Game Thread - @ Louisville,1/22

[Connell62]

I am not convinced. I think we needed Banks -- that much is for certain. But we could've given the other guys a breather. Let me put it this way - we know what happens when we don't. It's the same script every time. We run out of gas and cannot close out the game.

I’d like to see Moore and Cole get a few more minutes too, but I also understand why they aren’t getting PT.

Regarding all the mins not allowing us to close, it could be a factor, but we came back from 11 down with 5:00 left to play.

 

[reckrider]

U of L hoops coaches' salaries highest in ACC

JEFF GREER | @JEFFGREER_CJ | 2:35 pm EST December 15, 2016

The University of Louisville's assistant coaches are likely the highest-paid men's basketball coaches at public schools in the Atlantic Coast Conference, a review of 24 coaches contracts obtained by the Courier-Journal found.

U of L pays more than $1.2 million in base salary to its three assistant coaches, a figure larger than the seven other schools whose coaches' contracts can be accessed through open-records requests. Seven ACC institutions - Boston College, Duke, Miami, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Syracuse and Wake Forest - are not subject to open-records laws.

Combined with head coach Rick Pitino's annual salary of nearly $5.1 million, U of L spends more than $6.3 million on its hoops coaches. Only Duke, which pays head coach Mike Krzyzewski $7.3 million annually and associate head coach Jeff Capel $525,785 a year, is believed to have a higher salary base for its coaching staff.


Maybe we need to give CJP better bench help.

Sorry. My mistake. Old data, but still. Mack has Dino Gaudio in the bench for game help. Josh is the youngest coach in the league. He needs help but I’d hate to fire the next Bobby Bowden who also had a pretty lousy record his first few seasons.

 

[Milwaukee]

There is certainly reasons to bit**, but tonight is not a time for it. I guess all teams have fans that bit** about everything, but GT seems to have more than their share. Usually it is due to some sort of complex.

Or maybe pull your head out of your *** and look at things collectively like most. Tonight isn’t the straw that broke the camel’s back, hell, we played ok. Why are you trying to insinuate that as your strawman? Like the faithful are only upset now that we lost on the road to a good team...quite a stretch you’re trying to make. It’s the overall picture.

 

[gte447f]

I thought the 3 shot at the end was a perfect, gutsy call by CJP, considering our foul trouble, player exhaustion and playing on the road against the #6 team.

I wish we had a better bench, but we were not too exhausted to come back from 11 down in what, the last 3 minutes.

I too thought the 3 ball on the last possession wasn’t a bad play. Probably had as good a chance or better than trying to drive and risk a turnover. I feel bad for devoe that he missed it.

 

[gt02]

I’d like to see Moore and Cole get a few more minutes too, but I also understand why they aren’t getting PT.

Regarding all the mins not allowing us to close, it could be a factor, but we came back from 11 down with 5:00 left to play.

That's fair. I wasn't as down on today's loss. The problem is, at some point you have to start winning games like this. Or at least your share of them.

 

[scotts]

I thought we played well tonight. Moses was fouled on the play but the ref was afraid to blow the whistle. 17 turnovers - that’s why we lost. The team has improved offensively this year, especially after JA has returned.
I’m not worried about the number of players we are using in a game. CBC only played 7 players

 

[lv20gt]

Right, and whose fault is it that we don't have a decent bench again? When you overrecruit transfers that tends to happen. Just like Gregory.

If you want to lament Pastner's recruiting then be my guest, and I wouldn't argue. I think he's done a good job putting together a starting group that can compete in the ACC with anyone (by the fact that we now have played pretty close games with all 3 of the top teams) but the weakness is showing in the depth. I wouldn't blame transfers though because usually transfers hurt because of increased roster turnover. Since none of our transfers have graduated yet that isn't a factor. But last year's class wasn't good, although I liked the additions of Parham and Usher and think Price will develop into a solid piece by his junior year. But we took a stretch in Didenko who has proven his doubters correct by the looks of it and left a scholarship open so the transfers we're taking up spots that could have gone to others either.

I agree we have depth issue, but I don't think having Jose/Mike/Moses/James sit more would solve that. I think either further player development and better recruiting will help that. IMO the class we have coming in is a step in the right direction. I think landing Sotto would greatly improve that. As far as development goes, it's hard for someone to really turn it on mid year. Moses did pretty much do that at the tail end of last year, and with Usher and Bubba being new to the program there is hope, but unfortunately that is usually an offseason thing.

I am not convinced. I think we needed Banks -- that much is for certain. But we could've given the other guys a breather. Let me put it this way - we know what happens when we don't. It's the same script every time. We run out of gas and cannot close out the game.

We know what happens when Jose is out so I don't agree that he can be sat more. As far as Mike and Moses go, maybe, but the argument for playing more guys letting our starters be fresher at the end is dependent on us getting to the same end scenario when playing worse players more. I just don't buy that, and I think the argument relies basically on shrugging and saying "it could happen". It's an argument more just for change for the sake of change.

 

[gt02]

We know what happens when Jose is out so I don't agree that he can be sat more. As far as Mike and Moses go, maybe, but the argument for playing more guys letting our starters be fresher at the end is dependent on us getting to the same end scenario when playing worse players more. I just don't buy that, and I think the argument relies basically on shrugging and saying "it could happen". It's an argument more just for change for the sake of change.

I don't disagree. My point was simply that we aren't winning with the rotation we have, and some of that looks to be due to fatigue -- so why not try change for the sake of change?

 

[lv20gt]

I don't disagree. My point was simply that we aren't winning with the rotation we have, and some of that looks to be due to fatigue -- so why not try change for the sake of change?

Because we have a chance to win with what we have been doing and IMO if we sat our starters more the game would just be out of reach by the time the end of the game came around. Now, I would rather have a chance to win it at the end with tired players than have fresh players and not have a chance and I haven't seen an argument as to why we could expect to have a chance with playing the others more. Change for the sake of change makes sense when what your doing gives you know chance to win. I don't see us as having no chance to win doing what we are doing, so I think potential changes should have more reasoning behind them.

 

[Jazzchaz]

Because we have a chance to win with what we have been doing and IMO if we sat our starters more the game would just be out of reach by the time the end of the game came around. Now, I would rather have a chance to win it at the end with tired players than have fresh players and not have a chance and I haven't seen an argument as to why we could expect to have a chance with playing the others more. Change for the sake of change makes sense when what your doing gives you know chance to win. I don't see us as having no chance to win doing what we are doing, so I think potential changes should have more reasoning behind them.

I agree....and I swear when I read some of these posts I think I need to refresh the screen
1. Some of you talk about lack of recruiting over and over and over but the last time I checked, our class for next year looks good on paper....that is, to me it looks closer to what you want. If they all bomb next year, well, then talk about recruiting....and what does this have to do with a thread on the Louisville game?
2. Y'all are whining because we only played seven players tonight, but did you follow the last two games at all? Mike Brey only played seven AND Tony Bennett only played seven. Just maybe they thought that was their best chance to win?
Heck, one of those seven for Virginia only played 4 minutes. One played 39 minutes and another played all 40 minutes.
We shot 15-20 at the line tonight but 3-9 against Virginia. We also lost three or four made baskets against Virginia because players shuffled their feet on the way up. That's frustrating for any coach.
I'm not saying you can't raise questions about Pastner but why not talk about things that apply to the games themselves? For example, I would like to know why we never have a time out left at the end of a game. One of the past two home games we called time out with a about a minute left before the the under eight minutes time out. I suppose Pastner felt that resting his players was more important than having the time out at the end....it's worth discussing for sure.
Also, we threw some home run passes tonight and I wish we had tried that some on Virginia. I think we should have tried to force a more up tempo game with them.
Tonight was faster paced and even with their long bench, we were a good look at a three away from winning.

 

[OG-T]

Undefeated in moral victories again this year.

Feel really bad for players. Played at level that competes with anyone. Moses got hammered on arm at end, but did push off a little to get board. Liked Devoe 3 at end; he had small defender on him.

CJP’s rotation is not sustainable. My biggest complaint. He has talent on the bench. Moore started games. Phillips started games in SEC 3 years ago. Price can give 5 mins. Cole is active. Talent to go 9 deep. Only remote chance to dance is to win ACC Tourney, which is not impossible since every team can be beat by another in ACC, meaning, may not have to face every key seed in ACCT to go on run. Think there will be upsets. One sure way to guarantee no multi game run is to play only 6 players for multi games on no days rest. This no sub formula CJP has now leads to fatigue, injury and subs in tournament who have no rhythm or confidence. Open up bench now CJP!!!

 

[Deleted member 2897]

You are one hell of an optimist.
Seriously though, I agree that first half was very good (except still too many turnovers), but ultimately we lose another close game. One would think in close games, you win some, you lose some, but we lose every single one.

Well we did lose again. We do win close ones too.

Arill, were playing the best basketball we have in a decade. Lead against the #6 team on the road the entire game, got nipped at the end.

 

[Deleted member 2897]

#PastnerOut

TStan, handle your business son.

Lead against the #6 team on the road the entire game and barely lose. Best basketball we’ve played in a decade. FIRE PASTNER! Am I doing this right?

 

[Deleted member 2897]

Undefeated in moral victories again this year.

Feel really bad for players. Played at level that competes with anyone. Moses got hammered on arm at end, but did push off a little to get board. Liked Devoe 3 at end; he had small defender on him.

CJP’s rotation is not sustainable. My biggest complaint. He has talent on the bench. Moore started games. Phillips started games in SEC 3 years ago. Price can give 5 mins. Cole is active. Talent to go 9 deep. Only remote chance to dance is to win ACC Tourney, which is not impossible since every team can be beat by another in ACC, meaning, may not have to face every key seed in ACCT to go on run. Think there will be upsets. One sure way to guarantee no multi game run is to play only 6 players for multi games on no days rest. This no sub formula CJP has now leads to fatigue, injury and subs in tournament who have no rhythm or confidence. Open up bench now CJP!!!

After only about 10 minutes in, we had t subbed yet, but Louisville had already played 11. You just had this sense we would tire out and wear down by the end.

 

[Peacone36]

Hopefully the boys are having fun, because that’s what really matters

 

[Techster]

Hopefully the boys are having fun, because that’s what really matters

EVERYONE GETS A PARTICIPATION TROPHY!!!

(and orange slices)

 

[Rzunz]

I agree with taking the open 3. Told SWMBO before the play. Devoe pulled the trigger a bit early and a tad outside his range, but he was obviously open, on line, and just short. If he makes UL actually has plenty of time to go down and score. Love our players and our heart. Agree with many about the bench. Not much I can do down in Tampa but pull for the Jackets. Go get the Wolfpack. Hope you local guys pull ‘em through!!

 

[TaxJacket]

Lead against the #6 team on the road the entire game and barely lose. Best basketball we’ve played in a decade. FIRE PASTNER! Am I doing this right?

One again, as other have said, people are calling for his head because of how the season has gone as a whole, not just this game. Don't lose to Arkansas, Ball St., Syracuse, and Notre Dame and you won't see people saying fire CJP after this loss....

 

[Deleted member 2897]

One again, as other have said, people are calling for his head because of how the season has gone as a whole, not just this game. Don't lose to Arkansas, Ball St., Syracuse, and Notre Dame and you won't see people saying fire CJP after this loss....

Once again you forget what our team was like when we only had 3 starters, sometimes 2. And look at those games LOL - fire Pastner because someone hit a 40 foot bank in at the buzzer? LOL. Notre Dame is 12 points from being 16-2.

 

[sidewalkGTfan]

Lead against the #6 team on the road the entire game and barely lose. Best basketball we’ve played in a decade. FIRE PASTNER! Am I doing this right?

Pastner is undefeated if you count moral victories. Meanwhile, the only real record that everybody else looks at is 8-11 overall and 3-6 in the conference. They've lost 3 in a row and 4 out of their last 5. Two of those losses are to teams that wouldn't make the NCAAT if the selection was this weekend. Our best win of the year so far is against NC State, which feels like a lifetime ago since it was the first game of the season. Since then, we haven't beaten a team that amounts to ****. The low point of the season was getting smoked on our home court by Ball State, so yeah things are definitely better than they were but we aren't playing "good" basketball. We've played better basketball for stretches in the past 10 years. Heck, in Gregory's last season, that team played pretty well the last 10 or so games of the regular season. This is quickly going down as Pastner's worst season of coaching since he started here.