No explaining that offensive offense

[niels_boar]

Well, in SEC play so far this has been Team Roseanne Roseannadanna.  It's always something.  After sputtering but scoring points in our first 3 SEC games the offense managed to make the defense look good by comparison against LSU.  It was our worst offensive showing of the season, worse than the Houston debacle.  That it would happen against LSU at home is almost inconceivable.  LSU hasn't even been a particularly good defensive team.

Where do I begin?  Of our 16 opponents on the season LSU is 12th in D2FG% and 12th in allowed deuce rate.  Arkansas came into the game shooting almost 60% on deuces in SEC play, 10% better than any other SEC team.  The teams that had given Arkansas trouble this season are ones that defend the interior well.  We shot 38% on deuces against the Tigers after converting 61% against UT, 55% against MSU, and 60% against Auburn.  All those teams have defended the interior much better than LSU this season.  I didn't feel good about the Auburn game for a number of reasons, but at home against LSU I didn't think they could score enough to win even though they are a fine offensive team with an outstanding PG. In fact, we had scored at a higher rate in every other home game than what LSU scored against us last night.  The defense wasn't good, but the offense managed to make it look worse than it was.

For the second straight game we shot 20% from the arc.  The league's leading three-point team by average coming into conference play currently only has one player shooting above 33% from the arc in SEC play.  Our previously mentioned ability to score inside had kept our head above water. Possessions in the high 60's when we would prefer mid-to-high 70's aren't helping.  Not scoring takes away setting up pressure and robs the team of defensive energy.

We aren't turning the ball over, but assists have been drying up of late.  Of course, somebody has to make a shot to get an assist.  However, last night no driver was looking to do anything but get a shot up at the rim.  On several occasions cutters were available for a layup or dunk on possessions that resulted in heavily contested attempts in the lane.

On defense we gave up 1.13 ppp, not good but usually not good enough to beat this team at home.  FTs, boards, and treys were no problem, but we gave up an excruciating 68% on deuces on a layup line, by far a season worst.  It might be time to pull out that 1-2-2 zone to cut off guard penetration.  I also wouldn't mind seeing if an all-speed team might jumpstart the defense.  We're making every SEC opponent look expert in avoiding TOs.  We're rebounding fine with the exception of the MSU game.  Only three SEC teams currently have a higher defensive rebounding percentage in SEC play,  but we also have to be competent at either forcing TOs or forcing misses.  We're doing neither at the present.

This team isn't playing with much confidence right now.  I thought we needed one of those one or two games per year where everything drops.  Got the opposite.  We started 1-3 last season as well, except with two home losses.  Plenty of time to do an about face. On to Mizzou.

Random notes:

1. Jones saw the ball go through the hoop a couple of times.  Maybe that will break him out.  We've got to get some treys from the bench.

2.  Gafford isn't having the same impact as he was earlier in the season at either end.  He's next-to-last in both offensive and defensive rebounding rate among our forwards in SEC play.  We didn't look for him enough inside last night.  If Gafford would get back to normal, center play would be looking good since Trey's numbers are going up in SEC play like last season.  He's playing well on O lately but would look better in a zone on D.

3. Fans can worry about the bench, but we've been outscored 79-48 at the second TV timeout in SEC play.  That's -31 in about 32 minutes of ball. It's down to 255 to 253 for the rest of the game. We've already given up 20+ points in three of four games by the second TV timeout.  We're surrendering around 1.35 ppp in the first eight minutes of SEC games. The starters are putting us in holes that lead to all sorts of negative consequences like the bench being tight when they enter the game.  Likewise, opponents with large leads can take the air out of the ball. I thought we would come out flying around at the bell against UT.  In that game and ever since we look like we are stuck in mud to start games. No energy. No urgency.  Nerves? Fatigue?  Injury?  Believing they need to conserve energy? I don't know.

[Breems]

Thank you for that refreshing analysis. My brain needed an explanation.

[Rbill]

Mike got a lot of love last year for showing he could change something and going with a zone that worked wonderfully. Hope he remembers that again soon.

[ShadowHawg]

Good stuff Boar.

[3of5-2]

LSWho got any shot they wanted, and at any time they wanted. When they screwed up, their coach ripped, and mean ripped their a$$. We had players standing side by side on many offensive possessions, and a ton of matador defenders on defense. It's like they had never seen any film on the Tigers.

[Tejano Jawg]

+1 again NB. Maybe there'll be something good to write about in the near future.