Vaught: Pope says Cats will not lose our confidence
- Thread starter akaukswoosh
- Start date
Games is what we need to avoid losing.
Not getting down 12 to 15 points playing teams of about equal talent should be the first thing addressed. We have consistently done that for the biggest part of the season. Granted we have fought our way back in most of those games but expending that much energy just to get even is not going to win many games
We got caught up in a false sense of how good this team was going to be with the wins over Duke and the Zags. It now appears we will struggle to win 20 games. Before the season started many of us said we would be satisfied if we won 17 or 18 games now we want/expect more. At times this team is a joy to watch at other times they are maddening to watch. My nerves and temperament would be much better if there were less distance between the two extremes.
We got caught up in a false sense of how good this team was going to be with the wins over Duke and the Zags. It now appears we will struggle to win 20 games. Before the season started many of us said we would be satisfied if we won 17 or 18 games now we want/expect more. At times this team is a joy to watch at other times they are maddening to watch. My nerves and temperament would be much better if there were less distance between the two extremes.
I would be happy if our team STOPPED doing things that keep us from winning games that have little to do with the opponent.
Unforced turnovers
Not blocking out to give up offensive rebounds
Not going after 50/50 balls aggressively
Missing shots underneath the basket
Avoiding contact on drives to the basket
Horrible hedging on the Pick-and-Roll that leaves 3 pt shooters wide open
All of those things should be easy to fix and have cost us in each of our losses
Unforced turnovers
Not blocking out to give up offensive rebounds
Not going after 50/50 balls aggressively
Missing shots underneath the basket
Avoiding contact on drives to the basket
Horrible hedging on the Pick-and-Roll that leaves 3 pt shooters wide open
All of those things should be easy to fix and have cost us in each of our losses
Horrible hedging on the Pick-and-Roll that leaves 3 pt shooters wide open....this is my biggest stance. Our defensive philosophy is so predictable in first half as the hedging is so extreme. Play stright up more, mix in zone and dig back on ball drives....but this hedging is asking for teams to drive down our throats.
We just lost a completely winnable game for these very reasons. Its a terrible look.
If we got the open looks that teams get playing us then we would beat the hell out of most of them
Confidence isn't my worry.. these guys sure seem confident in their abilities to not go after loose balls..
Coach Pope has to figure out defense, even if that means getting a defensive minded assistant next year.. He also needs to start showing who the boss is on this team. You're not going to win anything if the players don't face any repercussions for sloppy play (Extra practice, chewed up, pulled out of the game). I really hope he can find that in his coaching, because if he can't, then this won't work. If the players aren't disciplined then we won't do much winning of anything
Coach Pope has to figure out defense, even if that means getting a defensive minded assistant next year.. He also needs to start showing who the boss is on this team. You're not going to win anything if the players don't face any repercussions for sloppy play (Extra practice, chewed up, pulled out of the game). I really hope he can find that in his coaching, because if he can't, then this won't work. If the players aren't disciplined then we won't do much winning of anything
He pulled Butler with like 3 or so minutes remaining and we played a little bit better, but for some reason he put him back in with a little over a minute left and I'm having a hard time understanding why he was put back in, he immediately turned it over again and that was basically it.
I'm not so worried about that decision. Because Butler is probably our best player, when healthy. I bet the thought process was that we weren't going to win without him.. so let me pull him out, coach him up, find out his pain levels and adjust the game plan from there.
Far from it!!
When Coach Pope gets the talent anywhere near what Cal brought in, the winning will increase dramatically!!!
Patience is a virtue.