Thoughts on this team from the GA game

[SquidBilly]

I don't post in here a lot but I went to the Georgia game last night and saw some things from this team that have to be fixed for us to win.

1). free throw shooting was atrocious.  Kingsley was a liability to have on the court with his inability to hit a free throw but the rest of the team wasn't much better.  Georgia had their issues as well but this game was lost at the line.

2). Rebounding seems to be an afterthought for this team.  We had a size advantage but our bigs just don't seem committed to boxing out.  I saw more effort from Hannahs to get a board than from any of our inside guys.  At one point GA had almost twice as many boards as we did.  Rebounding is an indicator of effort and this team is lacking.

3). No motion on offense.  Seemed like we just wanted to have the guys come down, go to their spot, then play one on one basketball.  One thing I used to always enjoy about Arkansas basketball was our off the ball game.  Guys used to make cuts and the guards used to hit them for dunks.  No one moves without the ball much on this team and it is disappointing.

Not intended as a rant because it turned out to be a fun game to watch but there was no excuse for losing to that team.

[bcdeputy]

1) Arkansas rarely has a player that is good at the FT line and usually doesn't care.  The players now a days don't care about FT's either as you don't get on SportsCenter by making game winning free throws.

2) This on is very true.  I can recall many times when 4 of our 5 players are all standing outside the three point line and have little to no chance to get a rebound.  Apparently we don't have a big man coach and if we do then we need to change him out.

3) Once again, this has been going on for Andersons entire career. 

Why we keep Anderson is just totally beyond me?

[Sharky]

1) Arkansas rarely has a player that is good at the FT line and usually doesn't care.  The players now a days don't care about FT's either as you don't get on SportsCenter by making game winning free throws.

2) This on is very true.  I can recall many times when 4 of our 5 players are all standing outside the three point line and have little to no chance to get a rebound.  Apparently we don't have a big man coach and if we do then we need to change him out.

3) Once again, this has been going on for Andersons entire career. 

Why we keep Anderson is just totally beyond me?

We've gotten better under him for four years, but we're moving in the opposite direction this year and people are calling for his head. Yes, he's not going to make us a Final Four team, but he can make us a consistent tourney team. Anderson is not done here, and he's doing well with the roster he has, which admittedly is by his own creation.

[ICEman]

We've gotten better under him for four years, but we're moving in the opposite direction this year and people are calling for his head. Yes, he's not going to make us a Final Four team, but he can make us a consistent tourney team. Anderson is not done here, and he's doing well with the roster he has, which admittedly is by his own creation.

I think the problem lies in the rapidity of the backslide and the poor intragame adjustments.

[Iamjacksleftnutt]

The Georgia loss was disappointing to say the least. Remember the days when guys like Corliss and Scotty and Day and Mayberry made you pay at the line when you fouled them. It didn't matter whether we were up by 20 or down by 1 you knew when certain guys went to the line they were going to make it count.

I am a fan of Mikes because he has steadily improved his teams performance every single season since he got here. But I have to admit that the free throw shooting by the so called "leaders" of this team has been a huge disappointment for me this season.

You can't teach talent but you can teach free throw shooting. I'm disappointed in this regard this year. Mike needs to get this fixed. This loss is all on him. Yes we got hosed by the refs at LSU and even at home against Kentucky. But this game was actually called pretty well. Shocker. We lost because Mike doesn't have his guys ready to shoot free throws of all things. Even our leading three point shooter couldn't manage to put together two free throws !!!

Sorry but its a big part of the game. Especially on the road. For the first time I'm disappointed in Mike. As far as replacing him. Too soon. He should get another year to get it fixed. He's done too much good. And I know this sounds like a broken record but you don't fire a winner like Mike unless you have a home run in your back pocket. Frankly I don't know of anyone who could come in and do any better. Look at who Florida ended up with.... Sure the guys a decent coach but I don't see the guy as a home run.

[Iamjacksleftnutt]

I think the problem lies in the rapidity of the backslide and the poor intragame adjustments.

The adjustment problems are mainly due to his lack of options coming off the bench. Right ? If Portis and MQ were actually telling him that they were coming back then shouldn't he be given time to get that corrected ?

[razorzapp]

1) Coaching problem

2) Coaching problem

3) Coaching problem

[SquidBilly]

1) Coaching problem

2) Coaching problem

3) Coaching problem

I agree on 1 and 3 that those are coaching problems but 2 is on the players.  You have to want to be a good rebounder and it's clear that we don't have any big guys who want to.

[Mr. Porkleone]

I agree on 1 and 3 that those are coaching problems but 2 is on the players.  You have to want to be a good rebounder and it's clear that we don't have any big guys who want to.

Agree.  It's MA fault we don't have placers. Fire MA.

[hogsanity]

They are playing in year 5 just like mikes team played in year 1. Unless one of Mike's friend or relatives has a stud he can recruit or a kid in state like Portis is just stun to be a hog this is what you'll get more often than not froma Mike Anderson team.

[Atlhogfan1]

The platoon change in the first half stopped all momentum and made it a game throughout.  UGa D dominated the second half def and controlled tempo.  Hogs were superior in O skill.  UGa was better defensively.

[Sivad]

Why we keep Anderson is just totally beyond me?

Nostalgia and an unrequited love for his mentor Nolan Richardson.

[SquidBilly]

Nostalgia and an unrequited love for his mentor Nolan Richardson.

I think MA is a good coach and it was clear from watching him on the sidelines that he has a passion for it.  He just needs to figure out, like Nolan did, how to get his players to play with that same intensity level.  That and how to shoot free throws.

[Wild Bill Hog]

The adjustment problems are mainly due to his lack of options coming off the bench. Right ? If Portis and MQ were actually telling him that they were coming back then shouldn't he be given time to get that corrected ?

Were Portis and Qualls telling him they were coming back?  Whether they were or not, recruiting should have been a priority for us.  It is for other teams.

[RacinRazorback]

The inability to take care of the ball in the last 2 minutes is killing us. Getting doubled up on the glass is killing us. Missing the easiest part of the game, free throws, is killing us. All these things have cost us in the LSU, KY, & GA games. all 3 were winnable games! The KY game was pathetic, it was one of the worse performances at BWA that I have ever seen. We looked totally unprepared and uninterested in even playing. Bottom line, we need more talent, more bball IQ!

[ShadowHawg]

Inability to close out opponents and take care of opportunities late is a recurring theme right now.

CBB said it about the football team last year, they will start winning those close games when they earn it.

[razorzapp]

I agree on 1 and 3 that those are coaching problems but 2 is on the players.  You have to want to be a good rebounder and it's clear that we don't have any big guys who want to.

You don't think a coach can affect a player's want to?

[hog golf]

The platoon change in the first half stopped all momentum and made it a game throughout.  UGa D dominated the second half def and controlled tempo.  Hogs were superior in O skill.  UGa was better defensively.

why those guys that created a lead on the road were taken out is beyond me. we got on a run, took a little lead and things were going our way. I get up to grab a Pittman, come back after a tv timeout and look at the lineup and wonder-

who is going to put the ball in the hole?

sure enough, GA gets on a run and it is a close game for the rest of the day. and I do not feel good about our chances when we are in a close game and need to make in-game adjustments (like an in-bounds pass).  why does CMA feel the need to take the kids out when they are on a roll?
i'll probably still watch the games probably.... probably. at least I don't get mad anymore

[hogsanity]

why those guys that created a lead on the road were taken out is beyond me. we got on a run, took a little lead and things were going our way. I get up to grab a Pittman, come back after a tv timeout and look at the lineup and wonder-

who is going to put the ball in the hole?

sure enough, GA gets on a run and it is a close game for the rest of the day. and I do not feel good about our chances when we are in a close game and need to make in-game adjustments (like an in-bounds pass).  why does CMA feel the need to take the kids out when they are on a roll?
i'll probably still watch the games probably.... probably. at least I don't get mad anymore

More examples of Mike just refusing to alter his style, often to the detriment of the team.

[Atlhogfan1]

why those guys that created a lead on the road were taken out is beyond me. we got on a run, took a little lead and things were going our way. I get up to grab a Pittman, come back after a tv timeout and look at the lineup and wonder-

who is going to put the ball in the hole?

sure enough, GA gets on a run and it is a close game for the rest of the day. and I do not feel good about our chances when we are in a close game and need to make in-game adjustments (like an in-bounds pass).  why does CMA feel the need to take the kids out when they are on a roll?
i'll probably still watch the games probably.... probably. at least I don't get mad anymore

Because it is what he does.  Playing for the final 10 minutes of the game where his key players will be in better condition than the opponents and to allow the players to play hard throughout defensively.  The Hogs did have successful offensive possessions after UGa had that missed opportunity with 9+ left to put their lead at 9/10.  Last season, we had similar stretches when platoon changes were made and second unit players were in.  Portis and/or Qualls could get them past the mediocre to bad teams when they reentered the game. 

[The_Iceman]

Why we keep Anderson is just totally beyond me?

This bought Mike this year with our administration. I do believe that this year's record wasn't totally unavoidable though, with some better recruiting and roster management.

[The_Iceman]

Arkansas rarely has a player that is good at the FT line and usually doesn't care.  The players now a days don't care about FT's either as you don't get on SportsCenter by making game winning free throws.

We are shooting 71% as a team.
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/conferences/statistics/team/_/stat/free-throws/year/2016/seasontype/2/id/23/sec-conference

Moses is shooting 71% himself, which is pretty good for a Center. The next three minutes per game guys behind Moses are shooting 81%, 84%, and 86% from the line. Beard is one of the worst at 63%, which is the same as last year. I do believe this is fixable for him though, he just needs to change his routine. The one bounce and shoot rhythm is ok for practice, but isn't so good in games I've learned.   

[hog golf]

oh I understand that is his MO. but that doesn't mean I have to agree with it. I'd rather keep the guys in there another 3-4 minutes and build a 14 point lead, then rest them for short periods of time. but we need to be able to look up and always see either Bell, Hannahs, Moses or Beard in the game. when your points must come from Jabril, Whitt, 55, other tall guy and the coaches' son- you gotta be worried about the opposition going on a 14-3 run. that is not good on the road- gets the crowd in the game and all once we get our guys back in that can shoot, they are cooled off- not in rhythym, not sweating, tentative.
I like our guys to have fresh legs in the last 10 minutes and I like that we play a lot of guys. I just hate the platoon when I look up and see no scorers.

[hogsanity]

This bought Mike this year with our administration. I do believe that this year's record wasn't totally unavoidable though, with some better recruiting and roster management.

Apparently it bought him 2 or 3, seasons or maybe decades.

[The_Iceman]

Apparently it bought him 2 or 3, seasons or maybe decades.

This was going to be a rebuilding season once Portis and Qualls decided to go pro, but it didn't have to be a disaster season like it is now. Mike should have been afforded a rebuilding year, but a coach like Mike in year 5 at our program shouldn't miss the postseason all together and flirt with a below .500 record for the year. That is unacceptable and that is on Mike.

Some may say "who cares if its NIT or below .500, missing the NCAAT is the same regardless?" I disagree because the momentum we lost as a program. Look at the SEC...with Kapita, Babb, and even Jacorey, we'd probably be around 2nd or 3rd in the SEC right now. Do a little bit better replacing the pieces you lost in recruiting and we'd be in a decent position. Instead, we bring in the Last ranked recruiting class in the SEC. Just pitiful. Now we have to wait for some JUCO's to show up next year and hope they save us (assuming we add no one else to the 2016 class).

[hogsanity]

This was going to be a rebuilding season once Portis and Qualls decided to go pro, but it didn't have to be a disaster season like it is now. Mike should have been afforded a rebuilding year, but a coach like Mike in year 5 at our program shouldn't miss the postseason all together and flirt with a below .500 record for the year. That is unacceptable and that is on Mike.

Some may say "who cares if its NIT or below .500, missing the NCAAT is the same regardless?" I disagree because the momentum we lost as a program. Look at the SEC...with Kapita, Babb, and even Jacorey, we'd probably be around 2nd or 3rd in the SEC right now. Do a little bit better replacing the pieces you lost in recruiting and we'd be in a decent position. Instead, we bring in the Last ranked recruiting class in the SEC. Just pitiful. Now we have to wait for some JUCO's to show up next year and hope they save us (assuming we add no one else to the 2016 class).

I still think alot of the recruiting issues have to do with players not wanting to be on a team that does what Mike did Sat. Playing pretty well on the road, even with Moses out with 2 early fouls, then Mike brings in 4 players all at once, put an offensively anemic lineup on the floor and they play their way right out of a lead. Players do not want to come to a place knowing, regardless of performance or abilities, the coach is dead set on playing 9 or 10 guys 10+ minutes per game.

[The_Iceman]

I still think alot of the recruiting issues have to do with players not wanting to be on a team that does what Mike did Sat. Playing pretty well on the road, even with Moses out with 2 early fouls, then Mike brings in 4 players all at once, put an offensively anemic lineup on the floor and they play their way right out of a lead. Players do not want to come to a place knowing, regardless of performance or abilities, the coach is dead set on playing 9 or 10 guys 10+ minutes per game.

From the 2012 to 2016 in state classes during Mike's tenure, Mike has had 3 McDonald's All American's and 3 four-star players from within his boarders. He has landed two of those players: Beard and Portis. Monk, Goodwin, Allen, and Curry have all gone out of state. Look right there and you'll see why we aren't where we should be as a program.

I'm not sure if its the substitutions or not because Mike has shown that if you come here and can score, he will get the max out of you. Playing more minutes but in a slower offensive system really isn't going to change your numbers much. But who knows on that.

[Atlhogfan1]

oh I understand that is his MO. but that doesn't mean I have to agree with it. I'd rather keep the guys in there another 3-4 minutes and build a 14 point lead, then rest them for short periods of time. but we need to be able to look up and always see either Bell, Hannahs, Moses or Beard in the game. when your points must come from Jabril, Whitt, 55, other tall guy and the coaches' son- you gotta be worried about the opposition going on a 14-3 run. that is not good on the road- gets the crowd in the game and all once we get our guys back in that can shoot, they are cooled off- not in rhythym, not sweating, tentative.
I like our guys to have fresh legs in the last 10 minutes and I like that we play a lot of guys. I just hate the platoon when I look up and see no scorers.

I don't disagree with you.  It can be outdated thinking at times.  I'm sure the Th night/Sat turnaround was on Mike's mind too as far as minutes with Bell and Hannahs.  Hogs didn't play well in the Th/Sat games last season either.  For a program who is supposed to be superiorly conditioned in the Fastest whatever, it doesn't show as often any longer. 

[mjsphd]

From the 2012 to 2016 in state classes during Mike's tenure, Mike has had 3 McDonald's All American's and 3 four-star players from within his boarders. He has landed two of those players: Beard and Portis. Monk, Goodwin, Allen, and Curry have all gone out of state. Look right there and you'll see why we aren't where we should be as a program.

I'm not sure if its the substitutions or not because Mike has shown that if you come here and can score, he will get the max out of you. Playing more minutes but in a slower offensive system really isn't going to change your numbers much. But who knows on that.

I don't think Beard was that highly recruited.  I checked and Rivals had him as a 3 star.  Nice player.  Not a superstar.

[The_Iceman]

I don't think Beard was that highly recruited.  I checked and Rivals had him as a 3 star.  Nice player.  Not a superstar.

http://arkansas.247sports.com/Season/2014-Basketball/Commits

He was a 4-star recruit by a few services. Point is, we are only landing 40% of our top in state players since 2012.

[wheelspigharvey]

Apparently it bought him 2 or 3, seasons or maybe decades.

You guys spend so much time wishing that how you think it ought to be is how it actually is.