Virginia (3/20/22)

[Green Otaku]

1 minute ago, GMG_Dallas said:

I think that's it. I was just thinking about that too. Next year can be really special if Drez comes back and Abou keeps progressing. Throw in Rubin who I think can be the main ball handler, Perry on the bench, the energizer Scott, and Stone who I believe looked good today and man, next year can be even better! Get a backup big and it can be even more special.

Bell will be the toughest one to replace IMO. Just a freak of an athlete. 

[GMG_Dallas]

Just now, Green Otaku said:

Bell will be the toughest one to replace IMO. Just a freak of an athlete. 

Yeah for sure.

[Green Otaku]

2 minutes ago, UNTLifer said:

I hope March-Drez comes back for one more run. Yes, that is the list of graduates. We need the coaches to push Scott, Stone and Morgan this off season. 

Hopefully those guys continue to develop. I think sometimes we have to remember we have some really young players that will hopefully get even better year by year. 

And not that we have to go transfer heavy, but I see other CUSA teams getting players from Clemson, Georgetown, etc. Let's hope we can land 1 or 2 of those too. 

[keith]

We needed to win in regulation.  That was our chance and we were not able to get a clean shot off.  Hats off to Virginia defending that play.  

[emmitt01]

34 minutes ago, GrandGreen said:

My belief, if Jones had played; NT would have won easily.  Jones value is on the defensive side, plays against the other team's best offensive guard.   

Playing so few players throughout the year caught up with McCasland again.  An OT game with only 6 experienced players and one of those in foul trouble most of the game.  Even with the other team having two fouled out, NT just didn't have the manpower to pull this one out.

Great season for a team that just will not quit.  Hope everyone returns that can and NT should be even better next year. 

For the love of God, help me understand this madness!!

In paragraph one we acknowledge that we were without our main ball handler who is a defender with length.   Then in the VERY NEXT PARAGRAPH we trot out the tired (and easily disproven) argument that our short rotation was the issue…a rotation that, again, was missing a STARTER who is its main ball handler who is a defender with length

And did we forget we had the ball in our hands to end both regulation and overtime with a chance to win against a team that beat Duke (at Duke)??

We lost a war with a quality opponent and took every punch they threw at us.  There is a 00000000% chance that playing more players changes that.  

Edited March 21, 2022 by emmitt01

[UNTLifer]

Hate the result, but what a great game. 
 

I thought the announcers, Lance Blanks and Ted Emrick, did a good job. I really thought Blanks was good. He also called the TX St game. He was a fantastic guard for UT under Penders during their BMW years. 
Emrick is an alum and also did a good job. Showed a shot of him calling a game as a student. 
 

Good luck to UVA the rest of the way. Would like to see us sign a home and home with them. 

[p_phelps]

I'm excited about Scott and stone. I wish stone would have gotten more quality minutes this year. He looks like he's a player 

[Green Otaku]

4 minutes ago, UNTLifer said:

Good luck to UVA the rest of the way. Would like to see us sign a home and home with them. 

I doubt they'd want to come back to Denton willingly, and these types of games show why. Too much risk, not enough reward. 

[golfingomez]

crazy game, everytime i thought this team was out of a game this year, they fought back into it. 

I'm a little disappointed by the lack of a prepared play at the end of the game, the fact that we even caught the football pass was a win in itself. I liked the play we would run with Hamlet towards the end of games last year, the give and go. I think that ensures that your best player has the ball and also has a better understanding of how much time is on the clock. 

All that being said, I'm hoping G-Mac hits the recruiting trail hard and finds us a big that provide some support down low next year.

[Censored by Laurie]

2 minutes ago, Green Otaku said:

I doubt they'd want to come back to Denton willingly, and these types of games show why. Too much risk, not enough reward. 

this isn't football...I think an improved NET metric and the addition of Quad tiers and the value of those games means that so long as we keep our program where it is then we have the ability to book home and homes with these kind of programs. 

seeing the mutual respect, players and coaches, in the handshake line, I think both Grant and Tony Bennet would sign up for a best of 7 series right now if they could. 

[greenminer]

6 minutes ago, Green Otaku said:

I doubt they'd want to come back to Denton willingly, and these types of games show why. Too much risk, not enough reward. 

I have to believe there are some good teams out there that will want some quality opportunities to pad their bubble resume.  I think there is more at play here than in CFB.

EDIT: CBL beat me to it.

Edited March 21, 2022 by greenminer

[DeepGreen]

I’m really going to miss Bell playing for NT.  He gave it his all every single game.

[WahooWa85]

13 hours ago, Censored by Laurie said:

this isn't football...I think an improved NET metric and the addition of Quad tiers and the value of those games means that so long as we keep our program where it is then we have the ability to book home and homes with these kind of programs. 

seeing the mutual respect, players and coaches, in the handshake line, I think both Grant and Tony Bennet would sign up for a best of 7 series right now if they could. 

 

Helluva game boys...very well coached squad...wouldn't mind a home and home, but as someone said earlier, this type of game is why P5s don't do it...really good team and game though, impressed...

Edited March 21, 2022 by WahooWa85

[Mean Green Matt]

What a fun season. The atmosphere today was incredible. 

[Green Otaku]

36 minutes ago, Censored by Laurie said:

this isn't football...I think an improved NET metric and the addition of Quad tiers and the value of those games means that so long as we keep our program where it is then we have the ability to book home and homes with these kind of programs. 

seeing the mutual respect, players and coaches, in the handshake line, I think both Grant and Tony Bennet would sign up for a best of 7 series right now if they could. 

Maybe, but I think we would need a couple more years of consistency like Layola or Murray State, *we have taken steps but aren't a regular in the midmajor conversation. At least not for them to come to Denton, I think they would totally host us at Charlottesville. 

Edited March 21, 2022 by Green Otaku

[Quoner]

41 minutes ago, UNTLifer said:

Great game, great season. Thank you TBIII for coming back this year. This team was so much fun. I hope the fans stayed and gave them a standing ovation. They deserve it. 

They did. It was emotional on all sides and a really cool way to cap it all off. Lots of head nods and praise from the UVA fans there too in the stands and on the way out. 

[Mean Green Matt]

This is really a question and not a criticism,  but why the hesitance to go to the basket in late game situations. Particularly at the end of regulation when it was tied, seems like the higher percentage play would have been to go right to the hoop. 

[MeanMag]

11 minutes ago, Mean Green Matt said:

This is really a question and not a criticism,  but why the hesitance to go to the basket in late game situations. Particularly at the end of regulation when it was tied, seems like the higher percentage play would have been to go right to the hoop. 

I was thinking the same thing. Bell and/or Abou were doing work near the basket tonight.

[meangreenlax]

I don't think power conferences really need to schedule tough home/homes in basketball. If Virginia had just won more games in the ACC they would have made the tournament. They just have to survive the 2-3 tough mid-major games they might get in an early season tournament.

[UNTLifer]

30 minutes ago, WahooWa85 said:

 

Helluva game boys...very well coached squad yall have...wouldn't mind a home and home, but as someone said earlier...thisntypenof game is why P5s don't do it...yall had a really good squad though, impressed...

P5. Pffft. The frightened look isn’t flattering my UVA friend. 

[Censored by Laurie]

24 minutes ago, Mean Green Matt said:

This is really a question and not a criticism,  but why the hesitance to go to the basket in late game situations. Particularly at the end of regulation when it was tied, seems like the higher percentage play would have been to go right to the hoop. 

we don't really have a slasher...especially with Rubin out tonight. 

as for posting up Abou or TB...in late game situations, especially from behind, you usually want a play that has a fixed time-rundown and known result(s)...like, you know a high screen roll and drive/pull-up will take 5 seconds...with a drive you known it's either a bucket, a foul or good defense...with a pull-up it's either a bucket, an offensive rebound or good defense

posting a player brings in more variables...there are usually multiple passes and off-ball movement just to create the right angle for entry, that takes time...depending on where the catch is, 15 feet takes more time usually than 10 feet...you bring in the possibility of doubling the post player, who usually isn't your best passer/decision maker. 

if this question is largely being asked because of TPs last shots...well, ya...dude had a big neon sign that read "HERO" in his mind. probably because that sign has been lit so many times this year. 

Edited March 21, 2022 by Censored by Laurie

[meangreenlax]

The criticism of the lack of bench might be overblown. But if there are injuries, foul trouble, or a player is having a bad night the situation gets sketchy fast. I'm more concerned with the lack of a slasher and so many missed point blank shots. The reliance on long jump shots and fade away 3s from the logo down the stretch is a risky way to go.

[Quoner]

7 minutes ago, Censored by Laurie said:

we don't really have a slasher...especially with Rubin out tonight. 

as for posting up Abou or TB...in late game situations, especially from behind, you usually want a play that has a fixed time-rundown and known result(s)...like, you know a high screen roll and drive/pull-up will take 5 seconds...with a drive you known it's either a bucket, a foul or good defense...with a pull-up it's either a bucket, an offensive rebound or good defense

posting a player brings in more variables...there are usually multiple passes and off-ball movement just to create the right angle for entry, that takes time...depending on where the catch is, 15 feet takes more time usually than 10 feet...you bring in the possibility of doubling the post player, who usually isn't your best passer/decision maker. 

if this question is largely being asked because of TPs last shots...well, ya...dude had a big neon sign that read "HERO" in his mind. probably because that sign has been lit so many times this year. 

I think it’s a fair question with how Ousmane was going, but he did have a bad turnover in the last five when a double collapsed on him, so your point also works here. I found myself calling for dialing up a two vs three and we tried the second to last possession, slipped, played D and got one more shot, so I guess just go with what go you there at that point. 

[GMG_Dallas]

1 hour ago, Censored by Laurie said:

I understand the logic...but I think this is a terrible take and one that needs to die. 

these are 18-23 year olds who don't play back-to-backs (maybe...maybe I'll listen to this argument for the C-USA toruney, but given a short rotation won 4 in 4 in '21, there's still a good case against). tired legs didn't get us beat tonight. 

I think all of us would've loved to have seen a deeper bench, but this is where the logic of advanced stats like wins above replacement have to be considered...if the step down in quality production from Man 8 is too great, playing him to "rest" another is actually detrimental to the overall team. 

I don't like the argument as to how it relates to fatigue either. This isn't an 82 game season with back-to-backs as you said. I do, however, think there is value in getting some deep bench guys a few minutes with other starters throughout the season. You see guys come in off the bench all the time and give a spark when main contributors are struggling. Illinois brought in 2 freshmen today to spark their comeback against Houston. Both of those freshmen averaged about 8 minutes per game in over 20 games this year. To me, it's about keeping guys game-ready in case you need to switch things up in the middle of a game. It just limits what you can do because you're locked into the skill sets who are game-ready.

I don't think the team was hurt by the limited rotation because we didn't suffer from injuries much. I'm not sure the team would have been hurt much by getting a guy like Stone 6-8 minutes per game. That experience could have come in handy today. It could have come in handy against LA Tech when we couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. It comes in handy when you need to try something different on the fly.

Edited March 21, 2022 by GMG_Dallas

[Green Otaku]

27 minutes ago, Mean Green Matt said:

This is really a question and not a criticism,  but why the hesitance to go to the basket in late game situations. Particularly at the end of regulation when it was tied, seems like the higher percentage play would have been to go right to the hoop. 

There is some merit is what you say, but also more risks. What if they steal? What if you foul? What if you mishandle a pass? You want to have the last opportunity while leaving your opponent without one, the way to do that is to hold for the last shot. We were close (twice,) it just didn't fall for us.