Going into SEC who are we?

[Coach D]

Just like getting bball discussions.

Incredible SEC this year So tough sledding ahead. At this point who are we as a team?

Obviously Wrightsell injury has hurt the 3 shooting. Is this team just an ok 3 team with better inside play?

Youngblood coming back has not helped as much as I expected. I know coming off injury but he looks a lot slower than expected and his shooting looks good but isn’t making them. Working his way back or expected too much?

Stevenson has been very underwhelming and don’t see NBA other than size. Seems like he should lose minutes and not start other than injuries right?

Sears looks like getting his groove back although little selfish at times.

Philon has been better than expected and getting better.

Holloway is a defensive liability and high volume shooter who is 37% from 3. But can be ice cold

Grant and Philon may be the guys with Sears.

Reid looks like he could be a difference maker but not there yet.

Not sure what to say about Cliff, he is helping but bigs so far have success against him and Sears seems to refuse passing him the ball.

The others are role players. This teams has won some big games and one loss to Oregon that was a good game and one in a very tough environment Purdue. Is this a top 3 SEC team? This team can play pretty good defense and d travels but can they pull the offense together more consistently? Is this team more of a streaky team outside with good inside play? I have said myself once guys get back then they will be consistent from deep but are we who we are at this point? Most teams are as far as 3 vs inside type teams.

Please note I know the team will continue to grow and gel and obviously the tournament will be about matchups so not worried about the team and feel way better than last year.

 

[oskie]

Just like getting bball discussions.

Incredible SEC this year So tough sledding ahead. At this point who are we as a team?

Obviously Wrightsell injury has hurt the 3 shooting. Is this team just an ok 3 team with better inside play?

Youngblood coming back has not helped as much as I expected. I know coming off injury but he looks a lot slower than expected and his shooting looks good but isn’t making them. Working his way back or expected too much?

Stevenson has been very underwhelming and don’t see NBA other than size. Seems like he should lose minutes and not start other than injuries right?

Sears looks like getting his groove back although little selfish at times.

Philon has been better than expected and getting better.

Holloway is a defensive liability and high volume shooter who is 37% from 3. But can be ice cold

Grant and Philon may be the guys with Sears.

Reid looks like he could be a difference maker but not there yet.

Not sure what to say about Cliff, he is helping but bigs so far have success against him and Sears seems to refuse passing him the ball.

The others are role players. This teams has won some big games and one loss to Oregon that was a good game and one in a very tough environment Purdue. Is this a top 3 SEC team? This team can play pretty good defense and d travels but can they pull the offense together more consistently? Is this team more of a streaky team outside with good inside play? I have said myself once guys get back then they will be consistent from deep but are we who we are at this point? Most teams are as far as 3 vs inside type teams.

Please note I know the team will continue to grow and gel and obviously the tournament will be about matchups so not worried about the team and feel way better than last year.

Don't think we can leave Mo D out of the conversation. I think he gains minutes going forward. He's a force to be reckoned with.

 

[oskie]

... Not sure what to say about Cliff, he is helping but bigs so far have success against him and Sears seems to refuse passing him the ball.
...

Yeah, I'm really confused about Cliff's situation. They don't seem to play to his strengths on offense.
Sears doesn't seem to want to feed him under the basket, but then again, Sears doesn't often give the ball up to anyone under the basket. He always seems to throw it out to the wings, if he gets in a jam, which seems to happen more often than it should.
Leaves me wondering if, maybe because of his height, Mark just does not see well when he gets down among the bigs under the basket. Either that or he's just got the JQ disease.

 

[Coach D]

Yeah, I'm really confused about Cliff's situation. They don't seem to play to his strengths on offense.
Sears doesn't seem to want to feed him under the basket, but then again, Sears doesn't often give the ball up to anyone under the basket. He always seems to throw it out to the wings, if he gets in a jam, which seems to happen more often than it should.
Leaves me wondering if, maybe because of his height, Mark just does not see well when he gets down among the bigs under the basket. Either that or he's just got the JQ disease.

To start the season that was my first thought and I was like “oh no here we go“. Slowly he is getting better. Both Philon and Halloway (short too) find him and distribute better though. But Sears is getting closer to playing like last year.

Mo started hot and not sure if he got hurt a little but lost min due to matchups and what not but he and Reid about the same size so not sure matchups are it. He is one I like watching though with a high motor.

 

[oskie]

To start the season that was my first thought and I was like “oh no here we go“. Slowly he is getting better. Both Philon and Halloway (short too) find him and distribute better though. But Sears is getting closer to playing like last year.
...

Do you think there might have been a little bit of Mark just wanting to show the new guys that he was the *Leader of the Team*, and he wanted to prove it on the court?

... Both Philon and Halloway (short too) find him and distribute better though. ...

I agree. I have been encouraged to see Philon and Halloway feed the big guys. Actually fun to watch the distribution from all of them when Sears is not on the court.

...
Mo started hot and not sure if he got hurt a little but lost min due to matchups and what not but he and Reid about the same size so not sure matchups are it. He is one I like watching though with a high motor.

Yes, Mo brings it. He's definitely a *Blue Collar* kinda guy. I think that appeals to Coach Oats.

 

[jjv0004]

Not the team that I thought we had with Cliff and the added shooters. Thought we would be way better than this so far. If the 3 point shooting does not improve, this is probably not a final four/elite eight team and will have some trouble in the very difficult SEC.

 

[JDCrimson]

Perimeter shooting has to improve or we are going to be mediocre in the SEC this year.

 

[22Musso22]

...feel way better than last year.

You feel way better than last year??????????????

Hey bro, we went to a Final Four last year!

 

[Coach D]

You feel way better than last year??????????????

Hey bro, we went to a Final Four last year!

I mean in the regular season. Do you not think this team has been better to this point vs the team last year? Did you think last year they would go far in the tournament?

 

[oskie]

Not the team that I thought we had with Cliff and the added shooters. Thought we would be way better than this so far. If the 3 point shooting does not improve, this is probably not a final four/elite eight team and will have some trouble in the very difficult SEC.

Good and valid points.

To your first point, it seems like our shooters haven't been as consistent as one would like to see, but I think our rotation, at times, has not allowed our shooters to find their rhythm.

As I understand it, Coach has played everybody, and multiple combinations of everybody, just to find the best combo of players. That might benefit the coaches more than the players. It allows the coaches to see all their options, but the players are not getting the continuity they need to settle in on their game.

I think going forward we narrow the rotation a bit and give the players more time on the court to gel as a unit. However, I still think we will play more guys in the rotation this year than we did last year because we simply have more guys that can make a valuable contribution.

To your second point, I'm thinking the 3-point shooting will improve going forward. Everybody has cold games - no one is hot every game - but we have too many good 3-point shooters to leave the cold ones on the floor for any length of time.

Perfect example is last game; Coach leaves Holloway in because he's shooting well, but he still launched a bunch of shots. I think he made 8 of 19 3-pointers.

My point is, you gotta get the minutes before you can produce a consistent number of shots. Again, we have a lot of good 3 point shooters this year. I think they will emerge.

Sorry to get so long-winded. Just the ramblings of an old man who loves to watch BAMA B'ball.

 

[oskie]

This team appears to be deeper than previous teams. I think our depth is going to be the edge over other teams this season. I think we have already seen it in some games so far, but going forward, it could be the difference to get us through the SEC grind.

 

[BAMAVILLE]

Yeah, I'm really confused about Cliff's situation. They don't seem to play to his strengths on offense.
Sears doesn't seem to want to feed him under the basket, but then again, Sears doesn't often give the ball up to anyone under the basket. He always seems to throw it out to the wings, if he gets in a jam, which seems to happen more often than it should.
Leaves me wondering if, maybe because of his height, Mark just does not see well when he gets down among the bigs under the basket. Either that or he's just got the JQ disease.

I think we see his strength more in the tournament. His set of skills has been the missing piece in most of our tournament runs with CNO.

 

[AUDub]

This team appears to be deeper than previous teams. I think our depth is going to be the edge over other teams this season. I think we have already seen it in some games so far, but going forward, it could be the difference to get us through the SEC grind.

There’s really only one SEC team Bama won’t “out-depth.”