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The State of the UT Basketball Program
Topic Started: Mar 20 2012, 07:48 AM (78 Views)
*TennesseeTuxedo
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Our season is over.

How did our team fare against your expectations?

What does our program need to make the step? Is it realistic?

How do you feel about the job that Cuonzo Martin did? Is he the long-term answer?
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douggoss


They did better than anticipated in the regular season. Did not see beating FL twice, UCONN and coming the closest to beating KY. May have won a few more with a completely healthy Maymon. I think he played hurt all year.

That said they underachieved in both tournaments, not due to losing when they did but losing when they did to who they did. Saw the same issues against Ole Miss as MTSU - horrible offensive game planning and/or execution. The announcers last night went on at length about getting the ball to Maymon or Stokes and they were right. Maymon, on one leg, could not be stopped by MTSU yet we take lousy off balance 3's, McCray jacks up miss after miss and yet nothing is done by the staff to stop it. Another thing that chapped my ass last night was the announcers going on more than once about TN waiting for a media time out, the first time we were sitting on all of our time outs. Why we did not use one is beyond me.

I am encouraged about the off season as I saw vast improvements in Maymon, McBee and (at times) Golden. So I do think the staff will do well with Stokes. Hopefully they can do something with Richardson and McCray as both seem to have good athletic ability but not so much on the hoops smarts. One thing to me that is is critical (ok two things) is to find another point guard for when Golden gets in early foul trouble (like last night) and another good big, in case Hall not back. These are not unrealistic goals. Not asking for an all world point guard but a serviceable one. I would go JUCO for that. Not sure about the ones we already have coming in.

As for Cuonzo I'll be the first to admit I was underwhelmed, partly due to his resume and partly due to the loss of Bruce. In some areas he has done better than expected - player development, won a few I did not think we would, no New Year's Day with the cops incidents. etc... In others I am still on the fence. Yes he got Stokes but there was a ton of foundation laid by Bruce. His other recruits have not shown much yet so he needs to step up in recruiting the level of player we need to win, not all 5*s but the right mix. I also have to question some game management issues. I thought both the MTSU and Ole Miss games were very winnable (even with injury's, Hall out, etc...) but in both games we went on LONG spells of not scoring (like 30% of the half long) and yet we do not take a time out to address. Yes the call was shitty in the Ole Miss game but as I use to tell people who were being fired, it was not the last offense that got you, it was the 11 before that when they added up to 12 (had a 12 strike per year policy there). For a guy hell bent on execution of a system ( and on defense that went well I thought) it seems we do not hold the offense to the same standard. Jury is still out on long-term. REcruiting and beating teams you should in tournaments will help determine that.
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