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Home > ajcsportstalk > Archives > 2008 > March > 14 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USSo what have we learned?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
We’ve just started the first night game between Alabama and Mississippi State, which will be followed by the nightcap between Georgia and Kentucky.
So what have we learned?
In the first game Friday we learned that if Tennessee has any hope of reaching the Final Four, the Volunteers are going to have to get better play at the point guard position—especially on the defensive end.
South Carolina’s Devan Downey is a good player but Friday he looked like Earl Monroe. Nobody on the Tennessee side could keep this guy from getting to the basket. Downey took 20 shots and single handedly kept South Carolina in the game. As a result, Tennessee shot 73 percent from the field in the second half and STILL only won by two, 89-87.
Tennessee likes to play fast but in the NCAA Tournament you have to be able to run a half court offense and stop other people when they run the half court offense. The point guard must control the tempo.
I’m anxious to see how Tennessee plays on Saturday against Arkansas, which is pretty big and pretty athletic.
Arkansas beat a very good Vanderbilt team (81-75) despite the fact that forward Sonny Weems, who was averaging 17.3 points per game, made only 1 of 9 shots from the field and was held to only three points. Patrick Beverly, the Hogs’ No. 2 scorer, made only 3 of 11 shots from the field. Those guys will have to shoot better against Tennessee.
I also think the win over Vanderbilt put Arkansas (21-10) in the NCAA Tournament as the fifth team from the SEC. Ole Miss and Florida were kind of hanging around the bubble until getting beat Thursday night in the first round.
Finally, it was a little sad to see South Carolina’s Dave Odom coach his last game. As I mentioned earlier, I’ve known Dave since he was an assistant coach at Wake Forest in 1977. He is a true gentleman.
Who will South Carolina hire? One of the names you’ll hear is Anthony Grant, the former Billy Donovan assistant now at VCU. But the Gamecocks may have to fight LSU (and maybe even Georgia) to get him. Grant, whose team finished 24-7 this season before losing in the CAA Tournament, is one of the bright young coaches in the country.
Comments
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By Brett
March 15, 2008 3:20 PM | Link to this
What we have learned is that you shouldn’t build an arena and cover it with a circus tent.
By Tony fan
March 16, 2008 6:53 PM | Link to this
So why did Tony stop blogging? This was a great weekend to keep sending updates, no?