Ok, so the mens hoop team almost pulled an all time choke job over in Columbia yesterday BUT, they didn't. Yes, no doubt this is cause for concern to some degree but I am choosing to look at the positive. The positive is that we got another road win, a game we HAD to have to continue the quest for the NCAA tourney. How many times have you seen a team take a big lead and then get very complacent-it happens quite often and that is what happened yesterday. SCarolina just couldn't throw it in the ocean in the first half but in the second half they found their shot a little bit, they created some turnovers and we just didn't take care of business, which allowed them to come from 23 down to trailing by only 2. But, all that being said, the team managed to hold the Gamecocks from taking the game from us-great block by Trey Thompkins at the end, Gerald then hit a free throw to ice it. Trey led the way with 16 points, Travis with 13, we finally got those two guys to play a solid game toghether. We will need that and more to win what is setting us as another HUGE home game on Wed night against Vandy.
One thing everyone needs to remember when it comes to this team though, even though we all believe that maybe our record should be better or that our players are not playing up to their potential every game-this team is still not used to winning. Think about it, two years ago they were 12-20, last year 14-18, I mean this is not a team that expects to win at this point I don't believe-I still think they HOPE to win. Coach Fox has done his best to get that winning attitude going in Athens but this is a team that besides Price and Barnes, have NEVER played in even the NIT tourney. Trey, Travis, Gerald, all the young guys, they have not been winning college basketball players during their careers to this point. Not trying make excuses for them at all but I do think that is something I tend to forget from time to time. Perhaps my expectations for this team are greater than what should be considered realistic. Last year they won some really big home games but couldn't get over the hump on the road. This year, they have won now 3 SEC road games which after last year is quite a jump. Of course here lately they have lost some crucial home games but I do expect that they will play tough at home down the stretch and if that happens, a 9-7 conference record will be there for us. That might not get us in the tourney but it very well could get us in-certainly if we could pull another win on the road-at UT, UF or Bama, then win the three home games, I feel 99.9% sure we make it in regardless of what happens in the SEC tourney.
Next up as I mentioned is Vandy, the team we are currently tied with for second in the SECe. A win over the Dores, we sit at 7-4 as we head for the back to back UT and UF road games. Those appear to be tough for us to win considering we couldn't beat them at home but certainly we can play with both those school and you simply never know if we might pull off the huge upset. I posted last week I felt the NIT was looking more and more likely, but if this team can find ways to win, go 4-2 down the home stretch, they will be dancing this year, and to me that is a big step in the Mark Fox rebuilding project. I am not sure what to expect next year but this year could still be a very positive step forward but we have to take care of Vandy on Wed night, lose that one and suddenly we can't protect our house-that would make it 4 losses out of our last 5 games inside the Steg. If you had told me before the season we would be winning games on the road but struggling to win games at home, I would have said you are crazy. But, currently that is what has been happening.
Still no word on a new defensive coach to join the staff, I would expect something to be announced this week but there has been very little speculation at all surrounding that coaching position-really has surprised me to be honest. There was a lot more talk about the OL hire for sure.
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