Watching from home, Pearl thinks Vols 'got better'

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No way that our team "got better last night".

I watch us play and I see the same problem--an offense that's based around perimeter play. This is the major flaw in Pearl's system, in my opinion. Until our bigs (Williams, Fields and Maymon) can consistently hit shots from 10 feet away, then we'll continue to have the same problems. Did anyone notice Florida's big men (Tyus and Macklin) both had inside games?

When you have legitimate big men, then it opens up the perimeter game. Last night (and during all of our other losses), we're trying to win or tie the game by taking outside shots from a lengthy distance. Teams know this and can pressure us all over the court because they know our inside game isn't going to likely result in a score (unless it's a put back dunk or 2 foot shot).

We need to get 15 points and 15 boards per game from our bigs. If we don't, we will not win many games (SEC or non-conference).

haha i didnt read the article but you beat me to my comment! seriously? one question, why so many 3 balls? DRIVE TO THE 'cuss word' BASKET!!! we need points in the paint, not 'hail mary' 3 balls! prove you can make a lay-up and then MAYBE consider the 3 ball. we dont have anybody who is a consistent sharpshooter and our offensive rebounding surely isnt good enough to back-up our missed shots. by the way brian williams is a complete joke! lets not recruit anymore video game wanna be ballers! or for that matter any swippaboy recording artist who have NO intention of playing at the next level! lets get some players who can play at the next level or at least think/hope they can play at the next level! GBO!!!

As much as I hate to say this, I don't expect Cal to have a bunch of losses.
GO VOLS!!!!!!!

Attn all of the people who knock Coach Pearl for his thoughts on the game: who knows more about basketball and the UT mens basketball team? You, who watches the game from your T.V. or Coach Pearl who is the HEAD COACH of the University of Tennessee mens basketball team. If he says the team got better, then im willing to bet that they got better. The man knows what he is talking about!

On what planet can you shoot 20% from the free throw line and win? How bout they practice free throws? I can't count how many games we've lost at the free throw line. Just this one fundamental could turn losses into wins. I don't have the time or the inclination to go in depth. Yes, CP was sippin' on something!

Pearl had never had a big man who knows how to take it to the rim. I am not sure Pearl knows how to coach a big man. Brian Williams gets the ball and instead of taking it to the hole he shoots some sissy short shot that misses. Most big men who have an impact take the ball to the hoop and either score or draw the foul. Scotty is big and athletic enough to take it to the rim but he pulls up and misses too many shots. We continually have too many guys standing outside the 3 point line when the ball is in the air going toward the goal. They need to crash the boards.
I wonder if Pearl has settled into mediocrity. He seen improvement in the Fla. loss? What game was he watching?

4 years ago this team would be undefeated under Pearl. Maybe he needs a year off and Hamilton send him to learn under coach Calipari how to cheat and not get caught???

now just why should anyone other than haters as yourself care whats going on with Duke??

I might know more when all the smoke clears and I get around all these mirrors.

GBO

No one to depend on when a shot is needed seems like they wait till the shot clock is almost out and then heave a brick. Defense looks like a replay, drive and dump to the bigs with a defender showing up after the shot but in time to foul or a wide open three.

took the words out of my mouth. Hopson dumps the ball back to Goins to let Goins take the desperation jumper. Shouldn't Hopson want the ball at crunch time, drive and draw a double team for a dump off, or Hopson take the low percentage shot himself? Is he worried about his hurting his shooting percentage? Looks like he doesn't really want the ball in his hands at the end, except for when we're playing UT MaRTIN. Can you imagine Lofton or JP giving up the rock with the clock winding down inside five seconds? Me neither?

Our size and length is great, but not against quicker guards, who blow by and hit a spot up shooter for an uncontested three or create layups inside once they're past their man. Don't know the solution but Chandler's wide open threes out of his spot in the left corner, and Arkansas dump off passes for layups in the paint were both direct results of the quicker smaller guards on each team, beating our defender and giving the ball up when our big men had to pull off and help out.

Don't know what you do about it except get a shutdown defender (Bone? has Goins shutdown defense gone to?) in there to take on their point guard. Pat had the same problem the last few years dealing with smaller, quicker guards and other teams beat her to death with it, just like the men's opponents are doing now.

It would hurt their pride too much to admit the current lineup is a broken failure and can't be repaired.

Pearl says sthis team can't press. They sure can't play defense but we need to figure out what five guys can press like the old Pearl days and have those guys in the game with 4 minutes to go when we are behind. Out of the 14 players we have, surely some combination of 5 can press. Arkansas had little ball handling skill and pressing would have hurt them. Work with the pressing guys every practice and spring it on someone (like Arkansas game) at a key moment.

As usual, condescending, disrespectful. Maybe you'll grow up someday and learn how to interact with people. It's hard to debate anything with someone who doesn't put any facts out in the first place.

We may not have the classic big men who can be counted on to score inside with some regularity, but we DO have inside players who can be effective inside zone defenses by passing the ball. Everybody is so fixated on Brian Williams' weaknesses that they don't give him credit for being one of the best interior passers we have. Harris also has the skills and temperament to go to the foul-line area, take a pass and redistribute it to open shooters.

I agree completely that the Vols can't continue to pass the ball around the perimeter and hope somebody gets a shot they can make. They MUST do more to establish a passing presence on the interior of zones and work more inside-out and high-low. While there are certain places on the court that should be occupied at all times, they shouldn't be occupied by the SAME guy who just stands there. All good offensive teams have constant movement against all defenses, making the defense MOVE with every pass and cut. It is all but pointless to pass the ball around the perimeter if the defense isn't forced to expend energy to defend. Until the Vols learn how to do this consistently, they will continue to stagnate in the half-court offense. As it is now, all we are doing is giving the defense a 20+-second on-court time-out every possession!

Well, if either Hopson or Harris--both of whom are ~70% FT shooters on the season--had made even ONE of the four free-throws they collectively missed in the late going, we wouldn't be having all this angst on here because we would have won in regulation time. Although the defense was woeful at times in the second half, the team still DID play well enough to beat Florida.

He must have a well stocked bar in his home!

I tend to agree with Plasticman and all those who think that CBP does not develop or know how to use his bigs. I see this often in the girls game where a coach gets gals 6ft + but just continually rely on the perimeter guard and get the pants beat off them because other coaches have found ways to nullify that perimeter game. The "bigs" in the Vols org. have a shooting problem. BW is slow, Fields can only swing from the rim when he is 2 feet away and create a little excitement and that is it. Have you watched fields dunk fest on U tube from his meager days at UNCW. Its entertaining bec. it worked in a mid-major. That phooey won't work here. Go figure why he is a Vol.

I'm glad to see Steven's minutes going down. He shouldn't see the court except in special situations. However, I feel we have one of the best coaches in the land. This has been a perplexing year for sure. However, we see we miss Coach Pearl on the bench the last two games. Tyler may be his mom's replacement one day.