Posted by vol1994 on February 9, 2008 at 10:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Ugly win but it is just that, a WIN!!

Good teams find a way to win. I have followed Carolina b-ball since I was 8 yrs old in 1979.
Every year (even now) they won ugly at times, turning the ball over, missing shots, etc. But they always found a way to win. You always knew they would pull out a W.

However, UT always hussles which will keep them in game but FOULSHOOTING IS HORRIBLE!! Unless we correct this we will not go deep in March.
Even if we are ahead teams will purposely foul us to stay in the game so....

Any win is good on the Road. Lets get J. Smith healthy, get some rest, and gear up for Arkansas.

Posted by TurboFan on February 9, 2008 at 10:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I have to admit, I did not notice that it was JP that made those defensive stops at the end. It is easier to see who makes a basket than to see who prevents one. Way to go JP.

Posted by DenmarkVol_aka_Mbumburu on February 9, 2008 at 10:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Not good enough for the Show. Can't have an "off day" in the tournament. Can't miss more than half your free throws.

Get it done, boys.

Posted by budd on February 9, 2008 at 10:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)

TN 47 LSU 45 Win and move on

Posted by UTByrd on February 9, 2008 at 10:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)

UUUUUUUUGLEEEEEEEE but a win. Memphis had an off day last weekend and pulled out a W. Similar stats: 32% from the floor and terrible FT's. Both teams kept their composure and survived. It is probably good for the "big head" to have a game like this. Go VOLS!!!!!

Posted by VOLS85 on February 9, 2008 at 11:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)

mbumburu, every team has an off game...it is inevitable that a team won't be 100% or won't have the shots falling. It happens. Ask Memphis against UTEP, they shot horribly in all facets of the game, and they won. Much like us against LSU. Every college team at some point is going to have an off day. Better to have them now and not in March.

Posted by Bristol on February 10, 2008 at 8:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)

In the past, this team would have found a way to lose this game. Now it's all about winning. Go Vols!

Posted by chipper10 on February 10, 2008 at 8:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Vols free throw shooting will be the single thing that gets them beat in March. Not the inside game, not the silly turnovers, free throw shooting. It has been the only thing keeping any of their games close.

Posted by UTByrd on February 10, 2008 at 9:57 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Maybe they should bank their FT's when they shoot. That way, when they miss, they'll have a better chance at a rebound as it caroms wildly off the rim. Just a thought.

Posted by grvol on February 10, 2008 at 10:07 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Shouldn't these guys have been given flu shots back in November? Its probably against NCAA rules or something.

Posted by DSaVol on February 10, 2008 at 10:17 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Here are some FACTS for all those predicting doom and gloom because of free throws. Below are the Vols FT numbers for the seven games so far that have been decided by 6 points or less.

25-38 65%
27-42 64%
8-17 47%
9-13 69%
12-18 67%
15-21 71%
5-19 28%

Guess which one TN LOST! That's right the best FT night they had in those games - KY @ 71% - and TN would have had to shoot 100% at the stripe to even TIE that game as they went 15-21. FACT is this team is 6-1 in "close" games to date and 6 of those were against opponents that at this point will probably make the Dance. Total for those 7 games is 58.5% including yesterday's LSU game. Take that performance out and the total is 63%. STILL 6-1 in those games though!

Want more? Of this week's top 10 teams only THREE shoot better than 70% from the line - NC, UCLA, and BUTLER! The top ranked team is all of 58%! Mighty DUKE - you know, the great fundamentals team everybody likes to point to as the way to do it - well they are all of 68%! STANFORD - you know, the supposed brainiacs - doing great at 67%!

Many on this board need to stop listening to all the talking/writing heads that preach this crap because they're not smart enough to dissect a team or a game beyond the typical cliches that they've heard for 50 years. FACT is that there are MANY ways to win basketball games and overcome weaknesses perceived or real. FACT is that this TN team is 21-2 while everybody has been talking ALL YEAR about why they CAN'T win a championship. FACT is that 23 teams have tried and only 2 have succeeded and free throws didn't matter in either of those!

Yes, this team may end up losing on a night they don't shoot FT's well but to put the onus on that one aspect is stupid given that EVERY game has about 200 plays and ANY one of them can mean the difference between winning and losing on a given night. So keep predicting doom and gloom but at least admit it's because your just like the many other amatuer experts and don't know anything else to talk about!

Posted by pearlific on February 10, 2008 at 10:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)

the memphis game will be a free throw shooting fest! the game plan is to have steven pearl enter when needed to put dorsey on the line. we could beat them by pure numbers of consantly fouling them..trading ones for threes.

Posted by BigOrangeJeff on February 10, 2008 at 10:44 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Nice research, DS.

Posted by johnlg00 on February 10, 2008 at 11:16 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Great D, JP! Wow, never thought those words would come off my keyboard! I had to listen to the game on the internet, but I marveled how many times I heard JP's name on defense at the end. Hope he keeps it up!
DSaVol, very enlightening info. It is arguably the hallmark of this team that they usually find a way to win, no matter how badly they play in some phase of the game or other. That said, in the tournaments when every possession and every point counts, it is hard to see how we can win out shooting FTs the way we are. The only saving grace in that is that, as you say, many other teams don't shoot FTs well either. Given that, in an average game, FTs account for 10% or more of the points, other things being equal, the team that shoots better from the line is more likely to win. After all, even in our better games, we rarely beat the other team by more than 10% of the total score. CBP is clearly worried about it, as well he should be. If we shot FTs better, we might shoot mid-range jumpers better, too. More to the point, we might have the confidence to shoot them more rather than taking it right into the teeth of the defense where we either charge or get our shots blocked on many occasions. We would also be more confident on our drives and more solid in our ball-handling if we knew we could make the other team pay for fouling us. Our opponents might not be so inclined to rough us up, either, if they knew it would cost them valuable points. Just the old guy talking here.

Posted by newtonrail on February 10, 2008 at 12:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)

It happens. Unbelievable but it does. Once a year I agree with DSaVol, and this is it.( Of course being on the BB side of sports increases odds).

Posted by budd on February 10, 2008 at 12:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)

DSaVol, you should go on OleTDTN show. you can teach us all so much. How did I ever survive without you

Posted by budd on February 10, 2008 at 12:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)

You take seven games out of a season and use it to show that free throws don't matter. Well wrong, they do. Go check every NCAA playoff game and see how many of the ones that were decided by 10 points or less were won by the lower free throw percentage team. I am sure you will find the answer not to match your findings here. Because proven time and again the team with the better point guards, the team with the better defense, and the better free throw shooting team win in the tourney. It is not the only factor but it is a major one and to act as if folks who are concerned by it are stupid just shows your lack of understanding of the game.

Posted by mparker on February 10, 2008 at 1:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)

THIS is unreal about UK; every home game they outhoot the opponenet from the FT line by about 10 shots, it seems.

Now, against us, that was predictable as we couldn't match up with them inside. But Bama???

Posted by icecream on February 10, 2008 at 2:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Most area high school teams are good at the line. Why cant we get any better? We need a special practice where we shoot freebee's until people are having muscle spasms. No bad free throw team ever wins it all. Pearl will find a way, he is the best coach in the country.

Posted by icecream on February 10, 2008 at 2:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Pearl is a great example of how you didnt have to have been a great player to be a great coach. He didnt even play in college, but in my opinion he's the best coach going today. Cutcliff is another example of that. While great players are working on their game, guy's like Bruce are paying attention to the x's & o's. One of my past coaches was Rodney Woods of the Ernie and Bernie day's. He wasnt the best on those teams, but I bet he could coach circles around any of them, and he's definetly one of the best high school coaches in Kentucky.

Posted by DSaVol on February 10, 2008 at 3:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)

budd - why do you want to start with me???? NEVER did I say free throws didn't matter. PLEASE go get a reading comprehension course and then RE-READ my ENTIRE post and MAYBE you'll have a clue. But I doubt it!

Posted by budd on February 10, 2008 at 4:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)

DSaVol,
I did re-read your entire post and your point was that the free throw shooting alone does not lose games. And as support for that argument you use seven regular season games.
If anyone needs to take a course its you. You need to learn to write, and how to use statistics to support your lame arguments. Poor free throw shooting will lose a game in the regular season and the tournament. Why do you think coaches put their best shooters in when it comes to game's end and the other team is starting to foul. Quit trying to bully everyone and admit when your arguments don't stand up. If you know so much why aren't you out there instead of Pearl.

Posted by girdle1998 on February 10, 2008 at 8:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Prince needs to shoot free throws Rick Berry style....aka a GRANNY SHOT....It couldn't be worse...and I guarantee you it would be softer around the rim.
What's more embarrassing? Shooting a granny shot or shooting 40%? 40% is the answer JP! Was it the Alabama game that he almost wedged one between the backboard and the rim?

Posted by pdhuff on February 10, 2008 at 8:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)

All I know about B Ball is beat Arkie. & Rutgers.

Posted by cjraney on February 10, 2008 at 9:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)

budd-
Your assertion about NCAA tourney games may be correct but until you do the research and post the stats DSaVol wins. He didn't just pick 7 random games, it was the 7 closest, and most would agree that close games are when FT's matter the most. I also didn't notice the bullying you refer to.........

Go Vols!

Posted by vol52 on February 11, 2008 at 8:13 a.m. (Suggest removal)

DSaVol has a point. In reality the most important element is the W. I wish we were a better FT shooting team but if we win I don't care. Pearl stated he has addressed the problem and the more they work at it the worse it gets. I say let the players figure it out and GO BEAT the pork chops off ark.

Posted by TurboFan on February 11, 2008 at 9:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Isn't it a sign of insanity to repeat the same thing over and over and expect a different result? If they aren't getting better try something different. Stand to one side of the FT line, switch shooting hands (remember Oden last year?), switch which foot toes the FT line. It's all in the head (and shoulders, knees and toes). Yeah, I know, CBP nor any of the players are reading this.

Posted by pdhuff on February 11, 2008 at 10:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)

WD40plusVol- 9:03 - Right on, scratch your leg, pull your nose, do a two step, something. I know what's coming if this continues. L's.

Per the headline, could the defense rescue Ole TDTN?

Posted by TurboFan on February 11, 2008 at 11:13 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Yeah, Pd, Ole TD had been so calm since the run to Mexico. Wonder where/how the shootout occurred that bumped him off.

Posted by VOLS85 on February 11, 2008 at 11:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)

This just in: Shooting at high school in Memphis...Can the armpit of our state realize that the reason we don't want Calipari and his street ball boys in our conference is because we fear for our safety when we go there? This is the first time in recent history that memphis has been good at any sport, and now they decry the SEC for not giving them consideration. Maybe we should add some other schools to the SEC as well, right?

Let's say Louisville(they're good at two sports), take back georgia tech(because they were with us before), USF(because they were good at football for a few months this season), UCF, because they have a really awesome RB, ARK St. - because we played them in football this year...UTC - valiant effort in basketball...the list goes on

Note to Calipari: Just because you think you deserve special treatment does not mean you're going to get it, because the SEC has a long and famed existence of excellence in athletics, that isn't interested in adding a 13th team to completely throw off the balance.

Posted by tenhulz on February 11, 2008 at 2:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I'm an avid vol fan despite having graduated University of Arizona. A few years after Lute Olsen became BB coach,(holds record for consecutive NCAA appearances), he had a dynamite team but foul shooting was atrocious and untimately cost them advancing very far (as projected) in playoffs. The following season, he brought in a sports psychologist to work with team members. The subsequent results were very positive. For the most part his teams have since been fairly good with it. I wonder if Bruce Pearl would consider it. Although they've focused on it, some may need to modify their fundamentals. One can practice hours on end, but if their doing something fundamentally wrong..it's all for nothing.

Posted by johnlg00 on February 11, 2008 at 3:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Well, tenhulz, whatever they've been doing up to now hasn't worked very well. I would be surprised if such a thought hasn't occurred to CBP. There are sports psychologists on the UT campus. CBP said on a TV program that "practice doesn't make perfect, practice makes permanent," so he knows the proper fundamentals must be what is practiced. If JP, for example, is practicing the form he has now, it wouldn't do him any good if he practiced eight hours a day. In fact, right now, he doesn't HAVE a form; every one of his free throws is different from the others!

Posted by tenhulz on February 11, 2008 at 10:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)

johnlg00...appreciate the response. RE: JP, please be advised he did not log much playing time with UofA Wildcats, notwithstanding his health issues. This was a main reason for him wanting to transfer from UofA. He definitely needs work on foul shooting and he worries me when he says he wants the ball because he'll never make the foul shots should he miss and be fouled....