MBB OGT: Missouri at #5 FLORIDA -- January 14, 2025 -- 9 PM [ESPNU]

the kid who was ON FIRE in the 1st half was the difference, he made a couple 3s with someone all over him.
I'm actually very pleased with the fight of the 2nd half, thought it was a composed comeback.
My only real issue, can't shoot 67% from the FT line in competitive games.

 

I was a late start, but our game was the 4th pick in the conference last night behind UK v A&M, bama v Ole miss, Auburn v miss state they were all ranked on ranked. I kinda get it when the slate is that loaded.

 

Even our 2005-06 National Championship team with a 33-6 record lost to an unranked USCe team at home. At the time, USCe was 12-10 and 3-6 in conference. It happens and may very likely happen again this season. This year's SEC is much, much deeper and more talented than that season's SEC.

 

On a positive note, the team battled in the 2nd half, had it a 1-2 possession game for the last 8 mins at least. We just couldn't seize any momentum, we would make a stop or force a turnover and then give it right back on a turnover or bad 3. That game had some of the oddest plays all wrapped into one game. You get the and 1 on a missed FT, lane violation on a guy shooting less than 40%, same guy somehow makes 4 straight at one point in the game as well. You get an ejection that goes our way and should of been a 4-5 pt swing, but it didn't. The Grill kid was just unconscious for most of the game, everything looked good when it left his hand. Mizzou also got after us on every loose ball and on the boards.

Condon and Martin played slow last night, and Condon didn't have the effort he usually brings. Idk if he was tired, but he was getting beat, and beat on all night down low and he just doesnt make his FTs at a high enough % lately.

How many times have we seen Martin when his shot from outside isn't falling get into the lane and make a tough 2? He's not had anyone D him up on drives like what happened to him last night. His defense is also always a spark and he just didn't have it on either end last night.

Clayton was the only guy keeping us in the game, made some really nice plays when we needed it, but the FT misses were killer tonight. Hes typically a 90% guy, and he missed 2 of 3 on that one possession late, still ended up 7-9 those two misses just felt like huge momentum killers.

We got little to no spark from the bench last night, Aberdeen had open looks but didn't convert. Alexis isn't physical enough to play in a game like that. Haugh is the energizer bunny, but the early fouls probably played a factor in him not being as effective on the glass and on defense.

All that being said, it was a 1 pt loss to a tough team that's probably a tournament team at the end of year, not the end of the world. We really need to reel off 3 wins in the next 3 games with Texas and UGA at home and usce on the road.

 

Did you trust our team to get the loose ball or rebound with about 9 or 10 seconds left? Last night, I did not.

 

That was my concern. They put up a shot with 9 seconds left, miss, but get the offensive board and it's game over at that point. I didn't like our chances in either scenario, to be honest. It was just one of those games.

 

Given this, unlikely we win the conference at this point at 2-2 and some teams at 4-0. We ranked in the middle of the conference, even though it appears we are an Elite 8 team...In addition, they just looked dang tired in the first half or simply underestimated Mizzou...

 

Shot selection has to be discussed in the 2nd half, we would cut it to single digits and regain possession and take some ill advised threes -- one from the logo stands out... why! Also, condin needs to stop putting the ball on the floor in traffic, suprised he only finished with 3 TOs seemed much worse.

2 loses and mostly because 1 player got super hot from 3, we have to do a better job when a single player can't miss. I know it's hard, but at that point you have to stop the kid from shooting.

 

Nah, this was a Skeeter's game thru and thru. Sometimes you have to get back to the basics.

 

I think not having a true point guard has hurt us at times. When we had 30 sec and the ball, there was no urgency. I would have liked to have a ball handler drive the lane fast. Force contact, you either get the call and get to the line, or make a tough layup, or kick out 3. But we ran high pics, like we’ve done all game. Just a bad night all around. The team has work to do, and Golden needs to figure things out, because the rest of the league is coming for us.

 

On a positive note coming back to within one point from being down 20 takes away some of the pain from the lost. Just an observation I would like to see Chinyelu used more in the offense. Based on from what I saw last night he seems nearly unstoppable in the low post.

 

It was just a lot of little things. Lane violation gave them two free points. Missed FTs. Stupid long passes getting stolen. Trying to force drives through traffic and turning the ball over. It's the difference between winning by 6 and losing by 1.

 

Basically have to win the next 3 if we want to stay in the SEC race. Might already be out the way Auburn is playing.