We're obviously not a great team, but it's the strong IQ and team play that made us a competitive team this season. We had the best defense in the Pac-12. That's about effort and IQ.
I think as a former coach, you tend to focus on mistakes. Just remember that a low IQ play doesn't mean we have a low IQ player/team. Every team makes a handful of mental mistakes every game.
To be fair, I definitely think we've over-achieved for this season -- a pleasant and happy surprise. We certainly have individuals who have good BB IQ (e.g. Bibbins, PVD), and a few others who have decent BB IQ, albeit inconsistently (e.g. Rawson, Collette). As a P12 team, I'm just concerned we didn't have more one or the other (of course we want both). To me, there are always trade-offs between BB IQ and athleticism, not a binary trade-off, but a gradient trade-off -- it's a spectrum. Of course, that made our 3rd place conference finish the more impressive.
On that last drive by Carr on Bibbins, Rawson did not help out at all. To me, that's just poor defense. Maybe it's by design. Either way, it's just embarrassing. Bad, lazy defense.
Getting ugly now. Some outright breakdowns on D.
"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
--Antoine de Saint-Exupery
"Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold."
--Yeats
“True, we [lawyers] build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures - unless as amateurs for our own principal amusement. There is little of all that we do which the eye of man can see. But we smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men's burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”
--John W. Davis, founder of Davis Polk & Wardwell
Wow. Now not even boxing out. This isn’t a team that gives up. Come
on.
"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
--Antoine de Saint-Exupery
"Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold."
--Yeats
“True, we [lawyers] build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures - unless as amateurs for our own principal amusement. There is little of all that we do which the eye of man can see. But we smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men's burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”
--John W. Davis, founder of Davis Polk & Wardwell
How is it possible that Garner can take a wide open 3 with no defenders? This is enough for me.
"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
--Antoine de Saint-Exupery
"Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold."
--Yeats
“True, we [lawyers] build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures - unless as amateurs for our own principal amusement. There is little of all that we do which the eye of man can see. But we smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men's burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”
--John W. Davis, founder of Davis Polk & Wardwell
"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
--Antoine de Saint-Exupery
"Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold."
--Yeats
“True, we [lawyers] build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures - unless as amateurs for our own principal amusement. There is little of all that we do which the eye of man can see. But we smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men's burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”
--John W. Davis, founder of Davis Polk & Wardwell
One thing I have learned in a long life: that all our science, measured against reality, is primitive and childlike -- and yet it is the most precious thing we have.
--Albert Einstein
The fact that life evolved out of nearly nothing, some 10 billion years after the universe evolved out of literally nothing, is a fact so staggering that I would be mad to attempt words to do it justice.
--Richard Dawkins
Be kind to all, for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle.
--Philo
"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
--Antoine de Saint-Exupery
"Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold."
--Yeats
“True, we [lawyers] build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures - unless as amateurs for our own principal amusement. There is little of all that we do which the eye of man can see. But we smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men's burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”
--John W. Davis, founder of Davis Polk & Wardwell
You are right. LK has proven again and again that he can coach-up average to above average players, and make the whole greater than the sum of the parts. Except for Poeltl, Delon, and Kuzma, he hasn't proven he can recruit good and athletic players as consistently as he needs to, or coach them up to make the whole greater than the parts, or even to make the parts great in Kuzma's case. The next two years may be the test.
"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
--Antoine de Saint-Exupery
"Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold."
--Yeats
“True, we [lawyers] build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures - unless as amateurs for our own principal amusement. There is little of all that we do which the eye of man can see. But we smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men's burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”
--John W. Davis, founder of Davis Polk & Wardwell
I want to say that I have really, really enjoyed this year. It has been fun.
That being said, there is that little voice in the back of my head that agrees with the local talking heads. We have a top 25 facilities. We are in a conference where we should be in the tournament every year. We have top 25 history. We pay our coach like a top 25 coach.
As much fun as this year has been, I want more.
I'm not calling for anything. Well, maybe a little something. I think making the tournament next year is a must. And I'll just leave that there and go back to thinking about how awesome Bibbins and Collette and Rawson and Bealer were and how I wish we had them all more. Bibbins was amazing. He won my heart in one year.
Man i love this team.
That was a fun season. Yes....i want the ncaa tournament, but im also very proud of what Larry does as our coach and I hope he is hear as long as he wants to be.
I hope the guys who can return choose to do so. I hope they realize what a great opportunity they have and devote themselves to getting better this off-season. I bet they will.
And that’s what worries me. Next year will be his eighth season as our head coach. If you take away his first two seasons, is two tournament appearances in six seasons enough?
No.
Now, we don’t want to get ahead of ourselves. But, if we don’t make the tournament next year, his seat should get warm. If we don’t make it the next two years? That means he will have been twice in 9 seasons.
So, let’s just go and start making the tournament. Let’s be real; 68 teams get in. It shouldn’t be that hard. We should be one of the top 68 teams 4 out of 5 years. Utah deserves that.
I disagree. Talent beats experience in college basketball and Utah will have more talent than they did this year. Utah continually finishes higher than projected in the PAC 12 and next year will be no different. If they finally learn their lesson and schedule like an NCAA caliber team then I believe they will make it. Those seniors were really good but also all had limitations that Utah had to overcome. They did a great job but I think the culture will maintain and there's no reason for Utah to not expect to make the dance next year.
I think what I love about this team is the players. They gave it all. There were great. Look at Collette, for example:
Huh, I don't know if that shows up or not. Here is the link to Collette's ankle.
https://twitter.com/BBorgUteZone/status/979515127765463041