Ernie Nestor

Unless Nestor has a magic elixir for MCLs, wouldn't help.

Xs and Os weren't the difference tonight.

I thought Haith's game management was questionable in the UCLA game. Tonight, the team came out flat and just when you thought they had a chance at half, they came out flat again. I'm not sure that's more than 25% Haith's fault. He was certainly animated and involved in the game.

We held their leading scorer (and leading SEC scorer) to 11 points through an effective game plan and match up. Holloway killed us with no Bowers to guard him. We got out rebounded without Bowers and an ineffective Criswell. Not sure that's Haith's fault. I don't put the UCLA game in the same category as tonight.

Just to be clear, this thread is not a diss towards Haith. I just think we could use an assistant upgrade in the category.

Tonight wasn't about x's and o's. Tonight we couldn't walk and chew gum at the same time. We were dribbling right to defenders saying "Here, you can have it.". We did not get to one 50/50 ball. Completely outhustled. We spent more time on the floor than anything else. I know the arena is for shite but if other teams can WIN there I don't think it's too much to ask that you don't EMBARRASS yourself there. Could we use a better x's and o's coach? Dunno. Don't think it had anything to do with tonight.

Oh I agree with you 100%. We seriously looked clueless tonight. We played very unmotivated. I don't think we got to one 50/50 ball. Yepp, completely outplayed tonight and having Bowers healthy would not have mattered. But I don't think it was so much a matter of x's and o's as it was we just looked like we were playing high as a kite. In fact, I had asked others watching if Pressey was high tonight (I'm sure he wasn't). But he was just dribbling straight into defenders and not protecting the ball. Never seen so many bricks/air balls. Just much deeper than x's and o's tonight.

Injuries aren't the excuse. We got out-hustled. We'll be fine in so far as we'll make the tourney. Win the SEC? Not a chance. Win the SEC tourney? Who knows. Make the Final Four? Doubtful, but I guess I'd say that about just about anyone right now.