Played horribly in the second half (couldn’t adjust to the zone lsu threw on us) but thankfully we found a way to pull it out and avoid what would have been a disastrous loss. Go Gators!
This wasn’t the same as UGA for me, LSU played lights out making everything and we couldn’t hit water if we fell out of a boat. It wasn’t turnovers, it wasn’t giving up offensive rebounds… Not saying it was OK the way it went down, but a lot of credit goes to LSU. And I will say again, TG needs to change things up defensively sometimes. Almost cost us a game tonight.
10 games over .500 for the first time in 7 years. We’ve got to finish better, but at least we keep winning.
I don’t know. I thought tonight in particular we got plenty of good looks against the zone. They just didn’t fall. But in general yes, we have to make adjustments to score more against the zone and WC straight up said it in his post game interview.
It is still baffling to me how we play the same defense the whole game...it's fine when LSU struggled in the first half but then decided to adopt the Texas A&M strategy that beat us in the 2nd half by just driving and getting to the line. You have to make defensive adjustments to stop teams when they start getting in a rhythm and making shots at a high rate. LSU switched to the 1-3-1 and it definitely changed the game. TG refuses to mix up his defenses. It really is odd. We have so much depth yet we never press, we never half court trap with great athletes...we never zone to slow a team down and stop a run of 3 to 4 straight trips to the free throw line for the other team...sometimes you go zone to stop getting called for shooting fouls. You can play zone 1 or 2 possessions at the right time just to mix it up and then go back to your man to man. Why does he refuse to call a timeout to make adjustments...most coaches with big leads will use a timeout if it gets within 10. He really needs a bench coach that can help him with game management and defensive adjustments. Love the talent he has put together on this team and sure hope we can figure out these issues because this team can beat anyone they play.
He has bench coaches. Don't they talk with TG. Hey might need a TO. Maybe time to change up our D see if it messes with them. Sure they don't just sit there.
Maybe they do and coach decided not to listen...who knows but it has become a common theme now this year
Wow, we are really lucky to have won this game. While we were up 20pts, I was considering on starting a post about how CTG and the boys are so good that we may only lose one more game, the game at Alabama. I was a Mikey White supporter for too long, but I hated how he would take the air out of the ball in the second half. I think MW would do this consciously and relay it to the team. However, I do not think that CTG is doing the same. Instead, I think our guys lose interest and intensity when we have such a huge lead over our opponents. I've never been so enthralled and optimistic about a Gator Basketball team since the 2014 season. I think CTG and the Gator Boyz need to learn to finish games with the same heart and desire and intensity they have during the first half. If we can learn to do this, then I believe we can go very far into the tournament! Go Gators!
I'm not so sure. I recall Handles missing a three, followed by two LSU threes, basically a nine pt swing. That was before the Gators went on the run to get the 20pt lead, but the very start of the half was not particularly great.
Nah… I do not think CTG is intentionally “taking the air out of the ball”. Instead, we struggle when teams switch defenses on us, and have a hard time executing against a zone. And so the game slows and our offense stalls.
I think TG has to get some strategies together at practice because every team we play from now on will be running that zone defense, similarly to Tex AM and LSU tonight. Except, they likely will run it the entire game. They need to figure that out but I have high hopes - look how this team has progressed this season.
SEC teams that are at least 10 games over 0.500 and also has a winning conference record: ==================================== South Carolina (21-3, 9-2) - 1st Auburn (19-5, 8-3) - 3rd Tennessee (17-6, 7-3) - 4th Alabama (17-7, 9-2) - 1st Florida (17-7, 7-4) - 5th Kentucky (17-7, 7-4) - 5th =================================== Texas AM ( 15-9, 6-5) - 7th =================================== Those SEC teams not above 0.500 in conference play: Ole Miss (18-6, 5-6) - 8th Miss St (16-8, 5-6) - 8th Georgia (14-10, 4-7) - 10th LSU (12-12, 4-7) - 10th Arkansas (12-11, 3-7) - 12th Vandy (7-17, 2-9) 13th Missouri (8-16, 0-11) - 14th ==================================== Florida's next opponent, Georgia, is currently on a 5-game losing streak! That UG-losing steak began with a loss to Florida back in January. Now the Bulldogs will face the Gators a second time in Athens.
Honestly, I don't like our chances. At least we have four days to prepare. But they know they can mount a comeback if we are fortunate enough to get a big lead.
