Pathetic.*

[BanditVol]

This team was down 17 at one point in the second half, at home as a double digit favorite. I’m not sure that I would call this a fluky loss.

My hope is that these two losses lights a fire under the team.
It may not have been a big deal to you, and that’s perfectly acceptable, but to others it was/is.

They came back from that deficit as good teams do.  Terrible performance in the first half, but they recovered.  I will add that Tareke Key's performance is very encouraging and I hope he becomes a go to guy in the future from the 3-line.

Yes, it absolutely was fluky at the end.  There is no excuse for the lane violation, which, IMO is the avoidable and also proximate cause of the loss.

I am going to push back strongly on "there was no defense on the 3 point shooter".  There absolutely was.  I just saw the replay.  He was guarded the entire length of the court. At the end, he got just enough space to take a 40-45 footer, IMO because our guy didn't believe he would take it from that distance.

If they are going to take a shot that is less than 10% on average to be made and we are moving to guard a closer shot, I think I can be okay with that.

And yes, the combination of having a frosh (who should still know better!) do a lane violation and hitting a shot that is probably 8% or something on average is the very definition of fluky.

I think a lot of fans are just butt hurt that we lost and not thinking clearly.  Missouri got really lucky on this one.  Vandy had some things fall their way also.  Anytime it comes down to one shot, its a coin toss that we lost, at best (but in this case it was like rolling snake eyes).

I am more concerned about the losses to Florida and Kentucky than I am these last two.  These kind of games happen.  Missouri is a really good and underrated team and Vandy always plays us tough in Nashville (they beat us when we were no. 1 and almost did it again and had losing records both times, I seem to recall).

I say go ahead and take a 45 footer and good luck making it.

But please do watch the replay. I will be happy to post pics if you want.

edit: went back and instead of guessing, visually estimated the distance using the 15 foot lane as a reference. I would say 35 feet.  Point remains the same! 

[JeffCountyVolFan]

Tareke Key's performance is very encouraging and I hope he becomes a go to guy in the future from the 3-line.

Finally we saw the Key that we all hoped for after the Zags game.

Yes, it absolutely was fluky at the end.  There is no excuse for the lane violation, which, IMO is the avoidable and also proximate cause of the loss.

We can agree to disagree on what is and is not fluky.

I am going to push back strongly on "there was no defense on the 3 point shooter".  There absolutely was.  I just saw the replay.  He was guarded the entire length of the court. At the end, he got just enough space to take a 40-45 footer, IMO because our guy didn't believe he would take it from that distance.

Mashack ran with him the entire court. If you call that defense then we have a different definition of the term. I would say that he shadowed him. When you defend, you actively attempt to turn the ball handler or alter his movement.

I think a lot of fans are just butt hurt that we lost and not thinking clearly.

Or possibly just have a different opinion than you?

I am more concerned about the losses to Florida and Kentucky than I am these last two.  These kind of games happen.  Missouri is a really good and underrated team and Vandy always plays us tough in Nashville (they beat us when we were no. 1 and almost did it again and had losing records both times, I seem to recall).

Personally, I’m much more concerned about the next six games on the schedule. This team has lost 4 games where they were double digit favorites. That is concerning.

But please do watch the replay. I will be happy to post pics if you want.

Thanks for the offer, but I re-watched the last play multiple times immediately after it happened. I have no need for your pics. 🙄

[BanditVol]

We can agree to disagree on what is and is not fluky.

Yep.  Was going to say the same, but you beat me to it.

As for the defense, a foul is also bad and I think you have to factor that in also.  Just saying though, that when you and TnPhil originally commented on it, it sounded like there was no one on the shooter at all.  Instead you meant you thought his coverage a bit loose.  Maybe so, but he was generally within a few feet of the shooter. 

But anyway, I think horse is dead.