Game Thoughts: Georgia
[caption id="attachment_35364" align="alignleft" width="245"]
Shaq Cleare shooting over Sooners (Will Gallagher/IT)[/caption]
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Texas - 57
Georgia - 59
ESPN Box Score
Overall Game Thoughts
One step forward; two steps back?
That’s what today felt like for a Longhorn team that looked uncomfortable and tentative the entire game as they lost at Georgia, sacking their chance at a winning streak and letting a mediocre Bulldog team off the hook.
Not a good game, particularly with the hope that the big win over OU would have provided some carryover.
Offense:
The first half numbers may have looked brighter, but don’t be fooled, Bulldog coach Mark Fox befuddled Texas’ offense the entire game.
The set defense was nothing special (sagging man, play underneath the post, fight through screens), but there were two wrinkles that gave Texas fits for the entire game.
First, UGA helped down from the strong side early to give Allen/Cleare the look of the double team (they’d also pivot and show from the man at the high post toward the ball), but after the contact, the helper would reestablish on his man and Jarrett was left in a passing position with nobody open off the double team.
That bothered Jarrett all game as he wants to work in space and Georgia didn’t give him any as he ended up matching his lowest scoring output of the season (4 points).
The other was they Georgia hedged HARD all game against Roach on pick and rolls. They dared him to turn the corner, but he didn’t do it and ended up reversing dribble back into the middle of the floor, where Georgia was sagging in the first place.
Both Jarrett and Kerwin are gifted players, and it’s not fair to peg this loss on them, necessarily, but Texas needs their best players to contribute meaningfully and they didn’t get that from either Roach or Allen tonight. This made Jones’ job more difficult (he also struggled mightily with the increased playmaking role as he hiccuped his way to 6 turnovers). It also nullified Davis’ second straight positive shooting game.
Georgia’s a good defensive program, but Texas hurt themselves with poor decision making and tentative reaction to simple defensive tactics.
Defense:
Fine. As usual.
Some of the fouls were avoidable and Shaq has to understand when people are coming into his body that all he can really do is play vertically because he doesn’t have the length or lateral movement to sell his defensive footwork to the refs.
But this game was winnable from the defensive end.
The learning curve is obvious enough.
Banks needs to play stronger and with a better base when he’s guarding a physical player like Maten.
Davis and Jones need to play with better extension and awareness around the perimeter.
Shaq needs to play lower on screens and create better angles for Kerwin to get through picks.
Stuff like that.
A Look at the Numbers:
Georgia shot 40.8% (20-49) overall, 16.7% (2-12) from three and 77.3% (17-22) from the line.
Texas shot 45.8% (22-48) overall, 30% (6-20) from three and 53.8% (7-13) from the line.
Both teams had 30 rebounds while UGA had more assists (11-10) and fewer turnovers (12-14).
Star of the Game: Andrew Jones
His turnovers were too many (and ugly as balls), but there’s a case to made that he’s playing like the best Texas guard since J’Covan Brown in 2011-12 right now.
He’s Texas’ best post entry passer. It’s most clutch shooter. He’s understanding how to be more aggressive in passing lanes. He’s, apparently, the only Texas player who can hit a foul shot.
It wasn’t enough, and he can be better, but it was the best effort Texas got today (16 points, 8 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 steals).
The Endgame:
This one’s tough to swallow.
You can blame the refs on the no-call against Frazier late in the game, but Texas lost it.
You can blame the hot hand of Frazier and Harris in the second half, but Texas lost it.
You can blame some phantom foul calling on the refs, but Texas lost it.
Texas lost it. And lost the chance to build some real momentum going into some of their easier matchups of the conference season.
Instead, they’ll be shaking their heads about what could have been.
Shaq Cleare shooting over Sooners (Will Gallagher/IT)[/caption]
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Texas - 57
Georgia - 59
ESPN Box Score
Overall Game Thoughts
One step forward; two steps back?
That’s what today felt like for a Longhorn team that looked uncomfortable and tentative the entire game as they lost at Georgia, sacking their chance at a winning streak and letting a mediocre Bulldog team off the hook.
Not a good game, particularly with the hope that the big win over OU would have provided some carryover.
Offense:
The first half numbers may have looked brighter, but don’t be fooled, Bulldog coach Mark Fox befuddled Texas’ offense the entire game.
The set defense was nothing special (sagging man, play underneath the post, fight through screens), but there were two wrinkles that gave Texas fits for the entire game.
First, UGA helped down from the strong side early to give Allen/Cleare the look of the double team (they’d also pivot and show from the man at the high post toward the ball), but after the contact, the helper would reestablish on his man and Jarrett was left in a passing position with nobody open off the double team.
That bothered Jarrett all game as he wants to work in space and Georgia didn’t give him any as he ended up matching his lowest scoring output of the season (4 points).
The other was they Georgia hedged HARD all game against Roach on pick and rolls. They dared him to turn the corner, but he didn’t do it and ended up reversing dribble back into the middle of the floor, where Georgia was sagging in the first place.
Both Jarrett and Kerwin are gifted players, and it’s not fair to peg this loss on them, necessarily, but Texas needs their best players to contribute meaningfully and they didn’t get that from either Roach or Allen tonight. This made Jones’ job more difficult (he also struggled mightily with the increased playmaking role as he hiccuped his way to 6 turnovers). It also nullified Davis’ second straight positive shooting game.
Georgia’s a good defensive program, but Texas hurt themselves with poor decision making and tentative reaction to simple defensive tactics.
Defense:
Fine. As usual.
Some of the fouls were avoidable and Shaq has to understand when people are coming into his body that all he can really do is play vertically because he doesn’t have the length or lateral movement to sell his defensive footwork to the refs.
But this game was winnable from the defensive end.
The learning curve is obvious enough.
Banks needs to play stronger and with a better base when he’s guarding a physical player like Maten.
Davis and Jones need to play with better extension and awareness around the perimeter.
Shaq needs to play lower on screens and create better angles for Kerwin to get through picks.
Stuff like that.
A Look at the Numbers:
Georgia shot 40.8% (20-49) overall, 16.7% (2-12) from three and 77.3% (17-22) from the line.
Texas shot 45.8% (22-48) overall, 30% (6-20) from three and 53.8% (7-13) from the line.
Both teams had 30 rebounds while UGA had more assists (11-10) and fewer turnovers (12-14).
Star of the Game: Andrew Jones
His turnovers were too many (and ugly as balls), but there’s a case to made that he’s playing like the best Texas guard since J’Covan Brown in 2011-12 right now.
He’s Texas’ best post entry passer. It’s most clutch shooter. He’s understanding how to be more aggressive in passing lanes. He’s, apparently, the only Texas player who can hit a foul shot.
It wasn’t enough, and he can be better, but it was the best effort Texas got today (16 points, 8 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 steals).
The Endgame:
This one’s tough to swallow.
You can blame the refs on the no-call against Frazier late in the game, but Texas lost it.
You can blame the hot hand of Frazier and Harris in the second half, but Texas lost it.
You can blame some phantom foul calling on the refs, but Texas lost it.
Texas lost it. And lost the chance to build some real momentum going into some of their easier matchups of the conference season.
Instead, they’ll be shaking their heads about what could have been.
