Blacktop ThoughtZ™

[RichZ]

I was tempted to recycle the thread title I mistakenly used for the (Tulsa) game that I missed earlier in the week, but decided against it, and went for the James Taylor connection.

1. It's nice to lead a game wire-to-wire for once.
2. Also nice to see a single digit number in the turnover column of the box score for once.
3. Basketball games are a lot easier to win when you make shots.
4. Tyler Polley. Something happened to his stroke or his head, but he can't shoot any more, and right now, he's just taking up space on the court. Since his shooting stroke disappeared, he's also gone from a mediocre rebounder to... I don't know what adjective to use. But in the last 8 games, he's had 3 zeroes in the rebound column. C'mon Tyler, at 6-9, you've got to get a couple by accident every game.
5. Josh Carlton might've been the perfect big against these guys. Their starting big is slow of foot and not particularly athletic. Carlton has his faults, but considering that other than him, we get nothing from the front court, 18 & 8 with a steal, a block and a dime is damned exciting. So is only picking up 3 fouls in 32 minutes. I'll forgive the 3 turnovers considering how well he played otherwise.
6. Game wasn't the whistlefest we've grown accustomed to, but the foul disparity remains.
7. First minute of the 2nd half was an epic display of incompetence by both teams. See graphic below.
8. Following the Tulane timeout at 12:02, Jalen scored our next 9 points, and effectively put an end to any comeback hopes that may have been brewing in their wavy green minds.
9. We really need to find a way to generate more than 6 points from our bench.
   
   

 

[Doctor Hoop]

I was tempted to recycle the thread title I mistakenly used for the (Tulsa) game that I missed earlier in the week, but decided against it, and went for the James Taylor connection.

1. It's nice to lead a game wire-to-wire for once.
2. Also nice to see a single digit number in the turnover column of the box score for once.
3. Basketball games are a lot easier to win when you make shots.
4. Tyler Polley. Something happened to his stroke or his head, but he can't shoot any more, and right now, he's just taking up space on the court. Since his shooting stroke disappeared, he's also gone from a mediocre rebounder to... I don't know what adjective to use. But in the last 8 games, he's had 3 zeroes in the rebound column. C'mon Tyler, at 6-9, you've got to get a couple by accident every game.
5. Josh Carlton might've been the perfect big against these guys. Their starting big is slow of foot and not particularly athletic. Carlton has his faults, but considering that other than him, we get nothing from the front court, 18 & 8 with a steal, a block and a dime is damned exciting. So is only picking up 3 fouls in 32 minutes. I'll forgive the 3 turnovers considering how well he played otherwise.
6. Game wasn't the whistlefest we've grown accustomed to, but the foul disparity remains.
7. First minute of the 2nd half was an epic display of incompetence by both teams.
8. Following the Tulane timeout at 12:02, Jalen scored our next 9 points, and effectively put an end to any comeback hopes that may have been brewing in their wavy green minds.
9. We really need to find a way to generate more than 6 points from our bench.

Re #4: I also don't get it. I didn't have much hope for high rebounding numbers (a few would be nice), and I think he's getting a little excessive criticism on his defense, which actually hasn't been that bad lately - he was actually marking the high-scoring freshman for Tulane, and held him in check pretty well. He even got back to grab a couple of blocks underneath to prevent layups.

But that shooting is unfathomable. He's got a good smooth stroke, and his shot is usually right on line, but it's been just enough long or short for misses. This has to be a confidence thing, and something the coaches need to sit down and address with him. They've got Carlton beginning to look like a reasonable center, had a solid game today. Hopefully Polley is the next project. This team would look better if the stretch four actually stretched the floor.

Now, I'm not kidding myself that they are world beaters. But I do think both are better than they've shown. Carlton is improving, we need to see that from Polley.

 

[TerryBoyz]

REolley. I took my son to the game today and I was telling him that polley is a great shooter but he just need to make more shots.
...My son just gave me a puzzled look.
Seriously— I think there is a hex on his shooting arm. Can we sacrifice a chicken or something to get rid of it?

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Maybe Polley needs to shave as a slump buster.

 

[jibsey]

I don’t get what has happened to “the greatest shooter in the country”.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

I don’t get what has happened to “the greatest shooter in the country”.

It happens. Shooting is all about confidence. He has got to keep firing concentrate on his form an eventual they will starting falling .