UNC at GT 12/31/16

LibertyTurns

Banned
Messages
6,216
There going to come out fired up tomorrow...Moore is an absolute gamer and will have them believing they can beat UNC...Okogie will be in attack mode,hoping his aggressive nature along with Heaths and Moore's ability to penetrate can get Q and TJ going on some nice kick outs.
The bottom line will be if Ben can stay out of foul trouble going up against Hicks and Meeks,there going to bang and be his biggest challenge this far...I think he'll step up and play well.AD and Obongda need to come alive and rebound.I think our best bet is to stick to the original script...play up tempo heavy ball movement attacking style with Ben as the focal point offensively....play aggressive defensively and win the 50/50's.This could be a breakout game for Okogie...think he'll have no fear and go for 20+
You either need to do this for a living or buy a lottery ticket immediately!
 

ChasonBaller

on Pastner Polo watch
Messages
3,534
This is huge!! Migos is running the city right now and got the #1 song on iTunes at the moment along with 1.9 million followers on Instagram. Get them on the bandwagon and GT will takeoff(a pun some might understand :) )
Screenshot_20161231-154314.png
 

Bruce Wayne

Helluva Engineer
Messages
1,870
What was y'all's favorite aspects, moments, etc., about this game and win?

For me it was watching the Jackets hold onto a lead . . . and even expand on it . . . in a late game situation, really the last five minutes. It has been such a long time since we have seen that with any regularity. This is just one game and it doesn't change the facts about the team, but, boy was it nice to see them manage to maintain defensive pressure, and their overall composure, to hold onto a lead at the end.

Oh, and tied for best part was the work at the free throw line! Even if just for one game it was so refreshing to see.

(Maybe I should make this a new thread).
 

Peacone36

Helluva Engineer
Messages
10,504
Location
Maine
What was y'all's favorite aspects, moments, etc., about this game and win?

For me it was watching the Jackets hold onto a lead . . . and even expand on it . . . in a late game situation, really the last five minutes. It has been such a long time since we have seen that with any regularity. This is just one game and it doesn't change the facts about the team, but, boy was it nice to see them manage to maintain defensive pressure, and their overall composure, to hold onto a lead at the end.

Oh, and tied for best part was the work at the free throw line! Even if just for one game it was so refreshing to see.

(Maybe I should make this a new thread).

Watching Ben pass out of that high post was impressive. They couldn't stop that at all.
 

McCamish Maniacs

Helluva Engineer
Messages
2,199
What was y'all's favorite aspects, moments, etc., about this game and win?

For me it was watching the Jackets hold onto a lead . . . and even expand on it . . . in a late game situation, really the last five minutes. It has been such a long time since we have seen that with any regularity. This is just one game and it doesn't change the facts about the team, but, boy was it nice to see them manage to maintain defensive pressure, and their overall composure, to hold onto a lead at the end.

Oh, and tied for best part was the work at the free throw line! Even if just for one game it was so refreshing to see.

(Maybe I should make this a new thread).

Watching Ben pass out of that high post was impressive. They couldn't stop that at all.

Gonna agree with both of you. Was a weird sensation to actually feel confident at the end of a game. Ben might be best passer on the team. Such a huge weapon.
 

coolhaji33

Jolly Good Fellow
Messages
411
What was y'all's favorite aspects, moments, etc., about this game and win?

For me it was watching the Jackets hold onto a lead . . . and even expand on it . . . in a late game situation, really the last five minutes. It has been such a long time since we have seen that with any regularity. This is just one game and it doesn't change the facts about the team, but, boy was it nice to see them manage to maintain defensive pressure, and their overall composure, to hold onto a lead at the end.

Oh, and tied for best part was the work at the free throw line! Even if just for one game it was so refreshing to see.

(Maybe I should make this a new thread).
Alot of great moments but the one that summed the game up for me best was late in the game about 1:40 Heath takes his guy off the dribble drawing help...he kicks out to an open Moore who wisely makes the extra pass to a WIDE OPEN Okogie in the corner 3,the best shot in the game. Bucket.Game.Star is born and the unselfish extra pass mentality of the Pastner brand wins out.There energy was far superior...program win today echoes will be heard by the recruits out there.Moving on to Duke...
 

dtm1997

Helluva Engineer
Featured Member
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15,709
Not sure I agree with this assessment. Our defense was super legit today and if UNC had a bad day, it was because our defense made that happen. Salty Memphis fans can't accept that Pastner's staff was put together to mitigate his weaknesses and he accepted that.
 

MWBATL

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Messages
6,547
Can someone please explain to me how we can almost lose against NC A&T and then win by double digits against UNC? I don't know much about basketball, but I watch most of our games and I am completely confused.
 

glandon1960

Jolly Good Fellow
Messages
174
Great day to be a Yellow Jacket!
I was there = with about 2000 other GT fans - and 6000+ UNC fans - who were real quiet most of the day.
I've had season tickets for about 25+ years, and this was definitely one of the most unexpected wins I've seen.
I was just hoping to see them play hard and keep it under 20 (after nearly pulling my hair out vs. NC A&T).

If replay is out there, take the time to watch it. It was actually pretty ugly most of the way - we're very challenged offensively - just kept grinding, and scored enough.
I did not feel like we had it until about 2 minutes to go, but thought we actually had the better of everything except rebounding all day (we actually deserved to win this one ... and UNC folks next to me said so).

What I liked - the team played their hearts out and left it all on the floor - can't ask for more - and that is really all I want to see out of them this year.
GT was MUCH more aggressive than UNC, did some stupid things, but got to FT line a lot. GT won the 50-50 ball battle by a large margin .. and especially in second half made our Free Throws (have not seen that much the last few years).
A lot of stupid turnovers - how many times are we going to try to pass to a covered guard to give them a breakaway (three I remember today), and rebounding was bad until guards started crashing in on defensive end late in game (Moore got 4 or 5 defensive boards late ... Lammers needed help as he had his hands full blocking out all the UNC bigs).
UNC had more than their share of bad turnovers, but many were caused by GT aggressive plays and good hands - and they settled too easily for three's instead of going inside more where I thought they would kill us (but did not). I feared their bigs would foul Lammers out - they rarely got it into the low post.

To win in the ACC (even against BC) - we need to hold the other team to around 60 - and we'll usually do that by playing a lot of zone (match-up and 1-3-1 trap) to keep other team off guard, then pray they don't make a lot of threes (which UNC did not). This gives us a chance, let's us keep Lammers, Q, and whomever is having a good day (Okogie and Heath today) on the court 35 minutes+ ... and hope we get enough offense (which we may not most nights). The zone is huge for this team .... and I would wager if Gregory or Hewitt were still coaching we'd have played man-to-man and lost this one by at least 20. Make no mistake - there was a HUGE talent advantage out there for UNC.

I predicted minimum of 10 wins, max of 13 when season started - the 10 is all but in the bag (we have a cupcake game vs. Tuscullum in February that makes 10). Back then I thought we'd beat BC and get hot/lucky to win a couple more in the ACC - but was not thinking UNC would be one of them ... still say 13 max is about right (hope I am wrong) - so savoring this one as it might be a while before the next one).
 

glandon1960

Jolly Good Fellow
Messages
174
Can someone please explain to me how we can almost lose against NC A&T and then win by double digits against UNC? I don't know much about basketball, but I watch most of our games and I am completely confused.

Short answer - this GT team has very few offensive weapons - that is the crux of the issue.
This is the most challenged to score GT team we've had in a LONG time (Gregory's first team was about this inept).
The defense against A&T was actually quite good. It also was against UGA and Wofford.
Vs. UGA no one could score ... against Wofford they went unconcious from three in second half to keep it too close for comfort ( I think GT shot about 50 percent for that game).
Against A&T - we shot about 25 percent - if you don't count McCormick who went 4 for 5 from three and bailed us out. Most were good shots, everyone had off night - if we shoot like that against Duke we get beat by at least 40.

We have no consistent scoring threat.
Lammers can hold his own, but won't go for 20 very often against ACC calliber bigs.
Tadric is the most talented offensive player but the most inconsistent (goes for 14 in 5 minutes ... then can't get 5 points plus air balls two free throws the next two games) - very inconsistent.
Moore - no outside shot. Other guards play off him .... needs to penetrate to score more.
Heath - limited offensive skills, does play within himself.
Q - streak shooter - and more cold than hot (but does play hard)
Okogie - if he ever gets a reliable jump shot watch out ... likes to drive and will likely be All-ACC in a couple years.
Matthews/McCormick - can both shoot, but neither can play defense well enough.
Hayward - at best an ACC role player - very limited offenseive skills (does play hard D).
 
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