Dub, handicap/analyze the Barn B-ball team. I've only seen them once when they played Bama, and frankly I wasn't impressed.We’re back up to 4th in the RPI tonight.
Our most glaring disadvantage is, of course, size. We make up for that by playing extremely fast and wearing opposing teams out with a steady 9 player rotation, hence all of the second half comebacks and double digit wins when opposing legs give out.What's their strength and weaknesses?
Think it’s mostly Pearl now that he’s had time to get his roster in place and coach them up for a few years. Took 4 years, but it was a huge rebuild for arguably the worst team in the conference.You think their success is a result of what Pearl is building or is this just a team that has the right chemistry (lightning in a bottle so to speak)?
I'll be happy with a S16 trip. Everything after that would be gravy. Basketball always makes me nervous. Auburn has all the makings of a team that could make a nice tourney run, but they also have the makings of a team that could get knocked out in the round of 32 as a 2-4 seed. All it takes it one bad night from the stripe or from range and we're done.What's your outlook on the tourney in terms of how far you think they go?
Obviously, my opinion can be seen as an Alabama fan hating Auburn, but I had this thought earlier today. Auburn doesn't live and die by the three, but its diet seems to be heavy on the treys. 36% of Auburn's points this year are from three pointers. In the tournament, one poor shooting game is all it takes.I'll be happy with a S16 trip. Everything after that would be gravy. Basketball always makes me nervous. Auburn has all the makings of a team that could make a nice tourney run, but they also have the makings of a team that could get knocked out in the round of 32 as a 2-4 seed. All it takes it one bad night from the stripe or from range and we're done.
I think we're a top 20 team, but I don't really think we're top 10 yet.
If we're playing the whatif game: Bama would have easily won if Sexton played and Hall had more than a few token minutes - arguably its 2 best players, at least 2 of top 3. Key did nothing as well, just rounding into being able to contribute a little. Even with the massive personnel shortage, as the game played out, Bama dominated or had control of the game throughout the 2nd half. With both teams shooting their normal FT% you would have gained 3 pts, Bama 1, thus a net of +2 for you. OTOH, Petty had one of his infrequent hot nights. But Bama was easily the better team that night and played like it.Our most glaring disadvantage is, of course, size. We make up for that by playing extremely fast and wearing opposing teams out with a steady 9 player rotation, hence all of the second half comebacks and double digit wins when opposing legs give out.
Offensively, we log the shortest amount of time per possession in the conference. We like to break out and play fast, giving us an opportunity to drive, lob or kick out for a three before the opposing defense is finished getting back and set. We crash the offensive glass hard, rebounding above our size and at a clip good enough for a tie for 2nd in the conference. We're middling in FG%, but we shoot a lot, and a lot of those are 3s, where we are 3rd in the conference in %. We actually hit our freebies for a change, and we go to the line a lot when we're fouled on the drive and lead the conference in FT%. All of this adds up to us leading the conference in scoring.
Defensively, we make up for the lack of size in the interior with aggression. We force a ton of turnovers, leading the conference in steals. Our rebounding is way better this year, even without the height of Wiley and graduate LaRon Smith. We're middling in the conference, 6th on the defensive glass, but that's better than you would expect when your starting 4 is 6'3 and your starting 5 is 6'7. We're 3rd in the conference in blocks, with Anfernee leading the conference overall.
Y'all exposed the best way to beat us. Slow the game down, force us to create in our half court offense, and take care of the ball. That being said, we would have won that game had we not been uncharacteristically bad from the stripe.
Think it’s mostly Pearl now that he’s had time to get his roster in place and coach them up for a few years. Took 4 years, but it was a huge rebuild for arguably the worst team in the conference.
I'll be happy with a S16 trip. Everything after that would be gravy. Basketball always makes me nervous. Auburn has all the makings of a team that could make a nice tourney run, but they also have the makings of a team that could get knocked out in the round of 32 as a 2-4 seed. All it takes it one bad night from the stripe or from range and we're done.
I think we're a top 20 team, but I don't really think we're top 10 yet.
I think that's fair. There's a thin line between greatness and irrelevance.Obviously, my opinion can be seen as an Alabama fan hating Auburn, but I had this thought earlier today. Auburn doesn't live and die by the three, but its diet seems to be heavy on the treys. 36% of Auburn's points this year are from three pointers. In the tournament, one poor shooting game is all it takes.
Auburn somewhat gives off the vibe of the team that does well in the regular season but falls flat on its face in the tournament. If that makes sense.
I think you were a better team with Sexton out of the lineup at that time. Seems to have all come together now though.If we're playing the whatif game: Bama would have easily won if Sexton played and Hall had more than a few token minutes - arguably its 2 best players, at least 2 of top 3. Key did nothing as well, just rounding into being able to contribute a little. Even with the massive personnel shortage, as the game played out, Bama dominated or had control of the game throughout the 2nd half. With both teams shooting their normal FT% you would have gained 3 pts, Bama 1, thus a net of +2 for you. OTOH, Petty had one of his infrequent hot nights. But Bama was easily the better team that night and played like it.
There were a couple of games where he was playing at 70% or so. That was the only time. The point is that when Bama plays with all of it's players and its normal game, it is frequently the equal or better of AU. It should have won that game and it did. We can always say whatif. The reality is that if AU had snuck in the back door in that game, it would have been a shame to the neutral observer.I think you were a better team with Sexton out of the lineup at that time. Seems to have all come together now though.
But yeah. Jared Harper, a normally 80+ free throw shooter, ended up being 4-8. We missed 6 FTs in the final 2:07. Just took the wind out of our sails.
An astonishing way to lose at home, for sure.Just took our first loss at home. Bryce went down early but we stormed back. Refs called a foul on us in the defensive end with 3 to go. Frustrating way to lose.
At first I thought it was a bad call but then the replay showed the AU defender had his heel on the semi-circle in the lane. The AU player had proper position but just needed to be an inch forward. Tough way to lose but it was called correctly..Just took our first loss at home. Bryce went down early but we stormed back. Refs called a foul on us in the defensive end with 3 to go. Frustrating way to lose.
"Well, you can't let the officials decide the game. Play your best and leave no doubt!"Just took our first loss at home. Bryce went down early but we stormed back. Refs called a foul on us in the defensive end with 3 to go. Frustrating way to lose.
I watched the last 3 or 4 minutes (seemed more like 20) and thought AU was allowed to mug the other team all over the court during A&M's 2nd and 3rd to last possessions. I did not expect to hear another whistle when A&M had the ball on their last possession.An astonishing way to lose at home, for sure.
It was, but it's a call you rarely see them make in that situation.At first I thought it was a bad call but then the replay showed the AU defender had his heel on the semi-circle in the lane. The AU player had proper position but just needed to be an inch forward. Tough way to lose but it was called correctly..
"Well, you can't let the officials decide the game. Play your best and leave no doubt!"
"I see Auburn shot 21-24 from the FT line. Bad officiating would not matter if they made one of those misses!"
The RPI... whewDon't look now, but thanks to Mizzour-ah dropping 16 places, we are up to #28.
The team right in front of us......................aTm.
BTW, the piggies dropped 9, down to #34. We need to win that one.