UF's offense today. UK, to their credit I guess, didn't even bother to guard him 10 feet from the bucket. If he and Walker don't improve before next year they will go down as the most overhyped recruits ever. Billy has earned the right to coach here as long as he wants to but this years team highly underacheived.
Kasey Hill's inability to even be a threat to shoot killed
- Thread starter JJ IN FLA
- Start date
It's mind-boggling that this team is 16-17. I'm not sure what happened this year, but this team is eerily similar to Kentucky's 2002, 2006, and 2013 teams. This team had more than enough talent to make the tournament, but distractions, injuries, and for some other abstract reasons, they couldn't put it together. Obviously, I knew that Florida wasn't going to be as good as last year, nor did I think that they were a top 7 team. However, I did think that they were a top 25 team. I figured that Kentucky would win 2 out 3, split the series, or win a close sweep. Obviously, the Ole Miss games, the A&M game, and the FSU game were unlucky. If Florida could have closed out 4 more wins, they would have finished 11-7 in SEC play, and maybe 19 or 20 wins (20-13 with Florida's schedule gets them in.....every time). Add in a win or two in the SEC tournament (11-7 means not playing Kentucky until at least the semis), and a likely NCAA bid. I think Florida maybe over-scheduled in the non-conference (see 2004 Michigan State for an example). Last year's team could have handled it, because they were experienced. I agree with Delk, when he said that Florida needed to play like they did against Kentucky and Tennessee (or really, the last five or six games), night in and night out, because they would be an NCAA tournament team. Last year's team found ways to win. Is it just me, or does Florida seem to be in a LOT of one-possession games?
Good post lakercat. Kentucky has better players this year. We are not as bad as our record, but we are also not a top 25 team. I believe we lost 6 games on the last possession this year and won another 2. It is a tremendous credit to Kasey Hill that he was able to get into the paint that much considering Kentucky did not even try to guard him outside. Hill shot 54% from the free throw line this season so I think he just is not a good shooter period. He won't get any better next year shooting. The mind boogling one to me is Frazier. Go back and check out his regular season 3 point percentage then check his percentage shooting the three in postseason the past 3 years. He really drops off in the postseason. We should be much improved next year not because of who is returning, but who is coming in and the three that were not eligible this year. We might be the first team in history to return 4 starters and none of them start the following year.
Kasey Hill played pretty good in our last two games vs. UK. He can't shoot, but he gets some layups and creates shots. He always plays defense. He's got nobody on this team to finish. You can't get 4 points from Frazier and DFS vs. Kentucky and expect anything other than what happened.
They are crazy deep next year. I imagine we'll lose a guy or two, but next year will be one of the deepest, most athletic teams Billy has had.
They are crazy deep next year. I imagine we'll lose a guy or two, but next year will be one of the deepest, most athletic teams Billy has had.
Scotty Wilbikin was a liability on offense until his junior year. Give Hill a break. I think the Gatas are going to be a force to be reckoned with next season, we just need a couple of bigs. How about 2 seven footers?
lol
These kids need to take the offseason to learn to shoot. At the VERY least they need to learn to shoot FREE THROWS cause this year was absolutely pathetic at the charity stripe.
We flat out lost the first game against UK at home completely on free throws. Take NOTHING else away from that game, I refuse to listen to anyone who says if we did this or that we could have won, cause the flip side is always UK would have then done this or that. From the free throw line however, there is absolutely NOTHING UK could do to stop us from making those baskets. We lost that game by 7 points. UK only missed one FT very late in the game and I believe we missed more than 10 before I stopped counting and turned it off. Had we shot the same FT% that Kentucky did ( No excuse not to IMHO as FT shooting is a developed skill with practice and has nothing to do with the other team's defense against your ability) we would have beaten them at home. It was dreadful that with 10 minutes to go in that game, they were a perfect 13/13 and we were 5/12 for FTs...
I say this has nothing to do with each of these player's innate abilities or talents. FT shooting is something you either practice and get good at, or you don't. And we flat out sucked at it this year more than I can ever remember a Florida team sucking at it.
BTW don't bash on DFS or F2 for only getting 4 points against UK. They were supposedly our biggest threats on the court and UK knew that they needed to focus defense on them this year unlike in previous years when any of the 5 we had on the floor was a threat to score. You just can't be successful with players who are a liability on the offensive side of the court.
We flat out lost the first game against UK at home completely on free throws. Take NOTHING else away from that game, I refuse to listen to anyone who says if we did this or that we could have won, cause the flip side is always UK would have then done this or that. From the free throw line however, there is absolutely NOTHING UK could do to stop us from making those baskets. We lost that game by 7 points. UK only missed one FT very late in the game and I believe we missed more than 10 before I stopped counting and turned it off. Had we shot the same FT% that Kentucky did ( No excuse not to IMHO as FT shooting is a developed skill with practice and has nothing to do with the other team's defense against your ability) we would have beaten them at home. It was dreadful that with 10 minutes to go in that game, they were a perfect 13/13 and we were 5/12 for FTs...
I say this has nothing to do with each of these player's innate abilities or talents. FT shooting is something you either practice and get good at, or you don't. And we flat out sucked at it this year more than I can ever remember a Florida team sucking at it.
BTW don't bash on DFS or F2 for only getting 4 points against UK. They were supposedly our biggest threats on the court and UK knew that they needed to focus defense on them this year unlike in previous years when any of the 5 we had on the floor was a threat to score. You just can't be successful with players who are a liability on the offensive side of the court.
Hill has played a little better lately but I don't see how this team can be a real threat until we have a starting PG that is a threat to hit an outside shot. Maybe I am only remembering the better years but I don't remember us ever having a starting PG that only hit 38% of his shots and less than 28% of his 3's. Those are crazy bad numbers for a starting PG not even counting the 52% FT shooting.
"Getting an NCAA bid" by being a little more lucky in a couple of games is not the issue here. The issue is that this team wouldnt be competitive in the tournament even if we were in it.we have a bunch of tall but not strong, athletic but not skilled athletes who do not have Division I level offensive playmaking ability. Hill can drive to the hole like no one I have seen, but he can't finish by hitting free throws when he inevitably gets fouled and he cant hit 10 footers when they back off him and pack the lane. Walker can nearly touch the top of the backboard, but can't hit 3 pointer, or a 15 foot shot, or a 10 foot shot, or a 5 foot shot consistently. This allows defenses to take out Frazier, who seems to have lost the grovve he had last year.
Its just painful to watch and there is no joy in it. Kind of like watching a Will Muschamp offense. If we are to be any better next year, these guys need to practice, practice, practice shooting, 500 balls a day, this offseason.
They need to take some notes from this guy.
AMAZING - Kyle Corver shooting warm-up routine.
Its just painful to watch and there is no joy in it. Kind of like watching a Will Muschamp offense. If we are to be any better next year, these guys need to practice, practice, practice shooting, 500 balls a day, this offseason.
They need to take some notes from this guy.
AMAZING - Kyle Corver shooting warm-up routine.
Forget his outside shooting. Hill would be a threat if he could just hit free throws. He shot 54% from the line this year. If he would shot 70% plus he becomes a major threat with his ability to get into the paint. He would increase his scoring average to 12 to 14 points per game.
Will be interesting to see what happens to this team in the offseason. Kurtz & Horford are gone for sure, but will anyone else turn pro (none are ready IMO) or transfer? We have 4 high school players committed but not yet signed, Devon Walker hurt all year, Francois didn't play due to academics and the Big guy who transferred from USF sitting out. Take away the 2 we're losing for sure, add the 4 recruits and the 3 others who will be eligible next year and that's too many kids, isn't it? I just hope whoever stays commits to working hard in the offseason to get better and stronger, plus learn to listen to coach and play together. This team had the basketball IQ of a moron and it was very painful to watch all season long. And if certain guys just aren't willing to play in Billy's system, they need to be shown the door, regardless of how individually good they may be.
If all 4 kids show up on campus we will be 2 over. No doubt there will be a transfer or two. My best guess is Walker will transfer along with one of the guards, probably Cheese. The 7 footer will be ready to play next year as will the 6'10 transfer from Stanford. Francis and D. Walker will both be here too. I will be curious to see if DFS decides to try out pro ball in Europe or somewhere. I don't think he likes the school part. So I predict when the season starts we will be 1 or 2 under the scholly limit.
This post was edited on 3/14 5:01 PM by Leesgator
