Post Game Thoughts | Texas Tech Red Raiders 71, UTEP Miners 82
by Seth C on Dec 19, 2010 7:19 AM CST
in Texas Tech Basketball
Email
PrintBox Score | Post Game Quotes
THE RESULT | PRETTY MUCH THE SAME THING | This is a bit of a reduction, but we've seen this movie before. First, John Roberson and Mike Singletary did not start. It's probably not accurate to say that they were benched, which implies to me that they didn't play at all. By the end of the game, they both saw 28 minutes, so although they didn't start, they played. I honestly don't know what the message is from Pat Knight by not starting the two seniors. The announcers said that he wanted more leadership from them and I don't understand how by not starting the two of them, but playing them about the same amount of time makes any difference.
So what we have here is PK not starting his two best players and he's also effectively benched his freshmen class after giving them some time early in the season. I don't know what else he's going to do to this team other than play out the season.
It's quite clear that this team is under-performing and I truthfully believe that PK isn't sure why. The defense continues to be bad as UTEP shot 45.5% from the field and eFG% of 52.5%. And at this point, it's a collective defensive effort. It's guys missing assignments and help defenders not rotating properly or at all.
And to address the idea of replacing PK in the middle of the year of the year, I don't think that happens. That's not to say that I think the sooner the better, but logistically, if PK were terminated (it would probably be done without notice) then the new head coach must assemble a staff, implement the offense and defense during the toughest stretch of the year, which is conference play. I don't recall a situation where the coach is terminated and a completely new staff comes in during the middle of the year. The normal route is to retain an assistant coach as the interim head coach and then make the hire immediately after the season. Yes, this means that we have two more months of less than stellar basketball to watch, but I just don't that's going to happen. I'd also add that by hiring a coach after the season, you give the perception to fans that the program is changing directions and to have some hope for the new year. If the new head coach comes in and flounders in the middle of the season, fans are going to be even less than patient than they already are.
Head Coach Pat Knight
I thought we played well in the first half. We shot .500 from the field and made seven of our eight free throw attempts. In the second half, we missed a lay-up at the start and they came down the court and made two three-pointers with just over a minute off the clock. We would mount a comeback and they were able to hold the lead. I think we brought their lead down to five points on three or four occasions and they managed to extend the lead back to eight or nine points. Then near the end of the game, we had to foul and they made some free throws.
MVP | PF D`walyn Roberts Roberts is starting to look like he's almost 100% completely healthy (10 Pts; 5-12 FG; 7 Reb; 2 Ast; 2 Stl; 2 Blk; 0 TO). He does play tough defense and it seems that he's continually scrambling to make something happen.
Analysis after the jump.
POST GAME THOUGHTS |
|
GUARDS |
Starting was PG Mike Davis and SG David Tairu they were okay. Tairu's minutes have been significantly cut for whatever reason. I don't think he's that bad of a player, but he's become a non-factor at this point of the season and he went 0-4 last night. Davis is a good hustle-player, but I don't know that he ever aveages 10 points a game for Texas Tech. He's a liability on offense, but that's not why he's out there. I just can't figure out Roberson (10 Pts; 4-12 FG; 5 Ast; 2 TO) in that for the year, he's averaging 13 points a game this year but he's shooting the same percentage that he did when he was a sophomore. Last year, Roberson shot 42% and you would think that this would improve as a senior, but whether it's just part of his shot selection or that he's always going to just make somewhere close to 40% of his shots isn't helping this team. PG Javarez Willis had 12 minutes, but they were fairly invisible minutes. I hardly noticed him on the floor. |
FORWARDS |
As mentioned above, maybe the best part of the game is that Roberts looks completely healthy. He's going after loose balls and for him to get 7 boards is a move in the right direction. And yes, I'm struggling to find silver-linings at this point. SF Brad Reese is going to have a good line (16 Pts; 6-14 FG; 6 Reb; 2 Ast; 2 TO) but in my opinion, he sometimes struggles with his shot selection and althoug PK has confidence in Reese's game as a 6-6 small forward that doesn't use his length enough to get easy baskets, he's still shooting 43.2% for the year. SF Mike Singletary probably had one of his better games, but he was non-existant in the first half, but actually stayed inside and shoot the ball within 10 feet of the goal or get to the line (17 Pts; 5-9 FG; 6 Reb; 2 Ast; 3 TO). PF Robert Lewandowski was instrumental in keeping Texas Tech in the game in the first half, hitting a variety of post-moves and hook-shots, scoring 8 points. The problem is that he only finished with 9 points for the game (9 Pts; 4-7 FG; 7 Reb). For the second straight game, I've noticed that Lew is tugging at his shirt to get out of the game because he's gassed. Am I crazy to think that he shouldn't be so tired playing all 31 minutes in a game. I'd like to look at his 1st half and 2nd half splits, but he needs to be a bigger factor for this team. PF Paul Cooper continues to get a little time subbing in for Lew. Like the rest of the team, he's late on defensive rotations. SF Jaye Crockett got 2 minutes of playing time and sat the bench the rest of the way. While in the game, I think he was guarding Julyan Stone and Stone promptly had two transition 3-point plays while Crockett was guarding him. I don't blame PK for benching Crockett for not getting back on defense, but PK shouldn't be so unforgiving when the entire team struggles defensively. |
COACHING |
The defense continues to be bad, and if there's one thing that I thought when PK was hired as the head coach, that this team would be a relentless defensive team. PK didn't emphasize it in his first full season and it seems as if that's been the case for his entire tenure. As mentioned above, I'm not sure if PK has a real idea as to where to turn next. He just might be out of tricks as there's really no one else to bench or blame. PK has usually always taken the blame when the situation is warranted and I think he's been pretty truthful about his assessment prior to the year, but this just isn't making any sense on so many levels. |
FOUR FACTORS
Fancy basketball glossary found here.
PLAYER IMPACT
15 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Very Disappointed
A couple years ago I was very much looking forward to this year. I thought the seniors would be much better and help us make the big tournament. Plus, some of our other big 12 foes would be down a little. But, it is same ole, same ole. Pat seems like a great guy, but something is just not clicking for the coaching. We are Tech, but I feel we should be a little more competitive.
Guns Up!
So far, BB has been a huge disappointment
This was supposed to be Tech’s year – at least with this team. PK just does not seem to be the right coach for this group of players and for TTU. For some reason, there continues to be mind games played between the coach and the players. PK is following BK, but PK has no history.
It almost seems as if the players have given up on PK, don’t respect him, and “lash-out” by playing individual ball rather than team ball.
Take the "P" out of "Pirate" and I'm "Irate"!!!
PK does not emphasize defense
The total irreverence for defense has been the biggest difference between the extremely stiffly highly physical Tech defenses of the Bobby Knight era to the ‘zero’ defense mediocre offense of the Pat Knight teams. The difference in the outcome is obvious, whereas with Knight we went to the Big Dance or NIT in all but one year, under PK its a question of whether we end up with a winning or a losing record. We were initially losing to the Big XII teams now we are losing to the likes of UTEP, UNT, TCU, USF etc.
Tech basketball is irrelevant.
Pat is in over his head and doesnt know what he is doing. I could find a class A JV basketball coach who could teach a turnip to play better defense.
seth thanks for continuing to cover tech basketball
That way we will know when we get a new coach
"As we continue to merely "talk about championships""
by blackbeard on Dec 19, 2010 1:21 PM CST via mobile reply actions
I'm at a loss
On crockett’s minutes..he appears to be our best athlete and you would think getting him up and running for big 12 play would be a priority.
"It's fun to do bad things"- Latarian
by oldschoolraider on Dec 19, 2010 1:44 PM CST reply actions
Could Billy Gillespie
coach up this bunch. If so I say hire him now and let him start working with the young guys. At least he’d know what he has to try to find in late season recruiting. As bad as these guys play not sure anyone will want the Tech job.
Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please - Mark Twain
Wine is constant proof that God loves us and loves to see us happy -
Benjamin Franklin
by IndianaRedRaider on Dec 19, 2010 1:45 PM CST reply actions
This team would be better off with the players coaching themselves!
PK has lost the team, or more precisley, the team has quit on PK. Of course, if TTU had an AD or BOD that were worth a damn, we would never have been in this mess.
Fire PK today, hire Billy the Kid Gillespie, and Tech immediately becomes a much better team. Once the team quits on a coach, you never win the players back.
Tech BB is irrelevant.
Take the "P" out of "Pirate" and I'm "Irate"!!!
Deserving
I am not very happy about the way this team has played this year, but Pat Knight does deserve an opportunity to get this team to where it will play a much better brand of basketball during the coming conference schedule. He has put in a lot of time trying to get these athletes to perform up to, and hopefully beyond, their capabilities. Right now, he just has not been able to get them to improve sufficiently to win, even when they should. They struggle in each game to play well. With the team being so inept on defense, one must wonder exactly why they cannot do better to slow down or stop the opposition. I don’t know if they can improve very much this deep into the season, but allowing Knight to finish out the year is a better scenario than trying to find a replacement now, hoping he can be successful in a short span of time. If the team does not get better by the end of the year (hopefully sooner) then it is imperative that a change in head coaching be made, including cleaning house of the rest of the staff. Should a new coach come in for next year, he will need to be able to hire his assistants across the board and start Tech anew at improving. Some people want Gillespie. If he is brought on board, I sure hope he what we need. I would hate to see someone come in anew and have similar or worse results than has Knight.
TTpilk Psalm 117:
1 ΒΆ O praise the LORD, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people.
2 For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever. Praise ye the LORD.
Where is Dandy Don when you need him?
Dandy Don, I can hear you! “…turn out the lights, the party’s over…”. Thanks Dandy for your infinite wisdom.
Take the "P" out of "Pirate" and I'm "Irate"!!!
I guess the
only basketball-positive thing going on is what Christy Curry has cooking. The ladies are 10-1 and should be ranked or getting some good vote love this week.
I liked the way the game went for the Lady Raiders against Pitt
Reminded me of days past…I am not saying that they are all that good, but they are making progress and showing signs…
as for me and my house, we chose the Lord.
Attended the Game and Was Not Surprised.
Tech is not playing with any energy. After playing a good first half, UTEP came out and jumped on top, and never let Tech get close. Tech plays very poor defense. No one helps, which is absolutely necessary in man defense. Good win for UtEp but poor showing by Tech.
Thanks, Gerald
I find it incredibly ironic that our weakest program is the very one that our AD used to build his reputation. No other program has regressed more than our men’s basketball program (although women’s volleyball has worked diligently to lay claim to that title).
I agree the new AD should select our next coach, but Gerald should take some action based merely on principle. Hell, I would rather see him take the reins for conference play than continue to endure this misery. With Gerald at the helm, at least I can experience some guilty pleasure with on-court humiliation (knowing it’s pinned on his butt). PK should leave immediately.
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Double-T Nation
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
