re: Kentucky @ Alabama - ESPN 5 CST

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Philon based on advanced analytics should be our starting PG.

That said, I think the three guard lineups are often matchup dependent in that if you are playing teams with perimeter length you can’t get away with three short guards, but against teams without size outside its pretty lethal.

From a defensive standpoint the biggest factor honestly is not having Holloway out there. While he’s been one of the best shooters in the country he simply cannot or will not play effective defense right now.

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Yep. You can't have Holloway and Mark out there together against teams with any sort of length or quickness at guard.

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Sears played well defensively against Kentucky. The problem is he’s never going to be a great defender against guards with quickness. In that situation we need better team defense than we’ve seen to date on the drive to the rim. That starts with Sears at least forcing the faster guard into the help but the help defense has been a problem.

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Agree

Jarin has become very good at quick release, solid efficiency corner 3s (and even wing 3s). He's also very good as a long defender on catch and shoot guys who we are trying to fluster (did a great job with Brea).

On then negative side, his offensive awareness and strength with the ball is almost middle school level bad. It is truly difficult to watch. He struggles against both smaller quick guys and bigger strong guys, though he has definitely gotten stronger.

He clearly has a role on this team, but I still think he's much more of a matchup situational guy than his minutes reflect.

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Yes but he really shouldn’t be on the ball for those weaknesses to come up. We don’t run set plays that run through him enough for it to be a negative so offensively when he’s touching it should be going up.

I just think if we’re talking about Philon starting over Stevenson we’ve got a taller plus defender that is low usage offensively or a shorter plus defender who is a high usage offensive player who is increasing his turnovers as of late and doesn’t have a deep shot.

I say all that to say I probably have a soft spot for Jarin because I think he catches way too much flak on here and has a ton of potential

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Yea - I don't really think of it as a Philon vs Stevenson situation.

I think Philon has to run the point for the rest of the season even with his growing pains with a hope that he works through them by tournament time. Even with some of his bad decisions on offense he's the guy who can get us into our offense and get our shooters great looks in the flow of the offense. Aden can somewhat, but not nearly as effectively (not to mention you want him spotted). Mark has shown the last 2 games that when he's allowed to do what he's best at - play off ball mostly - that he is still as good an offensive player as there is in the country.

Jarin should play and how much should depend on various factors. I think Mo has to play more, but Oats comments about his mental errors defensively (which do seem to line up with what my eyes saw) is a legitimate reason that his minutes seem to have a ceiling.

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Jarin should play and how much should depend on various factors. I think Mo has to play more, but Oats comments about his mental errors defensively (which do seem to line up with what my eyes saw) is a legitimate reason that his minutes seem to have a ceiling.

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Jarin has a good defensive motor, but his help defense lately has been really bad. He's the kind of guy you stick on Chaz Lanier, though, and tell him to not ever leave him. That's a valuable piece.

He should under no circumstance ever put the ball on the floor in the open court, though.

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He's the kind of guy you stick on Chaz Lanier, though, and tell him to not ever leave him. That's a valuable piece.

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Exactly. Brea was killing us until Oats basically told Jarin that his only responsibility was that Brea cannot get another 3 without his hand in his face, regardless of what happens in the rest of the defensive possession. And he did a great job with that. But like you said, the help is bad and he gets beat frequently by guys with foot speed.

I've never seen a college basketball player get the ball poked from behind on run outs more than him, and he is always surprised when it happens. Just wild stuff.

I think we all know how we are going to lose in the NCAA tournament - too many turnovers and too many defensive lapses. Let's hope we can string together 4-5 games without that happening, which is doable.

"Live by the 3, die by the 3" is something clueless people say about Bama. It's more like "Bama wins by 6 without making a ton of 3s or Bama wins by 25 making a ton of 3s". 3 point success does not determine if Bama wins or loses. It's turnovers and defensive effort.

I mean…only 1 team is not going to lose in the tourney. I think there’s probably only 8 or so teams who have a chance to be that team and we’re one of them.

We also get a large majority of our points at the basket so we definitely don’t die by the 3 unless it’s the other team making them.

Do you guys notice Grant Nelson struggling lately?