Texas at KSU

[JoeDallas]

I don't remember a team going downhill as much as this one. Remember how we looked against Stanford and Tennessee? It's hard to believe now. Our corps of guards has collapsed. I feel bad for them. They're trying so hard, but missing shots is very contagious. You lose your confidence, and then you are for sure going to miss. The loss of Nneka is not the problem. Out posts are playing fantastically. I wonder if there's been such an extreme emphasis on getting it inside that it's taken the guards' belief in themselves away. I liked Ariel's fight in this game. She missed a lot, but kept going for it. Why wouldn't the coach consider face guarding their hot 3 point shooter, or a box and one? You can't just keep letting one player pound us without trying something different. I agree that Karen needs to show more fight with the refs. Some of those foul calls in the second half were ridiculous. I don't think we can get down much more than this. Even another win or two at home will feel good at this point. It's weird how the same thing is happening to the men's team.

 

[WCBBNUT]

Exactly jusme. It's maddening to watch. We've become so predictable. When Nneka went out, Imani came back so evidently we just continued the same game... But we are not the same team. Looking at stats that Babhorn listed above, we have managed to coach our outside game right out of these players replacing it with increasd turnovers and less confident shooters. Imani should be our nail in the coffin but instead she is our entire game. Atkins should be a huge threat, but other teams are able to ignore her because they know we'll always rely more heavily on our inside game. And Jones? She was stellar last year and suddenly she's become an after thought. We supposedly had the deepest bench in the nation. What happened?

We can't even protect the ball anymore. We average 17 turnovers.

At this point I am hoping the growth between freshman year and sophomore year for our guards is off the charts. If not, there is no end to this in sight.

 

[loyallonghorn]

Wow. I'm not sure whether to be thankful that I was unable to watch the game or not.

A seasonal collapse like this is on the coach Aston.

I wonder if there will be any lingering effects in recruiting the class of 2016.

 

[texexted]

Earlier this season I defended Karen and said she would never allow her team to tank like a Barnes' team. Man I was wrong. This may go down as her worst season yet. She better change her approach or Texas will be changing coaches. I'm glad someone else has noticed she never ever works the refs. Never contests fouls. In fact at crirical periods she sits there and doesn't coach. Even while her team is looking at her dying for direction. Please spare me the excuses about injuries etc. Look at Baylor. All they do is win.

 

[JoeDallas]

I always have some gripes with any coach, but it may be oversimplifying matters to just lay it all on Karen. How do you coach confidence into a team when their confidence is down? I'm not sure. If there's a school that teaches this, both Karen and Rick Barnes need to go to it. I assume there is a team psychologist. If not, there certainly needs to be. Hypnosis might help. Seriously, sports psychology can be powerful.

 

[jusme828]

I agree about Aston not being able to coach confidence (maybe), but, how do you let one kid make 8 three pointers?? There is a defense for that (hello, box and one). She just doesn't seem to want to get out of the man to man, no switch defense AT ALL. No adjustments. I hate being critical of the coaches and the team. I hate it. But, Geeeeez!!!!

 

[DINO22]

I was thinking the same thing.She never change up nothing.
To me, Jody all over again.
Good Defense, but No Offense.

 

[texexted]

I think the head coach is responsible for teaching confidence. Who else would be? The trainers? The cheerleaders? Confidence comes from being well=prepared and knowing you have done everything possible to put yourself in a position to win every time you run out on the floor. I don't see that happening right now. As the team struggles, I don't see anything changing. Same offense. Same mistakes on defense. Same turnovers. Not only is there no improvement, the team is getting worse. That's the Barnes way. You just keep doing what you're doing and hoping for a different result. It's not working for him and it's not working right now for Aston. Can't make the game Sunday. I always hope for a miracle upset but this team has provided no evidence it's being coached in way that would make that possible.

 

[JoeDallas]

You make some good points, but confidence can be more elusive than you think. Being well prepared, hustling like crazy, and even trying new schemes does not make the ball go in the hole if you have inner doubt. Most players, even the greatest, have shooting slumps. It's hard to coach a player (or a team) out of a shooting slump. If you know how to do that, you should be able to get rich.

 

[texexted]

Gosh not saying it's easy or that know how to do it. However there are plenty of good coaches who do know how. Just look up the road and Baylor and Kim Mulkey. I do play sports and understand how one's confidence can be shaken. I guess what I'm trying to say is based on what we see during games (I've never attended a practice) nothing seems to be changing. Based on the results, it's actually getting worse. Only one person can fix it and she's the person making great money to do so. In every team sport it falls on the shoulders of the head coach. That's why there will be a new men's coach next year. I really want this regime to succeed. I've supported this program since the mid-80's. That won't change. I hope the product on the floor does, however.

 

[JoeDallas]

I mostly agree with you. Coaches can try to push certain buttons, pull certain strings, and they may work and may not. I haven't followed Mulkey's players over time, but I'm sure her players have their ups and downs. The Spurs are having a relatively tough season and even Popovich hasn't worked any miracles on them yet.