10 times a season, it's more than a bad night problem. It's a systematic failure of preparation and game play. After MA gets canned and we hire a coach that understands today's game, it will be clear to all.

exactly.

[Mellon Collie]

I watched West Virginia put a hurt on Marshall last night. The entire game I kept thinking, man, they play our style better than we do, I wish we played like that. I was thoroughly entertained and they are in the Sweet 16.

Huggins > MA.

not even close.

[azhog10]

Arkansas isn't dependent on the three point shot.  We haven't taken more threes than our opponent in almost 10 games.  For some reason we practically stopped shooting threes which is a very odd development.

Arkansas has been dependent on Barford and Macon to make shots all year. Not sure what fantasy land you are living in. Most nights one of them has been on. The other day both of them were off and Beard was on the bench because he was awful on both ends of the floor.

[HF#1]

Its man-up time for CMA.  This year was his wake up call.  Either he is going to rebuild a raging fire within his coaching ranks and team, or else he is going to wake up this time next year to find his style has passed him by and that his time as coach is done. 

For a coach that "hangs his hat on defense and pressure" we sure suck at it.

[azhog10]

Offense was an issue, it was just hidden by how well the offense played in a few games, but it was not an issue on the same level as the poor D was.

They won 23 games......that's more than a few.

[OkieBack]

We were unprepared for Butler and it showed. Always next year, right? maybe not. We don't make the Tourney and Hunter Y may pull the trigger.

As much as I hate to say it about CMA, yes.  His days could be numbered if he doesn't get it together fast and find coaches or players to eliminate the weak parts of his game.  Totally unprepared fundamentally, and emotionally.  No team that advances takes any one single opponent lightly in the NCAA.  It took so much to get there how could you possibly go in with the attitude that a game was going to be "easy"?  Say what you want, that is the coaches fault for allowing that type of mentality.  CMA took his team out and did EXACTLY what I was afraid of.  There was no room to let up and give this team time to relax. 

[Razorfox]

Speaking for myself, it's not the single incident of losing in the first round.  It's just one more thing in an extremely long cold spell for the program.  Nothing great has happened for so long in Arkansas basketball, it seems that it never will again. 

We can't even get lucky and have a great year like so many other programs seem to do on occasion. 

[hogcards]

The program could make a move in the right direction during the offseason.  There's some really good coaches available right now.  Let's see where this goes.

I think we'll be pleasantly surprised.

...my prediction anyway.

[EastexHawg]

Winning two tournament games in seven years isn't a matter of just having an off night shooting.  Mike Anderson is 58 years old.  The idea that he needs to hire an assistant to change things up is wishful thinking to say the least.  He is what he is, which is a mediocre coach who in the last 14 years has made it past the round of 32 exactly once.

[OkieBack]

Speaking for myself, it's not the single incident of losing in the first round.  It's just one more thing in an extremely long cold spell for the program.  Nothing great has happened for so long in Arkansas basketball, it seems that it never will again. 

We can't even get lucky and have a great year like so many other programs seem to do on occasion.

I'm not kidding myself.  One NCAA win was probably all this particular team was good for.  But on the other hand with the senior...not even winning that opening game is not sufficient.  For Arkansas, you go in and win most all first round games.  That is, if your coach is worth anything. 

Right now the verdict is out on CMA in my opinion.  He has had too many let downs over the last couple of years.  Something has to be corrected in the coaching philosophy and the fundamentals of this team.  CMA has surrounded himself with too many "yes" men.  There is no quality control over this team which is what MUST be corrected in the case your talent isn't good enough to win important games. 

[SemperFi]

For a coach that "hangs his hat on defense and pressure" we sure suck at it.

I'll just say AMEN to that. I tried doing that earlier, but starting ranting about how bad Mike Anderson sucks...OOPS! I did it again :-)

[247Hog]

Having someone try to convince me not to be upset after losing in the first round on the tourny tells me all i need to know about the current state of the basketball program.

[OkieBack]

I'll just say AMEN to that. I tried doing that earlier, but starting ranting about how bad Mike Anderson sucks...OOPS! I did it again :-)

Right now CMA needs to do what Stoops at OU did in football.  Bring in an assistant like Lincoln Riley who you know will someday be a shining star coach somewhere and let him cut his teeth for a couple years on your system.  Right now CMA has no one on this staff to be the devils advocate or quality control guy. 

Allot of you think CMA sucks entirely.  I don't believe this.  I believe he can and still does recruit pretty good talent.  However, the problem lies with what is done with the talent once it arrives at the UofA and how does he keep the team hungry.  As far as preparation or maintaining consistent fundamental play within his own system...yeah CMA has not produced.  The whole "next year" theme will end this time next year.  Time is not on CMA's side as most fans think or act.  This next year will either be CMA's most productive year in producing a team, or it will become his demise.  That is how dire it will become for him.

[Mellon Collie]

Winning two tournament games in seven years isn't a matter of just having an off night shooting.  Mike Anderson is 58 years old.  The idea that he needs to hire an assistant to change things up is wishful thinking to say the least.  He is what he is, which is a mediocre coach who in the last 14 years has made it past the round of 32 exactly once.

that is some harsh truth right there.

[RagingHawgOn]

Having someone try to convince me not to be upset after losing in the first round on the tourny tells me all i need to know about the current state of the basketball program.

+1000

This is spot on.

[hogsanity]

Right now CMA needs to do what Stoops at OU did in football.  Bring in an assistant like Lincoln Riley who you know will someday be a shining star coach somewhere and let him cut his teeth for a couple years on your system.  Right now CMA has no one on this staff to be the devils advocate or quality control guy. 

There are some here who think that person is already on staff in the form of TJ Cleveland, no, really, some think that. I'm serious. They really think that.

How many former Nolan or Mike assistants have/are doing anything as a d1 HC? The Nolan coaching tree has almost no branches.

[HognotinMemphis]

Winning two tournament games in seven years isn't a matter of just having an off night shooting.  Mike Anderson is 58 years old.  The idea that he needs to hire an assistant to change things up is wishful thinking to say the least.  He is what he is, which is a mediocre coach who in the last 14 years has made it past the round of 32 exactly once.

Good coaches, the kind we came to expect at Arkansas after a combined 28 years of Sutton and Richardson, do not get past the 2nd round once in the first 20 years of their head coaching careers. That is not debatable. Any head coach universally considered to be a top 25 head coach has taken a program deeper into the NCAAT more times than once past the 2nd round. Sutton did and Richardson did. And Sutton did it when there were only 32 teams in the NCAAT. Sutton took Arkansas to FF and Elite 8 in '78 and '79 respectively. Not easy when only 32 teams.

[blu]

Winning two tournament games in seven years isn't a matter of just having an off night shooting.  Mike Anderson is 58 years old.  The idea that he needs to hire an assistant to change things up is wishful thinking to say the least.  He is what he is, which is a mediocre coach who in the last 14 years has made it past the round of 32 exactly once.

Fact check, Mike got to the SW-16 with UAB and the Elite 8 with Mizzou. Also, per Wikileaks, CMA is one of four career 15+ season D-1 coaches with no losing seasons. Has he reached his ceiling at the UA?  don't know - don't think so, but he needs his kind of talent to play his kind of game.

We are getting an infusion of length and athleticism next year that could bode well. I'm for another couple of years - we've come a LONG way from where we were when he got here.

[Atlhogfan1]

CMA is one of four career 15+ season D-1 coaches with no losing seasons.

No darn?  Haven't heard that before.

[99toLife]

Fact check, Mike got to the SW-16 with UAB and the Elite 8 with Mizzou. Also, per Wikileaks, CMA is one of four career 15+ season D-1 coaches with no losing seasons. Has he reached his ceiling at the UA?  don't know - don't think so, but he needs his kind of talent to play his kind of game.

We are getting an infusion of length and athleticism next year that could bode well. I'm for another couple of years - we've come a LONG way from where we were when he got here.

True, and he has been to the sweet 16 one time in his LAST 14 years of coaching, and that was like 9-10 years ago.

[HognotinMemphis]

Fact check, Mike got to the SW-16 with UAB and the Elite 8 with Mizzou. Also, per Wikileaks, CMA is one of four career 15+ season D-1 coaches with no losing seasons. Has he reached his ceiling at the UA?  don't know - don't think so, but he needs his kind of talent to play his kind of game.

We are getting an infusion of length and athleticism next year that could bode well. I'm for another couple of years - we've come a LONG way from where we were when he got here.

Anderson also has the fewest NCAAT wins in his career, BY FAR, among the 4 coaches who have not had a losing season in 15+ seasons as a head coach.

[hogsanity]

Also, per Wikileaks, CMA is one of four career 15+ season D-1 coaches with no losing seasons.

He is also one of one of 3 Hog coaches since 1973 to have not gone to the Sweet 16 within 5 years of being hired by the University of Arkansas. The other 2 were fired for that.

, but he needs his kind of talent to play his kind of game.

This may be the one statement above all others about Mike that is so stupid. Play his game? I thought the game was basketball, which has been played and taught for over 100 years. Maybe, just maybe, he should recruit BASKETBALL players that are also athletic, instead of athletes that try to play basketball.

[Wardhog85]

Fact check, Mike got to the SW-16 with UAB and the Elite 8 with Mizzou. Also, per Wikileaks, CMA is one of four career 15+ season D-1 coaches with no losing seasons. Has he reached his ceiling at the UA?  don't know - don't think so, but he needs his kind of talent to play his kind of game.

We are getting an infusion of length and athleticism next year that could bode well. I'm for another couple of years - we've come a LONG way from where we were when he got here.

LOL! So according you, in seven years on the job, he hasnt been able to get "his kind of talent", but we are supposed to be excited about the incoming recruiting class?It does not take seven years to turn around a basketball program. How about he go recruit some basketball players instead of long athletes?

[Mellon Collie]

Let's go back and look at the other teams losing in the NCAAT.  If your team is dependent on shooting 3's, when a team has a cold shooting night, nothing seems to look good.  The defense gives up shots, rebounding is lobsided.  Basketball is all about shooting the ball through the basket, when your team has a cold shooting night, that team generally loses.  As for the Arkansas vs. Butler game, Arkansas was cold as ice, couldn't get the shots to fall, rushed to fight back and took a lot of chances on defense that made the team look bad.

North Carolina, Virginia, Auburn...etc teams rated higher lost bad when they couldn't shoot.

One more thing, Could Kentucky have a easier path to the Final Four.   Geeze............

survive and advance.
a concept foreign to UofA hoops.

[hobhog]

Because we are easy to defend. Teams are daring us to try and attack the rim. They hedged out on all our guards because they were no threat to attack.

And the drive and kickout is beyond our comprehension, even though we see it against us every game. Teams started doubling Gafford and coach still couldn't instruct him to kick it out for the open three.

Losing happens. Consistently playing poorly and underachieving is what will doom this staff.

[OkieBack]

There are some here who think that person is already on staff in the form of TJ Cleveland, no, really, some think that. I'm serious. They really think that.

How many former Nolan or Mike assistants have/are doing anything as a d1 HC? The Nolan coaching tree has almost no branches.

Not sure the current assistants aren't cutting it.  CMA needs an assistant from the outside who probably has never played/coached with him or Nolan.  CMA needs a fundamentals guy who could blend the talent recruited with fundamentally sound skills.  Some of the best coaching staffs in the history of sports were at each others' throats most of the time.  They have to be on the same page granted, but you can't just fill your staff with a bunch of yes men.  Discipline and quality control is what is needed badly here.  We got the chaos at times.  We just don't have the "controlled" chaos that befits Mike's style.

[hogsanity]

And the drive and kickout is beyond our comprehension, even though we see it against us every game. Teams started doubling Gafford and coach still couldn't instruct him to kick it out for the open three.

Losing happens. Consistently playing poorly and underachieving is what will doom this staff.

Well, when you only get the ball thrown to you 5 or 6 times a game it is understandable he would want to try to score when he did get it.

[99toLife]

Well, when you only get the ball thrown to you 5 or 6 times a game it is understandable he would want to try to score when he did get it.

That may be a major reason for him not staying, if the money's there to be had.

[HogCzar1]

Having someone try to convince me not to be upset after losing in the first round on the tourny tells me all i need to know about the current state of the basketball program.

I have to agree with this. The Butler game would be much easier to swallow if it were a random occurrence. But it hasn't been. The bottom line is that we have not gotten to the sweet 16 one time in 7 years. At the same time we see other schools with much less history be successful in a very short period of time. I do think this loss really hurt the identity of the program. And, it likely lessens the ability of this staff to get away with a subpar year next year.

[hogsanity]

I do think this loss really hurt the identity of the program. And, it likely lessens the ability of this staff to get away with a subpar year next year.

How did it hurt the identity of the program. This is a program that as a 7 seed saw it's team be labeled the under dog by Vegas and most analysts. They already knew the identity of the program and they predicted the game accordingly.

[EastexHawg]

Fact check, Mike got to the SW-16 with UAB and the Elite 8 with Mizzou. Also, per Wikileaks, CMA is one of four career 15+ season D-1 coaches with no losing seasons. Has he reached his ceiling at the UA?  don't know - don't think so, but he needs his kind of talent to play his kind of game.

We are getting an infusion of length and athleticism next year that could bode well. I'm for another couple of years - we've come a LONG way from where we were when he got here.

Fact check all you want.  I said he has made it out of the round of 32 one time in the last 14 seasons...which means going back to 2004-2005.  That statement is true.

[99toLife]

Fact check all you want.  I said he has made it out of the round of 32 one time in the last 14 seasons...which means going back to 2004-2005.  That statement is true.

I have Posted the same, and it is 100% true.

[Sow Lancelot]

Because we are easy to defend. Teams are daring us to try and attack the rim. They hedged out on all our guards because they were no threat to attack.

/thread

[Beaverfever]

And the drive and kickout is beyond our comprehension, even though we see it against us every game. Teams started doubling Gafford and coach still couldn't instruct him to kick it out for the open three.

Losing happens. Consistently playing poorly and underachieving is what will doom this staff.

The one thing that basically every good team has in common is that they penetrate, suck the defense in, and find the open man for a good look.  There are many variations but it almost always starts like that.  The fact that we don't do that is startling.  Barford was our primary penetrator and he never passed once he decided to go to the rim.  Beard always had a similar tendency.  Macon started to show signs that he understood the value of ball movement but he was never made the point guard which I never understood. 

[Atlhogfan1]

The one thing that basically every good team has in common is that they penetrate, suck the defense in, and find the open man for a good look.  There are many variations but it almost always starts like that.  The fact that we don't do that is startling.  Barford was our primary penetrator and he never passed once he decided to go to the rim.  Beard always had a similar tendency.  Macon started to show signs that he understood the value of ball movement but he was never made the point guard which I never understood.

This was the most selfish team of Mike Anderson's career.  If you look at assists per FGM, our last two teams have been awful in comparison to all of Mike's previous Arkansas teams.  The more you look at statistics like this the more you realize how far Mike is now from that 2008-9 team and what an anomaly that was for his career.  It all came together for him that season.

[redhogchilipepper]

I'm upset but not so much at Anderson. Something was wrong with our players. Barford seemed to have lost his ability to drive. Hell he was having trouble dribbling. Macon wouldn't take a shot. Beard tried to drive into a bunch of redwoods and was terrible on defense. Gafford looked like a deer in the headlights. Our overall defense was the worst and be seen all year for the first half anyway. I think they read to many headlines or didn't read the ones that had Butler being a pretty dang good team. The younger kids kept us in the game for awhile but that didn't last. Anderson ain't going anywhere until after next season so I will wait til then to female dog.