I don't like either option. It is very difficult to change what you've been doing all year and I would advise against it considering how good the defense has been this year….until recently.

You're right about the dribble penetration, but for most of the year we were getting to shooters much better than we have these last few games, even when we got beat off the dribble and the other team was swinging the ball.

I really think we were playing with more urgency closing out to those shooters earlier even after getting beat and we are in rotations. It struck me as remarkable hustle contesting those shooters while being in rotations earlier in the year.

I don't think we had that kind or urgency at all last night.

If we want to get back to how well we were playing defensively earlier in the year we need to crank up the defensive intensity and focus.

I don't think it's wise to scrap what you've been doing very successfully for the vast majority of the year. I'm not ready to panic… Tennessee and miss state on the road are y'all tasks.

Vanderbilt was just a bad night…it felt crappy early.

It's not what you do, it's how you do it.

1. I like B.
2. This was obvious against UCF in game one. They just blew by us and went to the line a hundred times.

Redfishag93 said:

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I don't like either option. It is very difficult to change what you've been doing all year and I would advise against it considering how good the defense has been this year….until recently.

You're right about the dribble penetration, but for most of the year we were getting to shooters much better than we have these last few games, even when we got beat off the dribble and the other team was swinging the ball.

I really think we were playing with more urgency closing out to those shooters earlier even after getting beat and we are in rotations. It struck me as remarkable hustle contesting those shooters while being in rotations earlier in the year.

I don't think we had that kind or urgency at all last night.

If we want to get back to how well we were playing defensively earlier in the year we need to crank up the defensive intensity and focus.

I don't think it's wise to scrap what you've been doing very successfully for the vast majority of the year. I'm not ready to panic… Tennessee and miss state on the road are y'all tasks.

Vanderbilt was just a bad night…it felt crappy early.

It's not what you do, it's how you do it.

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Its not really a closing out issue. It's getting beat off the dribble forcing us to constantly be in rotation

Stop sagging off of guys that are hitting 70% 3 pointers. We have given up career best three point nights two games in a row and we never adjusted what we were doing. That is bad coaching.

I don't think I would change much on defense. I think the cumulative lack of making any shots has finally caught up and had some effect on our defensive intensity and focus.

I think we need to redouble our effort not to let offense affect defensive focus.

Which brings us to the real problem which is hideous offense. We are what we are, but the last few games; no one, even us, should miss that many open shots. I think we're going to revert somewhat back to the mean and start making more shots which will make everything look better.

The one thing I would really like to see offensively is more Phelps, Manny and Washington in the mid-range. We've become chronic over-penetrators, especially Wade and Manny. We shoot so poorly that teams collapse and turn us over because our ball handlers know we have no shooting options. Mid-range would do a lot for this offense. Less turnovers, more soft rebounds and the aforementioned three guys are actually good at it. We're unconventional on defense, why not offense. Hell teams give Solo enough room he could close the distance down to 12 feet before he's even engaged. With his athleticism he can shoot the mid-range right over the top.

Third game in a row a players sets career high in 3 pointers made against us. At 7:38 left in the game we were within 7 and we sagged off the backside to leave a player wide open to hit a 3.

Meanmachine said:

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Third game in a row a players sets career high in 3 pointers made against us. At 7:38 left in the game we were within 7 and we sagged off the backside to leave a player wide open to hit a 3.

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Agreed. There was absolutely not reason for it. Throw to high post and the entire defense dove into the paint because ??? Leaving a wide open shooter on the wing who shoots 35% from 3.

Mikeyshooter said:

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Throw to high post and the entire defense dove into the paint because ??? Leaving a wide open shooter on the wing who shoots 35% from 3.

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alot of coaches from the front half of the schedule ought to feel pretty dumb they didnt figure this out