USC Basketball: USC falls to UGA 63-59
by Paragon SC on Dec 18, 2011 7:10 AM PST
in USC Basketball
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PrintIt is going to be a long season...
Its not like UGA is Kentucky, but last nights performance was hardly one that I want to watch over and over.
The Trojans led by eight points midway through the second half, but could not hold off the Bulldogs, who made 51% of their shots.
"We have to get back in the lab and kind of re-evaluate ourselves on the defensive end," Moore said.
Georgia had not played since suffering a 68-56 loss to Georgia Tech on Dec. 7, a defeat that stretched a losing streak to four games.
Back to the lab?
I could say a number of different things here but I won't go there.
I understand that on the offensive side of the ball that USC has some issues, USC is young and has some injury issues. Depth is still an issue as well, but we have seen a pretty good defense for the most part this season. Last night USC couldn't stop air going down the stretch.
Maybe the defense that we thought was there really isn't...
USC's latest loss was largely due to their inability to shutdown Georgia on the perimeter. The Bulldogs' sharp-shooting duo of Dustin Ware and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope went a combined 8-of-9 from three point range, as the Trojans' gave up a season-high .667 percent from downtown. Although USC managed to hold Georgia's big men to a combined six points on the night, the Bulldogs' guards and small forwards had their way with Kevin O'Neill's defense. "Our defense betrayed us down the stretch," O'Neill said. "We can't play like that, giving up open threes and playing from behind. We blew four or five defensive assignments tonight that really hurt us."
I am not going to waste any time trying to figure O'Neill out.
He isn't going anywhere anytime soon, this is Haden's guy. He likes O'Neill because he is bringing in guys who represent USC in a positive light in the classroom and as part of the program (that's code for not causing any trouble) whether this team can win anything though, remains to be seen.
I said it earlier this past week, USC may not win another game until January.
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O'Neil was Garrett's guy.
But Haden understands that the program needs stability, so KON is here to stay for at least two more years.
But that is all he will last, especially if USC plays to a half full Galen Center.
I'll clarify it...
Garrett may have hired KON, but Haden had a chance to dump him after last years “issue” but chose to keep him on.
KON fits Haden’s view of winning the right way because the players go to class, aren’t trouble makers on or off the court and don’t have questionable character issues or “baggage”.
That’s all great but can these guys play? More specific, can KON get them to win??
CORPSMAN - Usually a young, long haired, bearded, Marine-hatin' Sailor with certain medical skills, who will go through the very gates of Hell to get to a wounded Marine.
Conquest Chronicles
Paragon — very good review of the game, the team and, most importantly, our coaching situation. Too bad,but there’s a good reason why so few people comment on the basketball team on this site: the fans have just about given up hope.
As a season ticket holder for the last eight seasons, I quit in October. I never expected ’SC basketball to be elite every year … but there is absolutely no reason for us to tolerate two things: a near-annual rebuilding process and a clown as a coach.
While O’Neill has some good points, it’s just this: He knows nothing about offense, he’s hysterical on the sidelines and there’s no proof he can recruit. He’s a second-rater schools hire when they are in trouble, he stabilizes things for a while and then gets fired. He’s the first to admit he can’t get along with anybody for very long. Just the guy we need!
I would rather lose 20 games this year in furtherance of a true rebuilding with a real leader, then feel the slow strangulation of another lost season, grinding a slow defensive system and combing Timbuktu Tech for players. Just for saying Dedmon could be an NBA lottery pick should have gotten O’Neill thrown out, unless the selection system expands to 7,000 players.
Like all fans, I don’t have the answers here, but I’m certain of this: There is no way our program can make significant near-term and longer-term progress with O’Neill as coach. If Haden thinks he’s the answer, perhaps Pat should stick to whatever obscure women’s sport he’s overseeing and turn basketball over to someone else.
Agree! I couldn't bear to watch and stopped going.
KO’s behavior on the sidelines is indeed an embarrassing spectacle, and his tantrums are magnified in the mostly empty Galen Center. And who can forget the hotel bar incident? If he showed a little grace and dignity on the court we could cut him some slack, but that’s just not in his DNA. KO is a great defensive coach, but he doesn’t have the self-control to be a head coach. It is time to for Pat Haden to the plug, and he should do it before the Pac-12 season begins.
In the meantime, we will have a perfect caretaker in Bob Cantu, a great coach and recruiter that deserves a live audition. After more than 10 years and four head coaches, USC owes Coach Cantu a break. Perhaps we already have our new head coach in the building.
"That's what the FBI can never understand - that what Paulie and the organization offer is protection for the kinds of guys who can't go to the cops. They're like the police department for wiseguys." Henry Hill, Goodfellas.
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I am torn over KO
But I find it interesting no one wants to mention that the best offensive player (by far) is on the bench with a torn ACL.
"Ain't no tuition for having no ambition." -Brandon Carswell
Well that is true that Fontan is the best offensive player but last I looked BB is a team game, all the players can shoot.
The problem is for the coach is that he has to figure out how to use the pieces he has to help the team score, unfortunately he can’t. These kids have been playing this sport most of their lives (except dedmon) and they all have the skills to play the game, bad for them is the HC that can STFU on the sideline to let them perform on the court. His idea of offense consist of trying to get lay-ups for the bigs he has which is a good foundation, but it doesn’t work against some defenses. He needs to have other plans to be successful, other than just having one player taking the majority of shots. He holds the ball to the longest time to work for a great shot and more times than not, the players pass by opportunities to score forces someone to take a low percentage shot.
He doesn’t even know how to use some of the pieces he has, James Blasczyk has a natural 14-18 foot jumper but does he use him as a Hi-Post player no. Where as fuller can be the Lo-post that works for the inside shot, if the Post players don’t have a shot than they pass to the Wings (Evan Smith, Garrett Jackson, Greg Allen, Westly or even Moore (who has a terrific 20 footer). His PGs don’t distribute the ball or really start an offense they just stand at the top throw the ball side to side and end up taking the worst shot you can imagine, during this whole time he is consistently yelling and screaming and telling the players to work the ball inside ( only thing is the other team has ears too). The thing is if your team loses to a KO coached team you beat yourself, because he is the other teams best defense.
Yes we can't play in a Bowl and that is lucky for the rest of College FB' but next year we at USC will dominate.
by so.cal.native1952 on Dec 19, 2011 12:33 AM PST up reply actions
That was just one style of offense which can be used against a zone or man to man.
But a better offense against a man to man is a pass and screen away or motion offense. But it all doesn’t matter because KO Can’t Coach anything other than defense and has to be worst people person I have ever seen.
Yes we can't play in a Bowl and that is lucky for the rest of College FB' but next year we at USC will dominate.
by so.cal.native1952 on Dec 19, 2011 12:43 AM PST reply actions
Looking at the schedule USC will be lucky to go 10-21
Yes we can't play in a Bowl and that is lucky for the rest of College FB' but next year we at USC will dominate.
by so.cal.native1952 on Dec 19, 2011 11:49 AM PST reply actions
I am say that KON is only here
For stability.
It’s more about giving the program stability while we get up to full scholarship strength.
The thing Haden has in common with Garrett is that they are both football guys. They know what they want in a football coach. Neither has much of an idea what they want in a basketball coach.
Also, I am not sure anyone in the AD’s office has any real idea what to look for in a B-Ball coach: style and philosophy of play, identity, recruiting ability, who the young up-and-coming coaches are.
Besides, being a USC B-Ball coach is not that great of a job, at least for the elite-level coaches who’s names are bandied about on this site. In football, if USC called, every coach in the nation, college or NFL would not only take the call, but listen very carefully. Some elite-level coaches wouldn’t even bother with the call, while of those who did, I doubt many would listen very carefully.
Why should they? To coach at a school where six weeks into the season the talk of campus is still football, even though there are no games until next September? To play in a 30% full arena? I hate to break it to many of you, USC basketball is definitely a second-tier program.
It doesn't have to be and there is no Scholarship reductions at this time.
So you are telling me that when they hired Rick Majarus they were not thinking of basketball but FB.
Yes we can't play in a Bowl and that is lucky for the rest of College FB' but next year we at USC will dominate.
by so.cal.native1952 on Dec 19, 2011 6:56 PM PST up reply actions
Second tier?
That would be a compliment.
"That's what the FBI can never understand - that what Paulie and the organization offer is protection for the kinds of guys who can't go to the cops. They're like the police department for wiseguys." Henry Hill, Goodfellas.
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