UT Martin GDT: Nuclear Meltdown Edition

[billiken_roy]

Oldguy, If we played around the world, ok let bishop and Bartley play. But they can't guard anyone and they have to be really open to shoot. Unfortunately defense and being about to play with someone guarding you are important aspects of playing basketball. What a great feeling to be sitting there with a minute left with less than 1000 of my favorite billiken fan friends. I havent had tbat feeling since oh about 1983.

[JMM28]

Oldguy, If we played around the world, ok let bishop and Bartley play. But they can't guard anyone and they have to be really open to shoot. Unfortunately defense and being about to play with someone guarding you are important aspects of playing basketball. What a great feeling to be sitting there with a minute left with less than 1000 of my favorite billiken fan friends. I havent had tbat feeling since oh about 1983.

Roy - you were an early adopter on the Crews is a bad idea train. I must give you credit. I thought you were crazy.

[billiken_roy]

Someone explain to me how even these buy teams have better bigs and point guards than us. 1983

[Billboy1]

Been asking the same question

[cheeseman]

OK guys let's look at the numbers for the game:

SLU / UTM: Total rebounds 34 /35 (Offensive 9 / 6, Defensive 25 / 29), Assists 18 /12, Blocks 2 / 2, Steals 4 / 7. No major meltdown in any of these categories.

Fouls 23 / 18, Trunovers 12 / 15, FTM - FTA (percentage) 22-25 (.880) / 24-32 (.750). Again no major meltdown here.

Scoring: FGM - FGA (percentage) 23 -60 (.383) / 25 - 52 (.481), 3FG - FGA (percentage) 8 - 32 (.250) / 8 - 19 (.421). This was the problem.

Overall, we had trouble with scoring. We attempted 60 2 point FGs and made only 23. Notably there was the layup by Crawford that did not go in after rolling on the rim. We attempted more 2 point goals than they did and made less than they did, very poor accuracy, this accounted for 4 of the victory points for UTM. We attempted many more 3 pointers than they did and made exactly the same number, no difference here, except to note the poor accuracy of the 3 point shooting. We made many more fouls than they did, they were less accurate in FT shooting than we were but made an extra 2 points in FT throwing over our score.

Their additional 4 points in 2 point FGs and the additional 2 points in FTs made the winning margin for UT.

I wanted to make a note about a few players. Reggie played 17 minutes, made 3 pts and 3 rebounds, had 2 fouls and 1 turnover. Neufled played 8 min made 1 steal, had 1 foul. Yacoubou played 21 min, made 8 pts, 1 assist, 3 rebounds, had 4 fouls and 2 turnovers. Gillmann played 13 minutes, made 2 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 block had 3 fouls and 1 turnover. As we all know, we have a problem with bigs. None of these played very well. Jolly played only 1 minute and did nothing. Given the way other bigs are playing, it might be appropriate to give him more minutes to see if he can do any better than the others.

I also wanted to compare the numbers of Bartley and Bishop. Let's remember that Bishop is a freshman with very few minutes of D1 play and Bartley played a fair amount last season. Bartley played 19 minutes, made 6 points, 4 assists, and 1 rebound, had 3 fouls. Bishop played 11 minutes with a face mask, made 5 points and 3 assists, no fouls or turnovers.

Yarborough, Reynolds, Roby, and Crawford played well.

My conclusions are these, when Yacoubou is not playing particularly well we have problems. Our bigs are, to be kind, still developing. I would like to see Bishop getting more minutes.

Yes, we lost. We lost because our shooting accuracy was very poor. Just a few more scores might have made the difference.

I am reminded of the old saying - figures don't lie but liars figure. No I am not calling you a liar just that reading your review - while all true and I can not disagree with you - I can't wonder about how could we look so bad but the stats be so close. The only thing that I can come up with is that the big run to cut it to 3 in the second half masked what was really happening. That game was over 5 minutes into the second half. The team made a valiant try but when you are that far behind that late in the game big comebacks usually don't work out. You end up putting out so much effort that you are tanked towards the end and the other team who was reeling senses it and so they can find a way to get a couple of scores and stops that break the momentum you had. At this point, I have to tend to go with the eye test thing and man they looked horrible for most of the game - as simple as that. If UT-Martin had been a decent team, we would have lost by 30 or more. What I can not figure out is how this team can become so brain dead on defense for long periods and then play well at times in the same game. all I know, is that RM would have used up all his timeouts in the first 10 minutes of the game if he had to to try to turn things around before they got so out of hand. It may not have worked but at least he would have been doing something rather than standing there with his arms folded watching the train wreck as Crews does.

A side comment - Asking big donors to step in and buy Crews out is not the answer - they stepped up to get rid of Sodie and to bring in RM. They did their part and the the school pissed it away. It is time for the school to use some of the money still coming in from the good years of NCAA trips to clean this mess up. They can not keep expecting somebody to bail the out for their screw ups all the time. Time to be held accountable.

[brianstl]

I am reminded of the old saying - figures don't lie but liars figure. No I am not calling you a liar just that reading your review - while all true and I can not disagree with you - I can't wonder about how could we look so bad but the stats be so close. The only thing that I can come up with is that the big run to cut it to 3 in the second half masked what was really happening. That game was over 5 minutes into the second half. The team made a valiant try but when you are that far behind that late in the game big comebacks usually don't work out. You end up putting out so much effort that you are tanked towards the end and the other team who was reeling senses it and so they can find a way to get a couple of scores and stops that break the momentum you had. At this point, I have to tend to go with the eye test thing and man they looked horrible for most of the game - as simple as that. If UT-Martin had been a decent team, we would have lost by 30 or more. What I can not figure out is how this team can become so brain dead on defense for long periods and then play well at times in the same game. all I know, is that RM would have used up all his timeouts in the first 10 minutes of the game if he had to to try to turn things around before they got so out of hand. It may not have worked but at least he would have been doing something rather than standing there with his arms folded watching the train wreck as Crews does.

A side comment - Asking big donors to step in and buy Crews out is not the answer - they stepped up to get rid of Sodie and to bring in RM. They did their part and the the school pissed it away. It is time for the school to use some of the money still coming in from the good years of NCAA trips to clean this mess up. They can not keep expecting somebody to bail the out for their screw ups all the time. Time to be held accountable.

You don't think at least one big donor played a role into the decision to hire Crews?

Donors helping to pay for coaches and pay for buyouts is how D1 football and basketball operate.

[Dwayne's_World]

Even if we did fire Crews, does anyone actually trust in Chris May's ability to make the right hire? The next coaching hire, IMO, is even more crucial than the last one....

[cheeseman]

You don't think at least one big donor played a role into the decision to hire Crews?

Donors helping to pay for coaches and pay for buyouts is how D1 football and basketball operate.

Fair enough - you may be right. My point simply was the school needs to take the bull by the horns here whether big donors step up or not.

[slufan13]

Even if we did fire Crews, does anyone actually trust in Chris May's ability to make the right hire? The next coaching hire, IMO, is even more crucial than the last one....

Chris May will have no say in the next coach. Chaifetz and Novelly will decide

[Dwayne's_World]

Just sitting and eating breakfast while watching sportscenter and they just showed the top 10 plays from last night, the UT Martin half court shot was number 3.

[cheeseman]

Roy - you were an early adopter on the Crews is a bad idea train. I must give you credit. I thought you were crazy.

Then give all of us who thought and expressed the same thing credit also - all we ever got was beat up during that phase. The truth was right there in front of you - Crews track record was not good and why anybody would think it was going to be was in denial. Once the deed was done all the rest of us could do was hope and pray for the best but that seldom ever works out.

[cheeseman]

Chris May will have no say in the next coach. Chaifetz and Novelly will decide

I hope you are right no I pray you right.

[slu72]

So we have gone from a coach who doesn't want to call timeouts to one who wants to call too many timeouts where he does nothing.

And don't forget he called a TO w/ 2 seconds left in the first half which led to a miracle basket. 2 seconds, WTF can you do in 2 seconds, unless your UT Martin who hit a way downtown 3. Time for Crews to get checked for dementia.

[brianstl]

Even if we did fire Crews, does anyone actually trust in Chris May's ability to make the right hire? The next coaching hire, IMO, is even more crucial than the last one....

Why does anyone think it was May's decision to hire Crews? Biondi sidelined the previous AD in both the firing of Brad and the hiring of Rickma.

[willie]

Chris May will have no say in the next coach. Chaifetz and Novelly will decide

Novelly was a Biondi guy. Is he even around anymore?

[hsmith19]

Oldguy, If we played around the world, ok let bishop and Bartley play. But they can't guard anyone and they have to be really open to shoot. Unfortunately defense and being about to play with someone guarding you are important aspects of playing basketball. What a great feeling to be sitting there with a minute left with less than 1000 of my favorite billiken fan friends. I havent had tbat feeling since oh about 1983.

Bartley hasn't even been shooting well this season. Not sure he's the answer, particularly while Reynolds is looking like one of our best players.

[Old guy]

We got out rebounded by UT Martin. That seems like a pretty major meltdown to me.... Look at statistics all you want, this team is absolute garbage right now. It's all on the coach for not preparing these guys. They looked absolutely lost out there. I just feel bad for them.

Bullsh-t Dwayne's World, you should have been born in the time of the inquisition, I bet you would have had fun lighting pyres to save souls. You do not feel bad about anything except the loss of your self perceived status. You feel happy to invent cute phrases and think they give you status.

Just look at the rebound numbers, 34 vs 35 does not make a meltdown. The numbers were close, only those blinded by raving hatred or attempting to look good in some way or the other would deny that. We could not score last night, and UTM had a couple of really lucky breaks like that 3 point bomb they sank just before mid time. Look at the numbers, just look at the numbers, and then try to explain them

[Old guy]

Just sitting and eating breakfast while watching sportscenter and they just showed the top 10 plays from last night, the UT Martin half court shot was number 3.

Yes, you #### it was an incredible play that cannot be reproduced. A Hail Mary pass that worked, a memorable play that should be recorded as something extraordinary.

[TheChosenOne]

UTM had a couple of really lucky breaks like that 3 point bomb they sank just before mid time.

Holy smokes, you are honestly saying a team got lucky that was beating us by 20+ points in the 2nd half on our home court. If anything we got lucky they completely stopped running their offense, started throwing the ball all around the court, and continued to foul us, so that we could chip away at the lead and not get beat by 30. UT Martin, a 3-7 team from the OVC without their leading scorer and 2nd leading rebounder, came into our house and beat us down. Jim Crews is Nero, just watching the program go up in flames.

[Quality Is Job 1]

Bullsh-t Dwayne's World, you should have been born in the time of the inquisition, I bet you would have had fun lighting pyres to save souls. You do not feel bad about anything except the loss of your self perceived status. You feel happy to invent cute phrases and think they give you status.

Just look at the rebound numbers, 34 vs 35 does not make a meltdown. The numbers were close, only those blinded by raving hatred or attempting to look good in some way or the other would deny that. We could not score last night, and UTM had a couple of really lucky breaks like that 3 point bomb they sank just before mid time. Look at the numbers, just look at the numbers, and then try to explain them

Those numbers are lying to you, Old Guy. UT-Martin's 23-point cushion was comfortable enough for them to wear the Bills out with their furious (near-)comeback to cut it to three and then stiff-arm them back. No way a 2-7 (Div. 1 only) team missing its best player should be able to accomplish anything like that against a reasonably competent team. NO WAY.

[majerus mojo]

And as someone else pointed out, that Detroit game was not at home. Old guy has lost it

[Dwayne's_World]

Yes, you #### it was an incredible play that cannot be reproduced. A Hail Mary pass that worked, a memorable play that should be recorded as something extraordinary.

Calm down. Jesus. Who pissed in your cornflakes? I really wasn't even complaining about it I was simply pointing out to Pistol (or whoever asked last night) that it did indeed make sportscenter.

Funny that you're the one always bagging on big mouth for flaming on here....

[brianstl]

Bullsh-t Dwayne's World, you should have been born in the time of the inquisition, I bet you would have had fun lighting pyres to save souls. You do not feel bad about anything except the loss of your self perceived status. You feel happy to invent cute phrases and think they give you status.

Just look at the rebound numbers, 34 vs 35 does not make a meltdown. The numbers were close, only those blinded by raving hatred or attempting to look good in some way or the other would deny that. We could not score last night, and UTM had a couple of really lucky breaks like that 3 point bomb they sank just before mid time. Look at the numbers, just look at the numbers, and then try to explain them

Just stop, Old Guy. We lost to a team at home we have no business losing to. It was a couple of lucky breaks that cost us the game. We were getting blown out until UTM took their foot off the gas. As soon as the game got close self destructed. It is a pattern for a season plus now.

[Box and Won]

We need to get offers out to these guys, stat!

http://www.verbalcommits.com/schools/ut-martin

[hsmith19]

TN-Martin is a bad team. So bad that just a week ago people were trying to convince me it wasn't statistically possible for them to beat us even if we shat the bed. The hail mary didn't end up the difference maker in the game, but the only reason it was even possible was we called that ridiculous timeout with two seconds left. If you're looking for a real "but for" cause of the loss, look at that and the timeout called when we didn't have one. Seems really odd to toss this loss off as some kind of fluke considering all that.