re: Tide Hoops | Please Anchor

Do other teams zone a lot more than the SEC? Almost everyone in the SEC is heavily man to man oriented. Some teams throw zone out 3-4 times a game to steal a possession or occasionally for matchup purposes, but I can't think of anybody who plays it as their base defense.

Over the past 7 games, we're averaging 17.4 turnovers. The only game where we protected the ball well (Kentucky - 9 turnovers) we got run out of the gym because of horrible defense. At this point you can expect with each game:

- A top 50 offensive efficiency performance
- Around 17-18 turnovers
- Coin flip between a top 100 defensive efficiency performance or a 300+ defensive efficiency performance, with the latter being a bit more likely (currently 233rd of 358)

We can beat anyone when we shoot well and choose to play defense, but statistically that combo is an outlier event since December, and is something extremely unlikely to occur in consecutive games.

I think this team probably has 3 games left in them between the SEC and NCAA tournaments, 4 if the stars align somewhat.

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At this point Nate is a good coach but not great. Hopefully he will have learned much from this season and can apply to upcoming seasons.

JMO but it's not a good look to keep harping on players not giving their very best effort yet keep sending them out.

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I agree.
I'm afraid Coach is a little on the stubborn, hard-headed side.
Things like when to take TOs and bench demeanor are a couple of areas I don't agree with, and, like you, I feel that most of the comments about players' personal shortcomings should be between the player and staff, then maybe a benching if necessary.

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The following may come across as homerism, but maybe this somewhat underwhelming year will actually benefit Oats and Alabama in the long run. Had we bettered last year's results, Oats' name would be on every school's short list. It's quite possible, with his being a little younger, he may have been more likely to leave Tuscaloosa. Perhaps, he can mature and learn all in Tuscaloosa and at the same time more better appreciate Alabama.

Let me also state this:
Had we had a tremendous season, only to have Oats leave for supposed greener pastures, I would have been more upset than having the season we're having now and keeping him.

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Long range thinking!
..and I like it!
Everything you said is/would've been quite possible. This is the way I hope we ALL would look at it!

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Coin flip between a top 100 defensive efficiency performance or a 300+ defensive efficiency performance, with the latter being a bit more likely (currently 233rd of 358)

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Who has us ranked as 233rd in defensive efficiency?

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Do other teams zone a lot more than the SEC?


Not sure, but I would imagine there are some teams out there that do like Syracuse.

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If you don't want your team to play fast, a well-taught zone (a.k.a Syracuse) works great. Also, like the triple-option in football, it's something that most teams don't see/practice against often, so that can be beneficial.

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A&M used some match up trapping zone against us and was very affective. They mixed it in more in the second half in key times.

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Yea, Auburn did some of that as well, and Wade had a couple of well timed zones that he threw at us out of timeouts.

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If you don't want your team to play fast, a well-taught zone (a.k.a Syracuse) works great

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You can run an extended trapping zone and play as fast as anyone. You have to be selective with how and when you run it. It's very effective. Used it my whole career.

You can be more effective with it than having Gurley, Gary, etc. playing tight man on the ball handler 24 feet from the basket with no trapping help. In fact, most all of our guys can't guard the ball on the perimeter the way we are trying to do it.