Gator Basketball Gators blow one to LSU; NIT bound?

[MidwestChomp]

I agree with this regarding Mike. He is not a good coach and it shows b/c this team has as much talent as any team in the country and is his most talented team since he has been at UF. I am not saying they are the best team in the country but there is plenty of talent to beat anyone on the schedule without it being an anomaly. They can beat Baylor. Baylor is good but they have flaws, as it they have trouble scoring for long stretches, which has been their issue for years. But they are rugged and play a lot like a couple of those guys that play for LSU. They are not opposed to physical play which I think is sometimes one of our weaknesses.

Drew likes himself some 2-3 zone. Corners and in between can be open, but Baylor covers ground on D really well. If we have open looks from 3 on the corners we have to make them to stay in the game. Guys need to get into the middle part of the paint and make those shots or distribute from there. We'll see what happens.

 

[Marine1]

I agree with this regarding Mike. He is not a good coach and it shows b/c this team has as much talent as any team in the country and is his most talented team since he has been at UF. I am not saying they are the best team in the country but there is plenty of talent to beat anyone on the schedule without it being an anomaly. They can beat Baylor. Baylor is good but they have flaws, as it they have trouble scoring for long stretches, which has been their issue for years. But they are rugged and play a lot like a couple of those guys that play for LSU. They are not opposed to physical play which I think is sometimes one of our weaknesses.

True....we are not physical. Kionte is the only one who plays at all physical. We are very much a finesse team. No enforcers....no attitude.

All year I have been begging for extended defense pressing full court. Last night we tried to and got shredded with layups and dunks in transition. That type pressure requires athleticism (which we have) and discipline (which we don’t).

That’s not all on the coach. There is an AAU mentality that must be broken. It might be why White has slowed them down more than we like. Scotty is slowly adjusting but Mann is not. I still believe it will come together. But Any thought we may have had that Payne, Lewis or Mann are one and done should be erased. All 3 need another year or more.

 

[FireFoley]

True....we are not physical. Kionte is the only one who plays at all physical. We are very much a finesse team. No enforcers....no attitude.

All year I have been begging for extended defense pressing full court. Last night we tried to and got shredded with layups and dunks in transition. That type pressure requires athleticism (which we have) and discipline (which we don’t).

That’s not all on the coach. There is an AAU mentality that must be broken. It might be why White has slowed them down more than we like. Scotty is slowly adjusting but Mann is not. I still believe it will come together. But Any thought we may have had that Payne, Lewis or Mann are one and done should be erased. All 3 need another year or more.

Can't argue the AAU mentality, but as far as potential NBA draft prospects goes, we all know the NBA does not draft on readiness, it drafts on potential. There have been a lot of guys drafted in the lottery who took time to develop and I think Lewis would be a borderline lottery pick strictly on athleticism. Payne could potentially be but he would benefit from playing more college ball. Mann is as soft as tissue paper and is a one dimensional, strictly standstill set shooter. Not sure he will ever see the NBA but having skills as a shooter is a huge plus. He is a liability with the ball in his hands and on defense. He and Locke are similar but Locke is a little stronger and a bit more athletic. Mann needs to learn to make him self available without the ball and not just stand and wait for a guy to create a shot for him.

 

[NOLAGATOR]

Is it Hot Seat yet?

 

[Thought Criminal]

This is simply false. What you're actually seeing is the 3 point attempt being made before any of the other four players has a chance to get into the offensive end of the court.

Well yeah, that's a problem too... but rebounds on 3-pointers are pretty random, and sometimes just being in the neighborhood is good enough for a cheap rebound.

Case in point, the 3-pointer at the end of the first half. He shot with 5+ seconds left and there was ONE Gator within 25 feet of the basket when it went in. Team was in a halfcourt set and as soon as he put it up four guys dropped back 5 steps to defend ghosts in transition.

 

[Marine1]

Can't argue the AAU mentality, but as far as potential NBA draft prospects goes, we all know the NBA does not draft on readiness, it drafts on potential. There have been a lot of guys drafted in the lottery who took time to develop and I think Lewis would be a borderline lottery pick strictly on athleticism. Payne could potentially be but he would benefit from playing more college ball. Mann is as soft as tissue paper and is a one dimensional, strictly standstill set shooter. Not sure he will ever see the NBA but having skills as a shooter is a huge plus. He is a liability with the ball in his hands and on defense. He and Locke are similar but Locke is a little stronger and a bit more athletic. Mann needs to learn to make him self available without the ball and not just stand and wait for a guy to create a shot for him.

Agreed....I have no doubt there will be NBA interest and someone would draft them. I’m only suggesting they should not bite. Stick around and put some polish on those resumes.

 

[rogdochar]

I started on thw white bandwagon. But this is such an egregious waste of talent...

...."Borngator", with all the practices & games, can you name any college basketball coach that would let Omar Payne be a "non-factor" for 15 straight games? Is there a clue that Payne should have been pushed towards becoming significant? Here is my hint = Payne is 6'10" with great wingspan. Payne is as tall as any opponent. Duhh? Oh sure, Omar just didn't have what it took until he faced the then #4 team in the nation in our 15th(?) game. Then he was ready to be used for scoring big, hitting 9 of 9 shots & grabbed 10 rebounds and thus be a significant cog in our gearing towards development into a better winning team. {16 games in and Scotty Lewis seems to want to grow effective right beside other freshmen Payne.}

I know Payne did less vs LSU (where White's D-plan put him in less time under the basket). But he was still a significant factor, not hidden.

I think what many of us are saying is don't leave White in a vacuum; compare him to other coaches. Doesn't he have some "loser" traits? Traits that invite losses to lesser teams. We do not want any of those traits. Who believes that White is a "causative agent" in getting these kids advanced as ballplayers, as a team? Does White "drive" his players with some fire? ... in practices? ... in the games? Go Gators, as a long term program.

 

[NVGator]

Have we been exiting first weekend under White?

White’s been here 4 years. This is his fifth year. So far he made the NIT quarter finals his 1st year, Elite Eight year 2 and Round of 32 the 3rd & 4th year (1st weekend). I’d say @Double Gator Dad is spot on.

 

[Marine1]

White’s been here 4 years. This is his fifth year. So far he made the NIT quarter finals his 1st year, Elite Eight year 2 and Round of 32 the 3rd & 4th year (1st weekend). I’d say @Double Gator Dad is spot on.

It was a legit question as I was too lazy to look it up. So might as well call year 1 the 1st weekend as they didn’t make it at all. Ok...year 2 elite eight. Years 3 and 4 was the first weekend? Round of 32? What weekend is the round of 64? Or the first round is played mid week so “first weekend” is literal? 2nd round but “first” weekend.

Id say he was deadon with that reasoning. I watched college basketball for over 50 years and I can honestly say I have only heard games described by “round” never by which numbered weekend it was. Are subsequent weekends numbered as well? Learn something every day.

 

[Marine1]

...."Borngator", with all the practices & games, can you name any college basketball coach that would let Omar Payne be a "non-factor" for 15 straight games? Is there a clue that Payne should have been pushed towards becoming significant? Here is my hint = Payne is 6'10" with great wingspan. Payne is as tall as any opponent. Duhh? Oh sure, Omar just didn't have what it took until he faced the then #4 team in the nation in our 15th(?) game. Then he was ready to be used for scoring big, hitting 9 of 9 shots & grabbed 10 rebounds and thus be a significant cog in our gearing towards development into a better winning team. {16 games in and Scotty Lewis seems to want to grow effective right beside other freshmen Payne.}

I know Payne did less vs LSU (where White's D-plan put him in less time under the basket). But he was still a significant factor, not hidden.

I think what many of us are saying is don't leave White in a vacuum; compare him to other coaches. Doesn't he have some "loser" traits? Traits that invite losses to lesser teams. We do not want any of those traits. Who believes that White is a "causative agent" in getting these kids advanced as ballplayers, as a team? Does White "drive" his players with some fire? ... in practices? ... in the games? Go Gators, as a long term program.

i think Payne has been brought along at the right pace. You can see his confidence growing and his game expanding each week. Someone else on here was stating he has no game at all. I like his development. In HS he had a bit of a short game facing the basket. We haven’t seen much range yet in college. He will continue to improve. He does need to put on a few pounds and he has the frame to handle it.