Jeeeeeeeeeeebuz this team is frustrating. Lost by 12. Got down 31-13 early. Finally fought their way back to get it to 5-7 points a couple of times in the 2nd half. BUT:
Way too many missed gimme' shots, like Ross-Miller's top 10 bloopers break away layup.
Way too many unforced turnovers. Hey Bowers, you are NOT Charles Barkley. Give it up to someone who can dribble. I thought Pearl was going to run him out of the gym.
And most importantly...the stat of the night. AU is BY FAR the worst free throw shooting team in the SEC. And it cost them the game IMO. At one point, they were 1-9 in the second half.
Their tenacious D got them back and kept them in the game. They absolutely get after you on D. They could have and maybe should have beaten this team tonight. They just beat themselves badly.
Oh...and blow that God forsaken piece of crap court to smithereens.
Couple of other takeaways.
1) Make a fucking free throw. Missed six or seven straight that would have been Commode momentum killers.
2) What the fuck with the offensive fouls? Twice AU had momentum, the ball and a chance to make it a one-possession game. Both times they drew offensive fouls. The first came after they'd clawed back from 13 down (despite bricking every free throw off the garbage can on the second level hot dog stand) and trailed by five. Drove to the basket, got a questionable charging call. Panicked a little and before they got it back together were down by 10 again. The second came after being down by 10 at 6:00 left and scratching back to just five behind with a minute left. Hoop and harm called by one ref -- cutting the deficit to possibly two -- but was waved off by another who called a fucking charge. On the next possession, Vandy scored to go back up by seven. Pretty much over then when you're shooting 30% from the floor.
Score said 12, but it was really a five or six point type game.
Make a free throw. Box a few people out and this team is going to win some games.
BUT..
It can't shoot less than 50% from the line, less than 40% from the field and get out-rebounded by 20 -- on the road -- and expect to win.
I will say the team I watched tonight showed me more flashes of talent and more heart than I've seen since the early Lebo years. Yeah, it panicked a couple of times, hasn't learned how to step on an opponent's throat when things start to swing its way and doesn't quite yet know it can win any time it hits the floor. But I could see it coming. Will we break .500 in the SEC? Who knows.
I think we can easily split with Alabama.
Beating A&M twice isn't a stretch.
We play Tennessee once, AT Tennessee and they'll want to break our dicks in half. I'd say loss at this point.
Missouri, i don't know. They're talking like we have no chance against them at home, but I don't believe that. Can we beat them twice? No. Once maybe.
South Carolina, I don't know. Does Steve Spurrier still coach them? They're improved. Play them once and at home. Hard to say. Tossup?
LSU is a much better team than a year ago. We seem to struggle with these kittens so pretend we lose both.
Ole Miss thinks they're hot shit after pushing Kentucky to OT. Arkansas we only play once. At home. We beat one of these. Maybe two.
Mississippi State once at home. Not impressed. Win.
Play Kentucky on the road. One and done with the Wildcats. Fuck. Loss.
Florida is weaker, but we play those fucks just once and of course on the road. What bullshit is this? Why do we have motherfucking road games against Florida, Vandy, Kentucky and UT from the East? Why do we play Missouri and Georgia from the East twice, but Arkansas and Ole Miss from the West just once? Who approved this abortion of a schedule? Seriously?
So here's my thinking.
1-1 vs. Bama
0-1 vs. Vandy
Lose to Florida, Kentucky, Tennessee, LSU twice
1-1 vs. the So. Carolina/Arkansas combo
2-0 vs. A&M
2-0 vs. the State of Mississippi
1-1 vs. Georgia
1-1 vs. Missouri (best case I guess)
That's 8-10. Fucking gross.
But .500 is possible. Sneak a win vs. LSU. Beat that shitty Alabama team twice. Pull off an upset against UF, UT or hahaha UK.
We get to .500 after the last lifetime of:
6-12
3-15
5-11
4-12
6-10
10-6
4-12
7-9
4-12
4-12
5-11
8-8
4-12
7-9
9-7
14-2
7-9
6-10
6-10
7-9
3-13
8-8
5-11
5-13
8-10
SONNY ENDS
2-16
11-7
9-9
13-5
8-10
12-6
8-10
7-11
SONNY BEGINS
God, that's awful.
Turn that history around? Get to .500? Build a Pearl monument on campus. YICH.