In two of the better games in the NCAA Tourny (Illinois/'Zona and UK/Mich. St.) there were some questionable play going on with the game on the line. First in the Arizona game they waste clock standing at the top of the three point line until there are five seconds left on the clock to make a move. Virtually no time to do anything given the situation. Then in the UK game they don't even get a shot off at the end of the first overtime. So do we blame the playcalling from the bench (which would be odd considering that those are two great coaches leading the teams) or do we blame the players for not executing properly? Discuss.
This is like another question that everyone has been asking me recently: Did Arizona collapse or did Illinois make a monster comeback? The answer to this question and the one that you are asking is simply 'both'. There's no way to say that the loss of a team was because of one reason. There are a lot of things that happen for a team to lose. While I questioned Tubby Smith's play calling, I still think that his players could have won the game if they executed a little better. I also think that Michigan State played a large role in denying them the shot.
On the Kentucky game: I can understand for a moment the thought process of what Kentucky was trying to do at the end of the game. The game is tied, worst that can happen is you go to 2OT, you have the ball and you want to make sure that you take the last shot. What baffled me with the inability to execute a play at that crucial part of the game. I know for a fact that every college basketball team has a quick hitter out of a stall offense in which they have a play to get a shot if they decide to milk the clock whether it be the PG driving and dishing a pick n'roll etc. Kentucky's PG made a crucial error for stalling as long as he did. He went at 6 seconds when IMO he should have gone at 9-10. This gives you ample time to break down your defender and make a kick and that person then has the option of the jumpshot or a take to the rim. Now when the PG waited to 6 seconds I thought he would try to make a hesitation move then pull up for the jumper right on his defender. What he did was absolutely ludacris and I can guarentee Tubbie Smith never taught him this. First off he failed to break his man down one-on-one(credit MSU's on ball defender). Second he picked up his dribble right in front of another MSU player created a possible trap situation. If he was going to engage the defender then have his teammate wheel around and take the ball(much like they did) I would have expected him to go with more time on the clock, as well as go to Spark's side. With such little time left, Sparks would have been the man to go to because off the handoff he could have attacked the basket or settled for a nice 17 foot pull-up jumpshot. Instead they have a handoff to a 6-7 PF who for some reason thought he was at a dribbling exhibition and dribbled all the way around the court and settles for a shot, that was so bad, it shouldnt even been declared a shot. I mean you think he would have at least tried to get to the rim, dont you think? Kentucky totally played the cards wrong. If I were them I would have gone at ten seconds, had thier PG try to break his man down, if he couldn't get past him to the paint, I would have had him dribble toward Sparks for a handoff, then had a post man come set an immediate pick on Spark's man(as he recieved the handoff). From there you would have had the following options: (a) Sparks pull-up off the screen ( Post man slipping to the basket © Sparks driving (d) PG fading so if they doubled Sparks he would be wide open for the kickout jumpshot.
I blame it on the players. Players gotta step it up. All coaches can do is prepare them in practice. Once the game starts, the players have to perform. As for the question about did Arizona collapse and did Lousiville comeback? The answer is yes and yes.
cant tell We cant know whos fault it is, the players or the coaches becuase we dont know what the coaches told the players to do. Unless we do we cant say whos fault it is.
How about giving credit to the coach calling the right defensive strategy instead? In the Michigan State game, Izzo put the right players on the right people to deny Kentucky a good look and execute their gameplan. In the Illinois game, the team knew the ball was going to Salim, instead of letting Salim get a shot off, they forced him to pass it, by sending a double team over, and then rotating in time to the only option they gave Salim a chance to pass to.
Well then give some credit to Pitino for his right call on the defensive strategy, by going to man to man in the second half to stop the three point shooting. Though, his coaching call might not get respected, thinking it may be common sense to switch to man to man, since, when in a 2-3 zone, WVU lit them up. Still, when the call was made to switch to the man to man, it totally messed up WVU, Louisville made a huge comeback, and won the game.
