Does anyone think we are more focused....

[Chelo]

the last 4 games? It seems that with there backs against the wall, this team becomes more focused and plays with a lot more energy. You can say that they wilted and were unfocused the last 5 minutes against Syracuse, but I attribute that to playing against the zone and Bazz getting confused with the play calling against the zone. You can also argue that Uconn does not defend the 3pt shot and they are giving teams wide open looks but the last 4 games, they have defended the three pretty well. They are challenging the shooters, putting hands in there face and working there way through screens. The stats show that in the past 4 games teams are shooting 26% 3pts against Uconn. The only team that shot better was Depaul who went 8-22. Over the past four games, teams are 19-73 in three point attempts against us. That being said, I think this team is primed and ready to play. Jimmy has instilled a confidence in them and it shows through there defense.

 

[UConnSwag11]

i like how jazz gets the ball and immediately gets it into the other teams half and either drives to the basket or runs the play, the others take sometime running it or not with a purpose

 

[Palatine]

I think Calhoun is back on the bench and he is actually coaching not just sitting there in pain.

I think Shabazz is finally healing and getting back some quickness.

These are the twin reasons we seem to be performing better.

 

[SubbaBub]

I only saw a tighter bench rotation and the stretches of Wtf basketball were not as long as they were during the regular season. They were there though.

I did like AD playing aggressive man defense against WVU at the end. That was new. AO has been better on D as well.

Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk

 

[Kitaman]

More focused yes, but compared to what? If we were fully focused (e.g. BET Championship) we at least have won the Syracuse game. They have got to remember the 'focus' of the 2011 NCAA tournament run, we have a lot of vets that went through it.

 

[freescooter]

Maybe marginally better. Some of that is Calhoun being back and that has really helped Napier for some reason, but I'm not convinced that this team is going very far. If you look at the play since Calhoun has been back, We let Pitt back into a game they should have been out of, beating DePaul was nothing special, West Virginia was a nice comeback against a team that is only OK, Syracuse was another game where we had a chance and disappeared down the stretch. Couldn't make a shot. Lamb still disappears for long stretches lat eingames, we don't have any other really great shooters, Drummond still doesn't get that he's bigger and better than almost anyone he plays against and get pushed around, and he still insists on taking that stupid jumper instead of taking the ball to the hoop. Are we better? Oh probably marginally, but we still seem to do the same old same old...

 

[Tenspro2002]

I have to agree that the idea that we're much better than during January and February is overblown.

We barely beat a team (Pitt) that we should have, at home. We beat another team we should have (Depaul). We won a close one against a team about equal to us (WVU), in a game where I'd say we demonstrated the toughness and moxie to come back, but not necessarily greatly improved basketball play. And we lost a close one to a great team in Syracuse, like we have a few times already.

A little better? Sure. That much better? I just don't see it.

 

[boog204]

We have more energy and seem to care a bit more. So I guess focus is improved. However, we were lucky to sneak by WVU and blew an 8 point lead to admittedly a very good Cuse team by reverting to our mid-season ineptitude. Can't say the focus was there when we started playing our vaunted no movement take a contested 3 offensive set. Not sure how we can overlook that.

 

[dogpause]

I think we'll play as well as Lamb plays. No better, no worse.

 

[SouthTampaBill]

I would never call Syracuse a "great" team. Really? There were really no good teams in the BE this year to challenge them. No great OOC wins.
No great players. It makes me puke to think of them as a great team like UConn's best or Georgetown. They were good and that's it
And they will lose early.

 

[sparky]

Nothing else really matters at this time of year. You either play or you go home . Getting bazz healthy mentally and physically has taken most of the past 3 months. AO and AD look like they have found each other, and boat is fast, but hasn't understood how to be fast and not careless. JL has had a marginal year, but maybe we expected more than he was ready to give.

 

[Giddyup5]

I have to agree that the idea that we're much better than during January and February is overblown.

We barely beat a team (Pitt) that we should have, at home. We beat another team we should have (Depaul). We won a close one against a team about equal to us (WVU), in a game where I'd say we demonstrated the toughness and moxie to come back, but not necessarily greatly improved basketball play. And we lost a close one to a great team in Syracuse, like we have a few times already.

A little better? Sure. That much better? I just don't see it.

I think we are a little better like you said. More importantly, the straw that stirs our drink is considerably healthier IMO.

 

[imno1]

Nothing else really matters at this time of year. You either play or you go home . Getting bazz healthy mentally and physically has taken most of the past 3 months. AO and AD look like they have found each other, and boat is fast, but hasn't understood how to be fast and not careless. JL has had a marginal year, but maybe we expected more than he was ready to give.

JL had a better than marginal year.

 

[freescooter]

JL had a better than marginal year.

If George Steinbrenner ran this team Lamb would be Mr. December. We need him to be Mr. March.

 

[The Funster]

If we do anything, it will start with defense. I also see us playing with an 8 man rotation which could expand to 9 for Kentucky.

 

[CVCA05]

Lamb's success depends on bazz getting him the ball... if he's wasting the clock down dancing around, taking 17 shots a game and turning the ball over, Lamb isn't going to get his opportunities. Calhoun needs to sit bazz down and tell him to get the ball to Lamb and AD