5 consecutive losses in single-digit games

[gogators73]

Last win was the 66-63 win over Alabama.

Billy has to draw up better plays at the end of the game.

[jcp]

It's OK, we'll just win them all by 10 from now on.

[gatormoe1]

Sadly, I agree about Billy and late game situations. He loves that dribble dribble dribbles, chuck a contested three play a lot.

[Gator40]

And this is the 5th consecutive time we get posts about "well, let's hope they learn from this for the next close game."

[gatorfansrule]

He could really use a late game consultant on the staff. In my opinion, drawing up plays for special situations (like last possession plays and inbounding plays) is his only weakness, or at least his biggest weakness by far, as a coach.

[gogators73]

Yep. We either have to win big or hope that our dribble and chuck it up strategy works in the tourney.

Every time we are playing a close game, the other team is playing with house money. We might win a few that way, but we're going to lose more than we win.

[ufgator4ever]

Mike miller. Corey brewer. Both helped win close games at the end by shots going to the hoop. Just need donnovan to let rosario or wilbekin try.

[Jonas]

It might just be our roster. We just don't have a guy who can successfully create by himself at a high percentage. I don't get why we don't actually run our offense though instead of just dribble dribble chuck.

[akaGatorhoops]

Billy said after the game that the plan was for Scottie to drive the ball. He passed it to Kenny, who shot it.

[gatorfansrule]

That's what it looked like to me. Scottie tried to get a step, couldn't, so he tossed it over to Kenny and Kenny just took a shot at it.

[BLING]

Originally Posted by Jonas

It might just be our roster. We just don't have a guy who can successfully create by himself at a high percentage. I don't get why we don't actually run our offense though instead of just dribble dribble chuck.

I thought this was going to be an issue early in the season, and I was bitching about how "we don't have a real PG", then Wilbekin really stepped up his game big time...so I pretty much felt like an idiot.

I think Rosario is pretty good at slashing to the lane, so is Boynton (and Boynton has a knack for creating contact and finishing). Clearly dribble penetration is not Wilbekin's strength even though he has been "stable" at PG, but with 3 guards, you should be able to get something better than just chucking a 3. Generally speaking, if you attack the basket in those situations you get rewarded. If you just chuck a 3, you don't get rewarded, and instead are just putting up a prayer. The fact that we have lost 9 out of 10 in these situations I think is pretty "statistically significant".

[ufgator4ever]

My hunch is there's at least one close game left to be played. Ill be happy to take whatever result, so long as it doesn't involve multiple jacked 3s.

[gatormann]

I actually think Wilbekin has looked very good driving the ball, lately.

I think this one was on Boynton for heaving up a bad shot. It is too bad because I thought Boynton was playing pretty well, overall.

For what it is worth, I didn't like the three ball that Wilbekin drained earlier. It may have been late in the shot clock, though.

[tommyuf21]

It was late in the shot clock.

Missouri defender did a nice job cutting off Scottie's penetration. They played good defense against us in the second half. I don't hear too many people giving them much credit. It reminds me of Kentucky fans, who think their team never lost because their opponent outplayed them. It was always because of something they did that let the other team win.

[Ahab]

Missouri definitely played good defense. If we're trying to get something going to the hoop, then I think Rosario should have the ball. He's our best driver.

[gator07]

Originally Posted by gatorfansrule

In my opinion, drawing up plays for special situations (like last possession plays and inbounding plays) is his only weakness, or at least his biggest weakness by far, as a coach.

I agree. When was the last time we ran something decent and went to the hoop or got to the line or just took a good shot with the clock winding down and the game on the line?

It seems like when the clock is winding down we either (a) don't even get a shot off or (b) attempt a contested three pointer when we might not even need 3.

We make it easy on both the defense and the officials by putting pressure on neither.

At this point if the game is tied, I know we are going to OT, and if we are down I assume its going to be a loss.

[gator07]

To be fair though, the look Rosario got at the buzzer was pretty darn good considering we had to go full court in three seconds. Somehow even better than Boynton's attempt.

[TampaGatorFan]

Originally Posted by gator07

To be fair though, the look Rosario got at the buzzer was pretty darn good considering we had to go full court in three seconds. Somehow even better than Boynton's attempt.

I don't know what KB was thinking, going for a 3 when they only needed a 2 to take the lead or a made FT to tie.

[gogators73]

Originally Posted by gator07

To be fair though, the look Rosario got at the buzzer was pretty darn good considering we had to go full court in three seconds. Somehow even better than Boynton's attempt.

I wish that had been Frazier II taking that shot. Ice in his veins.

[patsyruth2008]

Originally Posted by akaGatorhoops

Billy said after the game that the plan was for Scottie to drive the ball. He passed it to Kenny, who shot it.

AKA;

Let me preface this statement with the fact that coach Donovan has forgotten more about basketball then I am ever going to know................. However..........

If our intent was to take the ball to the basket, why did we not run the play that worked EVERY single time in the second half except once and that was on a lousy pass by Rosario.

We had Scottie pass to Mike Rosario and then brush off a screen by Murphy and get to the wing, where Mike would got the ball back to Scottie. Then Patric Young would come across the key, set the pick for Scottie and they would run a two man game from the wing. We ran that 5-6 times in the second half and Scottie got into the lane on each occassion and either got fouled or made the lay-up.

In this case, you put Frazier in for Patric (because of free throw shooting) and let Murphy set the screen for Scottie. If this happens you get:

1) Scottie with a lay-up or "runner" like you got each time we ran the play.

2) Eric Murphy going to the basket and either hitting a lay-up OR getting fouled.

OR what I think would have happened.............

3) Missouri's defense collapses on the play and Rosario, Frazier or Kenny have a wide open three in rhythm.

Now the results may have still been the same (missed three), but I do not think there would be as much bit*ching about the last possession. Just a thought.