Won it with defense

Yes, I was wondering that myself.

 

I'll be glad when that Johnson kid (#0) for Auburn is gone. He's one those players that's always hurling himself into defenders and getting what I consider to be bogus foul calls from the refs. It's one of my constant pet peeves in basketball.

Those two good guards for Texas A&M do it also, but to a lesser degree than Johnson.

Johnson is one of The Great Masters of throwing his body into defenders.

 

It aggravates me to no end how a few players get that call their way every time. Refs, if the guy with the ball is initiating the contact, at best it should be a no-call. Dang.

 

Pippen at Vandy.

 

It's definitely a mental fatigue issue (even if only a relative one). Many of these guys can run all over the place all day long, but when you're in the moment of battle, you tap in to get a little extra (game exertion is different than practice exertion). That mental exhaustion makes it more difficult to tap in. There are a number of things that go into that mental exhaustion, and every player is different. There's also a team aspect to it as well. These are some of the things that makes sports at a high level interesting behind just the strategies involved.

So far, there have been 4 games played in the SEC where only one team was coming off the bye:

Texas A&M defeated FLORIDA
LSU defeated Arkansas
Arkansas defeated Georgia
FLORIDA defeated Auburn

In each case the home team was the team coming off the bye and they won; in 3 out of 4 cases, the winning team has a lower rated kenpom (FL and TAMU were close at the time, I don't remember who was higher). Georgia was the only team coming off of a loss (Nelson: ha ha).

It could be something worth watching going forward:

(KP #60) Ole Miss @ (KP #27) Kentucky tomorrow night (Kentucky going for 4th consecutive home loss; Ole Miss coming in off a weekend bye)
2/17: (KP #144) Missouri @ (KP #60) Ole Miss (Ole Miss coming off the game at Rupp on Tuesday)
2/17: (KP #39) TAMU @ (KP #6) Alabama (TAMU plays @ Vanderbilt on Tuesday)
2/17: (KP #117) Arkansas @ (KP #33) MSU (Arkansas hosts Tennessee on Wednesday)
2/17: (KP #26) FLORIDA @ (KP #84) Georgia (FLORIDA hosts LSU on Tuesday)
2/24: (KP #45) South Carolina @ (KP #60) Ole Miss (Ole Miss plays @ MSU on Wednesday)
2/24: (KP #5) Auburn @ (KP #84) Georgia (Georgia plays @ Vanderbilt on Wednesday)

No clue how significant Tuesday/Wednesday is, if at all, and how that would be leveraged vs. a "big" win if you will.

Tennessee/Vanderbilt each played each other off of a bye (makes the most sense); Kentucky used their bye to face Gonzaga.

Go GATORS!
,WESGATORS

 

I know our guys probably felt a tinge of desperation about getting the W against Auburn, especially after the A&M loss. I’m sure TG emphasized the importance of the game. They prepared and came out and executed.

Now, time to box up/ pack up that defensive effort & intensity and take it to Baton Rouge. Good defense travels, in any sport. It’s the one element that a team has better control of. Jump shots and FT’s, not so much.

Looking forward to how the guys handle being favored and on the road. I think they’re up to the challenge.

Time to buckle up for the stretch run. I still like our ceiling, as Micah, Haugh & Condon seem to be settling into what to do & how to do it, with their roles. Samuel is the constant, who can get you a double-double if the ball is bouncing his way.

EDIT: Apex pointed out to me that LSU is a home game, so I’ll put this comment on “ pause”, until we get ready to head to Athens.

 

I think we have LSU at home.

 

Thanks, My bad, I thought we were traveling to LSU.

Being at home…..even better.

EDIT: UGA is the next road game. Thanks for the course correction Apex.

 

mutts will be rested and fired up. I wouldn't be surprised to drop this one and maybe get an upset at Carolina or less likely bama.

 

we'll be somewhat rested as we play Tuesday, rest factor should not be the deciding factor