Our PG shot 8 - 27 FG

I was horrified by Abrams' game against Notre Dame. I don't mind too much when he shoots a lot, but I mind a great deal when he shoots a lot when he's missing everything and shooting off his dribble. I think he only gets a rhythm in catch and shoot situations. When he's creating his own shot, he's usually a little off balance and not hitting a damn thing.

After the whole Maui tournament, it should be obvious that Mason is the guy to play point. Balbay, for whatever reason, isn't trying to penetrate. Abrams isn't doing anything to set up teammates except in the occasional break.

I'm with SLX in wondering why the hell Abrams played 40 minutes against Notre Dame when he was shooting like crap, doing nothing to set up teammates, and was blowing defensive assignments to allow opposing 3 pointers. Even if he's a senior, he could have used a minute or two of rest and a word or ten of instruction. Plus, if the team wasn't pressing to save legs for the final round, wouldn't that suggest a rest for each player would have been in order.

This isn't to say Abrams doesn't merit a great deal of playing time. Still, Abrams playing like crap for 40 minutes and not getting any time off--I don't get it.
 
How many of his shots came in the last 3 min when we HAD TO SHOOT 3's to get back in the game? Who do you guys want to shoot those tough 3's when we HAVE TO HAVE A 3?

I know who I want to shoot it....

I don't want to disrespect any of my fellow hornfans posters whom I love to death, but some of you guys would make really really poor coaches.
 
first, I will join the other groups of posters labeling these posts as reactionary.

second, I firmly believe his stat line is circumstantial. not every game is going to go like this.

third, Barnes said in his interview that this is basically how he instructed AJ to play. some of y'all are questioning the wisdom of Barnes....really? really?

fourth, who else do you want to have the ball in his hands? personally, I like Mason a little bit better...but for whatever reason, he doesn't make an impact every night.

balbay? really? at this point? maybe someday soon...but I don't think he's ready to make the impact that many on this board were predicting.

James? the reports of working out with KD every morning seem to be a bit exaggerated (or at least the results thereof). he needed to work on making plays with the ball in his hands and his FT shooting. at this point, I don't think his game looks that much different.

there is a reality here...we don't have a great facilitator on this team. we don't have anyone who can really create their own shot.

AJ is the closest thing. he's the best scorer on our team. I can't even comprehend that this is lost on some of y'all.

this was one game. the oregon game showed not every game will be like this. the offense is a work in progress. I don't think we'll look like this in february.
 
The SL comment that got deleted was a pretty uncalled for comment about AJ. But the point remains that SL's real issue is, and has been, with Coach Barnes. As to why I have no idea.

The shots have to come from somewhere.
 
Oh, come off of it. SLX has been very supportive of Barnes in general over the years. He has been outspoken in disagreeing with Barnes about some specific things, but as a general matter, he gives Barnes great praise in how he brings a team together.

Now, for all y'all who think the offense has to come from Abrams--look at last night's game. For the first time, Abrams spent a large part of the game on the bench. Did any of you see what happened?

With Abrams in the game, Texas outscored Rice 42-40 in 24:15. With Abrams out of the game Texas outscored Rice 35-16 in 15:45.

Whoa. Look at those numbers again. While Abrams was in the game, Texas scored 1.73 points a minute and allowed 1.65 points. While Abrams was on the bench, Texas scored 2.22 points per minute and allowed only 1.02.

Now, I thought at first watch that Abrams played pretty well last night. He seemed involved defensively and made most of his shots. I know Barnes mentioned how tired Abrams was. Watching the replay, I could see it seemed he was a step slow on defense, letting his guy get by him a few times. So, let's just say he was tired and didn't have his best game but was able to contribute.

I really think Texas looks too much to Abrams for shots in the half court. That will lead to poor results when he isn't hitting (like against Notre Dame), but it can also lead to poor results when the offense is trying to go through him when he isn't getting open.

Texas is primarily a defensive pressure team this year. There is no reliable post player. The only guy who shows he can get position and convert or pass out (Pittman) can't stay on the court for more than a few minutes. Chapman can get the ball low, but he can't finish unless he has a clear path for a dunk. Atchley is too busy screening outside. Johnson is great at taking the ball 15 feet out and working to the basket, but he isn't that effective taking the pass low to begin with, since he has a hard time getting shots over taller players and isn't very good at finding open shooters. Wangmene needs a lot of work with his hands.

Over the last three games, there has been big improvements on getting dribble penetration. Mason has shown a lot in the last three games and Balbay last night at getting penetration; here's hoping they keep it up. That will really increase team offensive effectiveness when there aren't that many kick in-kick out opportunities.

But I submit that the primary character of UT basketball this year is tough defense forcing turnovers, blocking shots, getting rebounds, and getting transition baskets. That means everybody going all out for 40 minutes. That means EVERYBODY needs to get rests during the game. Like I said in my earlier post, I just don't see the wisdom in playing Abrams for 40 minutes. The team is better off with fresh legs in all five positions.

No, I don't think I'm smarter than Barnes at coaching a basketball team. Far from it. But I can still disagree with some of his decisions.
 
Disagreeing with coaches - even extremely successful ones, such as Coach Barnes - constitutes a good portion of message board real estate.
 
Well bierce, one game is a pretty small sample size, and it's not like AJ was even shooting when he was in. I think he attempted one first half shot, so I'm not sure what your point is.


In reply to:
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AJ SHOT WAY TOO MUCH TONIGHT.....

we'll never win or be any good or be able to beat good teams (like UCLA) if he shoots this much....

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I think bierce's point was that when AJ is in the game but isn't taking shots our scoring goes down.

Wait, that's not it. Oh, damn the luck.
 
Where are the clowns after this game?

AJ SHOT TOO MUCH.
HE'S A SELFISH BALL HOG
HE MISSED ONE FREE THROW THE INGRATE
HE SCORED OVER 40% OF OUR POINTS AND THAT'S RICK'S FAULT

Seriously, this team isn't as talented as some of you think. It's a work in progress and who gives a rat's arse if we lose some games early in the season to figure out what's going on (like Dexter's foul trouble and Damion's shooting woes were part of the reason that AJ had to shot so much in the ND game).
 
big win. i wish we could have pulled the W in the ND game, but this ucla win will look good on the resume.... abrams did a good job!
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I agree with the sentiment that Abrams had a great overall game against UCLA. I really loved the fact that he shot 9 free throws. That is half his season total and 5 times his average per game last year. Way to get to the line. And he was red, red hot in the first half.

If you look closely at the game, you'll see Abrams took only 8 shots in the first half, and that includes the one time he was fouled in the act of shooting. He made his first four shots, three of which came on screen, catch, shoot plays, and the fourth on a breakaway layup after a Mason steal. He made his fifth shot which was taken after Atchley passed to him at the top of the key and ran between Abrams and his man. Abrams took one dribble without moving and when Atchley's man didn't close, Abrams shot and made it. Then he missed his last two shots of the half, both times forcing bad shots. Once trying to take the pass, dribble once to his left and shoot a 3 (not his best way to turn and shoot), and once on a silly drive to the basket and try to shoot from under 3 guys when he could have passed to three different guys.

The second half was another story in which he wasn't nearly as efficient in getting his 15 points. 4-11 with the first make that banked three on the break, his second basket a 6 footer off a ball he found on the ground after Chapman's miss down low, his third basket on a floater in the lane, and his fourth on a nice fake then pass by Mason for a catch and shoot without moving three. Some of the misses were off good looks, but most of them were rushed off balance things.

My first point about Abrams in this thread was that I don't understand why he would play every second of a game in which he wasn't playing well. I agree with so many other observers that he is a rhythm shooter and when the rhythm is off, the results are poor, but when the rhythm is on and he gets the ball in position with feet pointed to the basket or can turn to the right to point to the basket and shoot, he is deadly.
For that reason, his presence on the floor is highly desired.

But a point guard he isn't and the team benefits when it runs the offense to explore every option and doesn't focus on Abrams. Sixteen points on 8 shots in the first half. Only 7 plays the whole half that got Abrams the ball in shooting position. Watching the first half, I got no sense that Texas was "trying" to get the ball to Abrams until the last minute.

My point about the Rice game was that I thought Texas was constantly looking to get Abrams the ball for shots and couldn't get any offensive scheme going because he wasn't getting open and they didn't know where to go. As Barnes said, he was beat.

Maybe I'm just imagining it, but Texas the first half against UCLA was using everything--Atchley screen and drop back for the three., Johnson mid to close range jumpers, Mason cut to the basket, interior passing among big guys, and because all those things were going, Abrams got his scoring touches in the flow of the offense.

Anyway, a very good win. Not the best of games I hope to see from this year's team. Chapman has to make free throws and finish better. When he starts to, he will be a huge impact on games. James has to stop relying on outside jump shooting. His strength is still rebounding, and when he shoots from 20 feet, his strength is negated. Balbay has to get a little smarter about when to chase opposing guards to midcourt. Hint, when it's a guy as fast as Collison, just keep him in front of you. Until Chapman gets stronger, Atchley has to get at least some looks inside. And the team has to run its offense through several scoring options to help free up Abrams' shots.

I repeat, great game by Abrams. I was glad to see it.
 
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